I embezzled 100,000 taels at the beginning, and the empress begged me to be more greedy

On the rugged mountain road, dozens of horses were seen galloping past, raising pieces of gravel.

They passed through the construction site outside the city and headed straight for the Anding City Gate.

The workers and clerks on the construction site watched them pass by, feeling quite confused.

"Who are these people? They are so anxious."

"It seems to be Qianqisi!"

someone exclaimed.

"What are the Qianqisi doing in Anding County again?"

"Are they here to arrest someone again?"

"Stop meddling in other people's business and get back to work..."

The leader of the Thousand Cavalry Division is still Ma Hengwei.

This time, he was ordered by the emperor to escort the magistrate of Anding County, Jiang Zuo, to the capital.

The Thousand Cavalry Division rode fast through the downtown area and soon arrived at the government office.

Ma Hengwei jumped off his horse and led his men into the yamen.

Seeing such a scene, the yamen runners were all panicked and stood there in a daze.

At this time, Master Guo hurried out and stepped forward to greet them, saying, "I am very sorry for not welcoming you from afar, Your Excellency, please forgive me."

Ma Hengwei didn't mind and just asked, "The Thousand Cavalry Division has been ordered to escort Lord Jiang to the capital. I wonder if Lord Jiang is ready and when he will set off?"

Master Guo looked embarrassed and replied slowly: "Your Excellency, our Master Jiang is ill and very ill."

"sick?"

Ma Hengwei naturally didn't believe it. "Why did you get sick like this when you didn't get sick earlier or later? Is Lord Jiang deliberately trying to shirk responsibility?"

When the Qianqi Division asked, Master Guo panicked and said in defense, "No, no, Master Jiang has been feeling unwell for a while..."

"Oh? Then please take me to visit him." Ma Hengwei said.

"Lord Jiang is currently recuperating in the mansion. My Lords, please come this way."

Master Guo suppressed his panic and led everyone to the county magistrate's mansion.

Lying on the bed, Jiang Zuo looked pale and weak, as if he was seriously ill.

"Master Jiang, the Thousand Cavalry Sima is here to see you."

Master Guo pushed open the door.

Ma Hengwei followed behind his master, looking directly at Jiang Zuo who was lying on the bed.

"Cough cough..."

Jiang Zuo coughed twice and said with difficulty: "Master Ma, I apologize for not welcoming you from afar." As he said this, he wanted to get up, but he seemed to have no strength at all and lay back on the bed.

Ma Hengwei carefully looked at Jiang Zuo and said, "Master Jiang, if you are not feeling well, just take a good rest. You are welcome."

Jiang Zuo turned around and ordered, "Master, serve tea to everyone."

Ma Hengwei waved his hand and said, "No need for guests. I came here just to see how your health is. Have you seen a doctor?"

"I've seen it, and they said it's a serious illness, but they haven't found out the cause."

Jiang Zuo spoke with great emotion, and coughed dryly from time to time to show his weakness.

All the doctors in the entire Anding County have been arranged, so no matter how he looks for them, Jiang Zuo is "sick" today.

"Maybe it's due to overwork." Jiang Zuo added.

“Could it be that the time he went to jail aggravated your illness? I heard you cough a few times at that time…” Master Guo also said this at this time, but he lowered his head when he spoke this, not daring to look anyone in the eye.

"Then can you travel far away? Go to Beijing to take up your post?" Ma Hengwei asked.

Jiang Zuo covered his chest and coughed violently again. He took a break before saying, "I'm sorry, Master Ma. I'm in such poor health that I can't travel far."

Ma Hengwei looked indifferent and said, "Then Lord Jiang, take good care of yourself and we'll see you another day."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

"Master, see you off."

Jiang Zuo ordered in a weak voice.

"My Lords, this way please."

After a while, Master Guo returned to the room again, closed the door stealthily, came to Jiang Zuo, and said in a low voice: "Sir, the Qianqi Division has not left. I wonder how long they will stay..."

This was within Jiang Zuo's expectations.

The Qianqi Division was there to monitor him, so how could they leave in one day?

I wonder how long this "faking illness" plan can be concealed.

"My Lord, is this really possible?"

Master Guo expressed his doubts. After all, he also assisted Jiang Zuo in pretending to be sick. If the emperor knew about it, it would also be a crime of deceiving the emperor!

"Shhh."

Jiang Zuo signaled the master to be quiet for a moment, then listened carefully to make sure that no one was outside, and then he quietly said, "It's better to delay it for a few days. Maybe by then the empress will change her mind, and I can stay in Anding County."

"Sir, actually, there is nothing wrong with going to Beijing..."

Master Guo still tried to persuade Jiang Zuo.

"No, I won't go there even if I die."

Jiang Zuo is quite stubborn.

……

Downstairs in Anding County.

A fast horse left the city, headed south, and returned to the capital day and night.

In less than three days, Chen Qingyun received news from Anding County.

"Lord Jiang is ill and unable to travel long distances. His appointment to the capital will need to be postponed for some time."

The content of the letter made the empress quite unhappy.

Chen Qingyun groaned, and a hint of anger appeared on his beautiful face.

"Jiang Zuo, you are pretending to be sick, right? Well, I will send the best imperial physician in the palace to see what disease you have. If you dare to lie to me, you will lose your head!"

Chen Qingyun understood that Jiang Zuo must want to continue to be the "local emperor" of Anding County, so he made excuses for not going to Beijing.

"Even if you, Jiang Zuo, die of illness tomorrow, I will order people to carry your corpse to the Imperial City!"

After thinking about it, Chen Qingyun waved his hand and continued writing the imperial edict.

……

In the past few days, the Qianqi Division has been moving around in and out of the county magistrate's mansion.

Jiang Zuo had great difficulty in moving because he had to continue pretending to be sick. These past few days he was either eating, drinking, defecating, or lying in bed, in a daze all day long.

"When will this end?"

Jiang Zuo was also somewhat desperate.

If he didn't do this, he would be dragged to the capital by the Qianqi Division to serve as an official.

If he leaves Anding County, who will take care of his business worth millions of taels?

Thinking of that time, someone pushed open the door, and Jiang Zuo immediately put on a weak expression.

The visitor was still the legal advisor, but he looked a little nervous. When he came to Jiang Zuo, he whispered, "Master Jiang, something terrible has happened. The Thousand Cavalry Division is bringing the imperial physician to the county magistrate's mansion to treat you."

"They sent out the imperial physician? It seems like they came prepared..."

The people of Jiangzuo were originally healthy, so they naturally could not deceive the imperial physician from the capital.

"Sir, what should we do now?" Master Guo was extremely worried.

"Don't panic."

Jiang Zuo took a deep breath, then made some preparations and continued to pretend to be extremely weak.

"Go and greet the guests."

"Yes." Master Guo responded and left.

"Imperial Physician, this way please."

A moment later, Master Guo, the imperial physician, and Ma Hengwei entered Jiang Zuo's room.

At this time, Jiang Zuo was still lying on the bed.

"Master Jiang, are you feeling better?"

Ma Hengwei stepped forward and asked with concern.

Jiang Zuo turned around slowly and said, "Thank you for your concern, Master Ma. My health has not improved much."

Ma Hengwei added: "His Majesty is extremely concerned about your health, Lord Jiang, and has specially sent the imperial physician to treat you."

The imperial physician came forward and sat down, saying, "Master Jiang, please stretch out your hand and let me feel your pulse."

Is this going to be exposed?

Master Guo was extremely nervous and held his breath.