Pei Tan brought only two yamen runners, and when they arrived at the gate of Jing Yuanner's residence, he had the two runners stay behind to keep watch, and then went in alone.

  Pei Tan stood at the door and gently pushed it open, and Jing Wanyu's door opened.

  Jing Wan'er had just changed into her clothes and heard the sound of the door opening, quickly turning around to face Pei Tan.

  Jing Wan'er's face slowly turned red as she slowly lowered her head: "Sir."

  Pei Tan's eyes were deep and profound, he didn't ask much, looking at Jing Wanyu said: "It's good that you're back."

  Jing Wan'er bit her lip and lowered her head without saying a word.

  Pei Tan closed the door of Jing Wanyu's room again, and left the yard as if nothing had happened. The two bailiffs at the gate saw that the master came out so quickly, and they looked confused.

  After Pei Tan left, Jing Wanyu let out a soft sigh. Her whole body felt a bit sore, partly because of the pent-up pressure that had nowhere to release, and also... she hadn't knelt down in front of anyone for a long time.

  Jing Wan'er walked over to the table, picked up the two letters and took a look, then put them into the brazier, watching as they burned away.

  At night, Jing Wanyi lay in bed, she thought of the last words that Ma Che said, and there was a strange sense of terror creeping up her heart.

  She didn't know why she had this feeling, and until now, she still hadn't figured out the reason "she" came to her.

  It was this inexplicable reason that made Jing Wanyu almost sleepless for a whole night.

  Even when she saw the daylight and the rising sun, Jing Wan's limbs were still icy cold.

  Zong Chuke was reciting scriptures in the ancestral hall, and he threw a stack of yellow paper into the fire basin in front of Zong Huo's memorial tablet.

  "Son, over there, don't forget that you are the son of Zong Chuke." The ancestral hall was gloomy and eerie. In his lifetime, Zong Huo had lived a life of extreme indulgence due to his identity as a member of the Zong family clan, bullying men and oppressing women, with everyone fearing him.

  Since I'm dead now, I should die in a way that even ghosts will hear about it.

  The evil spirit of losing one's gallbladder, this is what Zong Chuke wishes for when burning paper.

  He Zhongchu's son, wherever he goes, cannot be bullied by anyone.

  There were already attendants waiting in the study, who handed a volume of documents to Zong Chuke. Zong Chuke slowly opened it, and the attendant beside him immediately began to introduce: "The Ministry of Punishment has just received your order, and has carefully sorted out the case files for you to review."

  These old cases are not only in the Temple of Justice, but also in the Ministry of Punishment.

  If he could trip up Pei Tan in the Crown Prince Zhang Hua case, his Excellency the Minister would certainly go all out.

  The attendant said: "Your Excellency also ordered an investigation into the matter of the palace maid with the surname Jing, which is also in this volume. Your Excellency will find it interesting if you continue reading."

  Zong Chuke saw the excitement in his staff's eyes.

  Zong Chuke slowly read through the case files, and the death of a prince was only recorded on these thin pages, hastily concluded. Zong Chuke's eyes were cold and detached, and not a single word on this bleak paper could move his heart.

  He doesn't care about the case back then, whether it was a miscarriage of justice or not. All he wants to find out is one thing that will make Pei Tan and the Temple of Justice gain irreparable mistakes and shame because of this case.

  Zong Chuke glanced through a few pages and threw it on the desktop, saying lightly: "With such a thin file, how can Dalisi Temple possibly come up with convincing evidence to overturn this case?"

  The staff member said: "Indeed it is impossible. What he wants to do is something that nobody agrees with."

  Zong Chuke glanced at the table and saw that there was still one unopened envelope. He also made these people pay extra attention to Jing Yuanyu's information.

  As soon as he pulled out the paper from the envelope, Zong Chuke had only read a few lines when his pupils suddenly constricted.

  The staff knew that the time had come, and with a cunning glint in his eye, he said: "Your Excellency, at the time of the Crown Prince Zhang Hua case, within a month, several officials were demoted. If Pei Tan is going to investigate, he will definitely start with these surviving officials. Look at the names of these officials... Ah, Jing Zhe people, one of them is actually the father of that little girl Jing Wanyan..."

  Zong Chuke's expression was now vastly different from when he had been reading the case files of Zhang Huai, his eyes gleaming brightly as a faint, repressed smile crept onto his face.

  "That Jing Wanyu was only fifteen years old, and her appearance was still delicate. It seemed that in the several cases handled by Pei Tan so far, there was a shadow of this girl."

  This is already very suspicious, when the Qing officials handled the case, why was there always a low-ranking palace maid involved.

  Zong Chuke gradually burst out laughing, his voice echoing in the study. After so long, he had finally found a real weakness to use against Pei Tan, one that he couldn't escape.

  "Pei Tan wants to review the case, of course, it can't be avoided, and also wants to turn over the case for this Jing family."

  A sinister glint flashed in the staff officer's eyes: "So, it turns out... that little girl has been following Pei Tan for so long, being so obedient and flattering, it was all because of this reason..."

  He wanted to use this to bring good fortune to his family, but the nobleman was slightly disdainful. Indeed, in this world... many are these cunning and manipulative "fox spirits".

  “。

  Zong Chuke stopped laughing and tapped his hand on the paper lightly, "This card is going to be used well."

  An opponent like Dali Temple must be killed with one blow; otherwise, as soon as he catches his breath, he will turn around and devour you.

