Han Youning hugged a sapphire-colored pillow with a faint fragrance of bamboo and fell asleep quickly.

This sleep became connected with the night.

Ling'er and Yuniang entered the inner room several times, but they didn't see her wake up, and she was sleeping very deeply.

Worried that she had a fever, I touched her forehead, which was normal.

Yuniang sighed, "Let her sleep. This person has cried out all the pain in her heart, so she will be tired."

Have a good night's sleep.

Han Youning has never slept so soundly.

When I woke up, it was already the next morning.

The morning light is thin and the morning breeze is as cool as water, which makes people feel relaxed and happy.

In the small courtyard, the sweet-scented osmanthus is stained with frost, and the leaves on the jujube trees often lean against the branches. The small kitchen is filled with the aroma of food and low voices, which is quiet and beautiful.

As Han Youning got up, the courtyard became lively.

After breakfast, Han Youning went to the study without hesitation to practice calligraphy. However, Ye Chang, who was sitting on the tree, had a cold look in his eyes and jumped out of Jinhe Hall.

He stopped in front of a man in green clothes and asked with a smile, "Brother Wei, why are you interested in hanging out at Duke Dingguo's mansion so early in the morning?"

Wei Xiao smiled and said, "Brother Ye is just kidding. There is no place in Duke Dingguo's mansion where people can wander around at will. I'm here for official business."

"Business matters." Ye Chang touched his chin, "I am the most interested in official matters. Why don't you tell me first?"

Wei Xiao smiled and said, "I'm just a messenger. I don't know what the specific official business is. The prince asked Zhaoping to go to Dali Temple now."

Ye Chang frowned, "The summons was just yesterday. The County Lord has said everything he needs to say. Now it depends on the abilities of Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment. What else can the County Lord do?"

It’s obvious that you don’t have good intentions!

You prince don’t have much chance, and it’s useless to try any more tricks! Our prince and the county lord are childhood sweethearts!

"I don't know why. However, the county master is the master of suffering, and there are inevitably a lot of things." Wei Xiao cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Brother Ye, can you pass this on?"

"Wait!"

Ye Chang snorted, took one step at a time, and walked away slowly.

Ye Chang walked around Jinhe Hall several times, went to the kitchen to look for something to eat, and then went to the study to report.

Han Youning also had doubts in his heart and asked, "What did he not say?"

Ye Chang shook his head, "I didn't say anything. If the county leader doesn't want to go, I'll find an excuse to reject him."

Han Youning stood up and said, "No need, I'll just go."

The carriage from Prince Jin's Mansion was parked in the outer courtyard. It was at this time that Han Youning noticed that the top of the carriage was inlaid with a circle of shining pearls.

Yesterday, I was only focused on leaving quickly, but I didn’t pay attention...

The inside is fine, like Zhao Chengyuan's taste, but the outside looks too shiny, isn't it?

Also going with him was Duan Yi. We couldn't use all the guards from Prince Jin's Palace.

Ye Chang hugged Duan Yi's shoulders affectionately to say hello. Duan Yi's face was expressionless, his shoulders shook, and Ye Chang's arms were shaken open.

Ye Chang pursed his lips in boredom, "Who are you? Why are there so many ice cubes around me?"

The prison of Dali Temple.

The dungeon was dark, damp and cold, and the air was thick with musty and fishy stench.

The kerosene lamp hanging on the wall gave off a dim light, and the moss was slippery.

Wang Shaoqing held a lamp in his hand and led Zhao Chen to the torture room. He said, "From the time we were detained yesterday to now, we haven't let him sleep and tortured him at night. This Magistrate Hu doesn't look like he has any backbone."

Yes, I have a strong backbone, but I didn’t say anything."

Zhao Chen wears a black fox cloak outside his Xuanyi, his hair is tied up with a white jade crown, and his eyebrows are cold.

He said softly, "With Marquis Yongping's scheming, if you can safely bring him to the capital, you must have made a lot of preparations. If your bones are not hard, you have to grit your teeth to make them hard."

