Marry my elder sister? Fine! I'll give you the letter of annulment and marry someone else.

So Li Yan, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, came here despite his old age.

When he came, his expression was complicated. "Zhi'er, I've heard about everything. Are those things related to you?"

Song Zhi blinked and pretended to be dumb. "Uncle Li, what's going on? I'm just doing my job honestly, doing my rouge and powder business. I don't know anything about it."

Seeing her like this, Li Yan said in a heavy tone, "Some things cannot be changed by your own strength. I can still handle this matter right now. You should stop immediately to prevent it from coming to the Emperor."

Song Zhi pursed her lips. She knew that Li Yan was doing this for her own good.

However, if she stopped, it would mean that all her previous efforts would be in vain, and that so many women would fall into dire straits again, and their situation might even get worse because of the losses they had suffered these days.

She sighed softly and looked straight ahead, "Uncle Li, I have a clear conscience."

"You kid."

Li Yan was helpless and was about to scold her when a sneer suddenly came from the side.

"Why, Lord Li, are you trying to bend the law in public for personal gain?"

Following the direction of the voice, I saw the virtuous king dressed in brocade clothes slowly walking out of the sedan chair.

A group of servants stood behind him, and the people automatically made way for him.

"I dare not." Li Yan bowed slightly and saluted.

Song Zhi jokingly said, "Bending the law for personal gain? It seems that Your Highness has convicted me without any evidence."

The wise king was calm and composed. "Do you dare to say that the women from the families who were hurt are not hiding here? Of course, you don't have to answer. Whether it is true or not, we just need to go in and check and we will know."

Song Zhi's eyes flickered. It seemed that this wise king had investigated her and was therefore busy convicting her.

But what if we checked it?

Song Zhi's smile did not fade as he slowly walked up to the virtuous king and said, "Those women are indeed with me."

Li Yan's expression changed, "Child, don't talk nonsense."

As he spoke, he winked at Song Zhi to secretly send those women away. His men had surrounded the place, so they could leave through the back door and no one would stop them.

Song Zhi, however, seemed not to notice and said slowly, "I'm not kidding. Those women are indeed with me."

Li Yan frowned and moved his fingers to let his men go and notify Song Yang.

The wise king showed his determination and said, "Since it is with you, what else can you say?"

Song Zhi was a little amused. "I don't need to quibble, Your Highness. They are indeed with me. I took them in because I saw that their family was in trouble and I felt sorry for them. Is taking them in out of kindness also illegal?"

The virtuous king choked, "Don't confuse right and wrong. It's widely rumored that your shop helps women. Do you really think we are fools?"

"how could be."

Song Zhi was still not in a hurry. "I took them in, and solving their survival problems is of course helping them."

"This is not the help I'm talking about."

"But this is all I have done. What kind of help do you think this is?"

The two looked at each other, and there seemed to be invisible smoke of gunpowder in their eyes.

Li Yan quickly stepped forward to separate the two of them, "Your Highness, calm down. This girl Zhi'er has been spoiled by Old Song since she was a child. Please be magnanimous and don't bother with her."

After a pause, he continued, "Children are young and ignorant, and they certainly wouldn't do those things. There must be someone else behind this. I hope Your Highness will give me time to investigate this matter."

"Give you time?"

The wise king said coldly, "Do you think I'll give you time to find a scapegoat and let her escape?"

Li Yan was sweating profusely, "I dare not."

"Since you don't dare, let me investigate it myself!"

After saying that, he walked straight into the shop despite Li Yan's obstruction.

Outside, the people cheered for the wise king.

"Investigate her! Your Majesty is wise and wise. We must not allow these officials to protect each other."

"That's right. Ever since my sister came here, she's been acting like a spoiled brat. She doesn't cook or clean the house anymore. She even wants to divide the family property and start a business. For a woman to have such thoughts, she's probably rebelling against heaven."

"Your little sister is just being a little bitchy, but the bitch in my family is so brave that she even fights back after being beaten. She's really giving her face, so I kicked her so hard that she can't get out of bed for three days."

"Hahahaha, it still has to be you."

The men burst into laughter, and Song Zhi silently memorized the man's appearance.

With the support of the people, the wise king became even more arrogant.

After entering the shop, he scanned every corner one by one, and finally his eyes fell on the road leading to the backyard.

He smiled grimly, "Miss Song, I have to check this backyard too."

Song Zhi didn't say anything, because even if she disagreed, the wise king had already made the decision today, so it would be better to save her breath.

The virtuous king walked into the backyard with his hands behind his back and immediately saw a yard full of women who were suffering at home.

They were like frightened birds holding books in their hands, and some were even covered with scars. Long-term lack of food and clothing made them pale and thin, and they looked like they would fall down with a gust of wind.

But the virtuous king could not see these things. He only saw the books in the women's hands, and excitedly ordered them and Song Zhi to be arrested.

"These women are linked to several attacks in Beijing and must be apprehended and thoroughly interrogated."

"As for Miss Song."

There was a hint of viciousness in his tone, "It's really suspicious to take these women in. Moreover, he opened a school without any documents, allowing these women to learn to read and write. Tian Gang is guilty of this crime and should be executed. Come, arrest them together!"

At the command of the wise king, people immediately came up and arrested everyone in the backyard.

Li Yan stepped forward to persuade him, "Your Highness, we can discuss this. Zhi'er is just a young girl who has just come of age. She will definitely not make such a big mistake."

The virtuous prince remained unmoved. "The evidence is irrefutable. Lord Li, why lie with your eyes open? The emperor will make the final decision on who is right and who is wrong."

He coldly pushed Li Yan away and took Song Zhi and a group of women to the prison.

When he reached the door, he whispered in Song Zhi's ear, "Miss Song, you must regret rejecting the olive branch I extended to you that day."

Song Zhi thought about it and said casually, "Oh, you mean that."

She curled her lips in anger and uttered three words in a decisive tone, "No regrets."

As soon as the words came out, the wise king's face turned green.

The onlookers did not hear the conversation between the two, but they cheered when they saw the women and Song Zhi being arrested.

"The wise king is mighty!"

"The wise king is wise!"

"I wonder if this woman in my family still dares to disobey me. She really thinks that someone can make the decision for her. Women are born to be subordinates. Her life and death depends on my words."

"Wise King!"

"Wise King!"

The shouts of the men around were deafening, and it was clear that not a single woman echoed them.

They stood at a distance, their fists clenched, their eyes filled with hatred, but they dared not speak out.

At this moment, the reputation of the wise king suddenly rose.

This is exactly why he came here.

Not only did he want to drag the ungrateful Song Zhi into the water, he also wanted to gather the people's reputation to help him go further.