Wu Hanchao was shocked and quickly went forward to support Yang Ling, saying nervously, "Sir! Sir! "
Yang Ling waved his hand with difficulty and said, "I … I'm fine. Let's go back to the study." Liu Da Bangchao stood at the door and looked inside, his eyes wide open.
This boorish man was a soldier and was not afraid of killing on the battlefield. However, he was quite superstitious and did not dare to enter the morgue, especially when he heard that the dead lady was wearing a red dress. If not for Yang Ling being here, he would not even enter the courtyard.
When he was young, he had heard from his grandmother that women were full of Yin energy, the dead in the morgue were full of evil energy, and those who died in red clothes would become evil spirits.
Yang Ling pushed Wu Hanchao's hand away and said with a dry voice, "Send someone to inform the king to collect the body … the king is here, send some soldiers to help carry the coffin back …"
He walked to the door, looked back at the coffin one last time, and then walked into the main residence. Along the way, his heart was pounding and his legs were trembling, "Zhu Rangxu, the murderer must be Zhu Rangxu! This is really a case of wearing out iron shoes in fruitless searching, only to find it by chance. I didn't expect the Zhu Mengli in the coffin to be the tall lady in red that I saw in the garden of the King of Shu's mansion. "
At that time, he and Yang Shen were walking and chatting. When they saw Crown Prince Zhu Rangxu and the lady under the shade of the trees, they did not notice him and Yang Shen. Otherwise, the Crown Prince might not have done it out of fear.
Liu Da Bangchao put the tea on the table and could not help but worry when he saw Yang Ling's face turning green and red and his eyes staring blankly. He quickly put down the tea and ran out to find Wu Hanchao, saying, "Sir Wu, do you think we should find a great immortal to dance for Sir?"
Wu Hanchao was stunned by this nonsense, "What great immortal? Dance for what? "
"I think Sir seems to be possessed, find a …"
"Scram!" Before Big Stick could finish his sentence, Wu Hanchao kicked his butt. He blinked his beady eyes and looked at Wu Hanchao walking away as if nothing had happened. He couldn't help but scratch his head in confusion.
At a young age, the Crown Prince had taken over his father's government and held great power in his hands. His wealth could rival that of a country. However, he cultivated his moral integrity and was not interested in women. He was even more upright than many of the young masters who owned a few acres of land. Among the officials, he was known as a virtuous person. In turn, this virtuous reputation had become his shackles. He was increasingly afraid to look for women outside.
As they grew older, the need for lust grew stronger. Generally, when a young master with status didn't have a proper wife to marry, he would first take a concubine before getting married. But the Crown Prince, for the sake of this virtuous reputation, did not have a single woman by his side.
At this time, his beautiful cousin came to live in the house. The two of them went back and forth, and unexpectedly, they had an affair that defied common sense. On the day the Crown Prince ascended the throne, perhaps this lady had just discovered that she was pregnant and ran to tell her cousin in a panic. Or perhaps she knew that he was ascending the throne today and wanted to take the opportunity to lay her cards on the table and force him to give her an explanation and arrangement. He saw Zhu Mengli begging in the garden, but Zhu Rangxu kept shaking his head and finally left in a huff. This was probably the reason.
The more Zhu Rangxu thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Or perhaps when he returned to the back palace to pay his respects to his mother and the wives of the chieftains, he met Zhu Mengli, who was standing by the pool, full of worry. The two of them argued again, and Zhu Rangxu suddenly killed and took the opportunity to frame his younger brother, who had great influence among the people and the chieftains …
No, if it was a sudden idea to kill, the jade pendant would not have appeared. The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. He first decided to kill two birds with one stone, then sneak into Zhu Rangjin's residence to steal the jade pendant. Then, he returned to the back palace to find an opportunity to make his move. If the corpse had been discovered a moment later, he would already be the King of Shu. Even if he had discovered it earlier, it would not have been a problem. The thorn in his side had been removed. He was only a few days late, and the throne was not going to run away. What was there to be anxious about?
Yang Ling's mind seemed to be playing out an electric play. He filtered the entire scenario from the beginning and became more and more certain that it was the Crown Prince's doing. The only thing he lacked now was evidence. Just based on the fact that he and Yang Shen had seen him talking to his cousin? This could make people suspect him, but it could not be used as evidence to arrest him.
Evidence!
When Yang Ling thought of this, he could not help but feel refreshed. There were already a few large books on the table containing the records and confessions of the relevant personnel of the Bureau of Investigation. There was no need to read them now, and the Bureau of Investigation did not find any evidence from them. The real evidence should be in the things he had found today.
Yang Ling's gaze fell on the letter box of the 'Charity Collection' and the beautifully written booklet. After thinking for a long time, he picked up the 'Charity Collection'. He would leave the main show for later. First, he would see if Zhu Rangxu was suspicious.
Yang Ling opened the box and first read the letters from his friends. He even read the letter from the Miao Tribe Chief in Bao Ning again. He did not find anything out of the ordinary. Then he took a deep breath and picked up the letters that were tied up with the silk thread.
