The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 112 Li Yuan and Li Shimin's Night Talk: Deciphering the Key Hint!
Before long, the five little beggars were brought before Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi looked at the little beggars. The youngest of them was only five or six years old, and the oldest was only eleven or twelve. They were wearing tattered clothes and their little faces were dirty, but they were not particularly thin. It was clear that Mo Xiaofan had taken good care of them, at least not letting them go hungry every day.

They stared at themselves nervously, clutching the hem of their clothes, their bright black eyes instinctively drawn to the food on the table, then quickly swallowing hard before turning away with great willpower.

The oldest boy was a little timid, but bravely spoke up: "Master Liu, can you help us rescue Brother Xiaofan?"

Upon hearing this, the other little beggars looked at Liu Shuyi with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, their innocent and bright eyes filled with worry for Mo Xiaofan.

This worry outweighed their thirst for food and their fear of officials like Liu Shuyi.

Seeing this, Liu Shuyi nodded slightly in his heart, thinking to himself that Mo Xiaofan's care for them had not been in vain.

He smiled and said in the gentlest tone he could muster, "I called you here to rescue Mo Xiaofan."

The eyes of the young men and women immediately lit up.

Liu Shuyi continued, "This isn't the first time we've met. You and Mo Xiaofan helped me when I was investigating a case before, so there's no need to be so formal. Please sit down. Mo Xiaofan left last night to find food for you. He's been missing for a whole day and night. You must be worried about him and haven't had the energy to look for food. You must be starving, right? Let's eat and chat..."

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, Wan'er realized that these little guys hadn't eaten for at least a day and a night.

She couldn't help but tap her head, somewhat annoyed at her carelessness. She had been so focused on Mo Xiaofan that she had forgotten about these little ones.

If Mo Xiaofan finds out about this when he returns, he will surely blame himself.

Thinking of this, Wan'er couldn't help but look at Liu Shuyi. The young master was under the greatest pressure in investigating the case, and he also spent the most mental and physical energy. Yet, the young master, who was the busiest and under the most pressure among them, still remembered that the little beggars were hungry...

Wan'er pursed her lips and looked at Liu Shuyi with an increasingly gentle expression.

"We're dirty and will soil the tables and chairs. Just give us a few steamed buns..."

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, the little beggars' dark eyes brightened even more. However, when they looked at the clean tables and chairs, then at the clean and tidy clothes of the people around them, and at the somewhat disdainful looks in their eyes, their eyes dimmed a little.

They rubbed their little hands together with their worn-out clothes, then stretched out their hands, asking for only steamed buns, without even glancing at the colorful and fragrant dishes.

Seeing his sensible demeanor, Wan'er couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

She said directly, "What do you mean by 'getting dirty'? This food was bought with the young master's money, so he has the right to decide who eats it! Now that the young master tells you to sit down and eat, you can sit down. Let's see who dares to object!"

Liu Shuyi also said softly, "Wan'er is right. I didn't steal or rob. I bought the food with copper coins. Who dares to question me?"

As he spoke, he casually glanced around.

Anyone whose gaze swept over them, whether it was the restaurant owner, the waiter, or any other customer, felt a sharp, oppressive aura suddenly pressing down on them, startling them so much that they instinctively looked away, not daring to even glance at Liu Shuyi and his group again.

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, the little beggars looked up at their surroundings again, and sure enough... those who had looked at them with disdain before were no longer paying attention to them.

They hesitated for a moment, but after Wan'er forcefully pulled them to the table, they finally did not hesitate any longer and bowed to Liu Shuyi, saying, "Thank you, Assistant Minister Liu."

Only then did he sit down.

Liu Shuyi was very fond of these little beggars.

Sensible and polite, when I was investigating the case of Changsun Chong's disappearance, they and Mo Xiaofan helped me find the copper coins left by Changsun Chong. I wanted to thank them, but they refused my thanks. Although they were at the bottom of society, they had principles, were straightforward and sincere.

He put some meat on each of the little beggars' plates and said, "You can eat whatever you want on this table. If it's not enough, I'll order more for you."

"You all know the relationship between Mo Xiaofan and our Liu family. I think if he were here, he certainly wouldn't be polite to us, so you should be too. If you only eat steamed buns, then I'll have to wonder if you don't like me or hate me."

