Bai Zhi’er couldn’t hold back and let out a low giggle.

The Emperor of Great Qin was truly making her see him in a new light.

No wonder he’s the Emperor; he really knows how to have contingency plans!

Long Xiyuan shot her a sideways glance.

Is this little girl just now realizing his prowess?

This made Long Xiyuan even more pleased.

"Just on my way here, I heard that government officers are arresting people at night, fearing they might leave in a hurry."

"So a government official was arranged to retrieve the dossier in the name of Duke Huan."

"Duke Huan, you wouldn’t blame me for being abrupt, would you?" Long Xiyuan squinted his eyes.

Though he spoke thus, he had already decisively flipped through the dossier.

Duke Huan could only force a smile: "How dare I, the Emperor’s meticulous mind is truly admirable."

Bai Zhi’er began to understand.

Why the Emperor of Great Qin increasingly managed to consolidate power, tightly grasped in his own hands.

With this level of cunningness, Prince Li Zheng and Duke Huan were no match for him.

No wonder they could only be beaten down.

Long Xiyuan looked at the dossier, his expression gradually turning grim.

Just moments ago, he seemed harmless, now he’s surrounded by dark clouds.

He raised his head, looking at that government officer: "You just said he looked quite handsome, with a tall and slim build?"

The officer hadn’t yet confessed but was already trembling.

He fell to his knees, admitting first: "Emperor, I might have misremembered some things!"

Long Xiyuan sneered coldly: "In the dossier, six civilians said the horse-riding rioter was short and stout."

"Additionally, eight directly mentioned Song Bufan by name; clearly they recognized him, as Duke Huan’s eldest son."

"With such solid testimonies, how could you still misidentify and come to arrest Song Yingchuan?"

"I see your heads are just as muddled; might as well behead you!"

After saying this, the officers were terrified and begged for mercy while kowtowing.

"Forgive us, Emperor, spare our lives. We just lacked vigilance for a moment."

"Ha, lack of vigilance?" Long Xiyuan chuckled darkly: "Didn’t you just say you reviewed the dossier dozens of times?"

He picked up the dossier and tossed it toward the officer.

"This is the result of reviewing it fifty times! Even a pig would remember better than you!"

Scared, the officer couldn’t catch his breath, fell to the ground, convulsing and foaming at the mouth, fainting.

Long Xiyuan’s eyes were full of disgust.

"Take him out, don’t let him die, investigate thoroughly, find out who’s behind the scenes, releasing the guilty and forcing others to take the blame!"

"Yes!" The Imperial Guard immediately dragged the officer away.

Long Xiyuan turned back, looking at the trembling Duke Huan beside him.

"Minister Song, surely you aren’t the one committing rebellion and sheltering a criminal?" He smiled amusedly again.

Duke Huan stammered in fear: "N-no, not me!"

Long Xiyuan chuckled lightly, his tone rather gentle: "Good that it isn’t you; otherwise, I wouldn’t be polite with you."

With that, he lifted his chin subtly: "You may leave, I’m going to chat with a friend."

Duke Huan was taken aback.

Instinctively, he glanced at Bai Zhi’er.

Earlier, when Song Qingying returned, she had already told him about the banquet proceedings.

It seems, indeed, it was this Miss Jing who attracted the Emperor!

Malice flickered in Duke Huan’s eyes.

He bowed, like a mouse, hunching his back as he left.

After he left, Long Xiyuan looked at Bai Zhi’er: "So? With how strong I am, you still won’t agree to be my accomplice?"

Feng Fuce immediately frowned, his tone icy: "Agree or not, it’s her freedom. Your repeated prompting only makes one feel coerced."