"Poor Daoist Xuanji pays respects to Your Highness, Prince of Qi."
With a flick of her whisk, Xuanji saluted Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng, however, frowned and stepped aside, giving a light cough before pretending nothing had happened.
He looked toward Liu Hong, Li Biao, Xuanzang, Yin Wenjiao, and the others. "Are these the ones?"
"Yes!"
The general nodded.
He stepped forward a few paces, intending to say something, but Li Jiancheng raised a hand and cut him off.
"There is no need for further words. I have already learned the particulars."
"Yes..."
The general lowered his head and retreated a few more steps.
Li Jiancheng looked at Xuanzang and Yin Wenjiao. Just as Yin Wenjiao was about to speak, Li Jiancheng said, "Chen Xuanzang, Madam Chen, I believe you!"
"Hm?"
Xuanzang and Yin Wenjiao, mother and son, both froze where they stood.
This... was it that easy?
He believed them just like that?
This Prince of Qi had only just arrived from Chang'an. How did he seem as though he had everything in the palm of his hand?
Liu Hong and Li Biao's expressions changed almost instantly.
"Your Highness, this—"
"Your Highness, please reconsider—"
They still wanted to argue, but Li Jiancheng had already waved a hand at the general and ordered, "Take down these two brazen villains who deceived those above and concealed the truth below. Escort them to the Court of Judicial Review for interrogation. Strip every official in Jiangzhou, great and small, of their posts on the spot, and investigate them thoroughly!"
For Liu Hong and Li Biao to have remained secure in Jiangzhou for so many years, even if the local bureaucracy was not entirely made up of their people, it had at least colluded with them.
Arresting them all might wrong some innocents, but if