Inside Chongshan Pass City, in a lavishly decorated hall.
Lü Hua wore a moon-white long robe and sat in a pearwood grandmaster chair, holding a red-copper hand warmer in his hands.
Wei Cen stood in front of him, recounting Yang Zhengshan's conjecture and proposal.
After listening, Lü Hua said calmly, "If this matter has nothing to do with Prince Qing Mansion, then everything we've done has no meaning. Do you understand?"
His voice held not the slightest trace of emotion, carrying a faintly magnetic, metallic texture.
Wei Cen lowered his head, not daring even to breathe too loudly.
How could Wei Cen not understand what Lü Hua meant? But he did not dare to understand.
From beginning to end, Lü Hua had only one objective, and that was Prince Qing Mansion.
Corrupt officials, filthy clerks, smuggling cases—in the Secret Martial Guard, these were all merely small matters. The truly major cases were rebellion and treason.
Whether Prince Qing Mansion was treasonous, Wei Cen did not know, but Lü Hua clearly wanted Prince Qing Mansion to become treasonous.
Only because Prince Qing Mansion had reason to become treasonous, and the Secret Martial Guard's Northern Suppression Division needed a major case.
"My lord, we can't find evidence!" Wei Cen said softly.
The Secret Martial Guard needed evidence to handle cases, especially when the imperial clan was involved. Then, witness testimony and material evidence had to be complete.
This was their accounting to the emperor, and also the emperor's accounting to all under heaven.
Lü Hua placed the hand warmer in his hands on the tea table, rose, and walked to the front of the hall, looking at the somewhat gloomy horizon.
"What a pity!"
"What is a pity?" Wei Cen asked, puzzled.
"What a pity that we don't have enough time!" A