Li Chu hurriedly stepped across the threshold of Dali Temple and was ordered by the prince to handle the murder case of Kato Takei for him.
Gong Baiquan, the minister of Dali Temple, had been waiting for a long time. He saw Li Chu in the distance by the door and hurriedly went to greet him.
"Meet His Highness King Guangping."
"Master Gong, there is no need to be polite." Li Chu said, "In Dali Temple, are all the officials investigating the case already ready?"
"Back to Your Highness, more than 150 officials of Dali Temple are ready to go. They are just waiting for the order from Your Highness and Prime Minister Yang."
When Li Chu heard this, he frowned and said in a rather unhappy tone:
"The total number of people in Dali Temple is only about 280, not even 300. Just one Kato Takei needs more than half of the people. So who will investigate the other major cases in Chang'an City?"
Gong Baiquan said in fear: "Your Highness, Kato Takei is the special envoy of Japan, and his identity is sensitive. This time he died in Chang'an for unknown reasons. If Dali Temple does not spend all its energy to investigate, I am afraid that the saint will be angry and cause disputes between the two countries.
ah."
"Gong Baiquan, I dare not be regarded as this eternal sinner."
Li Chu sighed: "Even so, there are too many people. One hundred and fifty people is not appropriate. In my opinion, fifty people are enough. For the remaining manpower, we can select refined and capable people in Jingzhao Mansion.
.”
In the back hall of Dali Temple, a person suddenly came out and said loudly:
"His Royal Highness King Guangping's remarks are inappropriate."
This voice was all too familiar to Li Chu.
Staring at the face that he was extremely disgusted with, Li Chu even pretended to be surprised:
"Why is Prime Minister Yang here too?"
"I have been ordered by the saint to investigate this case together with His Highness the Crown Prince. Since His Highness the Crown Prince is ill and unable to come, I naturally have to step in."
Li Chu smiled and said: "Li Chu came here just under the order of His Highness the Crown Prince to work together with Prime Minister Yang to find out the truth. After all, Prime Minister Yang is getting older, so it is better not to visit Dali Temple in person. This kind of laborious work is still
Let Li Chu do it."
"Your Highness has a new noble son. He is not accompanying the Princess and His Highness in the palace, but he takes the trouble to come to Dali Temple to investigate the case. This makes me, Yang Guozhong, so embarrassed."
The two people were polite to each other, which made Gong Baiquan on the side stunned for a while.
"Previously, Prime Minister Yang said that it was inappropriate to reduce the number of investigators in Dali Temple. Li Chu boldly asked, what is wrong?"
Yang Guozhong chuckled: "In my opinion, it doesn't matter who the murderer of the Japanese envoy Kato Takei is, and whether he can be caught or not."
"Your Highness must also understand the national conditions of Japan. Their people will not care about the life and death of Kato Takei, let alone his murderer. What the Japanese people want is just our face."
"The reason why the saint asked the Ministry of Justice and Dali Temple to jointly investigate the case, and asked His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to join the trial with his ministers, was just to show the Japanese people the importance we attach to Kato Takei's death."
"Similarly, the more people come out of Dali Temple, the happier the Japanese people will be. The death of Kato Takei seems so insignificant."
Li Chu secretly thought about Yang Guozhong's words, and after a while, he said:
"What Yang Xiang said is reasonable. In this case, Li Chu is making a fuss out of a molehill."
"There is really no way to investigate this case. I was still worried about how to investigate this case, but Mr. Yang's guidance made Li Chu suddenly understand."
"If there is no way to find the murderer, and we have to take care of the Japanese people's emotions. Then, is it possible to get him from the death row of the Ministry of Punishment——"
Yang Guozhong waved his hand slightly.
"Your Highness, saints rule the world with benevolence and virtue. How can there be anything happening in the world and in the Tang Dynasty that kills good people and takes credit for merit!"
