In the golden hall, this is a slightly unpretentious study.

On the bookcase, several portraits of people are lined up one after another, and the man in red on the side is holding his chest with one hand, touching his chin with the other, his eyelids are slightly raised, and his eyes are dull, as if he is thinking about a difficult problem, but suddenly his eyebrows are scattered, and the corners of his lips are sharp and slow: "Your Highness's painting skills have improved again." ”

On one side of the bookcase, a man standing in a pro-soldier costume dropped his chin to the bottom.

"I thought that Gorou was surprised by His Highness's memory ability, Gorou didn't witness that thrill that day, it's really ...... I don't want His Highness to take a few hasty glances, so I will remember the appearance of those assassins on the spot, and even the few living mouths that escaped, I can draw a person from memory, although I have heard Gorou say that His Highness has the ability to 'never forget', I thought there was an exaggerated element in the ......"

Before he finished speaking, he heard an abrupt sneeze outside the door, the two turned around, and saw the third prince covering his nose and stepping into the threshold: "I'll just say that along the way, why is your nose itchy, is someone slapping a horse?" With a flick of his sleeves, he saved the two of them from saluting, and looked at Kong Xilin with a smile: "Xiao Wu is here?" But what did Yao Hui discover? ”

It turned out that since the third prince heard that Yao Hui was "drunk to death", he repaired a book, and asked Kong Xilin to secretly inquire about this matter, and returned to Beijing since he was beaten, and he had not seen Kong Xilin come to the door for a long time.

Kong Xilin snorted lightly: "I really don't know why His Royal Highness paid attention to that useless person, how could he find anything, that is, he drank too much in the brothel, indulged in excessive desires, and was already hollowed out by beauty. ”

It is said that in the Western Wei Dynasty, the nobles of the family liked to take Wushi San, there were many people who died due to overdose, and later the former Ming Dynasty and the Eastern Ming Dynasty strictly forbidden, and to Dalong, this trip is more shameless to the world, that is, those who are lustful dogs and horses, occasionally take food, but also have to cover people's eyes and ears, and publicize it is to be despised.

Although Yin Luze of Shuntian Mansion is from a noble background, he can be called loyal and upright, and he only maintains a face-to-face friendship with Jinxiang's henchmen.

It's just that, how do you know if Yao will overdose on his own behavior? It is also possible to be murdered, but even the Yao family itself is discouraged by this sister-in-law, only to feel that he is not even qualified to be murdered, let alone what the world will think.

It is no wonder that although Kong Xilin spent some effort on this matter because of the entrustment of the three princes, he never thought that he could detect anything strange from the beginning, but he was full of grievances at this time, and snorted heavily: "Your Highness has hidden from me so hard, if I hadn't listened to my father's words today, I wouldn't have known the danger of merging the state." ”

While the soldier's jaw fell to the bottom again—how do you think there is an unbelievably sour smell in the study?

The third prince patted Kong Xilin's shoulder: "Didn't I see you?" It's not intentional. ”

"Su Wu Niang really has the grace to save his life in His Highness?" Kong Xilin raised his eyebrows, obviously very suspicious.

The soldiers silently looked away.

"Thanks to her arrow, the thief was killed." The third prince stretched out his fingers and nodded to a portrait on the bookcase, but turned his head and asked his soldiers: "Dongchang, how is the matter for you to investigate?" ”

Xue Dongchang, a pro-soldier and confidant, was the only one who knew that the third prince had been wounded by an arrow, but of course he would not bother thinking about why he could hurt two people even though he only sent one arrow, and when he heard it, he immediately admired it: "Your Highness's expectation is really good, your subordinates met with Suzaku today, according to his identification, it was pointed out that two of them were the dead soldiers of the four highnesses' secret pei, especially this one!" ”

Xue Dongchang picked up a portrait and raised it in his hand a few times—compared to the thick eyebrows and eagle eyes of another assassin, the person in the painting was very clear and beautiful, and he could be called a little white face.

"It's really a coincidence, when he got out of the middle that day, His Royal Highness drew this person alone, but he appeared in the Four Princes' Mansion a few days ago, only the Four Highnesses were very guarded, and Suzaku couldn't find out the two talking."

Suzaku is obviously just a pronoun, it is the eyes and ears of the third prince who has long been planted in the fourth prince's mansion, and he still has some trust now, but it has not yet reached the level that the fourth prince will discuss with him before he assassinates him.

However, Xue Dongchang's judgment about coincidence caused the third prince to raise his eyebrows slightly.

Of course, it was no coincidence, although the incident was critical that day, the third prince still noticed that this white-faced assassin was only "under one person", and the eagle eye who almost injured his life had to be covered by the white face to easily get rid of the guards to launch a surprise attack on him.

