Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

"Your Highness, why do you want Yang Yuntao to go back?"

Ling Haoran was very confused by Chu Ning's order. He asked in a low voice before the servants from Yang's house arrived.

Chu Ning, who was drinking tea from a cup, said with a leisurely smile: "It is impossible for Yang Yuntao to leak the information by himself. He must have instructed someone in his house to do it."

"Yang Yuntao is a man of deep thoughts. It is impossible to make him confess. We can only start with the people around him."

"Lord Ling has been in charge of the Ministry of Justice for many years. It's impossible that he doesn't even know this, right?"

His question made Ling Haoran smile bitterly: "I just think that we don't need to let Yang Yuntao return home at this moment."

There was certainly no problem starting with the servants in the Yang Mansion, but he couldn't understand why Yang Yuntao was let go.

Chu Ning smiled mysteriously: "Lord Ling will understand from now on."

Ling Haoran fell silent.

He knew that Chu Ning didn't believe in him.

Chu Ning didn’t tell him about his subsequent plans because he didn’t want the prince to know.

After all, he is the prince's father-in-law. If he really knew Chu Ning's plan, he would definitely inform the prince.

Thinking of this, Ling Haoran sighed inwardly. He knew that although he didn't want to get involved in the party struggle, he was still dragged into it.

All he could do now was to cooperate with Chu Ning as much as possible and deal with the matter of Yang Yuntao's leak.

Chu Ning looked at the silent Ling Haoran with a playful look on his face.

The two of them had their own thoughts, and the hall fell silent.

Half an hour later, the people from Yang Mansion were brought there.

A yamen runner stepped forward and saluted, reporting: "Your Highness, Prince Chu, bring all ten servants from the Yang Mansion here!"

"We are honored to see His Majesty the King of Chu, Lord Ling." Ten people knelt down one after another.

Chu Ning took a quick look and saw that this group of people included both men and women, young and old.

At the front was an old man in his fifties dressed in blue, dressed as a butler, and the rest were either guards or servants.

Chu Ning fixed his eyes on the old man and asked calmly, "What's your name, and what's your position in the Yang Mansion?"

"I am He Qing, the housekeeper of the Yang Mansion."

"Oh? The housekeeper of the Yang Mansion, so Yang Yuntao will tell you everything?"

"This... I dare not. I will do whatever Lord Yang tells me to do."

"Really? I'm asking you, did Yang Yuntao tell you to do anything during the period before and after the Lantern Festival?" Chu Ning pressed.

He Qing thought for a moment and answered carefully, "It was the Lantern Festival during that time, so the adults asked me to prepare things for the festival."

Chu Ning frowned: "Is that all?"

"Yes, Your Highness, if you don't believe it, you can ask other people." He Qing was worried that Chu Ning would not believe him, so he even brought up other people.

Chu Ning glanced at the others, and the remaining nine people nodded: "Your Highness, during that time every household was preparing for the festival."

"Yes, we are busy almost from morning till night."

"My Lord attaches great importance to the Lantern Festival and asked them to prepare a lot of things."

Everyone was talking at once, and Chu Ning got a general idea of what was going on. During that period, the servants in the Yang Mansion had no time to go out and do other things.

Is the clue going to end here?

Thinking of this, Chu Ning narrowed his eyes and pointed at He Qing: "Follow me to the back hall!"

He Qing was stunned, but still stood up and followed.

Ling Haoran looked at the two people's departing backs, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, but he still needed to interrogate them in the lobby, so he could only watch Chu Ning and He Qing leave.

Back hall.

There was no solemnity here as in the lobby, and the quiet environment made He Qing feel less nervous.

Chu Ning stood in front of the main seat with his hands behind his back, looking calm: "Your master has been dismissed from his post. I am ordered to investigate. If you know his crimes, you can tell us now."

He Qing's face changed, and he was about to refuse, but Chu Ning continued: "This is the opportunity I give you to redeem yourself from your crime and make meritorious service. If you miss it, your fate will be the same as your master's!"

As soon as these words were spoken, He Qing's face changed drastically.

Yang Yuntao was carried back just now, and he still remembers his miserable appearance vividly.

Thinking about my old age, if I were beaten like this, I would probably die.

However, he felt guilty about betraying Yang Yuntao.

To be honest, Yang Yuntao was quite nice to him.

For a moment, He Qing hesitated.

Chu Ning was not in a hurry and stared at the man calmly.

After a moment, He Qing sighed and bowed, "Your Highness, Prince Chu, I really don't know what crime my master has committed."

Chu Ning narrowed his eyes, and a cold light flashed across them.

"Since you don't know, then go back!"

Chu Ning did not embarrass this man, but waved his hand to signal the bailiffs outside to take this man back to the lobby.

He Qing breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed and left.

As soon as this person left, Ran Ming outside couldn't help it. He came into the hall and said with a puzzled look on his face:

"Your Highness, why should we let this man go? Judging from his appearance, he probably knows something. Severe torture may give us what we want."

Chu Ning raised the corner of his mouth slightly and glanced at him: "Since this person dares to refuse me, I have made all preparations. Even torture may not make him speak."

"As for letting him go, I naturally have other plans. Ran Ming, you immediately take a team to find this man's family and arrange for them to be in a safe place."

Ran Ming was stunned: "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

"Just do as you're told!"

"Yes!"

Although he didn't understand why he did this, Ran Ming knew that this was Chu Ning's order and he had to obey.

Looking at Ran Ming's departing back, a playful look appeared on Chu Ning's face.

The bait has been put down, and now it depends on whether the fish will take the bait.

With a light chuckle, Chu Ning put his hands behind his back and turned to head towards the lobby.

On the lobby.

Ling Haoran looked at He Heqing who was brought back, and was about to ask something when Chu Ning came out from the back hall.

Ling Haoran suppressed his curiosity and bowed quickly.

Chu Ning sat down in the main seat and asked casually, "Master Ling, did you find out any useful information?"

Ling Haoran's face changed slightly: "Your Highness, please forgive me. I didn't get any clues."

Chu Ning shrugged: "In that case, let them go back!"

Ling Haoran was stunned.

go back?

Let them go back just like that?

Don't you want to interrogate me further?

While thinking, He Qing and the other ten were extremely excited and kowtowed quickly: "Thank you, Your Highness the King of Chu!"

Chu Ning waved his hand: "Go down."

The ten people quickly got up and left, not wanting to stay in the lobby of the Ministry of Justice for even a moment.

Seeing the ten people leave, Ling Haoran frowned and asked, "Your Highness, now that we haven't found any clues, what should we do next?"

The emperor only gave three days, and as the Minister of Justice, he was of course anxious.

But Chu Ning looked calm and said, "Don't worry, Lord Ling. I will find evidence within three days."

"As for now, Lord Ling, please deal with other matters in the Ministry of Justice. I have important matters to attend to, so I will not stay any longer."

After saying this, Chu Ning stood up and left.

Ling Haoran looked at Chu Ning's departing back with surprise, sighed, then left the Ministry of Justice and headed straight for the East Palace.