"Yes, Your Highness, I am really Su Qing!" Su Qing nodded confidently. Then, he fell to his knees. "Please save me, Your Highness!"
"Save you?" King Duan looked at the kneeling Su Qing. His eyes glimmered. At this point, he was certain that the Su Qing in front of him was real.
But if it was real …
Why would Su Qing appear in the capital?
Furthermore, why would he appear in the capital at such a time? No matter how he thought about it, this seemed impossible.
Mister Hua frowned as he looked at the kneeling Su Qing. He stared intently at Su Qing's face, trying to figure something out.
However, Su Qing's anxious expression was very real.
Mister Hua could not see through it. However, he had a strong feeling that Su Qing's appearance in the capital could not be a coincidence.
"Your Highness, Chi Hou wishes to see you!" At this moment, a voice came from outside the study.
"Chi Hou?" King Duan was slightly taken aback. Then, he looked at Su Qing and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is it convenient?"
"My Lord is working for Your Highness. It is not inconvenient for me." Su Qing nodded.
"Alright, please come in!"
"Yes!"
…
In Ping Yang Residence.
Fang Zhengzhi raised his cup of tea and took a sip. His lips curled into a smile. Then, he looked at the disbelieving Ping Yang and shook his head helplessly.
There were many things that seemed very complicated when viewed from the front, but when viewed from the other side, they couldn't be any simpler.
"Do you really want to know why Su Qing came to the capital?" Fang Zhengzhi asked.
"Yes … wait, are you trying to extort me again?" Ping Yang nodded immediately, but very quickly, she saw the evil smile on Fang Zhengzhi's face.
"Then, do you want to hear it?" Fang Zhengzhi asked nonchalantly.
"Yes!" Ping Yang bit her lips and finally answered.
"100,000 silvers."
"Alright!"
"Hmm, then think of yourself as Su Qing first. Think about it, if you were Su Qing, what would you think when you heard that I'm still alive?" Fang Zhengzhi asked directly after Ping Yang agreed.
"Of course it's to kill you!" Ping Yang replied without hesitation.
"How?" Fang Zhengzhi asked.
"It's best if I can find a crime and kill you openly. If that doesn't work, then I can only assassinate you." Ping Yang thought for a while and answered again.
"That's right. Since Su Qing wants to kill me, do you think he will continue to stay in the Northern Lands?" Fang Zhengzhi nodded and asked.
"You mean … Su Qing left the Northern Desert long ago?!" Ping Yang's eyes lit up.
"Yes, Su Qing is very smart. Since he has decided to kill me, he will not wait in the Northern Lands. Controlling the Northern Lands and controlling the Flame Capital City are two completely different concepts." Fang Zhengzhi said confidently.
"So, Su Qing has always been in Flame Capital City?"
"I wasn't sure in the past, but now, I am sure that Su Qing entered the Flame Capital City with me." Fang Zhengzhi nodded.
"Isn't he afraid of being charged with desertion?"
"Do you really think that Su Qing did nothing in the year he was in the Northern Lands? Chi Hou has left the Northern Lands. It is not difficult for Su Qing to do something to deceive the public. "
"Mm, that makes sense. Then … why does he want to show himself now?" Ping Yang nodded. Then, she asked curiously again.
"Because he knows that the Crown Prince wants to kill him." Fang Zhengzhi replied.
"Third Brother wants to kill Su Qing? Mm, that's true. But what does that have to do with him showing himself now? "
"If Su Qing doesn't show himself, there are only two outcomes. One, the Crown Prince will send someone to kill him. Two, the Crown Prince will find an excuse to let him enter the Flame Capital City and ambush him on the way! So … he has no choice. "Fang Zhengzhi chuckled.
Since ancient times, there had never been a path of retreat in the struggle for the throne, especially for Lin Tianrong, who was the Crown Prince. How could he put himself in danger for an official?
To the Crown Prince, all of the courtiers were his tools. No matter how high the status of a courtier was, they still couldn't escape such an order.
"You mean that Su Qing wants to make the first move? But how do you know that he is at Sixth Brother's residence? "Ping Yang seemed to have understood, but she was still confused.
"Because, in his heart, the only person who can save his life is King Duan!"
"So, he will definitely go to Sixth Brother's residence first, right?"
"Yes."
"I understand. But there is one thing that I don't understand. Even if you know that Su Qing is in the capital, how can you be so sure that he will show himself today?" Ping Yang was still confused.
"100,000 silvers!"
"Again?" Ping Yang pursed her lips.