The contents were mainly intimate words between men and women expressing their longing for each other. There was very little mention of their residence, environment, and family. After reading three letters, he finally saw the word 'Tuoba'. Turning back to read the contents and tone of the letters, Yang Ling smiled slightly. "This should be a letter from Miss Tuoba. She and Zhu Rangjin are indeed deeply in love with each other. I did not expect that arrogant and cold woman to be so tender and passionate in her letters. She speaks of love so affectionately. She is even better than my Lian 'er. "
Zhu Mengli also lived in the area around Xiao Jinchuan, but she was a Han and would not be used to using the Tibetan word 'Tuoba' to describe that place. Even if it was not written as' Zagu Fu Shi ', it should be translated as' Xiao Jinchuan '.
He hurriedly skimmed through the next few letters. From the description of the situation in the letters, he was more and more certain that it was Tuoba Yanran. There were mentions of cows and horses and horses galloping across the grasslands. Obviously, it did not seem like it was the Second Miss Zhu who did not leave her house and stayed in the palace all day.
Zhu Mengli's handwritten notes were very scattered. There were love poems, and also sad poems about cloudy days and rainy days and falling flowers in the wind. She seemed to be a character like Lin Daiyu, with a fragile heart of glass.
Yang Ling looked at it patiently. From time to time, he resisted the urge to pour some tea on it or put it on the fire to warm it so that the adulterer's name would suddenly appear. He patiently read it word by word.
Although the book was small, the words were written very carefully. This kind of handwriting was somewhat similar to Zhu Mengli's character, cautious and cautious … but it was such a girl who dared to do taboos that ordinary girls did not dare to touch.
There were too many messy things. Occasionally the man was mentioned, but it was only implicitly replaced by him. The other party's identity, status, and name were not mentioned at all. As Yang Ling flipped through the pages, he suddenly had a thought. The Crown Prince had been held hostage for more than a month. If the Crown Prince was that man, it was impossible that this passionate girl who was sad even when the wind and rain were not recorded at all.
He quickly flipped to the back. Found it! He suddenly saw the three words "Du Zhang Barbarian" and immediately stopped. Line after line of words flew past his eyes. Although she still did not mention the man's name, she vaguely mentioned the Du Zhang Barbarian rebellion and the fact that he had fallen into the enemy's hands. The words were filled with a girl's infatuation, worry, and longing for her lover. The style of writing was sad. One of the sentences also mentioned that she was pregnant, but it was just one stroke.
Further on, the style of writing became clearly cheerful. Perhaps it was too cheerful. There was a sentence that clearly mentioned, "I had heard that he had been rescued, but it was not until today that I saw him return to the palace that I could truly relax. At that time, I really wanted to throw myself into his arms, but in front of the Empress, he did not dare to look at me. I know, in his heart, he must be thinking of me … "
When Yang Ling read to this point, he felt a wave of sadness in his heart. He paused for a long time before continuing to flip to the back. There were only a few sentences left. Other than a large number of cheerful self-composed poems, there were only a few strokes. They were all about how he came to see me today, or how I saw him. It should have been a private night between the two of us. Naturally, it was just one stroke.
When Yang Ling finished reading the handwritten letter, he suddenly thought of something. He flipped through the official laws and closed his eyes in thought for a long time. Suddenly, he flicked his sleeves and stood up. He strode to the door and called out, "Han Chao, follow me to the Shu Wang Fu." He touched the gun at his waist and checked the bullets again. Then, he switched to a position where it was easy to pull out. He covered it with his robe and strode down the steps.
Yang Ling was in a hurry and did not take the sedan chair. He called for someone to bring the horse over. Just as he walked out of the main door, he saw a few guards blocking his way. There were three people standing in front of him. A man and a woman were holding hands with a child. It looked like they were a family of three. The man was wearing the uniform of a City Guards officer. From the looks of it, his rank was not low.
Yang Ling pulled on the reins of the horse and asked, "Who's making a ruckus over there?"
The guards turned to look and cupped their fists, saying, "Daren, this person wants to see you …"
The officer who was stopped jumped up and shouted, "Mr Yang, Imperial Envoy Daren, it's me. I'm Liu Lang, Daren."
Yang Ling was puzzled when he heard this. "Wanderer? Another deserter from the City Guards? Is he here to complain to me, the Imperial Envoy? Wait … Wanderer … Toad Mountain. "
Yang Ling immediately thought of Liu Lang, the one who had worked together to take down Toad Ridge of Wudu Mountain. Although this person had contributed greatly, he had continued to advance after taking down Wudu Mountain. This person had been handed over to Li Sen to deal with, so Yang Ling did not have a deep impression of him.
Yang Ling put on a smiling expression and waved his hand, saying, "Call him over."
