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

"Your Highness, the imperial edict has approved all personnel appointments and removals in the eight prefectures, and has also sent three thousand scrolls of books, saying that Your Highness should properly educate the Japanese people and make them a part of the Tang Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang, holding Yin Yao's son, joked, "Our taxes this year weren't paid in vain; we've exchanged them for three thousand books."

Guo Chao couldn't help but complain, "Your Highness, the court is too harsh on us. There are only three thousand scrolls."

"When we were in Liangzhou, we received some money and grain every year, but now we don't receive a single penny."

"Including the spoils from the destruction of the Japanese, the gold, silver and jewels handed over to the imperial court this year totaled more than 30,000 catties."

"The imperial court is busy counting its money, yet it only provides this little bit of help; it would be better not to pay at all."

"Hey," Li Yuanchang interrupted.

"I promised that I would not need any money or provisions from the court. A real man should not complain once he has made a promise."

"It's only right that those funds be handed over to the court. If the court didn't benefit from it, why would it agree to so many things? Your Majesty only needs to understand my good intentions."

"Consider that money as a way to silence the criticisms from the imperial court."

"Your Highness is right. It's just that I feel sorry for Your Highness, since Your Highness is the one who created this favorable situation," Guo Chao said.

Li Yuanchang smiled and was about to say something.

"Report!!"

Yuan Tong jogged over.

He, Guo Chao, and Huang Tu were known as the three most trusted generals of Li Yuanchang. Their positions may not seem high, but they were actually the most trusted and received extremely high treatment.

Their children studied and grew up alongside Li Yuanchang's sons, which can be considered as cultivating successors in advance.

"Your Highness, something has happened on the post road."

"A batch of stallions purchased by the Northern Song Dynasty merchants from the Persians was robbed when they passed through three post stations, and all the escorts were killed."

Upon hearing this, Guo Chao and his personal guards changed color.

Li Yuanchang's face immediately darkened!

This isn't the first time!

He handed the child in his arms to Yin Yao, who then led her men away while still holding the child.

"When did this happen?"

"Your Highness, it must have happened at least two days ago. When the soldiers on the post road found the body, it already showed signs of lividity. The coroner estimated that the time of death was at least one day ago."

"The killer was ruthless; he slit a large gash in the throat and had no intention of leaving anyone alive," Yuan Tong said solemnly.

"Summon all relevant personnel to me immediately. I intend to investigate this matter personally!"

Now he is truly second only to the emperor, the undisputed uncrowned king of the Far East.

All he had to do each day was sit back and relax, handle some important matters, and talk a few words. Without war, his life was actually quite leisurely, and he could delegate everything to his subordinates.

The Far East Royal Palace now has an abundance of talented people, like a swarm of locusts crossing a river.

But this time, Li Yuanchang was truly enraged.

This wasn't the first time the steeds had been robbed on the post road; it had happened many times before. He had received numerous reports that the Far East post road was not safe, with grain carts and caravans being robbed on several occasions.

At first, Li Yuanchang thought it was just a coincidence. After all, the peninsula had been plagued by war in recent years, and many people had become outlaws. Moreover, plundering was very common in ancient times.

He dispatched soldiers to protect them, and the situation improved somewhat. However, before things had calmed down for long, the stallions purchased by the Far East Prince's Palace were stolen.

He had traveled thousands of miles without incident, but was robbed right at his doorstep. How could Li Yuanchang not be furious!

"yes!"

"..."

Several hours later, it was dusk.

About seven or eight low-ranking couriers, officials, and captains were brought into the Prince Dong's residence.

Most of them were from Goguryeo, but now they all belonged to the Tang Dynasty and spoke Chinese, which was equivalent to the prototype of a multi-ethnic society.

"We pay our respects to the King of the Far East!" The crowd bowed, some of them nervous and uneasy.

"What's going on!"

"What? Another incident? How can you be so irresponsible!" Li Yuanchang hissed, somewhat angry. Two or three days had passed, and even if he wanted to pursue them, it would be too late.

That post road was originally built to connect Chubu Prefecture and Wa (Japan). At the time, a lot of money was spent, and Baekje was given benefits to get them to withdraw from the post road. It was like buying an unclaimed road.

Everyone trembled and knelt down, saying, "Your Highness, please calm your anger."

"The entire Silk Road on the peninsula is hundreds of miles long, but the number of post stations has only increased to nine, each nearly a hundred miles apart, and each has a patrol team of about a hundred officials responsible for patrolling."

"But the incident happened in a wasteland, and we were unaware of it at the time."

"Yes, Your Highness. Since the war ended, there have been more merchant ships and caravans coming and going. We can only patrol according to the rules and it is impossible to provide close protection for every caravan."

"There have even been occasional robberies along the post roads. We have already increased our manpower and have absolutely not neglected our duties. We implore Your Highness to investigate thoroughly!"

Everyone was complaining.

Li Yuanchang was furious, but not to the point of losing his temper.

"So what exactly happened? Explain yourself!"

"What were the results of your investigation?"

The post station envoy bowed and said, "Your Highness, the merchants escorting the breeding horses were fine at the Sanshe Post Station, but they were ambushed twenty miles away from the Sanshe Post Station."

"Nothing was left at the scene. More than 400 stallions were robbed, and more than 50 people in the caravan were killed."

"When my subordinates went to investigate, they found a knife wound, about three inches deep and the size of a bowl, on the damaged carriage, which had severed the wheel."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang narrowed his eyes and made a cut three inches deep, the size of a bowl.

This is not something an ordinary person can do, and such a weapon is not something that ordinary bandits would have. Most weapons in ancient times were blunt, and those who had sharp cold weapons were not ordinary people.

"Later, we wanted to continue the investigation, conducting a thorough search, hoping to find something through horse manure and the eyes and ears of the people."

"But His Highness and Baekje have an agreement that they cannot cross the border, and a red line has been drawn. We are worried that if we cross, it will cause a conflict between the two places, so we can only investigate around the post road, but we have not found anything."

"Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Please forgive us, Your Highness!" The crowd bowed.

Li Yuanchang remained silent, his eyes sharp, lost in thought.

"Where is the body? Was it brought back?"

"Your Highness, due to the urgency of the situation, we only managed to bring back ten bodies, and the damaged carriage was also brought back."

"It's right outside."

Without saying a word, Li Yuanchang jumped up and strode out.

In the square of the former government office, ten corpses were neatly arranged and covered with white cloth. Because the weather was getting colder, there was no stench.

Li Yuanchang arrived with his men, squatted down and lifted the body. The corpse was already stiff and covered in lividity. There was a huge, gaping gash on the neck, which looked quite gruesome.

The head and body were almost entirely connected by bones.

There was only one cut; there were no other wounds.

"Your Highness, this is not the work of an ordinary person," Guo Chao said in a deep voice, having already noticed something amiss.