Embroidered color and fragrance

Chapter 158
Zhao Xu was restless all the way, and when he saw the capital approaching Yanjing, he knocked on the door of the car, and the driver stopped the car.

In the afternoon at the end of February, the spring was bright and bright, but there was still a hint of coldness. Zhao Xu was wearing spring clothes and standing on the official road where people came and went, with a dignified expression.

"Your Highness." The motorcade also stopped, and the old man got out of his car, walked up to Zhao Xu, and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Zhao Xu looked at the old man, smiled, and replied, "I just thought of some unpleasant things, sir, don't worry."

"That's good." The old man nodded, and stood by the side of the road with Zhao Xu, "Your Highness, do you want to drink tea, or stop the car by the side of the road, have a sip of tea and some snacks before going into the city?"

This is why Zhao Xu thinks the old man is amiable and trustworthy, because he can always think about what he thinks and worry about his worries, "Why don't I play chess with my husband."

"It's rare that Your Highness is so elegant, so the old man went to set the chessboard." As the old man said, he went to his own car, Zhao Xu followed behind him, took a few steps, then turned back and said a few words to his entourage.

Zhao Xu got into the car and rode his horse into Yanjing City alone.

After playing a game of chess for about an hour, Zhao Xu lost half of his pieces, but he felt inexplicably at ease, "Sir, I'm tired too, we'll go to the city and go home."

"Your Highness, take a rest too, and will enter the palace tonight," said the old man.

Zhao Xu went back to his carriage, and he got into the carriage without saying a word, closed the door, and said in a low voice: "Your Highness, Master Liu went directly to the palace that day, and stayed in the palace for two It came out at the time, and later went to the Criminal Division, and has not left the Yamen until now."

Zhao Xu nodded slightly, "What's happening in the palace?"

"No. Your Majesty seems to be in a good mood, and played chess with Mr. Zheng this morning." Followed him.

Zhao Xu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that he was thinking too much, and Master Liu's vigilance had nothing to do with him.

"Go back to the city." The horses and horses set off and went straight into the capital. Zhao Xu went back to the mansion for a rest, then handed over the booklet and entered the palace.

The candlelight in the imperial study room was warm, but Zhao Xu, including all his brothers, would not feel that it was warm. He bowed and waited outside for a moment, and felt a little cold after holding the dragon's hand. Only after he came in did he know that it was time for the Holy Majesty to eat.

He did it on purpose and came during the meal time.

Use this to test Zhao Zhiang's attitude. After all, even if Mr. Zhou's death is not related to him, he is responsible for inspecting the fake household registration booklet sent by Mr. Zhou.

This attitude should be lowered.

"Your Highness." Eunuch Du appeared at the door, "Come in quickly, the Holy Majesty is about to eat, you are here, and you are just in time to have a drink with the Holy Majesty."

Zhao Xu breathed a sigh of relief, Zhao Zhiang's character, he praised when he was happy, and cursed when he was unhappy.

If you can let him go in and drink with him, then it seems that nothing will happen.

"Okay." Zhao Xu nodded and stepped into the imperial study room. Zhao Zhiang was at the dining table in the apse, and he hurriedly went forward to salute, "Your servant bows to my father."

Zhao Zhiang hummed and pointed to the table, "Sit down."

"Thank you, Father." Zhao Xu sat down, Eunuch Du poured him a glass of wine, Zhao Zhiang drank a cup, Zhao Xu hurriedly followed suit, and the father and son drank three cups silently.

Zhao Zhiang opened his mouth, looked at Zhao Xu and asked, "Is everything in the northwest settled?"

This matter was clearly stated in Zhezi, but Zhao Xu still told everything honestly from beginning to end, and took the initiative to mention Yanping Mansion, "... When Erchen arrived at Yanping Mansion, it was Zhou Taoying. No matter what people do or what they say, the son really didn't notice anything wrong."

"En." Zhao Zhiang said: "The strategy of letting people lure refugees back from other places was proposed by him, or you?"

Zhao Xu replied: "It's Mr. Zhou. I seem to have used this strategy when I arrived in Yanping, so I just mentioned it to my son. I think this method is very good." After a pause, he said: " The only downside is that it costs too much.”

"Since you're worried, why don't you ask clearly and deal with it to the end." Zhao Zhiang asked.

