The news that Emperor Li Jiuye fell ill only circulated in a small area, but it could never be hidden from Shangguan Tong, a prosperous business tycoon.
What's more, "Princess Izumo" Li Yiru and Shangguan Mingyue are sisters, and they confided the truth to their besties as soon as the incident happened.
Therefore, Shangguan Tong was not surprised when he saw Prince Li Yan appear again at the headquarters of Shengyu Trading Company.
He knows that what should come will always come.
In fact, when Shangguan Mingyue refused to marry him, he was already prepared to pay a certain price.
However, the more than twenty Jinjia Guards and hundreds of Tiger Guards standing behind Li Yan still greatly exceeded Shangguan Tong's expectations.
"Your Highness, what are you..." Looking at the malicious smile on Li Yan's face, Shangguan Tong had an ominous premonition in his heart.
"Master Shangguan, excuse me." Li Yan said in a soft voice, "I received a secret report that Shengyu Trading Company had colluded with Xiao Qing with the intention of conspiring to rebel. I have come here to invite Master Shangguan and Miss Mingyue to go back and investigate. If there is any disrespect, please return it."
Please excuse me."
"Oh?" Shangguan Tong didn't show any panic. He just asked calmly, "I don't know who framed our Shengyu Trading Company in this way. Can you please come out and confront me?"
"It's natural to have a confrontation." Li Yan shook his head and said, "It's just that this person's identity is a bit sensitive. In order to protect her personal safety, I have to trouble you two to go there in person."
"His Royal Highness, this person's remarks are pure nonsense. The Yinhuan Chamber of Commerce was defeated by our Shengyu, so how can we collude with each other?" Shangguan Mingyue's pretty face showed an angry look, "Besides, even if you doubt us,
Conspiracy of rebellion should also be summoned by the Ministry of Punishment, and why does it make sense for His Highness to bring the army here in person?"
"My little girl is rude, please forgive me." Shangguan Tong's tone was much softer, "But she is not talking nonsense, just someone casually slandered her, and His Royal Highness personally led the troops to arrest the person, which is unreasonable.
.”
"Special circumstances require special measures." Li Yan said with a slight smile, "Besides, if you two really did not participate in the rebellion, you would naturally be open-minded and just go with me, so what do you have to worry about?"
"If you want to do something special, you must have the will of the Holy One." Shangguan Tong shook his head and said, "Otherwise, even His Highness the Crown Prince has no right to arrest good people without authorization. Please show His Majesty's Holy Order."
"The head of the Shangguan family must know that my father is currently ill and is temporarily ignoring government affairs." A stern look flashed in Li Yan's eyes, "How can he issue an order?"
"Then please Your Majesty, please hand over the informant to the Ministry of Punishment." Shangguan Tong said clearly and rationally, "If Mr. Liao of the Ministry of Punishment summons me, Tong should go there."
"What do you mean, the head of the Shangguan family, doesn't want to leave with Gu?" Li Yan's voice suddenly turned cold, "Is Gu's words not as useful as the Minister of the Ministry of Justice?"
"That's not the case." Shangguan Tong said, neither humble nor arrogant, "It's just that the state has national laws and everyone performs their own duties."
"Everyone performs his own duties well!" Li Yan sneered, "The head of the Shangguan family is really very eloquent!"
"Master, what happened?" An old voice suddenly sounded from the door.
"Mr. Feng." Shangguan Tong looked at the visitor and said with a smile, "Nothing, I just discussed some issues with His Highness the Crown Prince."
I saw an old man with white hair and gray clothes standing quietly at the door, with an air of immortality and a noble temperament. He was none other than Feng Zun, the boss of Lingzun who served Shengyu Trading Company.
At this time, Master Feng was in great spirits, but he didn't look half as injured as he did during the border war.
"It seems that the head of the Shangguan family is determined not to cooperate?" Seeing Master Feng, Li Yan's face became even more ugly.
"Your Highness, please forgive me." Shangguan Tong still looked tepid.
"What if Gu Fei wants to invite you to go back and sit down?" Li Yan narrowed his eyes, suddenly raised his hands, and patted them gently.
A figure stepped out from the crowd behind him.
