Li Rong did not expect Li Chuan to come personally. She frowned and said in a low voice, "Why are you here? Is this a place you should come to?! "
"Let's not talk about it for now." Pei Wenxuan came from behind and stood in front of the siblings. He looked around and said, "There are too many people here. Let's go in first."
Li Rong knew that Pei Wenxuan was right. She turned around and said in a low voice, "Let's go in."
The group entered the prison. A guard led the way. The guard did not dare to look back as if he knew who was coming. He respectfully escorted them into the prison and then said to Li Rong in a low voice, "Your Highness, we can't take too long. The shift will change in half an hour. Please hurry."
After that, the guard left. Li Rong looked up and saw the people in the prison. After a short moment of fear, the old man immediately recognized them and said anxiously, "Your Highness! Are you Her Highness Ping L E and His Highness the Crown Prince? "
"Lord Qin."
Li Rong went forward and bowed. She looked at the old man who was holding the door with both hands. The old man's prison clothes were stained with blood and his clothes were tattered because of the execution. Li Rong could not bear to see him like this, but she still said calmly, "Do you know that I am in charge of the Qin Family's case?"
Qin Lang was stunned and then said slowly, "Did Zhenzhen look for you?"
Li Rong pursed her lips and nodded. The old man sighed, "Fortunately, she went out. Otherwise, how can I face Shan 'er in the underworld and Lin' er in the battlefield?"
Qin Shan was the father of Qin Lin and Qin Zhenzhen. He died early with his wife. As his father, Qin Lang took the responsibility of raising his two grandchildren. Qin Lang said and then remembered, "Your Highness, is Zhenzhen okay?"
Li Rong listened and subconsciously looked at Xun Chuan next to her.
Xun Chuan wore a mask and looked at the old man in front of him quietly. His eyes were filled with pity.
Since she didn't say anything, Li Rong didn't say anything either. He said in a low voice, "We don't have much time, Mr. Qin. Please tell me the whole story from beginning to end."
"Where should I begin, Your Highness?"
The old man smiled bitterly.
Li Rong said calmly, "Huangping County."
Xun Chuan took a chair from the side and placed it behind Li Rong. Then, she took another chair and placed it behind Li Chuan.
Pei Wenxuan stood behind Li Rong, and Xun Chuan stood behind Li Chuan.
Li Rong tapped his fan lightly and said slowly, "This case started when Wen Ping received a report saying that you were bribed by the Yang Family and ordered Qin Feng to deliberately abandon the city during the battle of Huangping County. Then, they used your deputy general Luo Juan's confession as evidence to confirm this. There was also the gold and Yang Lie's letters as supporting evidence. I originally wanted to find Luo Juan and ask him about the whole story, but now he's dead. "
Qin Lang was stunned. He said in disbelief, "Luo Juan is dead?"
"Yes," Li Rong said calmly, "The generals who participated in the battle of Huangping County are all dead now."
Qin Lang's face instantly turned pale. His body swayed. Pei Wenxuan stepped forward and reached into the cell to support Qin Lang. He hurriedly said, "Granduncle, don't worry. His Highness is still investigating the case. There's still room to turn the tables. You just need to clearly tell the truth about what happened at that time. "
"Tell the truth …" Qin Lang's lips trembled, "But … but what's the use? They won't let us overturn the case of Huangping County. "
"Just say it," Li Rong said directly, "The Crown Prince and I are sitting here. Don't waste time."
"Granduncle," Pei Wenxuan stared at Qin Lang, "You still have a family. As long as there's a slight chance of survival, you have to grab it."
"You're right." Qin Lang took a deep breath and said slowly, "During the battle of Huangping County, we had three thousand soldiers defending the city. The enemy attacked the city with three thousand soldiers. My son, Qin Feng, was the main general. Yang Lie originally wanted us to defend the city for five days. However, we were defeated. We could only escort the people out of the city and then abandon the city."
"You defended the city and they attacked the city. Your forces were equal. Logically speaking, you shouldn't have lost." Li Rong directly reminded him, "Why did you lose?"
Qin Lang listened to these words. After a moment of silence, he smiled bitterly, "I let Feng 'er leave."
"Why?"
Li Rong continued to ask. Qin Lang pursed his lips. After a long time, he looked up and quietly stared at Li Rong, "Because there was no one left."
Li Rong was a little surprised. She didn't understand and could only repeat, "No one left?"
"Yes," Qin Lang took a deep breath, "Three months before the battle, the provisions were always insufficient. The food for three thousand people was transported over and it was filled with sand. The soldiers didn't have anything to eat. They could only separate the rice from the sand every day and cook it into porridge. Most of the rice was old. When the battle started, it was said that there were three thousand people. In fact, many soldiers had already fallen ill. There were less than two thousand who could fight. In addition, the provisions had not arrived yet. If we had persisted, there would have been no food at all. "
"How could there be food?" Li Chuan frowned, "Didn't you tell Yang Lie?"
"I did." Qin Lang smiled bitterly, "But what's the use? The provisions given by the imperial court are so little. They are divided layer by layer. The priority is given to the first-class aristocratic families and then to us ordinary aristocratic families. In the sixteen cities in the northwest, who would stretch out their hands to ask for food? "
"But Huangping County is at the front line!"
Li Chuan was a little angry, "Yang Lie didn't even know this?!"
Qin Lang didn't speak. Li Rong directly said, "Did you report this?"
