Chapter 452: Duke of Wei

Northern Frontier Camp.

King Zhenbei was looking at a map full of defense markings on the Daliang border.

Mu'er walked in and knelt directly behind King Zhenbei.

"Mu'er acted on his own initiative and killed the grain supervisor Li Moxu. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

"Get up." King Zhenbei turned around and looked at her, smiling, "You did a good job this time."

"If you come back to report, it will be too late for him to die in Songtao County. That is his best destination."

"This time, those two little girls surnamed Zhu messed up all our arrangements in Qingzhou. Now that we don't have the people from Qingzhou to help us get food, the day of the uprising can only be postponed.

They ruined this big plan of mine, so I have to pay them back."

A sneer appeared on the gloomy face of King Zhenbei.

“Go send a letter to the Duke of Wei to let him know my attitude.

This king wants that little girl named Zhu Lan——

There is no place to bury the dead."

…

Capital city, imperial palace.

Purple Cloud Palace.

Butler Zhao was holding a bowl of winter ginseng chicken soup and carefully walked around the screen. Just as the figure of Yan Xiuyun reviewing memorials appeared in front of him, a memorial book was thrown at him.

He dodged very skillfully, and not a drop of the ginseng chicken soup in his hand was spilled.

Manager Zhao put down the soup bowl, carefully picked up the scattered memorials on the ground and sorted them out, and said softly:

"Your Majesty, why are you so angry today? Don't let your body get hurt. I will ask the imperial kitchen to bring some medicinal food to calm your nerves."

"This group of old ministers of the Li family actually wrote a joint letter, demanding an explanation from me!"

"Is it because of Lord Li's death?" Chief Steward Zhao observed Yan Xiuyun's expression and asked carefully, "But Zhu Zhongcheng has always been very capable. How could he leave Lord Li in Songtao County for no reason and return to Qingzhou alone?"

"Yes, I have long suspected that Li Moxu and the Qingzhou officials have something to hide. This time I arranged for him to be the grain supervisor, and I also wanted to use Zhu Lan to find evidence so that I can punish the Li family.

But there was a big fire in Qingzhou government office, and no evidence was left!

Now that Li Moxu was dead, these ministers of the Li family began to complain, saying that Zhu Lan was investigating a case in Qingzhou, and first his negligence led to a prefect being kidnapped and killed in the street, and then he disregarded the national law and privately detained the grain supervisor Li Moxu, causing him to die tragically on the way to save himself.

If I don't severely punish Zhu Lan this time, those old guys won't let it go."

"Then...how severely do they want to punish them?" Manager Zhao asked tentatively.

"Of course I want my life."

As Yan Xiuyun spoke, he turned to the next memorial, which was still about impeaching Zhu Lan. He immediately put it aside in annoyance, not wanting to read it anymore.

A young eunuch entered the palace and announced:

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Wei requests an audience."

Yan Xiuyun held his forehead with a headache and said helplessly, "Please."

In the smoke, an old man in his sixties walked in unsteadily, leaning on a peach wood crutch.

"Old minister Li Lie pays respect to His Majesty..."

Yan Xiuyun personally stepped forward to greet him, putting on a smiling face and saying:

"Duke Wei is already old, why did he go to the palace in such a heavy snowstorm?

Come on, why don't you take a seat and have some tea?"

Li Lie sat down slowly and began to look at the furnishings in the Purple Cloud Hall, and said with emotion:

"I have been retired for many years and have not been here for a long time... It has not changed, it has not changed, hehe... It is still the same as when the late emperor was here."

His eyes fell on the chessboard placed in the corner of the hall and he smiled:

"In the past, the late emperor always liked to have an old minister accompany him to play chess. After each game, he would ask the imperial physician to feel the old minister's pulse before letting him leave."

Yan Xiuyun said:

“When my father was on his southern tour, he encountered an assassin. You risked your life to block the knife and saved my father’s life, but you damaged your heart meridian and suffered from a lifelong illness.

You are our Yan family's benefactor, and my father hopes that you will live a long life. Now that I am the emperor, I naturally hope that you will be healthy and worry-free for a hundred years."

After saying that, he looked at Chief Steward Zhao and said, "Go, ask Imperial Physician Dou to come and diagnose Duke Weiguo's pulse."

"yes."

Li Lie looked at the back of Eunuch Zhao as he left and sighed:

"The late emperor and Your Majesty both favor our Li family, so naturally, the descendants of the Li family will serve the court with all their heart and soul.

Xu'er's father passed away early, and he grew up in the Duke's Mansion. Although he is the old minister's nephew, the old minister has long regarded him as his own son.

This child was loyal to His Majesty and the court, but now he was killed in a foreign land by that Zhu Lan..."

Yan Xiuyun suddenly said in a deep voice:

"But why did I hear that he seemed to have some dealings with those corrupt officials in Qingzhou?"

Li Lie was stunned for a moment, then he immediately left his chair and knelt down, saying in a mournful voice:

"That's all Zhu Lan's attempt to evade responsibility and make up lies!

She said so, but what evidence do she have? If she can't produce evidence, then it's slander!

This woman is cunning and eloquent. She lynched her colleagues and had no regard for the law.

I beg Your Majesty to make a decision for the old minister and the Li family. You must punish Zhu Lan severely according to the law of the country!"

"Duke Weiguo, please get up quickly." Yan Xiuyun personally helped Li Lie sit down.

"Zhu Zhongcheng will return to the capital tomorrow, so you should take good care of yourself first.

Once I have investigated the matter, I will give you an explanation. Is that okay with you?"

Duke Wei held Yan Xiuyun's hand and said, "Your Majesty, I miss the late emperor so much that I would like to go there today to stand guard over his spirit.

Before the thief Zhu Lan is brought to justice, this old minister will never step out of the late emperor's mausoleum. I hope Your Majesty will grant me this!"

Yan Xiuyun felt overwhelmed. Before he could think of words to comfort him, Li Lie had already stood up and left.

Watching Li Lie's staggering back disappear completely outside the hall, Yan Xiuyun finally turned around and swept all the incense burner and memorials on the table to the ground!