However, Li Linfu was certain of one thing: he had absolutely no connection with the Turks. Well, at least not in Chang'an. He wasn't stupid; all his power came from the Tang Dynasty. Of course, he hoped the Tang Dynasty would endure. Only then could his power endure. Even if he harbored some rebellious thoughts deep down, they would still be within the framework of the Tang Dynasty. Involving the Turks involved too many variables; he had never considered it.
But now, with this happening, Li Linfu instinctively felt a sense of crisis. It was a sense of crisis that the situation was no longer under his control.
"Prepare the carriage; I must go to the palace to meet the Emperor immediately."
………………
At the city gate, a caravan of Han Chinese merchants was queuing up to enter the city.
Some minor officials at the city gates were carefully inspecting each item of goods. Less than twenty meters behind them, a squad of more than twenty Imperial Guards were on guard.
Ahead, some familiar businessmen were talking quietly.
"Chang'an has become increasingly difficult to enter lately. We never used to see so many soldiers guarding this place. Judging from their appearance, they always seem ready to draw their swords and kill someone at any moment."
"Hehe, you don't know yet. It's all because of those Turks. A few days ago, a group of Turks infiltrated Chang'an City with the intention of committing crimes. As a result, they were all wiped out by the Jing'an Division. Since then, the city gates have been even more heavily guarded."
These are the soldiers you see; there are also dozens of crossbowmen watching from the city wall. Anyone who dares to make the slightest move will be killed on the spot.
"Fortunately, I just got a batch of furs. There are no contraband items."
"Me too, I got some gems from the Western Regions."
"Hey bro. You've got a pretty big business."
"Not bad, not bad," the merchant said, but a hint of smugness lingered on his face. The Western Regions were rich in various gemstones, but this kind of business wasn't for just anyone. He had put in a lot of effort to pull strings and get into this line of work.
Soon, it was the turn of the Han Chinese caravan.
They carried several cartloads of wooden barrels. A minor official opened all the barrels one by one, testing them with a bamboo stick.
At the entrance, an old official was questioning the leader, holding a registration book.
What kind of goods are being transported?
"Yes, sir. It is graphite. The finest graphite from the Western Regions."
The old official walked past him with a cold expression and looked at the shop assistant behind him.
He'd been in this line of work for over twenty years. His eye for talent was far sharper than most. With just one glance, he could tell that something was off about those guys.
He was tall and strong, with sharp eyes; one could tell at a glance that he was no ordinary coachman.
It was normal for caravans traveling to the Western Regions to hire swordsmen as helpers. But the old official felt something was off about this group. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was used to seeing swordsmen with a menacing aura. It was just that these people were different from the ones he knew. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
After thinking for a moment, he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and prepared to circle the character "疑" (doubt). This meant that doubts needed further investigation. This was both his duty and his right.
Just then, a middle-aged man approached. He smiled and said, "It's already noon, haven't you eaten yet, sir? Here, take this and make do."
As he spoke, he handed over a fragrant sesame flatbread sprinkled with sesame seeds.
The old official recognized this man as Cui Liulang, a renowned broker in Chang'an. He was incredibly shrewd and knew almost everyone in the city. He frequently received merchant caravans from afar, helping them pass through inspections and settle into their homes within the city, earning a fee in the process.
The old official flipped the flatbread over and saw a small piece of silver imprinted on the back. It wasn't big, but it was enough to make a hairpin for his daughter.
At this moment, the clerk in charge of the inspection returned, gently shook his head, and indicated that there was no problem.
He casually placed the flatbread aside, picked up his pen, wrote "pass" on the document, and then handed the document back to Cui Liulang.
Cui Liulang bowed and thanked him with a smile, then led the caravan through quickly.
The old official watched the man enter the city. Then he turned to the junior official and gestured. The junior official turned and ran away quickly.
The old official certainly wouldn't let a suspicious caravan enter the city just because of a small amount of silver. He wrote "allowed," not because of the silver, but because of Cui Liulang.
Although it wasn't explicitly stated above, these veteran officials had long understood. In recent months, every caravan led by Cui Liulang had passed through without fail. No matter the doubts, they all eventually got through. This showed that Cui Liulang had already cultivated connections; a seasoned veteran like him naturally wouldn't risk offending his superiors.
Meanwhile, Li Linfu rode at full speed to the palace. Given his status, the guards naturally dared not stop him. He was only stopped by Gao Lishi at the gate.
However, the other party only said one more thing.
"The Right Chancellor has arrived; the Emperor has been waiting for him for a long time."
Li Linfu instinctively felt something was amiss. He strode into the hall, where he found the Crown Prince already waiting.
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Chapter Seventy-Three: Matchmaking for Zhang Xiaojing?
Li Linfu was very unhappy. He held immense power and had suppressed the Crown Prince for more than a year or two. He never expected to be outmaneuvered by the Crown Prince today. He didn't know how the Crown Prince had managed it. But the official's claim of having ties with the Turks was definitely the Crown Prince's doing.
What terrified him most was that, without his knowledge, the Crown Prince had already extended his reach into his inner circle, and he was completely unaware. If things continued this way, perhaps next time, a jade seal or a dragon robe would appear in his study.
Recalling what the Crown Prince had just said.
"The Right Chancellor is loyal to the country and would never have any dealings with the Turks. Someone must have framed him. This matter must be thoroughly investigated to clear the Right Chancellor's name."
The Crown Prince kept insisting that the Right Chancellor was innocent and that he had been framed, while Li Linfu dared not say a word. Because at that moment, whatever the Crown Prince said was right, and whatever Li Linfu said was wrong.
Claiming innocence? That the person in charge did it all? That means you're severely negligent in managing your subordinates. Your subordinates are all traitors, and you still claim innocence?
If they admit it, that's even more absurd; it's treason, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of their family.
Therefore, whatever you say is wrong.
The key point was that hearing these words from the Crown Prince's mouth gave him a strange sense of irony. The Crown Prince's repeated insistence that the Right Chancellor was innocent made him feel as if he had been slapped in the face.
Li Linfu returned home without a word, his entire being radiating an aura of pent-up rage. The servants trembled with fear, too afraid to even approach him. And Li Linfu's face darkened further upon seeing them. It was all because of these useless bastards that he had made such a fool of himself.