Tibet.

Chapter 1315 Bohai News
Li Chenghua, commander-in-chief of the inner guards, was determined to do something. There was nothing she couldn't accomplish. Although the emperor had ascended the throne, she was still trying to find the Youzhou merchants who had helped the Khitan assassins.

Through various channels, she collected a list of all Youzhou merchants in Chang'an, a total of more than 40 people.

Then, according to the appearance and physical features of several injured assassins in their confessions, they screened and selected them one by one, and the scope became smaller and smaller, until finally three people were identified.

These three people have common characteristics: they are middle-aged, short and fat, and half bald.

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, several guards in plain clothes came to Hongji Pharmacy in Xianyang County. One of them went in to inquire and came out a moment later to report, "Their boss is here!"

The leading inner guard walked into the pharmacy and asked, "I'm looking for Shopkeeper Zhu!"

"I am!"

A man stood up from behind the counter. He was about 40 years old, short and fat, and half bald. He looked at them in surprise, "Who are you?"

Several inner guards had blocked his escape route. The leading inner guard showed a bronze badge and said, "We are the inner guards. Please come with us and assist us in our investigation!"

Shopkeeper Zhu's face changed drastically, and he said anxiously: "I haven't broken any law, you can't just arrest me!"

The leading captain smiled and said, "Don't get excited, Manager Zhu. We didn't say you broke the law. Just follow us outside, we'll ask a few questions, help us investigate a case, and then everything will be fine!"

"Then let's go to the inner room!"

The captain of the inner guard shook his head and said, "The person we are questioning is outside, sitting in a carriage. It is inconvenient for him to come out, so he is right in front of the store."

"You are not trying to trick me into getting on the carriage!"

An internal guard sergeant nearby was angry and pushed him, "Stop talking so much nonsense, get out of here!"

The shopkeeper had no choice but to follow several guards out in fear. There were several carriages parked across the street. Several guards took Shopkeeper Zhu to a carriage. The carriage was completely enclosed with only a few small horizontal openings. Several pairs of eyes must have been staring at Shopkeeper Zhu.

Manager Zhu suddenly collapsed, fell to the ground and cried, "Don't point fingers at me. It's me. I rented the house in Han Chang'an City, Xinfeng County and Xianyang County. I only rented the house and provided food. I didn't participate in anything else."

"Then get in the car! I'll go to the inner guard and explain the details."

Shopkeeper Zhu was pushed onto a carriage, and dozens of internal security soldiers rushed into the pharmacy to search it. Five shop assistants were also arrested and taken back to Chang'an.

"Have you found that person?" Li Chenghua turned around and said with a smile.

Liu Wutong nodded. "I found it. It's in a medicine shop in Xianyang County. The governor is really powerful. There is a Khitan intelligence station hidden behind him. It's very hidden and has been in Chang'an for ten years."

"How to say?"

"This shopkeeper Zhu is called Zhu Yi. He is not an intelligence agent, but a businessman. Ten years ago, he rented a house for a Khitan medicinal material merchant in Chang'an. He has been paying the rent, and the merchant used medicine to pay the rent. This lasted for ten years. This time, he rented three courtyards, and the merchant asked him to rent them. He felt something was wrong after seeing those Khitan warriors, and he began to get scared."

"In fact, there is no record of that medicinal herb merchant!"

"That's right. I have already asked Xiaoshi to lead people to catch him."

Li Chenghua nodded and said with a smile, "The two children met the day before yesterday and were very satisfied. We have decided on this marriage."

Liu Wutong said quickly: "I'll arrange for a matchmaker to come and propose marriage!"

Li Chenghua waved his hand and said, "My sister-in-law and I can take care of this matter. I'm afraid you don't have time."

Liu Wutong was startled, "Why?"

Li Chenghua took out a letter of appointment and said, "Anti-smuggling Inspection Office is newly established under the Internal Security Department, with 2,000 soldiers and 300 warships. You will be the first director. The office will be located in Yangzhou, but your first stop will be Dengzhou. Tomorrow you will lead the army to Dengzhou and severely crack down on the arrogance there."

"Where's Xiaoshi?"

"He will go with you. I have promoted him to captain. Once the wedding date is set, you will bring him back before the agreed wedding date."

Liu Wutong was overjoyed. It was great to have such a mother-in-law! He was promoted to lieutenant.

"I understand. I will definitely be back on time!"

In Yankangfang, Chang'an County, Liu Xiaoshi led three hundred soldiers to surround a small courtyard covering an acre of land. The soldiers kicked open the door and rushed in, arresting seven people in a short time.

