After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn—
"Squeak~"
The cell door was pushed open from the inside, and Liu Yunfei saw his adoptive mother walk out with a bad expression.
"This humble servant respectfully sees off Her Highness the Princess."
Behind the door, Situ Hong bowed deeply, a smile on her face.
Liu Yunfei was puzzled; something seemed off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
Jiang Yue sighed and, after the guards closed the prison door, gestured to Yizi that this was not the place to talk.
Liu Yunfei understood immediately, ordered the guards to keep a close watch on the serious criminal, and then took his adoptive mother to another place to talk.
After an incense stick's time had passed, he wondered what his godmother and Situ Hong had said to each other.
As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.
After learning about Situ Hong's past, Liu Yunfei was so angry that he smashed a corner of the table.
This is outrageous!
There's no law anymore!
To slaughter the entire village for personal gain!
And towards vulnerable women...
That's utterly despicable!
"Good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished. Situ Hong has already taken her revenge."
In this regard, Jiang Yue greatly admired Situ Hong. He submitted himself to the bandit leader, endured hardship and humiliation, and after gaining the leader's trust, he secretly poisoned and killed all the villains who were impersonating merchants!
As a result, she lost her reputation and everything.
Her fiancé's family abandoned her and broke off the engagement.
She became known as the Black Widow in the eyes of men.
Poisonous spider!
And what did she do?
The wicked people first wiped out her entire family, and then they violated her...
The black lumps are probably coal.
When coal is heated to high temperatures, it produces other minerals...
She already knows the address.
Situ Hong has waited for so many years; she has probably long lost the will to live.
"Go and release all the bandits from Black Wind Stronghold."
Jiang Yue sighed. They were originally good citizens, but due to societal intolerance, they had become outlaws. In the end, they were all pitiful people.
"Yes, yes, I'll do whatever my godmother says."
After understanding the whole story, Liu Yunfei had a new perspective on the confessions and the bandits.
The dungeon is only so big; it's a waste of its resources to hold so many bandits who haven't committed murder.
"If we can turn hostility into friendship, we might as well offer them amnesty."
Of course, he meant those who were skilled in martial arts.
"You decide."
Jiang Yue rubbed her temples. After hearing Situ Hong's story, she felt a lump in her throat, unable to let it out.
She desperately wanted to do something.
......
Liu Yunfei could tell that his godmother wasn't in a good mood, so he considerately kept quiet.
He personally escorted his adoptive mother back to the carriage and watched it leave the government office before returning to continue his official duties.
"Da da da~"
The carriage swayed and rocked as it moved along. Inside, Jiang Yue suddenly had a flash of inspiration: Oh no!
"Shunzi, turn around immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Whoa~"
"Giddy up!"
"Da da da~"
A few minutes later—
The princess's carriage returned, and the sharp-eyed yamen runner hurriedly sent his colleague to fetch the prefect.
He then personally went to greet the emperor.
"Your Highness, is that...?"
"It's too late! Go to the dungeon quickly and save Situ Hong!"
"who?"
"It's Er Yuehong! Hurry, go quickly!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
However, it was too late.
When Situ Hong chose to reveal all the secrets buried in her heart and the secrets of the mine, she had already prepared herself to die!
When Jiang Yue arrived, panting, Situ Hong, who had been chatting and laughing with her not long ago and calling her "your humble servant" repeatedly, was already smiling in her grave.
Situ Hong had poison applied to her nail polish.
During the autopsy, the coroner examined all possible hiding places for poison, except for a trace of powder on the rim of the cup, which matched the color of the victim's fingernails...
"Fine, let's buy a decent coffin and give him a proper burial."
Jiang Yue sighed, her feelings complicated.
Thinking of the other person's tragic fate, and how, on the verge of death, he still harbored goodwill and told her the secret.
"Wait, bury the coffin containing the corpse in the ravine of Black Soil Village. There should be descendants of Black Soil Village among those bandits. Tell them they will help."
She remembered that Situ Hong had mentioned that she wanted to return to her hometown and be buried with her grandfather, so that they could be reunited in the afterlife.
"Your subordinate obeys."
The coroner and the others packed up their belongings and left...
“Godmother, don’t be sad. Everyone has to die. Some deaths are as light as a feather, while others are as heavy as Mount Tai.”
Liu Yunfei hadn't expected this outcome, and his words of comfort took a long time to come.
He had been thinking that Er Yuehong was only giving the money to the bandits, or even to the chief, so he must be cunning and treacherous.
Unexpectedly, it turned out that he was just a person with a tragic fate.
Now that the person is dead and the lights are out, all grudges and resentments have vanished with the wind.
Of course, he was not a muddle-headed official.
He ordered that the bandits who had not yet taken a life be punished with ten strokes of the cane in court, as a warning to others.
They'll lock them up for a day or two, then release them.
As for those bandits who have committed murder, they should be punished according to their crimes: some should be beheaded, and others should be flogged.
For a time, Yunshui County was peaceful and tranquil, and the people lived in peace and contentment.
Everyone praised Prefect Liu for his fair and just conduct, saying he had the demeanor of a princess.
This made Qingyao admire her sworn brother to some extent. She sent letters to her eldest brother back home, as well as her second and third brothers in Jinling, praising her sworn brother Liu Yunfei in every word.
It's easy to imagine how "twisted" the three people who received the letter must have felt.
But that's a story for another time...
The most urgent task is to decide where to locate the mine.
After several discussions, Jiang Yue gave an order to announce the existence of the mine and let the emperor decide its ownership!
Pushing away the meat that's almost in your mouth is uncomfortable, but it's safe.
Half a month later, an imperial edict arrived in Nanjing—
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees..."
May Heaven bless and grant us prosperity...
The decision to engage in mining will be made by Princess Xiangyun herself.
In conclusion, to sum up.
The young emperor picked up the piece of fatty meat that was being offered to his mouth and put it back.
Hearing this answer, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Excellent! Long live Your Majesty!
Manpower is required for mining, subsequent processing, and so on.
Unconsciously, this has brought tangible benefits, livelihoods, and income to many people in Yunshui County!
Secondly, with this mine, the financial pressure on Yunshui County has been greatly reduced.
No, it should be said that if used properly, one will never have to worry about money!
"Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Jiang Yue accepted the imperial edict, the answer was exactly what she expected.
If Yunshui County is without a ruler, the imperial court will definitely send someone to take over the mining affairs.
However, Yunshui County was a fiefdom bestowed upon her by the late emperor.
Although one could choose not to expose the mine and operate it secretly.
But secrets don't stay hidden forever. Rather than letting those with ulterior motives use this as a pretext, she decided to expose it herself so that the emperor would also know about it.
See, I haven't kept it from you; I've exposed the mines right under your nose, which is enough to prove my loyalty.
In fact, she made the right bet.
Now that the mines are out in the open, Yunshui County can openly and legitimately carry out development!
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