Liu Lang led the slender, fair-skinned, good-looking, and docile young married woman, who was holding the hand of a strong-looking little boy, to the front. With a thud, he knelt down, "This lowly one is about to take up his post. Before I leave, I would like to see Daren and thank Daren for his great kindness. Mr Yang, please accept three kowtows from this lowly one."
After saying this, Liu Lang kowtowed three times. When he raised his head and saw that his son was still standing there foolishly, he slapped him on the butt and scolded, "Stupid brat, what are you standing there for? Quickly kowtow. Without Mr Yang, would you have a father? "
Yang Ling felt uncomfortable listening to this. He grinned and was about to go forward to help Liu Lang up when Liu Lang also shouted at the top of his voice to the fair-skinned young married woman, "Wife, this is our family's great benefactor, the Imperial Envoy Mr Yang. Without him, you would have been a widow for the rest of your life. Quickly thank Daren."
What was this all about? Yang Ling didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he heard this, but he couldn't explain in detail to such a sincere and crude person. Otherwise, it would only make things worse. He could only accept the kowtows of this family of three before going forward to help Liu Lang up. He said with a smile, "Don't say it like that. You were able to repent in time and forsake the darkness for the light. This is also a great contribution. It's not like this official has privately given you an official position. If it wasn't for you, this official would have taken down the capital stronghold. I don't know how many times more casualties there would be. You have made a great contribution to the imperial court. "
When Liu Lang heard Yang Ling praise him, he grinned and cupped his hands in salute, "I still have to thank Daren. If it wasn't for Daren, other people wouldn't have been able to take down the capital stronghold. Even if this lowly one wanted to make a contribution to the imperial court, I wouldn't have had the chance. What's more, this lowly one was a hoodlum and committed a great crime. It was you, Daren, who pardoned my crime and gave me an official position. I was able to find my wife and child, and was even able to become a garrison officer with honor. It's all thanks to Daren's kindness. This kindness will never be forgotten by our family. "
Yang Ling had something to do and didn't want to talk too much about it. He said, "En, became a garrison officer, right? Where are you going to take up the post? You've already walked the wrong path once. This time, don't do the wrong thing again. "
"Yes, Daren," Liu Lang said respectfully. Then, he smiled foolishly, "I'm going back to my hometown, Bao Ning Prefecture. Hehe, with Daren's care, Commander Li took good care of me and gave me a good place. But I still want to go back to Bao Ning. It's not that I'm a bit shameless. It's a poor place with starvation and nothing. But after all, it's my hometown. Now that I've committed a crime, everyone in the tribe has lost face. This can be considered as returning home in glory, right? "
"En!" Yang Ling nodded his head. Suddenly, he remembered that a good friend of the Miao tribe who had written a letter to Zhu Rangjin complaining about the armed fight was in Bao Ning Prefecture. Now that Liu Lang said that the place was poor with starvation, it seemed that the place was indeed not peaceful. He said, "The Miao tribe in your place seems to have frequent disputes with each other. I'm afraid there are also many disputes with the Han people. I've heard that there's a 'Lun Wu Zhai' that often provokes the surrounding villages. Even the Miao tribe is bullied.
Liu Lang said in surprise: "No wonder people say that Daren is the reincarnation of Zhuge Wu Hou, so it's really … really …, you even know about a small place like Wheel Stronghold, it's really amazing. Don't worry Daren, that is my hometown, I don't want anything else, I just want to fight for the Liu Family, to show my face for Daren, I have to do this well."
Yang Ling nodded his head but secretly sighed to himself, "Ever since the Emperor ascended to the throne, he has decreed that officials are not allowed to take up posts in their hometown. This decree has been around since ancient times. But even now, only officials of the third rank and above have scruples about this. It has not been implemented in the local areas. Back then, I was one of the people who agreed with this decree. But this big brother here is saying in front of me that he wants to return to his hometown to be an official. It's as if he's afraid that others don't know about it. "
Yang Ling could only feign ignorance and said, "Good, good. It's a joyous occasion for your family to be reunited. I'll congratulate you first. I still have to go to the Shu King's Residence. There's something important to do. You should return to your hometown as soon as possible. When there's a chance in the future, I'll go to your place for a tour. "
He was just saying it casually but Liu Lang took it seriously. He smiled awkwardly and said, "There's really nothing to see at my place. Daren is experienced and knowledgeable. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
Yang Ling curiously asked, "Isn't there a Sword Garret there? From Qin to Shu, one must pass by Sword Garret. It's a very famous place. "
Liu Lang replied, "Baoning Prefecture covers two prefectures and eight counties. Jianzhou is indeed one of them but it's not near my place. Although there's nothing to see at my hometown, there are tigers in the forest. I've hunted one before. If daren goes there, I'll definitely think of a way to get another tiger and let daren have a taste of tiger meat."
His wife shyly tugged at his sleeve and softly said, "Daren has something to do. What nonsense are you talking about? Daren is an imperial envoy. What has he not tasted before? Why would he care about tiger meat?"
