Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 111: Investigating Pingkangfang and Burning Yongzhou Prefecture (Part )
In Guangtian Hall, Li Chengqian flipped through the files in his hand. Finally, he looked up at Zheng Chu, who was silently weeping, and asked thoughtfully, "Do you have any impression of that Korean maid?"

Zheng Chu shook her head blankly, then said bitterly, "I never knew anything about the Korean maid, nor did I know about the existence of that secret door."

Li Chengqian looked at Dai Zhide standing to one side and asked, "The Dali Temple's original investigation was directed towards the Gaoli maid. Later, when Cui Qian died, they also investigated that direction. So, is this a dead end?"

"Your Highness," Dai Zhide said earnestly, bowing. "The matter of the Korean maidservant in Pingkangfang seems to have implicated quite a few people. Even Duke Chen and Sun Siqing seem unwilling to offend or investigate further."

Dai Zhide did try to investigate further, but was quickly warned. He had also been planning to tell Li Chengqian about this matter, but for some reason, he was still hesitant.

Li Chengqian knocked lightly on the table.

The person involved in this matter was Fang Xuanling, but Fang Xuanling was a matter of another direction.

The fact that the Korean maid was thrown out shows that she had little to do with Fang Xuanling.

"Pingkangfang is behind the palace. It's easy to investigate, but I'll just say a word. But we can't do that." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, "Father offended countless people because of the affairs in the harem. It was very troublesome."

As the crown prince, Li Chengqian should have kept his distance from the emperor's harem. The fact that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were entangled with Li Yuan's harem was more or less because they were forced to do so.

But even so, it caused so much trouble to the emperor.

Therefore, Li Chengqian needs to be careful not to offend those people in the harem too much, especially when his own position is not very stable.

"But don't worry. I want to get things done. Whoever stands in my way is their problem." Li Chengqian sneered softly, then said thoughtfully, "There's no need to investigate Pingkangfang directly. We're investigating the Koreans. Find out when the Korean maids arrive in Chang'an every month... An Yan, go to Yongzhou Prefecture and the Imperial Household Department, and get all the relevant documents stuck for me for a few days. Then we'll see who will intercede."

There is no need to offend the entire harem, but if it is just someone in the harem, Li Chengqian can easily crush this person out of the harem.

"Yes!" Dai Zhide and Li Anyan immediately bowed, then turned and left at the same time.

The Korean slaves could have landed in the Tang Dynasty from Yingzhou or Yangzhou and traveled thousands of miles to Chang'an, so they naturally needed to have enough documents with them.

After they arrived in Chang'an, they couldn't do whatever they wanted. Pingkangfang needed to report to Yongzhou Prefecture and Taichang Temple.

Without the official documents from Yongzhou Prefecture and Taichang Temple, it would have been impossible for them to sell their bodies openly in Pingkangfang.

The Tang Dynasty Jiaofangsi has its own rules.

……

Turning around, Li Chengqian looked at Zheng Chu and frowned, saying, "Although I can intervene in Lu Qing's affairs, I'm afraid it will take a while for this matter to come to a conclusion... The only thing I can do is to get Yongzhou Prefecture to agree to bury Lu Qing's body in Chang'an.

As for you, consider building a cenotaph in Fanyang to put an end to the matter completely, and then move the coffin back."

Zheng Shuang'er nodded continuously as she listened. She turned her head and looked at Zheng Chu, but Zheng Chu lowered his head with a bitter look on his face.

Li Chengqian was stunned when he saw this scene, but he reacted in an instant: "I almost forgot, you don't have a son... Yes, without a son, your situation will be very embarrassing when you return to Fanyang. You might even be forced to adopt a son."

"Your Highness, you should think of a solution." Zheng Shuang'er looked at Li Chengqian anxiously.

"The Lu family of Fanyang is a powerful clan. Even if I were to interfere, I'd be resentful. It could backfire and even become even more disadvantageous." Li Chengqian shook his head and looked at Zheng Chu. "Or you could find a young Lu family member in Chang'an and adopt him as your son. That way, with the Duke of Fanyang in charge, the old Lu family mansion in Fanyang won't say anything. At most, people will gossip about it when you return."

"With my father and brother not around, I dare not make any decisions casually." Zheng Chu raised her head with some embarrassment.

The father and brother here are not Zheng Chu's father and brother, but Lu Hu's father and brother. Without their consent, even Lu Chengqing cannot interfere.

"Then there's nothing we can do." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and looked at Zheng Chu and said, "In Chang'an, even though we have the Lu and Zheng families, I'm afraid it won't be easy for you to raise your daughter alone."

