Chu Ze ordered someone to open the dungeon to check if there were any prisoners, but there was no one inside, it seemed that the Li family had been prepared and transferred all the people in the dungeon in advance.

Chu Ze pondered for a moment, and then whispered to the soldiers around him: "Go, turn the Li Mansion upside down, you must find the secret passage they use, I will catch Li Yue with my own hands!" ”

The soldiers immediately searched around, and soon found a secret door behind Li Yue's bedroom, which opened to a downward passage.

"Found the secret passage!" The pro-soldiers hurriedly reported.

Chu Ze immediately ordered someone to light the torch and chase along the secret passage with weapons.

There was a faint sound of talking in front, and it seemed that Li Yue and they were in front!

The secret passage was very long, and it eventually led to the outside of the city.

Chu Ze and his party chased out of the city along the road, and found that Li Yue and the others had gone away in a carriage, and the number of people in the carriage was only a few, and it seemed that most of the Li family had been discarded.

"Chase!" Chu Ze let out a loud shout and immediately organized his subordinates to ride horses to start a pursuit.

Li Yue's family rode fast horses and galloped on the suburban paths, panicking in their hearts.

Li Yue urged his wife: "Hurry up, hurry up!" Don't look back, just run ahead! ”

Li Yue's wife said in a panic while tightening the reins: "Oh my God! How did they catch up so quickly? What should we do? ”

The two children, sitting on horseback behind their wives, were also frightened by the sudden turn of events, and burst into tears.

Li Yue was anxious, and while constantly looking back, he urged loudly: "Don't panic! We'll be able to run away! Just hurry up and get rid of them! ”

At this time, a cold voice suddenly sounded behind him: "Li Yue, Hugh has to run again!" ”

The family looked back and saw that Li Xing led dozens of cavalry to come quickly, only a few dozen meters away from them.

"It's over, we can't run away!" Li Yue's face was pale, and his heart was full of despair.

This Li Xing is Chu Ze's henchman, and this time I am afraid that it will really be difficult to escape the doom.

The two sides soon got into a scuffle.

Although Li Yue brought a few family members to escort him, he was soon captured alive by Li Xing's subordinates.

Li Xing tied up Li Yue and escorted him back to his home along with his wife and children.

Li Yue's wife cried and shouted, "Please let us go!" We are innocent! ”

Li Xing sneered: "Not guilty? I think you are not so daring, you dare to hide such a weapon privately, and you still want to run? Let me give you a taste of the benefits of Iron Rider today! ”

Late that night, Chu Ze was in full swing to interrogate the newly captured Li Fu people.

Zhang Wang, the steward of the Li family, was already frightened, and in the face of the torture instrument, he confessed to the Li family's crime of illegal mining for many years by bribing the Jin prefect.

Chu Ze forced him to ask, "How long do you want to quibble with the Li family?" I already have the account books and confessions in my hands as ironclad evidence, and the facts of your illegal mining and bribery of officials are irrefutable! ”

Zhang Wang pleaded: "Lord Mingjian, we are only mining on the orders of the head of the family, not really rebelling against the imperial court, and please be kind enough to spare us poor people." ”

Chu Ze shouted coldly: "Poor little people? You think I'm going to listen to this nonsense? Don't try to trick me, honestly confess the Li family's crimes! ”

Zhang Wang had to tearfully confess that the Li family had been mining the mountain for several years, and the ore obtained was transported back to the Li Mansion for hoarding.

Chu Ze summoned the other Li family servants one by one, and they all received similar confessions.

"Haha, my evidence is good enough. This time, your Li family has no way to escape! Chu Ze was secretly happy in his heart.

Only Li Yue himself was still arguing with strong words: "Lord Wang, the former prefect approved my family to mine copper ore there, and we have nothing illegal." Chu Ze sneered and responded: "Li Yue, do you think I will listen to your nonsense?" I already have ample evidence in my hands, how long do you want to quibble? Let's be honest! ”

Li Yue gritted his teeth and said, "Chu Ze, you villain!" My Li family is innocent, but I want to be framed by you! We will take revenge on you and get rid of you! ”

A few days later, Chu Ze personally presided over the trial of the Li family in Yamen.

"Li Yue, do you know your crime?" Chu Ze nodded expressionlessly.

Li Yue was desperate to the extreme, kneeling on the ground trembling and speechless.

Chu Ze continued to read out the evidence of the Li family's guilt and said: "The seized ledgers and ores have confirmed that you have been mining the imperial court mines for a long time, and you deserve death!" What else do you have to quibble? ”

Li Yue finally opened his mouth and begged: "The prince is clear, I know that I have lost my way, and I hope you will be gracious......

"It's useless to quibble!" Chu Ze interrupted him sternly and said, "The evidence of the crime is conclusive, don't live up to the law of heaven again!" ”

The crowd at the scene witnessed the conclusive evidence of the crime, and they were all in an uproar.

After the results of the trial were released, Chu Ze announced in court: Li Yue, as the mastermind, should be punished and sentenced to death.

The rest of the Li family were sentenced to different punishments according to the degree of accomplices:

Li Yue's sons, as key members of the mining industry directly involved in the theft of mining mountains, were sentenced to death.

Zhang Wang, the steward of the Li family, was a confidant and thug, who knew the inside story but made personal gains from it, and was sentenced to exile to the frontier

Other family members of the Li family, as well as other members of the Li family and servants, who did not report the information, were sentenced to different punishments depending on whether they knew about it or not.

When everyone heard the verdict, they all sighed that the blind greed of the Li family eventually led to the tragedy of the destruction of the family.

When Li Yue and his sons heard the death sentence, they broke down and wept bitterly, begging for forgiveness.

But everyone is equal before the law, and Chu Ze resolutely enforces the judgment to show the will of heaven.

In the early morning of the next day, Li Yue and the other three were escorted to the execution ground and beheaded for public display.

Li Yue went to the guillotine, finally recognized his sins, and ended his consciousness after crying loudly.

The rest of the Li family were all punished to varying degrees, and this once prosperous family declined.

According to the verdict, the Li family's real estate and mines were all confiscated by the imperial court.

The officials and people of the DPRK and China praised Chu Ze for handling the matter properly, impartially enforcing the law, and eliminating harm for the people.

The collapse of the Li family provided a guarantee for local law and order, and also gave the people hope that justice would be served.

For a time, Chu Ze's prestige spread far and wide, and he won the hearts of the people.

And the lesson of the Li family's excessive greed has also become a warning allusion to the world, inspiring people.

Chu Ze confiscated the huge wealth from the Li Mansion and continued to invest it in the infrastructure construction of Fengyang.

He prioritized the construction of railways and stations to speed up the connection between Fengyang and the national transportation network.

Chu Ze sent people to post recruitment notices everywhere and summoned craftsmen from all over the country to participate in the construction of the station in the northeast of Fengyang.

As soon as word spread, many craftsmen who were familiar with construction and carpentry soon came to apply.

Chu Ze was secretly happy when he saw these many craftsmen who came to apply, which showed that his way of recruiting workers was very successful. (End of chapter)