The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 66 Re-entering the Palace, Li Shimin's Surprise!
Inside Duting Post Station.

After leaving the warehouse, Liu Shuyi said to Qin Wuyuan, "Qin, the case has been solved. You don't need to continue accompanying me. Go and visit the Xueyantuo envoy."

"They had just been sent as envoys to the Tang Dynasty, and before they could even pay their respects to His Majesty, they encountered this case. Their mood may have been affected."

"Go and reassure them, tell them about the case, let them know that the murderer has been caught and that they don't need to worry anymore."

Qin Wuyuan thought for a moment and decided that he should properly appease the envoy.

In the eleventh year of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, he had been staying at Duting Post Station for nearly four years, and this was the first time he had encountered such a thing.

If this matter is not explained properly, once it gets out, it may affect the impression that other countries have of the Tang Dynasty.

"I understand."

Just as Qin Wuyuan was about to turn around, he hesitated for a moment and said, "Liu Yuanwailang, regarding this case, should I tell the envoy everything, or should I keep something to myself?"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Does Envoy Qin think it's necessary for outsiders to know about our private affairs?"

Qin Wuyuan immediately understood.

He quickly replied, "I will only tell you who the murderer is and briefly describe the process of the crime. But I will keep my mouth shut about the motive and matters involving officials of Hebei Province. I will never say anything recklessly."

Liu Shuyi smiled and nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Envoy Qin."

"It's all what I should do."

Having received Liu Shuyi's suggestion, Qin Wuyuan did not linger and quickly turned and left.

Watching Qin Wuyuan's figure disappear quickly, Du Gou said, "I'm afraid even if Qin the postman didn't say anything, the Xueyantuo envoy would have found out about the situation between the court and the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi if he had deliberately inquired."

"It doesn't matter."

Liu Shuyi said calmly, "If you know, you know. The Xueyantuo still have to rely on the Tang Dynasty. Even if they know about the problems within the Tang Dynasty, they dare not have any ideas."

"I asked the Qin messenger to keep it a secret just so that the Xueyantuo envoys would know our attitude, so that they would understand the proper boundaries and know what they could and could not do."

Du Gou nodded thoughtfully.

As Liu Shuyi walked toward Ma Fuyuan's room, he changed the subject, saying, "How credible do you think Cui Lin's words were?"

Upon hearing this, Du Gou couldn't help but glance at Liu Shuyi. He knew that Liu Shuyi had just said with absolute certainty that he believed in Cui Lin, which almost moved Cui Lin to tears on the spot.

And now Liu Shuyi is asking this question again...

“Although Cui Lin is arrogant and not likable, it is precisely because of this that he disdains to lie…” Du Gou said, “Not to mention, you just saved him. Regardless of whether he was hostile to you before, at least for that moment, he couldn’t bring himself to hate you. So even to repay your kindness, he wouldn’t lie.”

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly and said, "My thoughts are the same as yours, so..."

He narrowed his eyes and said, "There is a very high probability that there are indeed Turkic spies hidden within the Xueyantuo envoy delegation!"

Wang Gui and the others were startled, and Du Gou's expression also darkened.

Liu Shuyi looked at the group and said in a deep voice, "Right now, within Chang'an City, there is both a hidden master behind Miaoyin'er and Liu Yuanming's accomplices plotting something. Although the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi can be kept in check for the time being, who knows when another accident might occur..."

"It can be described as a mixed bag, and the situation is extremely complex."

"At this time, if what the secret letter says is true, and the Turkic spies are taking this opportunity to do something in Chang'an, causing a huge uproar..."

"The consequences would be unimaginable!"

"What if Miaoyin'er's master and Liu Yuanming's forces seize this opportunity and also make a move..."

Liu Shuyi's voice was deep and resonant, like an invisible hand gripping the hearts of the group, making them tense up.

He glanced at the group and said, "I can't even imagine what Chang'an would be like then, or even what the Tang Dynasty would be like."

Wang Gui and his companions felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

A bone-chilling cold instantly enveloped them.

Without even needing to think deeply, they could imagine how terrifying the scene would be...

As Du Ruhui's son, Du Gou knew even more secrets. He knew that His Majesty wanted to take advantage of the Turkic internal strife and Liang Shidu's isolation and helplessness to send troops to Liang Shidu and solve the border threat once and for all.