Zhao Xu didn't dare to think too much, and replied: "I asked. Mr. Zhou said bluntly that all the arrangements along the way were vegetable bran cakes to satisfy hunger. Although money is needed, the cost is not large." He said, He took out the rice paper from the purse that they used to settle the accounts when they talked with Mr. Zhou, and handed it to Zhao Zhiang, "This is the cost calculated by my son when we talked at that time. There are a total of 3 people, and the cost of the month is a total of It's [-] taels."

The expenses and the accounts are pretty good, Zhao Zhiang glanced at it, then looked at Zhao Xu, and said nothing.

On the one hand, Eunuch Du also secretly praised him, saying that the fourth prince is careful and resourceful, and now it seems to be true, he even brought back the waste paper used for chatting with the prefect of Yanping.

No, everything has two sides, the key depends on whether Zhao Zhiang will eat it or not.

"So, you knew about the matter of attracting refugees after the fact, and you checked it carefully, and agreed to it because you thought there was no problem?" Zhao Zhiang said.

Zhao Xu responded, "That's true."

At this time, he was not allowed to lie at all, so every word Zhao Xu said was what he seemed to have thought about before coming here.

"During the household registration check, you only knew about it, but didn't check it?" Zhao Zhiang's voice became a little colder.

This is the important point, Zhao Xu hurriedly got up, kowtowed in front of Zhao Zhiang, and admitted his mistake, "Father, I know I was wrong, and I really missed this matter." He said again: "In those few days, I happened to have a cold, you The oral order came from the son-in-law, who was suffering from a fever, so he didn't know what to do, and he thought that Zhou Tao was a good official for the country and the people, so he let down his vigilance."

"Fenghan, what a coincidence." Zhao Zhiang took another sip of wine, squinted his eyes and stared at Zhao Xu, "I'll ask you again, you really don't know about the Yanping Mansion?"

Zhao Xu looked up at Zhao Zhiang, his heart pounding, "Father, I really don't know, otherwise, I will prevent this from happening no matter what."

"Then I want you to meet someone." Zhao Zhiang put down the wine cup, and Eunuch Du turned the screen, and after a while, he led two people in.

One was tied up, blindfolded and gagged, and the other was Master Liu.

Zhao Xu's eyes were instantly attracted by the blindfolded person, because he knew that this person should be the murderer who killed Yanping prefect Zhou Tao.

This is not surprising.

Surprisingly, he looked familiar at this person.

Master Liu removed this person's blindfold, revealing a pair of sunken cloudy eyes, blinked to see the person in front of him clearly, and suddenly knelt down in front of Zhao Xu with a plop.

In an instant, Zhao Xu solved all the puzzles and doubts in the past half month.

The rope marks tied to Aunt Liu's feet, the murderer Mr. Liu caught easily, and why he carefully avoided him and rushed back to the capital.

He felt strange at the time, Aunt Liu was killed on land, why did the murderer tie her legs... Also, a corpse should have floated up long ago after five or six days in the river, why did it happen in the river? Master Liu floated up when he came.

Why did a person who could kill the magistrate without anyone knowing it break his rib recklessly and recuperate in the temple outside Yanping Mansion.

It was like waiting for someone to come and get him.

I see.Aunt Liu was beaten to death, but the other party tied a stone to her foot, and after Master Liu came, he cut the rope short so that the body could be discovered, and the man broke his ribs to recuperate on purpose, because he Just waiting for Master Liu to catch him.

why so.

Because this person is his regular follower.

However, in just two months, he sent his entourage to Fujian to handle errands, but there was no news of the other party as soon as he left. He thought he was dead, but he didn't expect to appear here.

"Do you know me?" Zhao Zhiang looked at Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu nodded, and replied: "I know." Who is it and why did you want to harm him?

What else did they do?

He was so stupid that he didn't find any flaws.

"Let's talk." Zhao Zhiang gestured to Master Liu.

Mr. Liu cupped his hands, and told all the contents of his investigation in Yanping Mansion. There was no discrepancy with what Zhao Xu just deduced. Day and night, I went back to the capital to report to the Holy Spirit."

Zhao Xu didn't argue, because he knew that Master Liu was not the one who harmed him, and it was meaningless for him to argue with Master Liu now.

"Go on." Zhao Zhiang said.

