The revitalization of the Tang Dynasty began with the Ganlu Incident.

Faced with Xue Yuanshang's question, Li Deyu shook his head and said...

"Don't look at things in such a black-and-white way. Just because it can't be thoroughly investigated doesn't mean it can't be investigated."

"Let me test you. The Emperor had already assigned the Eastern Depot to assist in the investigation. Why did he specifically bring in Lieutenant Liu and Chief Clerk Yang this time?"

Xue Yuanshang blinked, a realization dawning on his mind.

Yes, if it's just a matter of escalating the interrogation to a higher level, then having Prime Minister Li Deyu personally overseeing the operation, along with the cooperation of the Eastern Depot, would be sufficient.

Why specifically bring Liu Hongyi and Yang Qinyi into this?

It should be noted that of the two, the former was originally a lieutenant of the Imperial Guard, while the latter, although without a formal title, was temporarily in charge of the affairs of the Right Army.

From an investigative standpoint, the involvement of these two individuals will undoubtedly hinder the investigation.

But the sage singled out these two people by name.

"Is this the constraint that the sage deliberately set up, as my mentor spoke of?"

After a moment's hesitation, Xue Yuanshang tried to answer.

Li Deyu nodded: "You could say it's a hindrance, or you could say it's a constraint and a help to you."

Xue Yuanshang was still somewhat puzzled.

Li Deyu then explained, "This case involves too many people, so we can't investigate it thoroughly. However, we can't leave it uninvestigated either. Instead, we have to investigate some, protect some, and demote some. The situation in the military is complicated. If you rashly step in, you might easily find people who shouldn't be investigated."

"With Lieutenant Liu and Chief Envoy Yang around, they will help you screen people and let you know who you can investigate and who you can't. This is what is meant by being a hindrance, but at the same time, it is also a help."

"Of course, what they want to protect and what they want to investigate are what they want. You can't just let them have their way. You should fight for what you should fight for, and when it's time to take action, your teacher will naturally step in to help you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Yuanshang's expression became somewhat complicated.

Having spent many years in officialdom, he quickly understood after Li Deyu's reminder.

To investigate this case, we need to balance the interests of all parties involved.

Or to put it another way, he has to accept that all sides are using this case as a pretext to eliminate dissidents and fight amongst themselves.

Li Deyu naturally understood his student and could easily guess what he was thinking.

but……

"Take your time to adapt. You are now the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, just one step away from becoming a true high-ranking official in the imperial court."

"In the imperial court, there are nothing but various interests involved and compromises. Some people get caught up in it, while others hit a wall, but neither of these is the right path."

"If you truly want to serve the court, you must learn to see the big picture and not get bogged down in trifles. No one can help you with this; you have to figure it out yourself!"

Xue Yuanshang remained silent for a while.

After a moment, he stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your teachings, Master. I will remember them."

Seeing his reaction, Li Deyu knew that he hadn't understood yet and wanted to give him a few more pointers, but then a servant suddenly came to report.

"My lord, Minister Wang has summoned you."

So Li Deyu had no choice but to swallow his words and give the instructions.

"Go back first. Remember, if you encounter anything you're unsure about, don't act on your own. Come and discuss it with me first. If all else fails, go to the palace to report to the Emperor and obtain his decree before proceeding. In officialdom, it's right to be honest and diligent, but you must never be reckless."

"Yes..." Xue Yuanshang quickly bowed again, responded, took two steps back, and turned to leave.

After seeing his student off, Li Deyu didn't linger and quickly arrived at Wang Ya's residence.

"I have met Minister Sikong."

Wang Ya was engrossed in reading the documents in front of him when he heard the noise at the door. He looked up and a smile appeared on his face.

"Wenrao is here, please have a seat."

Li Deyu always treated this senior official with great respect, bowing slightly in thanks before sitting down to the side.

Then, Wang Ya stood up, took a can of tea from the shelf behind him, brewed a cup of tea himself, and handed it to Li Deyu, saying...

"Try it, this tea bestowed by the palace. It's strange, though. Commoners all like to whisk tea, but the emperor prefers plain tea. Over time, I've come to enjoy this way of appreciating tea too..."

Li Deyu extended both hands to accept it, and said with a smile, "The so-called great way is simple. I think that plain tea has a unique flavor."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and the atmosphere became somewhat relaxed.

Wang Ya sat back down at his desk and finally got down to business.

"I heard that the Emperor just summoned you and Prefect Xue of the Capital. Is it about the Shence Army case?"

Although this is a question, the answer is obviously definite; it's just used as a starting point.

Therefore, Li Deyu nodded and said.

"The case file for this case was just sent over from the Jingzhao Prefecture. I have already read it. Although on the surface it is just an ordinary case of beating and killing, it actually involves private lending in the military. There are at least dozens of families in the same situation as those who filed the complaint. The case is really serious, which is why His Majesty summoned me and Prefect Xue for questioning."

In front of Wang Ya, Li Deyu obviously couldn't say that he knew about the case in advance, but he didn't hide the basic information.

After all, if this case continues to be investigated, the commotion it causes will certainly be significant, and it's impossible to keep it from the rest of the Political Affairs Hall.

As he spoke, he recounted all the basic information he had gathered to Wang Ya.

"I see……"

Wang Ya frowned, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"No wonder Xue Yuanshang insisted on detaining Zhang Chongwen outside the government office. It turns out there was such a big secret behind this case."

Li Deyu nodded again, his tone now tinged with worry.

"For many years, the Shence Army was controlled by eunuchs, and the outer court had no say in its provisions, criminal justice, military discipline, or even the families of its soldiers."

"Most of the palace eunuchs were not capable of commanding troops. They only knew how to bestow favors and protect their men to win people's hearts. They never thought about strengthening the army and training it. As a result, the Shence Army became arrogant and unruly, and its discipline was lax."

"If this continues, how will the Shence Army be able to defend the capital, and how will it be able to protect the borders and ensure the safety of the people?"

Wang Ya's eyes flickered, but he didn't respond to that question. Instead, he continued to ask.

"So, how does the Sage intend to handle this matter?"

Upon hearing this, Li Deyu's emotions gradually calmed down.

He keenly sensed the unusual tone in Wang Ya's voice, but still answered truthfully.

"The Emperor has issued an edict that the case will be presided over by the Prefectural Governor of the Capital, and I will personally supervise the trial on behalf of the Secretariat and the Chancellery. The Eastern Depot, the Shence Army, and the Privy Council will cooperate, and officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review will also be involved to thoroughly investigate this case."

"Investigate thoroughly?"

Wang Ya's eyebrows furrowed instantly, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Seeing this, Li Deyu had a vague sense of unease and asked.

"What, does Sikong find this inappropriate?"

Wang Ya remained silent for a moment, his expression slowly turning serious. He sighed and said...

"Wenrao, I know you have the country in your heart, and what you've done is indeed the right thing to do, but... haven't you taken a bit too big a step?"

Upon hearing this, Li Deyu also frowned, but he did not rush to argue, instead waiting quietly for what was to come.

So Wang Ya continued, "Private lending in the military has a long history and involves a wide range of people, including not only military officers and eunuchs at all levels, but also some officials from the outer court, who are more or less involved."

"Now, taking advantage of Xue Jiling's dismissal, you finally managed to get the palace to concede and agree to reform the Shence Army system, establishing the Shence Military Governor's Office to oversee the Shence Army. This matter is not yet finished, and now you want to simultaneously investigate private loans within the army. Isn't that putting too much pressure on you?"

"My concern is that if this case is investigated thoroughly, it will touch upon too many vested interests and affect military reform. If that happens, it would be a case of losing more than you gain..."