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, the little beggars' expressions changed, and they quickly shook their heads.

"We like the wealthy landowner."

"Brother Xiaofan said that Yuanwailang is the best official and the most amazing detective in the world. We all like Yuanwailang."

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Since you like it, then don't just eat steamed buns, you should eat meat too."

Although the little beggars were young, they were all very intelligent, so they quickly understood Liu Shuyi's kindness.

After hesitating for a moment, looking at the delicious-looking dishes in front of them, and feeling their stomachs growling in protest, they swallowed hard and finally bravely picked up the food instead of just silently munching on their steamed buns.

Seeing this, Wan'er finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She secretly gave Liu Shuyi a thumbs up. She knew very well how stubborn these little beggars were; usually, only Mo Xiaofan could persuade them.

Unexpectedly, today, the young master managed to get them to obey with just a few words. Wan'er's admiration for Liu Shuyi was like a never-ending river.

Liu Shuyi didn't rush to ask questions. He knew how hungry these little beggars were. Although time was of the essence, it wasn't so bad that they wouldn't even have time to eat.

And seeing these little beggars wolfing down their food, he also felt very hungry and his appetite was whetted, so he started eating along with them.

In just fifteen minutes, all the plates on the table were empty.

Looking at the young men and women rubbing their bellies and still feeling unsatisfied, Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Are you full? If not, I'll order some more."

The little beggars quickly shook their heads: "That's enough, sir, don't spend any more money."

"Almost? That means you're not full."

Liu Shuyi called out directly, "Waiter, bring another table of the same food."

Seeing that the little beggars seemed embarrassed by his spending so much and wanted to persuade him otherwise, Liu Shuyi said, "I haven't eaten yet, you don't want me to go hungry, do you?"

The naive beggars were no match for Liu Shuyi, and upon hearing this, they were unable to offer any further advice.

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "The food still needs a while to cook. Let's take this opportunity to talk about Mo Xiaofan's case?"

The little beggars had come for the case, and upon hearing this, they immediately sat up straight, their small bodies ramrod upright, and looked intently at Liu Shuyi.

The oldest boy said, "If you have any questions, please ask us. We will tell you whatever we know."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly and said directly, "Then I'll get straight to the point."

"Do you know if Mo Xiaofan has eaten naan recently?"

"Naan?"

The little beggars thought for a moment and then nodded: "We've eaten."

"Oh?"

Liu Shuyi asked, "How many times have you eaten here? Where did you eat here?"

"I've eaten here many times..."

The eldest boy said, "One of the times was when we found a copper coin and met the rich man. We bought it that time on our own initiative. The next few times, we begged for it."

"Do you remember who baked the naan for you?" Liu Shuyi asked again.

The beggars looked at each other and then shook their heads.

They beg every day, and so many people give them coins or food that they can't even remember them all.

Moreover, naan was a common staple food in the Tang Dynasty, not a rare delicacy. In addition, they only met those kind people once and rarely saw them again. Therefore, it was difficult to leave any special memories.

"The little beggar who was with Mo Xiaofan every day had no recollection of the person who gave them the naan bread, which meant there was no way to find the specific person through the naan bread..."

"Mo Xiaofan must also know about this situation. It seems that, just as I judged before, '馕' does not refer to naan, but rather to a broad category of food."

"But these little beggars don't even remember the person who gave them the naan, let alone the wider range of food..."

While pondering, Liu Shuyi continued to ask, "Of all the kind people who have helped you recently, if you were asked to name the one who left the deepest impression on you in terms of food, who would you name?"

Without a second thought, the little beggars replied, "Of course it's the Master and Sister Wan'er."

Liu Shuyi was taken aback: "Us?"

The oldest beggar nodded and said matter-of-factly, "During this time, you often prepare meals for us. Although they are leftovers, we know that they are specially made for us. Because you often help us, we have hardly ever gone hungry. So, for us, the kindest people are naturally you."

Liu Shuyi couldn't help but chuckle. He never expected that, after all the questions, the question would eventually come back to him.

He shook his head and said, "Besides us?"

The little beggars looked like they were thinking seriously.