  ——

  Shen Temple's deputy walked leisurely to the study early in the morning to look for Master Temple who had not rested all night.

  He was temporarily appointed as the Temple Assistant, and even a set of official robes were not bestowed upon him by Emperor Zhongzong. However, Shen Zhen did not mind these trivial matters, and he felt very comfortable with his new title "Temple Assistant Shen" that others called him in recent days.

  As soon as Shen Xingwen entered the study, he told the yamen runner standing there: "You go out first, don't come in without my order."

  The official glanced at Pei Tan and saw no objection, so he said to Shen Xingwen: "I'll go out now, Temple Master."

  Shen Xingwen's lips curled up slightly.

  The yamen runner went out and closed the door of the study.

  Pei Tan looked at him and saw Shen Xingwen smile lightly: "Maybe one day this title will be gone, Shen certain wants to seize the time to feel it more."

  Pei Tan said: "..."

  He certainly didn't think Shen Xingwen was so boring and asked after a moment: "Is there any progress on the case?"

  The question was "today", obviously already knowing that Shen Xingwen had nothing to do with the three treasure halls.

  Shen Xingwen said faintly, "I've already gone through all the case files that needed to be looked at these past few days. But staring at these old records of confessions isn't going to crack the case. Shen Mou came today to request from Your Honor to go to the east city to visit someone."

  "Who do you want to visit?"

  Shen Xingwen said: "Your Honor should know that at that time, I was the only one who stayed in Chang'an."

  Pei Tan's eyes sank deeply. Among the officials who were involved in the Crown Prince case back then, some were exiled and others died. On that record, there was really only one person left.

  So far records still live in Chang'an.

  "Go."

  Of course, making a cart behind closed doors is not as important as visiting the people involved in the case. Shen Xingwen paid his respects to Pei Tan and then turned around and left.

  The door opened just as a whiff of tea fragrance floated in, and Jing Wanyu's hand had just been raised to knock.

  "After a while, she said: 'I've prepared two cups of tea. Won't you have one before you go, Temple Commander?'"

  Shen Xingwen raised his eyes and looked at her. On the tea set that Jing Wanyu was holding, there were indeed two well-brewed porcelain cups.

  Shen Xingwen picked up a cup, tilted his head and drank it all in one gulp, put the empty cup back on the plate, and smiled faintly at Jing Wanyu: "Thank you, miss."

  Looking at Shen Xingwen's back, Jing Wanyu was a little thoughtful.

  Then she lowered her head and brought the tea into the study room. "Sir, have some tea."

  Pei Tan looked at her, although he told Jing Wanyu that she didn't have to do these things, but Jing Wanyu just smiled and replied: "Wanyu can't do nothing, living...

  "In Tai Li Temple, I'm afraid there will be gossip."

  In order not to cause gossip, Jing Wanyi really became like a maid.

  Pei Tan did not ask about Jing Yuanyuan's outing. In his opinion, as long as Jing Yuanyuan returned safely, there was no need to investigate further.

  Jing Wan'er also had her own thoughts, she glanced at Pei Tan and then lowered her gaze.

  Pei Tuo stretched out his hand towards the teacup, saw Jing Wanyu's unusual color, and then withdrew it. After a moment, he was about to ask.

  Suddenly, the study door was knocked again, this time with some urgency. Pei Tan could only say: "Come in."

  It was still the same official who had just spoken, and he said to Pei Tan: "Sir, outside the gate... the Duke of Guanglu Temple has arrived with a thick gift."

  Jing Wan'er was stunned and even forgot to pour tea.

  Pei Tan slightly furrowed his brow: "The Grand Master of the Imperial Guards... is outside the gate?"

  The official said: "Yes, he let me report to Your Excellency. He is waiting outside the door first. I didn't dare to make a decision..."

  Let the same three products wait outside the door. If someone sees this, it's impossible to have a good impression. The official is also obviously panicked.

  "Immediately invite him into the front hall," said Pei Tan.

  This matter obviously cannot be delayed, the official led the way and immediately returned faster than anyone else.

  Pei Tan stood up from his desk, he needed to change into official attire to meet him. The Guanglu Temple and the Dali Temple were both among the three temples, with equal power and status. And Li Shouli's identity was not just that of the Guanglu Temple Master.

  In this brief moment, Jing Wanyan already knew Pei Tan's thoughts. She immediately walked over and took out the official uniform from the cabinet. All of Pei Tan's important belongings were in his study. He took off the outer robe he was currently wearing and let Jing Wanyan help him put on this fur-lined cloak.

  A wide robe, when Jing Yuanyu tightened his waist for him, and then looked up again, the tired red fabric set off Pei Tan's white jade-like face.

  Jing Wan'er lowered her eyes: "Wan'er will take her leave first."

  The cup of tea on the table had gone cold, she walked over and picked it up, carrying it out of the study.

  Pei Tan didn't linger and hurried to the front hall.

  It is said that this wandering grandson of Gaozong Emperor was the most unfortunate one in the Tang imperial family. Whether it was Crown Prince Zhanghuai or other princes, at least they were born into wealth and nobility. However, this one, as the orphan of Crown Prince Zhanghuai, had hardly experienced a day of honor in the Li-Tang imperial household. Following the decline of the crown prince, he lived in a turbulent environment, struggling to survive with trepidation.

  People's understanding of this grandson is also pitifully small, and it can be said that if Zhongzong hadn't been restored to the throne, even fewer people would have remembered who Li Shouli was.

  Born into a royal family, but this life is truly miserable.