Mrs. Liu clasped his fists together, glanced at Zhao Xu, and continued: "After returning to Beijing, I contacted the Ministry of Criminal Justice and had a detailed conversation about the raids on the mansions of Liao, Du and Zhu. They were in Liao Zhiming's study. Inside, I found a secret compartment, and there are several envelopes in this secret compartment, although the letter paper inside has been lost, but the handwriting on the envelopes belongs to Your Highness."

Master Liu said, and handed over the letter paper.

It was an envelope made of kraft paper, and only the words "Dearly" were written on the envelope, and nothing else was written on it.

It was his handwriting, Zhao Xu was not surprised.

When things got to this point, he absolutely believed that the other party could get the envelope written by him.

"What else?" Zhao Xu asked.

Master Liu replied: "No more!" The weight of these evidences is just right, if Zhao Zhiang thinks a little more, the son's motives and behaviors cannot be tolerated, but if Zhao Zhiang loves his son and tolerates a little bit, then at most he will be overlooked Framed.

It is necessary to do a thorough investigation in reverse to return Zhao Xu's innocence.

"What do you have to say?" Zhao Zhiang drank another glass of wine, Zhao Xu kowtowed, and replied: "I have nothing to say, but I beg Father to give me ten days to prove my innocence."

Zhao Zhiang raised his eyebrows and asked, "So, you think you are innocent and framed?"

"Yes!" Zhao Xu replied, "Because I have no reason to do all this. Killing the refugees will not make me a great merit. There is absolutely no need for me to do this."

Zhao Zhiang pursed his lips, and said coldly: "You may know how the war in the previous dynasty started?"

Zhao Xu's heart skipped a beat, and he kowtowed and said, "Father, the sons and ministers have no second thoughts." The reason why the previous dynasty started to be chaotic was because a prince killed dozens of people who blocked the road in Kaifeng. , The dignitaries of the previous dynasty did a lot, but this time there was a riot.

The prince wrote back to Beijing during the riot, asking for soldiers to suppress the mob.The emperor of the previous dynasty did not doubt that he was there, and immediately passed on the imperial decree and military talisman.

Eight thousand soldiers and horses fell into the hands of the prince, but instead of suppressing the mob as promised, he took down seven or eight cities including Kaifeng and Luoyang in one go.

At this time, the emperor of Jingzhong realized that the purpose of the other party to kill the people was to cause riots.

And he can justifiably ask for soldiers, and in turn, rob him of his country.

Zhao Xu's cold sweat drenched his clothes.

It turned out that what was really waiting for him was here, and the other party had calculated step by step, even the evidence of the witnesses was properly measured!
Did he lose?

At some point, Mr. Liu went out with witnesses and Eunuch Du, leaving only Zhao Zhiang and his son in the back hall.

"Royal Father." Zhao Xu kowtowed and replied, "I was 15 years old and fell ill. At that time, my mother and concubine had passed away, and you were away on an expedition. There was only one nanny in Erchen's yard. She's still one who pushes high and tramples low, she just likes to walk around the courtyard of the prince and fifth younger brother all day long."

"My son didn't think it was unfair, because people have to trust their fate. But when my son wanted to drink water but couldn't pour it, he couldn't help feeling resentful."

Zhao Zhiang's face was ugly, but he didn't interrupt his son.

"At that time, the crown prince came. He hugged him and touched my forehead. He asked me a doctor. He personally brought me tea and water to take care of me. He even punished the woman." Zhao Xu seemed to be lost in memory. , with a dazed expression, "To be honest, my son doesn't like the prince, because he is favored by the emperor, and he is still the prince."

"Bastard!" Zhao Zhiang said.

Zhao Xu didn't seem to hear it, and wept silently, "But from that day on, I didn't hate the prince anymore. Because I suddenly knew that a person's fate cannot be chosen, I am, and so is the prince. He was born to suffer People respect him, everything is destined to be his, it's not his fault. What's more, he is a competent elder brother, a benevolent prince. And I, I am also willing to bow my head and surrender."

"My son offered two long-burning lanterns at Fahua Temple, one is your father's, and the other is your prince's." With tears in his eyes, Zhao Xu said, "My father, my son has no two hearts. Not now, and never will will not have."

After finishing speaking, he kowtowed three times sincerely.

Zhao Zhiang was touched, he didn't care enough about this son, but he didn't believe in his heart that Zhao Xu would be so ruthless and scheming.