Wang Shaoqing said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince means... that Magistrate Hu has something in the hands of Marquis Yongping?"

Zhao Chen said nothing and walked through the dark corridor and entered the interrogation room.

The interrogation room was quite large, with three walls covered with torture instruments, and many placed on the ground near the walls. The torture instruments were all covered in blood, which had dried layer by layer, making them dark and smelly.

There is a huge torture rack against the back wall. Magistrate Hu has his arms tied and hanging on it. His feet are shackled. Although he can touch the ground, he cannot step on it and has to stand on tiptoes.

He was wearing a white prison uniform, which was already ragged and stained with blood.

He had not slept for a day and a night, and had not received any water or rice. He was already dying and hanging helplessly.

Zhao Chen took off his cloak and threw it to the guards who were following him. He walked to a place not far from the execution frame and stood still.

Magistrate Hu showed no reaction at all and kept his eyes tightly closed.

Zhao Chen took a basin of salt water from the jailer's hand and poured it on Magistrate Hu.

Pour salt water from top to bottom.

Accompanied by continuous screams, Magistrate Hu convulsed all over and opened his eyes.

After a long time, he finally regained his composure, and he begged for mercy, "Your Highness, I am really unjust... Those speculations cannot be believed, Your Highness..."

Zhao Chen dragged a chair and sat down with a smile on his face, but with a coldness on his face, "Prefect Hu, I heard that you once went to the Chen family to propose marriage to the Lord of Zhaoping County on behalf of your youngest son."

Magistrate Hu didn't know what the prince meant, so he hesitated for a moment, "It's... Quanzi and the county master were childhood sweethearts, and they often played together. The county master had already grown hair at that time, and his wife wanted to get married between the two families..."

Zhao Chen's eyes suddenly turned cold, "Childhood sweethearts? Your youngest son is notorious for sleeping in flowers and willows all day long. The county owner, a pure and innocent daughter, would play with him. Magistrate Hu really feels that he has lived too long.

Already."

Magistrate Hu was so frightened by the sudden murderous intention that chills ran down his spine. He quickly changed his words, "The official made a mistake! Quanzi is really overestimating his ability when he asks to marry the county lord!"

Zhao Chen softened his expression and said softly, "That's right. Therefore, Magistrate Hu must think carefully before speaking."

He continued, "The Hu family asked the Marquis of Yongping to protect the matchmaker when they failed to marry the county lord, right?"

The county chief knew about this matter, and Magistrate Hu did not dare to lie, "Yes..."

Zhao Chen said, "The Chen family did not give Marquis Yongping face and refused the marriage, so you became angry and exterminated the family to vent your anger, right?"

Magistrate Hu was shocked that the prince had guessed the truth!

When Marquis Yongping wanted to attack the Chen family, he said: Those who disobey should die!

He hurriedly denied it, "I would never dare to go down to the official position! This thing is really a coincidence!"

Zhao Chen did not listen to his explanation and continued, "After the family was wiped out, the mantis stalked the cicada and the oriole was behind, and your killer was silenced again, right?"

Magistrate Hu's lips trembled.

How could the prince have guessed this? He clearly found it!

Zhao Chen stood up and stared at him with sharp eyes, "After that, you took control of the Chen family's property and tried every means to empty out their shop. Although Magistrate Hu didn't eat meat, he also drank a lot of broth.

Right?"

Magistrate Hu's face turned pale and he said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness... what Your Highness said, my subordinates were confused."

"You are confused, but Marquis Yongping is not confused."

Zhao Chen paced and said calmly, "Marquis Yongping promised you the position of Minister of Household Affairs and secretly arranged for your family to come to Beijing. If this happens, everyone will be happy. But if it fails..."

He stood still in front of Magistrate Hu, "Your more than twenty family members are now in the palm of Marquis Yongping, right?"

－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Chapter completed!