I saw this person wearing a blue gown, of medium height, slightly fat, looking about fifty years old, with a kind smile on his face.
"Master Qian?" Seeing the man in blue shirt, Master Feng's expression changed and he exclaimed.
"Mr. Feng, who is this...?" Shangguan Tong didn't know this person and couldn't help but ask.
"Master of the family, this is the new leader of the Five Elements Sect, Qian Wanlongqian, in Yunjin." Master Feng introduced, paused, and added, "He is a very powerful spiritual master.
Master."
"Brother Feng, long time no see." Qian Wanlong looked kind and welcoming, with a welcoming smile. He looked even more businesslike than Shangguan Tong.
"Master Qian is indeed aware of current affairs. Your Majesty is still alive, so you can't wait to join His Highness the Crown Prince?" Master Feng looked at Qian Wanlong and said with a hint of sarcasm.
Qian Wanlong didn't seem to hear the implication of Zun Feng's words and just smiled and said nothing.
"His Royal Highness, you are indeed well prepared." Shangguan Mingyue said with a slight smile, "Looking at this posture, it is obvious that we, father and daughter, have been treated as criminals who have rebelled."
"It's easy to say, it's easy to say. After all, it involves treason, so it's always better to be careful." Li Yan showed a look of pride on his face and clapped his hands again, "If you two are still unwilling, you might as well come and meet this person again.
Bit."
A slender figure suddenly appeared in everyone's sight. He was dressed in white and had a long sword on his back. His face was cold and expressionless.
"Venerable White!" Seeing this person, Venerable Feng's face suddenly became tense. He exuded a powerful aura of spiritual master and entered a state of full alert. "How did you escape?"
"Venerable Bai deeply regrets what he has done in the past, and has decided to turn over the dark side and serve the royal family for me." Li Yan said lightly, "This time, he volunteered to help Gutong clear out the rebellion hidden in the imperial capital.
The remnants of thieves.”
"Use real rebels to deal with innocent people." Shangguan Mingyue's face turned red with anger, and her chest heaved sharply, "Your Highness is really teaching people... it's an eye-opener!"
"How? Can you leave with me?" Li Yan looked at Shangguan Mingyue's angry expression, as if he was admiring a beautiful picture, and his heart was filled with the pleasure of revenge.
"I'll go." Shangguan Tong sighed and suddenly said, "Tong will be responsible for the affairs of Shengyu Trading Company. Please don't involve your little daughter."
"No, the contents of the secret report also involve Miss Mingyue." Li Yan was unyielding and said, "Although I don't want to, I have to deal with it impartially. I also ask Miss Mingyue to come with me."
Shangguan Tong frowned, but before he could speak, Shangguan Mingyue said first, "I'll let you go!"
"Old man, let's go and have a look too." Master Feng immediately expressed his stance.
"Take it." Li Yan waved his hand, and two golden-armored guards jumped out from behind. They held black soul-binding ropes in their hands and stepped forward to tie up Shangguan and his daughter.
"The matter is not clear yet, let me see who dares!" Master Feng's eyes widened angrily and he shouted sternly.
A powerful aura of the spiritual master instantly emanated from his body. The two golden armored guards felt that their spiritual power was stagnant, their whole bodies went limp, and they all fell to the ground with a "thump."
"Brother Feng, are you disobeying me?" Qian Wanlong stretched out his wide sleeves and waved lightly. The two golden armored guards on the ground felt their bodies relax and regained their ability to move again.
However, the deterrence caused by Feng Zunzun was too strong. The two of them looked at Shangguan Tong and his daughter and hesitated for a long time, but they still did not dare to step forward to take him.
"The head of the family and the young lady are not criminals. His Royal Highness just invited them to go back and confront them, so why do they need to be tied up?" Master Feng stared at Li Yan and the golden armored guards and said loudly.
As he spoke, air currents flew around him rapidly, setting off gusts of wind, as if he would lose control at any time and scatter in all directions.
A trace of anger flashed in Li Yan's eyes. When he was about to explode, he remembered something and quickly regained his composure. He smiled slightly and said, "What Master Feng said makes sense. Since the two of you are willing to cooperate, this soul-binding rope will be free of charge."