The Turks will not remain in internal strife forever. This excellent opportunity may only come once in a lifetime. Once missed, the next time they want to destroy Liang Shidu, they may have to pay several times or even dozens of times the price.

Therefore, the Tang Dynasty needed internal stability, and Chang'an could not afford any chaos...

Whether due to internal or external factors, we must absolutely prevent this from happening!
"We must not let the Turks succeed!"

Even the usually composed Du Gou spoke with a hint of tension and urgency, saying, "We must find the Turkic spy as soon as possible; we absolutely cannot let him cause any real chaos."

Everyone else nodded emphatically in agreement.

Cheng Chumo looked at Liu Shuyi and offered a suggestion: "How about I send some men to surround the Xueyantuo envoys again?"

Liu Shuyi looked at him silently, without saying a word.

Her deep gaze made Cheng Chumo cough awkwardly, realizing he had given a bad idea.

"The Xueyantuo is one of His Majesty's most important arrangements in the northern desert. It is a thorn in His Majesty's side of the Turks. Therefore, the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and the Xueyantuo must not be affected at this moment."

Although Liu Shuyi was not a politician or military strategist, he had a strong sense of logic and analytical ability, so he could easily deduce the hidden significance behind many obvious events by doing a little analysis.

He said, "The previous case may have already made the Xueyantuo envoys uncomfortable. If we besiege them again... what will they think? And how will we explain it?"

"Should we tell the Xueyantuo envoy that we suspect there are Turkic spies among them who are plotting against the Tang Dynasty?"

"Do we have any real evidence to prove this? Will the Xueyantuo envoys believe it? Will they think that the Tang Dynasty is deliberately making things difficult for them? Will they think that the Tang Dynasty is using despicable means to suppress them in order to gain the upper hand in the upcoming negotiations?"

As Cheng Chumo listened to Liu Shuyi's words, he subconsciously shrank back, realizing just how outrageous his method was.

"so……"

Liu Shuyi said, "We can only continue to use Cui Lin's methods."

Du Gou's eyes flashed: "You mean... surveillance?"

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly: "The Turkic spies did not act according to the original plan, so we cannot predict when they will make their next move or whether they will continue to act."

"But we must not disturb the Xueyantuo envoy, much less make a move that might alert them."

"Therefore, the safest approach is to keep watch secretly, continuously for twelve hours a day."

Du Gou pondered for a moment, then nodded: "This is indeed the safest approach. If any of the Xueyantuo envoys behave strangely, we will know immediately and be able to arrest and stop them in time."

As they spoke, the group arrived outside Ma Fuyuan's room.

As the case was solved, the Imperial Guards withdrew one after another, and Ma Fuyuan's room was no longer guarded.

Liu Shuyi's gaze swept over the other closed rooms. Then, he keenly noticed that the door to the room on his left had moved slightly, and a faint outline was reflected in the paper window of the room on his right...

His eyes flickered, and the corners of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly.

He then announced in a loud voice, "Miss Du, I would like to trouble you to help me make bloodstain rubbings and write an autopsy report. I need to organize it and include it in the case file..."

His voice wasn't low; even through the door, you could hear it clearly if you listened carefully.

Du Ying's heart skipped a beat, and even though she hadn't discussed it with Liu Shuyi beforehand, she instantly understood what Liu Shuyi meant.

She nodded coolly as always: "Okay, leave it to me."

"Miss Du, please..."

Liu Shuyi and Du Ying exchanged a glance, then pushed open the door.

As the door opened, the first thing that caught Liu Shuyi's eye was the shocking bloodstains on the ground.

For humans, nothing seems to attract them more than the blood and corpses of their own kind.

The group entered the room. Zhao Feng and Wang Gui exchanged a glance, then automatically stood at the door, cautiously looking around.

Liu Shuyi and Du Gou went straight to the cabinet.

Looking down at the square shape of the cabinet legs, Du Gou said, "That's it!"

"Let's move."

Without saying a word, Liu Shuyi squatted down and hugged one side of the cabinet.

Seeing this, Du Gou quickly followed and hugged the other side.

The cabinet was made of solid wood and was quite heavy, but the two of them lifted it quickly with their combined efforts.