This matter can't make a big deal, and he doesn't want to make a big deal, so after Mr. Liu returned to Beijing, he stayed in the yamen and didn't even return home.

Mr. Liu is a smart person, he knows that the matter is very important, it is related to the face of the royal family and the life of the prince.

Well done, he is very satisfied.

"It's cold in the northwest, you're tired from this trip, go back and take care of yourself." Zhao Zhiang got up, stood in front of the window with his back to Zhao Xu, and said calmly, "Father hasn't cared about you for so many years, I just remembered today that you only have one son under your knees. This time recuperating from illness, taking the opportunity to give birth to more sons, the prosperity of the population is also thanks to you."

This means not killing him, but just imprisoning him, Zhao Xu heaved a sigh of relief, and said, "Thank you, Father, for your love."

Zhao Zhiang waved his hand, Zhao Xu kowtowed and stood up, "Father, take care of the dragon's body." After saying that, he went out without looking back.

The hall door was closed, and Eunuch Du came in and said in a low voice, "My lord, the food is cold, please warm it up for you."

"I have no appetite." Zhao Zhiang lay down on the soft couch tiredly, Eunuch Du covered him with a quilt, turned off the lights, and after a while Zhao Zhiang said: "Xiao Du, do you think I am wrong? "

"Your Majesty is the ruler of the world." Eunuch Du said softly, "Don't say that you are not wrong, even if you are wrong, it doesn't matter, everyone in the world has to listen to you."

Zhao Zhiang laughed, nodded and said: "You're right. I fight this world desperately, just to not bear it, and to show off my ambitions. But now I am timid, and I have lost my fighting spirit after being hit by these one after another."

"This is not me!" Zhao Zhiang sat up and clenched his fists tightly, "I am not a coward, I want to rule the world, and when people in future generations mention me, they must sincerely declare themselves king."

He stood up and walked a few steps. In the mirror in the distance, the figure was faint, but his gray hair was particularly conspicuous.

"There is no time, I am old." Zhao Zhiang said: "I must hurry up and pave the way for the prince, so that my foundation will last forever!"

Eunuch Du bowed at the side, and he answered again and again.

Zhao Xu went out from the imperial study room, and there was no one to lead the way. He walked alone on the long palace road, and when he left the palace, the carriage stopped outside the palace gate, and he got into the carriage silently.

The night fell into the water, and the surrounding area was completely dark, except for a light in front of the car that was on.

The car stopped at the gate of the mansion, Zhao Xu asked someone to slap open the main gate of the prince's mansion, and the door creaked open after a while, the guard at the gate looked dazed.

Usually the front door doesn't open very often, it's so strange that Zhao Xu asked them to open the front door when he came back tonight.

"Let's open it for a while." Zhao Xu pointed to the main door, "It's open, and it will be closed tomorrow morning!"

This may be the last time these two doors were opened.

"Your Highness." The old man came out from the inner courtyard, "Your Highness, are you okay?"

Zhao Xu stood at the door looking at the old man, suddenly smiled and said, "How are you, sir?"

"What's so good about being old?" The old man walked over, his steps were trembling, Zhao Xu smiled and said, "In the future, I'm afraid I will wrong you and spend the rest of my life here."

"Your Highness." The old man's eyes darkened, as if he had thought of something, "Did His Majesty punish you for the household registration book?"

Zhao Xu smiled, "Not only that. In the future..." He looked around and looked at the mansion, "This will be my home from now on."

He has never regarded this place as his home, because no matter what happens to him in the future, this place will never be his home.

But people are not as good as heaven, he actually fell, and he doesn't even know who the other party is.

Don't worry, it's a blessing from heaven that he didn't die, and he can finally find out who the other party is.

"Go ahead and talk." The old man and Zhao Xu went back to the study side by side. At this moment, the servant followed behind and shouted, "Your Highness, the Marquis of Zhennan is visiting."

Zhao Xu was taken aback when he heard the words, and asked, "The Marquis of Zhennan is here?" At this time?Is it intentional or a coincidence?

"Please." Zhao Xu said, and took a few steps towards him. No matter what purpose Zhennan Hou had, he wanted to meet him.

The old man stopped him and said: "Then His Highness is going to treat the guests first, the letter in the old book is half written, and I will talk to His Highness later."

"Okay." Zhao Xu nodded, instead of caring about the old man, he cupped his hands in the direction of the main entrance and said, "Why are you here so late, but there is something to do."

