Duke of Zhenguan

As evening fell, Cheng Yaojin, who had been busy all day, returned home with his personal guards.

With Cui's help, Cheng Yaojin changed out of his armor and into a thick brocade robe. He stretched his frozen body and asked softly:

"How is Rou'er?"

"Just stay inside and don't come out!" Cui said softly.

"Where is Cheng Quan?" Cheng Yaojin asked, frowning.

"They brought two people back this afternoon; they should be questioning them in the front yard!"

"Let's go take a look!"

After Cheng Yaojin and Cui Shi arrived at the front courtyard living room, the steward Cheng Quan quickly came over.

Cheng Yaojin waved his hand to stop the steward from bowing and asked impatiently:

"You asked?"

"My lord, we've found out. It's Li De, the steward of the Leping County government," Cheng Quan said in a deep voice.

"Li Cang, the Duke of Leping County?" Cheng Yaojin asked, frowning.

Cheng Quan nodded.

Cheng Yaojin frowned and asked in a cold voice:

Are you sure?

"Both of them have spoken up, there's no mistake!" Cheng Quan, who was nearly fifty years old, said in a deep voice.

"A mere steward wouldn't dare to bully me, but I've never had any dealings with Li Cang! Why would he do this?" Cheng Yaojin asked, puzzled.

"I'm completely baffled!" Cheng Quan said with a wry smile.

"My lord, now that we know it was the magistrate of Leping County who was behind this, we must make him stop, no matter what the reason is."

And that Lin Chuan guy, in my opinion, should be dealt with as well!

If this continues, how will Rou'er face anyone?

"These days, Rou'er has been crying all day long. You, as her father, don't feel sorry for her, but I do!" Cui said coldly from the side.

"Is Li Cang trying to use someone else to do his dirty work?"

Upon hearing Cui mention Linchuan, Cheng Yaojin's eyes lit up, and he turned to ask Cheng Quan:

"Has Lin Chuan been investigated?"

"My lord, we've investigated, and the rumors should have nothing to do with him!" Cheng Quan bowed and replied.

Since it had nothing to do with Lin Chuan, Cheng Yaojin naturally had no intention of making a knife for anyone, and coldly ordered Cheng Quan:

"Prepare the horses and take those two men with you. I'm going to ask Li Cang!"

"yes!"

A moment later, Cheng Yaojin, accompanied by more than ten guards, escorted two men who had been beaten until their skin was torn and bruised to Yong'an Ward.

At the Leping County government office, the gatekeeper, who was hiding in a small room by the main gate, heard the commotion and peeked out. He saw a dozen or so riders swaggeringly stop in front of his house.

To be assigned to be a doorman, you have to be quick-witted.

Seeing this, the gatekeeper knew his master was someone he couldn't afford to offend. He told one of the guards standing nearby to go back and report, then jogged out the door, cupping his hands in greeting as he asked:

"May I ask who you are?"

"I am Cheng Yaojin. You have a man here named Li De, right? Go and call him out; I need to speak with him!"

After Cheng Yaojin finished speaking, he waved his hand, and two men covered in blood were thrown at the gate of the county government.

Upon seeing that the burly man before him was none other than Duke Cheng Yaojin, and then looking at the two men on the ground, the gatekeeper inwardly groaned, his words trembling as he spoke:

"I'll go and fetch them right away!"

About half an hour later, the gates of the Leping County government building slowly opened, and Li Cang, dressed in a brocade robe, hurried out with a group of guards, smiling and bowing to Cheng Yaojin.

"I was unaware of the arrival of Duke Su, and I apologize for not welcoming you properly!"

"Greetings, Lord of Leping County!"

Cheng Yaojin glanced at the guards behind Li Cang, dismounted, walked up to Li Cang, and cupped his hands in a smiling gesture:

"I apologize for disturbing you, and I hope Magistrate Li will not take offense at my rudeness!"

"What are you saying, Duke Su? Please come in!" Li Cang smiled and gestured for Cheng Yaojin to enter.

