Dali Temple has his Lord Luo

Chapter 61 Visiting the Officials
Luo Ning was amused: "What party? You know I don't like these parties!"

"It was organized by Zhao Xuan. It is said that Master Jinghong from Jinlong Temple was invited. He is an amazing figure!"

This is the third time today that I have heard about Jinlong Temple and the second time that I have heard the name of Master Jinghong.

"You know him well?"

"I'm not familiar with him. I've met him several times when the emperor invited me to give lectures."

Luo Ning thought to himself: It seems that I must go tonight!

Luo Ning promised Qin Zhao that after being released from office, he would go directly to the Prince's Mansion, and after lunch, he would go to the Ministry of Personnel alone.

This is the first time Luo Ning has entered the official department.

The State of Zhao is divided into six departments: officials, households, rituals, soldiers, punishments, and workers, each performing their own duties.

Dali Temple is independent from the six departments. Like Jinyiwei, it is directly managed by the emperor.

The Ministry of Personnel is mainly responsible for the promotion, appointment and dismissal of Zhao officials. There is one minister and two ministers, who are responsible for different tasks.

Luo Ning's father, Luo Guowei, was the left minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and he happened to be in charge of Zhao's officialdom.

Luo Ning walked into the staff department. When several chief clerks saw her, they all joked: "Isn't this the daughter of the minister? How come you have time to come to our staff department?"

Luo Ning is embarrassed. No matter what, he can be regarded as a minister of Dali Temple, but in the eyes of these old people, he is just a little girl!

"I'm looking for daddy. Is he there?"

"Here, here, go into the second room on the porch!"

Luo Ning waved his hands and thanked everyone.

Luo Guowei was sorting out documents. When he saw Luo Ning coming in, he was stunned: "Why is my good daughter here?"

"Come and see you, daddy!"

Luo Guowei smiled instead:
"Why don't I believe it? I know that my daughter only has two thoughts in her heart. One is to solve the case, and the other is Qin Zhao, right?"

"Dad..." Luo Ning blushed with embarrassment: "Then I'm leaving!"

"Haha, come back quickly, come back quickly, stop talking nonsense, come and sit here!"

Luo Ning sat down, looked around Luo Guowei's room, and said with a smile: "Dad, you are actually half right."

"Oh?"

"As for me, I am indeed here to solve the case, but Qin Zhao is not the only one in my heart."

Luo Guowei laughed loudly: "Okay, my daughter, what do you say, then? What do you want dad to do for you?"

Luo Ning explained his purpose, and Luo Guowei went to the bookshelf and took out the thick files: "They are all here!"

"Dad, have you heard of Xianglian?"

"Not really. I am just responsible for household registration management. Mr. Song is responsible for daily performances or daily affairs."

As he spoke, he flipped through Guanyi's files.

"Dad, does our Zhao country have so many official arts?"

"It has been around since Emperor Gaozu, but the form and personnel are different. After the emperor ascended the throne, officialdom and art became orphans."

"Xiang Lian is an orphan?"

"Found it!" Luo Guowei pulled out a piece of paper.

The record is very detailed. Xiang Lian was originally unknown. She was the steward of Sifang when she was five years old. He accidentally discovered her and saw that she was smart and sweet-looking, so he focused on nurturing her.

"Xiang Lian has participated in so many banquets? It seems that the dance must be beautiful!" Luo Ning sighed softly when he saw the filing.

Luo Ning carefully looked at Xiang Lian's activities in the past three or four months. There were more than ten large banquets.

"Dad, can I take a note?"

"Of course, it's not a confidential document. Even if it's confidential, you are the Minister of Dali Temple and you still have the right to investigate the case!"

Luo Guowei was very proud that his daughter was so outstanding. He walked to the desk and took a pen and paper and handed it to her.

"Dad, do you think Xiang Lian will have a chance to meet men when she performs?"

"I don't think it's possible to perform. Official arts require you to report travel time and route, and as long as it's a large banquet, the instrumental music studio will follow. I don't think it's possible!"

The reason why Luo Ning asked this was because Xiang Lian was pregnant.

Luo Ning was very puzzled. Xianglian's daily life was almost under the supervision of others all day long. How could she fall in love with a man?
"Dad, under what circumstances can one become good in officialdom?"

"Before the emperor ascended the throne, he said it was a general amnesty, but in fact, the emperor was very generous to these officials. Now the officials are all orphans, so as long as they apply on their own initiative, our staff will allow them to leave."

Luo Ning was even more surprised. It was still the same question. Why didn't Xiang Lian leave Wanxiang Tower when she knew she was pregnant?
Or maybe Xiang Lian doesn’t know it herself?
Yes, no one said that Xianglian was pregnant, but it was impossible. What woman would be careless about this?
Luo Ning denied his suspicion again.

So assuming that Xianglian knew that she was pregnant and told the man, and the man had reason to reject the child, why would he kill Xianglian?
The man has been hiding it well. As long as Xiang Lian doesn't tell anyone, the world will never know. The only way to kill Xiang Lian is to silence him.

The man wants to silence him?He must have felt that he could not break up peacefully with Xiang Lian, so he had to take extreme risks and make things happen. This was the only possibility.

He is afraid of being exposed. No matter what the possibility is, once exposed, he will be doomed.

Therefore, he ignored Xiang Lian's one-year relationship and that Xiang Lian was pregnant, and sent her to hell with his own hands.

Too cruel.

But there is another question. Why did the man create the illusion of hanging himself when he strangled Xiang Lian?
Since he hanged himself, why did he still dig through things and create a scene of theft?It doesn't make sense.

Wouldn't it be less likely to arouse others' suspicion if it directly creates the illusion of theft?
Luo Ning's heart was spinning again and again. Seeing that his daughter was thinking, Luo Guowei didn't dare to disturb her and waited quietly.

After a while, Luo Ning asked Luo Guowei: "Dad, when you wrote the letter, what did you call yourself?"

"I'm used to writing memorials. The name stamp on the letter paper is stamped in advance. I just use the seal!"

Yes, there is another possibility when it comes to seals. Is that man also used to using seals?

The stolen letters and books have clear evidence that he is Xiang Lian's man.

So letters and books were taken.

It would make sense if it were a seal, and it would have a real name.

But who is accustomed to using seals?
"Dad, in your official department, do many people use seals?"

"That's not much, unless it's printed in advance. You know it's troublesome to carry the seal with you. Look, this embroidery bag of mine was embroidered by your mother. It will need to be replaced after a while!"

Sure enough, the seal is larger, so is it possible that the man, like his father, had printed the seal of the letter in advance?

If this is the case, there is also a prerequisite, that is, the person needs to write letters frequently.

Who else, like dad, needs to use letters frequently?

At least not ordinary people.

From the fact that the man tried his best to hide himself, Luo Ning knew that his identity must be unusual.

After a visit to the official department and further analysis, Luo Ning confirmed a few points:
The man's identity is not that of an ordinary person, and the name stamp on the letter can tell people who he is at a glance.

(End of this chapter)