In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Li Yuanchang coldly replied, "Plead guilty? What guilty do you want to plead guilty to?"

Lu Ping was unremarkable in appearance, with dark skin and a bulbous nose. He looked up and tentatively said, "This humble servant ordered his men that if they could not intercept His Highness the Prince of Han, their safety must be their top priority."

"As a result,..."

Li Yuanchang interrupted with a cold laugh: "So you mean I'm going to reward you?"

Lü Ping trembled: "I wouldn't dare!"

"Your Highness, this humble servant did not mean that."

"At the time, I received news that someone was causing trouble in the street, pushing out a coffin and crying out for justice, which caused chaos."

"This subordinate immediately sent people to handle the matter, but later learned that the woman had heard that the Prince of Han had recently accompanied the Princess back to her parents' home and had been lying in wait for him."

"The scene is chaotic, and I am indeed worried about His Highness the Prince of Han's safety!"

"The incident at the Lu family's stone estate is still fresh in our minds. If anything were to happen to His Highness the Prince of Han, and the investigation in Chang'an were to uncover it, everyone would be in deep trouble."

"This humble servant is also worried about losing his own head!"

As he spoke, this seventh-rank official, a high-ranking official in charge of the judiciary of a prefecture, burst into tears.

Li Yuanchang remained completely unfazed.

"I received a message. Who told you this?"

"Now that you've received the message, you should know where the other party came from, right?"

The incisive question made Lü Ping freeze for a moment, and he said in a flustered manner.

"Your Highness, it was the Legal Affairs Officer who reported this to me. He is my attendant, Li Rong."

"As for who that woman is, I really don't know."

"And that confession, I really don't know where it is!"

Li Yuanchang sneered.

"Did I mention the confession? How did you know?"

"None of your men made it back."

Lu Ping was taken aback, and a look of panic clearly appeared in his eyes.

"Your Highness, yes, yes, I heard about it!"

"Everyone on the streets is talking about what happened not long ago."

"Oh really? Lord Lü actually had time to inquire about what happened in such a short time," Li Yuanchang sneered.

Lu Ping gave an awkward smile: "Your Highness, I was just afraid you would be angry, so I inquired beforehand so I could explain things to you."

Li Yuanchang stood up.

Lu Ping subconsciously took a step back. Too many people had died in recent days, and no one in the Liangzhou Prefecture government was unafraid of Li Yuanchang.

But Li Yuanchang did not get angry or make a move. He simply said calmly, "You'd better not let me find out anything."

"If I find out you're lying, you'll die a very rhythmic death!"

The sharp gaze sent a jolt through Lü Ping's heart, and his scalp nearly exploded.

"I swear, I have not uttered a false accusation!"

"Get out of here," Li Yuanchang said coldly.

"Yes, yes!"

Lu Ping's legs went weak. He breathed a sigh of relief and had to be helped to leave the Prince of Han's residence.

"Your Highness, are we just going to let this person go like this?"

"There are too many suspicious points about what happened today. He was acting on my orders. I feel like he definitely has something going on!" Guo Chao couldn't help but say.

Li Yuanchang's gaze was deep: "It's not just a feeling, there's something wrong with him!"

"Then why did Your Highness release him?"

"Everything must be based on evidence. The woman is dead, and there is no way to verify her story. No matter how you question her, she will only say that it was for my safety."

"Your Highness, what should we do with the confession? Should we search his residence?"

Li Yuanchang calmly shook his head: "It's pointless now."

"That mysteriously missing confession is probably just ashes now. Trying to track it down is like leading yourself into a dead end."

"I summoned him just to scare him."

"People make mistakes when they are afraid."

"Send a team of clever guards to follow Lü Ping and keep watch on him day and night, especially his residence."

"Yes!" Guo Chao left quickly.

After everyone left, Li Yuanchang stood there in a daze for a while, his mind replaying the events of the day.

The woman cried out that she was innocent and tried to stop the royal carriage, but she was beheaded with a single blow. She died without being able to tell her story.

Based on what I saw in Yangping County before.

Li Yuanchang officially made the next decision.

"It's time to take control of Liangzhou's judiciary."

After saying that, he turned around and took out the large number of files about the legal officials that he had previously compiled, and began to read them by lamplight.

I had only glanced at it before, but now that we've decided to rectify the situation, we must examine it carefully.

In short, it all boils down to this: anything done will leave a trace, and he doesn't believe that people like Lü Ping can withstand scrutiny.

They looked until midnight, and it wasn't until Situ Lan came to invite Li Yuanchang, wearing a cloak, that he agreed to rest.

The next day, early in the morning.

Li Yuanchang was still having his meal.

Guo Chao came to him and said, "Your Highness, your foresight is truly remarkable. There was indeed movement last night. Lü Ping secretly sent a servant out of the mansion in the latter half of the night, intending to leave Liangzhou City."

"You were already asleep at the time, and I dared not disturb you, so I took it upon myself to have this servant detained."

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow: "Where is he?"

"He has been secretly arrested and taken to the Prince's mansion, and is being held in the side courtyard," Guo Chao said.

Li Yuanchang nodded: "I will be there shortly."

"yes!"

Although Li Yuanchang wanted to go, he ate the breakfast that Situ Lan had prepared early in the morning before setting off.

Side yard.

This is a small courtyard, specifically used to store the supplies, armor, and other items for the imperial guards. Sometimes the guards would also rest here.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

The sound traveled from the corridor all the way to a storage room.

creak...

The door was pushed open, letting in light. The man inside, who was bound hand and foot, instinctively closed his eyes and made muffled noises.

When he opened his eyes again, Li Yuanchang was already squatting in front of him.

The man trembled, his pupils widening in fear.

Li Yuanchang ripped the cloth out of his mouth.

"Your Highness, the King of Han, please don't kill me! I beg you!"

"You know me?" Li Yuanchang asked in surprise, for this man was nothing more than a servant.

The man panicked: "Your Highness, I...I know him!"

"A few days ago, after several officials were executed, your portrait was circulated among the homes of all the high-ranking officials and nobles in Liangzhou. Everyone wanted to recognize you so as not to cause a great disaster by not recognizing the King of Han."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang smiled.

They're being incredibly careful with themselves; they're probably afraid I'll go on an incognito trip or pretend to be weak while actually being strong.

"In short, do you want to live or die?"

The man trembled, blurting out incoherently, "I want to live! I want to live! Your Highness, I want to live!"

"Then tell me, what did Lü Ping send you out to do?"

Upon hearing this, the man's face immediately fell, his eyes darted around, and he stammered, unable to utter a word.

"Looks like you still want to die?" Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, Your Highness, if I betray the master, I will be drowned in a well. My wife is still doing needlework in the Lü residence, I..." the man cried out, struggling, hesitating, and pleading.

"Don't worry, as long as you tell the truth, I will protect your life and your wife's life."

"Your Highness, is it true?" the man asked anxiously.

"Do you think I have more power, or does Lü Ping have more?" Li Yuanchang retorted.

The man gritted his teeth; to save his life, he had no choice but to confess.

"Your Highness, I'll talk!"

"The master sent me out of the city last night to inform the eldest son, who is away from home, not to return yet."