"My Lord, the current confession from Liu Wu is here. I have already confirmed, and the various details revealed in it are basically in line with the style of the White Lotus Sect."

Wu Shuigen saw a statement and raised his hands above his head, his demeanor becoming more respectful, but his mentality became somewhat calm.

Originally, he sought refuge with the court as a last resort, but due to Liu Wu's face, a hint of sincerity truly emerged.

Sun Shaozong had already received the report, but he was not surprised by his transformation. He reached out to take the confession and carefully read it from beginning to end.

Liu Wu, who discovered this confession, was not the team led by Ge Zhan to the Capital but was transferred from the State of Lan branch to Auntie Li's command last spring.

According to Liu Wu's confession, Auntie Li was usually very cautious in her actions, and she controlled several hidden stakes in the Capital, rarely allowing outsiders to intervene.

Therefore, Liu Wu had been in the Capital for a year and a half, and only recently had a few contacts with the Wu Shuigen couple.

As a result, Liu Wu's confession was mostly based on his observations at the State of Lan branch, as well as Auntie Li's use of mutual support as a channel to steal court secrets.

These pieces of intelligence couldn’t be said to be completely useless, but they were quite far from Sun Shaozong's expectations.

It seemed that the White Lotus Sect went to the Capital to search for the Holy Maiden; although they acted recklessly, their internal confidentiality measures were relatively reasonable.

However, disappointment comes from disappointment. Wu Shuigen should be encouraged to be able to set up export supply so quickly.

Putting the confession on the table, Sun Shaozong smiled and said, "Not bad. It's a bit unexpected for you to make progress so quickly, but you can't be complacent about it. You need to keep working harder."

"I will do my best!"

Wu Shuigen quickly bowed to the end. After getting up a bit, he saw Sun Shaozong's smile was quite warm, so he boldly asked, "Excuse me, My Lord, how should the thief Liu Wu be dealt with?"

"First, take him to identify and see what was captured and killed last night, and what is missing, especially a few leaders!"

Sun Shaozong glanced at Wu Shuigen with a smile on his face before continuing, "Then change him into a strong suit and let him fight around you for the time being."

The lowest ranking in the Dragon Forbidden Guard was also a legitimate ninth grade. Although this highlights the special status of the Dragon Forbidden Guard, it also led to the embarrassing situation of insufficient manpower.

To make up for the shortage of manpower, strong temporary workers, who have no official positions, have emerged; of course, even if they have no official positions, they could still work as servants in the Northern Detective Department, and their treatment and authority were far superior to ordinary servants.

Wu Shuigen felt a sense of pleasure when he heard that Liu Wu had become a strong servant and that he was completely different from his eighth-grade position as a Guard.

So he bowed and went back to work with full enthusiasm.

As he left, Sun Shaozong's smile suddenly collapsed; he covered his mouth and yawned heavily. He pressed the prepared timeline on the table, along with Liu Wu's confession, onto a piece of paper and stood up to walk outside.

He was so busy that he didn't even have breakfast. He thought he could use Liu Wu's confession to find some useful clues, such as the authentication method of the reincarnated saint, an insider hidden in the government, or the person who leaked the information at the inn.

So Sun Shaozong gathered his energy and waited for Wu Shuigen to come and report.

Since he was greatly disappointed at the moment, he naturally wanted to first fill his stomach.

"Your Excellency."

As soon as he walked out of the detention room, Yang Licai immediately welcomed him.

Sun Shaozong casually threw a piece of broken silver over and ordered, "Let the stove prepare a table of good wine and food, and deliver it to the interrogation room. Just say that it was rewarded by me."

Yang Licai was about to return the silver, but Sun Shaozong had already stepped out of the water prison.

He hurried up and asked cautiously, "Where are you planning to have your meal, My Lord?"

"Find a clean place nearby..."

"Inspector, Inspector!"

At this moment, a small guard flew over like a flying flag, and from a distance, it shouted, "There is a decree in the palace for you to visit immediately!"

*Great~*

He was afraid he'd have dinner together this time.

It seemed that the court attached more importance to this White Lotus Sect than he had imagined; otherwise, at least they should wait until they asked something before summoning him into the palace.

He has to ask the eunuch who was delivering the message. Sun Shaozong dug out a few golden beans from his wallet, quickly walked outside, arched his hand first, pulled the eunuch's sleeve, and stuffed the golden beans into it. He smiled and said, "Thank you for your patience."

The young eunuch first secretly shook his weight, feeling light and not too much pressure on his hand. His smile was a bit unnatural, but when he clasped his fists and saluted, he caught a glimpse of the yellow and orange colors in his palm, and he burst into a chrysanthemum-like smile again.

He said in a sharp and delicate voice, "A hero like you, what’s so important to wait a little longer?"