Zheng Chu was stunned, and then her eyes turned red instantly. She lowered her head and threw herself into Zheng Shuang'er's arms and started crying.

Zheng Shuang'er looked at Li Chengqian with a confused expression.

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, "Lu Qing is gone. Even if there was any subsidy, it was probably given all at once. His father and brother must have taken a lot when they left Chang'an."

Zheng Shuang'er subconsciously looked at Zheng Chu.

Zheng Chu's crying gradually subsided, but he still lowered his head and nodded slightly with a sad face.

"That's why she went to her father-in-law's house." Li Chengqian sighed and said, "I think the Lu family won't be involved in your affairs."

Zheng Chu wanted to open his mouth to refute, but the sadness suppressed the words back at his lips. Finally, he buried his head in Zheng Shuang'er's arms and sobbed softly.

Although the Fanyang Lu family was wealthy and powerful, Zheng Chu did not give birth to a son for Lu Hu, only a daughter, so even if there was some subsidy, it was normal for it to be delayed.

But the problem is that when Lu Hu was alive, Zheng Chu lived a very good life, but now his living standard has suddenly dropped.

Living in Chang'an is not easy.

Without income, everyone would be anxious because they would have to live off their savings.

Especially for someone like Zheng Chu who has no one to rely on.

If the Lu family refuses to help, then she can only go to the Zheng family.

This is also the reason why Li Chengqian was surprised when he saw her at Zheng's house, because she looked somewhat noble, but was much different from when Li Chengqian first met her.

In particular, many of her gold and silver jewelry were missing.

If this continues, it is hard to say what the outcome will be.

"Your Highness, I..." Zheng Shuang'er wanted to say something, but for some reason, she couldn't open her mouth.

"You want to help her." Li Chengqian glanced at Zheng Shuang'er. As a cousin, it was normal for Zheng Shuang'er to want to help Zheng Chu, but she had just married into the Eastern Palace, and with her personality, she didn't know how to start the conversation for a moment.

Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "Do you know medical skills? If so, I can find a way to arrange for you to work in some medical clinics..."

Zheng Chu shook his head blankly.

Li Chengqian immediately understood that this was just a vase cultivated by a noble family.

Li Chengqian suddenly looked embarrassed.

"Your Highness!" Zheng Shuang'er pleaded again.

"Although I am the crown prince, I am very cautious about every step I take when it comes to matters outside the palace, so..." Li Chengqian glanced at Zheng Shuang'er, then looked at Zheng Chu and said, "If you are willing, you can be a female official by the side of Concubine Shuang in the Eastern Palace. Your rank is not high, but you will have an official position, and I can bring my daughter to the palace to take care of her. This is all I can do. Everything else..."

"Sister." Zheng Shuang'er held Zheng Chu's hand and whispered, "Sister, you have to think about Qi'er. Even if you adopt a child in the future, you have to prepare for his future. Once he enters the Eastern Palace, it will be convenient for him to enter the government in the future."

Zheng Chu raised his head and glanced at Li Chengqian hesitantly. Li Chengqian smiled calmly.

"Okay, thank you, Your Highness." Zheng Chu finally nodded.

……

In front of the Guangtian Palace, watching the carriage slowly approach the palace gate, Li Chengqian turned sideways to look at Helan Chushi and said, "Helan, you personally take four Qianniu Guards with you, change into casual clothes, and follow behind the carriage to see if anyone tries to approach her. If anyone does, keep a close eye on them... The Qianniu Guards' skills won't be discovered, right?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness." Helan Chushi bowed and said confidently, "Don't worry, Your Highness, in Chang'an City, no one can find out who the Qianniu Guards want to follow."

Li Chengqian turned around and sneered, "Hearing what you said, I've lost my confidence."

"Your Highness..."

"That man is an expert. Stay away from him. Just remember where he's hiding. Don't get close to him, don't investigate, just follow him." Li Chengqian's expression became fierce. He turned to look at Helan Chushi and said, "Be careful. Father might be watching this too."

Helan Chushi was stunned for a moment, then immediately bowed and said, "Yes!"

"Go ahead." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly.

Helan Chushi immediately turned around and left, holding the Qianniu Knife tightly in his hand. He had realized the seriousness of the matter.

Looking at Helan Chushi's back, Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly.

Qi Zhixuan, the son of Qi Yu, the governor of Guangzhou, was from the Yifeng Qi family.

Yifeng is in Dingzhou, and Fanyang is also in Dingzhou.

The Qi family of Yifeng and the Lu family of Fanyang already had various in-law relationships.