Yang Ling chuckled and thought, "That's true. I've even gnawed on the feet of the grand Xiao Junzhu. As the saying goes, beauty is a feast for the eyes. Of course it counts as food. Who else in the world has tasted it before? "
Taking advantage of the words of Liu Lang's wife, Yang Ling took the opportunity to cup his hands and bid farewell. Mounting his horse, he led his bodyguards towards the Shu King's Mansion like a gust of wind.
As soon as Yang Ling arrived at the Shu King's Mansion, he felt that something was wrong. The palace was heavily guarded. Groups of soldiers unsheathed their swords and nocked their arrows. It was as if they were facing a formidable enemy. Many guards of the Prince's Mansion were running around, shouting, "Catch the assassins!"
Yang Ling stood in front of the Red Screen Wall with his horse. He was a little embarrassed to enter again. Assassins were not common, but there were especially many this year. Ever since I arrived in Sichuan, it's really not peaceful here. If the Xiao Junzhu saw this, she'd probably scold me for being a big broom again.
After a while, he braced himself and sent someone to explain his purpose of coming. The palace was heavily guarded and the guards did not dare to let him in without permission. He immediately sent someone to inform the King of Shu. After a long while, he saw the Chief Steward of the Shu King's Mansion personally rushing out to welcome him, his forehead beaded with sweat.
Yang Ling entered the door. As they walked inside, he asked, "Chief Steward, what's going on? Why is there an assassin in the Prince's Mansion? "
The Chief Steward said angrily, "These audacious scoundrels are really reckless. Is the Prince's Mansion so easy to break into? Don't worry, Sir. The Prince's Mansion has its own set of signals that can be sent out quickly. When the Prince was in danger, the signals were sent to all the forbidden areas in the palace. That scoundrel can't escape! "
Yang Ling heard that the Chief Steward only shouted to catch the assassins but did not mention the King of Shu's injuries. He guessed that the King of Shu was scared but not in danger. He said, "It's good that the Prince is a lucky man. I wonder how that assassin got into the palace. Did he hurt the Prince?"
The Chief Steward sneered disdainfully, "Haha! Although the scoundrel had the ability to sneak into the palace, he did not know that the Little Lingzi eunuch by the Prince's side is a top-notch martial arts expert. In the past, he dominated the Western Region … How many people can hurt the Prince under his watch? "
"Another martial arts expert. Are martial arts experts so worthless now? Why are there so many martial arts experts popping out at any time? The Crown Prince is one, the Second Prince is one, even the inconspicuous old eunuch by the King of Shu's side is one … "
Fortunately, the Chief Steward immediately continued, "The Crown Prince and the Second Prince learned their martial arts from Little Lingzi eunuch."
So that was the case. It turned out that the Crown Prince had taught two more martial arts experts. Yang Ling then remembered that Zhu Rangjin's movements and saber skills were extremely swift and fierce at the Qingyang Palace. At that time, everyone was shocked. Only the Crown Prince only blamed his brother for being rash and scaring the girl. He did not care about his martial arts at all.
If he did not know martial arts, even if he knew that his brother had good martial arts, he would not have looked at it so calmly. If he had another master, out of the instinct of a martial arts practitioner, there was no reason for him not to observe other people's martial arts. It seemed that his ability to observe others' martial arts was still lacking.
He hurriedly rushed to the King of Shu's bedchamber, only to see that it was even more chaotic. The guards were full of murderous intent, and the palace maids and eunuchs had to be interrogated as they entered and exited. With the Chief Steward leading the way, they naturally did not block his way. The two of them entered the bedchamber and saw the King of Shu lying on the bed with an extremely ugly expression. The Crown Prince was sitting by his bedside. When he saw Yang Ling arrive, he stood up and bowed with a solemn expression, but did not speak.
Yang Ling took a deep look at him. He was worried that the shocked and angry expression did not seem to be fake. Could it be that this person was actually so scheming? Could it be that he had heard some news of his investigation, so in for a penny, in for a pound, in for a pound, and simply hardened his heart to kill his father to ascend the throne?
Yang Ling took a look and saw a skinny old eunuch standing by the bedside of the King of Shu. He was quiet and unmoving, and he was too inconspicuous. If Yang Ling had not paid close attention to him, he would have overlooked his existence.
Yang Ling secretly felt relieved. No matter how bold the Crown Prince was, he would not dare to openly kill someone. Moreover, his master was present. Once his master exposed his plot, he would not be afraid of the Crown Prince hurting someone.
Yang Ling nodded to him and asked softly, "Is Your Highness alright?"
The King of Shu heard movement and opened his eyes to see that it was Yang Ling. He struggled to move, and the old eunuch hurriedly held him up and pulled a pillow over for him. The King of Shu forced a smile and said, "I am fine. I was taking a nap in the afternoon when a masked assassin flashed in from the window and stabbed me head-on. Fortunately, Little Lingzi was by my side and has always been inseparable."
