Upon hearing Liu Gonggong's words, the officials from the Ministry of Justice thought that he was making things difficult for Xu Qi'an, and they were eager to attack him if he said anything wrong, taking pleasure in his misfortune.

Scholars were actually very good at fighting, just not in physical combat.

The officials and catchers in the yamen took a wait-and-see attitude and did not care about what clues this reckless copper gong could provide. But they were surprised to find that the prefect did not daydream. He slightly straightened his back and showed a serious listening posture.

Lv Qing whispered, "Have you forgotten? Xu Qi'an, the one involved in the tax silver case."

After being reminded by her, the yamen officials suddenly woke up and remembered Xu Qi'an.

No wonder they felt familiar with the name just now. It turned out to be the little quick hand who helped to turn the tide and solve the mystery of fake silver in the tax silver case.

Hmm, now he is Nightwatcher's copper gong.

No wonder His Majesty appointed him as the chief officer of the Nightwatcher's yamen... At this point, the officials in the yamen truly understood.

"That's some gain!" Xu Qi'an nodded.

He didn't want to say it originally, because the Ministry of Justice and the yamen were competitors, and it didn't make sense to share clues with this group of dogs.

However, he suddenly realized that this might be an opportunity to show off when he noticed the little eunuch taking notes and the uninhibited communication between the Ministry of Justice and the yamen officials.

To show it to His Majesty the Emperor.

Without accident, this transcript would be submitted to the emperor for review. Imagine, after Emperor Yuan Jing read the transcript and found that the Ministry of Justice and the yamen were actively discussing and providing clues to solve the case, while Nightwatcher's yamen remained silent, what would he think?

Although it was a bit of a loss to share information, the credit was already written on paper.

"I have some questions regarding Lv's speculation." Xu Qi'an looked at everyone and said calmly, "I went to Sangbo this morning and found that to blow up the entire Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple and the high platform, an extremely large amount of gunpowder is needed."

"Yes, what's the problem?" Lv Qing also went to investigate the scene in Sangbo.

"The problem is, as you just said, gunpowder is a strategic material highly valued by the court, and various security and anti-theft measures are very strict and complete. It is very difficult to smuggle out this gunpowder, let alone erase the corresponding traces." Xu Qi'an said, "What kind of person do you think can do this?"

Lv Qing hesitated for a moment, "The Minister of Works, or the two deputy ministers."

Everyone was surprised, even the little eunuch recording the transcript paused.

Xu Qi'an nodded, "If it is the Minister of Works and the two deputy ministers, then everything makes sense. With their abilities and skills, it is not impossible to bribe the palace attendants or officials from the Grand Court or Ministry of Rites. However, isn't this too stupid?"

Lv Qing frowned, "What do you mean..."

Xu Qi'an said, "Transporting such a large amount of gunpowder, even if you cover your tracks, cannot withstand inspection. I believe that those who can become ministers and deputy ministers would not be so stupid."

Lv Qing nodded, "If it's not them, then besides the Ministry of Works, where else can provide so much gunpowder?"

Xu Qi'an said, "Is it possible that it was brought in from outside the city?"

Lv Qing shook her head, "Let's not talk about the outer city. Goods entering the inner city are subject to city taxes, and the soldiers guarding the city will inspect the goods. It's even more impossible in the imperial city. How can gunpowder, such an eye-catching thing, be smuggled in? Unless the goods transported in are raw materials, not gunpowder..."

Lv Qing and Xu Qi'an reasoned without anyone interrupting, and Liu Gonggong was not in a hurry, patiently listening.

The little eunuch responsible for recording wrote faster and faster.What was delivered was not gunpowder, but raw materials. Sulfur and charcoal were not precious things in gunpowder's raw materials, especially in winter when the charcoal consumption in the capital was terrifying... but saltpeter was strictly controlled by the Great Feng... Xu Qi'an was lost in thought when a lightning bolt struck his mind.

"Saltpeter mine!?" He widened his eyes and stared at Lv Qing.

The female head catcher's pretty face was stunned for a moment, then she understood and exclaimed, "Saltpeter mine!!"

Both of them were shocked, while on the other side, Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao exchanged a glance, their faces slightly changed.

The four of them personally surveyed the Dahuang Mountain and discovered the saltpeter mine there.

Lv Qing calmed down her shocked emotions and various thoughts flashed through her mind, raising new doubts. "If it was them, what happened to the nine missing people?"

Xu Qi'an slowly said, "Very simple, frame-up and shifting the blame!"

Then he shook his head, "No, it's to divert our attention and fight for time to escape the capital."