"Ah Ying, quickly check under the cabinet, see if there's anything there," Du Gou said.

Du Ying nodded and looked directly down at the bottom of the cabinet.

Then, her cool eyebrows furrowed slightly: "No."

"No?"

Du Gou was taken aback: "How could there not be? Did we make a mistake?"

"But the mark on the shoe is definitely the leg of this cabinet, there's no mistake!"

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and said, "Miss Du, take a look at the floor tiles and see if any of the tiles have gaps that are different from the others."

"Floor tiles?"

Du Ying thought for a moment, then took out a tinderbox from her bosom.

After lighting the tinder, Du Ying stuffed it under the cabinet.

Look closely.

"Have!"

Du Ying said, "Indeed, there is a very obvious gap in one of the floor tiles, which looks like it was recently dug up, while the other tiles do not have obvious gaps."

"that's it!"

Liu Shuyi looked at Du Gou: "Du Sicheng, move the cabinet somewhere else."

Du Gou understood Liu Shuyi's meaning, and the two quickly moved the cabinet to another place, then carefully and gently placed it down. The whole process was carried out without making any loud noise.

The two then quickly went to the place where the cabinet had been placed. Liu Shuyi looked down and, sure enough, there was a floor tile with a very large gap, which was obviously different from the other floor tiles.

Remove the floor tile, and you'll see a wrapped cloth underneath.

Take out the cloth, unfold it, and a neatly folded piece of paper comes into view.

Du Gou's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Found it!"

"Master Liu, you were right! Ma Fuyuan really did hide what he wrote here!"

Upon hearing Du Gou's words, Zhao Feng and Wang Gui, who were guarding the gate, realized that they had come here because Liu Shuyi had deduced a new secret.

Wang Gui couldn't help but say, "Master Liu is truly amazing. Is there any secret in this world that he can't solve?"

Zhao Feng nodded emphatically in agreement.

"Quickly, take a look at what's written on it!" Even the usually composed Du Gou couldn't help but urge him at this moment.

Liu Shuyi nodded, unfolded the paper, and looked up.

then……

His eyes suddenly narrowed.

The expression in his eyes kept changing.

Seeing Liu Shuyi's unusual expression, Du Gou's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but ask, "Master Liu, what's wrong? Ma Fuyuan hid it so well, is there really some secret behind it?"

Upon hearing this, everyone else instinctively looked at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi folded the paper again, glanced at them, and slowly said, "This letter says two things."

"First, Ma Fuyuan said that a mysterious person contacted him, saying that the remains of the Prince of Xi were stolen by their forces, and that they were willing to make a deal with the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi to give the remains to them..."

Du Gou suddenly realized, "The mysterious man must be An Qingxi, right? Could this be An Qingxi's method of luring Ma Fuyuan to the warehouse on his own initiative?"

Liu Shuyi said, "For the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi who harbor ulterior motives, the Prince of Xi's remains are extremely important; they are a crucial banner for them to rally the Prince of Xi's forces..."

Du Gou frowned and said, "So, Ma Fuyuan really did have ulterior motives? Even if he didn't know who the mysterious person was, even if he wasn't sure if the mysterious person's words were credible, he was still willing to risk going?"

"The former followers of the Prince of Xi are currently leaderless, or rather, even if there is a leader, he may not be able to completely suppress the others or gain their trust... Under these circumstances, whoever obtains the Prince of Xi's remains is essentially holding an imperial edict..."

Liu Shuyi looked at him: "Such a return is absolutely worth taking the risk."

"Furthermore, he wasn't unprepared; he carried weapons... Unfortunately, he was unlucky, as An Qingxi was even better prepared than him."

Du Gou nodded, but then a new question arose: "Since he knew there would be danger, why didn't he call others to follow him?"

Liu Shuyi speculated, "He probably wanted to keep this news to himself and didn't want others to know, so as to prevent anyone from leaking the news or finding the remains of the Prince of Xi first. In that case, he would be doing all the work for someone else."

“It’s also possible that other officials are not his confidants. Some of them may be working for others, while others may still be loyal to the court. Therefore, he doesn’t trust these people. Time is of the essence, and there is no time to mobilize manpower, so he has to do it himself.”

Du Gou pondered for a moment, then nodded; these two possibilities were indeed the most likely.

