Reborn Princess

In the first month of the ninth year of Yongzhen, amid the bustling, peaceful and prosperous New Year atmosphere, the situation in the dark of Yanjing City was changing.

Shen Xilan felt that the biggest advantage of marrying Zhou Cechen was that she didn't have to visit any clan relatives. She sat at the window sill of the warm room with her chin in her hand, watching the swaying bamboo leaves outside the window, thinking about the file she had read in Wansang Tower a few days ago.

In the study, looking at Zhou Cechen's imposing back, he lowered his head and reported.

"Your Majesty, the black market has been unusually quiet these past few days."

"Didn't find anything?"

Yanci: "We didn't find any illegal salt trading in the black market, but Tang Song and his men have been watching all the caravans that have entered Beijing recently for several days. There is no sign of any caravan selling illegal salt, but we found that they all went into different ironware shops."

"These ironware shops are all official shops under government control. Even their production is registered. We can't find any..."

"Since we have found the ironware, these shops are the breakthrough point. Keep watching them."

"Yes."

Late at night, in a forest 500 miles away from Yanjing, Pei Min got off his horse and threw a pot of wine in his hand to Ji Xinan, "I picked up the wine at the roadside post station. Take it."

Ji Xinan frowned and said, "If your identity is discovered when you go to the post station, our trip will fail."

Pei Min chuckled, "Military Advisor Ji, are you so afraid of your prince?"

Ji Xinan snorted and walked towards the fire, where four people were sitting around it and warming themselves.

Pei Min tied up the horse and followed Ji Xinan. "Well, I'm dressed as an ordinary citizen. What can those useless postmen see? Why should they be so suspicious every day?"

"General Pei." Several people saluted.

"No need to be polite, just sit down. We will arrive in the capital in a few days. You have all worked hard on this trip. I will treat you all to a drink when we arrive." After saying that, Pei Min shared the cakes in his arms with everyone, and handed the only cake wrapped in paper to Ji Xinan, "Everyone, eat quickly."

Ji Xinan didn't answer. "General Pei, keep it for yourself."

Pei Min raised his eyebrows. "You scholars are troublesome. You complain about food here and there. I think you want to starve to death after coming all the way here. Eat quickly. I asked the store to wrap it in butter paper. It's clean."

Ji Xinan glanced at him and picked up the cake.

Pei Min saw that he had eaten and said no more.

"We still need to hurry up in the next few days. This news concerns the safety of Da Qi. We will continue our journey early tomorrow morning."

"Yes."

Shen Xilan has been thinking about how to let Zhou Cechen know the private dealings between those officials these days. She can't tell him directly. She can't let Zhou Cechen raid Wansang Tower, which is one of her few forces.

Just as I was thinking about it, Bi Rui came in and said, "My lady, Censor Song just sent a visiting card over, saying that he will come to visit with his wife tomorrow."

Su Wan, Shen Lilan repeated the name in his mind and curled his lips, and a solution came.

Su Wan came to the mansion with Song Yan, and Shen Yanlan went to greet them personally.

"I invited a pastry chef from Suzhou to come to my house to make these plum blossom cakes and crabapple cakes. Would you like to try them and see if they suit your taste?"

Chaoyun and Liuchun each brought in a cup of tea.

"And this Biluochun is also something I just got, you should try it."

Shen Lilan looked at Su Wan. She was so beautiful, with a beauty that looked good with either light or heavy makeup.

Su Wan smiled and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"No need to call me that, just call me Jin Ning."

After having tea, Shen Yanlan took Su Wan's hand and said, "Song Yushi, can I take your wife to visit this palace?"

Song Yan looked at Su Wan, and when he saw her nod, he said, "Go."

Shen Yanlan took Su Wan away, leaving Zhou Cechen and Song Yan in the reception room. After the two looked at each other, Zhou Cechen said, "Imperial Censor Song, please move to the study."

In the back garden, Su Wan looked at a few wintersweets, the flowers on the branches were about to bloom, and she asked, "Your Majesty, did you bring me here to discuss something?"

Shen Lilan didn't expect Su Wan to guess it and ask her so simply and clearly.

"I do have something to ask for."

Su Wan said softly, "Your Majesty, please don't ask me for anything. If you have something to ask, just ask me. If I can do it, I will do my best."

"I have the names of several officials here. Please help me check them, Censor Song." Shen Xilan took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, on which were the names on the file.

Su Wan took the note and saw the names of more than a dozen officials listed on it, including Liu Linzhi. Her fingers trembled.

"Tell Censor Song that he doesn't need to ask about the origin of this name. Give what he has found to His Majesty, and don't mention me again."

"Please keep this a secret for me."

Su Wan didn't know what Shen Yanlan wanted to do. "I will do my best to help you, Your Majesty. I have no way to repay you for saving my life last time. I hope I can help you this time."

Shen Lilan smiled lightly: "No need for such a generous gift, I told you to just call me Jin Ning."

"it is good."

……

Inside the carriage, Song Yan held Su Wan's hand and stroked her palm.

"Is this given to you by Princess Ding'an?"

Song Yan held the note in his other hand, and he stared at the names with a frown.

"Liu Linzhi is also up there." Su Wan reminded him.

Song Yan squeezed Su Wan's hand to comfort her, "Don't worry, I will get rid of him."

Su Wan shook her head. "Don't put yourself in danger, and don't always do that for me..."

"Wan Wan, since we are married, we are one. This is not for you, but for us."

"Liu Linzhi is hypocritical and his crime is unforgivable. Even if I don't take action, Zhou Cechen will."

Song Yan turned his gaze back to the note and said, "I'll check these people out. It's like I'm repaying her for her kindness."

It was easy for the censors to investigate these officials, as they were not important officials and were usually cautious and prudent, and some of them were even honest officials.

However, the more Song Yan investigated those people, the more he felt something was wrong, and the more shocked he became.

"Each of them is known to be of high moral character, incorruptible, and incorruptible." Zhou Cechen chuckled as he looked at the thick stack of booklets Song Yan gave him.

"very good."

"On the surface, he was an honest official, but behind the scenes, he was amassing wealth. On the surface, he looked so poor that he had to patch up his official uniform, but behind the scenes, he built mansions and restaurants."

Zhou Cechen continued to flip through the pages and frowned. There was a purchase of ironware every month, and the buyers would be purchased under different names and by different people.

The conspiracy behind this makes people sweat.

"How did Censor Song find out about these most inconspicuous and honest officials so quickly?"

"Nearly half of these people are not officials in the capital."

Song Yan looked calm and said, "Isn't this your princess?"

He cleared his throat and answered, "Do you think I was able to become an imperial censor simply by luck?"

Zhou Cechen stared at him in silence.

"What are you going to do?" Song Yan asked.

"This matter must not be known to the court officials, otherwise it will surely cause unrest."