"Haha, you don't mind. But I dare not let His Majesty wait for too long," Sun Shaozong said, giving way with his hand. "Let's go now?"

"Sure, let’s go!"

As they walked out of the Northern Detective Department side by side, the already on-duty small guard brought Sun Shaozong's dark horse, so the two of them flipped over and mounted their horses, galloping towards the palace city.

This time, it was not the Donghua Gate, which usually summoned external officials, but the Xuanwu Gate, which was closest to the inner courtyard of the palace.

According to Eunuch Li, Emperor Guangde was currently playing chess in Jingren Palace. Upon hearing the report from Commander Dai, he immediately sent someone to summon Sun Shaozong into the palace to see him.

This Jingren Palace was originally the residence of high-ranking concubines in the palace, but it has now been converted into a planting base.

Those concubines who were not big enough to have broad breasts and buttocks were relocated elsewhere, leaving only Jia Yuanchun and three other well-bred ones for Emperor Guangde to work hard and cultivate.

There was nothing to say along the way.

At the Xuanwu Gate, after undergoing a rigorous investigation, Sun Shaozong followed Eunuch Li through the palace walls and walked five or six miles before stopping in front of a palace complex.

"Lord Sun."

Just as Eunuch Li turned around and whispered, "What kind of territory is this? You should have heard of it. After entering, what you shouldn't see or listen to should not be seen or heard. Don't look or listen randomly."

*What should he not see in this blue sky and white sun?*

*It couldn’t be those four goddesses running naked inside, right?*

Sun Shaozong joked inwardly, but with a hint of gratitude on his face, he arched his hand and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch."

Eunuch Li then led him into the Jingren Palace through the side door, bypassing a red and towering shadow. Suddenly, he saw a pool of rippling blue waves in the middle, surrounded by corridors in both directions and a small pavilion dotted in the northwest corner.

And further away, there were several ordinary small courtyards.

This scenery was far inferior to the Grand View Garden in Rongguo Mansion.

Sun Shaozong was somewhat disappointed. He had originally thought that the place where the concubines' nestled would be more unique.

"Eunuch Li, you have come back!"

As soon as Sun Shaozong glanced a few times, a woman with a tiger's back and a bear's waist flashed out of the corridor. She ran up and down with her skirt, looked up and down at Sun Shaozong a few times, and praised him, "Indeed, Sun has a magnificent appearance!"

Sun Shaozong didn't know how to respond, but she urged, "Lord Sun, come with me quickly. Your Majesty has asked twice."

As she spoke, she went back into the corridor on his own.

Seeing Eunuch Li standing still, he gestured with his eyes to follow quickly. Sun Shaozong arched his hand at him and quickly entered the corridor.

Following the palace maid, she meandered along the way. As they approached the few small courtyards, the palace people also became dense.

But one by one, they were plain in appearance, without any eye-catching features. On the contrary, the palace maids who led the way stood out like chickens.

There shouldn't be any problem with Emperor Guangde's aesthetic views, right?

Thinking about it, he didn't think it was right. He didn't know about the other concubines, but Jia Yuanchun was a first-class beauty. When his Sister-in-Law chatted in bed, she praised her for her national and heavenly beauty several times.

With such wild thoughts, Sun Shaozong followed the palace maid into the second courtyard on the left.

Passing through a colorful corridor and reaching the main entrance, the palace maid stopped her steps and whispered under the eaves, "Your Majesty, Sun Shaozong, the Governor of the Central Judicial Office, has arrived."

After being quiet for five or six seconds, a rhythmic voice came from inside, "Enter~"

Sun Shaozong stepped to the door and saw Emperor Guangde leaning on an Arhat bed. He bent down and bowed his head into the room. He turned over, knelt, and said, "I, Sun Shaozong, greet Your Majesty."

"You may get up."

Unlike the solemnity of the last meeting, Emperor Guangde kindly raised his hand this time. When Sun Shaozong bowed and stood up, he waved his hand and ordered, "Start the banquet."

Before the words could be finished, two palace maids immediately brought a short table and placed it in front of Sun Shaozong. Immediately after, various delicacies were brought up like flowing water, and in the blink of an eye, the tables were fully arranged.

Before the maid of honor left the door, Emperor Guangde picked up a bright yellow cushion from Arhat's bed and ordered, "Send this cushion to Lord Sun."

Dai Quan immediately placed his hands in front of the several tables and smiled, "Sit down quickly. If you count, you are still the first one His Majesty has given a banquet in this Jingren Palace."

"I... I..."

Upon hearing his reminder, Sun Shaozong understood, and now it was time to act.

Excited and stuttering twice, he blushed and then said in fear, "I can't afford Your Majesty's kindness!"

"Whether it is appropriate, I have a clear idea in my heart."