Shen Zhan replied: "I didn't intend to come, but I happened to pass by and saw the gate was open, so I came in to have a look." He looked Zhao Xu up and down, "Can Your Highness have dinner? Shen has not yet, I wonder if Your Highness can let Shen Hit the autumn wind once."

Zhao Xu and Shen Zhan didn't get along well, and even had some unhappiness, but at this moment, if it is said that the person he trusts the most, it should be Shen Zhan.

Because this person, if he harms you, he will definitely not return the favor with you.

"I can't ask for it." Zhao Xu laughed, and went to the study in the outer courtyard with Shen Zhan. Shen Zhan said: "Why are you alone? I heard that there is a new staff member in your mansion who knows astronomy and geography. Why don't you invite me together?" Come and drink."

"He was still there just now." Zhao Xu raised his eyebrows, "Master Hou wants to find him?"

Shen Zhan nodded, "There are so many people, it's lively!"

"Go and invite sir." Zhao Xu ordered Chang Sui, and Chang Sui followed suit.

The old man's yard is not too far from Zhao Xu's study. When the two arrived at the study, the servant had already returned, "Your Highness, sir is not in the room. I searched all around, but I didn't see him."

"Really, that's strange, it was still there just now. Mister has bad legs and feet, so he should not be able to walk fast." Zhao Xu said, he had already gone to the old man's room, and Shen Zhan followed closely without avoiding suspicion.

The courtyard door and the door of the room were opened by the young man, and the lamp was on, but there was no half-written letter on the table.

The clothes in the cabinet were all bought by the old man after he came, and they were of different lengths. There was no pair of shoes under the bed, and even the comb that was placed on the kang head was gone.

It can be said that all traces of identifying a person are not left behind.

"Look again." Zhao Xu's face darkened, he was not stupid, he just didn't think of it.

Shen Zhan said, "The person has already left." As he spoke, he opened the rear window, and there were no footprints outside...

"What do you know?" Zhao Xu's voice was full of excitement, Shen Zhan looked at him and said, "Your Highness is the final prey in this scheme."

"You mean, all these things are a trap for me?" Zhao Xu's whole body was cold.

"Yes!" It should be for the two of them, but Zhao Xu is the ultimate goal, "Does Your Highness know this person's appearance?"

Zhao Xu was stunned for a moment again. He tried hard to remember, and suddenly realized that after being together for a few months, he couldn't remember what the old man looked like.

Gray hair, thick white beard, and squinted eyes. The old man said that his eyes were not good, so he had to do so.

Looking back now, everything is blurred.

"It's not far." Shen Zhan didn't need to ask any more, Zhao Xu would know more than him, "Your Highness will conduct a self-examination in the mansion."

As Shen Zhan said, he strode away.

He came here to scare the snakes and force the old man out of his original form. Now that the original form has been revealed, then go for it. Although the possibility of being caught is not high, there must be a beginning.

Lu Cheng and Min Wang led people to guard outside the Fifth Prince's Mansion. When Shen Zhan came out of the mansion, the two greeted them and said in a low voice: "Master, from the time you entered to the time you came out of the Fifth Prince's Mansion, no one has ever come out. .”

"That man is still in the mansion." Shen Zhan looked back at the open door, "Look at it!"

Inside the door, Zhao Xu called out everyone in the family. The men and women stood on both sides and reported each other's names. Zhao Xu checked each one and found nothing suspicious, and then searched all the places in the mansion where people could hide. .

Got nothing.

"The people of Marquis Zhennan are still outside?" Zhao Xu asked his followers.

He followed him back and said, "Yes, I didn't leave."

"That is to say, the person hasn't left yet." Zhao Xu walked back and forth a few steps with his hands behind his hands, and said angrily, "Search again, dig three feet into the ground!"

Overnight, the fifth prince's mansion was turned upside down, even the bed in the old man's room was thrown away, but nothing was found.

This person seemed to have disappeared out of thin air in the Fifth Prince's Mansion.

Shen Zhan only stayed outside the gate of the mansion for a moment, and then went back to his own mansion. Qingliu came up to meet him and said, "Master, the old lady and Miss Lu are still in the room."

"Have you seen it with your own eyes?" Shen Zhan asked.

Qingliu nodded, "A quarter of an hour ago, the servant brought tea in, and the two sat at the table talking!"

