"Tell me, who sent you here?!"

The bandit was so scared that he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

"Please spare us, hero. We heard that there would be a fat sheep passing by on this road, so we were blinded by the money and came here to rob."

Chu You asked sternly, "But what did those people who just escaped say? Who are they?!"

The bandit nodded frantically, pointing in the direction where the men disappeared.

"That's right. They were the ones who instigated our boss. We don't know who they are. They just said they have a grudge against you."

He swallowed nervously, becoming more and more flustered, and his words were stumbling.

"They also said that after the matter is completed, the money will belong to us, and your lives will belong to them."

Hearing this, Han Qi sneered, walked over and put the sword on the bandit's neck.

"It seems that there is nothing to be learned from it. It is useless to keep it. Why not..."

The bandit was so frightened that the blood drained from his face. He clasped his hands together and begged for mercy.

"No, no, no, please spare my life, hero. I... I remember!"

Along with this sound, a foul smell came.

Li Wanming held Yaoyao in his arms and walked a few steps away with disgust.

"I remember now. When I went to pee earlier, I vaguely heard that woman talking about Han Jifu."

Hearing this, a hint of understanding flashed across Chu You's eyes.

It's the Han family! Those people must be Shangguan Zhi's people! Li Wanming looked thoughtful.

It seems that the water in Luozhou is quite muddy.

He glanced at the little one in his arms.

Fortunately he came.

"Your Highness, I have a few things to say. I'd better escort you and Yaoyao back to the city first."

"Wait a moment!"

Chu Yaoyao raised her little hand and looked at the man wearing a bamboo hat.

"Jinshu! I have something to say!"

After being recognized, Jinshu simply took off her face veil.

"Little Princess, what do you want to say?"

Chu Yaoyao waved at him mysteriously, "Come here, closer."

Jinshu walked in and tilted his head slightly.

Chu Yaoyao leaned close to his ear and said, "There is someone in the village who can help your Highness..."

Jinshu looked at her in disbelief, "Really?!"

"Guaranteed authenticity!"

Chu Yaoyao nodded vigorously and patted his shoulder.

"Don't follow me either. Go keep an eye on her."

[Protect the witness and go find trouble for the hero! ]

Hearing this, Jinshu bowed to her respectfully.

"Thank you Princess Qiyuan for telling me. I'll take my leave now!"

After tying up the bandits, the group prepared to return to the city.

In the evening, just as they returned to the house where they were staying, a series of "ping-pong-clang" sounds were heard from the Han family's study.

"Trash, that bunch of trash!"

The butler stood by trembling with fear, sweating all over.

After a long time, Governor Han sat on the chair with a frighteningly sinister look on his face. He gritted his teeth and uttered a word.

"Those two bastards of the Chu family are really lucky!"

Seeing that he seemed to have calmed down, the butler whispered, "Master, what are your plans next?"

Governor Han raised his eyelids and glanced at him.

"Go and spread the word. Let them come to see me tonight!"

In the house in the east of the city.

After running around for most of the day, Chu Yaoyao was already exhausted both physically and mentally. She let Ah Shi carry her downstairs to wash up.

After she left, Li Wanming changed his gentle expression to a serious one.

"Did the Second Prince send a letter to the capital before? He mentioned the Han family's cheating in the autumn examination?"

Chu You suddenly put the teacup on the table, "How do you know?"

Li Wanming tilted his head and slowly poured himself a cup of tea.

"Don't misunderstand me, Your Highness. On the way down, I happened to see someone shooting down a carrier pigeon and trying to destroy the letter. After I found out that the other person was from Xiyue, I snatched the letter back."

After hearing this, Chu You's heart, which had just suddenly risen, gradually fell back to its original state.

"That……"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I have already sent someone to deliver the letter to the capital."

Hearing this, Chu You was completely relieved.

He thanked Li Wanming solemnly, "Thank you very much."

Li Wanming raised his teacup and saluted him, "I won't accept this for now, I'll thank you later."

Chu You was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Li Wanming shook his head, looking mysterious, smiling faintly and saying nothing.

