Uncle Detective Di Renjie, I build a crime-solving team

Li Cunxi was taken aback, then said, "My uncle has returned to Taiyuan. He started his journey home half a month ago."

"That old bastard..." Wu Zetian cursed irritably, "He didn't even come to visit me before he left. He's so old now, the next time I see him will probably be at his funeral."

Her eyes betrayed an unconcealable sense of loss.

The two men, ruler and subject, understood each other well for seven years, through thick and thin. Although there were times when they were separated, they were able to maintain a proper relationship for most of the time.

Who would have thought that Di Renjie, that scoundrel, would run back to his hometown without saying a word?

You know, in this era of slow travel, when you meet your friends again after parting ways, their children may already be quite grown up.

For older people like them, when they part ways and meet again, it might be at the other person's funeral hall... or it might be at her funeral hall, where she is eating offerings while watching Di Renjie weeping below.

She remained silent for a long time before saying, "That old man."

Li Cunxi wisely remained silent until the disappointment in Wu Zetian's eyes subsided somewhat, then he sat up straight and said:

"After I return to the palace, I will order the imperial physicians to select tonics and send them to you. You should rest and recuperate for a while and not think about things you shouldn't think about."

"I'm going back."

Wu Zetian slowly rose to her feet: "This old woman will see Your Majesty off."

"No need, just get some rest."

Li Cunxi left the main hall and walked to the door. He subconsciously looked back and saw Wu Zetian standing on the threshold of the main hall, her hand on the door frame, looking at him.

"It's late, King Xia, you should rest early."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Wu Zetian paused, watched Li Cunxi leave, coughed softly, and shakily returned to the main hall.

Zhang Changzong hurriedly came out from the back room and helped her walk to the backyard.

"His Majesty knew you were here, but he didn't touch you; that's giving me face."

"Changzong, your vision is far inferior to Chengsi's. By the time you try to curry favor with Cunxi, it will be too late."

“After I die, there will definitely be officials who want you dead. If you don’t choose to guard my tomb, you will surely die.”

Zhang Changzong recognized reality and stopped dreaming of a carefree life.

As the emperor's male favorite, his fate was actually sealed long ago.

He was either beheaded after the emperor died, or he spent the rest of his life as the emperor's tomb keeper.

After all, the two words he said for Li Cunxi in the Bloodstained Eagle case back then were not enough to make the entire court spare his life.

To be honest, if he had invested in Li Cunxi from the beginning like Wu Chengsi and devoted himself to Li Cunxi, the entire court would have reluctantly allowed him to live a carefree life after Wu Zetian abdicated.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing.

"I understand. When King Xia passes away in the future, I will definitely ask His Majesty to allow me to guard his tomb. From this day forward, I will do so until my death!"

"Okay, I'm very happy that you made this decision."

Wu Zetian looked at Zhang Changzong's face, which looked as if it had been wiped clean, with great satisfaction, and couldn't help but think of Zhang Yizhi again.

Through Zhang Yizhi, one can naturally recall the four famous male favorites of the Wu Zhou dynasty.

Xue Aocao, well-endowed and skilled in bed!

May your righteousness endure forever!

Zhang Changzong had a face as beautiful as a peach blossom!

Zhang Yizhi was both talented and handsome!

Times have changed and things and people have changed.

Xue Aocao faked his death and escaped to a place thousands of miles away.

Huaiyi died at the hands of villains in the Snake Spirit case, and the mastermind behind it all was her good nephew, Wu Chengsi. She had known this for a long time, but she couldn't reveal it. She believed Wu Chengsi knew she knew the truth, and neither of them spoke out, preserving some semblance of decorum.

Zhang Yizhi was buried alive as one of the murderers in the Xue family massacre, and he was also the first shovel of earth to be filled by the mastermind Wu Sansi.

Of the four male favorites, only Zhang Changzong remains by his side.

"Changzong, help me back to rest..."

Wu Zetian took a couple of steps, then, as if remembering something, she turned to Zhang Changzong and said:

"You're not young anymore, it's time to find a suitable woman to carry on the family line."

"After I pass away, someone will make arrangements for you."

……

Several days passed in a flash.

Under Wu Yancheng's meticulous planning, a new conspiracy unfolds.

Barkley, who had sent many gifts, appeared outside the Liang Prince's Mansion. Looking at the grand plaque, he couldn't help but marvel.

It can only be said that Wu Yanhao was the emperor's childhood playmate. Before he was even twenty-four years old, he was already a third-rank official and was granted the title of Prince of Liang. His status was high and his power was immense.

I glanced at the grand vermilion gate, then at the stone lions guarding the gate on either side, the menacing-looking doormen and old gatekeepers standing there, and the guards behind them holding sticks...

"Vice Minister Wu, is this really how you welcome someone, or are you going to beat me to death with sticks?"

Barkley felt a chill run down his spine.

During his time in the Tang Dynasty, he was ripped off and spent countless amounts of silver, and was also targeted by the Tang court officials.

On both occasions when he entered Luoyang, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, Li Cunxi refused to meet him first, which was completely unlike the attitude one would show to a foreign envoy... This time was even more important, and Li Cunxi still refused to see him despite him bringing the alliance letter.

"Don't worry, I grew up with King Liang and I were practically naked. I received real benefits from him, so of course I won't forget him."

"My concern is certainly not whether he received any benefits; I'm worried that I'll be beaten to death with sticks as soon as I enter the Liang Prince's mansion, on the grounds that I entered with my left foot first."

"No, that's not his style. If he truly hated you so much that he wanted to kill you, you'd be in your coffin by now..."

Wu Yancheng paused for a moment, then said, "Don't you think about it? Judging from your current reputation in our Great Tang, if he wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be alive today."

“Yes, I know, I know, Prince Jin is his biological father!” Barkley wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Good to know. Come on, let's go in and meet my dear brother." Wu Yancheng said smugly, "It's his honor to have a brother like me. He hasn't forgotten me since he got the benefits."

The two arrived at the door, and Wu Yancheng led Barkley inside.

The old doorman and doorman, who had just looked fierce, now made welcoming gestures and showed genuine smiles.

"Your Highness is here."

"Yes, I know this place well. You don't need to have anyone follow you. I'll take the envoy directly there."

Wu Yancheng, familiar with the route, led Barkley to the second hall.

The sunlight piercing through the withered leaves shone on Barkley's face, as if good things were about to happen.

Barkley took a deep breath and looked at Wu Yancheng, who was sitting slouching in the chair with a nonchalant expression, showing no signs of a king's authority.

"Envoy Barkley greets His Highness King Liang."

He took a deep breath and introduced himself.

Wu Yanhao slowly sat up straight:

"He harmed my father and now he wants to harm me! Drag him out and beat him to death!"