With a warehouse full of supplies, I stood alone as king in this chaotic world, gun in hand.

Bei Chenyan stepped up the stairs and asked the yamen runner, "Who's in charge of things in the yamen now?"

The yamen runner pressed his forehead to the ground and said, "Your Highness, after the prefect was killed by the Snake Spirit Society half a year ago, no officials from the court have been sent here. Now, all affairs in the yamen are being handled by Judge Lu."

"Prefect Lu?" Bei Chenyan's eyes were deep and unfathomable. He asked again, "How many years has Prefect Lu been working at the yamen?"

"I'm not quite sure. When I first came to the government office ten years ago, Judge Lu was already there."

But I heard from people in private that Judge Lu is forty-eight years old this year and has been working in the yamen for twenty-three years. When he first came here, he was just a registrar. The yamen runner told them everything he knew.

Wei Yang seemed to understand what his crown prince wanted to do! He also asked, "What about the family of that Prefect Lu? Do they also live here? How many people are in his family?"

"Prefect Lu's family has all come along and is staying in the backyard of the government office. His elderly mother is sixty-five years old, he has one wife and six concubines, and a total of eleven children, but they are all maids. He had three sons, but none of them lived past the age of one; they all died young. And..." The yamen runner hesitated for a moment before recounting the details of Prefect Lu's household:

"Prefect Lu also secretly kept a mistress outside the marriage, who bore him a son."

Wei Yang glanced at Bei Chenyan and, seeing that he looked rather unwell, said to the yamen runner, "Go and summon your prefect."

"Yes, yes..." The yamen runner scrambled back to the yamen.

Nangong Wu walked to Bei Chenyan's side and said, "There must be something wrong with this Prefect Lu."

All the prefects sent by the imperial court were killed by the Snake Spirit Society, but this Prefect Lu served for more than 20 years. His whole family was here, and nothing happened to him. It was hard not to arouse suspicion.

Bei Chenyan's gaze turned cold. "I've heard of this person in the capital. Since all the officials sent by the court have died, all the affairs of the government office have fallen on him. Everyone thought he was capable, so they kept promoting him."

But no one ever suspected him. Now, upon closer reflection, it seems quite suspicious. Although a sub-prefect was only a fifth-rank official, his power was no less than that of a prefect. All the prefects were dead, yet this man surnamed Lu had remained a sub-prefect for so many years. What gave him the right to hold that position?

His question, "Why should I?" made everyone's expression change.

That's right! The sub-prefect is only half a rank lower than the prefect, so why didn't the Snake Spirit Society touch him?

We wouldn't have noticed this if they hadn't come here.

"Tonight, everyone should play it by ear!" Bei Chenyan instructed. "Wei Yang, go find that constable from earlier and have him take you to find Judge Lu's mistress and get her to talk."

"yes!"

Wei Yang and the guards behind him responded.

Before long, Judge Lu arrived, panting. Upon seeing Bei Chenyan standing outside the door, he lifted his robe and knelt down.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects. I was unaware of your arrival and have failed to greet you properly. I deserve to die!"

"Hmm." Bei Chenyan stepped forward, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Many former prefects were harmed by the Snake Spirit Society, but only Judge Lu was blessed by God, and his whole family is still alive and well. It is also thanks to you being here that Nanyang Prefecture has been able to remain stable."

It has been twelve years since you took office as Vice Prefect. You have served as both Prefect and Vice Prefect, which must have been very hard work. When I return to the capital, I will definitely praise you to Father Emperor.

Upon hearing this, Prefect Lu was overjoyed. "Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness. As the local official, this is what I should do."

"Get up! I have some urgent business to attend to here and will be staying at the government office for the time being," Bei Chenyan said, stepping into the government office.

Judge Lu quickly got up and ran ahead to lead the way, saying, "Your Highness, please follow me this way."

Wei Yang deliberately lagged behind a few steps, and only stopped the yamen runner who was opening the door for them when he saw that Judge Lu had led the Crown Prince into the backyard of the yamen.

"What...do you want to do?" The constable thought he was going to be arrested and broke out in a cold sweat.

Could it be that the Crown Prince has found out about the dirty deeds that Judge Lu has been doing in private?

"I'm just a lowly clerk, I don't know anything!"

"Take me to find someone." Wei Yang carried him out of the government office.

In the backyard of the government office, Bei Chenyan was arranged to stay in a courtyard reserved for distinguished guests.

Once inside the courtyard, Bei Chenyan dismissed Judge Lu, telling him that they could discuss the matter another day.

Judge Lu had no choice but to step back and order people to prepare food for them.

After Judge Lu left, Li Xun quietly followed him.

Actually, they had already eaten before entering the city.

Having arrived at this place where the Serpent Spirit Society is most rampant, they dared not eat food from outside.

"You're tired, why don't you go back to your space and take a shower?" Bei Chenyan said to Nangong Wu.

"No need, I think we'll be busy tonight." Nangong Wu sat down in the armchair next to him.

If this Judge Lu is guilty, he will surely reveal his true colors.

A while later, Cao Li carried a person back and threw him on the ground.

"Your Highness, I followed Lu Rui. After he left here, he went to the study. I went up to the roof and saw him write a letter, which he then handed to this yamen runner."

The man took the letter and sneaked out of the government office, where he was apprehended by his subordinates.

After Cao Li finished speaking, he took out a sealed letter from his pocket and handed it to Bei Chenyan with both hands.

Bei Chenyan took the secret letter, which was sealed with Lu Rui's fire seal. He opened the seal and took out the letter inside.

His expression turned cold after just a few glances.

"Cao Li, let him speak."

"Yes." Cao Li released the pressure points that had been used to silence and paralyze the guards on the ground.

Bei Chenyan threw the letter in front of the yamen runner, his voice icy, "Speak! Who did Lu Rui ask you to deliver this secret letter to?"

The constable rolled his eyes and argued, "It's about a recent case. Lord Lu asked me to deliver it to the head constable."

"It's for the head constable." Nangong Wu walked over, picked up the sealed letter, and looked at it. After reading it, she held it up in front of the man. "Take a look at the contents of this letter. Are you sure it's for the constable?"

The constable's eyes darted around. "I don't know what's written in the letter. I'm just doing what you tell me."

"You don't know?" Nangong Wu sneered and ordered, "Cao Li, since he doesn't know, then let him know. Remember to shut him up so he doesn't make a fuss."

Soon, the sound of a cane being struck rang out.

"Clap clap clap..."

A moment later, the bailiffs were dragged in again and thrown to the ground, their clothes stained with blood on their buttocks.

Cao Li removed the gag from the bailiff's mouth, grabbed his hair, and turned his face toward Bei Chenyan. "Look carefully, this is His Highness the Crown Prince. If you don't tell the truth, your entire family will be executed."

The constable tried to remain defiant, but upon hearing the threat of executing nine generations of his family, he immediately panicked and stammered, "I'll talk, I'll talk..."

Nangong Wu took out a voice recorder and recorded the statements of the yamen runners.