Late at night, Yu Shu was lying on the bed. She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Xue Rui came back during the day with good news and bad news.
The good news was that Prince Ning had shot himself in the foot. The bad news was that Xue Rui's grandfather, Prime Minister Xue, proposed to see her.
What's worse was that according to the old official's wish, she and Xue Rui should burn incense and become sworn brothers!
Yu Shu wanted to cry but had no tears. Wasn't this forcing her and Xue Rui to pretend to be brother and sister? If they really followed Xue Rui's grandfather's wish and became brother and sister, what would happen to them in the future?
Compared with her anxiety, Xue Rui was much calmer —
"This matter is not urgent. I just want to tell you, not ask you to go home with me tomorrow. Grandfather is always busy with court affairs. If he remembers it today, he may not remember it tomorrow. Let's think of a countermeasure first. If he mentions it again one day, how should we reject it? "
Yu Shu hoped that Lord Xue was old and forgetful, so he would forget her immediately. But she also knew that it was impossible. Now that she was famous, everyone knew that there was a female fortune teller in Anling City who could determine life and death.
Therefore, she must find a reasonable reason to dispel the idea of Xue Rui's grandfather to let them be real brother and sister.
.....
After waking up, Yu Shu remembered that she forgot to tell Xue Rui something. So after washing up early, she went downstairs and knocked on Xue Rui's door.
Xue Rui also woke up early. He didn't need to attend court or call the roll call today. He casually wore a loose Jin robe with long sleeves covering his injured arm. He looked very leisurely.
Yu Shu entered the door, looked him up and down, and then sat down opposite him. "Big brother, I forgot to tell you," she said, "two days after you left the capital, Zhu Qingjue came to see you and told you about the Tenth Princess."
Yu Shu repeated what Zhu Qingjue said that day. He recalled two clues about the unknown man.
First, before Tenth Princess had the accident, she asked Zhu Qingjue to help her collect a set of precious chess records. It seemed that she wanted to give it to her sweetheart.
Second, about one or two months after the Hibiscus Gentlemen's Banquet, Tenth Princess copied a poem and asked Zhu Qingjue to evaluate it. The poem was written by a man, who was suspected to be the person Tenth Princess liked.
"Here, this is it," Yu Shu said. She took out the paper from Zhu Qingjue and handed it to Xue Rui.
Looking at Wei Xiaobao's expression, she continued, "Zhu Er Gongzi said that he suspected you were the one who wrote this sour thing. I made a bet with him that if it was really you, I would eat this piece of paper. Tell me, did you write it? "
Xue Rui raised his head and looked at her smiling face, and he had a very strong premonition that if he dared to nod, she would turn hostile towards him in the next moment, and she might even stuff this piece of paper into his mouth.
"Of course I didn't write it," he said without hesitation.
Yu Shu's eyes curved. She leaned back in the chair and her tone became light, "I knew it wasn't you."
The alarm was lifted. Xue Rui's scalp loosened. Seeing her proud look, he shook his head and smiled. He carefully read the poem again and said, "The person who wrote this poem should be a young man who was proficient in literature and ink. He had passed the imperial examination and was already an official when he wrote. He was a bit gentle, but he had no lack of ambition."
Seeing him infer this from a few lines, Yu Shu twirled her fingers and asked, "Do you think of anyone?"
Xue Rui pondered for a moment and nodded, "There is one person I suspected before. He seems to have this kind of style."
Yu Shu's eyes brightened, "Is he good at chess?"
"Yes."
Yu Shu banged the table and said excitedly, "Then what are you waiting for? It's him."
Hurry up, find the bad man who seduced the Tenth Princess and find out the truth of Little Sister Xue being framed. Let Xue Rui put this matter down as soon as possible.
Xue Rui, however, had a slightly hesitant expression on his face as he said, "He … doesn't seem like the type of person who would rape a princess or commit crimes."
"Hey, the word 'villain' is not written on my face. Do I look like a villain to you?" Yu Shu pointed to her nose and asked him.
Xue Rui stared at her and said, "… Stop it."
She always thought of herself as a villain, but he never thought so. In his eyes, the so-called gentlemen of the world were not as loyal as she was.
Yu Shu put down her hand and said, "Then tell me, who do you suspect?"
Xue Rui said, "Imperial Secretary of the Hall of Civil Glory, Kong Qi."
Yu Shu had never heard of this name, "What does this Imperial Secretary do? What rank is he?"
"The Hall of Civil Glory has always been the place where the Crown Prince studied. The position of Imperial Secretary, as the name suggests, is to accompany the Crown Prince in his studies. Because the Emperor has not yet conferred the title of Crown Prince, in recent years, the Hall of Civil Glory has gradually become the place where the Emperor writes his essays. Every spring and autumn festival, the Emperor will discuss politics in the Hall of Civil Glory and test the literary talents of the princes. Kong Qi was a Third Grade Tanhua. His ancestor was a branch of the Emperor Kong family. His family's knowledge is profound and his literary talent is excellent. Two years ago, an exception was made and he was promoted to a Fifth Grade Imperial Secretary. Now, he is the Emperor's pen. "
Yu Shu raised her eyebrows as she listened. Why did she feel that this fellow surnamed Kong was like the kind of bookish pretty boy that princesses and princesses would fall in love with at first sight and want to die?
"Are you familiar with him?"
Xue Rui pursed his lips and said, "We have some dealings."
He had some admiration for Kong Qi. Now that he was suddenly regarded as the culprit behind the Tenth Princess's suicide, he really could not match up.
