After agreeing to split into two groups, Tantai Yueming left two capable men for them and hurriedly returned to the palace.
At that moment, in the Imperial Study, the Emperor looked at the Prefect of the Capital, who was kneeling below him with a cold and stern face.
"Tell me, a village was wiped out in the middle of the night yesterday, and the bodies were burned, and you only found out after someone reported it?"
This was no small matter; there were five city garrisons patrolling inside and outside the city to protect the safety of the capital and the imperial city.
Despite the magnitude of the incident, the Prefect of the Capital only reported it now, and the officers of the Five Cities Garrison have not made a single move.
Entrusting the safety of the capital to these people means we don't even know if they might one day attack the palace.
The emperor was angry about more than just that.
"Then answer me: why did a small mountain village that originally had only a few hundred people suddenly have several thousand more people, and all of them are young and strong?"
This is clearly someone keeping a private army, and it's so close to the capital.
The emperor didn't even dare to think about whether he could still sit firmly on the chair if that person really made any move.
Not only that, but the most crucial question is: who killed these people?
The person who could silently wipe out thousands of people overnight was someone he feared even more.
Tantai Yueming returned just in time to witness his elder brother's outburst of anger.
The memorial in his hand slammed hard onto the forehead of the Prefect of the Capital.
"Investigate! I want to know who dared to kill my people right under my nose."
Furthermore, the commander of the Five Cities Garrison was negligent; I had him stripped of his uniform and brought before me.
The Prefect of the Capital shakily got up from the ground, feeling extremely fortunate. Upon seeing the news, he immediately sent people to verify it, and then went to the palace to meet the Emperor.
Although it means bearing His Majesty's wrath, it's still better than losing my position.
It's a pity that the commander of the Five Cities Garrison Command is from a collateral branch of the Lin family. He was only in office for a short time before he had to be removed from his post.
After this incident, it's unclear how His Majesty will handle it.
While secretly rejoicing, the Prefect of the Capital hurriedly responded.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Your humble servant will immediately send men to investigate thoroughly."
As he spoke, he backed away and walked out of the Imperial Study.
But just then, the emperor suddenly spoke.
"return."
The Prefect of the Capital, who was almost at the door, had to stop in his tracks, somewhat frightened and wondering what the Emperor was planning to do.
But the emperor seemed not to see him and gave his orders directly.
"Fu Lai, have your palanquin prepared. I want to leave the palace myself and see who is so cruel."
When the Prefect of the Capital heard that the Emperor only wanted to go along and did not intend to hold him accountable, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, he secretly speculated that the situation in the capital was about to change.
Only a few families and a few princes could keep a private army under the emperor's nose and keep it completely secret.
This matter has crossed the line for those in power, and it is feared that a bloody storm will soon erupt.
As Tantai Yueming watched all this, he became increasingly certain that his elder brother was unaware of the situation.
However, if Your Majesty wants to go see it, then let's go see it.
He now deeply regrets not stopping Lin Jiujiu from burning the place down.
He should see what his good son and daughter-in-law are doing right under his nose.
The discovery of the secret in that mountain valley was exactly what Lin Jiujiu had expected.
The raging fire last night could not be concealed. Although Baili Chenyuan set up a barrier, it was only to prevent the fire from spreading and harming innocent bystanders.
Moreover, this ravine is not deep in the mountains. There is always someone to supply food and drink for several thousand people. It was only a matter of time before it was discovered.
However, the reactions from various families within the capital were somewhat unexpected.
She had assumed that, in order to distance themselves from the situation, the Five Cities Garrison should be the first to report it.
After all, the newly appointed commander is Lin Xian'er's distant cousin.
It's understandable that the Jingzhao Prefecture couldn't discover something this big, but it's unacceptable that the Five City Garrison Command, responsible for patrolling the area around the capital, didn't notice anything at all.
He didn't report it, but waited for the Prefect of the Capital to submit a memorial, and the Emperor would be the first to deal with him.
She had lived in the Lin family for over a decade. Although she knew they were a bunch of brutes, she never imagined they would be this stupid.
After Tantai Yueming returned to the capital, she asked the people she had left behind to do something for her and, incidentally, prepare a grand gift for the Crown Prince and his wife.
She and Baili Chenyuan rode in a carriage, taking the little boy with them, and slowly made their way into the city.
Ning Yi and Tantai Haoze, who were unable to appear at the moment, stayed at the hot spring resort.
They had just entered the city when the emperor happened to be riding in his palanquin.
Tantai Yueming finally emerged from the shadows.
“Brother, I will go with you.”
Without anyone stopping him, he boarded the emperor's palanquin and sat down beside him without any restraint.
The chief eunuch Fu Lai watched all this and wanted to say something, but was stopped by the emperor with a single glance.
"Yueming, when did you return to the capital? Why didn't you come to the palace to see your brother, the Emperor?"
Emperor Chu is in his early fifties, but Tantai Yueming always manages to obtain some spiritual herbs and elixirs from the cultivation world and send them back.
Although it cannot change the fact that he is a mortal, it does have the effect of strengthening the body.
Compared to the court officials who were already old and frail in their fifties, their emperor looked to be only in his early thirties and appeared vigorous and energetic.
Hearing the emperor's words, Tantai Yueming remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he felt somewhat embarrassed. He couldn't very well say that he hadn't returned because he didn't trust the emperor.
Tantai Yueming smiled and said, "I met some people and some things. When my brother is done with his work, I'll introduce you to them."
Upon hearing this, the emperor guessed that they must all be cultivators of immortality.
After all, ordinary people probably wouldn't catch the eye of his imperial brother.
As the two were talking, their palanquin had already left the palace.
When Tantai Yueming returned to that mountain valley, her heart was filled with a special peace.
The place has been placed under guard by the Jingzhao Prefecture officials, and several coroners, dressed in full protective gear, are collecting the remains inside.
Upon seeing the imperial carriage, everyone knelt down in worship.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
"Get up, everyone. Forget about formalities. Tell me what's going on."
The guards exchanged glances, their eyes finally settling on the oldest of the coroners.
The coroner, who had dealt with corpses for many years, was filled with a sense of weariness and was no longer afraid of the Chu Emperor.
When it comes to professional matters, they can speak fluently and confidently.
"Your Majesty, our preliminary estimate is that at least five thousand people died or were injured here last night. There were no elderly, weak, women or children among them; they were all able-bodied men, no more than thirty years old, and all between the ages of fifteen and thirty."
He had been wondering if there might be some misunderstanding, but upon hearing the coroner's words, the emperor's face turned incredibly ugly, so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.
"Investigate! Investigate for me! Investigate thoroughly for me!"
Those who accompanied him were all silent, only the Prefect of the Capital knelt down in response.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com