Qi Zhixuan appeared at Zheng's home in Xingyang and gave her a generous gift, but he asked nothing of Zheng and had an indifferent attitude towards the crown prince Li Chengqian. His target could only be Zheng Chu.

Or it could be Lu Hu.

The incident with Lu Hu was caused by Fang Xuanling, and even the Korean maidservant beside Lu Hu might have had some relationship with Fang Xuanling.

But in Fang Xuanling's eyes, such a relationship was not afraid of investigation. But now, in the eyes of Yin Jun, Hou Junji, even Wei Zheng, and even the emperor, it was problematic.

Wei Zheng vaguely mentioned that there was a group of people who were openly and secretly obstructing the emperor's eastern expedition, and these people had some relationship with Fang Xuanling.

With so many clues, Li Chengqian was able to contact Qi Zhixuan. It was so strange that such a charming and extraordinary person did not leave any trace in Chang'an in his previous life.

All we can say is that there are enough secrets in him that he cannot withstand further investigation, and in the end he had no choice but to escape.

Li Chengqian is now using the staff of the Eastern Palace, so these will naturally fall into the emperor's eyes and be brought over.

Implicated behind Lu Hu were Fang Xuanling and Li Tai, which meant that Fang Xuanling and Li Tai were connected with those who opposed the emperor's eastern expedition to Goguryeo.

Create enemies for Li Shimin.

Since Fang Xuanling and Li Tai were intentionally or unintentionally connected with the emperor's enemies, Li Shimin would naturally deal with these people.

Li Chengqian has become very skilled in using this method.

……

"Your Highness!" Li Anyan and Dai Zhide stood in the Chongjiao Hall and said with a bow, "The matter has been handled."

Li Chengqian put down the book in his hand, looked out at the dusk outside the hall, and said softly, "It's getting late now. You two should go home first. By the way, go to Yongzhou Prefecture and ask them to send Lu Hu's relics to the Dali Temple tomorrow. I will take some time to go to the Dali Temple to take a look."

"Yes!" Dai Zhide followed Li Anyan in bowing, but he immediately reminded him, "Your Highness, the Yongzhou Prefecture and the Dali Temple have checked those things more than once, but they haven't found anything."

"It's okay, I just want to take a look." Li Chengqian smiled lightly, then waved his hand. Dai Zhide and Li Anyan bowed and retreated at the same time.

Li Chengqian did not give any other instructions, so after leaving the palace, Dai Zhide and Li Anyan went to the Yongzhou official residence and met Du Ruo, the Yongzhou judicial officer.

Du Ruo nodded and said that he would report the matter to Duke Chen, and asked Dai Zhide to prepare to pick up the things tomorrow.

Dai Zhide and Li Anyan bowed and left.

But the two people did not see Hou Junji.

However, by the time the two men finally met Hou Junji, the entire Yongzhou official office's evidence storage room was already engulfed in flames.

The Yongzhou government office was burned down.

Of course, even if only an official document storage room was burned, the meaning would be the same.

Censor Li Yifu calmly walked in from outside, nodded gently to Dai Zhide and Li Anyan, then bowed to Hou Junji and said, "Duke Chen, burning the government office is treason according to the law. The sentence is beheading, extermination of three clans, confiscation of official positions for women and children, and exile of three thousand miles for the rest."

Hou Junji nodded with a dark face, then turned to look at Pei Xingjian who had arrived earlier and said, "General Pei, go and arrest him."

Li Yifu added calmly, "If anyone resists, they will be killed without mercy."

"Here!"

……

In the candlelight, a Yongzhou Prefecture official wearing a green official robe was having poison forced into his throat by a man in black wearing a turban. At this moment, with a "bang", the door was kicked open.

The man in black turned around in horror, and the next moment, two chains flew in and locked his hands and feet.

Before he could struggle, the long spear flashing with cold light had already hit his mouth hard, causing his entire mouth to swell up completely.

Immediately afterwards, four Jinwu Guards rushed in, crushed him to death, and tied his mouth and nose with thick ropes.

Hou Junji was wearing a dark purple official robe, with a long sword at his waist, and walked in with a calm look.

Standing beside the man in black, Hou Junji glanced at him, then looked across at the Yongzhou Si Cao Lieutenant General and said coldly, "It was you who set fire to the evidence storage room?"

"Duke Chen!" The Yongzhou Prefecture's Assistant General, who had nearly been silenced, quickly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "I was threatened by them. If I didn't do it, they would report me to the Censorate for embezzling taxes and grain, so I had no choice but to do it. I didn't expect them to kill me to silence me."

Hou Junji sighed softly and said, "It was I who failed to discipline him. I will go to the palace and confess my guilt to the Crown Prince immediately!"

(End of this chapter)