"Ha, the methods used in the capital are becoming more and more shameless, they're even starting to cultivate spies from childhood."
Lili only regretted that she was just a little baby, otherwise she would definitely have gone up and scratched him a couple of times!
"Don't flatter yourself, Ni," Lili said coldly. "I should have known better than to save Young Master Ni."
Qin Renjie looked puzzled, his eyes filled with suspicion and incomprehension. Zhui Feng noticed this and realized that he had overreacted.
Damn it, I've been so stressed these past few days that I've subconsciously started to distrust the people around me.
Zhui Feng was somewhat annoyed. Thinking back to what he had just said, he wanted to slap himself twice. What was he even talking about?!
"Ahem." Zhui Feng awkwardly touched his nose. "Sorry, it's my duty."
Lili knew that the young man's identity was not simple, but she didn't expect it to be this complicated.
Your Highness?
What Your Highness?
His Highness the Crown Prince? Could it be... His Highness the Crown Prince?
"Has His Highness's lung ailment improved?" Lili thought for a moment. If she didn't explain clearly, the man might still have doubts. It would be better to dispel his doubts directly and also find out what the other party's identity was.
Zhui Feng was startled. He had never mentioned his prince's identity before. How did this little kid know?!
Qin Renjie was even more surprised. How could a mere county magistrate like himself listen to such things?
What are they talking about? What "Your Highness the Crown Prince"? Isn't this girl just a child from an ordinary family? Isn't this guard a guard from a wealthy family?
Why are we talking about the First Prince and the Crown Prince all of a sudden?
"How...how did you know that...!"
Lili pursed her lips, her two dimples appearing and disappearing: "Lili just knew."
She smiled broadly on the outside but inwardly complained; her reaction made it seem like she was afraid no one would notice she was right.
"Alright, alright." Lili was exhausted from talking and didn't want to argue with him anymore. She turned to Qin Renjie and said, "It's a capital offense for a prefect to privately collect grain taxes. Why don't you impeach him?"
Qin Renjie hesitated. He realized that there was someone behind Zhui Feng whom he couldn't afford to offend. He was afraid that if he spoke up, he would only create more trouble for himself.
Seeing his hesitation, Lili patted his shoulder like an old man and said, "Don't be afraid, I'll take care of you no matter what happens."
Anyway, the person in charge will be here soon.
Zhui Feng glanced at the little dumpling, but did not refute it.
This concerns matters of state. To privately collect grain taxes is a serious crime of deceiving the emperor. The prefect has absolute power. He needs to find out the truth about this matter and report it to his prince in detail when he gets back.
"Chasing the Wind".
A gentle voice rang out, and then a maidservant rushed in and said to Qin Renjie, "My lord, a distinguished guest has arrived."
Qin Renjie was puzzled. He looked up and saw an eight-year-old boy, with a refined and handsome appearance, entering under the guidance of two maids.
Gu Ziyi took out a jade pendant from his waist, on which a lifelike four-clawed python was depicted.
Upon seeing this, Qin Renjie immediately knelt down: "Greetings, Your Highness!"
The emperor has five claws, and the crown prince has four claws; this is the royal symbol!
"Please rise, sir. My sudden visit is very abrupt."
Qin Renjie was drenched in sweat. How could His Highness the Crown Prince be in such a remote place?
Zhui Feng hurriedly went to help him up: "Your Highness, why did you come in person?"
Gu Ziyi glanced at the table next to him and saw that familiar smiling face, which surprised her.
Lili smiled back generously and waved to him, saying, "We meet again!"
Gu Ziyi chuckled and walked over to pat her head: "What are you doing here?"
Pear immediately transformed into a pitiful little Pear: "Pear, I've been kidnapped!"
Lili pointed to the red marks on her neck where medicine had been applied, pouted, and drooped her eyes, looking quite pitiful.
Gu Ziyi frowned; the red mark on the little dumpling's white neck was quite conspicuous.
Upon hearing the little dumpling mention the kidnapping, Gu Ziyi's voice turned cold.
"What happened?"
Zhui Feng quickly told him the whole story, and Gu Ziyi's expression turned even colder after hearing it: "Zhou Wukui has quite the nerve."
Pear nods incessantly: "Mmm, poor, raising taxes will make us even poorer!"
"Tax collection is the responsibility of the Ministry of Revenue, and should be handled personally by His Majesty. Zhou Wukui's private collection of grain taxes shows that he doesn't respect His Majesty?" Gu Ziyi's eyes were cold. "No wonder Zhou Wukui said he would threaten you."
In the past few days, Gu Ziyi and his men made a brief stop in the prefectural city. They were inadvertently discovered by Zhui Feng that experts from the prefectural government were frequently dispatched.
Gu Ziyi sensed something was wrong and paid closer attention. He then overheard Prefect Zhou Wukui sending his men to Liucheng to threaten Qin Renjie.
He sent Zhui Feng to follow, while he stayed in the prefectural city. He intended to listen to news in the prefectural city, but he had a vague feeling that he would encounter something in Liucheng.
Unexpectedly, he received such big news.
A flash of murderous intent crossed his mind. A mere prefect wouldn't be so arrogant. There must be someone else behind Zhou Wukui, someone who is most likely…
The young crown prince, despite his young age, already possesses the dignity and composure of a ruler.
Qin Renjie was momentarily dazed. At such a young age, he already possessed such remarkable talent. What kind of achievements would he attain as he grew up?
Qin Renjie quickly bowed his head: "I am ashamed."
Lili grabbed Gu Ziyi's clothes and tugged at them.
Gu Ziyi lowered his head, concealing the fierce look on his face: "Hmm?"
"But why not report him?" Lili asked, puzzled.
Gu Ziyi frowned and looked at Qin Renjie.
Qin Renjie smiled wryly and said, "It's not that we haven't tried. When Zhou Wukui made small profits before, everyone saw it, but it was common in officialdom, so we just turned a blind eye. Until last month, when he proposed to raise taxes by 20%, after our advice was not accepted, I immediately joined forces with several other county magistrates to remonstrate with him."
Judging from his expression, Lili immediately guessed that he hadn't succeeded: "It didn't work?"
Qin Renjie sighed deeply: "You don't know this, but Zhou Wukui has the backing of the current Crown Prince!"
Gu Ziyi's eyes turned icy cold in an instant, filled with surprise.
Unbeknownst to him, the eldest prince had already reached out his hand in their direction…
"Are you sure?" Gu Ziyi stared intently at Qin Renjie.
"Our memorial to the throne was blocked by the Crown Prince's men, and it didn't even leave Nanlin County!" Qin Renjie said indignantly. "I dare not deceive His Highness the Crown Prince; everything I have said is true!"
Lili knew that Qin Renjie was telling the truth, but everyone said that these members of the royal family were very cautious and she was afraid that he wouldn't believe her, so she quickly said, "Really, really, believe him!"
Gu Ziyi laughed and pinched her cheek: "How do you know it's true?"
Lili pouted, "It's true..."
She couldn't very well say that Qin Renjie was a completely good official, that she could tell, could she?
Lili didn't know how to explain, so she simply brought up their past relationship: "Have you forgotten who helped you that day?"
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