"What about the second thing?"

The first thing, for them who already had some clues, was not exactly a secret.

Therefore, Du Gou felt that the second thing was what could make Liu Shuyi change his expression.

"The second thing..."

Meeting Du Gou's curious gaze, Liu Shuyi took a deep breath and said, "They're looking for the Imperial Seal of the State!"

"What!?"

"Looking for the Imperial Seal of the State!?"

Du Gou was taken aback.

Du Ying, Zhao Feng, and the others were also quite surprised.

They certainly knew what the Imperial Seal of the State was.

But no matter how they thought about it, they never imagined that Ma Fuyuan's hidden purpose was actually to find it!

Liu Shuyi understood the surprise of Du Gou and others. In fact, when he first saw the four characters "Imperial Seal of the State" on the paper, he was even more shocked than Du Gou and others.

He even felt a chill run down his spine.

Not long ago, Miaoyin'er had suggested to him in prison that he go find the Imperial Seal of the State...

As a result, right here, he also saw the words "Imperial Seal of the State" in a letter that Ma Fuyuan had hidden in an extremely secret place!

Is it a coincidence?
Or is it inevitable?

If it were just a coincidence, that would be one thing.

If it's inevitable...

Liu Shuyi's pupils twitched violently, which meant that there was likely an unseen hand driving all of this.

For the first time ever, Liu Shuyi felt as if he were a chess piece, placed on a chessboard.

"What do they want with the Imperial Seal of the State?" Cheng Chumo couldn't help but ask.

Du Gou frowned: "The Imperial Seal of the State was regarded by emperors of all dynasties as a symbol of legitimacy."

"After His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been searching for the Imperial Seal of the State, but it was taken to the northern desert by Empress Xiao and has been lost ever since. His Majesty has never been able to find it..."

"Therefore, if the former subordinates of Prince Xi can obtain the Imperial Seal, and if some of them harbor ulterior motives and want to use Prince Xi's name to plot a rebellion... then, by possessing the Imperial Seal, they can claim that Prince Xi is the rightful heir to the throne and that His Majesty has usurped the throne..."

Du Gou paused, not daring to finish his sentence, and said, "In short, once the Imperial Seal falls into the hands of the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi, chaos will surely ensue!"

Cheng Chumo's expression changed, and he said, "But isn't the Imperial Seal of the State located in the northern desert? What are they looking for in Chang'an?"

Du Gou looked at Liu Shuyi, puzzled.

Liu Shuyi said in a deep voice, "Ma Fuyuan said that they received intelligence that news of the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State had appeared in Chang'an. He carried these precious jewels to give to his accomplices hiding in Chang'an, to provide them with funds for their operation, so that they would do whatever it takes to find the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State."

"There's news from Chang'an that the Imperial Seal of the State has been lost?" Du Gou's expression changed. "Could the Imperial Seal be in Chang'an right now?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head.

Ma Fuyuan did not write about this aspect.

But in his heart, he recalled what Miao Yin'er had told him. Miao Yin'er said... there was a book in Changsun Wuji's mansion, and that book contained the secret of the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal...

Now, the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi have also received intelligence that news of the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State has appeared in Chang'an...

At this moment, the two completely overlapped!

Is what Miaoyin'er said true or false?
Where did the intelligence from the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi come from?

Why does Miaoyin know so much detail?

Did Changsun Wuji know about this? If he did, why did he not report it?
If she didn't know, then how did Miaoyin'er know that the secret was in the Changsun residence?

A jumble of thoughts and countless guesses kept surfacing in my mind.

If there really is such an invisible hand driving all of this, who would be the owner of this hand?
Who is the master behind Miaoyin'er?

Or are there other, even more terrifying people lurking behind the scenes?
What's the purpose?
Liu Shuyi's expression flickered, feeling as if his brain was about to crash from all the questions.

He rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.

"Now that we know their purpose, we can't just ignore it..."

Liu Shuyi looked at Du Gou and the others and said, "I will go to the palace immediately and report the news I have obtained today to His Majesty. You have worked hard for me today. When I have time, I will personally host a banquet to thank you all."

Du Gou shook his head and said, "Liu Yuanwailang, there's no need for such formalities. This is simply what we should do."

“That’s right.” Wang Gui and Zhao Feng nodded in agreement.

