The Emperor Reigns Them All

Li Ye was in a good mood when he returned to the Manor from the street. It was a good thing that he figured out the root cause of the convergence of Luck and how to improve cultivation rapidly.

As soon as he entered the Manor, Wang Li came over to report to him hurriedly, "Vice magistrate, something wrong has happened!"

Li Ye stopped and turned to look at Wang Li. "Why are you being so panic?"

"Just now, the officials of the Central Judicial Department took away the members of the Changhe Gang and the attackers with His Majesty's edict!" Although Wang Li was anxious and spoke fast, his thoughts and words were clear. He said in a concise way, "The Central Judicial Department is going to take over the case with His Majesty's order! And the Chang'an Office doesn't have to interfere!"

"His Majesty's edict? The Central Judicial Department?" Li Ye frowned slightly.

"The Central Judicial Department is the trusted force of Wei Baoheng!" Wang Li answered immediately.

Li Ye nodded. Li Cui's purpose was very obvious that he intended to protect Wei Baoheng.

He soon figured it out. Wei Baoheng must have seen Li Cui and talked Li Cui into Wei Baoheng's side soon. From the news from Wang Duo and Lu Yan, Li Cui even didn't ask their opinions.

"Wei Baoheng, this old guy, does have some means." Li Ye thought that balance was the most important mean of an emperor, but Li Cui was so partial to Wei Baoheng. But he didn't think it strange because all the incompetent emperor in history were partial to their favored ministers.

"You return to the Chang'an Office first." Li Ye let Wang Li go back first. He thought that since Wei Baoheng had convinced Li Cui, he could only ask Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue for help. In terms of the intimacy with Li Cui, the left and the right Lieutenant of the Regal Guards weren't worse than the ruling Prime Minister.

With this in mind, Li Ye planned to go to Prince Pu's Manor.

After a few steps, Li Ye frowned suddenly and a strange feeling rose in his heart. He looked back at Prince An's Manor, and then he called a guard suddenly. "Go to tell Shangguan Qingcheng that let Song Jiao hide all her men."

The guard didn't understand, but he obeyed the command strictly. He immediately promised.

Li Ye estimated that Li Cui's being so unreasonable probably had something to do with his exposure of power.

When Li Ye came to Prince Pu's Manor, he met Tian Lingzi who was in a hurry. Tian Lingzi was surprised to see Li Ye and he came forward immediately. "Your Highness, I'm going to invite you!"

It seemed that Li Yan also heard the news. After all, bringing down Wei Baoheng meant to get rid of the right-hand man of the Eldest Prince, which was the most important thing at present and related to the overall situation of Li Yan's ascending the throne, so Li Yan had certainly been keeping his eyes on it.

When he saw Li Yan, Li Ye unexpectedly found that there was a person sitting in the hall.

That was Liu Xingshen, the left Lieutenant of the Regal Guards and Tian Lingzi's adopted father.

Upon seeing Liu Xingshen, Li Ye was a little bit shocked. The breath of the other side was so powerful that he had a strong oppressive feeling. After his transmigration, he had never felt such great pressure, just like a mountain pressing in his heart. Even Song Jiao's aura was far behind his.

Li Ye thought, "I'm afraid that Liu Xingshen's cultivation has already reached Level 9 of Qi-refining and probably achieved the Great Completion of Level 9 Qi-refining!"

When Li Ye looked at Liu Xingshen, Liu Xingshen also looked at him. This eunuch had a white face and no beard. He looked very handsome. He looked like he was in his forties, but he was definitely more than that. Although Liu Xingshen had a feminine temperament, he wasn't vulgar. On the contrary, he gave people a sense of openness and integrity. More importantly, he was dignified.

"Your Highness Prince An!" Liu Xingshen got up to salute.

"Lieutenant Liu!" Li Ye cupped his hands.

When Li Ye was seated, Liu Xingshen squinted at him for a while and said in an admiring tone, "Prince An's fame has lately become more and more legendary. Other people may not know your power, but I'm very clear about it!"