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and then prompted, "This person may or may not have given you food, but you must have a deep impression of the food he gave you..."

"Mo Xiaofan may have mentioned him to you. He may have praised him or he may have criticized him. Think carefully, besides me and Wan'er, is there anyone else like him?"

That piece of naan was likely broken into pieces by Mo Xiaofan when the murderer fed it to him, causing it to fall to the ground.

Given Mo Xiaofan's intelligence, the fact that he went to such lengths to keep this piece of naan must mean that he has a chance to obtain important clues from the food it represents.

Since she didn't understand him, and Wan'er had limited knowledge of what he ate, the breakthrough point must lie in these little beggars who lived and ate with Mo Xiaofan.

Mo Xiaofan believed they could definitely give him a hint.

Therefore, they must know something, but they need to be triggered by certain conditions to remember it.

What Liu Shuyi needs to do now is to try his best to patiently guide them to remember these things.

Seeing the little beggars' furrowed brows and troubled expressions, Liu Shuyi pondered for a moment and said, "If you really can't remember a particular person, what about the incident?"

"Have you encountered anything memorable related to food during this period? It could have been good or bad?"

"matter……"

Upon hearing these two words, the oldest boy's expression suddenly changed, and he said, "Now that you mention it, I'm reminded of something."

"Oh?"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is it?"

The boy said, "Seven days ago, we begged for a whole day but didn't get any food. Everyone was very hungry. Brother Xiaofan said that if we really couldn't get anything, we should go find Sister Wan'er."

"As we talked, we walked toward the Liu residence, but we hadn't gone far when we saw a lot of beggars running ahead. Brother Xiaofan found it strange and stopped one of the beggars to ask what was going on."

"The beggar said that a wealthy merchant's father had passed away, and anyone who went to offer incense to his father could receive free porridge and steamed buns. When we heard about this good thing, we went along."

"Then we found out that it was really true, and Brother Xiaofan immediately said that our dinner was taken care of."

Liu Shuyi simply found the matter amusing.

The old man died, and they ended up trading food for other people to offer incense to his father...

Is this because they're afraid there won't be enough incense offerings, and their father will be bullied in the afterlife?

However, this is not uncommon. In ancient times, people were more feudal. In order to let their deceased parents rest in peace and continue to bless them, they would not only ask someone to burn incense, but also build shrines.

Moreover, this wealthy businessman's actions can be considered a good deed, and for those starving refugees and beggars, it is an act of kindness worthy of their deepest gratitude.

Liu Shuyi said, "So this wealthy businessman left the deepest impression on you?"

"No."

The boy said, "We do have some impression of the wealthy merchant, but what impressed me the most was that when we arrived at the merchant's mansion, there was already a long queue in front of us, so Brother Xiaofan led us to join the queue at the back."

"We queued for a full half hour, and we were starving. Finally, it was our turn, but then someone ran right in front of us. Brother Xiaofan was very unhappy and told them that everyone had queued up and that we should follow the rules."

"But those people completely ignored what Brother Xiaofan said, and even called Brother Xiaofan a stinking beggar who was not worthy to stand with them. They also threatened us that if we talked nonsense again, we would suffer the consequences."

Upon hearing this, Wan'er's face immediately turned frosty. She glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes and said angrily, "Who dares to be so unreasonable? Tell me, and I'll help you get revenge!"

The boy hurriedly shook his head: "No need for Sister Wan'er to help. Brother Xiao Fan was very angry and started pushing and shoving them. In the end, they even started fighting."

"This immediately alarmed the wealthy businessman, who sent people to separate us from those people."

"The wealthy businessman was very dissatisfied with our fight in front of the funeral hall and asked us why we did it. Brother Xiaofan said that those people were being unreasonable and deliberately cutting in line. Upon hearing this, the businessman immediately ordered his men to drive those people away."

“We thought he would also drive us away, since we had offended the deceased. But the wealthy businessman inquired about our situation and learned that we had been hungry for a day and had no parents or anyone to rely on. So he let us stay and even gave us a few extra steamed buns.”

Liu Shuyi stroked his chin and said, "So, you have a deep impression of the fight in front of the mourning hall, the near loss of food, and the subsequent return of food?"

"Yes."