As for the other portraits, they were all fought with the three princes, and all of them were displayed on the spot.

Thinking that they were all Eagle Eyes' subordinates, they were usually not qualified to enter and leave the Prince's Mansion, so Suzaku had no impression of them at all.

But since you recognize the eagle eye and the white face, it is enough.

However, of course, the three princes would not be naïve enough to take this as a basis to sue the emperor and expose the four princes as the mastermind.

What he felt deeply interesting at the moment was: "My fourth brother is really suspicious and cautious, he can't even trust his own Yue family, and he is really ruthless, seeing Qin Xiang come forward to make a mistake, he doesn't wake up." ”

Xue Dongchang's face was uncertain, but Kong Xilin tasted a little taste: "Your Highness thinks that this matter has nothing to do with Qin? ”

"Of course he has nothing to do, otherwise, he would not easily come forward to question the golden phase in front of the saint." The third prince slanted the corners of his lips: "Qin Xiang's cunning is better than Jin Rongzhong, if he knew that he was the mastermind of the fourth child, how could he ignore it and expose himself?" It should be because he thinks he is innocent and fearless of slander, and he is aware of the determination of the Holy Lord to eradicate the Jin Party, so that he will come forward without scruples. But if it weren't for the saint being a discerning king, this time it would be difficult to guarantee that he would not suspect that Qin Xiang would take this opportunity to assassinate Jin Rongzhong. ”

The four princes themselves hid themselves safely, and stood by to watch Qin Xiang take risks, this fast son-in-law is really filial.

Xue Dongchang suddenly realized: "No wonder Suzaku has worked hard for many years, and only now has he gained five or six points of trust, and he is still excluded from the core cronies by the fourth prince." ”

"In this way, it is enough, if he really has the full trust of the fourth child, I have to doubt the credibility of what Suzaku said." The third prince chuckled.

Xue Dongchang wiped a cold sweat, this is true, when it comes to suspicion, His Royal Highness is not worried.

"What does Your Highness want?" Kong Xilin asked: "Right now, the fourth prince has obviously regarded you as a thorn in his side. ”

"The thorn in the eye is not enough, and the stumbling block is more accurate." The third prince shook his head: "It's just that his plan fails this time, he will inevitably be more cautious, and he won't make a move easily, and if he stays with him, the effect is stronger than clearing, this time, he should be a dumb loss." ”

"Your Highness has seen very much." Kong Xilin strongly agreed.

"But the assassination of Jin Rongzhong is also full of suspicions, and seeing that a catastrophe is coming, he is willing to be arrested?" The third prince frowned again, he always felt that Yi Jing intended to get Jin Rongzhong out of suspicion and not be involved in the assassination of the prince, but what purpose did she do this?

It's incomprehensible.

Kong Xilin asked again: "What progress can be made in the matter between His Royal Highness and the Su family's five mothers?" ”

"Xiao Wu, she is now the county lord of Guangping, this is the progress." The third prince first signaled Xue Dongchang to leave - although he regarded Xue Dongchang as a cronie, there were some things that one less person could know, so it was better not to be careless: "The queen has already decided to fight for me." ”

Kong Xilin sneered: "At that time, the queen also fought for Her Royal Highness for Aunt Su, but as a result, she didn't become Princess Fu." ”

These words made the third prince feel a big blockage in his heart, and he snorted heavily: "You know that pouring cold water on me, it's better to have a queen to fight for than nothing, right?" Having said that, the third prince still felt interested after all, the queen was right, Guan Jian still had to fight for Yijing's will, but only in front of Yijing, he repeatedly hit a wall, that is, after many contacts during the trip to the state, and the same risk of life and death, the girl still treated him with etiquette and thoughtfulness, but she was distant and perfunctory, which made people grit their teeth with hatred.

I didn't want to mention it again for a while, so I said another thing: "After Halloween this year, I should make an envoy to Xiliang." ”

Kong Xilin's slender eyes squinted: "At this juncture?" ”

"Helpless things are also the meaning of the saint." The third prince frowned, and then he said carefully.

Not than Dongming, Dalong Gaozu and Taizong two emperors on Halloween are not extravagant celebrations, Christmas day, but to accept the hundred officials to congratulate, in the palace banquet only, today the saint naturally adhering to the ancestral teachings, since the enthronement, did not celebrate the birthday, but this year is the Son of Heaven forty is born, and there are small monarchs headed by Xiliang have sent letters of state, imploring the Dalong Emperor on the occasion of the 40th anniversary, can allow all countries to send envoys to the court to congratulate, now is not more frequent than the beginning of the founding of the country, has experienced more than 20 years of peace and prosperity, and the Son of Heaven is born, The kings of various countries are so pious, and the Manchu ministers and civil and military are vying for it, and the saints will naturally sympathize with the hospitality of their subjects and friends.

