Rong Ning finally understood: if the fundamental principles of the court remained unchanged, eliminating the Xiang family would inevitably lead to the Li family, the Zhao family, and so on.
It will never end...
Perhaps for this reason, the prefect became even bolder. He not only embezzled military pay, but also did something even more outrageous.
When the Great Jing Dynasty and the Southern Dynasty held peace talks, they agreed to trade between the two countries. This prefect actually took advantage of this channel to trade arms with the Great Jing Dynasty.
Unlike provisions, military equipment in the Southern Dynasties was standardized and manufactured by the Ministry of Works.
The military equipment manufacturing technology of the Southern Dynasties was absolutely leading among all the states. Emperor Dajing required that the princess's dowry must include leading craftsmen from various industries, including the artisans of military equipment.
But his father wasn't really stupid. Those dowry armorers were just armorers; they could only make things, not draw blueprints. So even if they made things in Dajing without reservation, the lethality of the weapons wouldn't be as great as in the Southern Dynasty.
But this prefect dared to switch the military equipment sent to the north by the Ministry of Works and sell it to Da Jing at a high price.
This is absolutely outrageous!
When Rong Ning learned of this news, the prefect had already done business with Da Jing several times.
If Rong Ning is not mistaken, Da Jing will take these weapons and study them carefully. Once he has figured them out and understood their secrets, he will use them against the people of the Southern Dynasty.
Rong Ning hated him to death.
He wished he could tear the prefect to pieces immediately.
But she knew that without someone backing her up, even a powerful prefect wouldn't dare to do something so blatantly.
There must be someone pulling the strings in the imperial court.
She not only wanted to gather evidence of the prefect's crimes, but also to expose the root of corruption in the entire northern region and even the Southern Dynasty's army, and completely eradicate this cancer.
She decided to personally infiltrate the lion's den, not only to uncover the prefect's crimes, but also to expose the masterminds hiding in the shadows who controlled everything.
The prefect was a cautious man and knew that doing such a thing would be a serious crime that would lead to the confiscation of his property and the extermination of his entire family, so he kept all the evidence and an account book.
He hid these things very well. Rong Ning had been searching for their whereabouts for a long time, turning Kangye City upside down, but to no avail.
However... after Youjiang arrived, he discovered some clues.
Those things are very likely in Yanhe County.
Yanhe County is located in a remote area with a sparse population. No one would pay attention to this place. It is just over a mountain and is closely connected to Dajing, making it suitable for doing these kinds of things.
"Aying, get ready immediately. I'm going to Yanhe County in person to meet those old foxes who still dare to try and stir up trouble."
Rong Ning's eyes shone with determination. She knew she was about to embark on a path full of unknowns and dangers, but she was no longer afraid.
Upon hearing this, Aying's expression changed slightly, but knowing her mistress's determination, she immediately replied, "Yes, Your Highness. This servant will make the arrangements immediately and ensure that Your Highness's trip goes smoothly."
Rong Ning nodded slightly, already having made up her mind.
She understood that this trip was not only to gather evidence, but also to show those corrupt officials that the princess of the Southern Dynasty was not someone they could manipulate at will.
She wanted them to know that true power lies in the hands of those who have a deep love for their country and are willing to take responsibility.
The prefect had long suspected that Rong Ning had designs on him, so he kept a close eye on her. When Rong Ning disguised herself and mingled in Kangye City, he searched the entire city for her.
Later, Rong Ning stopped hiding and openly revealed her whereabouts. Seeing that she just stayed in the courtyard every day and didn't come out, people lowered their guard.
Rong Ning selected two women from her own people who resembled A Ying and herself, disguised them as them, and placed them in the courtyard, while they slipped out.
As night fell, Rong Ning changed into casual clothes and quietly left the mansion with A Ying and several trusted confidants.
They avoided the main road and chose a more secluded path, heading towards Yanhe County.
Throughout the journey, Rong Ning remained vigilant. She knew that her whereabouts might have been exposed, and those corrupt officials would never sit idly by and watch her jeopardize their interests.
After several days of trekking, Rong Ning and her group finally arrived in Yanhe County.
Youjiang was already there waiting for them.
When Rong Ning came here last time, this place was already desolate, but for some reason, it felt even more desolate this time. She walked for most of the day and didn't see a single person within a hundred miles.
It's like a ghost town.
Rong Ning did not rush into action, but instead secretly observed and learned about the local situation in order to find a breakthrough.
Yanhe County is sparsely populated. The large area of wasteland that Rong Ning discovered has now become the private property of the prefect. Yanhe County is desolate everywhere, but this place looks lively.
They built a large estate on the flat land here, and carriages came and went in great numbers.
A ridiculous guess suddenly popped into Rong Ning's mind. She leaned close to You Jiang's ear and whispered, "Have they brought all the people from Yanhe County here?"
"I don't know!" Youjiang was also unsure, "but judging from the situation, it's pretty much a done deal."
Rong Ning gritted her teeth, "How dare you!"
The village was heavily guarded; Rong Ning estimated that it should be about the size of a battalion.
The prefect... assigns a battalion of soldiers to guard this place.
Moreover, the fact that they are able to guard this place means they must be the governor's confidants. If they discover that someone has broken in, they will definitely go crazy in order to protect themselves.
If things come to a point where both sides are at odds, her status as a princess might not be of any use.
After all, the northern region is far from the emperor's reach, and Yanhe County is even further away. Even if a princess dies at their hands, they can find a way to clear their name.
So... forcing our way in is definitely not an option...
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