The boy nodded: "We are of low status and have no elders to rely on, so we usually don't dare to cause trouble, let alone fight. If they hadn't gone too far, Brother Xiaofan wouldn't have taken action."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly, then looked at the other four little beggars and asked, "Did you also have a deep impression of this incident?"

They all nodded.

Liu Shuyi pondered, could the food clues left by Mo Xiaofan be referring to this matter?

So, what does he want to know or who he wants to focus on through this incident?

He asked, "Who is that wealthy businessman? Where does he live? And do you know who those people who bullied you are?"

The young man said, "I don't know the merchant's specific name, I only know that his surname is Du, and his mansion is located on the north side of Yonghefang. It is a very large mansion."

"As for those who bullied us..."

The boy clenched his fist and said, "Even if they turn to ashes, I will remember what they look like! I heard from others that they were local thugs who were lazy and bullied the weak and feared the strong... After that, Brother Xiaofan forbade us from going near Yonghefang, for fear of running into them and being bullied by them."

"They were clearly in the wrong first, yet we're being told to avoid them..."

He raised his head and looked at Liu Shuyi: "Sir, is this the way things are in this world?"

Hearing the boy's words, Wang Gui and Zhao Feng felt a tightness in their hearts and subconsciously tensed up.

Wan'er frowned slightly, pursing her lips, unsure how to answer. How should she reply?

Tell the young man that this is how the world works; good people have to avoid bad people and will suffer losses.
This is far too cruel.

But if the world isn't like that, then bad people should take the initiative to admit their mistakes and avoid good people...

That's just too fake.

These young people are at the bottom of society, and their future experiences will only become more and more cruel. The more they understand the cruelty of this world, the better for them. At least that way, they will suffer less in the future.

Therefore, deceiving them and making them believe that the world is a good place may actually harm them.

Telling the truth is wrong, and lying is also wrong. Even the clever and quick-witted Wan'er felt caught in a dilemma at this moment.

Wan'er felt even more conflicted when she saw the other four little beggars' bright, innocent, and kind eyes.

She looked to Liu Shuyi for help.

Suddenly, Liu Shuyi reached out and gently rubbed the boy's head, saying in a gentle voice, "What do you think the principles of this world should be?"

The boy clenched his fists tightly, his voice young yet powerful: "Brother Xiaofan said that good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished. Fairness in all things is the best way of the world."

Liu Shuyi nodded and then asked, "So, do you think the world is like this now?"

The boy pursed his lips and shook his head.

"So, do you hope the world will become like what Mo Xiaofan described?"

"Of course!"

Liu Shuyi said, "The world is indeed unfair, but there are many people like you who hope it will become better, and many people are working hard to make it better."

"I believe that as the Tang Dynasty becomes stronger, the people become wealthier, and the country enjoys peace and prosperity, the world will definitely be better than it is now..."

"However, this process may be slow. If you think it's too slow, then work hard and find a way to speed it up..."

The boy looked at Liu Shuyi in astonishment: "Me, trying?"

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "What, is it not allowed?"

"You're still young. It's not too late to start studying now. Study hard, pass the imperial examinations, and become an official in the future. Serve the people and make the world a better place. Do you think that's impossible?"

The boy had never thought of these things, nor had Wan'er, Zhao Feng, and the others. Upon hearing this, they were all deeply shaken and stared blankly at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi said, "If you want to study, or if your friends want to study, you can come to my residence and I can help you."

Liu Shuyi liked these little beggars very much, so if they wanted to become self-reliant, he wouldn't mind giving them a push.

It's not impossible that they could even be taken in as students.

In ancient times, respect for teachers was highly valued, and the relationship between teachers and students could even be compared to that between father and son. In addition, these little beggars were of good character, and if they could pass the imperial examinations and become officials under the teacher's careful guidance, their lives would be changed, which would also be of great help to the teacher.

This is a win-win situation.

However, he will not force them; he will give them the opportunity, and their choice will be up to them.

The boy never expected that simply asking a question that he felt resentful about would give him such an opportunity. He couldn't help but ask, "Can I really pass the imperial examination and make the world a better place?"

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "You'll never know the result if you don't try, but if you're asking for my opinion, I believe you can."

Then he looked at the other little beggars behind the boy and said, "I believe in you too."

