needle and plunged it into the underside of Zhao Ze You's thumbnail."Ahhhh!!!!!"Extreme pain caused Zhao Ze You to let out a scream of agony that reached its peak.Being pricked by a needle in the fin...Chapter 183: Words Unneeded

Deep within his heart, a secret he had buried for over a decade surged to the surface, causing his face to flicker with a profound and bone-deep panic and fear.

This pallor was just a fleeting moment, but to Li Chen's eyes, it was as obvious as day.

He remained composed and stated calmly, "The anguished cries of tens of thousands of border soldiers, the heart-wrenching screams of countless civilians, echo ceaselessly through the empire's skies. Until this case is solved, the spirits of the departed will find no peace."

Duan Jinjiang's face turned ashen. The more he listened, the more he felt Li Chen was hinting at something, as if every word was a knife, trying to cut open his chest and expose the darkest secrets hidden deep within him, secrets he could never reveal to anyone.

His mouth was dry and his voice trembled as he exclaimed, "Your Highness, this case is of great importance. If we are to reopen the investigation, should we consult with the cabinet"

Li Chen said calmly, "Mr. Duan, aren't you a member of the cabinet"

Du Jinchang was stunned. He looked up at Li Chen in astonishment.

His knowing smirk told him everything he needed to know.

All the events, from imprisoning his own son to sending him to the Donghua prison and waiting in the East Palace for him to come 'negotiate', were actually orchestrated by the prince to restart the investigation into the Yumen Pass massacre.

...and by using his own son as bait, the Crown Prince lured him to the East Palace himself, the meaning was self-evident. ...

Either kill your son or support him in the cabinet.

Du Jianjiang's lips trembled.

He looked at Li Chen with eyes full of disbelief.

Such tactics, if wielded by the Great Emperor himself, wouldn't be surprising. But to think that the Crown Prince orchestrated this all!

The prince is barely over twenty, yet his shrewdness and decisiveness are unparalleled. He seems like a seasoned fox who has spent decades navigating the treacherous waters of the court.

With a heavy heart, Duan Jinjiang tried his best to find a reasonable excuse. He said stiffly, “Your Highness, even if this old minister supports restarting the investigation, there are still Fu Yuzhi and Zhang Biwu in the cabinet who may not agree. Adding the chief minister, it would be two against three, and we would still have no chance of winning.”

“Fu Yuzhi is a fellow villager of Zhao Xuanji. They both passed the imperial examination in the same year, but while Zhao Xuanji was the top scholar, Fu Yuzhi came second. Over the years, they have become close allies, supporting each other through thick and thin. If it were any other matter, it might be difficult to handle, but if it involved restarting the investigation into the Yumen Pass massacre, Fu Yuzhi would certainly agree.”

Li Chen's gaze fell on Duan Jinjiang, and he said faintly, "Fu Yuzhi has no children. Her only daughter married the son of Pei Dongjun, the commander of Gansu and Shaanxi, three years ago. Pei Dongjun has three sons. His eldest and second sons both died in the tragic battle at Yumen Pass that year. Even Pei Dongjun himself was shot in one eye by an arrow in that battle."

"When the tragedy erupted, Pei Dongjun was a thousand households in the Jade Gate Pass border army. He survived the ordeal and later presented a petition to his father emperor, expressing his willingness to serve as a guardian of Jade Gate Pass for life until he avenged this revenge, and the Pei clan would never leave Jade Gate. The emperor was moved by his sincerity, promoted him to the deputy commander of the border army, and over the years, he rose through the ranks based on his merit until he became the commander of Gansu and Shaanxi."

Duan Jinjiang's lips twitched, he wanted to refute Li Chen's words, but when the words reached his lips, he found that it was indeed true.

He was increasingly horrified, realizing that the prince had long ago plotted out every intricate connection, waiting for him to be caught.

Although Fu Yuzhi entered the imperial examination with Zhao Xuanji in the same year, he had already taken the examination twice before that. He was much older than Zhao Xuanji and was now over sixty. He had long since desired to retire from official life.

"To reach his current position, above him there's Zhao Xuanji. The two have been allies for over a decade, their interests intertwined. Even if he rebelled, the cost would be too high. He's getting older and can no longer bear the burden. Below him, he has no sons, only one daughter to rely on. At this crucial moment in his impending retirement, if he doesn't secure a huge favor for his daughter in her husband's family, how can he guarantee her status once he retreats to the mountains"

After finishing his words, Li Chen lazily said, "Well, this palace has said all it has to say. Whether you leave or stay, Lord Duan, give me a straight answer."pay lip service while acting against one's words is commonplace.Li Chen said impassively, "It seems the cabinet has more control over local affairs than the imperial court."Zhao Xuanji has been in cha...