Shen Zhan nodded and entered the inner courtyard. The door of Lu's courtyard was open. Lu Jingqiu stood at the door of the room, squatting down to be blessed, and said, "Master Hou."

"She's gone?" Shen Zhan looked blank, Lu Jingqiu walked over slowly, and handed him a note, "Master asked me to give you this."

Shen Zhan glanced at Lu Jingqiu, took the note, and saw that it said: "The first time you fight, you lose! Learn more and watch more, you will always improve."

It wasn't Lu Shi who wrote it to him, but that person.

Come and brag about your success with him.

Yes, he arranged it very carefully, but the other party was still in this careful net and escaped.

"I'll take my leave tomorrow too." Lu Jingqiu looked up at Shen Zhan, "Master Hou, take care." Said, walked around Shen Zhan and left the yard.

Shen Zhan looked at the dark sky with his hands behind his back, Qingliu knelt down at his feet, and said: "This servant is negligent, please punish me."

"He also said that it's the first time we fight, I need to learn more." Shen Zhan turned and walked out of the yard, "Okay, what to do, what to do."

Shen Zhan went to the outer courtyard, and Su Wanru followed him, she laughed when she saw him, and said, "Did you not catch him?"

"Yeah. Disappeared out of thin air." Shen Zhan said.

Su Wanru sat down in front of the desk, and said thoughtfully: "It is impossible for people to disappear out of thin air. We lost because of lack of preparation. The day they came, they were preparing to escape. After preparing for so long, naturally Nothing is lost."

"However, we still have something to gain. We know his purpose, don't we?" Su Wanru said and patted Shen Zhan's head.

After killing Zhao Xu, will the next one be Zhao Yan, Zhao Jun or the prince?
"I have an idea." Su Wanru knocked on the table and looked at Shen Zhan, "If he is the spy next to Second Brother back then, then the ultimate goal of his tossing around should be the throne."

"If it was easy to say in the past, but now the world belongs to the Zhao family, even if all members of the Zhao family die, the throne cannot fall into the hands of an outsider for no reason." Su Wanru said.

Shen Zhan nodded and looked at her, "You mean, he is helping others by jumping up and down like this. And the object of this help is still the Zhao family."

"Ninety-nine times." Su Wanru walked around the room twice with her hands behind her back, looking at him, "Helping the prince should not be possible, he is justified, as long as he doesn't die, the throne will be his sooner or later."

Shen Zhan answered, "Is that Zhao Zhongyuan or His Highness the Fifth?"

"En." Su Wanru nodded, and looked at Shen Zhan, "When Prince Ning came to Beijing to become king, it is said that he made a great contribution, but Zhao Zhiang did not announce this contribution to the world."

Shen Zhan said: "That's what it means. He has never appeared on the battlefield, but he suddenly appeared and came with merit. It is strange."

Credit is not earned by oneself, it is earned by others for him.

"That person will definitely appear again." Su Wanru looked at Shen Zhan, "Let's keep an eye on Prince Ning's Mansion and Fifth Prince's Mansion first, there will definitely be something to gain."

Shen Zhan nodded.

At this moment, in Prince Ning's mansion separated by a street, Zhao Yan was sitting in a gazebo drinking. He drank a pot of warm wine for an hour. All the clues point to His Highness the Fourth Highness."

"After the Fourth Highness entered the palace tonight, he came out quietly, and those who entered through the main entrance were even asked to open the door." Zha Rongsheng said: "Later, the Marquis of Zhennan also went, but only stayed for a moment. gone."

"Yeah." Zhao Yan nodded slightly, "Go to Uncle tomorrow to see if he's back."

Cha Rongsheng bowed and said yes.

Zhao Yan took another sip of the wine and sipped it. He never liked to drink, but he really wanted to drink tonight.

The thing is actually very obvious, Zhao Dong is dead, Zhao Xu is imprisoned... the next one is either he or Zhao Jun.

Who is the other party and what do you want to do?
He wants to get Zhao's family?But even if their brothers are dead, it is impossible for the country to fall into the hands of outsiders, unless the other party has military power and can grab it with real swords and guns.

But when the world is in chaos, how can he be sure that he will win.

unless……

What he wants to grab is not Zhao's country, but only the throne.Once their brothers are dead, someone from the other party will appear, and they will inherit in a legitimate way.