That’s it.”
"Thank you, Your Highness." Shangguan Tong cupped his hands seemingly casually, then strode forward and quickly stepped out of the door.
Shangguan Mingyue also left the room shortly after, but when she passed by Li Yan, she glared at him with a pair of beautiful eyes full of disdain.
You stinky bitch, how dare you refuse Gu’s marriage proposal!
Soon you will be crying and crawling onto Gu's bed!
Looking at Shangguan Mingyue's graceful and charming back, Li Yan's eyes flashed with passion, and the corners of his mouth raised, revealing a sinister smile.
…
"Master Liao, why are you here?"
To Li Yan's surprise, Liao Yongnian, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, who had never had any contact with him, would appear on the main road in front of the East Palace Gate, blocking the way for him and others.
"The old minister heard that His Highness had taken Shangguan and his daughter away on charges of colluding with Liangshan bandits and intending to commit rebellion, so he came here to ask for His Highness's help." Liao Yongnian was outspoken and never turned around when speaking. It was this that gave Li Yan a headache.
"This type of case has always been tried by our Criminal Department or Dali Temple. Your Highness, please hand over the suspects and witnesses to the old ministers. Don't overstep the rules and break the rules."
Who hired this idiot?
Li Yan frowned, quite displeased. His eyes wandered around, and he soon spotted his sister Li Yiru not far behind Liao Yongnian.
"Yi Ru, if you are not accompanying your father in the palace, how come you have the time to come to the East Palace?" Li Yan forced a smile on his face, but he was very angry with this sister who wanted to harm him.
"Although my father has not yet awakened, his condition is very stable. Please rest assured, brother." Li Yiru's voice was soft and waxy, but her tone was very firm, "My little sister heard that there was a traitor who wanted to frame Sister Mingyue, and she was anxious and thought
Come and find out what's going on, I hope your brother is not surprised."
The implication is that the whole matter has been finalized first.
"Whether it is a false accusation or not, we will naturally find out when we return to the East Palace and confront the witnesses." Li Yanpi said with a smile, "Whenever it is found that someone has made a false accusation, I will deal with it impartially and will never tolerate it."
"This is wrong. How does the East Palace have the power to hear cases?" Liao Yongnian shook his head. "As the Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, Your Highness, please set an example and hand over the person to the old ministers as soon as possible and bring him back for strict interrogation. Don't trample on him at will."
Imperial law is the best!"
"It's not that I don't trust Mr. Liao. It's true that Shengyu Trading Company is very powerful and has many masters. It even has a spiritual master like Feng Zunzhe." Li Yan suppressed the unhappiness in his heart and said to Liao Yongnianxu, "The Ministry of Punishment has no
A strong person who can compete with him may not be able to effectively restrict the suspect's movements."
"What if you add me?"
A slightly older voice sounded from above everyone's heads. Li Yan looked up and saw a blue figure hanging in the air.
"Master Xi!" Li Yan's expression changed again when he saw the person coming.
More and more unexpected characters appeared in front of the East Palace Gate, and he couldn't help but feel anxious. He always felt that things were developing in a direction that was difficult to control.
"If His Highness the Crown Prince is still not at ease, I, the Nangong family, are willing to lend a helping hand to Mr. Liao and will not let the suspect have the slightest chance to take advantage of him." A soft and pleasant voice came from the other side.
Li Yan looked over and saw that the person speaking was a stunning beauty in a pink dress. Her skin was as white as snow, her features were picturesque, and her eyes were shining with endless aura. Once you take one look at it, you will be deeply attracted.
Deeply attracted and unable to extricate myself.
Behind the woman in pink skirt, stood a woman in blue shirt who looked to be about thirty years old.
The woman has an extremely beautiful oval-shaped face, and she clearly has a gentle and gentle appearance like Xiaojiabiyu, but there is a hint of fierceness in her beautiful eyes.
"Master Nangong." Li Yan looked at Ye Qinglian behind Nangong Ling and felt a headache.
Since taking charge of the Nangong family, Nangong Ling has often appeared on various occasions, and Ye Qinglian, who is always closely following her, has naturally become well known to the dignitaries of the imperial capital very quickly.