Soon after the three princes were instructed to go to Bingzhou, the letter from the king of Xiliang arrived in Jinyang, and in addition to congratulating all saints, he also mentioned another thing

The prince of Xiliang was injured by a fierce beast in the autumn hunt and died.

Unlike the unification of the monarchs of the great powers of the Central Plains, the Western Liang was a country governed by the three alliances.

For a long time, outside the Tongling Pass in Chuzhou in the southwest, there are more than 10 small countries scattered in the alliance, which were originally their own camps, and after the development, Wuliang, Jinzhong, and Yunbian are the most large-scale, and the world often refers to the three southwestern countries. However, during the Eastern Ming Dynasty, the ambition of the wolf son of the Northern Plains not only repeatedly invaded the Central Plains, but also expanded their territory to the west, gradually threatening the three southwestern kingdoms.

They are their own battalions, and they no longer have the strength to resist the northern plains.

On the eve of survival, the monarch of Wuliang took the lead in initiating the rule of "self-improvement and self-protection", first subdued many scattered alliances around the country, expanded the territory, further enhanced the national strength, and gradually became the head of the three southwestern kingdoms, and convened the joint meeting of the three kingdoms, and reached an alliance with the monarchs of Admiralty and Yunbian to establish the Western Liang regime.

After the establishment of the Western Liang, although the Wuliang Wan clan was the royal family, the military and political affairs of a country were decided by the three surnames, and a special institution was established, called the Three Leagues Political Council, which was composed of the Wuliang Wan clan, the Jinzhong Hu clan, and the Yunbian Qing clan.

Today's King of Xiliang is the grandfather of the third prince.

The king of Xiliang had two sons and a daughter, the daughter came to Dalong and kissed, and the eldest son was made a prince, but he didn't want to die during the autumn hunt.

There is also a son, but he is not born to the queen herself, and he is not yet a crown at this time, and his body is very weak.

The king of Xiliang was nearly crippled, and because of the pain of losing his son, he couldn't afford to fall ill.

Therefore, he sent a book to Dalong Tianzi, wanting to see the bloodline left by his daughter, that is, the third prince.

Of course, this is only a superficial reason, in fact, after the death of the prince of Xiliang due to an accident, the king of Xiliang repeatedly proposed to make his youngest son the prince, but was vetoed by the Three Alliances Political Council on the grounds that he was not a royal descendant.

The late prince had two sons, who unfortunately died, and only one daughter, still thirteen, to be in the boudoir.

Xiliang has always had a tradition, and the position of the prince is only inherited by the bloodline.

If there is no son-in-law, the husband or son of the daughter-in-law can also be accepted, which is called "the daughter-in-law's husband's succession" or "the daughter-in-law's succession", which is quite different from the Central Plains' daughter-in-law's marriage and husband's husband, which has nothing to do with the mother's family.

The only son and daughter of the king of Xiliang are all dead now, the son-in-law is the son of Dalong, of course he can't go to Xiliang to inherit the throne, the three princes also have the qualifications to succeed to the throne, but he is the dignified prince of Dalong, don't say that the saint is unwilling to let him go to the "barbarian small country" as the king, that is, the three alliances in Xiliang will not pass.

In addition, the future husband of the daughter of the deceased prince can also inherit the throne in name only.

This is the fundamental reason why the Three Alliances will veto the King of Xiliang to let his concubine succeed to the throne, the Hu family and the Qing family are nothing more than to let their own sons and nephews marry the Wan family, and justifiably let the royal family change their surnames, and the Triple Alliance did have such an agreement, if the Wan family has no heirs, you can choose the two surnames Hu and Qing as the king, that is, the implementation of the daughter-in-law and husband succession, and should also choose the marriage match between the two surnames of Hu and Qing.

But today's King of Xiliang has always been governed with an "iron fist", and over the years, he has continuously suppressed the political meetings of the three leagues, which has achieved great results.

However, although the power of the two surnames is not as good as before, it has not been completely eradicated, and the two surnames adhere to the ancestral system, which is justifiable, and it is not easy for the king of Xiliang to act against the system, and he has to strive for foreign aid to solve this matter "peacefully".

The attitude of the Dalong Empire is particularly important, and the Holy Lord's appointment of the three princes to Xiliang is undoubtedly a hint that he will support his father-in-law, King Xiliang.

This must be a heavy blow to the nobles of the "barbarian small country", they are already in a precarious situation in Xiliang, not to mention the resistance of the king of the big country.

The third prince is the son of Princess Xiliang in the end, and half of the bloodline belongs to the Wan family, so naturally he will not ignore his grandfather, so this trip, he is imperative.