A Three-Month Deadline

If he didn't count that little mishap at the East Sima Gate that morning, this was actually a very leisurely official post.

Apart from a batch of craftsmen, hardly anyone came to the East Sima Gate.

It was not until dusk that the craftsmen all came out through the East Sima Gate and were taken back in carriages from the Office of the Privy Treasurer and the Court of the Imperial Clan.

The Zhang Laogao whom Zhang Xuezhou had given instructions to was in one of the carriages. The old fellow's body had barely recovered, but the work he had done today probably wasn't very good.

Zhang Xuezhou also saw whip marks on Zhang Laogao's face.

He couldn't help sighing at the sight.

The handover was now entering the night-shift period, and the East Sima Gate had become unusually deserted.

Some of the soldiers handed over their duties or changed shifts, while others went to the Office of the Jingzhao Intendant to submit documents and notify Rong Tianding. In the end, only Zhang Xuezhou remained.

"If I hadn't just taken office... It looks like no soldiers have been patrolling at night lately. Even Jin Chang needs a map with his shadow-stalking methods, so there must be other arrangements inside the mausoleum. Since you've made preparations against tomb robbers, why chop off the Gongche Sima Commandant's head for no reason?"

Only belatedly did Zhang Xuezhou notice a few problems.

Clearly, Xu Wuduo and the others' station meant they knew only so much and could hardly have a complete picture of the situation.

If someone had dragged the craftsmen into this, it would have been perfectly normal to drag the Gongche Sima Commandant in too.

Some had fought back bravely and lost their lives, while others had chosen to compromise and cooperate,