The emperor faked his death? Never mind, I will ascend the throne directly!

Li Chengfeng looked at the people kneeling in the hall and asked the young man first, "What's your name, and what's your relationship with that girl?"

The young man said, "Your Majesty, my name is Dazhu. That girl is my sister. She's been bullied, and I want to protect her."

"Oh? Your sister sold herself to bury her father. She used the money to bury him. Do you have the money to redeem her?"

"I will work hard, even if it's dirty or tiring. But my sister can't leave."

As he spoke, the young man kowtowed to Li Chengfeng, "Your Majesty, please help me, please Your Majesty, please help me, I can't let him take my sister away."

Li Chengfeng became interested when he saw the young man who dared to ask him for help directly.

"I helped you, how will you repay me?"

"I am willing to serve Your Majesty, even if it means death!"

"Okay! Since you're willing to risk your life to protect your sister, I'll help you this time."

The young man kowtowed repeatedly with joy and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty."

The emperor at the top laughed and ordered Tiezhu to take the man to find his sister, and make other plans later.

The young man left with many thanks.

Li Chengfeng turned his gaze to the trembling man and said, "Tell me what evil things Zhao Gui has made you do. Tell me everything clearly!"

The latter's face was pale. "I...I...I'm a rough man, only responsible for the business of buying and selling people. Two years ago, I was drinking with my brother, and he told me about a good job that made money quickly and easily, and I was tempted."

"Later, my brother took me to see a steward. He told me that I only needed to find some girls between the ages of ten and fifteen and bring them to him. He would pay two taels of silver for each girl. I was confused for a moment and agreed..."

Hearing this, Li Chengfeng's expression turned even uglier. "How many times have you sent girls to that steward? How many each time? Where did those girls go afterward?"

"I haven't counted carefully, but every time, the manager would send someone to tell me how many girls he wanted and where to send them. In total, there must have been about a hundred girls. After I got to know the guy who delivered the message, I had drinks with him a few times."

At this point, the man swallowed and his voice became much softer.

"One time, he was drunk and told me that those girls who said they were slaves were actually sent to warm the beds of those high-ranking officials."

"These girls were bought by Zhao Gui, the governor of Yangzhou. He preferred girls aged thirteen or fourteen. He had his servants take them to be trained. Some he enjoyed himself, while others were sent to higher-ups for bribery."

"We've had a disaster here, and there are so many little girls being sold at such low prices, so I thought I'd buy a few more..."

Li Chengfeng laughed in anger: "You really don't care about their lives!"

More than a hundred girls were bought in just two years, and one can imagine what happened to them.

This guy said that the girls were bought, but how many of them were kidnapped?

"County Magistrate Gao!"

"The minister is here."

"I command you to execute these scum who disregard human life immediately! Behead them immediately!"

"Sir, obey the order!"

After hearing this, County Magistrate Gao was extremely angry.

It's ridiculous that those poor girls are being sold as commodities before they even grow up!

He ordered the yamen runners to bring the guillotine and behead these human traffickers.

After venting their anger, everyone felt relieved.

Chen Tingshu bowed to Li Chengfeng and said, "Your Majesty, since you revealed your identity today, you may have been targeted by someone with ulterior motives."

"I think you should return to the capital as soon as possible."

Li Chengfeng said he was not in a hurry. It seemed that he only brought one follower, Tiezhu, with him this time, but in fact, almost all the secret guards were dispatched.

Except for those who have missions, the others are secretly protecting the emperor.

"Come here, collect these men's heads. I want to give the governor of Yangzhou a great gift."

"Yes."

The yamen runners retreated with the bloody head in their hands.

"Mr. Chen, I have come all this way and have noticed that the disaster relief work here is well organized. You are a hero."

"I am deeply apprehensive. This is all due to your Majesty's teachings."

"Gao Qing, the levees in Yuxiang County are the most severely damaged. Do you admit your guilt?"

County Magistrate Gao knelt down quickly and said, "I am guilty, but before Your Majesty punishes me, I would like to show you something."

Li Chengfeng asked County Magistrate Gao to stand up and followed him to the inner courtyard, with Chen Tingshu and Tiezhu following behind.

County Magistrate Gao called the county magistrate and asked him to take out all the county annals and point out any problems in the records.

At this time, everyone's faces became serious.

"Come, tell the new county magistrate to come see me."

"Yes."

The soldier guarding the door ran away.

Soon, the old county magistrate who had told Li Chengfeng about the history of Yuxiang County arrived.

"I have met Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty!"

The old man bowed to the ground as soon as he entered the door. He never expected that the young man who appeared in his house was the current emperor!

"Get up."

Tiezhu stepped forward and helped the old man up.

"I benefited a lot from the last candlelight conversation with you."

"I called you here this time because I have some questions for you."

"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it. As long as I know something, I will tell you everything."

Then they pointed out the doubtful parts of the records in the county annals, and the old man answered them one by one.

In addition to the discrepancy between taxes and disaster relief funds, there was also a discrepancy between the funds reported for the construction of the dam and the actual funds used.

The old man asked someone to bring the list of people who built the dam that year, which was hidden at home, and told them how much silver each person reported and how much silver was actually used.

With this comparison, the gap in silver and money was found.

"Your Majesty, arrest him. Now we have irrefutable evidence."

"That's what I meant."

As he was speaking, a soldier outside the door shouted:

"Report, two gentlemen outside who call themselves Lord Xiong and Lord Jiang are with several thousand elite soldiers and say they are looking for Your Majesty."

"Xuan."

I saw two generals in armor waiting at the gate with a heroic and proud look on their faces.

The people who came were Xiong Haikuo and Jiang Long.

The two were instructed by Emperor Jianwu to protect the young emperor.

They asked the army to wait where they were and followed the soldiers to the backyard.

After seeing Li Chengfeng, he bowed reluctantly.

Although they were dissatisfied with the emperor's implementation of the new policy, it was the old emperor who gave them the orders. It was so frustrating.

"Be flat."

Li Chengfeng didn't bother to exchange pleasantries with them and directly ordered, "You've come at the right time. I'll give you a list of names. Take it and raid their homes."

"Bring them to me, dead or alive!"

Xiong Haikuo and Jiang Long exchanged a glance, suppressed their doubts, and said, "As you wish."

The news that Li Chengfeng is in Yuxiang County has not spread widely yet, so what we are fighting for now is a time difference.

It wouldn't hurt to cut the Gordian knot and deal with a batch of dog shit and bedbugs before they even realize what's going on.