Du Ying goes without saying; Liu Shuyi had just said last night that he would repay her with his body.

Listening to everyone's words, Liu Shuyi nodded emphatically: "Alright, I won't say any more polite words. If any of you need my help in the future, please just ask. As long as it's within my power, I will never refuse."

"Without further ado."

After saying that, Liu Shuyi said, "I'll go to the palace now. As for this letter..."

He thought for a moment, then handed it to Du Gou and said, "Du Sicheng, put it back where it was, and move the cabinet back to its original place as well."

Du Gou's heart skipped a beat: "You want it?"

Liu Shuyi squinted and said, "Before Ma Fuyuan set off to meet the mysterious man, he thought that something unexpected might happen to him, so this was something he specifically left for his accomplice."

"If something happens to him, his accomplices will come and collect it themselves..."

"We are so kind..."

He said meaningfully, "How can we let his accomplices make a wasted trip? Don't you think so?"

Du Gou's pupils twitched, and he immediately understood what Liu Shuyi meant.

His heart stirred slightly, and he nodded emphatically: "Don't worry, Master Liu, I will restore it to be exactly the same and I won't let anyone find any flaws."

…………

The Imperial Palace, Liangyi Hall.

The eunuch serving beside him glanced at Li Shimin furtively and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Li Shimin was sitting upright behind his desk, on which lay open memorials. In his hand was a vermilion brush for reviewing them. His eyes were fixed on the memorials, as if he were seriously dealing with important state affairs...

But the eunuch knew that His Majesty had already lost in thought.

Li Shimin maintained this posture for a full quarter of an hour.

Normally, Li Shimin could finish reviewing more than ten memorials in a quarter of an hour, but now, he had not finished reviewing a single one.

Not to mention, it remained completely still, like a stone sculpture.

"His Majesty……"

The eunuch said softly, "The weather is a bit warmer today, why don't we go out for a walk and get some fresh air?"

Upon hearing the eunuch's voice, Li Shimin seemed to snap out of his daze.

He glanced at the clean memorial before him, wrote the character "阅" (read) directly, then closed the document and placed it aside.

"How long have I been lost in thought?" Li Shimin asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Not long, only about fifteen minutes."

"A quarter of an hour?"

Li Shimin shook his head: "It's been a long time."

"As the emperor, if I lose focus for even a quarter of an hour, it means that more than a dozen important national affairs will not be dealt with in time, which may involve the livelihoods of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people."

"I shouldn't have done that."

"Even when I was still the King of Qin, in such a perilous situation, I never felt this way..."

He sighed, "Once you sit in this position, it's inevitable to have many thoughts and concerns."

The eunuch hurriedly said, "His Majesty's actions are also out of concern for the country and the people, and he cannot bear to see them suffer any more calamities. If anyone is to blame, it should be those treacherous officials who only care about their own interests and disregard the safety of the nation."

Li Shimin laughed and said, "You certainly know how to talk."

“Every word I uttered came from the bottom of my heart; I dare not speak nonsense.”

Li Shimin leaned back, closed his eyes slightly, and said in a deep voice, "How could I not know these principles? But reality will not reason with me."

"Since ascending the throne, I have been searching for an opportunity to completely unify the world, and the opportunity is now right before my eyes..."

"As long as we seize the opportunity, we can wipe out Liang Shidu in one fell swoop, and even use this as a springboard to point our swords at the Turks, to avenge the past grudge against Jieli!"

"But just at this crucial moment, one after another, deeply hidden thieves have emerged, and chaos is about to break out in Hebei..."

"If I am distracted by dealing with them and send troops to Hebei, I will inevitably miss this best opportunity... But if I don't deal with them, I can't send troops with peace of mind..."

Li Shimin was a general who conquered the world and was invincible in battle. When had he ever encountered such a dilemma?

He had a very high strategic vision, so he was well aware of how rare the opportunity was to deal with Liang Shidu and the Turks!

He himself might regret it for the rest of his life if he missed it.

However, at this very moment, so many unexpected events occurred that even someone as composed as him found it difficult to handle official business calmly.

I always find myself overthinking things.