Lv Qing nodded slightly, "Yes, to make us think that the gunpowder came from the Ministry of Industry and to think that there were spies planted within the court. The focus of the investigation was then shifted to the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Rites, and the Grand Court of Judicial Review."

Liu Gonggong frowned. He found that he couldn't understand the conversation between the two of them anymore.

Except for the Minister of Justice and the Chen Mansion's magistrate who remained calm, the others looked at each other, equally unable to understand what Xu Qi'an and Lv Qing were talking about.

They all felt like they had missed an episode.

Xu Qi'an shook his head again, "In that case, there is a doubt that cannot be solved. How did they transport the gunpowder to Sangbo?"

Lv Qing said, "Very simple, the nine missing officials should have been bribed or coerced. I lean towards the former."

It made sense. If the demon race could smuggle gunpowder into Sangbo, there must be an insider in the court. Without the court's insider, they couldn't have done it.

Leaving aside the small fries in the court, why did the demon race want to destroy Sangbo?

To be precise, they coveted the seal under Sangbo. What use did this seal have for them?

He was thinking, and then he heard Lv Qing say, "We seem to have been misled because I noticed a detail just now..."

The heroic female head catcher stared at Xu Qi'an, "Nine missing people, three from the palace, three from the Ministry of Rites, and three from the Grand Court of Judicial Review... How did they deceive their colleagues and smuggle in the gunpowder?"

Xu Qi'an was not very clear about the process of the Ancestor Worship Ceremony yet. He hadn't had a chance to ask the officials and guards who were responsible for the cleanup. But after hearing Lv Qing's words, he suddenly realized, "You mean, it's impossible for three people to smuggle gunpowder past their colleagues. Yes, why did they deliberately separate these nine people? If all nine were from the Ministry of Rites, the Grand Court of Judicial Review, or the palace, it might still be possible."

Lv Qing smiled sincerely, quite bright and beautiful. She most admired Xu Qi'an for his intelligence and ability to immediately understand her meaning. Discussing matters with him was not tiring, but rather heartwarming.

Xu Qi'an said, "Therefore, among the people who helped them, there must be others who have the ability to enter and exit the imperial city freely, or who can deliver gunpowder into the imperial city..."

At this point, Xu Qi'an and Lv Qing looked at each other again, and they remembered a case.

The case of Liu Han, the small flag officer of the Jinwu Guard.

This case happened the day before the Ancestor Worship Ceremony, and they personally took over the case.

Liu Han, the small flag officer of the Jinwu Guard, was silenced... Before his death, he revealed to his wife that he was going to take his family out of the capital... He died while on duty... Xu Qi'an suddenly understood and connected the saltpeter mine with Liu Han's case. It was not difficult to come up with a truth.The demon clan drove away the gray households to collect saltpeter from the Great Huang Mountain, make gunpowder, destroy the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple, and release the sealed object in Sangpo Village.

They used gunpowder because the palace was heavily guarded and they couldn't break in, but gunpowder could be smuggled in unnoticed.

Whether it was the monitor of the S天监, the female national teacher of the Ren Sect, or the high-ranking martial artist of the Forbidden Army, they could detect the invasion of strong people, but they could not detect dead objects like gunpowder.

Liu Han was just a small flag officer and didn't have that much ability. He secretly put the gunpowder into the imperial city without his superiors knowing.

He was just a doer, and the instigator was his superior, who also killed him to silence him.

Mad Ma, the demon clan, acted like an old sow wearing a bra, one after another.

The brothel was crowded with customers - everything was in order.

As long as they captured Liu Han's superior, the hundred households of the Jinwu Guard, and tortured them, everything would be revealed!

Xu Qi'an quickly locked onto a suspicious person: Zhou Baihu!

Xu Qi'an stood up and cleared his throat, "Liu Gonggong, gentlemen, I still have something to do at the Ministry of Works. I'll take my leave first."

He looked calm and relaxed, "Nightwatcher, come with me."

He quickly led the people to evacuate.

The officials present were not fools. Although Xu Qi'an appeared normal, his facial expressions during his conversation with Lv Qing, as well as the content of their conversation, although incomprehensible, did not prevent them from inferring that Xu Qi'an had discovered an important clue.

Everyone looked at Lv Qing.

Lv Qing pretended to be ignorant.

Liu Gonggong tapped the table with his finger and urged, "Has Xu Qi'an discovered something? Has there been progress in the case? Speak up!"

Lv Qing thought to herself, I've done my best. After all, although I admire Xu Qi'an, we don't have any special relationship, and he's not my fiancé or anything.

Helping him buy some time is already being loyal.

PS: This took about six or seven hours.

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