The door of the study was opened and Zhu Wuyou walked in behind Xu San.

Compared with yesterday, Zhu Wuyou looked much more embarrassed today.

Along the way, Zhu Wuyou also led his men to ride at full speed, but he was a civil official, not a military general. Although he could ride a horse, his physical fitness was still a little lacking.

We take more breaks on the road, and each break lasts longer.

Zhu Wuyou originally thought that this was nothing, but he didn't expect that as soon as he entered the city, he learned from the city gate guard that Li Junyan had arrived in Xizhou in the middle of the night and was now waiting for him at the governor's mansion.

The moment he heard the news, Zhu Wuyou realized that something was wrong and subconsciously turned his horse around and left Xizhou.

But he was still a step too slow.

Just as he was thinking of running away, he was surrounded by Xu San and his men, and then brought here.

Zhu Wuyou was worried, but he forced a smile that was uglier than crying. "Why did Your Highness suddenly come to Xizhou? You're even faster than me. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. It's all my fault."

Li Junyan's slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a "tap, tap, tap" sound.

With every sound, Zhu Wuyou's heart trembled.

"Prince...Prince..."

Zhu Wuyou was unsure whether Li Junyan had discovered anything, so he could only ask cautiously, "Why isn't the prince talking?"

Li Junyan raised his eyes and looked at Zhu Wuyou expressionlessly, "I am waiting for you to speak."

"say what?"

"Tell me about the two account books hidden under your desk, and how you saved the ten thousand taels of gold."

Zhu Wuyou stumbled instantly, cold sweat trickling down his cheeks. "What...what account book? What ten thousand taels of gold? Your Highness, you are joking. How can I possibly have that much gold?"

"Don't tell?"

Li Junyan raised his voice at the end of his voice, "I gave you a chance but you didn't cherish it. In this case, I have no choice but to hand over the things.

Tell me, who will kill you first, the Emperor or the Crown Prince?

Zhu Wuyou's cold sweat flowed faster.

As the governor of Xizhou, he received a salary from the emperor and should be loyal to the emperor.

But he asked the emperor for money and food to make money for the prince.

This is disloyalty to the king.

As the prince's disciple, he used the prince's name to work for the prince, while secretly embezzling ten thousand taels of gold.

This is disloyalty to the Lord.

If he hands these things over, the emperor will not let him go, and the prince will not let him go either.

It means death anyway!

The only question is at whose hands he dies.

Zhu Wuyou could no longer maintain his stubborn attitude. He stumbled and fell to the ground, his face full of despair.

Looking at Zhu Wuyou crawling on the ground, Xu San's eyes were full of contempt and disgust, and he wanted to spit at him.

For someone like him, even if he dies a hundred times, it won't be enough to appease the public anger.

Li Junyan half-closed his eyes, his eyes were cold, "Zhu Wuyou, do you want to die?"

Zhu Wuyou suddenly raised his head, hope burning in his eyes.

"No! I don't want to die. Please forgive me this time, Your Majesty!"

As long as the prince can spare my life, I will be yours from now on. I will do whatever you ask me to do!"

Li Junyan's lips curled up slowly, but his smile seemed extremely cold. "Prefect Zhu has a big appetite. The meals from two families are not enough for you, and now you want to eat from three families.

Aren't you afraid of dying of stuffiness by eating so much at the same time? "

Zhu Wuyou kowtowed repeatedly, "Your Majesty, spare my life! This humble official has no other choice! The Crown Prince has called me down and threatened me with my wife and children. This humble official has no other choice but to obey the Crown Prince's orders. This humble official does not want to disappoint the Emperor's grace!"

I have already realized my mistake. If Your Majesty gives me a chance, I will sincerely serve the people and work hard to provide disaster relief and help the people!

After Zhu Wuyou finished speaking, he kowtowed again, his forehead touching the ground. His body was shaking constantly and he didn't dare to get up at all.

At this moment, Zhu Wuyou only felt that the room was terrifyingly quiet.

It was so quiet that he could not only hear his own breathing clearly, but also his own heartbeat.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Wuyou finally heard Li Junyan's voice again.

"Then let this king see your sincerity!"

Zhu Wuyou raised his head fearfully, "How...how do you see it?"

Li Junyan looked at Zhu Wuyou expressionlessly and said, "Sell all the gold and silver in your governor's mansion's treasury, all the furniture, porcelain, antiques, famous paintings, calligraphy, fabrics, and jewelry in the mansion to exchange for grain."

Just as he finished speaking, Li Junyan saw Zhu Wuyou's eyes roll back and he almost fainted.

For a person who is greedy for money and enjoys pleasure, taking these things away from him is tantamount to digging out his heart.

Li Junyan's eyes instantly turned cold, "Don't want to? Xu San, take him down, lock him up, and wait for your punishment!"

"yes!"

Xu San agreed, strode to Zhu Wuyou's side, grabbed Zhu Wuyou's collar with one hand, and pulled him up from the ground.

Zhu Wuyou was startled and finally remembered his situation.

My life is in danger!

What else do you need these things for!

If the Crown Prince or the Emperor knew what he had done, his entire family would be executed, and after death they would be thrown into a mass grave to be eaten by wild dogs.

No matter how much gold, silver, jewelry, or beautiful clothes he has, he cannot take a single cent with him.

"Your Highness!" Zhu Wuyou shouted, "Your Highness, spare my life! I am willing! I am willing!"

Li Junyan looked at Xu San, and Xu San immediately understood what Li Junyan meant and threw Zhu Wuyou to the ground.

Zhu Wuyou crawled to the desk and expressed his loyalty to Li Junyan with tears and snot.

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!

Thank you, Your Highness, for giving me a chance. From now on, I will obey Your Highness in everything I do. I will do whatever Your Highness tells me to do."

Li Junyan then looked Zhu Wuyou in the face and said, "Remember what you said. The Emperor and the Crown Prince are far away in Chang'an. It will take time to act, but if I want to kill you, it will be easy."

Zhu Wuyou's body trembled, his face was full of fear, and his mood was even more complicated.

But now that we have come this far, there is no room for regret.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will serve you till my death."

Li Junyan glanced at him calmly and said, "I'll give you a chance to show your abilities right now."

"What?"

"Write a letter to the prince and ask him for 20,000 taels of gold." Li Junyan said directly.

Shocked, Zhu Wuyou raised his head and looked at Li Junyan.

"How is this possible! How could the prince give it to me?"

Over the past few years, he has given the prince a total of 20,000 taels of gold.

If he wants to get it back all at once now, the prince must be crazy to give him the gold.

"If you don't want it, how do you know the prince won't give it to you?"

Zhu Wuyou's eyes widened, and he suddenly thought of a possibility, "Your Majesty, do you have a good idea?"

Li Junyan raised the corners of his lips, his smile revealing a coldness. "Just tell the prince that with these 20,000 taels of gold, you can take my life, and the prince will give it to you."