"I wrote an explanation later. It should be at the back of the military log."
"I've checked the military log of the Ministry of War." Li Rong frowned, "There isn't."
Qin Lang laughed softly, "Your Highness," his voice was hoarse, "how could there be?"
"That's," Qin Lang's voice was a little choked, "the Ministry of War of the aristocratic families."
No one spoke. Li Rong calmed down for a while and said, "Give me a list of all the people involved in that year."
As he spoke, Pei Wenxuan handed a pen and paper to Qin Lang. Qin Lang's hands trembled as he wrote down the names.
This person was already old. He had fought on the battlefield all his life and had never bowed his head. But in this prison of Da Xia, his back was bent.
Li Chuan couldn't help but clench his fists. It was at this moment that he felt something fall on his shoulders. He turned around in surprise and saw the person standing behind him staring at Qin Lang in the prison. Tears fell silently.
Li Chuan was stunned. He felt that the young man in front of him was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He looked quietly. After a while, he heard Qin Lang say, "Your Highness, it's done."
Li Rong took the list from Qin Lang's hands. She glanced at the names on it and didn't say anything.
Qin Lang sat cross-legged in the prison and sighed, "Your Highness, you're still young. You should go back first."
Li Rong held the list. She looked at the old man in the prison who still had some strength of character after being punished.
She looked for a long time, then raised her hand and bowed deeply to the people inside.
Footsteps came from outside. Pei Wenxuan said, "Someone should be coming."
Li Rong nodded. Li Chuan put on his hat again to cover his face.
The attendant carried a lamp and whispered, "Your Highness, you should go."
Li Rong nodded and ordered, "Look after them. Don't let anything happen to them."
The attendant nodded. Li Rong was about to leave when she heard Qin Lang call out to her, "Your Highness."
Li Rong turned around and saw the old man hesitating, "How is Zhenzhen?"
Li Rong didn't say anything. She looked at the old man's worried and expectant eyes. After a long time, she said, "She's doing well. You don't have to worry."
Qin Lang was relieved. He kowtowed to Li Rong. Li Rong turned around expressionlessly and led the people out.
When they were out of the gate, Li Rong immediately said to Xun Chuan, "Get some people. No matter what, get the Qin Family out of the Ministry of Justice tonight. If there are any problems, tell them to find me."
Xun Chuan replied respectfully. He turned around and led his horse into the night.
After Xun Chuan left, Li Chuan looked away and frowned, "That person just now, I felt that he was familiar. Is he Sister's new subordinate?"
Li Rong paused, then replied, "You should go back to the palace first. Don't let anyone find out that you've interfered."
"Sister …"
Li Chuan hesitated. Li Rong immediately knew what he meant. She looked up and calmly said, "This is my matter. I know what I'm doing."
Li Chuan was silent. After a while, he bowed and said, "I'll leave first."
After that, Li Chuan followed the attendant back to the carriage. Before he left, he paused and finally said, "Sister, the Qin Family has to stay alive."
"I know."
Li Rong said coldly, "You can go."
Li Chuan nodded and finally left.
After Li Chuan left, Pei Wenxuan stood behind Li Rong and asked softly, "Your Highness, are we going back to the residence?"
Li Rong didn't say anything. She quietly looked at the street. After a while, she slowly said, "I thought I was old."
Pei Wenxuan stood behind her and didn't say anything. Li Rong laughed, "But now I know that no matter what time it is, there will always be a barrier in the heart that can't be overcome."
"What does Your Highness plan to do?"
Li Rong didn't say anything. She put her hands in front of her and slowly closed her eyes.
After a long time, she opened her mouth and said, "Pei Wenxuan."
"Your Highness, please give me your orders."
Pei Wenxuan bowed. Li Rong said in a low voice, "Take the Inspectorate's and my token and follow the route from the army's pay to Huangping Town. Along the way, copy all the records of the county yamen's provisions when the army's pay crossed the border."
"I'll be waiting for you."
Li Rong looked up and quietly looked at him.
Pei Wenxuan stared into Li Rong's eyes. At that moment, he suddenly felt that this person seemed to have handed his life over to him.
"They must know that I interrogated Qin Lang tonight. Qin Lang wrote down the list of names, so I'm afraid that it bodes ill rather than well. I'll have Xun Chuan protect the Qin Family. Tomorrow, I'll ask to be grounded. "
"Twenty days from now is the day of the Qin family's execution. You must bring this list back before then."
"Can you do it?"
Pei Wenxuan didn't say anything. He looked at Li Rong and chuckled, "For Your Highness's orders, I'm willing to die ten thousand times."
"The journey may not be peaceful."
Li Rong chuckled, "Be careful."
Pei Wenxuan knew what Li Rong meant by 'not peaceful'. If he left Huajing and wanted to check the records of the granaries along the way, it wouldn't just be 'not peaceful', it would be a matter of death.
But Pei Wenxuan's expression was calm. He opened his wide sleeves, put his hands in front of him, and bowed, "This humble subject will set out now."
Li Rong made a sound of agreement. Pei Wenxuan turned around. Li Rong looked at his departing figure and suddenly called out, "Pei Wenxuan."
Pei Wenxuan put his hands in his sleeves and turned around. The young man was dressed in blue and white, and his eyes were like ancient wells.
Li Rong looked at him. After a long time, she smiled.
"I'll wait for you to come back."
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