Tibet.

Chapter 1436 Play hard to get
Although Sanggan was a Kunlun slave, he was bold and careful. After killing Wang Sili, he left Chang'an overnight. He first hired an ox cart to Xianyang County. He did not continue to flee westward, but hired another ox cart to go east again, all the way to Huayin County. On the one hand, it was to avoid being tracked down, and on the other hand, because his stick wound had not healed, he could lie in the cart to prevent the wound from bursting.

Although he encountered several groups of yamen runners who were carrying wanted notices to various places along the way, they were not chasing him and did not stop or check his ox cart. He arrived in Huayin County safely.

But his target was not Huayin County, he was just worried that the coachman would betray him.

This is where Sanggan's boldness and carefulness come from. He secretly climbed onto a straw cart in Huayin County and headed north. After several twists and turns, he arrived at the central county of Fangzhou.

Thirteen years ago, when he was first sold to the Tang Dynasty, he entered Guanzhong via the Luoshui Line. At that time, his Sogdian master fell ill, so they stayed in Zhongbu County for a month.

Zhongbu County was the only county he was familiar with in the Tang Dynasty besides Chang'an, and he did not tell anyone this secret. The Sogdian who sold him had died long ago. Two of his five companions who were sold to the Tang Dynasty with him died, and the other three followed their master, the Yuan family, to establish a country overseas. So no matter how the government tracked him down, they would never have thought that he would hide in Zhongbu County and escape back to his hometown after a few months.

Sang Gan did not go into the county town, but rented a nearly abandoned courtyard from a farmer. He bought a month's supply of dry food and several large water gourds from a small shop that specialized in selling dry food for travel, and some medicine for his wounds. He then hid in the courtyard, stayed indoors, and recuperated in the house.

He always moved around at night, wearing a bamboo hat to use the darkness to conceal his skin color. In addition, he could speak pure Chang'an Mandarin, so the old peasant woman who rented a house to him had no idea that there were Kunlun slaves in this world.

Sang Gan then hid in Fangzhou. Five days had passed since he killed Wang Sili.

The Internal Security Department is responsible for investigating murder cases. Once the case is solved and the real murderer is identified, the Internal Security Department will no longer be responsible for it. The rest of the matter will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice to arrest the murderer.

In the round hall of the Council of State, Jiang Huai'en, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, was reporting the investigation to the emperor and senior officials of the Council of State.

"This Kunlun slave was beaten with a hundred sticks two days before the crime. His injuries were quite serious. He couldn't have ridden a horse or walked. He must have escaped by boat or car. We checked all the boats and carts that left Chang'an that night and the next morning, and indeed found clues."

Everyone was excited and asked quickly: "Have you found him?"

Jiang Huai'en nodded. "We found an old man driving a cart. He transported an injured black man to Xianyang. The man was wearing a bamboo hat and it was still dark. He only knew that the man had very dark skin, unlike the dark skin of the Han people. He was also tall, which matched the characteristics of the suspect. We have conducted a large search in Xianyang County, but found no trace of him."

"Will we take a boat in Xianyang and continue our journey westward?" Wei Jiansu asked.

"It is indeed possible, but there are so many ships that we have no way to check. I even suspect that he did not go west by boat, but went east. He might go from Jingyuan Road to Hexi."

Zhang Li shook his head and said, "He was beaten with a hundred sticks. He couldn't walk through the Hexi Corridor with such serious injuries. He must be hiding somewhere to recover. He may not be hiding in the county town, but in a small town or the countryside. It's useless for you to search the county town."

Jiang Huai'en smiled bitterly and said, "If he hides, it will be very difficult to find him, like looking for a needle in a haystack. If he hides for a year or two, it will be even more impossible to find him."

Guo Ziyi said slowly: "No matter what, he will definitely return to his hometown. I think as long as we carefully check at the entrance to Hexi, his skin color will be the biggest feature, and he will be found sooner or later."

Wei Jiansu nodded and said to Jiang Huai'en: "The Ministry of Justice will continue to investigate. Please ask the counties in Jingzhao Prefecture to assist. If you really can't find him, then wait patiently until he is caught."

At this time, Emperor Li Ye coughed lightly, and the government hall immediately became quiet.

Li Ye said slowly: "It is heartbreaking that General Wang died, but if we don't recognize the other side of this case, then General Wang died in vain."