Rumor has it that this female spiritual master looks weak and delicate, but in fact has a fiery temper and amazing martial arts. She has occasionally taken action in the imperial capital, creating an extremely shocking momentum.
"Your Highness, with the help of the two Spirit Masters, I think I won't be able to restrain a mere Shengyu Trading Company. Besides, if Master Feng really causes trouble, the two big bosses guarding the imperial city will never stand idly by.
." Liao Yongnian cleared his throat and said, "I wonder if Your Highness can hand over Shangguan and his daughter?"
Li Yan's face turned green and red for a while, and he was embarrassed for a moment. He was about to refuse, but he couldn't find a suitable reason. At this time, the number of spiritual masters on the other side already exceeded this one. No matter whether he reasoned or fought with fists, he was still behind.
After catching the wind, my heart was filled with hesitation and unwillingness for a moment.
"Lord Liao, Your Highness."
Another red figure appeared in front of everyone.
"Master Shu!"
Li Yan and Liao Yongnian greeted the visitors at the same time, but their attitudes were completely different.
Liao Yongnian's face was full of surprise, obviously he did not expect that the Minister of War would appear on such an occasion, while Li Yan's eyes flashed with a hint of joy.
In front of the East Palace Gate, it is like a stage for opera. People from all walks of life will sing and I will go on stage. People come and go, and it is very lively.
"Lord Liao, Shu has just heard a rough idea of what happened. Your Highness has a warm heart. Even though he acted a little unruly, it was for the sake of the safety of the empire." Shu Shu bowed his hands towards the two of them and said, "It seems to Shu
, as long as Mr. Liao is present, it is regarded as an interrogation by the Ministry of Justice, so why should we stick to the formality and insist on entering the Yamen of the Ministry of Justice?"
"Master Shu means..." Liao Yongnian touched his chin.
"Since the witnesses are in the hands of His Highness the Crown Prince, and both of them are concerned about the safety of Da Qian, why not ask Lord Liao and you to move to the East Palace." Shu Shu suggested, "His Highness the Crown Prince should invite the witnesses and hand them over to Lord Liao for interrogation in public. Wouldn't it be wrong?
Best of both worlds?”
"This..." Although Liao Yongnian is stubborn, he is not stupid. After all, Li Yan is the prince of the empire. If it is not necessary, he does not want to offend him to death. After pondering for a moment, he finally nodded and said, "Master Shu
What he said makes sense, as long as it is handled by me personally, it doesn't matter where the trial is conducted."
"Master Shu..." Li Yan didn't expect that Shu Shu would invite everyone present into the East Palace. He was puzzled when he saw that the Minister of War suddenly winked at him while others were not paying attention, knowing that he
There must be some calculation, so he took advantage of the situation and said, "That makes sense. Gu is just worried about Da Qian's safety. It's better to leave this interrogation to professionals like Mr. Liao."
Seeing that the prince and Liao Yongnian had reached an agreement, everyone showed humility to each other, and then, under the leadership of Li Yan, they entered the East Palace. Only Nangong Ling's eyes flashed with a strange color, but it quickly disappeared.
Not long after, everyone came to a spacious hall. Li Yan invited Liao Yongnian, Nangong Ling and others to sit down, and asked the maid to serve tea and snacks. Then he turned to a guard and ordered: "Please call for witnesses!
"
From the beginning to the end, Shangguan Tong and his daughter had neither seats nor refreshments. They had to stand alone in the middle of the hall and were treated completely like prisoners.
Li Yiru felt unbearable when she saw this, and was about to speak out, but Nangong Ling reached out to stop her, and slowly shook her head at her.
After a while, the three witnesses entered the main hall under the leadership of the guards.
The leader was a fat man who looked to be in his early forties, well-dressed, with bright little eyes, and looked very shrewd.
Following closely behind him was a burly young man with mediocre appearance and patches on his clothes. He was obviously from a poor background.
The last person who appeared was actually a beautiful woman wearing a crimson outfit, with stunning face, exquisite figure, and a charming aura all over her body.
"Sister Zhu!"
After seeing the woman's appearance clearly, Shangguan Mingyue's expression changed drastically and she couldn't help but exclaim.