Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but grip her water cup tightly, looking calmly at the man who was questioning her.

She could see his nervousness.

“Marriage proposals are not discussed during the twelfth lunar month.”

Shao Mingyuan’s eyes lit up: “How about next spring?”

“I haven’t reached the coming-of-age ceremony yet, so my parents may not necessarily agree.”

Upon hearing Qiao Zhao mention her parents, Shao Mingyuan became even more nervous. After hesitating for a moment, he asked: “Zhaozhao, how do you think I performed just now?”

“Hmm?” Qiao Zhao didn’t understand where this question came from.

Shao Mingyuan rubbed his hands together: “I mean… was your mother satisfied with me?”

Qiao Zhao directly threw her handkerchief at the man’s face, reproaching him: “Do you have any shame? Who is your mother-in-law?”

Knowing that He Shi had already left, Shao Mingyuan’s courage immediately grew. He chuckled and said, “Whoever is your mother is my mother-in-law.”

Qiao Zhao rolled her eyes at him.

Shao Mingyuan grasped Qiao Zhao’s hand, noticing it was somewhat cold. He cupped it with both hands and gently rubbed it: “Zhaozhao, seriously, I performed well just now, didn’t I?”

Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but laugh: “I thought you were fearlessly bold, but it turns out you’re afraid of my mother.”

“Of course I am. What if your mother doesn’t agree to marry you to me?”

Qiao Zhao sighed: “Marriage is a matter of parental command and matchmaker’s words. You’re asking me, but how would I know what to do?”

Upon hearing this, Shao Mingyuan was dumbfounded. He raised his hand to rub his face, saying in distress, “You mean your mother is not satisfied with me?”

Qiao Zhao glanced at him: “If you had an underage daughter, and some audacious young man took a fancy to her and secretly bought the house next to yours to facilitate secret meetings, what would you do?”

A flash of murderous intent appeared in the General’s eyes as he said coldly: “I would skin that boy alive!”

Qiao Zhao said nothing, just looked at the stunned man and smiled.

Shao Mingyuan vigorously rubbed his face: “I’m finished!”

He was depressed for a moment, then struggled to say: “But our neighbor is a Prince’s mansion, no one could afford to buy it…”

The Marquis Guanjun’s residence was located near the Imperial City, a mansion bestowed by the Emperor himself, representing the extraordinary honor of Marquis Guanjun.

Qiao Zhao stopped teasing him: “Alright, let’s talk about our matter next year. There’s no rush anyway. You should deliver this account book first, and notify me immediately if there’s anything else.”

Shao Mingyuan took the account book, looking dejected.

Who said there was no rush? He was already twenty-one!

The wife he had married for several years had become a young girl, and he still had to wait slowly for her to grow up. The bittersweet feelings of this were not something he could share with outsiders.

Shao Mingyuan escorted Qiao Zhao to the main gate, gently touched her cheek with his hand, and tenderly instructed: “Go back and rest well. If anything happens, have Chen Guang come next door to find the guards watching the house.”

“I understand. You should go quickly, important matters come first.”

Qiao Zhao stood by the apricot tree, watching the man nimbly mount his horse and disappear at the alley entrance, then turned and returned to the Li residence.

When Shao Mingyuan returned to the Ministry of Justice office, it was almost noon. The three high officials in the study had no appetite for lunch and were eagerly waiting for his return.

As soon as they saw Shao Mingyuan’s figure appear at the door, all three immediately rose to greet him.

“How did it go?”

Shao Mingyuan handed over the account book that still carried the fragrance of ink.

Kou Xingze took it and opened it, revealing elegant, small characters on the paper.

Kou Xingze couldn’t help but look at Shao Mingyuan.

Shao Mingyuan stood expressionlessly to the side, his face revealing no clues whatsoever.

After Kou Xingze finished reading, he handed the account book to Zhang Siqing beside him.

Zhang Siqing turned to one page and pointed at a person’s name: “I remember this person. A mere centurion could accept bribes of five hundred taels – it’s truly shocking!”

The Left Chief Censor also remembered, smiling: “I also have an impression of this person. At that time, Minister Zhang spotted his name at first glance, which is why the impression was so deep, right?”

The centurion recorded in the account book had the same name as Zhang Siqing. Zhang Siqing had cursed about the bad luck at the time, but now it unexpectedly became the key to verifying the accuracy of the account book.

“Even the page number and position where the name was recorded are the same. Marquis, this subordinate is truly curious about who compiled this account book of yours.” Zhang Siqing said admiringly.

Shao Mingyuan stated directly: “Who compiled the account book is not important. What’s important is that it can solve the troubles of you three of you. Minister Zhang, don’t you agree?”

Zhang Siqing had been navigating official circles for many years and could reach the position of Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review precisely because he was no simple person. Hearing the faint warning in Shao Mingyuan’s tone, he naturally abandoned any thoughts of further questioning.

It didn’t matter who had transcribed the account book from memory – what mattered most was that it didn’t delay their investigation.

“Has my brother-in-law finished transcribing the other account book?”

Kou Xingze smiled: “That account book is somewhat thicker. Mo’er should finish writing it soon.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Qiao Mo emerged from the study.

His brow showed undeniable fatigue, but his expression was calm and composed as he respectfully presented the thick account book with both hands to Kou Xingze: “Minister Kou, please take a look.”

Kou Xingze quickly flipped through it once, then said to the other two: “Then please have Censor Xing transcribe it.”

Both men nodded in agreement.

With both account books in hand, they thought this hurdle had been overcome, but who knew that problems would arise at Censor Xing’s end.

“The original account books were lost, and you want me to re-transcribe someone else’s transcription?” Censor Xing’s expression was serious as he shook his head repeatedly. “This is unacceptable!”

“Why not?” Zhang Siqing looked puzzled.

Censor Xing said solemnly, “The account books concern the fate of many officials. How can we create forgeries?”

“Who’s creating forgeries? These two account books were transcribed exactly according to the account books you wrote!” Zhang Siqing said frantically.

“Where’s the proof?” Censor Xing asked in return.

“Proof?”

“Yes, this subordinate no longer remembers the contents of the two account books. How can I be certain that the newly transcribed account books contain no errors?”

“This—” Zhang Siqing was rendered speechless and gave the Left Chief Censor a meaningful look.

This is your subordinate, you handle it.

The Left Chief Censor cleared his throat and said in a cordial tone: “Censor Xing, these two account books were indeed transcribed according to the account books you wrote. We have already verified them just now – there are no problems. His Majesty is still waiting for the results of our investigation, so please quickly re-transcribe the account books.”

Censor Xing asked bluntly: “How did you verify them? I am the one who wrote the account books, yet even I cannot be certain whether the two account books contain errors. How did you three gentlemen verify them?”

The Left Chief Censor was choked speechless.

Zhang Siqing rolled his eyes at the Left Chief Censor, thinking to himself: No wonder people say that everyone in the Censorate is like stones in a latrine – smelly and stubborn!

The Left Chief Censor felt somewhat embarrassed and intensified his tone: “Censor Xing, if you don’t transcribe the account books, have you considered that everyone’s hard work will be wasted? Those infuriating, corrupt officials will continue to get away with their crimes?”

“This subordinate understands all these principles, but one is one, and two is two. The names in the account books, you gentlemen see, concern the fate of entire families or even entire clans. If this subordinate transcribes incorrect account books, how would I be any different from those parasites?” Censor Xing asked resolutely.