Accidentally dressed as an empress

In the lobby of the Supreme Court, Yunxiu was sitting on a chair, and Su Erli was standing straight behind the chair. An attendant from the Supreme Court came over to add tea for her.

Yunxiu asked Su Da to go out and find help, hoping to catch up.

In the interrogation room at the back hall, Ren Li was held by two tall and strong female guards. He cried out to the Grand Secretary, "My lord, I am just a small businessman. My lord, what have I done wrong?"

Li Min said, "Some merchants have reported that you are hoarding grain and are reluctant to sell it, profiting from the national crisis. Ren Li, what do you have to say?"

"No, sir, how could I be profiting from the national crisis? I stepped forward at the critical moment to save the people from disaster. At that time, there was a famine, and Lord Xu came to us to discuss purchasing grain. Those who are willing to sell grain can go to the Grain Market Bureau. This is the purchase order signed by the Grain Market Bureau and me. I will show it to you right away."

The female guard let go of Ren Li. Ren Li moved his uncomfortable shoulders and took out a handful of wooden tablets from his purse. The wooden pieces were about half the size of a palm and were strung together with ropes.

Li Min took the wooden slip and glanced at it. One wooden slip represented 100,000 shi.

Ren Li tucked his hands into his sleeves and said calmly, "This has the seal of the Grain Market Department on it, so it can't be fake. If you don't believe me, you can summon the officials from the Grain Market Department to confront me face to face."

"Ren Li, you are just a small silk merchant, where did you get so much food?"

"Sir, this is my own business. Do you think that when you go to the street to buy a candied haws, you have to find out which hawthorn tree the hawthorns are picked from?"

Li Min frowned and asked, "What is your relationship with His Highness? Did His Highness instruct you to stockpile food?"

Ren Li smiled and said, "I am a guest of His Majesty's residence, that's all. His Majesty doesn't have the ability to see through the heavens, so why would he instruct me to stockpile food in advance?"

"Then why are you hoarding grain?" Li Min asked, "Merchants like you wander around everywhere, so you might have some connection with the Rong people."

Ren Li waved his hands quickly. "The Tongrong tribe is a big deal. I dare not even think about it. How can you make a conclusion without any words? As for this grain, I just want to stockpile it for emergency use. Who will know what will happen next?"

"You're just trying to make yourself heard. You're not telling the truth, are you?" Li Min glanced at the two inspectors standing nearby and said, "Use torture."

Ren Li howled loudly, "Help! Help! The master is trying to force me to confess! Why are you beating me? I... am innocent!"

Yunxiu kicked open the door of the interrogation room. Inside, Ren Li was pinned to the torture bench, struggling with his hands and feet. Yunxiu shouted, "Master Li! Are you trying to abuse your power and punish me?"

Yunxiu asked the system, "Where did the relationship between this Li Min and the original owner go?"

[The original owner and the Grand Secretary had only met twice, and their relationship was only as small as a fingernail. He couldn't be relied upon at a critical moment.]

It's unclear what kind of personality this Grand Secretary Li Min has. But Li Xian is a very stubborn person. Could it be that she is truly ruthless?

Yunxiu said in a calm tone, "My guest official is Ren Li. She is the eldest daughter of the Ren family, who are in the cinnabar business. Lord Li, please don't hurt her."

Li Min's eyes turned cold. "She hoarded a large amount of grain for no reason and used it to profit from the national crisis. I suspect she was colluding with the Rong tribe and learned the news in advance."

Yunxiu was surprised. "How is that possible? How could Lord Li make such a conjecture?"

At this time, Xu Ling walked in with two female officials from the Grain Market Department. The helpers she sent Su Da to find arrived just in time.

Xu Ling was a peacemaker. He said to Li Min, "Sir Li, you've arrested all the big merchants who cooperated with my grain market. How can I live like this? The next time there's a natural disaster, no merchant will be willing to sell grain."

Li Min took out the wooden tablet and said, "Ren Li has hoarded so much food. Her intentions are sinister."

A female official said, "Sir Li, Ren Li doesn't have much grain in stock. Most of the grain was transported from Lingguan City and Liyang City by her caravans. We verified it when we purchased it, and there's no problem."

Li Min's face darkened. He asked, "Ren Li, why didn't you tell me?"

Ren Li smiled like a scoundrel, "Sir, if I tell you, will you believe me?"

"Okay! Since your money is earned from normal business, then you can leave." Li Min said to Ren Li.

Xu Ling bowed and said, "It's all a misunderstanding. As for the other merchants, Lord Li, please show some mercy after you have thoroughly investigated them."

"I will investigate thoroughly." Li Min said to Xu Ling, then turned to Yun Xiu, "Your Highness, you have too close contact with merchants."

Yunxiu's face showed a look of understanding, and she followed Li Min's words and said, "Oh. I can't interact with merchants, but aristocratic families can open businesses in Lingyun City. Is that right?"

Li Min's face was completely black as the bottom of a pot.

Yunxiu spoke bluntly. If you want to discipline others, you should set a good example yourself. You're already mired in filthy waters, and yet you expect others to be pure?

Xu Ling laughed, "Your Highness is joking, hahaha."

Yunxiu also laughed, "I'm kidding. I'm not afraid of the Grand Secretary's investigation. Although Ren Li is a guest official in my palace, I have never provided her with any convenience in doing business. Ren Li's success today is entirely due to her own efforts."

Li Min pulled an ugly smile and said, "Your Highness, I will naturally investigate."

Yunxiu bowed and said, "If there's nothing else, we'll leave first."

After coming out of the Supreme Court, Yunxiu and Ren Li got on the carriage one after another, with Su Da and Su Er driving.

Yunxiu asked her, "Ren Li, do you remember who you offended? Who reported you?"

Ren Li scratched the back of his head and said, "No."

[Host, Ren Li has offended countless people. She sourced silk and cinnabar directly from the Wang family and her own family, engaging in price wars that cost many middlemen their profits. She also leaked rouge recipes and collected grain from abandoned granaries, selling it to other merchants at inflated prices. She's clearly a dishonest businessman, yet she's so slow to realize it.]

Yunxiu was embarrassed when the system said this, "Okay."