After becoming a princess, she fell in love with the emperor of the enemy country

After Zhang Ji came in, he looked around and had a puzzled expression on his face, as if he hadn't figured out the situation yet.

Xuan Yelan coughed lightly, and Liu He bowed, signaling the secret guards who were escorting Zhang Ji.

The two men nodded, and each of them kicked Zhang Ji's knee. With a "bang", Zhang Ji fell to his knees.

Qi Wuyou blinked in fear. This scene was obviously intended to cover up one's tracks. If they were to kill you, a normal person would have knelt down and begged for mercy.

What happened to Ershi? Did his little bug eat Zhang Ji's brain? Then, would Zhang Ji be stupid?

Fortunately, the pain seemed to have awakened Zhang Ji's mind, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am innocent!"

Qi Wuyou breathed a sigh of relief, as long as he wasn't stupid.

Xuan Yelan got angry when he heard Zhang Ji cry out that he was wronged. "I have already found out that Liuzhi is a deserter who hid his identity and ran a butcher business in South City."

"Sometimes he hired someone to kill someone, and you paid him. Liu He saw it with his own eyes. I want to ask you, how do you explain it?"

Zhang Ji has been in a depressed state ever since he was captured in broad daylight, and he still hasn't come up with a solution after such a long time.

"Your Majesty," Zhang Ji stammered, "Your Majesty...I bought the meat from him."

Xuan Yelan sneered, and Liu He understood and took over the conversation, "Master Zhang is very generous. He took 8,000 taels to buy meat."

When Zhang Ji heard this, his face turned pale. At first, he only brought two thousand taels to find Liuzhi, but when Liuzhi heard that he wanted to kill her daughter, she insisted on taking ten thousand taels.

Zhang Ji naturally disagreed. In his eyes, even his daughter was not worth these ten thousand taels.

But if Liuzhi bites to death, he will ask for ten thousand taels.

Helplessly, Zhang Ji had to promise him that he would give him the remaining eight thousand taels only if he confirmed that Zhang Ruoning was dead.

He didn't expect that he had been targeted for a long time, and was caught red-handed by the chief eunuch in the imperial court when he gave eight thousand taels to Liuzi.

Zhang Ji was so anxious that he broke out in a cold sweat and could not utter a word to argue.

Xuan Yelan asked again, "Is this eight thousand taels the reward you gave to Liuzhi for killing Zhang Ruoning?"

After these words were spoken, although Duke Anguo and Ma Yu were experienced men after all, they could remain calm on the surface, but Duke Anguo's clenched fists still betrayed him.

Behind the screen, Princess Rui'an and Ma Yuanzhu held Zhang Ruoning's hands on the left and right, and were even more nervous than she, the person involved.

Ge Qiu, who was standing behind Qi Wuyou, was also stunned when she heard this. She didn't expect that someone would actually attack her own daughter.

Ge Qiu clenched his fists again, wishing he could punch him in the face. It seemed that no matter whose child he was, he only loved himself the most.

Zhang Ji gritted his teeth. The person was already dead, there was no evidence, and Liuzhi would not betray him.

As long as he refuses to admit it, Your Majesty will not be able to do anything to him.

Xuan Yelan saw through Zhang Ji's intention and sneered, "Are you thinking that since Zhang Ruoning is already dead, I can't do anything to you as long as you refuse to admit it?"

Zhang Ji paused. Was his expression so obvious?

Xuan Yelan snorted coldly and lied without changing his expression, "You can't imagine that your crimes were witnessed by others, right?"

He said this with no ulterior motive, he just wanted to avoid involving Zhang Ruoning if possible.

Zhang Ji broke out in a cold sweat when he heard this. Xuan Yelan's words were too calm, which made him unsure whether he was trying to trick him.

But Zhang Ji was really nervous, otherwise he wouldn't have missed the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren sitting behind the screen.

Zhang Ji gritted his teeth and refused to admit it. "I am innocent."

Xuan Yelan raised his eyebrows and gave Liu He a look on the side, "Okay, let's not talk about this for now, let's talk about something else, let's talk about what happened to the eight thousand taels."

Liu He took out a dozen silver bills from his sleeve, which were the ones he personally gave to Liuzhi yesterday.

Zhang Ji said, "This is what I saved."

These words made Xuan Yelan laugh so hard that he picked up the inkstone on the dragon table and smashed it on Zhang Ji's forehead.

"Saved? Can you tell me how you saved it?"

"Don't tell me this is your salary for these years."

"My dear Ma Yu has been the Minister of Revenue for almost twenty years and he can't come up with eight thousand taels of silver. But you, the Vice Minister of Revenue, have only been in office for a few years and you can come up with eight thousand taels of silver?"

Ma Yu on the side nodded in agreement. He really couldn't come up with eight thousand. Then he realized that His Majesty was saying that he was not as greedy as his subordinates?

After working as the Minister of Revenue for so many years, he is still a pauper in the end?

Duke Anguo on the side rolled his eyes at Ma Yu, and understood a little, but what was this direct subordinate like?

If he were to say, Ma Yu is also responsible for this matter.

Ma Yu was caught off guard and met the slightly angry look of his father-in-law and was startled.

No, what did he do again? Why are you looking at him like that?

Zhang Ji lowered his head and couldn't say a word. No matter how he explained it, it made things worse.

He could neither explain his relationship with Liuzhi nor how he could possibly come up with eight thousand taels at once.

He looked at Duke Anguo and Ma Yu who were sitting on the side, thinking that he must not admit to hiring a killer. If he admitted it, he would be dead today.

He looked at Xuan Yelan again, but he could not admit to selling contraband salt.

No matter which one he chooses, he will be dead.

Seeing Zhang Ji in a dilemma, Xuan Yelan struck while the iron was hot, "If you tell me who is behind this, I might be able to spare your life."

Zhang Ji's eyes widened when he heard that, and he lowered his head and didn't dare to speak, for fear of revealing any flaws. Does His Majesty know everything?

Xuan Yelan did not miss Zhang Ji's surprise and added, "This is all thanks to someone, otherwise I would still be in the dark."

As he said this, he glanced meaningfully in the direction of Qi Wuyou.

Everyone followed his gaze and looked at the little queen behind the screen.

It was also the first time that the An family knew that His Majesty had long suspected Zhang Ji because the little queen had reminded him!

Even Duke Anguo, who had always been prejudiced against Qi Wuyou, was full of admiration.

Qi Wuyou lowered his head and avoided Xuan Yelan's gaze. Really, why should he say it out loud at this time? It's all thanks to her, so why not prepare a thank-you gift for her?

She had to say it in front of everyone, causing them to stare at her. It was so embarrassing!

At this time, Zhang Ji finally noticed the screen on the side of the imperial study.

He could vaguely see several figures inside, but Zhang Ji was not in good spirits now, and even if the imperial study was bright, he could not see the figures inside clearly.

However, one of the figures was very familiar. It was his wife who had been with him for many years. "Yuanzhu?"

Zhang Ji decided to play the emotional card, "We have been married for many years, don't you believe me?"

"When I want to pamper Ningning, how can I..."

Zhang Ji's eyes were red, and he was heartbroken. "Why would I send someone to do such a cruel thing to Ning Ning?"

Qi Wuyou smacked his lips. Zhang Ji really acted anytime and anywhere. Madam Ma must have been fooled by Zhang Ji's expression of looking at a dog.

Zhang Ji kept calling his beloved daughter his most beloved daughter, but he still hadn't noticed that his so-called most beloved daughter was sitting next to Madam Ma.