“This commoner woman understands, but…” Yunyi looked toward Li Shimin and said: “This commoner woman heard Second Young Master say that this conscription of soldiers and laborers is still short many people. Why not temporarily spare their lives and let them serve the court?”

“Preposterous!” County Magistrate Qin scolded: “The court has decreed that any conscripted soldiers and laborers who attempt to flee, regardless of reason, shall be executed along with their families. If we follow your words and spare them from death, then tomorrow everyone can run away, knowing that at worst, if caught, they’ll merely be conscripted.”

“But…” Yunyi was about to speak again when Li Shimin pulled her back and said to County Magistrate Qin: “Meixue knows the Fang family and couldn’t bear to see them executed, so she spoke out of turn. Please don’t hold it against her.”

County Magistrate Qin bowed and said: “This official understands, but the Fang family truly cannot be pardoned. Please forgive me, Second Young Master.”

Li Shimin sighed softly and nodded: “I understand. County Magistrate Qin should handle this according to the law.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Second Young Master.” County Magistrate Qin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Li Shimin had insisted on pleading for the Fang family, it would have been difficult for him to handle.

“Take them away and execute them!” County Magistrate Qin’s words made Yunyi’s heart panic as she pleaded: “Second Young Master, will you truly not save them?”

Li Shimin closed his eyes briefly and said helplessly: “It’s not that I won’t save them, but that I cannot. After all, they violated the law first. Meixue, the law cannot be violated!”

Over there, Aunt Fang, being forcibly dragged away by the bailiffs, seeing no hope of survival, cursed: “Damn murderous tyrant emperor, brutal and merciless, not treating us common people’s lives as lives! Sooner or later retribution will come—just watch, when the time comes, he’ll die even more miserably than us! Hahaha!”

Yunyi clenched her fists tightly. Three innocent lives were about to be lost, yet she could do nothing. She hated this feeling of powerlessness.

Long after they were dragged away, Aunt Fang’s words kept echoing in Yunyi’s ears. If this continued, Father Emperor… he would truly lose all popular support!

When that time came, even if Li Yuan didn’t rebel, others would. The Great Sui dynasty would be in grave danger!

Not long after the Fang family matter passed, Duan Zhihong entered. Because County Magistrate Qin was present, he said nothing, only nodding slightly at Li Shimin. The latter understood and, after asking County Magistrate Qin a few questions about the conscription, led Yunyi and the others outside. Once they left the county office, he asked: “How did it go?”

“Second Young Master’s speculation was correct. As soon as Lu Sheng left, he immediately went to meet someone. Second Young Master also knows this person—it’s Li Feng.”

Li Shimin said in surprise: “The Li Feng who was previously dismissed from office and sentenced to flogging for forging evidence?”

“Exactly him. According to what this subordinate overheard, Lu Sheng indeed forged the household register. Besides changing Miss Wu’s father’s age from fifty to forty-nine, they also quietly altered several other people, making some a year younger or two years older, allowing these people to avoid this conscription while they profited from it.”

Yunyi perked up: “Does this mean my father can be saved?”

Duan Zhihong shook his head: “What I heard cannot serve as court evidence. Even if we find the silver they received, it wouldn’t prove anything. To save Uncle Wu, there’s only one way—find the original household register.”

“What if they destroyed that register?”

Li Shimin shook his head: “They wouldn’t. This register involves more than just Uncle Wu, so Lu Sheng shouldn’t discard it. We just don’t know where it’s hidden.” After thinking for a while, he said: “Zhihong, continue monitoring Lu Sheng’s every move. Most importantly, find that register.”

“This subordinate understands.” Duan Zhihong responded and left again. Li Shimin and Yunyi continued walking toward the Governor’s mansion. Along the way, Yunyi didn’t speak. When they were almost at the mansion gates, Li Shimin said compassionately: “Still thinking about the Fang family?”

Yunyi said sadly: “Uncle Fang’s family were good people. Every time I returned home, Aunt Fang would bring over delicious food. Now… in just this short time, all three of them are gone. It’s truly hard to accept.” Speaking to this point, she looked up at Li Shimin: “The court establishing laws isn’t wrong, but doesn’t it also say that law should not be separate from human feelings? Why couldn’t Second Young Master help them just now, even if… even if it was just saving one person?”

“County Magistrate Qin was right just now. If I had spared the Fang family today, tomorrow thousands of people would try to escape the city, and even all of Honghua Prefecture would fall into chaos. At that time, with so many people, should we kill them or not?”

His words left Yunyi speechless. After a long while, she finally said: “So Uncle Fang’s family had to die?”

Li Shimin said expressionlessly: “Correct. I know they’re pitiful, but for the greater good, they must be killed!”

Yunyi was silent for a long time, then suddenly said: “Why must we repeatedly campaign against Goguryeo? As far as I know, Goguryeo has shown no signs of invading our Great Sui in the past half year. Aren’t there any ministers who advise His Majesty to avoid this war?”

Li Shimin was somewhat surprised that Yunyi would say such things. Then he said helplessly: “His Majesty has a rigid temperament and never changes his mind once decided. Moreover…” He originally wanted to say that Yang Guang was moody and unpredictable, and that if ministers said anything slightly wrong, they would invite suspicion or even the extermination of their entire families. But feeling these words inappropriate to say to Yunyi, he changed the topic: “In any case, however His Majesty issues decrees, we subjects must follow them. I hope that after this battle, the world will cease warfare and allow the people to rest and recover, no longer suffering from war and forced labor.”

Yunyi nodded with a complex expression and entered the Governor’s mansion with Li Shimin. As soon as they entered the gates, they saw Steward Lin talking with the gatekeeper. Seeing Li Shimin approach, he quickly bowed: “Greetings, Second Young Master.”

Li Shimin nodded casually and headed toward Jingji Pavilion. After just a few steps, he heard Steward Lin scolding Yunyi: “How dare you! You were clearly told to return home by the fifteenth, needing to be back before nightfall, yet you delayed until now.”

“Steward Lin, please calm your anger. Because something happened at home, so…” Before Yunyi could finish, Steward Lin interrupted: “So you can return this late? How outrageous! Quickly come with me to see Madam!”

Before Steward Lin could drag Yunyi away, Li Shimin’s voice reached their ears: “Steward Lin!”

Steward Lin quickly said: “What are Second Young Master’s orders?”

“Yesterday I instructed Meixue to handle some matters, which is why she was delayed until today. Because of the many recent affairs, I forgot to tell Second Madam. It’s not Meixue’s fault.”

Steward Lin was stunned, then smiled obsequiously: “So it was Second Young Master’s instruction. This humble person didn’t know. Please forgive me, Second Young Master.”