The queen is spoiling the king and madly criticizing him for spoiling her

"Don't worry, I'll have dinner with the Queen and then go back to deal with it." Gu Jianchu's source of information was faster than the investigation of the Imperial City Bureau around him, and he also wanted to find out more about the Li family.

Why does the emperor like to go to Kunning Palace so often recently? She can’t eat the mutton soup that she asked the kitchen to prepare for her before leaving alone.

Yunhe heated up the floor steamer in the room, and soon after entering, he felt warm all over. On the other side, Zhuxia brought mutton vermicelli soup and grilled pork chops to the table.

Xie Ci'an looked at the table full of delicious food and glanced at Gu Jianchu, whose eyes sparkled, "I didn't expect the Queen to eat so well."

You ate bird's nest, chicken and mushrooms all day, and I only had mutton and vermicelli soup, and you still have the nerve to say I ate well.

If he didn't know the source of Gu Jianchu's mysterious information, he would have suspected that Gu Jianchu had planted spies around him to know such details.

"I made this in my own small kitchen. It tastes far worse than what the imperial kitchen makes. Your Majesty, please try it and don't be disgusted by it," Gu Jianchu served the first bowl of vermicelli soup to Xie Ci'an.

After serving the emperor, Gu Jianchu immediately served himself a bowl, and then broke the baked pancake into the vermicelli soup bit by bit.

Gu Jianchu had not yet finished his bowl of vermicelli soup when Wen Zhu, the commander of the Imperial City Division, came outside to ask for a meeting.

When Gu Jianchu was hoping that Xie Ci'an would take the opportunity to leave, Xie Ci'an ordered someone to call Wen Zhu in.

Wen Zhu has been following Xie Ci'an since he was a child, fighting on the battlefield with Xie Ci'an. After Xie Ci'an ascended the throne, he was parachuted into the position of commander of the Imperial City Division.

Wen Zhu entered the harem for the first time. She lowered her head nervously, not daring to glance around. After paying her respects to the Emperor and Empress, she reported, "Your Majesty, the Dali Temple and the Five Cities Military Commission have been working together to search for the missing child, but they haven't found him yet. However, there's another matter. The Dali Temple Minister mentioned that in the past three months, children between the ages of ten and fifteen have been frequently missing in the capital, both boys and girls."

Hearing this, Xie Ci'an slammed the table in anger, causing the teacup beside him to shake. "Why didn't you report such an important matter?"

Wen Zhu carefully looked at Xie Ci'an's face and told him the truth, "The Dali Temple has been searching for them, but they haven't found them. Plus, the missing children are all from ordinary families, so the matter didn't become a big deal, so they didn't dare report it to the emperor."

How come officials' children are considered children, but common people's children aren't? If we hadn't encountered them outside the palace today, who knows how long these officials would have kept this secret.

Gu Jianchu couldn't help but get angry, his face puffed up like a pufferfish.

"Who gave them the courage to deceive their superiors and subordinates?" Xie Ci'an's air pressure continued to drop.

Wen Zhu didn't dare to say a word and could only hang his head like a quail.

The missing children were all between the ages of ten and fifteen. What was their intention in kidnapping so many children? And they included both genders.

[Is the Prince Consort some kind of devil? I simply can't find words to describe him.]

Xie Ci'an frowned slightly.

What does this matter have to do with Li Shicheng?

Before Xie Ci'an could arrange Wen Zhu to investigate, Gu Jianchu's voice sounded again.

Those abducted children were unexpectedly sent to the garden Li Shicheng built in Jiangnan. Previously, the garden Li Shicheng built in Jiangnan was used to buy girls from human traffickers. In the past three months, those fools under Li Shicheng's command have had other ideas.

They thought of kidnapping the child, so they could save the money for buying the child and put it in their own pockets. They would give the child to the mother-in-law to teach anyway, and Li Shicheng didn't know it was kidnapped.

They specifically kidnap children from ordinary families. They know that even if ordinary people report them to the authorities, those officials won't make an effort to find them, and the matter will end up being left unresolved. The more officials act this way, the easier it is for them to act.

Although Li Shicheng was unaware of the child trafficking, the children were lost because of his selfish desires, so he is fully responsible.

Hearing this, Xie Ci'an's fingers under his sleeves gradually clenched into fists.

The wine forest and meat pool were just the private affairs of the court officials, and Xie Ci'an didn't want to interfere. Even if he poisoned the eldest princess, he just wanted them to fight among themselves.

Unexpectedly, Li Shicheng actually became an accomplice to the evildoer.

[Making a winery and a meat pond doesn't just require girls. What are they doing by kidnapping those boys?]

[I was short-sighted. I didn't expect they were popular with both men and women.]

Li Shicheng's winery and meat ponds weren't just for his own enjoyment; he also bribed officials in the court. Most of the girls he trained were sent to the offices of important officials in the court.

[Those who appear to be quite honest on a daily basis should not behave too outrageously behind the scenes.]

Gu Jianchu quietly glanced at Xie Ci'an beside him, only to see that Xie Ci'an's face was extremely grim. "The parents who lost their children must be very distressed. This matter cannot be left unresolved like this. The emperor should conduct a thorough investigation."

"This matter is of no small importance and warrants a thorough investigation. Since the Dali Temple Minister is unwilling to take this position, then someone else should take it."

Xie Ci'an turned to look at Gu Jianchu, "What does the Queen think about the matter of losing the child?"

Gu Jianchu was suddenly called and looked at the emperor in confusion.

What does Lao Deng mean? Why is he suddenly asking me what I think? Could it be that he thinks I'm involved in government affairs and is calling me out?

Gu Jianchu smiled gently, "I am just a woman, I just feel sorry for those abducted children, how could I have any other opinions?"

"The Queen has always known about this matter, and it doesn't count as her involvement in government affairs. So, please feel free to speak up."

She couldn't just stand up and accuse Li Shicheng.

Gu Jianchu organized her words and said, "I think they must have some ulterior motive for kidnapping children on such a large scale. They dare to act so recklessly right at the foot of the Imperial City. Perhaps they have someone behind them."

"I remember that the place where the child was lost was near the princess's residence. We can expand the search from the princess's residence. Maybe we can find something."

[I can only give you this much information. If I say more, I'm afraid I'll be suspected.]

Wen Zhu looked at Xie Ci'an.

"I won't have dinner with the Queen. I have important matters to go back and deal with." Xie Ci'an said this and walked out in big strides.

After leaving Kunning Palace, Xie Ci'an ordered in a cold voice, "According to the Queen's instructions, focus on the Princess's Mansion and investigate all officials living nearby. Also, investigate Li Shicheng's assets in Jiangnan and his movements."

Although she didn't know why His Majesty suddenly wanted to investigate the Prince Consort, Wen Zhu still acted according to His Majesty's instructions.

"I will personally monitor this case. Cheng Song, you must summon the Minister of Justice to the palace immediately." Xie Ci'an returned to Chuigong Palace under the cover of darkness.

At the same time, in Kunning Palace, Gu Jianchu finally managed to get Xie Ci'an to leave, but she had no appetite at the moment and was keeping an eye on the progress of the case through the system.