Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

This was Zhang Jingwei's first time visiting the main courtyard. The courtyard was surrounded by flowers and plants, with some stone locks and a wooden stake in the center. It seemed that Huangfu Changshui was exercising regularly.

When I walked into the study, I saw Huangfu Changshui holding his chin and playing with the pen on the pen holder.

"My Lord, my son-in-law is here."

Huangfu Changshui glanced at Zhang Jingwei and replied coldly, "Hmm."

Zhang Jingwei asked, "I wonder why my father-in-law called me here so late at night?"

"I heard you and your teacher are investigating a smuggling case!"

"This is a government matter, and my son-in-law is not too involved."

Huangfu Changshui stood up, walked up to Zhang Jingwei and asked, "Why is Zhu Banshan in my mansion?"

Zhang Jingwei answered truthfully: "The Grand Master has asked me to take care of the witness."

Huangfu Changshui held his shoulders and sighed deeply.

"The Wang brothers smuggled salt and tea and secretly stored armor. They deserve the death penalty! But you should never have gotten involved in this mess."

After saying that, he sat down on the chair next to him and motioned Zhang Jingwei to sit down as well.

"Let me tell you about your father, your father's death..."

Zhang Jingwei thought: As expected, Huangfu Changshui knows the truth.

"My Huangfu family is a family of military honors. We followed Taizu to conquer the world, but successive emperors valued civil affairs over military affairs, and our family declined."

"Your father and I both came from Liangzhou, the central province. We were both students. However, I was dull and failed the exams after a few years, while your father had already passed the imperial examination and even won the first place."

"In the end, he passed the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy, while I went to the military camp and became a soldier."

Zhang Jingwei was surprised and asked, "My father was an official?"

"You haven't forgotten your father's name, have you?"

"Ah, this..."

Huangfu Changshui shook his head helplessly.

"Your father's name is Zhang Lian. He was also very ambitious in the Imperial Academy and was highly regarded by the Emperor."

"Unfortunately, he was later drawn into a factional dispute and became a victim. Someone accused him of forming a clique for personal gain, and the emperor was furious and had him thrown into prison."

"Fortunately, His Majesty didn't take his life, so he resigned and came to the north to do business."

"At that time, Yunzhou... was still under the jurisdiction of the 'Chahar Tribe'. We met here, and it was then that I learned that he had already started a family and had you." When he said this, tears welled up in Huangfu Changshui's eyes.

Zhang Jingwei was filled with grief and indignation after hearing this. Then something suddenly occurred to him.

"Wait a minute, isn't my father-in-law serving in the army at the Central Command? Why is he in the Northland, which is under the jurisdiction of the Rong Clan?"

Huangfu Changshui's old face turned red.

"I was captured and made a slave... and bought by your father..."

The scene was a bit awkward and Zhang Jingwei didn't say anything else.

"Um... continue!"

Huangfu Changshui adjusted his mentality and continued, "It was your father who bought out all of us militiamen and gave me a large sum of money. That's how I was able to recruit soldiers and overthrow Chahar's rule."

"We recaptured most of Hedong Road and were eventually recruited by the King of Jin."

"Three years later, I led my army back to Yunzhou. Your father united all the local gentry and heroes and easily drove the Rong people out of the border."

Zhang Jingwei was very surprised when he heard his father-in-law's words. He didn't expect that his father was actually a local hero. Then the charge of treason was nonsense!

"Your father is very capable. Chahar already knows everything. Since you are still alive."

Zhang Jingwei snorted coldly: "Humph, I didn't die at the hands of the Rong people, but I died at your hands."

"Wei'er, the reason why you and your son were able to survive is because the Khan of the Rong tribe had close ties with your Zhang family..." Huangfu Changshui said earnestly.

Zhang Jingwei's hands were tightly clutching his collar, and he was trying hard to control his emotions.

"Do you think I will believe it?"

Huangfu Changshui naturally noticed this little detail and quickly explained, "Your father and I are sworn brothers. He is my eldest brother, how could I possibly harm him?"

"Besides, what do I want? You talk as if I can become the emperor..."

Huangfu Changshui suddenly realized that he had said the wrong thing and stopped talking.

Zhang Jingwei slammed the table and stood up, roaring at his father-in-law: "I don't understand. What did my father do? Why did he make friends with the Khan of the Rong people? What did he do wrong? Why was he given the evil posthumous title of treason?!"

Huangfu Changshui waved his hand to signal the guards around him to go out, and then looked at Mu Tou who was standing behind Zhang Jingwei.

After getting Zhang Jingwei's affirmative nod, Mu Tou followed him out.

Huangfu Changshui pulled out a piece of white paper from the desk and wrote: - The secret decree of the late emperor!

He then spoke slowly, "The late emperor successively appointed nine crown princes, but none of them survived. After the late emperor's death, the civil officials supported the eldest grandson of the emperor to succeed him, who is now the emperor. It is said that he once fell seriously ill and his brain... Alas..."

Huangfu Changshui put away his sorrowful expression and continued, "It is rumored that the late emperor secretly summoned your father before he left the palace and took away a secret decree, which is very likely the decree of succession!"

Zhang Jingwei brainstormed for a moment: "This... this logic doesn't make sense... If it's the succession decree, it should be given to the royal family, why is it with my father!"

Huangfu Changshui said, "Rumors are a murderous knife. Gossip is groundless. The more the princes around you show favor to your father, the faster the knife sharpens!"

"The Zhang family's wealth rivals that of a nation thanks to these vassal kings," Huangfu Changshui continued. "Of these vassal kings, the Prince of Jin is the most powerful. He wants to use the secret decree to distort the truth."

"But your father refused to hand it over. The night before he set himself on fire, I had already received an order to confiscate his property... He would have died anyway! Your father did this to protect you..."

After listening to his father-in-law's words, Zhang Jingwei grabbed his short hair and paced back and forth.

"Actually, they all know that there's no such thing as an imperial edict. Only with my father can I be emperor without any hesitation. Now whoever my father says is emperor is the emperor!"

Huangfu Changshui nodded in agreement, "That's the truth."

Zhang Jingwei's expression turned ferocious, his eyes filled with murderous intent. He gritted his teeth and said, "You're killing loyal officials just for your so-called 'King's Game'. Where's your conscience?!"

Huangfu Changshui shook his head and said, "No, no, no, Wei'er, you are wronging me. Your father has already entrusted you to me. He has already thought of this situation. This is his worst-case scenario!"

"Then are they going to win me over next and ask me to hand over the imperial edict?" Zhang Jingwei had a gloomy face and his tone was as cold as ice.

"So it's best if you really lose your memory and become my son-in-law. I can protect you until I die!"

Zhang Jingwei was silent for a long time, and finally said slowly: "I understand, but I really can't swallow this anger."

Huangfu Changshui patted his shoulder and said, "You are still young. I didn't want to tell you this, but my deceased elder brother certainly didn't want to see you so depressed. Look, you even cut your hair."

Zhang Jingwei took a deep breath and tried to calm his inner turmoil.

"How about this? Tomorrow, take my warrant and go to the garrison camp and select any captain. You can investigate any case you want, or kill any person you want."

"As long as you feel better, do whatever you want. No matter how big the problem is, I will shoulder it for you!"

Zhang Jingwei clapped his hands and feigned cheeriness, saying, "Really? Tomorrow I'll lead my troops to kill the Prince of Jin!"

Huangfu Changshui almost vomited blood.