Li Chu's face turned green - what on earth is this old boy going to do?
Yang Guozhong said calmly: "There is a sentence that His Highness said wrongly."
"Want to hear the details."
"The murderer of Japan's special envoy Kato Takei is not difficult to find."
"On the night before Takei Kato was killed, in
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At the Wanhua Building in Dongshi, a man happened to have a conflict with Takei Kato and even injured the deputy envoy Shimizu Nobu."
"And in the early morning of the next day after Takei Kato was found dead, this man left Chang'an and disappeared."
"His Royal Highness King Guangping, Li Xin'an, the prince's right guard and the commander of the army, are not strangers to you, right?"
Li Chu's heart tightened and he said coldly:
"Of course I'm familiar with Li Xin'an. He just took leave normally and went out of town to visit friends."
"As for the conflict with Takei Kato, it was just a coincidence. Moreover, it was Shimizu Nobu who provoked him first when he shot and injured Nobu Shimizu."
"Whether it is the fault of the Japanese or not, Li Xin'an is the most suspected. This is an undeniable fact."
Yang Guozhong said: "I also know a little bit about Li Xin'an. He took three days' leave from Youwei. If he did not return to Chang'an after three days, he would be confirmed as the murderer. Then what happened to him in Chang'an?"
The property of family members, relatives and friends will be confiscated and liquidated."
"Then what if he comes back?" Li Chu asked in a deep voice.
"Then just follow the normal procedures for interrogation. I believe that Mr. Gong and Dali Temple's ability to handle matters will not let us down."
Gong Baiquan smiled and nodded.
Yang Guozhong suddenly hissed: "Is it better... to monitor Li Xin'an's residence now? Maybe this Li Xin'an never left the city in the first place."
Li Chu said coldly: "My people don't bother Yang Xiang. Regarding Li Xin'an's follow-up matters, I will do it."
"Your Highness..."
"Doesn't it mean that Prime Minister Yang can't trust Li Chu? Does he think that I, Li Chu, will ignore the laws of justice and protect his subordinates?"
Li Chu said righteously: "If Li Xin'an is the murderer, I will personally chop off his head and pay tribute to Kato Takei. But if he is wronged, then I will not let anyone wrong him!"
Seemingly overwhelmed by Li Chu's momentum, Yang Guozhong gave in:
"Since His Highness has made up his mind, I will stop talking too much. There are still many official matters to be dealt with in Shangshu Province, so I will take my leave first. Regarding the affairs of Dali Temple, I would like to trouble Your Highness to give orders. Master Gong——"
"The official is here."
"You must cooperate with His Highness and find the murderer in the shortest possible time."
"I obey my orders."
Yang Guozhong bowed his hand to Li Chu and said, "Your Highness, I beg your Majesty to take my leave."
Li Chu said calmly: "Please, Mr. Yang."
Watching Yang Guozhong leave Dali Temple, Li Chu stood for a long time before letting out a cold sigh.
"Master Gong, let me see the preliminary report on the death of Kato Takei."
"Yes, Your Majesty, please be gentle."
…
After leaving Dali Temple, Yang Guozhong did not sit in a sedan chair, but walked on the street.
He felt that his steps were particularly relaxed today.
"That person did a good job. Once Kato Takei died, the connection between Anlushan and Japan was severed. In this way, Japan is my escape route. Even if the uprising fails, or Anlushan wants to die, I
Not afraid either."
Yang Guozhong thought to himself: "However, Kato Takei actually conflicts with Li Xin'an. This is something I did not expect, but it is also an unexpected surprise."
"It would be best if we could take this opportunity to get rid of Li Xin'an and eliminate the serious problem in Xueyitang. However, Li Chu will not let me cut off his wings, so don't expect too much."
"At present, it seems that the most urgent thing is to manage my relationship with Japan safely. Regardless of Li Xin'an, the most important thing is to let them return to Japan first."