"Oh! This assassin is too bold. "Yang Ling looked at Crown Prince Zhu Rangxu. There was only anger and worry on his face, and nothing unusual could be seen." The assassin has already escaped? "
The King of Shu smiled lightly and said, "Although the Prince's Mansion has been very peaceful all these years, the security has never been lax. That assassin can't escape. Moreover, his left chest was stabbed by Little Lingzi."
Yang Ling suddenly realized that the little princess was not around. Although the King temporarily stayed in the side hall for the sake of peace and was not in the back palace, and it was inconvenient for the concubines to come to the front, it did not make sense for the biological daughter to not care about her father being assassinated, right?
He asked casually, "Princess still doesn't know the news, right?"
The King of Shu's face suddenly turned ugly. Crown Prince Zhu Rangxu glanced at the King of Shu and said in a low voice, "Sister went … to visit Second Brother. She is not in the palace now."
"What Second Brother? That beast!" The King of Shu's face turned red and he coughed violently.
Little Lingzi patted his back lightly, and the King of Shu gradually relaxed. He let out a long sigh and said, "The assassin has just escaped, and the local authorities still don't know about it. Mr Yang came so quickly, so it must not be for this matter. But the case … the case has some clues?"
Although he was scolding his son, his voice still couldn't help but tremble when he spoke.
"Yes! I have indeed found some clues. This … "He looked left and right. The King of Shu understood and waved his hand." All of you are dismissed. "
The imperial physician, guards, and maidservants filed out. Crown Prince Zhu Rangxu knew that his father had never allowed him to interfere in this matter, so he silently cupped his hands at Yang Ling. Just as he was about to turn and leave, Yang Ling suddenly called out, "Crown Prince, please wait. Please sit!"
He pointed at the chair furthest from the King of Shu, as if he was the master of this palace. A trace of surprise flashed across Zhu Rangxu's face, but he still sat down as instructed.
"Knock!" The door was closed, and only the King of Shu, Crown Prince, Little Lingzi, and Yang Ling were left in the room. The atmosphere suddenly became heavy. The King of Shu panted and said, "If Crown Prince wants to stay … stay. He is the future King of Shu. Sigh! Some things can't always be hidden from him. Mr Yang, please say it. I'm listening. "
Yang Ling bowed and walked to the side of the King of Shu. He stared at Crown Prince Zhu Rangxu and said, "I searched Miss Zhu Mengli's residence and found something. I would like to verify it with the King and Crown Prince."
He took out a small booklet, flipped it open, and handed it to the King of Shu. "Your Highness, is this Miss Zhu's handwriting?"
The King of Shu squinted his eyes and called out, "Xu 'er, come and take a look."
Yang Ling lowered his hand and quietly pressed on the gun at his waist. Hearing his father's instructions, Zhu Rangxu hurriedly walked over and carefully looked at the poem in the booklet. He nodded and said, "Not bad. This is indeed Second Sister's handwriting."
"Good patience!" Yang Ling secretly sneered and said calmly, "Crown Prince, please return to your seat."
This time, not only was Zhu Rangxu puzzled, but the King of Shu also felt that something was wrong. He fixed his gaze on Yang Ling and waited for his son to return to his seat before asking with some doubts, "Mr Yang, what's the problem?"
Yang Ling said, "This is Miss Zhu Mengli's handwriting. It was hidden under the dressing table. It recorded some poems and songs that were inspired by her feelings, as well as some miscellaneous notes about her mood and important matters. There are also records about her lover."
The King of Shu's expression tightened and he hurriedly asked, "That person is … is it Rangjin?"
"The handwriting has never mentioned that person's surname, but there is no one else who can match the description. That person is …" Yang Ling slowly raised his hand and pointed his finger straight at Zhu Rangxu who was sitting there. "Your Royal Highness!"
The King of Shu's body shook. Zhu Rangxu had already suddenly jumped up. With an ashen face, he shouted, "Preposterous, preposterous! How dare you make up such a lie and bring shame to the reputation of the two royal residences!"
Yang Ling's movements were even faster. His other hand had already pulled out a gun and aimed it at him. He said coldly, "Crown Prince, don't be impatient!"
"How could this be? How could this be? "The King of Shu's face was frighteningly pale and his body trembled uncontrollably.
On the contrary, Zhu Rangxu's expression quickly calmed down after a moment of shock. He actually smiled faintly and said, "Mr Yang, it seems that you still have to investigate this case. Looks like you'll have to continue investigating this case. Zhu Rangxu would never do such a thing. If you dare to make up such a crime, you'll have to bear the corresponding consequences. "
Yang Ling retorted sarcastically, "Zhu Rangxu can't do it, but Zhu Rangjin can?"
Zhu Rangxu's expression changed and he blurted out, "Of course Second Brother is not the murderer. There is no witness, no reason, and only a jade pendant. Who can convict him?"
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Before I came, I had already checked the laws of Ming Destiny. Just this jade pendant alone cannot convict the son of a vassal king. However, as a suspect, according to the laws of Ming Destiny's royal family, he will be placed under the strict control of the King of Shu. His Highness is about to abdicate the throne to you … that is to say, your younger brother will be under your control. You will even have the right to decide his life and death. His life is no different from death. Naturally, he will not be a threat to you."