Who is it?
He frowned slightly, and suddenly put down the wine jar, and said to Zha Rongsheng: "Tomorrow, I will go to see uncle with you."

"Does the prince want to go in person?" Zha Rongsheng followed Zhao Yan and got out of the gazebo. "Uncle said last time that he would not come back until March. I feel that I might miss out if I go. Why don't I go first?"

Zhao Yan raised his hand, stopped in front of the main courtyard, looked at the lanterns fluttering under the eaves, and said, "I have something to ask my uncle, I have to go in person."

Zha Rongsheng couldn't persuade him anymore, so he should bow down.

Early in the morning of the second day, Zhao Yan took a car out of the city after eating breakfast. His uncle lived in his other courtyard in Daxing. a servant.

There were fallen leaves piled up in the yard, weeds came out from the steps, and moss stuck to the bluestone slab, making it soft to step on. He walked around the yard, but he didn't meet a single person.

"Uncle doesn't seem to be back yet." Zha Rongsheng looked around, Zhao Yan nodded, and said, "Probably not yet."

He went directly to the study room. The door of the study room was not locked, and when he opened the door, there was a faint fragrance of ink.

There are many books on the bookshelf. My uncle loves to read. He reads almost everything and knows everything. He has admired him since he was a child. Everything he has learned is also taught by his uncle.

He doesn't have a deep memory of his mother. His childhood memories are all about his uncle.

He is his elder, but also his friend and husband.

Zhao Yan sat down behind the table and opened the drawer. There was nothing in the drawer as usual. This is my uncle's habit. Where he lived, if he left one day, nothing would be left behind.

But this time it was a bit of a surprise, there was a letter in the drawer unexpectedly, he picked it up and opened it, and there were only a few words in the letter.

"Go on a long trip, come back at the end of the year!"

Zhao Yan looked at both sides, folded the letter in his hand, got up and read it on the bookshelf again, all the books looked like they had been turned over many times, but they were all neatly placed on the shelf.

He didn't touch it, turned around and left the study, and said to Zha Rongsheng: "Send two people to clean up this place, and I will live here next month."

"Your Highness." Zha Rongsheng said, "You cannot live here."

What happened to Zhao Xu was very strange. He also knew Zhao Xu. It wasn't that Zhao Dong was so aggressive. On the contrary, Zhao Xu was smart and cautious.

How could he make a mistake for no reason and be punished.

There must be something strange in this, so Zha Rongsheng's intuition told him that someone was secretly killing the prince.

I intend to clear obstacles for someone one by one.

As for who the other party is, he doesn't know yet, but he can't help but guard against it.

"Some things, it's useless to escape." Zhao Yan looked at Zha Rongsheng and smiled, "You think I'm safe in the city?"

Zha Rongsheng was stunned for a moment, and then he understood that they could think of the key point, and many people must have thought of it. Then, the few adult princes who are still alive are the most in need of protection and the biggest objects of suspicion.

Therefore, it makes no difference whether Zhao Yan lives in Prince Ning's Mansion or in another courtyard.

"Yes, I will send someone to clean up after the maidservant returns." Zha Rongsheng said.

Su Wanru analyzed the matter with Du Zhou, and then wrote a letter to Su Ji. After a few days, Su Ji wrote back to her, saying, Got it, let her be careful.

Mrs. Lu left, following that mysterious person.

Then her identity has long been no secret to that person.

"Could it be that they don't come after you, because they know what you really want to do?" Du Zhou said.

In the matter of overthrowing Da Zhou, Su Wanru and that mysterious person are in the same direction.

"An enemy's enemy is a friend." Su Wanru said: "So, we will meet sooner or later, we are not in a hurry, let's see what else he can come up with."

Moreover, the people of the Zhao family are not stupid.

"The other party is under attack now, and the fourth prince will not let him go." Du Zhou chuckled, "When he is caught one day, he will definitely be torn to pieces."

Su Wanru nodded, and said: "The shop in Jining has been found, and Si Sanbao will send people to monitor it. I plan to send a few people to go there, and you will go and have a look. The master of the matter will be taken by Si Sanbao's people. We just need to do our best. Just do the part you want to do.”

"Okay." Du Zhou understood Su Wanru's meaning, "Don't worry, I will handle it properly." He said again: "It's just that the other party has the same identity as me, so I'm afraid of being discovered."