"As long as that person goes back, conveys my intention to Matsushita Isamu, and unifies the eight Sakurajima families, I will not be able to be the emperor of Japan."
Thinking of this, a proud smile appeared on Yang Guozhong's lips.
"Emperor..."
…
Dongyingguan Station.
Kikukawadai
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He led Kazuya Miyahara and knocked on the door of the hotel with a complicated expression.
After a while, slight footsteps sounded inside.
After lowering the latch, the visitor opened the door and was stunned for a moment when he saw two men in Japanese attire standing outside.
"Are you from the Yamada family? Are Yamada-kun here?" Dai Kikukawa asked.
"Who are you?" the visitor asked warily.
"Kikukawa Dai, this is Miyahara Kazuya."
"Isamu Matsushita's man!"
The visitor's expression changed and he immediately closed the door.
Inside the hotel, Yamada Shoichi's voice sounded:
"Kazuki, let them in."
"...Hai."
Although he didn't understand, the man still did as he was told and obediently let Kikukawa Dai and Miyahara Kazuya enter.
Yamada Shoichi appeared on the second floor and said condescendingly: "I knew you would come."
"Where is Qingyuan Tachibana?"
Kikukawa Dan asked in a deep voice: "I want to see him."
Behind Yamada Matsuichi, a man suddenly appeared whose whole body was wrapped in bandages, with only a pair of cold eyes exposed.
"Kikukawa Dai, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
"Come with me."
Kikukawa Dai turned around and said, "Miyahara, wait here."
Miyahara Kazuya nodded lightly, and immediately looked at Yamada Matsuichi. Their eyes were not very friendly.
Kikukawa Dai stepped up the stairs and followed the mysterious Tachibanasu Harugen into Kato Takei's room.
…
In Youxiangju, Li Xin'an helplessly explained what happened.
He summoned all the big and small leaders of the Blood Clothes Hall, for no other reason than to clear Li Xin'an's name.
After listening, Murong Bai frowned and said:
"There is no way to investigate this case at all. In the death of Takei Kato, you are the most suspected person. Who else can we investigate besides you?"
Ye Qinglan said carelessly: "Let me tell you, this is an opportunity. Brother Li, haven't you always wanted to leave Chang'an? Leave now."
Li Xin'an shook his head slowly: "I will definitely leave, but not now."
"If An Qingxu is not arrested, Xuanyuan Youpeng is not killed, Senior Si's revenge is not avenged, and An Lushan's conspiracy to rebel is not revealed to the world, how can I leave willingly?"
"But if you don't leave, after three days, you will be putting your life in the hands of others."
Murong Bai said solemnly: "At that time, you couldn't trust anyone, not even His Highness."
"So, we must find the real culprit within three days."
Li Xin'an smiled and said: "I have given my life to my dearest and most beloved brothers."
Xiao Xuangan said calmly: "Stop saying disgusting things. Don't you think the murderer is someone close to Takei Kato? You decide whether to question them openly or whether Murong Bai and I will capture them and torture them to extract a confession."
"It's all inappropriate."
Li Xin'an said: "I think we can start with one person."
"Who?" Murong Bai asked, "That Ju An Qingyuan?"
"No."
Li Xin'an said: "Qingshui Xin."
"Your general is defeated, what do you want to do with him?" Ye Qinglan asked in confusion.
"At the time of the incident, he and Yamada Matsuichi were the first to enter Kato Takei's room. Although it was Yamada Matsuichi who first discovered the death of Kato Takei, three or four out of ten of the major murders in the Tang Dynasty were committed by the murderer.
He was the first person to discover the scene. Therefore, Yamada Shoichi is the person I suspect the most. I am not familiar with Tachibana Haruyan, so he is listed second for now. Only Nobu Shimizu, in my opinion, he is the least suspicious."
Li Xin'an smiled and said: "Besides, he is my defeated general. As long as I come forward, we will ask something interesting from his mouth."