Zhu Rangxu was shocked and angry. He shouted, "Yang Ling, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"You're finally angry? Hehe, Crown Prince, please calm down. On the day His Highness decided to abdicate the throne, Yang Shen and I were in the garden. We happened to see you talking to a lady in red in the distant forest. The lady was begging and looked pitiful. But you refused repeatedly and finally left in a huff. Although I found it strange at that time, I did not take it to heart.
Today, I have been ordered by the King to take over the case. After examining the body of Miss Zhu, who had been strangled to death, I was shocked to find that this Miss Zhu was the lady who had talked to you in the depths of the garden. Then we verified it with what was recorded in this handwritten letter … "
Yang Ling raised the handwritten letter and shook it gently. He said in a deep voice, "With the treachery and treachery in front of you, and considering that this matter would affect your prestige and future, the more you thought about it after leaving the garden, the more you thought about it. So you decided to get rid of future troubles. Coincidentally, not only is your younger brother's reputation among the people far above yours, his influence among the other tribes is even greater. So this plan of killing two birds with one stone was devised.
The power of the 15 Chieftains plays an important role in Ba and Shu. The court treats the 15 Chieftains like 15 Marquises. If you become the ruler of Ba and Shu, your decree is not as good as a word from your younger brother. The 15 Marquises who control all of Ba and Shu follow your younger brother's lead. No one in a high position would be able to bear this kind of insult and contempt, right? "
"No … it can't be. Rangxu has been humble and kind since he was young. He is open-minded and treats his younger brother well. How could he do such a thing?" The King of Shu said in disbelief.
Yang Ling sighed softly. Parents' love is always blind. As a King, how much time does he have to discipline his child? How can his behavior in front of you represent all of his nature and character?
Yang Ling flipped the handwritten letter to the part about how Miss Zhu was so worried that she couldn't sleep at night. He said respectfully, "Please examine it, Your Highness."
Before the King of Shu finished reading, he almost fainted. Little Lingzi panicked and quickly patted his chest. The King of Shu's face was livid. He pushed Little Lingzi away and pointed at Zhu Rangxu with a trembling finger. He said shakily, "You … you bastard. You raped your younger sister and framed and killed your younger brother. You … you …"
Zhu Rangxu hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. He said in a sobbing voice, "Father, please calm down. Your health is more important. Please listen to your son's explanation. Father, please don't get angry and hurt your body. Otherwise, I won't be able to redeem myself even if I die a hundred times."
He kowtowed a few times and then knelt there with his back straight. He said in grief and indignation, "Mr Yang saved my life. I shouldn't have any resentment towards you. But this is a serious matter. How could you come here and accuse me without investigating clearly? This handwritten letter isn't Cousin Mengli's. It definitely isn't. Someone forged it. "
Yang Ling said indifferently, "In the garden …"
"In the garden, Cousin Mengli asked to meet me. She said that she had something very important to tell me. Cousin Mengli lost her mother at a young age and is sensitive and worried. Prince Jingqing has a bad temper, so she treats the King of Shu's residence as her home. I also treat her like my biological sister. When I heard the news, I hurriedly rushed over. Unexpectedly … "
He sighed heavily and said, "Now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to say it. Unexpectedly, Mengli told me that she found someone she likes. That person treats her very well and is also the husband she likes the most. She told me that that person's status is lowly and that Prince Jingqing is currently discussing a marriage alliance with the commander of the Miscellaneous Grains Pacification Division, Lord Qi.
Prince Jingqing has a bad temper, so she didn't dare to mention this matter to her father. When she heard that I was about to succeed as King of Shu, she begged me to help her propose marriage. She believed that this way, Prince Jingqing wouldn't be able to reject her. But I rejected her the moment I heard it. Since ancient times, parents have decreed that no matter a man or woman, how can they find their own partner? It's a great disgrace to the family. Unexpectedly, Cousin Mengli told me … "
He clenched his teeth and said with difficulty, "She said that she and that person had already consummated their marriage. When I heard that, I was furious and immediately stormed out. But I really didn't expect … expect …"
Yang Ling sneered and pressed, "Since that's the case, why didn't you reveal this matter and help him escape punishment when your younger brother was accused of being a murderer?"
Zhu Rangxu said angrily, "Second Brother was captured because Mengli had his keepsake, not because of this affair between a man and a woman. If I say it, won't Sister Mengli's reputation be tarnished after her death? If this matter can't be solved, Second brother will naturally be released.
