Chapter 358

Now it has appeared again.

"Can you confirm it?"

Su Qiao flipped through the confession and asked another question.

Wang Chengen nodded. "Mr. Su, there is no mistake. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has confirmed it. They all bear the special mark of the Bai Lianjiao, hidden very deeply. At first, they spoke nonsense, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard eventually discovered the truth."

Hearing this, Su Qiao nodded.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's capabilities are still very strong, especially in interrogation, tracking clues, and investigations; they are skilled in all these areas.

Su Qiao also glanced over the confession roughly.

The six of them all gave similar accounts, stating that their Hall Master above ordered them to take Su Qiao away from Su Fu.

After the city gates opened in the morning, they were to escort Su Qiao out of the city, where someone outside would provide support.

As for what happened afterward, they did not know.

Additionally, Xu Chunming, whom Su Qiao had been wary of and thinking about constantly, was indeed one of their people.

Within the Bai Lianjiao, his status and rank were very high; usually, he was like a dragon appearing only with its head and not its tail, very mysterious.

None of these six had ever seen Xu Chunming.

They had merely heard that Xu Chunming was a high-level official of the ministry of the Bai Lianjiao, with a very high status and rank.

"The commotion last night was so loud; it must have startled the snake. I estimate they will hide for a while."

Su Qiao saw nothing more useful in the confession and decisively handed it to Wang Chengen.

At this moment, Zhu Youjian had also finished eating and comforted Su Qiao, saying, "Su Qing, do not worry. They are just a group of rats hiding in the shadows; they dare not show their heads recklessly. I will catch them and eliminate them!"

"It is my fault for causing Your Majesty to worry on behalf of your subject!"

"You are the one Your Ancestral Grandfather specially sent to assist me. If I cannot even protect the ministers around me, how can I be the Son of Heaven?!"

"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your deep favor!"

"I summoned Su Qing today because there is another matter I cannot decide upon."

Zhu Youjian took a sip of tea, stood up, and said.

Su Qiao clasped his hands and said, "Your subject listens with both ears!"

"I received news that Gao Li, upon learning that Great Ming has pacified the Jurchen Tatars, specially sent envoys to Great Ming to pay tribute. Originally, this matter could have been handled by the Ministry of Rites, but I heard that Gao Li is also restless internally and seems to have other thoughts."

As he spoke these words, a trace of anger appeared on Zhu Youjian's face.

Su Qiao, merely looking at Zhu Youjian's expression, could guess that Gao Li must have caused some trouble.

As expected!

Zhu Youjian, with a cold face, spoke angrily: "The envoy sent by the King of Gao Li, upon just arriving in Liaodong, was intercepted by another faction within their own country. It was a General named Li Kangcheng from within Gao Li. Not only did he stop the King of Gao Li's envoy, but he also demanded the land of Liaodong from Great Ming."

As he spoke these words, Zhu Youjian's face was full of disgust.

The envoy of Gao Li!

"Then do they intend to start a war?"

Su Qiao felt that the people of Gao Li had problems with their brains, both in the past and in later generations.

Zhu Youjian shook his head. "It is not clear for now, but I heard that Gao Li is currently divided into two factions: one belonging to the original King of Gao Li, and the other belonging to this General Li Kangcheng."

"This Li Kangcheng holds military power of eighty thousand troops; his ambition is not small. I do not know how he managed it, but this time he also sent people to mix into the envoy group."

Su Qiao had already roughly understood the situation.

Simply put, the original King of Gao Li discovered that Great Ming had risen strongly again, so he wanted to establish contact with Great Ming and become closer.

Ideally, he would use the prestige of the suzerain state to suppress Li Kangcheng, who had ambition and military power within the country.

What about Li Kangcheng?

He held military power, possessed great ambition himself, and was quite arrogant.

He felt that Great Ming was just so-so and very weak.

Furthermore, he believed that Great Ming did not care about the land in the Liaodong region at all.