Yu Shu rubbed her chin and suggested, "How about this, don't rush to a conclusion. Let's test him first. Anyway, he is right there, so don't worry about him running away."
Xue Rui looked up at her, "Can you divine this matter? I can find out Kong Qi's date of birth and horoscope. "
Yu Shu spread her hands, "Do you think I haven't thought about it? My Time of Calamity Spell can only infer that the Tenth Princess's sexual intercourse is related to that villain. Six lines is feasible, but in order to divine the relationship between a man and a woman, in the case of the Tenth Princess, we need to know the date she met that man. As the 'Eye of Yao', only then can we divine the details. "
How would Xue Rui know on which day the Tenth Princess had hooked up with that man? In this matter, it would be of no use even if he made a divination.
Therefore, the Yi Xue Rui was not a panacea.
Hearing this, Xue Rui did not look too disappointed. After thinking for a while, he said, "Let's talk about it after I see him."
This time, Yu Shu did not rush him. Xue Rui was smarter than her. With these clues in hand, if he went to investigate that Kong Qi, as long as there was something wrong with him, there was no need to worry that he would not give himself away.
After the two finished discussing business, they called the maidservant outside to serve breakfast.
After the meal, Yu Shu planned to go home. Thinking that he had not visited for a long time, Xue Rui went with her. However, before the two left, a guest came to Wangji Tower.
And one that he had to see.
.....
"Greetings to Prince Jing."
"Miss Lianfang, please rise."
Liu Tan came to find him without a greeting. Yu Shu was surprised, but Xue Rui was not surprised.
Although the case in Pei County was kept secret, what should be heard would eventually be heard. Moreover, the night before yesterday, Prince Ning and the Eleventh Prince entered the palace and made a ruckus. How could Liu Tan not inquire about it? Liu Tan was already patient enough to come to find him a day later.
"Ah Shu, didn't you want to go home? I have some things to discuss with Wangye. Let Gui Qi take you back." Xue Rui sat by Liu Tan's side and said to Yu Shu.
Yu Shu was about to take the opportunity to leave when Liu Tan raised his hand to stop her. "There is no hurry. The matter that Biaoxiong and I want to discuss has something to do with Miss Lianfang. Why don't you stay a bit longer? Sit."
Yu Shu glanced at Xue Rui, and when she saw Xue Rui didn't say anything, she complied and sat opposite the two of them. She sized up Liu Tan's expression as usual as she pondered over the reason for his arrival today.
Liu Tan looked at the two and said, "I heard that Seventh Imperial Brother and Eleventh Imperial Brother are suspected of assassinating the imperial envoy. Biaoxiong personally went to Pei County to investigate this case. Is this true?"
When Xue Rui heard this question, he knew that Xue Lingnan was not going to tell Liu Tan the inside story of the entire matter. Otherwise, he would not need to ask him right now. His grandfather would have hinted to Liu Tan in advance.
Thus, Xue Rui told Liu Tan what he had said about Guo Huaian and the Emperor.
Hearing this, Liu Tan's eyes sparkled. He turned his head to look at Yu Shu. There was just the right amount of curiosity on his face. "Miss Lianfang's Death Sentence Technique is indeed amazing. When will this Prince have the opportunity to experience it?"
Yu Shu was not inferior to Xue Rui in putting on an act. She could tell that Xue Rui had no intention of telling Liu Tan the truth. She smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but this Death Sentence Technique cannot be used casually. Originally, it could only be used after thirty days. This time, I made an exception and divined the murderer of Zhou daren. In the end, I brought upon myself a fatal disaster. That murderer snuck into my room in the middle of the night and attempted to assassinate me. Fortunately, Xue Dage was very careful and I was able to escape this calamity. This time, this is also a warning. It is my fault for not listening to Shizun's instructions. In the future, I won't dare to use it carelessly."
"It is a pity." On the surface, Liu Tan believed Yu Shu's words. But what he thought in his heart was uncertain.
"Assassinating an imperial envoy is a grave crime. Why would Seventh Imperial Brother and Eleventh Younger Brother disobey for no reason? I think that there is more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps both of them were wrongly accused. Biao Xiong, what do you think?"
When Yu Shu heard Liu Tan's words, she was somewhat disapproving. With Liu Tan's current situation, it was obvious that he wanted nothing more than for Liu Hao and Liu Yi, his two competitors, to be implicated. Yet, he had to speak up for them in such a dignified manner. Wasn't it hypocritical to do so in front of Xue Rui?
Faced with Liu Tan's probing, Xue Rui only shook his head, "This case has already been taken over by Guo daren. Ning Wang and Eleventh Imperial Prince both claimed to have been framed. As for who is right and who is wrong, it is still not clear. It is all my fault for making a mistake and killing the murderer. Otherwise, with a witness, it would be easier to handle. "
"Guo daren has always been fair and impartial. I believe that he will find out the truth and prove Seventh Imperial Brother and Eleventh Younger Brother's innocence."
Liu Tan sighed and once again turned his gaze to Yu Shu, "Ben wang still has a private matter that needs to ask miss."
"I don't dare. Please speak, wang ye."
Liu Tan asked, "I heard that you have a good relationship with Xia Jiang xiaojie?"
This Xia Jiang xiaojie was naturally referring to Liu Tan's fiancée, Xia Jiangmin.
Yu Shu honestly said, "Wang ye is talking about Xia Jiang's fifth xiaojie. She and I are indeed good friends."
It wasn't a secret that she had gone to Xia Jiang's guesthouse several times and exchanged letters with Xia Jiangmin.
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