Chapter 193: Li Chengqian in High Spirits

"You say Zhang Wenbo is dead?"

Li Chengqian looked at the Left Imperial Prince Yu Zhineng below, his expression as strange as could be.

One must know that the matter of Zhang Wenbo was far‑reaching: not only did he heavily partake in the chaotic tax‑collection and corruption case in Weinan County, providing great convenience for it, but he also identified Du Ruhui in front of the entire court of civil and military officials.

As the central figure of the vortex, the place where he was imprisoned was no simple one; it was the deepest part of Dali Temple Prison, even tighter than the cells where Chen Yan and Du Ruhui were held.

Li Chengqian remembered that after Zhang Wenbo identified Du Ruhui, Li Shimin issued an order to have him watched closely.

But now, an important witness locked in the deepest part of Dali Temple Prison has actually died?

"How did Zhang Wenbo die?" Li Chengqian, genuinely curious, couldn't help but ask.

"I do not know the details, Your Majesty. After Zhang Wenbo's death, the entire Dali Temple Prison was placed under the watch of General Li with troops, but before that I heard some rumors," Yu Zhineng said in a rather odd tone:

"It is said that Zhang Wenbo, realizing his sins were too great, hanged himself."

"He also left a confession letter before dying; I am not clear on its contents,"

Li Chengqian's expression after hearing that was nothing short of spectacular.

Zhang Wenbo?

Realizing his sins were deep, hanging himself to kill himself?

He doesn't even know how those words fit together.

A man so arrogant that his concubine's younger brother could run rampant in Weinan County, would ever realize his sins were that deep?

Laughing to death.

"Indeed, it was right for me back then to decide not to intervene," Li Chengqian sighed.

Originally, Chen Yan had the Jinwu Guard send the person to him, along with a letter.

The letter explained some background of that group, stating plainly that the matter was not that simple; solving it well would be a great merit, solving it poorly would bring a lot of trouble.

It left him to decide whether to handle it himself or hand it over to Li Shimin.

Logically, Chen Yan's action was extremely against protocol, but Weinan County had already been Li Chengqian's fief.

Thus, Chen Yan handing the person to him at once left no one able to find fault.

However, after careful thought, Li Chengqian still handed the person to Li Shimin.

Chen Yan had some information that was unclear, but he was actually very clear: Zhang Wenbo was originally promoted by Du Ruhui, because he came from a humble background and had a spotless record.

He sensed something was off at the time, immediately handed the person entirely to Li Shimin, and then never paid attention to it again.

What happened later made him increasingly feel that the original decision was correct.

Yu Zhineng, deeply agreeing, nodded and said, "Your Highness, not getting involved was right. Zhang Wenbo's death is truly too suspicious; the reason given is simply laughable."

"The waters here are too deep; I always feel a hidden hand pulling strings behind it, and this person is extremely arrogant, with methods each time having a sort of......"

By the end, Yu Zhineng suddenly realized he could not find a suitable adjective, hesitating in place, unsure how to describe it.

"It feels like insulting someone as a fool, right?" Li Chengqian completed his unfinished sentence.

Yu Zhineng gave an awkward smile, bowed his hands, and did not refute.

He indeed thought so.

Thinking of the ways those people amassed wealth—private boat taxes, fishing taxes, and later Zhang Wenbo directly confessing, even on the spot identifying Prime Minister Du Ruhui while he was recuperating.

In the end they killed Zhang Wenbo, then gave him a seemingly reasonable yet utterly ridiculous reason of a guilt‑driven suicide.

Isn't that an insult to a person?

Yu Zhineng harbored a suspicion: he felt the mastermind behind all this acted as if solely to disgust Li Shimin......

Li Chengqian, not knowing what Yu Zhineng was thinking, casually asked, "Who do you think the person behind this is?"

"To think they could let someone silently hang themselves in the heavily guarded Dali Temple Prison—ha, this excuse still seems laughable to me now,"

"If I recall correctly, there isn't even a single weed inside,"

"That... I'm not sure," Yu Zhineng said with a wry smile, "but it is certain that the mastermind is very influential; though his actions are extremely arrogant, they are airtight, and so far no effective clue has been exposed."

"Conventional methods probably won't find this person."

"If you can't find them, then don't," Li Chengqian said casually, not really expecting an answer, ordering, "Have someone keep a constant watch on this; any news report back, otherwise ignore it."

"For now we only need to do our own tasks; the rest of our focus should be on Weinan County."

"Understood," Yu Zhineng replied, realizing Li Chengqian wanted him to leave, and then took his leave.

After he left, Li Chengqian went straight back to his own palace chambers; on the way he seemed to think of something, and a faint smile involuntarily curved his mouth.

Upon entering the chambers, he found the Crown Princess with several embroideresses making clothes, and he slightly frowned, "Why are you doing this again? Didn't I tell you to rest properly?"

Crown Princess Su, seeing him arrive, smiled and said, "I can't just sleep all day. Imperial Physician Wang only said I shouldn't overexert myself, not that I can't do anything at all."

"Staying in the chambers every day gets boring; how about making a few outfits for the children?"

Indeed, as their relationship deepened, thanks to Li Chengqian's efforts, Su was confirmed pregnant two days ago.

Upon learning this, Li Chengqian was delighted for a long time; lately he even set aside state affairs, often staying by Su's side.

Seeing Su speak that way, Li Chengqian fell silent for a moment, dismissed a few embroideresses, then walked to Su's side, sat down, took her hand, and with a guilty look said, "To be honest, since you married me I have indeed rarely left the palace, not even returning to my family often."

"And my daily duties are busy, leaving little time for you; I truly have wronged you."

"It is I who have failed you..."

The Crown Princess paused slightly, placed a hand on her belly, and with a gentle smile said, "My husband is the Crown Prince, a nation's heir, how could I let my personal matters delay state affairs?"

"If you devote all your thoughts to me, then you truly are wronging me."

"Moreover, with such words from you, even if I never step out of the palace again, I will have no regrets."

The more she said that, the more guilty Li Chengqian felt.

He realized his former self truly didn't know gratitude; with such a good wife silently giving, he had ignored her, often wasting Su's kindness.

Li Chengqian gave a self‑deprecating laugh, thought for a moment, and said, "How about we go out for a walk today?"

"Brother Zi An has been stationed in Weinan County for a while; shall I take you there to see?"

It would also be good to take the opportunity to have Zi Anxiong write a few fetal‑stabilizing prescriptions for you; his medical skill is far superior to that of the Imperial Physician.