Tang Huan and Eunuch Shen came out of the post station just a few minutes after entering.

Tang Huan smiled, and Xiao Shen also seemed much more relaxed, no longer as reserved and uneasy as when he first arrived.

"Let's go back."

Tang Huan said something and then walked towards the carriage.

Li Daikui, standing behind him, pressed on, "Sir, what should we do with these people? And what about those tied up at the post station?"

"Let it go."

"Release them?" Li Daikui asked, puzzled. Releasing them just like that was not in the way an adult would act.

Especially now that we have a get-out-of-jail-free card, what's there to be afraid of?

Gongyang Tingbai and Qin Yuyang both didn't understand.

Xue'e remained silent and followed Tang Huan toward the carriage.

Tang Huan turned around impatiently and said, "Just release them as I told you to, why are you making so many demands? But let those people locked up in the county jail stay there. They'll be released if someone pays a ransom, otherwise they'll stay locked up indefinitely."

"good."

Li Daikui agreed and began leading the mercenaries to untie them.

From being arrested to witnessing Lord Jiang's death, and now being released unharmed, Rong Shanhai and the others experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, feeling extremely uneasy.

To their surprise, the large group of people in front of them actually left.

As Tang Huan boarded the carriage, the others also mounted their horses and left, with Xie Wu also heading to Qihuai County.

Before long, the people inside the post station also came out in fear and unease, and they gathered together.

"Lord Rong, what should we do now?"

Someone asked Rong Shanhai.

This matter arose because of Rong Shanhai, and now everyone is at a loss, wanting to ask this more experienced elder for advice.

Rong Shanhai gave a bitter smile. "How would I know what to do? Now that Lord Jiang is dead, Xie Wuguan has been reinstated, and Tang Huan has even obtained the imperial edict and the iron certificate, it's no longer something that we lowly officials can get involved in."

Someone glanced down at the corpse not far away. Tang Huan and the others had not taken the body with them when they left, but left it where it was.

What about the body?

Rong Shanhai pondered for a moment, “Tang Huan is so audacious that he even dared to kill the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, but we are just a small county magistrate. We can’t afford to offend anyone. Let’s take the body with us, prepare a good coffin, and send it to the capital.”

After all, he was one of Prime Minister Cui's men, and his inexplicable death here deserves an explanation.

Otherwise, even if Tang Huan didn't punish them, Cui Xiang would have made them suffer greatly if he had just lifted a finger.

Moreover, since the one who died was a trusted confidant, they would probably all be buried with him.

"After sending the person there, explain the situation to Prime Minister Cui in detail, without hiding anything, so that he cannot blame us."

Rong Shanhai gave the order.

Lord Jiang is indeed dead, but the matter is not over yet.

Now that we have completely offended Tang Huan, we might as well take this opportunity to cling to Prime Minister Cui's coattails.

Even if doing so might lead to their utter ruin, it is the only way for them to climb up the social ladder.

...

"Why did you let those people go? You even left their bodies with them."

After returning to the Qihuai County government office, the mercenaries on both sides dispersed, and Eunuch Shen was also arranged to stay at Zuixianju. Gongyang Tingbai then asked his question.

Tang Huan lazily sat down in the chair, holding the hot tea that Xue'e had brought him in both hands.

"Why kill them? They're just a bunch of small fry."

"Then why did you kill the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review without hesitation?"

Tang Huan clicked his tongue and explained, "Because that guy really annoyed me. He's too arrogant, self-righteous, and even dared to threaten me!"

“If Cui Renshi said this to my face, I would be more wary. Isn’t he just one of Cui Renshi’s lackeys?”

Gongyang Tingbai reminded him, "Even if you are just a Dali Temple Minister, it will be difficult for you to get away with killing someone in front of so many people."

The steam from the teacup made Tang Huan exhale. "If I didn't like him, I killed him. I had already decided that after killing him, I would move with my men overnight and try to take as much money as possible. I would never sit and wait to die."

"You were already considering coming back to the Northern Region with me?" Gongyang Tingbai asked uncertainly.

Tang Huan said, "It is possible to consider going back to the old Qin territory with Xiao Qin and starting a rebellion, but I think it is safer to go to the Northern Region. I believe the Northern Region will not go back on its word."

“Of course,” Gongyang Tingbai affirmed, “but that’s no longer possible.”

The princess realized that the Northern Regions had missed a great opportunity, one that only had a short window of time.

During the time between Tang Huan's brutal killing of the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the arrival of Eunuch Shen on horseback, Tang Huan had already made the decision to go to the Northern Region.

Unfortunately, the emergence of the imperial edict completely blocked this path.

"We have to thank the Northern Region for this. Before, when I went with the Empress to ask for the imperial edict, she turned us away. But I didn't expect that as soon as the Northern Region delegation arrived, the imperial edict would come so quickly."

Gongyang puffed out his cheeks upon hearing Bai's words; indeed, the Northern Regions had missed out.

She sat down next to Tang Huan. "What happened to that guy's body? You just threw it away? Aren't you worried that Cui Renshi will use it as an excuse to deal with you?"

"Using a corpse against me?" Tang Huan laughed. "Where's his evidence?"

“Those people you let go are not all evidence. They either submit to you or join Choi In-seok.”

"Yes, that's why we need to release them so they can tell Master Cui everything. That way, we can cast a long line to catch a big fish."

"You did this on purpose?" Gongyang Tingbai, being from the Northern Region, was intelligent but still had a relatively simple mind and didn't react immediately.

"Of course, we need to give Cui Renshi some reason to take action. Otherwise, if His Majesty has already made his stance clear, and he acts like nothing happened and becomes a coward, that would be a real problem."

Qin Yuyang's eyes were complicated. "Wu Lanxi should thank you for creating such conditions for her."

"Is it possible that she, as the emperor, has no way to take action? Of course not. It's just that Cui Renshi is too deeply entrenched, and moving one move would have far-reaching consequences. There are too many troubles to face, and it would be too difficult to take him down in one fell swoop. We can only take a slow and steady approach and let him gradually reveal his true colors."

I imagine the Empress thought the same thing.

Otherwise, so many people would know that Cui Renshi was a treacherous minister, yet the Empress ignored him for the past two or three years after ascending the throne, still indulging him in everything, only giving him a simple warning when necessary.

"When there are internal and external troubles, these problems cannot be solved. However, the Northern Region will have a short period of peace after this incident. Once the various disasters and famines in Daqing are properly resolved, that will be the time for the Empress and Cui Renshi to begin their relationship."

Tang Huan made her own guess.

"What's your choice?" Gongyang Tingbai asked.

"Do I have a choice? One is a treacherous and cunning old prime minister, and the other is a young and beautiful empress. Of course I'll help the empress. Besides, she even sent me a certificate of merit. This is the best way to win her over."

Yes, Tang Huan may not care about power and money, but he must care about his own safety.

It has to be said that the Empress's actions this time were exactly what Tang Huan wanted to hear.