After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

“Sigh!” Lu Tong shook his head, but still did him a favor after all. “I can’t say too much, but I can tell you that the noble person shares the same surname as His Majesty.”

Zhu Yixuan's pupils dilated, his body trembled slightly, and he froze on the spot, motionless.

Lu Tong waved his hand, and the constables immediately rushed to the backyard.

When Master Zhu was dragged out, he was still shouting and yelling, but when he saw Lu Tong, his expression instantly turned ferocious.

"Lu Tong! What right do you have to arrest me? What have I done wrong? Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're the magistrate of Zhaohua County! My in-laws are generals! My Zhu family isn't without powerful backers either!"

Zhu Yixuan was so angry he almost suffocated. "Dad! Stop talking!"

Master Zhu looked at Zhu Yixuan in disbelief, "You're yelling at me? Your father has been arrested and you're still unmoved?"

Zhu Yixuan was furious. "Father! Do you know how big a mess you've made? Have you forgotten that you sent the steward with men to steal the coffin?"

Master Zhu was taken aback, then laughed angrily, "It's Shen Yi again! Just because he's adopted a marquis as his godfather, does he really think he's something special? That coffin was originally mine! It's mine!"

Zhu Yixuan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. "The coffin was bought by a nobleman and has nothing to do with Shen Yi. You didn't offend Shen Yi, but a member of the imperial family from the capital. They could wipe out our entire Zhu family with a single finger. Father, are you going to continue making trouble?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? What imperial lineage! Shen Yi made that up to fool you! And you believed it!" Master Zhu retorted without thinking, his emotions running high.

Lu Tong laughed, "Zhu Kun, it's too late to play dumb now. Whether you admit it or not, whether you want to believe it or not, it's the truth. Zhaohua County is no longer the remote, poor, and ignored little county it used to be. Putting aside everything else, the troops stationed there are something your Zhu family can't afford to mess with."

How dare you act so recklessly? You've offended someone even more troublesome than a garrison. Right now, they've only imprisoned you. But if you continue to speak recklessly and say something you shouldn't, and it reaches their ears, I can't guarantee what will happen to you!"

Master Zhu was both shocked and frightened, but he still stubbornly argued, "They stole my coffin, and I asked the steward to get it back. What's wrong with that!"

Lu Tong shook his head. "You have no evidence, but your arrogance is real. Save those words for when you're in jail! Guards, take him away!"

"I refuse to accept this! I refuse to accept this!" Master Zhu was dragged away.

Zhu Yixuan's face was extremely ugly.

Lu Tong patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Zhu Yixuan, I am also a native of Zhaohua County. I have received a lot of filial piety from the Zhu family before, so naturally I don't want to break ties with your Zhu family."

You know perfectly well what your father did after the relocation of Zhaohua County. The county government has been lenient enough towards the Zhu family, but unexpectedly, it made your father mistakenly think that I was weak and easy to bully, and he became more and more reckless. If this continues, the Zhu family will probably be ruined in your father's hands!
That's all I have to say. Think it over carefully.

The news of Master Zhu's imprisonment quickly spread throughout the county town. People in the streets and alleys were talking about it, and some even said that the Zhu family was about to decline, and the rumors were quite detailed.

Zhu Yixuan was in a state of turmoil, knowing that the current situation was unfavorable to him, so he immediately ran to the house next door to see Cen Mingzhu.

"Pack your things, we're leaving Zhaohua County tonight."

Cen Mingzhu was playing with her "precious son" when she heard this and became unhappy. "Why do we have to leave? My son is still so young, and I haven't fully recovered. What are you planning to do by making us leave in this weather?"

Zhu Yixuan looked at her coldly, "Good intentions! If you don't want to die, get out of the city tonight! A big shot from the capital has come to Zhaohua County. If word gets out about what happened to you in Zhaohua County, even your father won't be able to protect you!"

Cen Mingzhu didn't care. "What's there to be afraid of? I've given birth to a son for the Second Prince! Even if it's for my son's sake, they can't do anything to me!" In short, she was powerful because of her son and had nothing to fear. She was unwilling to travel in this weather.

Zhu Yixuan was furious, but he dared not tell Cen Mingzhu the truth. If he did, Cen Mingzhu would be devastated and something would go wrong, and he would be finished!
"Are you really not leaving?" Zhu Yixuan asked again.

“I’m not leaving!” Cen Mingzhu’s attitude was firm.

Zhu Yixuan exhaled a breath of stale air and said coldly, "Do as you please, but don't blame me if something goes wrong!"

After saying that, he turned and left the courtyard.

At the same time, Murong Chen and his party returned to the county government office.

Lu Tong was waiting outside the county government office early in the morning, and respectfully followed Murong Chen inside to report.

"Your Highness, I have done everything you asked me to do. It's just that Zhu Kun is not quite right in the head. He insists that the coffin is his and that Magistrate Shen deliberately framed him. He has said a lot of nonsense."

Murong Chen smiled faintly, "If Zhu Kun isn't lying, then the coffin shop owner is the problem. Arrest both of them and interrogate them, then we'll know! Zhaohua County is good! The villages and towns there are simple and honest, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. It's just that the Zhu family is a bit of a nuisance! Was it the Zhu family who bullied the concubine and caused her serious injury?"

Lu Tong's face paled, and he nodded hesitantly, "It is true."

Shen Yi said, "She is Zhu Yixuan's second wife, surnamed Cen, and is the most beloved daughter of General Cen Yingfan, who guards the border."

Lady Cen was spoiled, willful, and reckless. She had severely injured a concubine and her brother; fortunately, the Marquis of Yong'an arrived, and Lady Cen was imprisoned and sentenced to exile to the border.

Murong Chen laughed sarcastically, "The border is Cen Yingfan's territory. Exiling the Cen family to the border? Who made that decision?"

Shen Yi hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, the county magistrate back then was surnamed Duan. County Magistrate Duan was a nobody, and the Cen family put pressure on him. Marquis Yong'an could not stay in Zhaohua County for long, so County Magistrate Duan had no choice. Your Highness may not know that the Cen family is also in Zhaohua County now."

Murong Chen frowned slightly. "What's going on?"

Shen Yi explained in detail: "I don't know the specifics, but I do know that during Zhu Yixuan's mourning period, Cen Shi became pregnant and returned to Zhaohua County. She gave birth to a child, but suffered a postpartum hemorrhage and survived. She has been staying at the Zhu family home to recuperate."

"You Zhu family! Lawless and reckless! Guards! Search the Zhu residence and arrest Cen Shi!" Murong Chen clenched his fist and slammed it on the table.

Lu Tong's heart pounded like a drum, knowing that Zhaohua County was truly about to undergo a major upheaval.

The people who went to capture Cen Mingzhu brought Zhu Yixuan and Cen Mingzhu to Murong Chen without much effort.

Cen Mingzhu, who had been so confident and loud, turned pale with fright when she saw Murong Chen's face. "Sixth Prince!"

"What?" Zhu Yixuan was shocked. His inner guess was confirmed. He had only one thought: It's over!

Murong Chen leisurely sized up the two kneeling figures, scoffing, "Can anyone tell me how exiled people end up here? Hmm?" (End of Chapter)