In the imperial study, the Censor Zhou Ju presented a memorial to the Empress Wu Zetian. He said generously: "Over the monks who were ordained in temples would choose to be the children of Buddhism, but the White Horse Temple is not. The monks they chose were all Kong Wu and even those who committed evil deeds were taken into the temple by them. At present, there are tens of thousands of monks in the White Horse Temple, and there are a large number of weapons and armor. I don't understand what Duke Liang wants to do? I suspect that he has ulterior motives and wants to do something wrong. Please allow your Majesty to allow me to investigate this matter strictly!"

Zhou Ju's memorial undoubtedly made Wu Zetian very embarrassed. She knew where the introduction to this matter was. Yesterday, Shangguan Wan'er reported to herself that Xue Huaiyi sent a monk to assassinate Li Zhen.

Shangguan Wan'er's explanation made her accept it because Wei Shifang's case made Xue Huaiyi hate Li Zhen deeply, and Xue Huaiyi took personal revenge.

But Zhou Ju's attack made Wu Zetian difficult to accept. Wu Zetian agreed to Xue Huaiyi to raise tens of thousands of monks, and she was the one who approved to take out thousands of money and grain to raise these monks every year. Now Zhou Ju accused Xue Huaiyi of being rebellious. So what is Wu Zetian? If these monks are really sentenced to rebel, how can she be faced?

Shangguan Wan'er next to her sneered secretly. Zhou Ju's attack was as expected. Of course, this was Princess Taiping's instruction, but Princess Taiping didn't know her mother too much. If the matter of a monk could be used to defeat Xue Huaiyi, would she not use Shangguan Wan'er?

This Princess Taiping was too impatient and was eager to replace herself to lead the matter of overthrowing Xue Huaiyi. Unfortunately, she was unable to achieve her ability and did not find the right entry point. She had made plans for the past two years, how could she take it away overnight?

Of course, Wu Zetian knew that Zhou Ju impeached Xue Huaiyi was instructed by his daughter Princess Taiping, but Princess Taiping actually attacked the monk, which made Wu Zetian quite disappointed, and her daughter did not consider her feelings at all.

Wu Zetian handed the memorial back to Zhou Ju and said to him: "I can understand Zhou Aiqing's mood, but he is a crazy monk. He has always liked to be arrogant and does not have ulterior motives. You don't have to pay too much attention to him. Let's do this! Someone reported that someone in Yizhou used amnesty to commit personal fraud and privately release death row prisoners. You should investigate this matter strictly for me."

Zhou Ju was stunned. The emperor did not accept his impeachment at all. Not only did he not accept it, he also transferred himself to Yizhou. It was obvious that he was hinting that he would not interfere with Xue Huaiyi's affairs. He was extremely frustrated and had to take over the impeachment memorial and whispered: "I rushed to Yizhou immediately to investigate the case!"

"Go! Get things done, I will consider improving you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhou Ju bowed and slowly retreated.

Wu Zetian pondered for a moment, turned around and asked Shangguan Wan'er, "What is Li Zhen doing?"

"Report to Your Majesty, he is in Chalinzhi Temple!"

Wu Zetian snorted coldly in his nose, "That demon!"

A few months ago, it was Wu Zetian who ordered Hanoi to welcome the old nie to Luoyang, and now she is going to liquidate her again, which will embarrass Wu Zetian. She hopes that Shangguan Wan'er will find a suitable excuse for herself. Obviously, Li Zhen is doing this.

Wu Zetian smiled faintly again and said, "Let him do it well and do it well, and I will have a reward!"

.........

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, Cui Shaoying came to the Imperial City Office as usual. Although he also had an official room in Guanshanfang, there was nothing happening there these days, so he returned to the Imperial City Office. In fact, there was another more important reason. Something unexpected happened last night, and he was worried that Li Zhen would discover it.

Cui Shaoying walked into his official room with great worries. He took out the key and opened a large nanmu box. He took out a scroll from the bottom. He slowly opened it. This was his biggest secret. It was closely recorded the internal security funds he had embezzled by the power of the Chief Secretary over the past year, with a total of 2,500 stagnants.

He thought it was impossible for anyone to know, but he never dreamed that Wan Guojun came to his house last night, took out a volume of the same record, put it on the table and left, scared him so much that he didn't fall asleep all night. He knew very well what Wan Guojun wanted to do, but he also knew that as long as he agreed to Wan Guojun, he would become Wan Guojun's dog from then on.

But what if he doesn't agree?

Cui Shaoying closed his eyes in pain. He was from the Cui family in Qinghe, a famous family in the world. If he was killed for the crime of taking stolen goods, what would it mean to Cui family in Qinghe?

Just then, a voice heard from outside the door, "Changshi Cui, Commander Wan is here."

Cui Shaoying was so scared that his heart was about to jump out, and quickly put away the scroll. As soon as he stood up, Wan Guojun walked in swayingly with a smug smile on his face. He knew that Cui Shaoying had not gone to the sermon house, which meant that his threat was successful.

"What, doesn't Cui Changshi welcome me?"

Cui Shaoying had a gloomy face and pointed at the couch, "Please sit down! Commander Wan."

Wan Guojun sat down and worked as a tea. He waved his hand, "I have important matters with Chief Wan, so don't disturb me."

"Yes!" He hurriedly retreated.

"What's the important thing about you?"

Although Cui Shaoying couldn't say he was loyal to Li Zhen, the high branch he wanted to climb was Wu Sansi, but Wan Guojun threatened him like this, causing him to lose the opportunity to be loyal to Wu Sansi. He couldn't help but hate Wan Guojun to the extreme.

