Wen Chenghuan hurried into the Pavilion of Mental Cultivation. Long Xuan'en lay on his side on the imperial bed, propping his head on one hand, his eyes half closed. Hearing Wen Chenghuan kowtow in greeting, he gave a lazy grunt, then yawned and sat upright. "Minister Wen, what is so urgent that you must see me?"
"Your Majesty," Wen Chenghuan said, "Princess Yongyang just went to the Ministry of Justice to inquire about Yan Xuanming's case. She also said she wanted it retried."
Long Xuan'en chuckled. "Just as I expected. Hu Xiaotian must have asked her to plead his case."
Wen Chenghuan nodded. "Yan Xuanming's true identity is the biological son of Yan Tianlu, the pirate chief of Python Jiao Island. This shows that Hu Xiaotian has long been colluding with the pirates there."
"If you hadn't alerted me," Long Xuan'en said, "I would still be kept in the dark."
"No wall in this world is proof against the wind," Wen Chenghuan said. "Hu Xiaotian is brimming with ambition. Ever since he took control of Eastern Liang Commandery, that ambition has swelled by the day. Everyone under heaven can see it clearly."
Long Xuan'en snorted coldly. "I ordered him to escort grain to the capital, but he pleaded illness as an excuse not to come. Meanwhile, behind my back, he was engaging in these dealings with pirates."
Wen Chenghuan lowered his voice. "That is not all. I also heard that Hu Xiaotian claimed to be ill and shut himself away, when in fact he secretly sailed with his fleet to Python Jiao Island. His purpose was to cooperate with the pirate chief Yan Tianlu. According to the secret intelligence I received, Yan Tianlu will help him blockade the sea routes and plunder the grain ships sailing from Great Yong to