…

Inside the imperial palace, in Qionghua Palace, Chu Yaoyao's room.

After reading the letter, Emperor Qixuan flew into a rage, "How dare you!"

The imperial concubine standing by sighed in her heart.

That’s right. I never thought that Governor Han was actually a remnant of the previous dynasty.

"I will go back to the imperial study first."

After saying this, Emperor Qixuan hurried out and stopped when he reached the door.

"Don't let anyone else in Yaoyao's room for now."

The Imperial Concubine knelt slightly, "I understand. I will clean this place myself from now on."

Seeing this, Emperor Qixuan nodded with satisfaction, "Thank you for your hard work, my beloved concubine."

Thinking of what had just happened, his face became gloomy again.

"I have been busy with government affairs recently, so I'll let my beloved concubine and the Queen Mother discuss the affairs of the Han family."

After saying that, he strode down the stairs and walked away.

The Imperial Concubine was left alone at the door. She blinked and pointed at herself in disbelief.

"What do you mean? Let me say it?!"

She stomped her feet in anger and waved her fist at Emperor Qixuan's back.

The Queen Mother had just changed her mind about her in the past two months, and she was asked to do such a thankless task?! Your Majesty is really...

That’s too much!

At night, in the imperial study.

After reading the letter, the prince looked solemn.

The topic of this autumn examination was thought of by the old tutor Zhou and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy, and the affairs of the autumn examination were under the charge of the Ministry of Personnel, which involved a wide range of people.

Moreover, if the Han family could obtain the scope of the exam questions, what about other families? Was Qian Baiyin the only one who leaked the exam questions? How much water was there in the rankings of the list?

How many people, like that scholar, were forced to lose the opportunity to take the exam...

"What do you think about this?"

Hearing this, the prince came back to his senses and bent down slightly.

"I think we should first arrest Qian Baiyin from the Ministry of Personnel and interrogate him severely to find out how many people he has leaked the scope of the exam questions to."

"Are there any other accomplices?"

"But this matter needs to be done in secret. After all, my second brother and Yaoyao are still in Luozhou. If the Han family gets desperate, it will be bad."

Hearing this, Emperor Qixuan nodded and said, "Han Jifu will definitely be dealt with, but the next choice of the governor of Luozhou..."

As he spoke, he raised his eyes to look at the Crown Prince, "Who do you think can take on this task in the court?"

The prince thought for a moment and replied cautiously, "Father, do you still remember the editor of the Hanlin Academy, Xu Guang?"

Emperor Qixuan frowned slightly and thought for a long time.

"The Xu family? Are you talking about Concubine Liang's brother?"

"That's right."

The prince nodded. "Xu Guang is an honest and upright official with great talent. I have talked with him several times. He is resourceful and a rare talent. Moreover..."

How could the top scholar of that year not be excellent? The post of editor of the Hanlin Academy was originally a transitional official position, but...

Having said that, he quietly raised his eyes to glance at the person on the throne and coughed lightly.

"I have heard that when my second brother and Concubine Liang were in decline, Xu Guang often helped them. Now that my second brother is in power, he has not asked for anything in return or made any requests."

"Therefore, I think this person's talent and character are both top-notch."

After hearing this, Emperor Qixuan lowered his eyes and thought for a long time.

The prince was in poor health in his early years, and even though Chu You was disabled, he was never completely reassured about the Xu family.

Therefore, except for the second son's maternal grandfather, Xu Shengneng, who served as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the rest of the male members of the Xu family were below the seventh rank.

It was also because of this incident that Minister Xu and his wife had never been kind to the second son and his mother for more than ten years.

These years, mother and son have indeed been wronged.

If Xu Guang is really as Chu Jun said, there is nothing wrong with promoting him.

Emperor Qixuan pointed to the chair next to him and motioned him to sit down with a serious tone.

"Chu You established a business in Luozhou. If his uncle is appointed as the governor of Luozhou, do you know what this means?"

In a wealthy place, with the emperor far away, if you have money and power, you may become the next King of Canaan or the Xiao family!

Chu You, of course he believed it.

But what about the future?