Liu Xingshen might not be mocking, but in Li Ye's view, his smile was very weird and made Li Ye felt uncomfortable and feminine.

"Let's put aside the gossip and get down to business first."

Li Yan was impatient and looked at Li Ye with a solemn face. "Lieutenant Liu went out of the Imperial Palace personally to bring bad news this time. Wei Baoheng has met His Majesty and mentioned the past of the Battle of Bagong Mountain. He also mentioned that many of the followers who you have gathered are the former subordinates of the old Prince An... In a word, Wei Baoheng meant that you intend to slander him!"

This guy didn't talk clearly and completely perhaps because he was impatient. Liu Xingshen was afraid that Li Ye couldn't understand the cause and effect in detail, so he explained it to Li Ye from beginning to end.

It was true that eunuchs' control of the Imperial Palace was beyond the imagination of outsiders. Liu Xingshen repeated the conversation between Wei Baoheng and Li Cui to Li Ye almost word for word. If Wei Baoheng had been here, he would have been very surprised.

After hearing it, Li Ye's gaze became cold and resentful. "What Wei Baoheng has said is not true. It was a demagogic statement!"

Liu Xingshen smiled at Li Ye. "In fact, when I heard the matter in Huangli County, I admired you, but at the same time, I felt that there was something strange. Wei Jiangnan's cultivation was in Level 8 of Qi-refining and Chen Jianghe's cultivation was in Level 7 of Qi-refining. How could you escape from them and kill Chen Jianghe?"

This old eunuch smiled deeply, but he always gave people a feeling that he was wearing a fake smile, like an old venomous snake with scarlet eyes.

Li Ye became serious slightly. It was said that Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue also contributed to the Battle of Bagong Mountain.

After all, Li Xian's cultivation was so high that only Wei Baoheng was unable to mobilize enough force to kill him. For Li Xian whose cultivation was very close to the Foundation-building Stage at that time, cultivators of Level 7 Qi-refining could be killed by him in a blink of an eye and cultivators of Level 8 Qi-refining could fight him reluctantly!

Li Ye felt a little difficult. Liu Xingshen was also doubtful about the identities of the masters around Li Ye.

"Nangong Diyi happened to be in Huangli County at that time..." Li Ye said.

Before he could finish his words, Li Yan patted on the table and said to Liu Xingshen impatiently, "Lieutenant Liu, what do you mean? Do you wish Ye to die in Huangli County?! It was very difficult for Ye to lead the cultivators of the Chang'an Office to capture the criminals through a fierce fight. How can you talk like that?"

Li Yan was defending Li Ye. Liu Xingshen tried to say something, but in the end, he cupped his hands and smiled apologetically. "It's my fault."

Li Yan frowned and asked Liu Xingshen, "Lieutenant Liu, can you say something in front of His Majesty to erase the influence of Wei Baoheng's demagogic words?"

"Since they're demagogic words, how can I erase them so easily?" Liu Xingshen sighed. "It's a tough job. If I was able to persuade His Majesty, why do I go out of the Imperial Palace to discuss with Your Highness?"

"What can we do?!" Li Yan opened his eyes wide. "Do we admit defeat?! If we admit defeat this time, Wei Baoheng will definitely walk on air! It wasn't easy for Ye to have found out his mistakes. Such an opportunity will never come again!"

Liu Xingshen glanced at Li Ye and sighed. "In this case, it's time for my men to take action. In the Central Judicial Department, not all people are Wei Baoheng's henchmen."

"It must be arranged as soon as possible!"

Liu Xingshen's meaning was very clear. He was going to wrestle with Wei Baoheng by the case of Huangli County. Wei Baoheng was very powerful, but Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue were also not easy to deal with. Both sides would try their best to see how far they can go with the case.

Li Ye frowned slightly. Since Wei Baoheng said those demagogic words, Li Cui obviously intended to favor him. Although Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue's force didn't lose to Wei Baoheng's, it would be very difficult to bring down Wei Baoheng by this case.

This was the best situation. After all, Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue couldn't compete with Wei Baoheng in terms of the force in the court. Their greatest dependence was the Regal Guards and their main force was in the Imperial Palace.

