I was given the contraceptive soup and became the emperor's white moonlight

Chapter 145: Serving the People

"As dynasties change, new ministers replace old ones in accordance with the times. Old Master Wen is already so old, it's a good thing that he doesn't have to go to the morning court."

"Why is Your Majesty so anxious suddenly to dismiss two elders at once?" Su Minglang hesitated and kept recalling recent events in his mind, trying to find some clues.

"I understand." Su Minglang thought for a long time and exhaled slowly, "Nian'er is behind. I'll ask Nanxing to take you to see her."

"No need. Just knowing that she is doing well is enough." Li Zhao stood up and bowed. "The more I see her, the less safe she feels. Now that the queen is taking care of me, I can rest assured."

"Don't worry, Madam. As long as it does not affect Nian'er's safety, I will do my best."

Su Minglang had rarely seen Li Zhao look so serious, but she just nodded and said, "Since she has entered my palace, I will naturally take care of her."

"But I hope Lord Li can understand that the Imperial Palace is not a place to stay for long. She is lucky to be alive now. Does her future depend solely on her luck?"

"Master Li, don't forget that Nian'er is getting older and older. I can protect her for a while, but I can't protect her forever."

"I understand." Li Zhao nodded, "I will try to arrange it as soon as possible."

"Yeah." Su Minglang nodded and looked at the sky again. "It's getting late. Lord Li still has official business to attend to, right?"

"Yes, I'll take my leave." Li Zhao bowed and turned to walk out.

Su Minglang looked at Li Zhao's leaving back, his heart filled with turbulent waves.

"Xiao Ye!" Su Minglang called out, "Go to Kunning Palace!"

In Jingzhao Prefecture, there was a commotion in front of the gate. A handsome man with a handsome face was detained by several yamen runners. The sword on the man's waist had a unique pattern engraved on it, and he was wearing a fishtail robe, so it was obvious that he was also an official.

"Gu Lingtang, do you admit your guilt?"

The prefect of Jingzhao walked out of the door, pointed at the kneeling man and started cursing.

Gu Lingtang had no idea what was going on. He stared at me in confusion and asked, "I don't know what crime I have committed that you have troubled the prefect to do it yourself!"

"If you can produce solid evidence today, that's fine. If not, don't blame me for reporting to my father!"

"Asshole! At this point, do you still want Lord Gu to take the blame for you?" The prefect gave an order, and the bailiffs pinned Gu Lingtang to the ground, took back the sword from his waist, and took off the hair crown on his head.

"Someone, come here! Gu Lingtang rode his horse in the street and injured someone. He has disregarded the law. Take him away and give him thirty strokes of the cane as a warning to others!"

"Your Excellency! My father is an official of the current dynasty. Your Excellency has privately punished the official's family. Have you asked His Majesty for his opinion?" Gu Lingtang was suppressed tightly. He raised his head with all his strength, glared at him and asked loudly.

"How dare you!" Jingzhao Prefecture Governor pointed at Gu Lingtang and was furious. "The complaint against you has been sent to the Dali Temple, and you still dare to bother His Majesty?"

"I will tell you today that the emperor is guilty of the same crime as the common people. I am serving as the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture by order of Your Majesty."

"I can hear the voice of the gods above and know the opinions of the people below. Today, I will act as a judge for the people!"

"I'm telling you, Gu Lingtang, if you have the guts, ask your father to come and confront me face to face!"

"Sir, I am innocent, sir!" Seeing the sticks being beaten, Gu Lingtang no longer had any pride, and the fear in his eyes was clearly visible.

The prefect of Jingzhao turned around without looking at him, waved his hand and brought out the stick to execute him in public.

The executioner lifted up Gu Lingtang's clothes and hit him with the thick, flat stick, making him wail in pain with just one hit.

The cane was designed to kill people with dignity, so naturally it came with a strong wind and fell in front of the people without any water. Within ten strokes, his skin was torn.

The thirty blows passed quickly, and Gu Lingtang had no idea how many times he had fainted. Whenever the executioner found that he was about to faint, he would scoop up a bucket of salt water and pour it on the wound, and he would wake up in a short while.

Gu Lingtang had already fallen asleep when the last stick fell. The executioner dragged him up from the punishment bench and brought him before the prefect as if he were a dead man.

"Sir, the thirty-stroke execution is complete!"

"Detain him immediately! I will report to the heavens for further punishment!"

"Yes!"

"well!"

"Well done!"

"Yes! Such a person should be killed to reduce his prestige!"

"That's right, these officials' sons are relying on their fathers being officials to act arrogantly in the imperial city. They should have been disciplined like this a long time ago!

"Yes! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!"

"Long live your Majesty!"

The crowd burst into cheers, and the prefect of Jingzhao hurriedly ordered the servants to disperse the crowd, but those people insisted on watching him being taken to the prison, and followed the yamen runners all the way.

Even if those yamen runners wanted to take care of them, there was nothing they could do.

Seeing the crowd moving farther and farther away with the yamen runners and the deafening cheers fading away, the Jingzhao prefect suddenly woke up from his dream and began to worry about his career.

The Gu family is a famous family after all, and they have a special status in the court. He is just a small prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, and to put it bluntly, he is still a local official! If he offends the Gu family, I am afraid that his future will be difficult.

But this petition was sent by the Dali Temple, and the person who delivered it also reminded him to be impartial and did not mention anything else. If it was something else, it would be fine, but the person said that it was Li Zhao who gave the order personally.

Li Zhao was a favorite of the emperor, so he could not be offended by anyone! Moreover, Li Zhao had a bad reputation, so he would rather offend ten gentlemen than a villain, let alone a powerful villain!

"Okay, clean up!" The prefect waved his hand and walked back with a heavy heart, "By the way, the rest of you go to the prison and make arrangements. Find a doctor to check on Mr. Gu's injuries!"

"If anything goes wrong, I'll take your heads!"

"Yes!" The two runners looked at each other, and saw confusion in each other's eyes. When the figure of the prefect disappeared through the door, the younger runner came up and asked, "Brother Li, what do you think the prefect is planning?"

"Why do you tell the brothers not to show mercy, and then ask us to go around and take care of them?"

"What do you know?" The older bailiff was obviously a little experienced. "It's probably because Lord Gu offended someone!"

"Are you saying that Lord Gu has displeased His Majesty, and you want us to suppress him?"

"Bullshit!" Brother Li kicked the young yamen runner who was standing beside him, causing him to stagger. "Do you know that the mouth can cause trouble?"

"You dare to say anything. If you are not afraid of losing your head, don't implicate me!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The young bailiff came over with an apologetic smile. The two of them said nothing more and walked quickly towards the prison.