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

It turned out that this constable was Lu Rui's confidant, and he did shady things for him.

Tonight, Bei Chenyan suddenly arrived in Nanyang Prefecture. The things he said at the gate made Lu Rui feel threatened, so he wrote a secret letter and asked the yamen runner to deliver it.

Little did he know that by taking this step, he had fallen into a trap set by Bei Chenyan, and the things he said were deliberately a test.

If he has nothing to hide, he doesn't need to do anything; once he does, he'll be exposed!

Lu Rui was a shrewd and calculating man who knew how to weigh the pros and cons, which allowed him to survive in Nanyang City, where the Snake Spirit Society was rampant, and to rise higher and higher in rank. However, this time the person who came was the Crown Prince, and he became wary of him, and in the end he couldn't hold back.

"Your Highness." Wei Yang also returned, bringing with him a beautiful woman in her early twenties, who was holding a small child in her arms, with the constable following behind.

"Kneel down!"

The woman and the yamen runner were forced to kneel by the guards.

Wei Yang bowed and reported, "Your Highness, this mother and son are Lu Rui's mistress and illegitimate child. When we found her, she even boasted that she was Lu Rui's woman and that anyone who dared to touch her in this Nanyang City would die."

The woman had been very arrogant just now because she was Lu Rui's woman, but when she heard Wei Yang call her Your Highness, her pretty face turned pale with fright!

"Who are you? I'm just a woman, why have you kidnapped me and my child and brought us here?"

Nangong Wu looked at the woman. From her tone of voice and the calculating look in her eyes, she could tell that the woman was no kind person. "In that case, let her speak."

The woman panicked and secretly pinched the bottom of the child in her arms.

The child cried out in pain from being pinched.

"Don't cry, baby, Mommy's here." The woman hugged the child tightly, looking terrified.

"Your Highness, let me speak first." The constable was only interested in making a good impression and hoped not to be implicated in Lu Rui's matter.

Bei Chenyan said coldly, "Then tell me, and I'll give you a chance to make a contribution."

"I'll tell you..." The constable pointed at the woman and said, "This woman's surname is Du. She used to be the top courtesan at Zuixianglou. Two years ago, the magistrate spent 50,000 taels of silver to buy her virginity, and later spent another 200,000 taels of silver to redeem her."

But fearing his wife would find out, Lord Lu secretly spent five thousand taels of silver to buy her a two-courtyard house and kept her there.

"Spending two hundred thousand taels of silver to buy a courtesan? This Prefect Lu is certainly extravagant." Nangong Wu looked at the woman surnamed Du with a mocking expression: "With a harem of wives and concubines in the backyard and a mistress kept in a golden house outside, he really lives a carefree life."

"A sub-prefect is just a fifth-rank official with an annual salary of only 720 taels of silver, plus 120 dan of rice for food. How could he possibly spend hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to buy a prostitute? This Lu family's fiscal income is very suspicious," Wei Yang said.

"Guards! Seal off the entire government office, take control of the Lu family, and do not allow anyone inside to escape. Bring Lu Rui to me." Bei Chenyan ordered.

"yes!"

Wei Yang responded and left with ten guards.

When Du heard that they wanted to arrest Lu Rui, she was terrified. "I'm just the magistrate's mistress. I know nothing about what he's done..."

"Shut up," Cao Li shouted.

"What's your name? Who is Lu Rui's legal wife? What's her family background?" Nangong Wu asked the constable.

Lu Rui, a prefectural judge, was only a fifth-rank official, but he was the highest-ranking official in Nanyang City. How could he be afraid of his wife? It's clear that his wife had quite a background.

"Replying to your question, my name is Lu Shan. Madam Lu's family is the wealthiest merchant family in Nanyang City. Their surname is Gao, and they own 30% of the shops in the city."

In this Nanyang city, besides the government, the Gao family is the second most powerful force. Judge Lu holds military power and colludes with the Gao family. He also secretly associates with the Snake Spirit Society and monopolizes the city's rice, salt, and cloth trade. Lu Shan told them about the situation in the city.

"Your name is Lu Shan, right? Go find some reliable people to surround the entire government office and don't let anyone out. This is your chance to make a name for yourself. After dealing with Lu Rui and the Gao family, His Highness will reward you handsomely," Nangong Wu said.

This Lu Shan is somewhat shrewd and opportunistic, but he is currently a useful person.

They are short-staffed and can only temporarily use the people from the government office.

Upon hearing this, Lu Shan was overjoyed, stood up, and cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Your Highness, and thank you for your trust, sir. I will go find someone right away."

Cao Li drew his sword in a flash and held it to his neck. "Remember, find a reliable person. Otherwise, if something goes wrong and that guy surnamed Lu gets away, you'll lose your head."

Lu Rui is the most powerful person in this government office, but he probably doesn't have many reliable people among them.

"Yes, yes! I know. Even if it means going through fire and water, I will not let a single member of the Lu family escape." Lu Shan nodded and bowed in response.

Cao Li then sheathed his sword. "Get lost! This is a task His Highness the Crown Prince assigned to you; you must complete it properly."

"Yes, yes!" Lu Shan hurriedly withdrew.

Li Xun stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting. "Your Highness, I will take a few men to keep an eye on him."

"Yes." Bei Chenyan nodded. "The news tonight must not be leaked."

Most importantly, we must not reveal that they have come here. Otherwise, if the Snake Spirit Society members hiding in the city get the news, they may cause chaos or escape from the city.

Li Xun left the room, taking ten guards with him.

The constable who had been arrested by Cao Li suddenly spoke up: "Sir, I can also redeem myself through meritorious service. I know all of the magistrate's confidants and the people he associates with in the Snake Spirit Society. I know where these people are hiding in Nanyang City."

"Very good." Nangong Wu nodded. "As long as you can help capture Lu Rui's confidants and the Snake Spirit Society's informants and contact points in the city, and become a witness to expose Lu Rui's crimes, we can forgive the mistakes you made before."

"Yes, yes! As long as you spare me and my family, I will tell you everything I know." The constable kowtowed.

Soon, Lu Rui was brought over by Wei Yang, along with his eldest son-in-law.

Upon seeing her, Madam Du burst into tears, crying, "My lord, please save me!"

When Lu Rui saw that Du Shi had also been arrested, along with her confidant kneeling to the side, his previously composed expression changed drastically.

Wei Yang kicked Lu Rui in the back of the knee. "Kneel down."

Lu Rui's legs went weak, and he knelt down heavily.

He looked up at Bei Chenyan, "May I ask, Your Highness, what wrong have I done?"

"Is this woman your mistress?" Wei Yang asked, pointing at Madam Du.

Lu Rui didn't dare look at Du Shi, and kept his head down without saying a word.

Mrs. Du pinched the child's thigh hard again, and the six-month-old baby cried out in pain, "Waaah..."