Commander of the Bad People

Suddenly.

The Commander of the Bad People, standing off to one side at the very end, spoke softly.

Ever since Li Chengqian, the Bad People had steadily grown in importance in the emperor's eyes. They had become a tool used by successive Tang emperors to monitor the officials of Chang'an, and to handle all manner of matters the emperor could not conveniently say aloud. Thus, when Li Jiqing entered Shu, he had been brought along as well.

However, after entering Shu, the Bad People's usefulness had greatly diminished.

As a result, he had spent several years as little more than a transparent nobody.

Now that he suddenly spoke up, he immediately drew everyone's attention.

"What?"

Li Jiqing frowned.

He fixed his gaze on the Commander of the Bad People and said in a grave voice, "Are you being presumptuous?"

"This subject would not dare!"

The Commander of the Bad People knelt on the ground and bowed to Li Jiqing.

"The Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices are both here. Every member of our Great Tang Imperial Clan is recorded in the registers! This Li Heng has no name in the Imperial Clan records! What makes you say he is one?"

Li Jiqing's gaze was cold and sinister as he watched the Commander of the Bad People. If he dared speak even one wrong word, he would die!

"The Imperial Clan registers..."

"Of course they would not record it! That Li Heng may perhaps..."

"Perhaps be a descendant of Prince Jin."

"Prince Jin?"

Li Jiqing frowned, then slammed his hand on the table. "Utter nonsense! Great Tang has never bestowed the title of Prince Jin in the past hundred years!"

"There was one, Sage."

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

Li Jiqing frowned.