Accidentally dressed as an empress

two days later

As night falls, dim candlelight shines through the window lattice and fades into the dark night.

In a private house on the outskirts of the city, Li Ying hosted a banquet and invited a large group of students. The tables were filled with fragrant wine and delicious delicacies, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

Li Ying sat in the main seat, smiling at the group of young faces, these were the people she had carefully selected. They came from well-off families and could afford it.

Li Ying raised her glass and gestured to the group of students. She said, "Tonight, we won't talk about fame, fortune, or success, but only about ambition."

Everyone was drunk and some were singing passionately while playing the zither.

Outside the house, someone was approaching quietly.

The location His Highness had found was truly remote. Tan Juan led the way, and after walking five miles out of the west city gate, they finally saw this house.

The concierge was very surprised when he saw the newcomer, "Second Miss?"

The patrol officer beside Li Xian quickly stepped forward and knocked the doorman unconscious to the ground with a single blow of his hand.

Li Xian looked at Gu Zezhi and said, "I won't go in."

Li Xian and others were on the periphery, and they led people to surround the private residence in the western suburbs.

Gu Zezhi kicked the door open with the inspector, coldly looking at the people running around the room, and then said to the startled Li Ying: "Sir Li, you are trying to sell official positions and forming a clique for personal gain. What is your crime?"

The people in the house were in a panic. Some wanted to escape, some wanted to resist, but they were all subdued by the patrol officers of the yamen.

At this time, Li Xian led the garrison troops to form a circle outside, holding bows and arrows, looking ahead expressionlessly, listening to the movements inside.

Someone came to their senses and shouted, "This is a trap!"

Gu Zezhi looked at Li Ying coldly, waiting to see how she would respond. "Master Li, what did you do? The students said you set a trap for them."

Li Ying's face was pale, but he still pretended to be calm and said, "No, I just wanted to invite all the students to my home. We just had a few drinks and chatted for a while. Isn't it a bit too much for Envoy Gu to break into a private house like this?"

Gu Zezhi sneered, "Excessive? If you didn't have those shameful deeds, why would we come here? None of you can escape."

At this moment, a sudden angry shout was heard, "Let me go! I want to argue with you!" Everyone looked and found that it was one of those who had been arrested.

The arrested student shouted, "Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're in a large group. Breaking into a private residence like this is a violation of Yun State law. I'm going to see the officials at the Internal Affairs Office!"

Gu Zezhi sneered when he heard this, "Okay, I'll take you to see the official right away. The official is waiting outside. Let's see who is right!"

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand and a group of people escorted everyone outside.

When the people who were making the most noise saw that the Minister of Internal Affairs was outside, they immediately lost their arrogance.

Li Ying was trembling with rage upon seeing Li Xian. She pointed at Li Xian's nose and shouted, "You unfilial daughter, how dare you betray our family! Well, I was wondering how you knew the location, and it turns out it's you! My sister raised a good daughter, and you're amazing! You're using the Li family's future as a stepping stone for yourself?!"

She wanted to cooperate with the Crown Prince and Inspector Gu in order to protect the future of the Li family.

Li Xian lowered his eyes and said, "I am only investigating the case truthfully. Whether the Grand Tutor has violated the laws of the Yun Kingdom will be discussed with Your Majesty."

Li Ying glared at Li Xian fiercely.

Gu Zezhi and Li Xian escorted the Grand Tutor back to the Imperial Secretariat, and at daybreak they brought Li Ying into the palace to let His Majesty decide his fate.

Not long after, daybreak came.

Gu Zezhi sent people to take the captured young students back to the Imperial College.

Gu Xiuzhi received this group of people and took a quick look. They all looked unfamiliar and were probably students who graduated from the Imperial College two years ago.

Gu Xiuzhi's expression was very serious. He asked, "Do you realize your mistake?"

One person was filled with righteous indignation and said, "Bah, the Grand Tutor is the treacherous villain. He took the money, didn't do the job, and now he turns around and blames us, selling us all out."

"If you don't try to curry favor with the powerful and use money to pave the way for others, and don't bribe the officials appointed by the court, how can others cheat you? When you choose to take shortcuts, you should have considered the consequences of losing both your money and your life, and you can't blame others."

After Gu Xiuzhi finished his scolding, he turned to the students at the Imperial College and asked, "Who in the Imperial College has been to the Li residence? Stand up."

"Anyone who doesn't come forward and allows the Inspector to investigate will be expelled immediately."

The seven of them looked at each other, and one of them stood up and said, "Director, I went to the Li Mansion and waited at the door all day."

The remaining six people also took a step forward.

One of the short students said, "Yes, the gatehouse requires money to enter. We are poor and have no money, so we can only sit on the doorstep and wait."

"That's it. A whole day wasted."

Gu Xiuzhi's face darkened. "He's unstable. You guys, go clean the toilet for a month!"

Gu Xiuzhi shouted, "Hurry up and go!"

The seven people walked out with their heads hung.

The remaining students whispered to each other, muttering, "The Dean is too strict."

Gu Xiuzhi leaned on a bamboo stick and said, "Now, you will write a policy paper on how to clean up the bureaucracy and how to strengthen the Yun Kingdom. I will give you two hours.

No discussing, no whispering, no secretly flipping through books allowed. Just submit the paper as it is written.

Anyone who dares to use previous articles to fool me, like those seven people, will be disqualified."

Two hours later, Gu Xiuzhi collected the answer sheets, considered them over and over again based on their usual academic performance, and shortlisted the outstanding students, ready to submit them.