The eunuch was surprised that Li Shimin would confide in him like this. He quickly said, "Your Majesty has already arranged for Assistant Minister Liu to investigate the case. Assistant Minister Liu is a brilliant judge with exceptional skills. I believe he will be able to find the real culprit for Your Majesty and resolve the crisis in Hebei Province."

Li Shimin simply shook his head as he listened to the eunuch's words of comfort.

Although he couldn't solve the case, he knew just how difficult it was.

Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji had specifically recounted the events at the crime scene to him…

The head was chopped off, incense was lit, and Li Jiancheng was cursed...

Liu Yuanming's accomplices were truly ruthless; once the case couldn't be solved, and the news reached Hebei Province...

It seems he has no choice but to send troops to Hebei Province even if he doesn't want to.

Liu Shuyi had at most one day to break through the carefully prepared trap set by Liu Yuanming's accomplices. Just thinking about it made Li Shimin realize how difficult it was.

Therefore, although he placed high hopes on Liu Shuyi, he was not very confident in his own abilities.

Even that confidence level is less than 50%.

That's why he was so upset watching the opportunity slip away.

"His Majesty……"

Just then, a guard reported: "Minister Du and Minister Changsun request an audience."

Why did Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji arrive at this time?
Could it be that Liu Shuyi has some news?
Li Shimin immediately sat up straight and said, "Let them in."

Soon, Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji entered the main hall.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." The two bowed in greeting.

"My dear minister, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise."

Li Shimin looked at the two men and couldn't help but ask, "My two beloved ministers have returned. Does Liu Shuyi have any good news?"

good news?
Du Ruhui knew how much Li Shimin hoped Liu Shuyi could solve the case, but unfortunately, he did not receive a message from Liu Shuyi.

He said to Li Shimin, “Your Majesty, Liu Yuanwailang has been tasked with investigating the case for less than three hours. In such a short time, and considering it is a carefully planned conspiracy by the thieves, I am afraid that even Liu Yuanwailang will find it difficult to crack.”

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed.

He rubbed his temples and said with a wry smile, "You see, I'm so worried that I've forgotten that Liu Shuyi has only been investigating the case for less than three hours. How could he possibly find out the truth in such a short time?"

Du Ruhui said, "Your Majesty, I understand. However, investigating a case is different from other matters. It cannot be rushed. We should wait patiently."

Li Shimin sighed, "I know I should wait, but I'm afraid the thieves won't give us that time."

He shook his head, suppressing these chaotic thoughts, and looked at the two men, saying, "If you two ministers did not come because of this case, then what is the reason for your return?"

Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji exchanged a glance, and then Changsun Wuji stepped out, his handsome and refined face showing an unusual solemnity.

"Your Majesty has ordered me to find Minister Li and instruct him to secretly mobilize troops to prepare for any potential unrest in Hebei..."

"At this moment, Minister Li told me something."

Li Shimin knew Changsun Wuji's temperament; for Changsun Wuji to look so serious, it must be something serious.

He sat up straight and asked, "What is it?"

Changsun Wuji looked at Li Shimin and said, "Minister Li said that His Majesty has ordered the Ministry of War to suppress bandits, reduce the bandit problem within the Tang Dynasty, and ensure the safety of the people..."

Li Shimin nodded. This was an order he had given last year. However, the Tang Dynasty was vast, and during those turbulent years, many people turned to banditry. Moreover, they had the cover of the mountains and forests, and were able to fight and escape. So, even after half a year, they had not been completely wiped out.

"As a result, while searching for bandits within the Hebei Province, they discovered..."

Changsun Wuji said in a deep voice: "There is not a single bandit in Hebei Province!"

"We asked the local government to report it, and the government said that there were no bandits in Hebei Province."

"But before His Majesty ascended the throne, we frequently received reports of villages in Hebei being robbed by bandits..."

Li Shimin was incredibly wise; upon hearing this, he immediately understood what Changsun Wuji meant.

"You mean..."

He stared intently at Changsun Wuji: "The mountain bandits of Hebei Province have been incorporated into the army?"

Changsun Wuji took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "They have either been wiped out or have been completely incorporated into a force that has been secretly formed."

"If they are wiped out, the local government will inevitably try to take credit for it."

"Therefore, both I and Minister Du believe that it is more likely that they will be incorporated into the government."

Li Shimin's heart sank.

Who can recruit the mountain bandits?

