I have been a county magistrate for ten years. My subordinates insist on giving me a yellow robe.

East Factory.

Chen Liu waved his hand with a dark face and asked Wei Yong to take the things away.

"Captain, what should we do? We can't just rush over and grab them, right?"

Chen Liu took a deep breath. He was unwilling to do this unless it was absolutely necessary.

Let’s not talk about what the crime of robbing people from the city defense army is. If this really happened, how many people in the entire East Factory would die.

"Don't act rashly for now. I'll go to the palace." Chen Liu stood up.

If you want Jiang Yuan to come out now, most likely you can only ask Duanmu Xiongtu to give the order.

After saying this, Chen Liu got up and rushed to the palace. He finally met Duanmu Xiongtu in the imperial study who was teaching Duanmu Yuanchen how to review memorials.

"The East Factory Commander Chen Liu requests an audience!"

Chen Liu was anxiously waiting for the eunuch to pass on the news. After a while, a voice of "Announcement" came, and Chen Liu immediately walked quickly into the imperial study.

"I am here to see you, Your Majesty, and to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Get up, what's the rush? The morning court just ended not long ago."

Chen Liu glanced at Duanmu Yuanchen beside him with a hidden look. Judging from the Crown Prince's character, he really regarded Jiang Yuan as a friend. If he really knew about it, he might just rush out.

Duanmu Xiongtu immediately understood, stood up and looked at Duanmu Yuanchen: "Yuanchen, take a good look at these memorials, I'm going to go out and relax."

After the two of them left the inner room, Duanmu Xiongtu looked at Chen Liu and said calmly, "Tell me, what did you do without Yuan Chen's knowledge?"

Chen Liu bowed and saluted, saying in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, Xue Zhen led the city defense troops to capture Jiang Yuan early this morning."

Duanmu Xiongtu immediately understood.

When they first entered the city, Jiang Yuan took Duanmu Yuanchen and a few others and broke through the blockade of the city defense army. It is not surprising that they were discovered now.

"Okay, I understand. Is there anything else?"

Chen Liu looked at Duanmu Xiongtu in surprise. What do you mean by knowing?

Shouldn't it be, I will give an oral order now, and you take them to rescue them?

Why did Jiang Yuan break into the city defense army? It was for Duanmu Yuanchen. Duanmu Xiongtu should not have reacted like this according to both emotion and logic.

Looking at Chen Liu's reaction, Duanmu Xiongtu couldn't help but shake his head and said in a low voice, "Fool, the Yang and Ning families are now facing each other in court. Once Jiang Yuan, the witness, is released, the Yang family will be finished."

Chen Liu felt a tingling sensation on his scalp that he hadn't come, but he still said, "Your Majesty, should Jiangyuan be preserved or not?"

Duanmu Xiongtu's face turned cold: "Don't you understand what I'm saying? Do you think Jiang Yuan is more important, or the entire Yang family?"

Chen Liu trembled all over and immediately understood what Duanmu Xiongtu meant.

After all, Duanmu Xiongtu still didn't want the Ning family to win this war without gunpowder. Once the Yang family fell, the Ning family would definitely occupy a large number of court positions again, and it would probably be more difficult to sanction them in the future.

"The Yang family can lose, but they must not lose miserably, do you understand?" Duanmu Xiongtu said with a gloomy expression.

The Ning family is now showing signs of becoming too powerful to escape. If they are allowed to step on the Yang family, who in the court will be able to stop them in the future?

Jiang Yuan was called by Su Su as a witness, and he was obviously on the side of Su Su and the Ning family.

"But, but he did that for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Chen Liu said bitterly.

How could he not understand the many twists and turns involved?

But even if Duanmu Xiongtu didn't rescue Jiang Yuan immediately, he should at least leave a message and not kill him.

"Chen Liu, when did you learn to act on your emotions? Or do you think that I am repaying kindness with enmity by doing this?" Duanmu Xiongtu narrowed his eyes and stared at Chen Liu like a hunting beast.

