Chapter 1207 - 884: Has Princess Qin Also Lost Her Mind?
Jiang Xian is the Fourth Master of Wanggang Village.
At this moment, even Shang Ruyi felt her scalp tingling slightly.
She recalled when she was kidnapped by Xiao Yuansui, she had encountered the Fourth Master of Wanggang Village after entering Xingluo Granary, that vicious and cunning Lu Yong, who was later killed by Yu Wenye. Afterwards, she heard that Wanggang Village had chosen another capable person to replace the position of Fourth Master, but who it was remained unknown to them.
It turns out, it was Jiang Xian!
Thinking back to when this person broke into Changle Square with a fearless demeanor, if he was just a commoner, he naturally wouldn’t possess such skills and temperament.
But as Wanggang Village’s Fourth Master, who’s always been opposing the court, and has rebellion ingrained in his heart, it’s not surprising at all.
After saying these words, Lou Yingxiong smiled again at Shang Ruyi, but his smile betrayed an unmistakable coldness: "If we talk about Jiang Xian’s relationship with Liang Youying, the Princess probably won’t claim ignorance, right?"
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath: "I know. Liang Youying said she is Jiang Xian’s distant cousin."
Lou Yingxiong looked at her: "Does the Princess really believe that nonsense?"
Shang Ruyi coldly glanced at him.
She understood well that Lou Yingxiong was setting a trap for her with this question. Naturally, she couldn’t answer "I don’t believe it," as the facts were already clear; but if she said she believed it, wouldn’t that be exposing her and Yu Wenye’s foolishness to Yu Wenquan? King Qin and Princess Qin consorting with people from Wanggang Village—is this naivety or intentional?
Seeing the eagerness in the opponent’s expression, as if about to incriminate her and Yu Wenye here, Shang Ruyi’s eyes twinkled, and she suddenly said, "General Lou, there is one thing I don’t understand."
Seeing her evade the topic, Lou Yingxiong was a bit disappointed, but still quickly replied: "What does the Princess not understand?"
Shang Ruyi said: "When did you become aware of Liang Youying and Jiang Xian’s relationship?"
Lou Yingxiong smiled speechlessly: "This General used to guard Anyang, and had several confrontations with Wanggang Village, so naturally I’ve seen them before."
"I know,"
Shang Ruyi said calmly: "What I mean is, you might have seen Liang Youying meeting Vice Minister Pei in Feishuang Palace, but how did you learn that Liang Youying and Jiang Xian are both in Chang An, and further that Jiang Xian had dealings with Doctor Su?"
"..."
"In three days, could you uncover so much?"
As soon as she said this, Yu Wenquan’s face changed immediately.
He didn’t say anything right away, but as the monarch, his silent pressure was evident, especially in the closed and tranquil palace. When Yu Wenquan looked at someone with questioning eyes, that person could feel a nearly tangible, invisible pressure.
Lou Yingxiong felt his back prickling instantly.
But he reacted quickly and immediately spoke as Yu Wenqian had earlier reminded him: "The Princess is wise. Actually these two traitors are extremely cunning and skilled at hiding their tracks, making it indeed difficult to find their connection. If not—"
"If not what?"
"If not for the General dispatching people to track them that night, eventually locating a resting spot and capturing a key person, there wouldn’t have been a way to confirm Jiang Xian was also in Chang An."
"Who did you capture?"
"It’s the one the Princess mentioned, that Jiang Yu."
Upon hearing Jiang Yu’s name, Shang Ruyi’s expression changed immediately: "You captured Jiang Yu?"
No wonder that morning, when the holy entourage returned, she and Yu Wenye saw the royal procession outside Mingde Gate, with a cavalry heading outwards, which must have been Lou Yingxiong’s men sent to capture Jiang Yu!
Lou Yingxiong laughed: "That’s right, he’s now detained with Doctor Su in the Ministry of Justice Prison."
"..."
"If we hadn’t captured him, there wouldn’t have been a way to seize Doctor Su, who went looking for Jiang Xian, and thus—" he deliberately glanced deeply at Shang Ruyi, then said: "All thanks to the Emperor’s heavenly grace."
Shang Ruyi quickly looked at Yu Wenquan, who simply waved his hand indifferently as if not wanting to engage further on this topic.
Thinking for a moment, Shang Ruyi continued: "General Lou’s actions are indeed swift, but there is one point I still don’t quite understand."
"Oh? Please, Princess, speak."
"I’ve heard about the relationship between Vice Minister Pei and Liang Youying. Even if the two really did meet secretly at Feishuang Palace—it is ethically unreasonable, but why is General Lou so certain that this matter is related to the assassin from the Hot Spring Palace?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Shaoxuan gave Shang Ruyi an astonishing look.
He initially thought Princess Qin should strive to defend Pei Xingyuan since the secret meeting wasn’t caught red-handed. Everyone only knows Pei Xingyuan met someone there, but that person wasn’t captured. It’s solely Lou Yingxiong’s one-sided statement that concludes the person was Wanggang Village’s Fifth Master Liang Youying, yet she wasn’t apprehended, and Pei Xingyuan remained tight-lipped, logically she should rebut this.
But since she began speaking, she seemed not to consider clearing Vice Minister Pei of this charge.
Could it be, Princess Qin is also muddled?
Although he thought this, Shang Ruyi’s lack of words meant Yan Shaoxuan naturally wouldn’t wade into these murky waters, so he quietly bowed his head,
"Isn’t it clear yet?"
Lou Yingxiong said: "Vice Minister Pei clandestinely met Liang Youying at Feishuang Palace and encountered the Emperor due to an attack at the Hot Spring Palace—these are part of the same matter."
Shang Ruyi’s brow furrowed as she immediately realized Lou Yingxiong was conflating the appearance of an "assassin" at the Hot Spring Palace with the Emperor being assaulted, subtly adding fuel to the case, as Yu Wenquan’s face darkened. Yan Shaoxuan, who remained silent all along, gently spoke: "General Lou, the Emperor was not assaulted, there was merely an assassin at the Hot Spring Palace. It’s crucial to differentiate."
"Differentiate, must it be differentiated so clearly?"
Lou Yingxiong turned to him with a cold smile: "Lord Minister, if not for the concubine’s timely discovery, those arrows in the palace walls might have already been launched."
"..."
"Must the Emperor’s dragon body truly be harmed before this case is decided?"
Yan Shaoxuan’s eyes turned cold, just as he was about to say something, Yu Wenquan suddenly spoke: "Enough. I will conclude this matter."
The two immediately responded: "Yes."
Yu Wenquan looked at Lou Yingxiong again: "Continue."
Lou Yingxiong’s eyes gleamed with joy, hastening to say: "Yes."
After he finished, he turned to Shang Ruyi, including his expression of a certain smugness at Yan Shaoxuan beside him, and said: "Vice Minister Pei meeting Liang Youying at Feishuang Palace, and the assassin’s figure appearing on the palace wall, these two events are not coincidental. Furthermore, after the incident, Liang Youying fled immediately, and Jiang Xian was nowhere to be found. Hence, I speculate they are the mastermind of this assassination attempt on the Emperor, and Vice Minister Pei is an accomplice!"
"..."
"Without him, those two wouldn’t have entered the Hot Spring Palace so easily."
"..."
"What he needed to do was to aid these two traitors and attempt the assassination on the Emperor at the Hot Spring Palace!"