Jiang Yanchuan spoke quietly. "Prince Jing mentioned in his memorial that Mengzhou has suffered repeated natural disasters recently, leaving all its people trapped within the city. Had you received any information about this before?"
Lu Yao smiled confidently and cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, I have indeed heard of it."
And he had heard of it neither early nor late, but precisely less than half a cup of tea ago.
The officials around him watched his smug expression as though nursing toothaches, envying that normally unpopular government office for the umpteenth time.
Charged with gathering evidence, making arrests, and conducting interrogations, the Embroidered Uniform Guard stood almost naturally opposed to the court officials. Only after a straightforward fellow like Lu Yao took over as Commander had things improved a little.
But-
The officials clenched their back teeth.
They would rather have stayed enemies.
Watching a friend beside them stumble into dumb luck and charge ahead singing all the way was even harder to bear than being killed!
Meeting the envious looks coming from every direction, Lu Yao declared, "These rumors first began circulating in Mengzhou half a month ago."
At this point, he even deliberately paused for a moment, full of mischief.
Though he did not look toward Prince Jing, he kept watching him discreetly from the corner of his eye.
Yet Prince Jing stood as immovable as a mountain, showing no trace of a guilty conscience. Lu Yao clicked his tongue inwardly and continued, "As soon as I heard the news, I sent men to Mengzhou to investigate."
Jiang Yi'an, standing at the front of the court, was indeed unruffled.
Ever since devising this plan, he had kept men patrolling around Mengzhou, guarding against anyone so cautious that they would actually send investigators over a rumor that had barely