Pressed in the deepest part of his heart, more than ten years of secrets surged into his heart, and his face couldn't help but flash a flash of panic and fear that was deep in his bones.
This paleness was just fleeting, but in Li Chen's eyes it was as clear as fire.
He remained calm and said calmly: "The wails of tens of thousands of border soldiers and the screams of tens of thousands of civilians linger in the sky of the empire day and night. If this case is not solved, it will be difficult to comfort the souls in the sky."
Duan Jinjiang's face turned pale. The more he listened, the more he felt that Li Chen meant something. It seemed that every word was like a knife, trying to cut open his chest and reveal the deepest secret in his heart that could never be told to anyone.
With a dry mouth, he said horrifiedly: "Your Highness, this case is of great importance. If we want to restart the investigation, do we need to discuss it with the cabinet?"
Li Chen said calmly: "Master Duan, aren't you a member of the cabinet?"
Duan Jinjiang was stunned and looked up at Li Chen in astonishment.
The latter's half-smiling look made him understand instantly.
The causes and consequences are all connected in a series, from imprisoning his son to the Dongchang Prison, to waiting for him to come to 'negotiate' in the East Palace, everything the prince did was actually to restart the investigation of the Yumenguan Massacre.
And with his son as the introduction, the prince asked him to take the initiative to come to the East Palace, which is self-evident.
Either kill your son or support him in the cabinet.
Duan Jinjiang's lips trembled.
He looked at Li Chen with eyes full of disbelief.
It would not be surprising if such a method came from the hands of Emperor Daxing, but this was done by the prince!
The prince is only in his early twenties, but his sophistication and decisiveness are unheard of in the city. He is like an old fox who has been honed in the officialdom for decades.
With caution in his heart, Duan Jinjiang tried hard to find a reasonable excuse. He said with difficulty: "Your Highness, even if the veteran supports the resumption of the investigation, in addition to the veteran, there are Fu Yuzhi and Zhang Biwu in the cabinet.
But they may not agree, and with the addition of the first assistant, two against three, there is still no chance of winning."
"Fu Yuzhi is from Zhao Xuanji's hometown. He was Jinshi in the same year as Zhao Xuanji. However, Zhao Xuanji was the number one scholar and Fu Yuzhi was the second. The two have been allies for many years, an offensive and defensive alliance. If it were for other things, it would be difficult to handle, but
If the investigation into the Yumenguan Massacre is to be restarted, Fu Yuzhi will definitely agree."
Li Chen's eyes fell on Duan Jinjiang and said calmly: "Fu Yuzhi has no heirs and is only a daughter. She was married to the son of Pei Dongjun, the commander of Gansu and Shaanxi Province, three years ago. Pei Dongjun has three sons, his eldest son and his second son.
He died in the Yumen Pass massacre that year, and even Pei Dongjun himself was blinded by an arrow in that battle."
"When the tragedy broke out, Pei Dongjun was a member of the Yumen Pass border guard force. He survived. He once reported to his father that he would guard Yumen Pass for the rest of his life. If he did not avenge this, Pei would never leave Yumen. In gratitude for his sincerity, his father gave him a title.
He was the deputy commander-in-chief of the Border Defense Force. Over the years, he was promoted with merit, and now he serves as the commander-in-chief of Gansu and Shaanxi."
Duan Jinjiang's lips trembled. He wanted to refute Li Chen's words, but when the words came to his lips, he realized that this was indeed the case.
He became more and more horrified that the prince had already planned all these intricate connections and was just waiting for him to be caught.
"Although Fu Yuzhi and Zhao Xuanji were imperial examination candidates in the same year, she had already passed the imperial examination twice before that. She is much older than Zhao Xuanji. Now she is sixty-three years old, and she has long thought of returning to the countryside."
"To his current position, above him, Zhao Xuanji is suppressing him. The two have been in alliance for more than ten years, and their interests are intertwined with each other. Even if he rebels, the price is too high. He is old and can no longer make the move. Below, he can't.
He has no children and only one daughter to rely on. At the critical moment when he is about to retire, if he does not give his daughter a huge favor from her husband's family, how can he protect his only daughter's status in her husband's family when he retires to the mountains and forests? "
After finishing his words, Li Chen lazily said: "Okay, that's all I have to say. Whether you want to leave or stay, Sir Duan, please give me an accurate answer."