Whether it was just his imagination or not, the moment Liu Shuyi uttered those words, Wang Gui felt that these little beggars were different from before. Perhaps their backs were straighter, perhaps their eyes were different, perhaps another path in life had appeared for them...

He couldn't help but think to himself, "Liu Yuanwailang is truly the kindest person I've ever met. He really could change the lives of these five little ones."

Wan'er's gaze toward Liu Shuyi grew even brighter and more radiant.

"All right."

Liu Shuyi said, "There's no rush. You can think about it carefully, or you can discuss it with Mo Xiaofan after I rescue him. The door of the Liu family is always open to you."

The boy pursed his lips, then suddenly pulled the other little beggars to their feet, and then very formally bowed to Liu Shuyi.

"No matter what choices we make in the future, it is our great fortune that Master Liu is willing to give us this opportunity. Please accept our bow."

Seeing the little beggars' movements were not uniform, and even a little comical, but they bowed very earnestly, Liu Shuyi smiled and helped them up.

Then, looking at the boy, she said, "I still don't know your name."

The boy said earnestly, "Guo Zhengyi."

"Guo Zhengyi?"

Liu Shuyi felt the name sounded familiar, but after thinking for a long time, he couldn't remember where he had heard it before.

He nodded and said, "Zhengyi, a good name."

Guo Zhengyi said, "My family was once very prominent, and my father was a scholar, so before I became a wanderer, I had also read some books..."

Have you been to school?
Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed; that meant they could skip the initial enlightenment stage.

Guo Zhengyi was originally worried that if he started from scratch, he wouldn't know when he would be able to participate in the imperial examinations. But since he had studied, it was different.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "It's good to have studied. Whether you want to take the imperial examinations or not, studying will make you wise. Alright, the food is here, continue eating."

Since he had given Guo Zhengyi and the others time to consider, Liu Shuyi stopped discussing the topic and gave them ample time and space.

Seeing Guo Zhengyi and the others continue eating heartily, Liu Shuyi looked at Wang Gui and said, "County Commandant Wang, send someone to investigate this wealthy merchant surnamed Du and those local thugs. Be careful not to alert them."

Wang Gui said, "The clues Mo Xiaofan left us, are they referring to them?"

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered as he said, "At least for now, they seem to be the most likely candidates. However, this doesn't necessarily mean the killer is among them. Perhaps Mo Xiaofan saw them have contact with the killer, or perhaps the killer also went to the Du residence to offer incense on the day the porridge was distributed..."

"In short, let's investigate them first. If we can find out who went to offer incense that day, that would be even better."

Wang Gui nodded emphatically and said, "I'll have someone investigate right away."

With that, he got up and left quickly.

Liu Shuyi slowly exhaled. The clues left by Mo Xiaofan had already solved half of the puzzle.

Now we'll see what Wang Gui's investigation results are. If he's lucky, he might be able to identify the killer directly!
Guo Zhengyi and the others ate very quickly, and in another fifteen minutes, they finished all the food.

When Liu Shuyi asked them this time, they shook their heads like rattles, afraid that Liu Shuyi would order another table of food. They were really full and would burst if they ate any more.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Now that you've eaten your fill, go back and get some rest. Don't worry about Mo Xiaofan; I will definitely rescue him."

Watching the constables see the little beggars off, Wan'er asked, "Young Master, what do we do next?"

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and said, "Let's get a room, rest while we wait for the case files and investigation results. I've done everything I could, now all we have to do is wait."

This wait lasted for half an hour.

dong dong dong.

There was a knock on the door, and Wan'er quickly got up and opened it.

"Master Liu, I've brought the files you requested—hmm? Who are you?"

Before Du Gou could finish speaking, he suddenly paused when he saw the pretty woman who opened the door.

He instinctively took a half step back, looked up at the house number, and frowned, saying, "That's right..."

"Du Sicheng, why are you standing at the door and not coming in?"

At that moment, Liu Shuyi's voice came from inside the door.

Wan'er opened the door, and Du Gou saw Liu Shuyi sitting on the bed rubbing his eyes, as if he had just taken a nap.

As Du Gou entered the room, he couldn't help but ask, "Master Liu, who is this young lady?"

