Chapter 328 Has the King of Yue been exposed?
Ling Xuerou had been starving for two days and felt a little dizzy.
Hearing the other person's words, she woke up with a start.
"Sir, we don't know either! Our family was living peacefully in Nanxi Prefecture when we were suddenly captured!"
Ling Ruofeng shouted that he was innocent.
Ling Xuerou nestled into her mother Lin Shujing's arms at the opportune moment, crying pitifully, "Waaaaah, Mother, I'm so hungry..."
She was already beautiful, and when she cried, she was even more heartbreaking.
No one would suspect a child.
"Alright, take him to the government office first."
He Ting gave the order.
"yes!"
The Imperial Guards then led the Ling family of three out.
When Yun Zhao and the others entered from outside the city, the Ling family had already been taken away.
The goods were delivered to the Li family's gambling den, and Yun Zhao came out of the box.
"Is the young master alright?"
Li Meng pulled the person out of the box and asked with concern.
The weather in Lingnan hasn't been hot lately, but during the plum rain season, it feels stuffy everywhere.
It was even more uncomfortable inside the box.
"I'm fine, but Hua Hua and the others are probably feeling unwell."
The tiger and leopard emerged from the box, shaking their fur.
It's so uncomfortable!
Yun Zhao patted their heads to comfort them, then asked without looking up, "Uncle Li Meng, what's the situation with the Yuan family now?"
Li Meng looked at his men.
"Reporting back to the young master, He Ting led the Imperial Guards straight to the Yuan residence upon entering the city."
They knocked on the door but no one answered, so they just barged in. The people from the Yuan residence must have all left.
The imperial guards didn't catch anyone, but they did bring out chests full of gold and silver treasures. About fifteen minutes later...
The Imperial Guards discovered a dungeon and brought out a family of three.
The younger one was a girl of six or seven years old; she must be one of the people the young master mentioned.
The person guarding the Yuan residence explained to Yun Zhao.
"They were taken to the government office?"
Yun Zhao asked.
"Yes, there are already people following them. They will guard the government office and prevent them from leaving."
They are efficient and decisive, knowing exactly what to do without needing orders.
"Has the carriage that escaped outside the city been caught?"
Just as Yun Zhao asked the question, someone came in from outside the door.
"Young Master, we have news! A carriage has been stopped outside the city. It's Yuan Shuchang and his son. They're heading to the docks!"
"The dock? This censor isn't one of the King of Yue's men?"
The Yuan family's grain transport business was controlled by the Prince of Yue. If the Prince of Yue had sent an imperial censor, the Yuan family would not have gone to the docks to walk into a trap.
Could it be the Qi family?
Did the King of Yue and the Qi family join forces?
Yun Zhao relayed the news back to Linjia Village, and then went to the government office with a small bamboo basket in his hand.
The government office was already surrounded by the Imperial Guards, so no one could get in.
Lu Xun circled the perimeter once, then returned and shook his head.
"It's impossible to go in during the day."
Yun Zhao took out the small bamboo basket, a sly glint in his eyes.
"Little grasshoppers, it's up to you now!"
Yun Zhao opened the small bamboo basket and released the grasshoppers inside.
Inside the government office.
Ling Ruofeng knelt below the hall, his expression somewhat unpleasant.
"Tell me, why exactly did Yuan Shuchang imprison you in his residence?"
He Ting slammed his gavel and shouted angrily.
"Sir, we really don't know!"
Ling Ruofeng stubbornly refused to say anything.
He Ting waved his hand, signaling the others to make way.
He walked up to Ling Ruofeng and looked down at him.
"To tell you the truth, Yuan Shuchang offended the Prince of Yue, which is why he sent me to investigate this matter."
"How is this matter related to the King of Yue?"
Ling Ruofeng's heart skipped a beat, and when he looked up again, he had an innocent look on his face.
"I don't want to waste my time with you. You should know about the Liuxianlou business."
Yuan Shuchang mishandled the situation and had someone report it to the Emperor. Now, the Prince of Yue is looking for a scapegoat.
"You tell me, if Yuan Shuchang runs away, who will I find to be the scapegoat?"
He Ting spoke frankly.
Ling Ruofeng really didn't know anything about Liuxianlou; he only knew that Liuxianlou was a property of the Yuan family.
Upon hearing that the matter had been reported to the Emperor, Ling Ruofeng's face showed a look of panic.
"My lord, I truly know nothing about Liuxianlou! I only know that Yuan Shuchang runs Liuxianlou."
I don't know anything else! You can't pin the blame on me for things I don't know, can you?!
Even if he is to take the blame for the King of Yue, the Yuan family's crimes cannot be pinned on him as well!
"Then explain clearly why Yuan Shuchang locked your family of three in the dungeon."
"You want me to clear your name of this crime? You should at least give me a reasonable explanation!"
"In last year's embezzlement case, I took the blame for Yuan Shuchang, and Yuan Shuchang promised me..."
He promised to protect my family and ensure we had a good life in Lingnan, but I guess he didn't trust me.
After sending me to Lingnan, they arrested us again and locked us up in this dungeon!
If he wanted to live, he naturally wouldn't implicate the King of Yue.
Therefore, he pinned all the blame on Yuan Shuchang.
"Yuan Shuchang is merely a prefect; would he really allow a marquis like you to take the blame for him?"
He Ting scoffed.
"As Lord He also knows, nobles in the court, without real power..."
In the imperial court, they were less influential than a minor official; their only advantage was their high status.
Now that I've been exposed, someone has to protect the lives of my family of three, right? Although Yuan Shuchang is only a prefect,
However, he governed Xuzhou (Yangzhou), a crucial route for those exiled to Lingnan.
Ling Ruofeng deliberately lowered his stance, trying to gain He Ting's trust.
It's a pity.
He Ting was not only not a man of the King of Yue, but he was also ordered by the Qi family to find out more crimes against the King of Yue.
"You say you're taking the blame for him, but I remember your crimes included selling smuggled salt."
You don't think I'm so stupid as to believe you? Or are you taking the blame for the King of Yue?
He Ting looked at him with a half-smile.
"Lord He, I am just an exiled commoner. It's not appropriate for you to ask me to implicate the King of Yue, is it?"
He Ting looked him over and suddenly spoke.
"You've been in exile for too long, so you may not know, but His Majesty has stopped sending military supplies to the northern border."
Ling Ruofeng suddenly looked up, staring at him in disbelief.
Did the emperor know what the King of Yue was doing?
That's impossible! His daughter said that in her precognitive dream, the emperor never suspected the King of Yue!
"You don't need to be so surprised. His Majesty knows far more than you do."
He Ting observed the change in his expression and immediately changed his approach.
He wanted to pretend to be the emperor's man.
"What...what do you all know?"
Ling Ruofeng felt uneasy, sensing that something was changing.
"Then you'll have to ask His Majesty. I'm here to arrest Yuan Shuchang for testifying against the Prince of Yue. His Majesty can't possibly tell me so many things."
Is this evidence against the King of Yue?
The King of Yue has been exposed?!
Ling Ruofeng was now truly panicked.
Wait, what exactly does the Emperor know about the King of Yue?
Was it embezzlement and smuggling, or was it treason?
He slightly raised his eyes and tentatively said, "Lord He, as you know, I only hold a position in the court due to the hereditary title bestowed by my ancestors; I have no real power."
I did take the blame for the King of Yue, but they wouldn't tell me many things directly!
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