"I don't know, let's wait and see!"

Chushi Youtian listened to her answer and asked, "Then why did you escape from the wedding?"

"I have my reasons. Yesterday I heard that the victims were starving outside the gate, so I asked my servants to provide porridge for them. However, soldiers came and smashed the porridge shed and beat my servants. The victims got angry and went to prevent those soldiers, but the soldiers drew their weapons to fight against the victims! If I hadn't gone there, I'm afraid the victims would have been killed by soldiers!" Yang Zijin continued.

Chushi Youtian's face twitched. He shouted, "Lan Ruojing! I appointed you to manage public security. Do you know about this?"

"I know, Your Majesty!" Lan Ruojing heard Chushi Youtian asking him and knew that it was no longer possible to hide this matter. So he hurriedly went out to reply to Chushi Youtian.

Chushi Youtian slammed the cup on the table and the cup broke into pieces, "Why didn't you report it to me!"

"Please calm down, Your Majesty! I knew it yesterday. Considering that today is the wedding day of the Third Prince and Marquis Shuo, I don't want to upset you, so I decided to report after the feast. I..." Lan Ruojing immediately knelt and explained to Chushi Youtian.

However, Chushi Youtian was even angrier, "How could you hide such a big matter from me! What about the soldiers killing the victims?"

"Your Majesty, I did kill a victim yesterday, but the onlookers witnessed that it was because that man made impertinent remarks. He said that Dongling will come to an end sooner or later! So I..." Lan Ruojing explained.

Yang Zijin sneered, "So you killed him as a warning? Don't you know why he said these rebellious words?"

"Don't speak nonsense, Your Highness!" Lang Ruojing looked up to Yang Zijin.

He had hated Yang Zijin secretly. Were it not for her intervention, the victims would have left or starved to death already. Now she revealed this and the Emperor would of course get to the bottom of it and find their corrupt practices. Even if the Lan Family overcame this difficulty, it would be hard for them to earn the Emperor's trust again!

Chushi Youtian went on asking, "What about the soldiers at the gate this morning?"

"Your Majesty, I don't know about this!" Lan Ruojing defended at once.

Chushi Youtian questioned him, "You don't know?"

"Your Majesty, I never sent soldiers to the gate and I would not attack the victims! It must be some people pretended to be soldiers to frame me!" Lan Ruojing defended himself.

Yang Zijin sneered, "Young Master Lang, I have witnessed the soldiers slashing the victims. You mean my eyes played tricks on me?"

"Your Majesty, I didn't send soldiers there! Please investigate this thoroughly!" Lan Ruojing defended himself.

Empress Lanruo whispered in Chushi Youtian's ear, "Your Majesty, I can assure you that he will not do these things!"

"Enough! Wait till the guards come back!" Chushi Youtian shouted as he felt annoyed at Lanruo's words.

Lanruo was taken aback by his shouting and sat straight.

The feast, which should be bustling, fell into a solemn silence.

People sitting there had different ideas in their minds.

Some just waited and watched, while some secretly cheered. The Lan Family had long been a force to be reckoned with. If the Emperor held a grudge against them because of this, it would give them a big blow.

But there were also some honest officials worrying about what to do if what Infanta Qingcheng said was true.

All the time Jiandu provided army grains and fodder. If Jiandu was attacked by flood, where would the army provisions come from? And what should they do to settle the victims in Jiandu?

As they were thinking about it, the guards who went to inspect the gate came back.

People looked at these guards and saw the leader strode forward and knelt, "Your Majesty, Infanta Qingcheng was right. The victims from Jiandu gathered at the gate, and..."

The guard paused.

Chushi Youtian asked hurriedly, "And what?"

"Almost all the victims were cut up and some of them were badly injured. Half of the victims were dead, but we found two bodies in soldier's uniforms on the scene."

Chushi Youtian stared at Lan Ruojing, "Carry the bodies in and let Yang Master Lan identify if they were his subordinates!"

"Yes!" The guards answered.

He gestured to the guards behind.

Then the guards behind carried the bodies in soldier's uniforms to Lan Ruojing.

Looking at the bodies covered with a white cloth, Lan Ruojing tensed up. He was afraid that Axiong, one of his subordinates, took his men to do away with the victims without his permission.

Lan Ruojing stood up and came to the bodies as he was thinking.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then removed the white cloth. After seeing two unfamiliar faces, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He paced forward to report Chushi Youtian, "Your Majesty, these are not my subordinates!"

"They are not?" Chushi Youtian frowned.

Lang Ruojing added, "Please order a detailed investigation!"