There's nothing wrong with strict restrictions. I also often advised Second Brother that as a descendant of the King of Shu, he should be self-disciplined and clean. He shouldn't go sightseeing with those so-called dissolute celebrities and indulge in music. It's a disgrace to the family. After this disaster, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Besides, do you think I would mistreat my own brother? "
At this point, his face turned a little pale. He said, "Besides, I'm also afraid … afraid that Second Brother will hear of her scandal and accidentally kill her in a rage. If I reveal it, he … he will be in even more trouble …"
Yang Ling laughed out loud. "What a considerate and benevolent big brother to protect the family's reputation and to protect his own brother. Because Zhu Mengli was found to be pregnant, Zhu Rangjin has already been convicted of rape and murder, yet you're still here spouting nonsense. Haha, if I hadn't found Mengli's letter, your brother's head would have rolled to the ground. Yet, you're still here pretending to be benevolent."
"What?" Zhu Rangxu turned pale with fright. "Mengli is pregnant?" His eyes stared blankly as he said, "I don't know. Mengli didn't tell me. She only said that she had consummated her marriage with that person. When I heard that, I was furious. I flicked my sleeves and scolded her for being shameless and left. This … I don't know anything about the fact that she was pregnant and Second Brother couldn't defend himself. Why did he kill her? Isn't it still not clear?"
Yang Ling was also stunned. He stammered, "You … you don't know?"
Zhu Rangxu said in a daze, "Although Second Brother has been arrested and taken away, before the truth is known, everyone in and out of the inner palace is a suspect. I myself am one of the suspects. I can't wait to avoid arousing suspicion. I don't dare to ask about anything related to this case. And … no one told me … "
The King of Shu said cryptically, "For such a scandal, the fewer people know, the better. In the King of Shu's residence, only I know about this. I didn't even tell the Princess."
Yang Ling was stunned for a moment. He said slowly, "What did Miss Zhu say to you in the garden? Now it's only your side of the story. It can't prove anything. You said that your sister wanted you to help her propose marriage. Did you mention who that person is? If you didn't mention it, I, Yang Ling, can still make up such a lie. "
Zhu Rangxu's eyes brightened. He said happily, "Of course I know. She begged me again and again, so I asked for that person's name. I thought that if the difference in status wasn't too great, I wouldn't have to make things too difficult for her. But that person's status was too low. Even if I told him, Prince Jingqing might not agree. When I heard that they had already consummated their marriage, I felt even more ashamed. So … so I left."
"Who is that person?" Before Yang Ling could ask, the King of Shu, Zhu Binhan, had already reached the end of his patience.
"The head of the King's Imperial Bodyguards, Tang Jiashan!" Zhu Rangxu immediately answered his father's question.
"Tang Jiashan? Bring him here, bring him here. Capture him for me! "The King of Shu pointed at the door and shouted at the top of his lungs.
Just now, the King of Shu had been attacked by an assassin and the entire residence was in chaos. The King of Shu was safe and sound, and the news of an all-out search for the assassin had spread. The various Imperial Bodyguards were on duty, surrounding the King of Shu's residence so tightly that not even a drop of water could trickle through. As the head of the Imperial Bodyguards, Tang Jiashan was most likely setting up sentries and searching for the assassin. The people he had sent out had yet to return.
Regardless of the authenticity of the letter, if what Zhu Rangxu said was true, then at least half of the suspicions had been eliminated. At most, the number of suspects had increased from one to two. The King of Shu was also waiting for news. He no longer dared to ask his son any more questions. His sickly body and emotions simply couldn't take any more agitation.
However, Yang Ling asked, "Heir, since you knew that Miss Zhu's lover was Tang Jiashan, didn't you take any measures against him?"
Zhu Rangxu was still kneeling on the ground. With a bitter smile, he said, "How? If we were to talk about punishment, we could only secretly banish him to another place. What else could we do? One must not wash one's dirty linen in public. What's more, I immediately went to the front hall to attend the banquet. Before the banquet ended, there was a murder case. After that, my movements were also restricted.
I also suspected that he was the one who killed Mengli, but he only entered the back palace once that day. There was a record of the entrance. When I entered the back palace, I happened to meet him coming out. At that time … Mengli was still in the back palace banquet hall. She didn't come out to relax. How could it be him? "
Yang Ling couldn't help but fall silent when he heard this. If that was the case, then the most suspicious people were the Heir and the Second Prince. Unless there was a third person besides these two, a hidden killer. This person had to have the opportunity to enter the back palace and was skilled in martial arts …
Someone ran in and knelt down to report, "Your Highness, Lord Tang has been found."
The King of Shu suddenly sat up and glared at him. "Bring him in immediately!"
The guard stammered, "Lord … Lord Tang, he … he's dead!"
※ ※ ※
Tang Jiashan's body was carried in. He was indeed a handsome military officer.
Thinking back to the evaluation of the guards and maidservants of the Prince's Residence, such a handsome, honest, and introverted young man was indeed a man that a sentimental and narcissistic girl like Zhu Mengli would admire.
That handsome face drooped down to his chest. He had to lift his head to see it.
He was killed with a single slash. White bones could be seen from the mangled flesh.