During the Wanli reign, when the Jurchen Tatars rose up, the Liaodong region quickly fell into chaos, and the court's control over Liaodong almost vanished instantly.

Gao Li deliberately demanded the land of Liaodong.

Wanli and the court officials deliberated; since those lands had already slipped out of Great Ming's control.

It made no difference whether they gave them to the Jurchen Tatars or to Gao Li.

So they agreed.

After receiving the imperial edict, Gao Li was very happy, as if they had snatched Liaodong from Nurhaci's hands.

But at that time, Nurhaci had already risen up; how could he possibly give away the meat already in his mouth?

Moreover, Liaodong was his foundation, making it even more impossible.

Gao Li could not fight, so the issue of the land remained deadlocked here.

Now that the Jianzhou Jurchen Tatars have been destroyed, Li Kangcheng and some Gao Li ministers remembered this matter, and their hearts began to stir.

Additionally, sending envoys to mix in was also for testing.

"Your Majesty, since they are willing to come, let them come. The national territory cannot be ceded. If that Li Kangcheng truly cannot see himself clearly, then we will teach them a good lesson!"

Su Qiao said decisively and cleanly.

Zhu Youjian nodded in agreement. "Su Qing is right. Back in the time of the founding Emperor Taizu, Goryeo could not see itself clearly and lost all shame, resulting in a severe lesson from Emperor Taizu, which is why it became the current Gao Li dynasty!"

At this time in the morning, Zhu Yuanzhang was resting again.

He opened the group chat and immediately looked for Zhu Youjian.

Group video invitation!

Zhu Youjian quickly snapped back to reality from his earlier high spirits.

"Great-Grandfather!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression remained calm. "Yesterday, the Fourth told me Su Qiao has been targeted. Have you sent someone to find out what is going on?"

Every time Zhu Youjian saw his own Laozu Sect, he was like a mouse meeting a cat.

Asked by Zhu Yuanzhang, he quickly recounted what had happened last night.

"We found out. Last night, those bold fellows tried to kidnap Mr. Su, but failed..."

When Zhu Yuanzhang learned that people from the Bai Bai Lianjiao were trying to kidnap Su Qiao, his face turned as black as a pot bottom.

"These stinking bugs still haven't been crushed?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was very clear about the dangers of the Bai Bai Lianjiao.

Precisely because he was clear, he had vigorously purged the Bai Bai Lianjiao.

He originally thought it had been cleaned up completely, yet here Zhu Youjian still had the Bai Bai Lianjiao brazenly trying to kidnap people.

Clearly, the Bai Bai Lianjiao had not been cleaned up at all.

Zhu Yuanzhang called out to Zhu Di in the group chat, "Fourth, did the Bai Bai Lianjiao emerge during your time?"

Soon, not only Zhu Di, but all the Emperors in the group chat were blown out.

Jiajing said, "Great-Grandfather, the Bai Bai Lianjiao has basically never been cut off. Wherever there is a disaster, remnants of the Bai Bai Lianjiao appear. I had them here before."

Wanli said, "I have them here too..."

This is wildfire that cannot be extinguished; the spring breeze blows and they grow again!

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang forgot to reprimand Zhu Youjian.

He turned his head and shouted toward the hall entrance, "Someone, summon Jiang Huan!"

"Yes!"

Jiang Huan quickly arrived inside the great hall.

First, he quickly scanned Zhu Yuanzhang's face.

Alas, it's over!

Your Majesty's face does not look good; I estimate I will definitely be scolded again.

Jiang Huan dared not speak, quickly lowered his head, knelt on one knee, and said, "This subject pays homage to Your Majesty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang impatiently waved his sleeve and asked very directly, "I have a matter to ask you. How is the investigation into the Bai Bai Lianjiao progressing?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, This subject has already dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate in all regions. Most of the Bai Bai Lianjiao followers have been arrested, with only a few fish escaping the net still at large. I estimate results will come soon."

Although Jiang Huan did not know why Your Majesty suddenly remembered to ask about the Bai Bai Lianjiao.