"Guards, come and find this out! They dared to pretend soldiers to hurt people of Dongling openly! You must find the wire-puller out!" Chushi Youtian ordered angrily.

Then he stood up and walked downward. He paused in front of Prime Minister Lan, "Prime Minister Lan, come with me."

"Yes!" Prime Minister Lan answered and left his seat. He headed for Imperial Study with Chushi Youtian.

Now, this problem was brought to light. Prime Minister Lan knew he had to confront the Emperor's anger sooner or later.

After Chushi Youtian left, Empress Dowager stood up, "Let's call it a day. Go home, everybody! Shuo Ling and Qingcheng come here."

Then she left the feast with the help of Eunuch Liu.

Then Empress Lanruo also left.

The ministers also got up and left.

Li Mingzi came to Duke of Mu, "Lord, what should we do..."

"You go home. I have something to deal with." Then Duke of Mu went to another direction.

Li Mingzi called, "Lord..."

"Mother, let's go home!" Mu Yunong pulled Ling Mingzi's arm.

Li Mingzi saw Duke of Mu was away. She had to turn around.

After all the people left, Shuo Ling came up to Yang Zijin and slightly wiped the blood on her face with his sleeve.

Yang Zijin peeked at Shuo Ling. Anyway, she jumped off the sedan chair on the halfway. Although it was reasonable for her, she made awe-inspiring Shuo Ling lose face before so many ministers.

Yang Zijin was sinking in her mind while Shuo Ling withdrew his hand and turned around, "Let's go."

Shuo Ling was angry at first when he knew Yang Zijin ran away. However, he saw she was calm when questioning Chushi Youtian and being questioned. She was so composed at that time.

After all, there are only a few people who dared to look straight into Chushi Youtian's eyes.

In the Imperial Study.

"Eunuch Li, prepare a seat for Prime Minister Lan." Chushi Youtian said after he seated himself.

When Eunuch Li brought over a chair to Prime Minister Lan, he expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for your solicitude, Your Majesty!"

He sat on the chair.

"What do you think of the flood in Jiandu?" Chushi Youtian stared at Prime Minister Lan.

Prime Minister Lan thought that he had to do something risky according to the situation.

So he said, "Your Majesty, I have just heard of this news, so I can't jump to a conclusion."

"Oh? On the vernal equinox, I allocated taels of silver to Jiandu for mending the dam, but why was the dam destroyed by flood before the first stage of the rainy season was over?" Chushi Youtian asked.

Prime Minister Lan knew Chushi Youtian's implication, but he couldn't give himself away. He replied, "You are right, I feel it strange, too."

Chushi Youtian saw that Prime Minister Lan didn't even change his face, so he went on asking, "What do you think the problem is, Prime Minister Lan?"

"Your Majesty, I think the local officials must have something to do with this. There must be a reason for them to hide this from you!" Prime Minister Lan knew that Chushi Youtian was bound to come to a conclusion today, so he had to find himself a scapegoat.

Chushi Youtian sneered, "That's what I think. I'd like to know who dared to do this!"

"Servant, call Marquis Shuo over here! I'll let him investigate it thoroughly!" Chushi Youtian clenched his teeth.

Prime Minister Lan immediately stood up, "Your Majesty, I can help Marquis Shuo with the investigation."

"I know you're loyal, but the investigation on Jiandu can't be finished in a day or two. You've got on in years. Don't bother about it." Chushi Youtian replied to him.

Prime Minister Lan understood that Chushi Youtian was suspecting him, so he said nothing more.

At this time, Duke of Mu arrived at Imperial Study. He saw Eunuch Li standing outside the door and came over, "Please inform His Majesty for me."

Eunuch Li entered the Imperial Study and came up to Chushi Youtian, speaking in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Duke of Mu is waiting outside."

"Oh, let him in." Chushi Youtian spoke to Eunuch Li.

Eunuch Li walked out of Imperial Study, "Duke of Mu, His Majesty asked you in."

In Duke of Mu, Chushi Youtian spoke to Prime Minister Lan, "It's over. Now you can go home."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Prime Minister Lan walked to the door.

Duke of Mu had just entered Imperial Study at this time. They paused to look at each other, and then Duke of Mu walked on.

"Do You have any idea to make up for the flood in Jiandu?" Duke of Mu asked as soon as he saw Chushi Youtian.

Chushi Youtian's brows knitted. He looked at Duke of Mu, "It seems that you've got one, Duke of Mu. Speak."

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the most important thing now is to resettle the victims. We can't hurt popular feelings." Duke of Mu told Chushi Youtian about his opinion.