"Let's talk about it right here!"
Zhao Ji put down the memorial in his hand and turned his gaze back to Crown Prince Zhao Huan.
Although he himself would occasionally go out to mingle with the people, if his son had the same peculiar habit, he truly found it difficult to accept.
"The reason your humble servant went to Xiaotianshui Lane was because your humble servant discovered something!"
Zhao Huan took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and then began to speak.
"Something? What exactly is it that made you insist on going to that place?"
Zhao Ji said with a somber expression.
"Replying to Your Majesty, your humble servant has brought the item. It is now outside the hall!"
"Bring it in!"
Zhao Ji. Although he didn't know what mystery he was playing at, since it was already outside the hall, he naturally didn't hesitate and directly called out towards the outside.
Soon, several imperial guards carried a large wooden chest inside.
The wooden chest was even sealed with the seal of the Crown Prince's mansion, which made Zhao Ji frown. Could there be some treasure inside?
"Open it!"
Zhao Huan gave the order, and two imperial guards immediately tore off the seal and opened the chest in front of several chancellors.
After opening the chest, two guards cautiously stepped forward and took out the contents.
"This! This!"
Upon seeing what they were holding, Zhao Ji was completely stunned. This item seemed so familiar.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, congratulations, Your Majesty! The Great Song Dynasty has seen a miraculous omen again!"
While Zhao Ji was still in a daze, Cai You had already knelt on the ground, directly congratulating Zhao Ji.
However, Cai Jing, who was standing beside him, was not as optimistic. Looking at the familiar item, Cai Jing couldn't help but tremble all over!
This scoundrel, he had repeatedly warned them to forget about this matter, but why had this thing reappeared in the world?
"Scholar Cai, there's no need to worry. This is not an omen! This was created by someone with malicious intent to fool Your Majesty and humiliate all the esteemed chancellors!"
Zhao Huan suddenly looked up and said seriously to Wang Fu.
"Your Highness, you mean to say this item is not a natural creation?"
Looking at the item weighing dozens of pounds, shining golden, and resembling a lingzhi mushroom, Wang Fu asked thoughtfully.
"Exactly! Although this item appears to be formed naturally, it is an artificial creation! It was jointly cast by the son of the county magistrate of Changping County, Liu Qin, and a merchant!"
After Zhao Huan finished speaking, the Great Qing Hall fell silent once more.
At this point, Cai You's body began to tremble!
How could this be possible?
How could Liu Qin be implicated in this matter?
It wasn't entirely their fault; the person the Crown Prince was contending with was merely the son of a county magistrate. A county magistrate was nothing in the eyes of the spies in the Imperial City Temple, so this matter was automatically overlooked by them.
They only knew that after the Crown Prince arrested the person, he was immediately sent to Kaifeng Prefecture. As for the reason, the cause, and the process, they truly knew nothing at all.
However, such a matter was enough for Prince Yun. They only needed to obtain evidence of the Crown Prince's misconduct and obstruction of national law. Anything else was unimportant.
Therefore, Cai You had no intention of delving deeper into the matter and directly spread the news.
Because of such a small oversight, not only was he ruined, but even Cai Jing was in an awkward position.
Bai Zhizhong, who had been watching the excitement from the side, suddenly recalled a distant memory.
Zhenghe Sixth Year, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Grand Tutor, Duke of Lu, Cai Jing, stated: I respectfully observe the memorial from Liu Qin of Changping, Hunan, reporting that on the twelfth day of the sixth month of last year, in a flat area at Ludichong, a piece of gold was dug up, resembling a lingzhi auspicious cloud, weighing nine jin and eight liang...
For this, Cai Jing had even specifically requested all officials, high and low, to submit memorials on auspicious omens!
If this item was indeed fake, then this matter would be truly interesting!
Thinking back to Zhao Huan's words earlier, it now seemed like a very big trap!
The Crown Prince had said many times that he wanted to submit a memorial alone, which clearly indicated his intention to give Cai Jing face.
It was also to provide the Emperor with a way to back down. But now, because of Cai You's insistence.
This slap in the face was truly loud!
"Your Highness, you say this item is fake, that it was cast, but why are there no traces of carving on it? Moreover, where could such a shape be made by human hands?"
Looking at the Emperor's ashen face, Cai You took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead again, and said with a trembling body.
"Originally, I only heard that someone was peddling auspicious omens, so I went to investigate. But I didn't expect that after arresting the person, without even interrogating them, the merchant confessed himself!"
"Confessed what?"
Zhao Ji said murderously.
This matter had caused a great stir, and not long after, all those involved in it, from top to bottom, were eventually promoted.
If this item was truly fake, then Zhao Ji's face would be utterly disgraced!
Moreover, if he remembered correctly, this fellow named Liu Qin, before entering officialdom, was merely a servant of the Cai family!
"This item was made by melting alluvial gold and then directly pouring the molten gold into ant nests. After the gold solidified, it was placed in sand pots and washed with a strong current, naturally removing all traces of carving!"
After Zhao Huan finished speaking, Cai Jing's face was filled with a wry smile!
As expected!
As expected, it was a series of stratagems!
At this point, he finally understood. This Crown Prince had truly received guidance from a master. He not only intended to suppress Prince Yun but also to expel himself from Bianliang City!
His two foolish sons, even if they weren't involved before, would be ashamed enough with this matter.
"Guards! Summon Liu Tieshou to me!"
This matter was of great importance and concerned the dignity of the court. Zhao Ji naturally had to verify it.
He himself could not distinguish between true and false, but the skilled goldsmiths in the palace would certainly be able to!
Seeing Cai Jing, who suddenly looked ten years older, Liang Shicheng felt a surge of excitement!
As expected of someone favored by the Emperor!
With just a few simple schemes, he had performed a miracle of transforming decay into divinity. Cai Jing, who had been prominent in official circles for so many years, was outsmarted by a mere youngster!