"I dare not, I absolutely dare not!" Chen Liu lowered his head deeply.

Duanmu Xiongtu waved his hand impatiently: "Alright, go down, don't interfere in this matter anymore."

"Jiang Yuan does have some talent, but the Great Duan Dynasty is vast and has never lacked talented people. Sacrificing Jiang Yuan is nothing."

"Yes, I'll take my leave." Chen Liu slowly walked out of the imperial study, only to see Duanmu Xiongtu still standing at the door, staring at the sky, as if he was looking very far away.

Chen Liu felt as if his heart was blocked and he couldn't breathe.

It is understandable that they want to curb the Ning family, but why must Jiang Yuan be sacrificed?

Chen Liu couldn't understand and didn't know when Duanmu Xiongtu became like this?

Is it really necessary to be like most emperors in history, starting out as flesh-and-blood people but eventually turning into an imperial machine?

"It shouldn't be like this..."

Chen Liu lowered his head and murmured, then slowly walked out of the palace and headed towards the East Factory.

At the same time, Ning Yang, who had caused a lot of trouble in the city, finally had his trial under the attention of the public.

The Ning family and Su Su, who were originally very proud, completely changed their expressions when Sima Gong Huang Sheng announced the appearance of the witnesses.

It was not until this moment that Su Su looked outside the court in astonishment. Everyone, whether they should come or not, had arrived.

But the only witness missing was Jiang Yuan, who was the one who should have come.

"Princess Su Su, what's going on? Where is the witness you agreed on?" Ning Zhiyuan's eyes were almost spitting fire.

Without witnesses, Yang Cheng would never give up. Originally, the Ning family had the upper hand, but now the situation has become one-sided.

"I, I don't know either. The details were discussed by Ning Chuan and Jiang Yuan." Su Su frowned.

Ning Zhiyuan looked angrily at Ning Chuan who was standing beside him. The latter immediately shrank his neck and cursed Jiang Yuan in his heart.

"Hahaha! Where are your witnesses? Where did you get them?! From what I see, you clearly want to blow me up!"

"I tell you, I, Yang Cheng, will never let you go. Tomorrow I will explain everything you've done in front of His Majesty!"

After saying these harsh words, Yang Cheng let out a long sigh and turned to leave.

Everyone else in the lobby looked at each other in bewilderment. No one had expected the situation to develop into this state.

The Ning family, who had almost been certain to win, suffered a crushing defeat due to the lack of witnesses. In the end, Sima Gong used the excuse of insufficient evidence to postpone the case. Now it is unclear when the trial will be held again.

Ning Zhiyuan looked at Su Su deeply, then turned around and left angrily.

After the group walked far out of the lobby, Ning Zhiyuan could no longer bear it. He suddenly turned around and kicked Ning Chuan to the ground.

"Where's Jiang Yuan? I'm asking you, where is Jiang Yuan?"

"Didn't you tell me that you've already dealt with Jiang Yuan?! Didn't you say that Jiang Yuan would definitely reveal Yang Qingfeng's actions in court and bring disgrace to the Yang family?!"

"Tell me, who is the one who is ruined now?"

"Ahhh!"

Ning Zhiyuan, who had vented his anger crazily, kicked Ning Chuan twice more. Ning Chuan, who was lying on the ground, was trembling all over and didn't even dare to scream.

"Uncle, I, I really gave the banknote to Jiang Yuan. I don't know why he didn't show up." Ning Chuan said tremblingly.

Ning Zhiyuan grabbed Ning Chuan's collar with a ferocious look on his face: "You don't know? Do you think I know?"

"Do you know how much the Ning family has paid for this trial? Do you know that the emperor is already dissatisfied with our Ning family?"

"If we don't seize this opportunity, the Ning family will just have to wait to be cut by a blunt knife and worn down bit by bit!"

"When that time comes, you, Ning Chuan! You will be the sinner of the entire Ning family!"