Emperor Guangde shook his head and said with a smirk, "As the saying goes, *'The emperor is not inferior to hungry soldiers.'* If there is anything, you must first fill your stomach. If you don't sit down, it will be a rebellion."

"I... I... I obey the order!"

Sun Shaozong performed two more chokes before kneeling on the bright yellow cushion.

Firstly, he didn’t dare let the Emperor Guangde wait for a long time, and secondly, he was really hungry. So he shook off his cheeks and lifted his back teeth, indulging in eating the sea fortress.

All kinds of roasted pig, roasted goose, deer tendons, and bear paws, filled with a full weight of seven or eight pounds, Sun Shaozong wiped his face with a silk cloth on the side and respectfully stood up and saluted, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving me a banquet."

Emperor Guangde was obviously taken aback, and for a long time, he managed to hold back a sentence, "Have you had enough to eat?"

"80% full."

Sun Shaozong replied honestly, "Eating too much lunch can easily cause trouble."

Someone in the neighboring room burst out laughing but was soon restrained.

After being speechless for a while, Emperor Guangde sighed and said, "Every time I read the ancient saying that a fierce general could *'eat rice and ten pounds of meat,'* I thought it was an exaggeration made by later generations. Today, when I saw your appetite, I realized it was true."

During his speech, Dai Quan had already instructed the palace officials to withdraw the remaining seat.

"Lord Sun."

At this moment, Emperor Guangde's face gradually became solemn, and he said seriously, "Do you know why I summoned you to the palace?"

Previously, Sun Shaozong thought he knew, but upon hearing this, he became somewhat uncertain.

If it were for the sake of the White Lotus Sect, there was no need to test oneself at all, right?

Perhaps…

Was it for the rebellion of the barbarian tribes in Huguang and Wuxi?

A few days ago, after hearing about this from Xue Pan, Sun Shaozong used his connections to inquire and found that someone in the court recommended him to go to Huguang to quell the rebellion of the Wuxi barbarians.

However, considering Sun Shaozong's age and qualifications, the recommender only listed him as one of the candidates for Deputy.

Given the current chaotic situation in the Capital, Sun Shaozong originally thought it would be a good choice to serve as a Deputy and leave Huguang.

But today, Emperor Guangde personally summoned himself, probably not just for a deputy position, right?

Or…

Did he have the opportunity to go out alone in Huguang?!

At present, Sun Shaozong was not lacking in merit and reputation, only lacking in the word *"qualification."* Letting him out alone to suppress the rebellion in Hubei and Guangxi, and even presiding over subsequent pacification work, which was definitely a great opportunity to brush up on his qualifications!

As long as he could handle this job steadily and securely, who could use *'young and inexperienced'* to suppress him in the future?

Thinking of this, Sun Shaozong couldn't help but feel a little excited in his heart, but he spoke loudly, "I dare not make a hasty decision about the reason."

Emperor Guangde waved his hand and said, "Since I asked you to guess, there is no such thing as making hasty decisions. What comes to mind? Just say it out."

"This..."

Sun Shaozong hesitated for a moment before speaking loudly, "I dare to speculate recklessly. Is it not for the Southwest Incident that Your Majesty summoned me?"

"The Southwest Incident?"

Unexpectedly, Emperor Guangde was slightly stunned upon hearing these words.

*Oh no!*

Surprisingly, he guessed wrong!

Sun Shaozong caught a glimpse of this expression and knew he was in trouble. He was thinking about how to remedy it when he heard Emperor Guangde asking, "If I send you to Hubei to pacify the chaos, how will you do? How much money, food, and troops will the court need to allocate?"

In fact, Emperor Guangde came to Sun Shaozong today to talk about the Crown Prince.

However, he did agree and appointed Sun Shaozong as his Deputy to assist the officials in quelling the rebellion in Hubei and Guangxi. Therefore, when Sun Shaozong took the initiative to bring up this matter, he casually asked this question.

But Emperor Guangde's question once again aroused Sun Shaozong's ambition, secretly thinking that this opportunity was fleeting. If it weren't for hard work, wouldn't it be too late to regret it?

So he gritted his teeth and said solemnly, "If Your Majesty sends me to Huguang, there is no need for the court to allocate any more money, food, troops, or horses. As long as you grant me the word *'barbarian.'*"

Upon hearing these words, Emperor Guangde was truly surprised. Some of the courtiers who were originally interested advocated for direct pacification, others advocated for first suppression and then pacification, and some advocated for first pacification and then differentiation and suppression.

Regardless of which strategy, they should still use money and food as chips. Like Sun Shaozong, who explicitly stated not to use money and food as weapons, as long as there was a title of *'barbarian,'* it was unparalleled.

So he quickly asked, "But I don't know the title of *'barbarian'* you said, what does it mean?"