If it were bandits annexing each other, the officials of Hebei Circuit would have no need to hide it. After all, bandits who had formed a power base directly threatened their safety, and they needed the imperial court to help them eliminate them.

But these officials all said there were no bandits... so it's highly likely that they were recruited by them.

They were the ones who hid these bandits.

These bandits were all extremely vicious and could be ready to fight at any time...

The purpose of certain officials in Hebei Province in gathering and hiding these mountain bandits is self-evident!

Li Shimin's gaze was icy: "I had even considered whether I had wronged them or suspected the wrong people, but now everything is clear. Indeed, some people still remember their former masters!"

Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji sensed Li Shimin's anger and instinctively bowed even deeper.

"His Majesty……"

Changsun Wuji said, "They have secretly gathered a certain amount of power. What they are lacking now is a reasonable reason to rebel."

"And at this time, Ma Fuyuan died in the Duting Post Station arranged by our court, and his death was so tragic..."

"If this news reaches Hebei Province, I'm afraid they won't even wait for the court's verdict on the case; they'll take action immediately..."

"And this was done by Liu Yuanming's accomplices; their aim was to provoke a war between the imperial court and the former subordinates of Prince Xi..."

"Therefore, I fear..."

He looked at Li Shimin and said in a deep voice, "The news is already on its way to Hebei Province. Even if Liu Yuanwailang can solve the case in a day, I'm afraid it will be too late for us to send the truth to Hebei Province after a day."

"By then, they had already raised an army, so the truth was useless."

The eunuch's heart skipped a beat.

A look of fear involuntarily appeared on his face.

He never imagined that the situation would turn so bad in an instant.

Li Shimin's face turned even uglier. He had thought the chances were less than 50%, but now reality told him that there was not even a 10% chance, let alone 50%.

The enemy didn't give them even the slightest chance!

He had to take action against Hebei Province and had to give up his golden opportunity to unify the country.

Li Shimin clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth, saying, "These treacherous officials and villains, if I do not punish them, it will be against all reason!"

Although he was furious at losing the opportunity to unify the world, he remained calm and rational. Since the opportunity was gone, he decided to deal with the most pressing matter at hand first.

"Immediately order Li Jing to lead his troops to Hebei!"

"At the same time, order the cities surrounding Hebei Province to close their gates and hold firm, awaiting reinforcements from the imperial court!"

"The border cities are also keeping a close eye on other countries to prevent them from taking the opportunity to send troops to the Tang Dynasty..."

"at last……"

Li Shimin looked at Du Ruhui and closed his eyes: "Tell Liu Shuyi not to be too anxious. Since it's too late, time is not important. We just need to find the murderer."

Du Ruhui felt heavy-hearted, but he also knew that this was the best choice at this moment.

Liu Shuyi thus had more time, but he was completely unable to turn the tide.

It's all about timing and fate; there's nothing anyone can do about it.

"Yes."

Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji both nodded and said, "Your Majesty, we will do it immediately—"

"His Majesty……"

Just then, a guard's voice suddenly came from outside the hall: "Liu Shuyi, the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Justice, requests an audience. He says he has uncovered the truth, identified the culprit, and the other officials in Hebei Province also understand everything and are willing to write a letter back to Hebei Province..."

Brush it!
As the guard's voice faded, the vast Liangyi Hall fell silent in an instant.

Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji, who were about to turn and leave, suddenly stopped in their tracks.

What did they hear?
The case is solved?
Did Liu Shuyi really solve the case in less than three hours?
Moreover, he also gained the approval of other officials in Hebei Province.

If any letters they wrote were sent back to Hebei Province...

"His Majesty!"

The two realized something, and suddenly looked up at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin understood their meaning and asked directly, "Is there enough time?"

Changsun Wuji's eyes flickered, and he quickly said, "It takes at least four days and nights to travel from Hebei to Chang'an. Even if the bandits set off earlier, they would still have to wait for Ma Fuyuan and his men to arrive in Chang'an. That means they will be at most one day earlier than us. We have the best horses, the fastest messengers, and post stations along the way, which can ensure uninterrupted delivery of messages..."

"One day is enough to make up for it."

"so……"

"There's enough time!"

He looked at Li Shimin and said, "It's just in time!"

(End of this chapter)