"Then, are you going to give it to me or not?" Fang Zhengzhi waved his hand and poured himself another cup of tea. Then, he poured a little more for Yan Xiu's cup.
"Here, I will smash you to death with silver!" Ping Yang said hatefully.
"Haha, come at me all you want. Actually, this is very simple, because Su Qing said it himself!" Fang Zhengzhi chuckled nonchalantly.
"He said it himself?!"
"Yes, Su Qing sent someone to inform Wen Chuan. Then, he used Wen Chuan's name to send a letter to both the Crown Prince and King Duan."
"What is his motive?"
"There is a strategy called passing off the fake as the real. Su Qing's strategy is to pass off the real as the fake. If he wants to live, he has to make the Crown Prince think that he is a fake. As such, the best way is to tell the Crown Prince that he is in the capital. Only then will the Crown Prince be suspicious and send people to the Northern Lands to investigate.
"This Su Qing is quite smart! Then … what do you plan to do? " Ping Yang subconsciously praised Fang Zhengzhi when she heard this. Then, she looked at Fang Zhengzhi with anticipation.
"Let's beat them at their own game!" Fang Zhengzhi did not beat around the bush this time.
…
Inside the study of King Duan's residence.
Su Qing had already stood up, but he did not sit down. He remained standing respectfully in the study, facing King Duan, Mister Hua, and Chi Hou.
Both King Duan and Mister Hua did not speak.
Chi Hou sat upright on the chair, his fingers lightly tapping on the back of the chair. His brows were slightly furrowed, his fierce eyes never leaving Su Qing's face.
"Do you have any more questions, Lord?" Su Qing asked respectfully after a moment.
"No." Chi Hou shook his head.
In fact, he had more or less confirmed Su Qing's identity the moment he entered the study. After listening to Su Qing's detailed account of the events in the Northern Lands, he had no more questions.
"It is a blessing from the heavens that Su Qing can work with you!"
"Cut the crap. I know better than anyone what you've done in the Northern Lands over the past year. However, I'm afraid it's impossible for you to pin the real crime of the Southern Region case on the Crown Prince based on your words alone." Chi Hou had no intention of wasting time with Su Qing.
"If I say I can, do you not believe me?" Su Qing smirked.
"Of course not. The Crown Prince has a strong foundation in the courts. Even though the Left Minister is in prison, and the three officials in the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Revenue, and Ministry of War are in trouble, he is still the Crown Prince. As long as the Emperor is biased, the Crown Prince's position will remain stable!" Chi Hou said confidently.
"You are right, but nothing is absolute. You have also said that as long as the Emperor is biased, the Crown Prince's position will remain stable. In other words, what if the Emperor is not biased?"
"What do you mean?"
"Su Qing has a plan that will allow His Majesty to immediately depose the Crown Prince. Furthermore, it will allow Your Highness to immediately take control of the court after the Crown Prince is deposed. Your position will no longer be shaken!" Su Qing said confidently.
"Depose the Crown Prince? Or immediately? "Chi Hou didn't really believe it.
Even though there were precedents of deposing the Crown Prince, to a dynasty, deposing the Crown Prince was of utmost importance.
Furthermore …
Most importantly, from the Emperor's actions today …
He was still biased towards the Crown Prince. This meant that the Emperor still had high hopes for the Crown Prince. How could he depose the Crown Prince immediately?
Chi Hou did not believe it.
In fact, he was not the only one who did not believe it. King Duan and Mister Hua were also in disbelief when they heard Su Qing's words.
"Su Qing, you know that I do not like to listen to empty words. Furthermore, there is no need for me to take any risks under the current circumstances." King Duan said.
"Your Highness, please do not worry. There is no risk involved in this plan." Su Qing nodded after hearing King Duan's words.
"Official Su, do you really have a way to depose the Crown Prince without taking any risks?" Mister Hua asked. He was clearly in disbelief.
"Yes." Su Qing nodded again.
"Then please enlighten me, Official Su!" Mister Hua frowned. He had always thought of himself as a virtuous person, but in the end, he was just an advisor.
Two years ago, even though Su Qing had gained King Duan's trust, in terms of status, he was still just a fourth-rank official in the court.
At that time, Mister Hua did not think highly of Su Qing.
But …
More than a year ago, after Su Qing returned from the Southern Mountain Range, he changed from a rank four official to a high official in charge of the Northern Lands Five Constabularies.
How could he not be jealous?
And now, Su Qing had stepped into King Duan's residence and said that he could depose the Crown Prince in a short period of time without taking any risks.
How could he believe that?
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