The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

At this critical moment, a clear and calm voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate:

"Lord Liu, Lord Zhou, what a spectacular show of 'catching the criminals red-handed'!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man dressed in a blue robe, dressed as an accountant. Gray Falcon had appeared at the gate at some point, with his usual indifference on his face, and was carrying a small wooden box covered in mud, which looked like it had just been dug out of the ground.

Liu Wenyuan and Zhou Kang's expressions changed simultaneously. When did this person enter? Where are the guards?

"Who are you? How dare you trespass on the Imperial Envoy's residence!" Liu Wenyuan shouted sternly.

Grey Falcon did not answer, but walked straight to Yun Jin and bowed: "Your Highness, I was ordered to investigate the salt affairs and have made some progress, so I have come to report."

As he spoke, he placed the wooden box he was holding on the ground and opened it.

There were no banknotes or secret letters inside, only several thick, old account books and some yellowed letters.

Grey Falcon picked up the top book, opened it to a page, and said aloud.

"In the seventh year of Tiancheng, the Yongfeng Saltworks actually produced 80,000 yin of salt. 40,000 yin were reported to the imperial court. The remaining 40,000 yin were erased under the pretext of 'loss' and 'deterioration.' In reality, the saltworks ambassador Liu Neng and deputy ambassador Zhao De colluded with Qian Sihai, the owner of 'Fulong Salt Company,' and Sun Maocai, the owner of 'Guangtai Salt Company,' to secretly divide the proceeds. The embezzled funds amounted to 280,000 taels of silver."

Of these, 30,000 taels were presented to Liu Wenyuan, the Provincial Governor of Jiangning, and 25,000 taels were presented to Zhou Kang, the Salt Commissioner. The remainder was distributed among the officials and salt merchants present.

The detailed accounts, signatures, and fingerprints are all contained in this book!

He then picked up a yellowed letter: "This is a letter written by Salt Commissioner Zhou Kang to 'Mixed-River Dragon,' the leader of the Grand Canal Gang, to discuss the commission for smuggled salt passing through the area. It is agreed that for each shipment of smuggled salt, one tael of silver will be commissioned, with seven qian going to Commissioner Zhou and three qian to 'Mixed-River Dragon.' The signature and seal are clearly legible."

The grey falcon's call wasn't loud, but in the quiet courtyard, it sounded like a thunderclap!

Liu Wenyuan and Zhou Kang's faces instantly turned ashen, cold sweat poured down their foreheads, and their fingers trembled uncontrollably.

"You...you're slandering me! You've falsified accounts! You're defaming an official of the imperial court!"

Zhou Kang pointed at the gray falcon, his voice sharp, yet filled with undisguised terror.

"Forgery?"

Grey Falcon sneered and took out a confession covered with red handprints from the bottom of the box.

"This is the oral account written by Wu Liang, the younger brother of Wu Ming, the former accountant of Yongfeng Saltworks. He was ostracized and forced to return to his hometown because he refused to go along with the corrupt practices. He died of a sudden illness on the way. This is a true record of his brother's oral account left behind before his death, and there are also copies of the real saltworks accounts that his brother had hidden as evidence."

To avoid being silenced, Wu Liang has been living in an assumed name for many years and is currently under the secret protection of the imperial envoy's guards. He is right outside the headquarters at this moment!

He looked at the bound "salt smuggler" who claimed to be acting under Qingdai's orders: "As for this person... Your Highness, gentlemen, would you dare to let him confront 'Hunjianglong' face to face?"

Or, investigate where the two hundred taels of silver that suddenly appeared in his home came from? And who was it that secretly met with him late three nights ago in room number three of the "Yuelai Inn" in the west of the city?

Upon hearing this, the salt smuggler trembled violently, looking at Liu Wenyuan and Zhou Kang in disbelief, his eyes filled with the terror and resentment of being betrayed.

The situation reversed in an instant!

Yun Jin snapped out of her shock, and the pent-up anger in her chest suddenly dissipated, replaced by a cold rage and the clarity of someone who had survived a catastrophe.

She stepped forward, her gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over Liu Wenyuan and Zhou Kang, whose faces were ashen. Her voice was icy cold:

"Lord Liu, Lord Zhou, what else do you have to say?!"

Liu Wenyuan opened his mouth, wanting to defend himself, to refute, to say it was forgery, to say it was a frame-up... but the evidence that Grey Falcon presented was too specific, too detailed!

Although Wu Laoliu's wooden box was recovered, they had no idea that Wu Liang's confession and copy, as well as Zhou Kang's handwritten letter, were such irrefutable evidence!

The other side had already dug a pit, waiting for them to jump in!

It turned out that the Grey Falcon had been tracked and faced many dangers last night, and was unable to return Wu Laoliu's wooden box in time.

However, he knew that the other party must have a backup plan and that the headquarters might be in danger. So he made a decisive decision not to force his way back, but instead used the emergency contact method that Su Che had left behind, which even Pang Xiaopan did not know about, to contact Zhao Jianing's team, who had already been lurking in Jiangning and secretly protecting Yun Jin.

Upon learning of the situation, Zhao Jianing sent people to meet Pang Xiaopan and transfer Wu Laoliu and his daughter. At the same time, he personally led a team to conduct a surprise search overnight at several hidden locations that Su Che had provided in advance, locations that "may contain evidence of the other party's crimes."

By sheer luck, they actually unearthed this iron box containing real accounts and a letter written by Zhou Kang himself under a flower bed in the residence of Zhou Kang's mistress!

Wu Liang, a key surviving witness, was discovered by Zhao Jianing's team during their investigation of the Yongfeng Saltworks case. He had already been secretly controlled.

All of this was accomplished in the blink of an eye.

When Liu Wenyuan and Zhou Kang thought they had succeeded in framing him, Zhao Jianing and Grey Falcon had already arrived outside the camp gate with irrefutable evidence that could put them to death.

"Take him down!" Yun Jin ordered sternly without hesitation.

The imperial envoy's guards, who had been glaring angrily at Liu Wenyuan and his entourage, immediately stepped forward upon hearing this.

"No! Your Highness! This is a frame-up! It's a conspiracy! I want to see the Emperor! I want to..." Liu Wenyuan struggled hoarsely, while Zhou Kang collapsed to the ground.

Yun Jin stopped looking at them and turned to Grey Falcon and Zhao Jianing, who had rushed over upon hearing the news. A hint of gratitude flashed in her eyes, but more so, a resolute determination.

"Put all the criminals under strict guard! Seal off the offices of the Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Salt Transport Commissioner, as well as the residences and properties of the salt merchants involved! Seal all account books and documents! I will personally handle this case and uproot these parasites of the Jianghuai salt industry!"

"yes!"

The torchlight illuminated Yun Jin's pale yet resolute face, as well as the despairing and defeated faces of Liu Wenyuan, Zhou Kang, and the others.

That night, Jiangning City was destined to be sleepless.

Those who frame others will eventually face the consequences.

The princess's first act of resounding action, in the most intense and unexpected way, ignited a blazing fire, burning open a glaring crack in the heavy veil that shrouded the Jianghuai salt administration.

The news, as if it had grown wings, flew to the capital overnight, heading towards that treacherous imperial palace.