Transmigrated into a seven-year-old child, my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens.

Yang Mei was both amused and exasperated. She couldn't believe that even after almost 20 years, he still remembered it.

"By the way, Zhaolian, didn't you just say you wanted to tell your godfather a story? What story is it? Tell me about it."

Yang Mei remembered what Zhao Lian had said earlier and quickly changed the subject.

"Yes, what story were you trying to tell?"

Upon hearing Yang Mei's explanation, Prefect Song indeed fell into the trap.

"Madam, the meal is ready." Cuizhi walked over with small, quick steps.

Zhao Lian rubbed her belly and mumbled, "Godfather, let's eat first, I'm hungry."

Prefect Song was so anxious; she had just started the conversation but then stopped talking, which really drove him crazy.

“Zhao Lian is right. It’s lunchtime now. Let’s eat first.”

Before they knew it, it was noon. Seeing that all the food was served, Zhao Lian didn't stand on ceremony.

For lunch, Aunt Liu steamed buns, fried a few eggs, boiled minced meat and tofu, and made an amaranth soup.

The famine among the common people is their problem; it will never let the prefect go hungry. Besides, Suizhou City is not yet at its lowest point.

After eating and drinking her fill, Zhao Lian rubbed her stomach, leaned back in her chair, picked her teeth with a bamboo skewer, and said lazily, "Godfather, this is no ordinary story. I can only tell it to you."

"Think it over carefully. If you're willing to listen, I'll tell you. If not, pretend I didn't say anything. This is no small matter; it could potentially lead to your death."

Yang Mei and Prefect Song rarely saw her so serious. They exchanged a glance, feeling vaguely uneasy.

"Master, I think we should just forget about it," Yang Mei said, somewhat uneasy.

Since Zhao Lian said she couldn't tell her this story, she guessed that it was no ordinary matter and that knowing it wouldn't do her any good.

However, Prefect Song's curiosity had been piqued, and the more Zhao Lian tried to avoid talking about it, the more he wanted to know.

"Oh dear, just tell me already, you're driving me crazy!" Prefect Song said anxiously.

Zhao Lian said mysteriously, "Alright! Godfather, since you want to know, let's talk somewhere else."

"Alright, let's go to the study!" With that, Prefect Song stood up and walked towards the study.

……

Under the blazing sun, a cycling team galloped along the official road, led by a tall and sturdy man.

This man had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was dressed in a dark green outfit and had a pair of piercing eyes. He looked very imposing.

This man was Song Wenjie, the son of the current Grand General and Prefect Song.

"Hurry up, hurry up!"

A young man spurred his horse on its flanks, gripped the reins tightly, and waved to those lagging behind, urging them to catch up.

This young man was named Liu Yu, and he was Song Wenjie's adjutant. He had a square face and piercing eyes.

Following Song Wenjie, he said indignantly, "General, His Majesty is being too unfair to you. When he needs your help, he treats you with the utmost respect."

Just when we thought we had pacified the barbarians, the Emperor actually betrayed us and sent you, a great general, to this wretched place.

Saying they'd help the state officials resettle refugees to prevent riots is a real waste of talent.

"Any one of our men could do this job. Isn't this blatant bullying? This is just a disguised way of demoting you to the position of supervisor..."

Listening to Liu Yu's nagging, Song Wenjie's lips curled up: "Alright, look how angry you are, I'm not even angry!"

Liu Yu rolled his eyes: "General, I feel indignant for you, how can you still laugh?"

Song Wenjie's mouth twitched slightly: "Alright, alright, we've come this far, let's just make the best of it."

Liu Yu suddenly remembered something: "By the way, General, why don't we go and beg the Third Prince to say a good word for us at the Holy Mountain?"

Song Wenjie said coldly, raising his voice, "Liu Yu, I've already told you, this matter is settled, don't worry about it."

"You know that the Third Prince neglects state affairs. He's too busy taking care of himself. Now that the Empress Dowager isn't watching him, are you going to cause some trouble before you're satisfied?"

Seeing that Song Wenjie seemed a little angry, Liu Yu quickly shut her mouth.

Five years ago, by chance, Song Wenjie, who was studying in Beijing, was strolling on the street when he happened to see a thief stealing a handsome man's purse.

Song Wenjie happened to witness this scene, just as the thief was running in Song Wenjie's direction. Song Wenjie immediately tripped the thief and easily captured him. That's how the two met and later became good friends.

However, the Third Prince kept his identity a secret until later, when Song Wenjie was appointed as the Grand General of Dingchao.

When he went to court, he discovered that he was also there. What he didn't expect was that he was actually the Third Prince Zhu Yuanzhang.

Song Wenjie had always been curious as to why the Third Prince was so low-key and had no presence.

There are five princes in the current dynasty. Apart from the third prince who is normal, two of them are born with disabilities, and the other two have suddenly become obsessed and insane for some unknown reason. Song Wenjie vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

The Third Prince was a low-key person, practically invisible in the palace, with little interest in fame or fortune. After the late emperor's death, Wu Liana became the most powerful woman and helped her son Zhu Ji ascend the throne.

To protect himself, the Third Prince Zhu Yuanzhang neglected state affairs and rarely attended morning court sessions, but this was only on the surface.

He had always suspected that there must be more to the story than met the late emperor's sudden death. Furthermore, there was the story of Princess Mingmei of the previous dynasty, who was abducted en route to her marriage alliance, and the disappearance of a large amount of gold and silver jewelry. All of this raised far too many questions.

Knowing that the Emperor had summoned Song Wenjie to the palace a few days ago and issued an edict to send him to Hengnan Prefecture, the Third Prince found Song Wenjie.

Recalling what the Third Prince told him before he left the capital, Song Wenjie is still shocked.

During this period, a rumor has been circulating in the palace that the Empress Dowager's recent irritability may be related to Eunuch Gao.

The eunuch Gao, who served the Empress Dowager, had not been seen for a long time. It seemed that he had secretly left the palace and had not returned for a long time.

The rumors even became more and more outrageous, claiming that Eunuch Gao was the Empress Dowager's male favorite, serving her in bed.

The Third Prince also told him something else, saying that he suspected the current emperor was not the late emperor's biological son, because his facial features looked exactly like those of Eunuch Gao.

There had been suspicions before, but no one dared to speak out. Now that Grandpa Gao is away and has not returned, things are getting worse.

According to the prince, scouts reported that Eunuch Gao had previously gone to Changting County in Lianzhou, but now all the disaster victims from Lianzhou have been relocated to Hengnan Prefecture.

Taking advantage of his demotion to Hengnan Prefecture, the Third Prince specifically instructed him to secretly investigate the matter thoroughly, and to question people from Changting County, Lianzhou, more closely.

This is no small matter; it concerns the royal bloodline and the stability of the country. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager is in power and short-sighted, while the current emperor indulges in revelry every night and completely neglects state affairs.

Neighboring countries were eyeing the Hanjiang Dynasty covetously, and if things continued this way, the Hanjiang Dynasty would be in grave danger. Song Wenjie of the Hanjiang Dynasty knew the importance of this matter and agreed without hesitation.