After leaving Prince Pu's Manor, Li Ye didn't go back. He came to a wine shop through the streets.

He wanted to meet someone here.

Going up to the second floor, that person had already arrived and he was drinking wine sitting in front of the window. On the table in front of him, there was no food, but only wine pots, which showed that he only drank wine.

Not many people drank wine without food. Li Ye only knew one.

Sitting down at the table of the white-robed drinker with a sword, Li Ye finished a pot of wine without saying a word.

Finishing a pot of wine first is the most respect for drinkers. The most he drank, the more respect he showed.

"You're late." Nangong Diyi was drunk and couldn't see clearly.

Li Ye smiled. "I'm indeed not as coincident as your appearing in Huangli County."

"It appears that you have something to ask me." Nangong Diyi stared at Li Ye.

Li Ye nodded. "I've already had a drink."

"For the sake of your quick drinking, you ask." Nangong Diyi waved his hand. "But I don't necessarily answer."

Li Ye looked at him. "I only have one question."

"No matter how many questions you have, it is my business whether I answer or not!" Nangong Diyi drank wine with his head up.

Li Ye asked, "Is it you who stopped Wei Jiangnan?"

"I need to think about it," Nangong Diyi answered seriously.

...

Splendid Pavilion.

Splendid Pavilion was a brothel, and it was one of the best brothels in Kang Fu Lane. The singsong girls and the geishas there were the best in Chang'an City. It was said that many of them were from Jiaofang.

The brothel was a gathering place for refined scholars. Even if singsong girls were not proficient in all kinds of talents, they were at least good at one or two of them.

For Wei Jiangnan who praised himself as a literary giant, the Splendid Pavilion was like a fairy palace. He came here almost as often as he came home.

Liu Sanniang, who took charge of it, remained charming. She was no longer young, but she was mature and enchanting. It was this extreme charm that made her still so popular today. She wasn't less popular than the most popular queen.

As the former popular queen in the Splendid Pavilion, Liu Sanniang rarely entertained people now, apart from the most distinguished guests.

But even in the face of those who were very powerful in the court, she could also talk and laugh with them with great ease.

At this moment, Liu Sanniang was making tea.

The times of Liu Sanniang's making tea in person was less than that of her entertaining the distinguished guests?

Her movements were still graceful, and she could be found no fault. Even the Tea Master in the Imperial Palace could only nod in admiration.

She sat down on her knees respectfully, not daring to say a word.

Her hands trembled slightly.

She was very careful.

She even dared not to lift her head to look straight at the man who was reading a book in his hands.

Wei Jiangnan sat nervously in front of that man.

Wei Jiangnan, who boasted himself as a scholar and had unrestrained manners in daily life, was like a child taught by his parents at this moment, behaving very well.

The man put down the book and took a look at Wei Jiangnan. "You did a good job."

"I must do my best for what you have commanded. The account book of interests transactions among my brother and officials at all classes records his bribes in detail. I stole it at great risk. I hope that you will be satisfied." Wei Jiangnan bowed to the ground, his voice trembling slightly.

"I am very satisfied." The man smiled.

"If you are satisfied, I wonder if you can lift the prohibition in my body..." Wei Jiangnan trembled.

"There's one more thing you haven't done," the man said.

"This, this..." Wei Jiangnan's face was bloodless and his body was shaking like a sieve.

"If you don't want to continue to endure the pain, then you go to the Chang'an Office to surrender yourself. Explain what you have done in Huangli County and report Wei Baoheng's corruption." The man's voice was flat. "In this way, you can also make a contribution to the country."

The man in a cyan robe without any ornamentation took the tea bowl that Liu Sanniang handed over respectfully and continued, "I don't think you'll say no. You must know that no one is able to lift the prohibition that I planted in your body in the whole world except me!"

Sunlight filtered through the window sill and fell on his gray hair. When he drank tea, a wisp of gray hair fell on his shoulder, shining with golden color.

"Good tea. Why don't you drink it?"

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