Li Ye glanced at everyone with a stern look, "I asked all officials to complete the cleanup of slaves by the end of June, but the Kunlun slave case exposed the reality. Now it is November, five months have passed since the deadline, and there are still people who do not take my orders seriously, and treat my words as if they were farts, and simply disdain them. I would like to ask everyone present, have you cleaned up all the slaves in your house? If you have cleaned up, please raise your hands!"

At this time, no one dared to offend the emperor again, and they all raised their hands. Li Ye nodded, "Very good! Perhaps only a few officials did not do it, and General Wang is one of them. Then I will give the officials one last chance. Until the last day of the year, no matter whether they are high-ranking officials of the first rank or low-ranking officials of the ninth rank, no matter whether they are generals or lieutenants, no matter whether they are Kunlun slaves or Silla maids, as long as they are found to have slaves at home next year, the officials and generals will be dismissed immediately, demoted to commoners, and will never be employed again. Their families will be blacklisted and they will not be admitted to the imperial examinations."

Li Ye was completely enraged. Abolition of slavery was not only a social reform, but also a manifestation of his royal authority. To secretly disobey or to ignore it would be a challenge to his royal authority, which made him murderous.

Liu Wutong came to the house where Xiaohong was temporarily accommodated. He sat down in the main hall and carefully looked at the young woman whom he had not seen for many years. Her appearance had not changed much, but she was indeed much more mature than before.

"Little Red Girl, you should still recognize me!"

Xiaohong nodded. Of course she knew him. He was the master’s trusted leader of guards.

"The emperor can't see you. He asked me to come and talk to you." Xiao Hong suddenly realized that her fate was in the hands of this guard leader. She immediately put on a coquettish look and said softly, "What does General Liu want to talk to me about?"

"Let me see the child first!"

Xiaohong nodded, got up and went to the back house. Not long after, she brought in a boy about seven or eight years old. The boy was a little scared when he saw Liu Wutong and held his mother tightly.

Liu Wutong was stunned. This boy's features did look a bit like those of an emperor, but his temperament was somewhat mean and a bit sly, which made him look a bit like Zheng Xiaoze.

He looked at it carefully again and nodded, "Okay!"

Xiaohong let go of her son, and the boy turned around and ran away.

Liu Wutong asked again: "I sent you money twice before. Logically, the child should have been born by then. Why didn't I see it then?"

"I don't live in Chang'an. The child is in Hanzhong. I didn't bring him to Chang'an."

As expected, it was Hanzhong. Liu Wutong still followed the original plan and said, "You also know the master's current status. He can't recognize an illegitimate child."

"I know. Just give me the money! I will raise the child."

Xiaohong was very straightforward. This was the purpose of her coming.

"How much do you want?"

Xiaohong held up a finger, "Ten thousand strings of cash!"

Liu Wutong sneered, "You really dare to speak?"

Xiao Hong's eyes turned red, and she said sadly, "This is the son of the retired emperor, the brother of the emperor. Is he not even worth ten thousand strings of cash?"

"Five thousand strings of cash, that's the most I can give you. If you want it, take it. If not, I'll leave."

Liu Wutong stood up and left. Xiaohong compromised immediately, "Okay! Give me five thousand strings of cash first. I need to support my child."

Liu Wutong wanted to slap this woman in the face. Five thousand strings of cash was just enough to feed a child. How many people in the world could afford five thousand strings of cash?

Liu Wutong said coldly: "Too much money can easily attract thieves, which can lead to the destruction of the entire family."

Xiao Hong was so frightened that her face changed. She lowered her head and whispered, "I will never go out and spread the word!"

Liu Wutong took out an envelope and placed it on the table. "Five thousand strings of cash in the Baoji Pavilion, and half a jade pendant. The secret code is 'winter snow and spring rain'. Take care of yourself!"

Liu Wutong turned and left. Xiaohong held the envelope in her hand. She originally only wanted to get a few thousand coins, but she didn't expect to get five thousand coins. She was really overjoyed.

She certainly would not expect that she could enter the palace and become the emperor's concubine. Of course, when she heard the news that Li Ye ascended the throne, she felt extremely remorseful. If she had not asked for money and had insisted on relying on Li Dai, with her capital and skills, she would have bewitched Li Dai and she would have been the emperor's concubine now.

Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in the world. She is already married and can only use her child to make money.

After getting the money, Xiaohong quickly packed up her things and left with her child in a carriage. However, she didn't know that she was being followed and monitored by two groups of internal guards.

(End of this chapter)