What a sharp saber technique. But … the saber had been slashed from the back of his neck, almost cutting off his entire neck. There was only one slash. There were no other wounds on his body. Tang Jiashan's martial art skill was not weak; he wanted to kill him with one chop of his saber, moreover, he wanted to strike a position that was almost impossible for a martial art expert to hit, unless the person was very familiar with him and he was caught off guard.
Who could that person be?
The last glimmer of hope was shattered. The King of Shu had a pained expression. He closed his eyes and didn't say a word. The eyes of the Heir Zhu Rangxu, who had been able to maintain some composure, were red. Like a trapped beast, he rushed over and grabbed Tang Jiashan's body. He said in a daze, "Dead? How could he be dead? This is impossible! Impossible! Mengli's letter must have been forged. Guard Tang was killed to confirm my crime. This must be it, Father! "
He turned back and knelt in front of the King of Shu. The King of Shu smiled coldly, "Good child, he didn't die earlier or later. Mr Yang searched Mengli's letter in the morning. In the afternoon, the adulterer that you exposed died. He really died at the right time. Take him away, take him away. I don't want to see him again! "
"Father, I'm not the murderer. I didn't do it. I really didn't!"
Yang Ling tested Tang Jiashan's body temperature and the rigidity of his body. He asked, "When was the last time someone saw Guard Tang?"
The guards whispered to each other. After a while, a guard stood up and said in a trembling voice, "Your Excellency, it was me. At that time, Official Tang was patrolling outside the back palace and looked in from time to time. I saw that he was alone and he didn't look too good, so I didn't go up to talk to him. I had just walked past the drum tower in the courtyard when the alarm sounded. According to the rules, the sentries should immediately rush to the designated important pavilions to guard. The arrest of the murderer should be carried out after the soldiers surrounded the entire palace. So I immediately rushed to the Hall of Zhuang Jing to guard. Until … until His Highness sent an order to find Official Tang. "
Yang Ling then turned to the Crown Prince and asked, "I remember that the Crown Prince's residence is in a separate palace outside the back of the palace. If you want to come here, you have to pass through the front of the back of the palace, right?"
Zhu Rangxu took two steps back and laughed bitterly, "You suspect me again? Yes, I heard the alarm and left the palace to rush here. But I didn't meet Guard Tang on the way. You said that I killed him, but where is the weapon? Where is the knife? If I killed someone in a hurry, how could I bring the blood knife back? Where is the weapon? "
Yang Ling's eyes swept over Zhu Rangxu's body, as if trying to find a knife on him. Zhu Rangxu stood calmly, not moving.
The guard said in a low voice, "The knife that killed Official Tang was Official Tang's own knife. The blood knife was left at the scene."
His voice was not loud, but it was like a clap of thunder. Zhu Rangxu's face became even paler.
At this time, Yang Ling, who was carefully examining Zhu Rangxu, stared at his feet. After a while, he slowly said, "Heir, your boots seem to be stained with something. Can you take them off and let me take a look?"
Zhu Rangxu looked down and his face changed. He was wearing a pair of black boots with white soles. There were a few faint black spots on the boots, but they were not obvious. There were a few red spots on the white soles, which were obviously blood. He looked down and saw that even the bottom of his robe was stained with a few drops of blood. The blood was not big, nor was there much. It was obviously splashed.
Zhu Rangxu screamed as if he had seen a ghost. With a trembling voice, he said, "It's not me, it's not me. This is impossible. Someone is trying to harm me!"
His words were almost exactly the same as Zhu Rangjin's screams when he was accused of being the murderer.
The King of Shu suddenly used all his strength, grabbed a pillow and threw it over. He shouted hoarsely, "Take him away, take him away! Take … "His head tilted and fell on the bed, fainting.
The slightly neurotic heir, Zhu Rangxu, was taken away. The imperial physician hurriedly saved the King of Shu and woke him up. With tears in his eyes, the King of Shu smiled bitterly, "Sin! What a sin! My family's century-old reputation has been destroyed. How could I have such a son? He is more venomous than a snake and more ruthless than a wolf. "
The people in the hall all lowered their heads. Facing this wang ye that was filled with grief and anger, any words of comfort were useless. What else could they say?
The King of Shu was in a daze for a long time. As if he was sleep-talking, he said, "Xu 'er …" Perhaps he was used to calling her that. After a pause, he corrected himself, "Where is Jin' er? Where is Jin 'er? "
"Your Highness, the second prince is still locked up in the prison of the magistrate's yamen." The Chief of Internal Affairs bowed and said in a soft voice. He was afraid that if he raised his voice, he would knock out the already vulnerable King of Shu.
Yang Ling sighed softly and said, "Your Highness, please be at ease. I will release the second prince now. As for the heir … I have not obtained his confession. I believe the Bureau of Investigation will not be willing to take over this case. I will handle it properly and end it properly."
"No … no …" The King of Shu's lips trembled. "I have let him down. Now that I think about it, I have really … really let him down. Jin 'er … Jin' er must hate me. I … I want to personally escort him out of prison with the imperial guards. "
Yang Ling sighed softly and cupped his hands in obeisance.
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