The leader is a Khitan medicinal materials merchant named Yelu Kang. His real identity is the Khitan intelligence chief in Chang'an. He hides very deeply and never collects top-secret intelligence, only public intelligence.

He even ignored the Khitan assassins coming to Chang'an. If he hadn't asked Manager Zhu to rent three courtyards, he wouldn't have been discovered. Yelu Kang was taken to the carriage, looking as pale as death. This time they had no way to escape.

Liu Xiaoshi immediately led people to clean up the intelligence. At this time, a piece of information caught Liu Xiaoshi's attention. It should be a pigeon letter sent from Khitan. Just after opening the small scroll, the content inside was that the Bohai Kingdom had perished and was annexed by Japan.

This news is very important! He hurried back to Neiwei.

Li Chenghua also attached great importance to this information and immediately interrogated the arrested Yelu Kang.

"Why would Khitan give you this information?"

Li Chenghua placed the intelligence pigeon in front of Yelu Kang, who sighed and said, "Bohai has a large sum of money in Chang'an, which is controlled by the Bohai Chamber of Commerce. The Khitan has been eyeing this money. Once the Bohai Kingdom is destroyed, the Bohai Chamber of Commerce will transfer this money to Liaodong to rebuild the new Bohai Kingdom. The Khitan wants me to keep an eye on the Bohai Chamber of Commerce, and keep an eye on them when they transfer the money, because the Khitan will intercept them halfway."

"Where is the money?" Li Chenghua asked.

"There should be some in Baoji Guifang, but I don't know exactly how many!"

Li Chenghua nodded and asked, "The Bohai Chamber of Commerce you mentioned is the Bohai State Chamber of Commerce located in Xishi?"

"Yes! That's it. They are actually an official chamber of commerce, not a private chamber of commerce."

This information was very important. Li Chenghua asked his men to continue the interrogation while she hurried to the Daming Palace.

The fourth day of the first lunar month is the last day of the New Year holiday, but that is only for middle and low-level officials. Senior officials above the third rank are almost all on duty.

There is no attendance record for third-rank officials. It doesn’t matter if you leave early and come back late, or take a few days off. But if you do that, it means that power is slipping away from you.

Things have to be resolved. If you don't take care of them, officials will naturally go find the people who are in charge. Over time, you will gradually be sidelined.

Therefore, although senior officials do not have attendance checks, they do not dare to take it lightly.

Li Ye also came to his new imperial study today. The new imperial study is located in the Si Zheng Yuan to the west of the Xuan Zheng Hall. It is a magnificent group of buildings. In fact, this group of buildings began to be built during the Tianbao period. It was built on and off for nearly twenty years and was just completed a month ago.

Li Ye's imperial study is located in the center of the Ideological and Political Academy, surrounded by various functional rooms, including the library, the staff hall, the meeting hall, and the staff rooms.

At this time, Li Ye was reviewing memorials that had accumulated over the past few days.

Zhongshu Sheren Du You said at the door: "Your Majesty, Li Dutong of the Internal Guards wants to see you!"

Li Ye nodded, "Please let her in!"

After a moment, Li Chenghua hurried in and bowed, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"

Li Ye smiled slightly and said, "I heard that Li Dutong is planning to form a marriage alliance with Liu Wutong. Is there any progress?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. It has been confirmed. Both parties agree. The next step is to discuss the marriage."

"Who is the matchmaker?"

"The matchmaker is Xie Sen, the commander of the Jinwu Guards. He was originally my deputy general."

"That's right! That's right! The Emperor and I will give you gifts when you get married!"

Li Ye's gift was given to Li Chenghua, while Emperor Li Dai's gift was given to Liu Wutong.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Ye then smiled and asked, "What's the urgent matter on the fourth day of the first lunar month?"

"Reporting to your majesty, today we uncovered an intelligence point set up by the Khitan in Chang'an. It has been there for ten years and mainly collected public intelligence, so it has never been discovered. This time we uncovered the Khitan assassin and dug it out."

“Are there any more unexpected discoveries?”

Li Ye knew Li Chenghua. If it was just this matter, she would not have come to report to him on the fourth day of the first lunar month. There must be a bigger discovery.

"Reporting to your majesty, we found a pigeon letter from the Khitan at the Khitan intelligence station. The content on it is very shocking. The Bohai Kingdom has perished and has been annexed by Japan!"

This news also stunned Li Ye.

(End of this chapter)