“Your Highness, I am a low-ranking official, so I am afraid that some of the things I say are inconvenient. Please write a letter to the Emperor to let him know about this matter, so that we can better deal with these officials. Otherwise, it will be difficult to deal with them under their protection.

"Don't worry, I will write a letter to my father, and your family will also be sent to protect you, so you don't have to worry."

Hearing this, Zhou Yuanxun was so moved that he knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

Ever since he started investigating the matter, he has been under pressure from all sides, including threats to his family.

After Zhou Yuanxun left, Wen Jingchi immediately wrote a letter and sent someone to deliver it to the emperor at full speed.

After learning this, the emperor angrily threw the memorial to the ground and smashed the teacup to the side.

"It's really abominable. These bastards actually dared to deceive their superiors and subordinates like this. I will never forgive them."

He immediately wrote a letter and had someone send it to Wen Jingchi as quickly as possible, asking him to be responsible for thoroughly investigating the matter.

After the morning court session the next day, the prince pretended to be filial and brought a box of thousand-year-old ginseng to visit the emperor.

He arrived at the imperial study, walked over and respectfully handed the ginseng to him.

"Father, I have seen that you have been very busy lately, so I have specially prepared a box of thousand-year-old ginseng, hoping to nourish your body. I also hope that you will not worry too much about the affairs of state."

There was a faint smile on the corner of his lips. He looked neither humble nor arrogant, as if he really cared about the emperor.

Hearing this, the emperor rubbed his temples and coughed violently a few times.

The prince hurried over, patted his back, and asked nervously, "Father, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling very uncomfortable? Go and call the imperial physician quickly."

“No need to pass it on.”

The emperor stopped him immediately and sighed helplessly.

"It's nothing serious. I just got hurt because I was too angry. I just need to rest for a few days."

"Father, what happened that makes you so angry? Why don't you tell me so that I can share your worries?" The prince knew the answer very well, but still pretended not to understand.

"It's all because of the disturbance in the accounts of the Ouyang family in the north. Many ministers are involved in this matter, and many of them are very much in my heart.

I sent them to the north because of trust. Who would have thought that they would do such a deceitful thing and betray my trust..."

Thinking of what happened in the past, the emperor's eyes were filled with intense grief.

Maybe as he gets older, he tends to miss the past. The more he thinks about the days when they shared hardships, the more painful it becomes for him.

He originally wanted to review the memorials, but his health now does not allow him to handle any state affairs.

The prince's eyes turned red. "Father, I am sorry. I have been neglecting the drought in the north. Now I don't know what the situation is like when my ninth brother goes there. Why don't you let me go there? I am willing to do my best to serve you."

He immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily to the emperor to express his determination.

He was also thinking in his mind that if the emperor really let him go, he would definitely be able to turn the situation around.

I will never let Wen Jingchi dominate the north forever. When he comes back, he can say whatever he wants and I will be at his mercy.

Although the emperor was ill, he was very clear about this matter.

"Okay, let your brother handle these things. Now that our father is ill, you will be responsible for handling the affairs of state. After you finish reviewing the memorials, go back and rest. I am tired now."

While sighing, he asked the eunuch to support him and planned to go back to his room to sleep.

The prince personally held his other hand and escorted the emperor to the dragon bed.

At this time, the palace maid brought a cup of calming tea, and the prince personally delivered it to the emperor.

"Father, let me feed you this tea. After drinking it, have a good sleep. Leave the affairs of state to me. I will review the memorials and send them to you. If you have any questions, please let me know..."

This was pleasing to the ears, causing the emperor to nod with satisfaction: "You are truly filial, father was not wrong about you."

"It is my honor to share your worries, Father. However, I am a little confused. If this matter involves a wide range of people and involves ministers in the court, it may very well shake the foundation of the country. How should you deal with it, Father?"

Upon hearing this question, the emperor's eyes dimmed slightly, but only for a moment before disappearing without a trace.

Before she could answer him, she coughed violently a few times, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The prince clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in hatred. At the critical moment, his father actually fell asleep. He didn't know whether he was really asleep or deliberately avoiding the question.

Or did Wen Jingchi say something bad about him, causing the emperor to become suspicious of him?

The prince felt as if he had eaten a fly and could not calm down at all.

But in front of others, he still pretended to be a filial son.

After reviewing the memorials, she even personally prepared medicine for the emperor.

The other side.

After three days of thorough investigation, Wen Jingchi finally found out the biggest culprit behind the incident, and the northern governor Zhang Cheng was also guilty.

Zhou Yuanxun personally delivered the collected evidence, the names on the account books, etc. to Wen Jingchi.

"Your Highness, this is the latest inside information I have found. Although Zhang Cheng's name is not directly written in the account book, he has been doing this kind of thing behind the scenes. Especially Zhou Bei, he is his son-in-law, and he cannot be separated from this matter. Why don't we arrest him and interrogate him? There is no doubt that he will confess."

After taking a look at the evidence, Wen Jingchi shook his head slightly: "Even if he is not sentenced to a heavy punishment, there is so much evidence that he cannot deny it."

"Immediately pass on my order to arrest the Northern Governor Zhang Cheng and bring him to justice."

Zhou Yuanxun received the order and personally led his men to the prefectural government office in a hurry.

Zhang Cheng was sleeping soundly when he suddenly heard a violent knock on the door.

Before he could run over to open the door, it was kicked open by the housekeeper. Because he left in too much of a hurry, he fell to the ground, hugged Zhang Cheng's legs and cried.

"Master, something bad has happened. I just heard from an acquaintance in the county government that Wen Jingchi has sent people to arrest you. You should run away quickly."

"What?"

Zhang Cheng was stunned and almost fell to the ground. He never expected that Wen Jingchi would act so quickly.

"In this situation, what will happen to my family if I run away? So I can't run away."

He was well aware of the consequences of his escape, and even more aware of the cruel consequences that would follow if he went to jail.

As if he had thought of something, he stuffed all the banknotes and a priceless night pearl on him into the butler's hand.

Then he personally wrote a letter of divorce and handed it to the housekeeper.

"Butler, you and I are friends in need. I have never asked anyone for help in my life. Now I beg you to take good care of my wife and children for me, and take them away from here immediately. You are not allowed to set foot in this country in this life, and you must live a good life in anonymity from now on."