Wan Guojun narrowed his eyes and said calmly: "Do you know what I'm going to do?"

"Hmph! I don't know." Cui Shaoying turned her head over.

"Forget it! Stop pretending to be garlic in front of me."

Wan Guojun's face became gloomy and said viciously: "After all, I am the deputy commander of the inner guard. You have harmed the interests of my brothers. With this, I would not want to let you go. If His Royal Highness had not taken a fancy to you, would you think I would have the patience to look for you again and again?"

Cui Shaoying's heart was thumping. Princess Taiping fell in love with him? His heart was like a dark room suddenly lit up. "Your Highness...what do you want me to do?" He asked in a trembling voice.

Wan Guojun walked forward and threw an invitation in front of him, "You can see it yourself!"

After saying that, he turned around and left. Cui Shaoying trembled and picked up the invitation. He saw a delicate line of words written on the invitation, "Please invite Cui Jun...

Cui Shaoying was about to get drunk. At this moment, he forgot the scandal of embezzling 2,500 stagnant money, and also forgot that Wu Sansi had a shadow branch. He only had Princess Taiping in his heart. Of course, being Princess Taiping’s dog is much more dignified than being Wan Guojun’s dog.

.........

There is still one day before the grand event of Linzhi Temple, and nearly a hundred female nuns have begun to set up a courthouse inside and outside the temple.

Since the killing of Wei Zhenren in Songshan, Linzhi Temple has lost its source of income and cannot support the food and accommodation expenses of many believers near Luoyang. The old nun in Hanoi had to increase his efforts to accumulate wealth and hold Dharma meetings time and time again to make money.

It is precisely because Hanoi's old nie became more and more profitable that her reputation became worse and worse, and she was denounced as a demon nie by more and more people, including Wu Zetian.

Just inside a house next to Linzhi Temple, Li Zhen spread out the map on the table, and there were several capable inner guard soldiers standing next to it. The house was rented on the second day of the first lunar month. They immediately dug out tunnels and dug under an incense shop next to the east door of the temple.

According to the map obtained from Master Zhiguang of Baoguo Temple, Li Zhen found a secret passage under the incense pavilion, which directly leads to the temple. Perhaps it was the escape route that monks dug out, because fifty years ago, there was a forest not far from the secret passage, extending to the Luoshui.

The incense shop was closed after Hanoi Lao Ni occupied Linzhi Temple. According to the observations of the inner guards over the past two days, no one had entered or exited the incense shop, which shows that Hanoi Lao Ni had not yet discovered this secret passage leading to the temple.

"Commander!"

Wang Jie, who had just returned to the inner guard, hurried into the lobby. He was the young owner of the Nanshi Lianluo Shop. He had magical skills in unlocking locks. He was expelled for offending Wan Guojun, but Li Zhen pulled him back to the inner guard.

Wang Jie stepped forward and bowed: "The tunnel has been opened."

Li Zhen was overjoyed and immediately smiled at several inner guard soldiers and said, "Let's take a look!"

The newly dug tunnel is located under the western wall of the house. More than 20 inner guards spent two days to dig out an authentic tunnel about five meters long, which directly leads to the closed incense shop and is connected with the tunnel of the temple.

Li Zhen crawled in the tunnel, and soon arrived at the end of the tunnel. He lifted a wooden board and found himself in a dusty wooden house, which should be the incense shop outside the side door of the temple.

Several inner guard soldiers stood in the shop. They had moved a water tank, revealing a large dark hole behind the water tank.

"The commander, this is the secret passage of the temple. There was originally a piece of wooden board covering it, but Bei Zhi had already removed the wooden board." An internal guard fire chief reported.

Li Zhen walked forward, approached the entrance of the cave and looked inside. He saw that the passage was about five feet high and could bend over and walk in, but it was dark inside, and nothing could be seen, and only a wet and stale smell could be smelled.

"Have any brothers entered?" Li Zhen asked with concern.

"Zhang Ran and Zhong Shun'er have already entered."

Li Zhen nodded and stared at the situation inside the cave. At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps outside the incense shop. Li Zhen quickly squatted down and saw two young nuns walking quickly through the gaps in the wooden board.

"It is said that Tian Chibao Tianshi is coming, too. I really look forward to his magical fire skills."

"He is a distinguished guest of the master. Last time, the master asked me to serve him, it was disgusting to think about it, don't mention it!"

"Hehe! Don't you like it very much?"

"Who said it, don't listen to them talking nonsense."

Two female nuns walked past the incense shop and walked into the temple through the side door. Li Zhen frowned slightly. Who is this so-called "Chibao Tianshi"?

At this time, he heard something behind him. When he turned around, he saw two inner guard soldiers coming out of the passage. Seeing that the commander was also there, they hurried forward to salute.

"How about it?"

Li Zhen asked anxiously: "Where is the other end of the passage?"

For the first Zhang Ran, he replied: "The exit is the base of the stone lion at the entrance of the yard. It turns out that the inside of the stone lion is empty."

"Did you see a monk guarding you around?" Li Zhen asked again.

"Reporting to the commander, there are nearly thirty monks guarding him, and they are very alert."

Li Zhen pondered for a moment and ordered everyone to say, "Everyone will retreat first, be careful to hide the entrance of the cave."

As soon as Li Zhen led everyone back to the house from the tunnel, Zhao Qiuniang hurried over. In order to prevent the nun next door from being suspicious, Zhao Qiuniang specially dressed up as a village woman buying groceries and walked into the door as if nothing had happened.

"Where is Commander Li?" Zhao Qiuniang asked anxiously as soon as she entered the door.
Chapter completed!