Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Both Sheng Li and Jian Guozhi got alerted upon hearing a voice, the same voice that they heard inside. Zhe Yan walked to them.

"Do you really think you can burn Lord Lian alive?" He repeated his question.

Sheng Li wanted to know first if this young man heard his entire conversation with Jian Guozhi or only half of it.

"My brother is unhappy with this," Jian Guozhi thought to not raise the suspicion of Zhe Yan on them.

"Even I am, but I will not be foolish enough to say this loudly," Zhe Yan asserted, looking at Sheng Li.

"Most of the people are on Lord Lian's side and if you try to say such a thing, then they might," Zhe Yan stepped forward, "burn you alive," he whispered in Sheng Li's ear while patting his shoulders.

Jian Guozhi wondered how Sheng Li would react.

Sheng Li chuckled but did not say anything to Zhe Yan. He was undercover and explaining his mighty power to a random person would only waste his time.

"Why did you not try to inform the Emperor if you do not want to see Lord Lian as the ruler of this region?" Jian Guozhi asked Zhe Yan.

"I am not an official. Isn't it the duty of the officials, and the Governor of this Province to inform His Majesty?" Zhe Yan questioned him back.

"Moreover, it's the Emperor's duty to keep a check in every province. His Majesty should appoint better officials," Zhe Yan affirmed. "I will take my leave. I need to go for another job," he said and stepped back to leave when Sheng Li stopped him.

"What if the Emperor himself had come to Changying?" Sheng Li asked him.

Zhe Yan gaped at him and ended up smiling. He rested his hands on his waist. "How is it possible? The Empress is pregnant and I don't think His Majesty would step out. Everyone knows how much he adores the Empress. He will never leave the Palace at this time," Zhe Yan proclaimed.

Sheng Li looked around and then stepped towards him. He leaned to Zhe Yan's ear and said, "Kid, you do have courage but you do not believe your own Emperor. Courage without belief is disastrous."

Zhe Yan gazed into Sheng Li's eyes as he felt strange. "Who are you?" He finally asked Sheng Li, who leaned back.

"Let's go, Brother," Sheng Li told Jian Guozhi and walked ahead.

"You should go to work," Jian Guozhi said and walked past Zhe Yan.

"Brother Sheng must have not intimidated the young man," Jian Guozhi said in a low voice. He was walking by Sheng Li's side.

"It was important. He is with the Han, but he doubts me. He is lucky that I am undercover," affirmed Sheng Li.

"First Brother, let's find out why the rice reached the black market. It's a staple food and it is strange that the matter did not reach me," he suggested to Jian Guozhi.

"General Xiao and Commander Yao will find out about it. We need to look into the other matters," Jian Guozhi answered.

They both promptly stopped when Zhe Yan appeared out of the blue in front of them. He was panting, his hands on his knees.

"What happened?" Sheng Li asked him.

Zhe Yan stood straight and took deep breaths. "Forgive me for earlier," he said and looked around to make sure that no one would hear what he was supposed to say next.

Jian Guozhi and Sheng Li looked at each other, confused. Zhe Yan bowed before him. "Welcome to Changying," he said humbly.

They widened their eyes when Jian Guozhi swiftly walked to him and put his hand around his shoulder. "Let's talk somewhere, at a safer place," he said in a low voice and then gazed at Sheng Li, who nodded.

They took Zhe Yan to the rest house. Sheng Li sat on the chair with his hand over his thigh.

"Speak," Sheng Li said and leaned his back on the chair.

Zhe Yan got on his knees and extended his hands out. Jian Guozhi pulled out another chair for him and sat on it.

He bowed and said, "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was rude to you. I should have been respectful. Thank you for coming to Changying for your people."

"Get up," Sheng Li said. "Sit down," he said, gesturing to the chair.

"How can I, Your Majesty?" Zhe Yan lowered his gaze.

"Why? Are you afraid that I will kill you for sitting in the chair?" Sheng Li queried.

Zhe Yan could not answer.

"Sit on the chair," Jian Guozhi told him.

Zhe Yan stood up and sat on the chair. He gazed into Sheng Li's eyes and felt guilty for saying those words.

"Why don't you tell us what happened?" Jian Guozhi asked him. "We have been told about this issue quite late by the Governor. Officials do care about the people," Jian Guozhi stated.

"Forgive me for my stupidity, Your Highness," Zhe Yan said and lowered his eyes.

"This is the First Prince, the Governor of Luoyang and also manages the affairs of the Provinces," Sheng Li introduced the First Prince to Zhe Yan.

"Indeed, we care about our people. That's why I am here," Sheng Li pronounced.

"Brother Sheng, I observed Zhe Yan in the Fish Market yesterday. People like him support the Han. However, a few are blinded," Jian Guozhi told Sheng Li.

Zhe Yan was astonished to hear Jian Guozhi.

"Your Majesty, I will give my full support to you. I will tell you what's wrong in Changying and who is Lord Lian," Zhe Yan said with enthusiasm.

"So, did you say earlier that only officials or the Governor must tell?" Sheng Li asked him.

"Because I considered His Majesty as a layman. I cannot tell any random man about the wrong things happening in Changying," asserted Zhe Yan.

"Why did you never think of coming to Luoyang?" Jian Guozhi asked him.

"Your Highness, I have a huge debt on my head. I cannot skip even a single day from work," Zhe Yan said politely.

Jian Guozhi glanced at Sheng Li, who put his hand away from his thigh.

"Why shall we trust you?" Sheng Li asked another question.

"Because I am your person, Your Majesty. Last year, the Former Emperor waived off two months of taxes and it helped people like me a lot. I can never betray Han for this reason, Your Majesty," Zhe Yan affirmed.