Chapter 286 – The Missing Heir
"Stop Prince Rong from investigating the Lin Capital Case."
When Ji Yunshu said this, the usually calm Old General Li's expression suddenly changed, and he almost knocked over the teacup in his hand.
Even though Ji Yunshu's back was facing him, she could sense his abnormality.
But it also proved that she was right.
She turned around and stared at Old General Li as she continued, "I don't know why you want to stop Prince Rong from investigating the 'Lin Capital Case', but if my guess is correct, it must have something to do with the Imperial Duke's visit to you fourteen years ago. When I asked you that day, you didn't tell me the truth because you were hiding something from me from the very beginning. That matter must have far-reaching implications, involving the Imperial Duke, the current Emperor, and perhaps even the fate of the entire Great Lin."
These words didn't sound like a guess, but a conclusion.
Old General Li gently put down his teacup and took a deep breath. He turned to Ji Yunshu and stood up. He gazed at the fog-shrouded hills and forests in the distance, his wrinkled face solemn.
He sighed in admiration. "I have to say, Teacher is really smart."
Smart?
Although this was a compliment, to Ji Yunshu, it sounded like a joke.
She bitterly said, "If I was really smart, I wouldn't have waited until now to realize your intentions, and I wouldn't have watched Prince Rong go to prison in your place."
"Prince Rong's predicament was an act of helplessness."
"An act of helplessness? Just to stop Prince Rong from investigating the Lin Capital Case, and to protect the secret between you and the Imperial Duke, you want Prince Rong to die for you? "Ji Yunshu was a little agitated and angry.
Old General Li revealed a trace of guilt, but he still said the same thing. "This old man didn't want today's ending, but the situation forced me to take this step. Only with Prince Rong's death can the Lin Capital Case be stopped."
"Foolish!"
Ji Yunshu angrily rebuked him. She took two steps closer to him and said, "General, you have been smart your whole life, but you are muddle-headed this time. Let me ask you, General, this case was ordered by the Emperor to investigate. No one can defy the imperial edict. Even if Prince Rong really dies, there will be another person to take over the case. Do you want to come to the capital and kill them one by one?"
They questioned him repeatedly!
Old General Li felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He seemed to have never thought about this question.
Ji Yunshu continued, "General, do you know that if Prince Rong really died, I will continue to investigate. I will definitely get to the bottom of the truth. Therefore, the one you should kill is not Prince Rong, but me."
Miscalculation!
What a blunder!
With Ji Yunshu's reminder, Old General Li's mind became clear. He slapped his thigh in regret.
He thought to himself, why didn't you say so earlier?
F * ck!
Brother, do you want me to wake you up when you take a dump?
Old General Li sighed. "I can't turn back now."
"Not necessarily."
"Hmm?"
"I didn't stop you at the city gates, but here. This is enough to prove that I won't stop you from leaving the capital and returning to Qingzhou. It also means that nothing will happen to Prince Rong. He will safely leave the Imperial Prison, and this incident will have nothing to do with you or Prince Rong."
"Mister, what do you mean?" Old General Li was slightly surprised!
"I guarantee that this matter has nothing to do with you, and I won't reveal half a word to anyone. However, I need you to give me the secret you've been hiding for fourteen years in exchange."
His tone was full of conditions!
But …
Old General Li said, "It's already been fourteen years. Why is Mister so insistent on knowing?"
"Because I want to know what kind of secret is involved in the 'Lin Capital Case' and why you are so ruthless to eliminate Prince Rong."
"Does Mister really want to know what the Imperial Duke told me that year?"
Ji Yunshu nodded honestly.
After a moment of silence, Old General Li lowered his eyes. "If this was before I returned to the capital, I definitely wouldn't tell you. But now that it's come to this, there's no point in hiding it anymore. Fine, I'll tell you."
He pondered for a moment.
"That year, when the Eighth Prince ascended to the throne, he began to secretly weaken the Imperial Duke's power and constantly suppressed him. He even sent secret servants to monitor the Imperial Duke's military power. The Imperial Duke knew that one day, the Emperor would kill him just like how the previous Emperor killed Marquis Chao." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Mister, you must know that the Imperial Duke has 73 people in the Ministry of Revenue's list, but you must not know that there are actually 75 people in the Imperial Duke's household."
Ah!
Ji Yunshu was shocked!
Her eyes widened!
She couldn't believe it!
Old General Li's face was full of regret, and his eyes seemed to be glistening with tears. "There are two people not recorded in the Ministry of Revenue's list. One is the Imperial Duke's third wife, and the other is his son, who was born twenty years ago."
Ah!
Ji Yunshu's entire body went numb. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, tightly clenched into fists.
She questioned, "How is that possible? The Imperial Duke's five wives and children are all buried in the Imperial Mausoleum. Not a single one is missing. "
"Because the third wife came from a brothel, she was never included in the Imperial Duke's list. The year the Eighth Prince ascended to the throne, which was twenty years ago, the third wife had a difficult labor and gave birth to a son. The Imperial Duke knew that he would end up like Marquis Chao and that the Emperor would kill him. Therefore, in order to protect the third wife and the little heir, the Imperial Duke announced to the public that the third wife had died in childbirth and that the child could not be saved. That very night, the Imperial Duke sent the two of them away from the capital, and the next day, they were given a grand funeral. However, because the third wife did not have an official title, she was not buried in the Imperial Mausoleum."
"Until fourteen years ago, the Imperial Duke came to me and told me about this matter. He told me that he had suddenly lost contact with the third wife. At that time, the Emperor had also begun to extend his hand to the Imperial Duke's residence. Therefore, the Imperial Duke begged me to help him conceal the truth. If something happened to the Imperial Duke, he asked me to secretly look for the little heir and entrust him to me. He even gave me a token. If the Imperial Duke could find the little heir, I would give the token to him because the token could command the hundred thousand soldiers the Imperial Duke had hidden at the border. However, after so many years, I still could not find the little heir's whereabouts."
"Not long ago, I heard that Teacher wanted to open the coffin, so I rushed to the capital from Qingzhou. With Teacher's intelligence and wisdom, you would find the third wife sooner or later. Once the coffin is opened, you would find that the tomb is empty. The Emperor would also know that the little heir is still alive and would certainly track him down from thousands of miles away to prevent any future troubles."
"Since I was entrusted with this task, I must be loyal. Regardless of whether the little heir is alive or dead, I cannot allow anyone to open the third wife's tomb."
Ji Yunshu took a long time to digest what he had just said.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