Su Wanru knocked on his head, and said with a smile: "Not everyone is as perceptive as Si Sanbao, besides, didn't Mei Ziqing give you a sachet, you hang it on your body every day to cover up the smell."

In fact, there is no smell, it may be that people of the same kind are more sensitive.

Otherwise, Du Zhou has been in the embroidery workshop for so long, and no one is optimistic about his true identity.

On the sixth day of March, Du Zhou went to Jining with Si Sanbao, and Longwei's people in Jining would wait for the right time to apply for work. Naturally, Du Zhou had a way to let them stay.

Su Wanru was eating sugarcane in the banquet room of Tianxia Department Store, when Zhu Xun jumped in, "Ah Jin!"

"You came just in time. Try our new sugarcane, from Guangxi, it's very sweet." Su Wanru handed him a piece, Zhu Xun held it in her hand, and was so excited that she didn't eat it. At the beginning of February, he fought with Nurhachi and beheaded 32 heads, while we wounded six and died two."

"Here." Su Wanru was also very happy, "But this is the military newspaper from February, why is it so long after a month, and I don't know how Master Hou is doing now."

Zhu Xun bit off the sugar cane with a loud bang, raised his eyebrows and shook his legs, "Don't worry, my father will definitely hit him and make him cry for his mother."

"I think so too." Su Wanru nodded her head sincerely, "What I'm worried about instead is the supply of food and grass here, you must keep an eye on it, and don't let people lose Lord Hou's food and grass."

Zhu Xun chuckled, and said, "My starling is watching. Even if the Ministry of Households sells the house, it has to give the money to my starling."

"That's good." Su Wanru breathed a sigh of relief, and Zhu Xun said again: "There is one more person who will arrive in the capital on the fifteenth day, you know him."

Su Wanru frowned and looked at him, "Who, I know a lot of people."

"Zhao Zhiting." Zhu Xun said: "We will have a lot of fun watching him come back this time. No one in Beijing knows, not even Shengshan and the prince. He got married in Fengyang and gave birth to a son."

Su Wanru was choked by a mouthful of sugar cane water, "No... no way? He is the eldest grandson of the emperor, how could he be careless when he was alone outside. Not to mention one son, even ten sons, the queen would not agree."

"I think so too." Zhu Xun leaned on the back of the arhat bed, gloated and said, "That's why I said we'll have fun."

Su Wanru was also curious, what kind of woman is so powerful, not only fascinated Zhao Zhiting, but also let him and her secretly visit the hall in Fengyang and have a child.

After she came back, even if she couldn't be the main concubine, she would probably be the main concubine.

I am afraid that no one in Beijing is willing to marry their daughter easily, and they will become mothers as soon as they go, and the bastards will run around everywhere!

It's hilarious.

Su Wanru took a bite of the sugar cane, smacked it, her mouth was sweet, and she squinted at Zhu Xun, "What's the matter with you and Ge Yujie, you should keep the private exchange secret."

"Fart. Why are we giving and receiving privately?" Zhu Xun looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Besides, you and my starling are like this. Isn't it private? You still have the face to criticize me."

Su Wanru laughed, and said: "I have no parents, no sisters, and I'm not a lady, whoever I like to be with, as long as I am happy and don't care what the world says, I am not private."

"You are different. A son of the Marquis of Changxing and the daughter of a high-ranking official, if word spreads, another story of the West Chamber can be compiled."

"Su Jin!" Zhu Xun was furious, and hit her with sugarcane, Su Wanru laughed and jumped away, saying: "Let auntie go to propose marriage, settle it early, and the marriage can be done when Lord Hou comes back."

Zhu Xun paused, looked at her, and said, "Do you think Master Ge will agree?"

"Ask me to be an iceman." Su Wanru said, "Ask me to be an iceman, and I will guarantee you."

Zhu Xun snorted, "You're shameless, you're not even married, and you're still an iceman."

"I am a special existence. Others don't regard me as a woman. Who cares if I am married?" Su Wanru patted him on the shoulder, "There is no gender distinction for capable people. Like you This kind of idle person cannot reach the height in my vision."

Zhu Xun rolled his eyes and muttered, "Go and talk to my mother first."

"Success." Su Wanru said: "For the sake of your loyalty, I will work hard and take advantage of the fact that I am not busy recently, so I can help you with this matter."

Zhu Xun hummed twice.

(End of this chapter)