Cheng Yaojin waved his hand and said with a smile:

"I won't go in. These past two days, some petty thieves have been spreading rumors everywhere, which has annoyed me. Today I caught two of them, and when I asked them, they said they were instructed by Li De, the steward of the Li County Duke's mansion!"

That's why I've come to ask Magistrate Li if there's a man named Li De in your household!

"Lord Su, is there some misunderstanding here?" Li Cangqian asked with a smile.

Cheng Yaojin pointed at the two bloodied figures on the ground and said with a smile:

"Misunderstanding? I'm a rough man and don't want to beat around the bush with Magistrate Li. The reason these two weren't chopped up and fed to the dogs is to show them to Magistrate Li. Why don't you go and ask them yourself?"

I don't want to break the rules. If there really is a man named Li De in Magistrate Li's residence, Magistrate Li would be best to have him come out so I can ask him myself!

Li Cang's hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched and unclenched, his nails digging deep into his flesh. After a moment of silence, he gave an order to the guard beside him:

"Bring Li De out!"

A moment later, a livid-looking Li De emerged with his guards. After glancing subtly at Li Cang, he walked up to Cheng Yaojin, cupped his hands, and said:

"Greetings, Duke Su!"

Cheng Yaojin nodded and asked:

"Who told you to do that?"

Li De remained silent, only shaking his head.

"Heh, quite loyal indeed!" Cheng Yaojin said softly.

After saying that, he drew his sword and slashed at Li De's head in Li De's horrified gaze.

"Bang!"

Li De's head fell to the ground with a dull thud, rolled twice, and landed at Li Cang's feet.

The guards behind Li Cang instinctively drew their long swords, looking at Cheng Yaojin with horrified expressions.

Cheng Yaojin's personal guards also drew their long swords and stood neatly behind him.

Holding his broadsword, Cheng Yaojin wiped Li De's corpse clean. Completely ignoring the guards behind Li Cang, he walked up to Li Cang and whispered in his ear:

"If I hear another rumor like this tomorrow, I'll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!"

After speaking, he waved to his personal guards:

"Walk!"

As Cheng Yaojin and his guards disappeared around the street corner, Li Cangcai's legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground.

After being helped inside by the guards, Li Cang took a while to recover before finding another steward of the household:

"Call back all the men Linde sent out immediately!"

After nightfall, Li Cang suddenly developed a high fever, which frightened his wife so much that she immediately sent someone to the palace to request an audience with Li Yuan.

The next day, after the court session, Li Shimin ordered Cheng Yaojin to be summoned back to Xiande Hall.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Cheng Yaojin, dressed in full armor, bowed to Li Shimin.

"No need for formalities, please have a seat!"

Li Shimin waved his hand and asked with a smile:

"I heard you killed Li Cang's steward?"

"I acted rashly in a moment of panic, please forgive me, Your Majesty!" Cheng Yaojin obediently stood up and confessed his guilt.

"Sit down. I don't mean to blame you. I called you here to ask if you would like me to arrange a marriage for your daughter?" Li Shimin waved his hand and asked with a smile.

"Well, Your Majesty, there's no need to trouble yourself!"

Cheng Yaojin shook his head. If he really asked Li Shimin to bestow a marriage upon his daughter, would he still be able to hold his head high among his old brothers?

Besides, asking Li Shimin to bestow a marriage upon his daughter might not be a good thing.

"Suit yourself! Don't come begging to me again!" Li Shimin waved his hand with a smile.

When the topic of his daughter's marriage came up, Cheng Yaojin suddenly recalled the scene of him testing Lin Chuan with his sword that day, and he quickly smiled ingratiatingly at Li Shimin, saying:

"Your Majesty, your words are law, how can you take them back! I do think that young man who runs the noodle shop is quite good, it's just that his status is a bit low, Your Majesty, what do you think..."

"How could you even think of that? Get out!" Li Shimin snapped angrily.