"Wan'er, she's from the Liu family. She's the one who reported this case."

People from the Liu family?

A maid?
Du Gou knew that Liu Shuyi's household currently had an old steward and a maid, but he never expected that Liu Shuyi's maid would be so beautiful.

She was comparable to the most beautiful courtesans in the brothels he frequented.

Even compared to his sister, she was no less beautiful.

He couldn't help but feel a little pressured for his sister...

"Minister Du, why have you come in person?"

Liu Shuyi's voice interrupted Du Gou's thoughts. Du Gou said, "I also know about the murderer's case. This person is extremely cunning and mysterious. It won't be easy to catch him. I'm off duty now, so I thought I'd come over to see if I could help you."

As he spoke, he handed the case file to Liu Shuyi.

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi felt a warmth in his heart. Du Gou clearly had a chance to compete for the position of fifth-rank physician, but he gave up the competition because of him. As a result, Du Gou not only did not resent him, but also knew that he was in trouble and might need help, so he took the initiative to come here.

This is a true gentleman.

It is a blessing that I was able to make such a close friend after time travel.

He took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Thank you."

Du Gou smiled gently: "Between you and me, why talk about these things? Let's see if the case file is of any use."

Without delay, Liu Shuyi quickly opened the book, which was even thicker than the Ministry of Justice's files.

He turned to the page with information on the deceased and nodded, saying, "The information on these deceased is indeed more abundant than the files in the Ministry of Justice. Perhaps we can find commonalities among the deceased."

Du Gou said, "This book was bound later. You can take it apart and give me some, and I will search with you."

Liu Shuyi had just wanted to do that, but these were documents from the Dali Temple, and he couldn't just tear them apart without saying a word. Now that Du Gou had spoken, he no longer hesitated and quickly tore them apart.

Then he handed some of the papers to Du Gou and Wan'er.

He said, "We don't need to focus on the deceased's identity, age, gender, or other basic information. This time, we are mainly focusing on their experiences, their families, and the experiences of their elders."

"Family and elders?"

Du Gou was somewhat surprised. In the past, when investigating the circumstances of the deceased, he would focus on the deceased himself and rarely investigated things outside of the deceased. However, he knew Liu Shuyi and knew that Liu Shuyi must have his reasons for investigating in this way.

So, although he was surprised, he did not hesitate at all and quickly began to read it.

As he flipped through the pages, he frowned and said, "The information on these deceased people was compiled by the local government offices themselves. So some people have comprehensive information, with their ancestors for eight generations written down, while others have very little information, only the deceased himself, without any information on his elders."

"It doesn't matter."

Liu Shuyi said, "Although it's inappropriate to say it like this, the murderer has killed enough people, and our sample size is large enough. Even if we only have enough information on half of the people, it's enough for us to find the pattern."

Du Gou nodded.

The candlelight flickered and danced, and in the dimly lit room, only the sound of turning pages could be heard.

…………

at the same time.

royal palace.

Li Shimin entered a brightly lit hall and saw a hunched figure frowning as he looked at the chessboard in front of him.

The black and white pieces are intertwined on the chessboard, creating a complex situation.

Li Shimin arrived at the palace and said, "Father."

Li Yuan, whose face looked aged, seemed to only then notice Li Shimin's arrival. He raised his head, looked at the handsome and composed Li Shimin, and said, "I called you here, did I not disturb your handling of state affairs?"

Li Shimin smiled gently: "Nothing can compare to Father Emperor's call to his son."

“You… you’re the ruler of a country now, you can’t say things like that. If Wei Zheng hears you, he’ll definitely make a fuss.”

Li Yuan beckoned to Li Shimin, signaling him to sit on the opposite side of the chessboard.

He said, "Let's play some chess."

Li Shimin nodded: "Okay."

The two continued to place their pieces.

Li Yuan looked at the chessboard and said, "I called you here not to play chess with me, but for something else."

"What is it?" Li Shimin looked up.

Then he saw Li Yuan looking at him seriously: "I heard that the serial killer has appeared again..."

"Catch him! You must catch him!"

"He has made me lose face and caused the Tang Dynasty to lose face once."

"We must not let him embarrass the Tang Dynasty a second time."

(End of this chapter)