- "Why did the Third Highness go to Anyuan alone? How could it be so coincidentally in the hands of the kidnappers arranged by Gu Zhun? If Gu Zhun really had different intentions, how could His Royal Highness escape the pursuit of An Yuanxiang's army? ”

Back then, Ling Li was very annoyed by Zhao Bangyue's questioning, but now he jumped out of his indignation and looked at it, and he was really suspicious. The intimate relationship between himself and Shen Chan is still fueled by Ling Zhao behind the scenes, how could it be that someone deliberately arranged the attack on An Yuan?!

- "Your second brother wants to kill you, and their people are chasing you all the way, and I really have no choice but to bring you here." ”

The words of the first sunny day resurfaced in Ling Li's mind again. If it was said that he cared about his brotherhood and didn't want to believe a suspicious woman who looked like Shen Chan before, but today he learned the real cause of Shen Chan's death and those past events that were suddenly connected, and he couldn't persuade himself not to believe it.

At the moment, he must find out whether it is true that Xili Liukou harassed the people twelve years ago, and whether it is true that Gu Zhun stole the national treasury and embezzled military salaries? Find out if he and Shen Chan inadvertently became the pawns of Ling Zhao's plot to kill Gu Zhun and eradicate Zhao Bangyue's party?!

After leaving the Vermilion Bird Temple, Ling Li rode his horse directly to Persimmon Lane to find Shen Zhu. He told all his doubts about the events of that year, and asked Shen Zhu to take the opportunity of sorting out the manuscripts and classics to check Gu Zhun's performance appraisal materials and the supporting texts of the old case of embezzlement of ink during his tenure in Anyuan.

Shen readily agreed. He had planned to re-investigate the old case, but he didn't expect that Ling Li, who said on the day of the award ceremony, "The battle of the western frontier has consumed too much in South Vietnam, and I don't want to make waves again", changed his mind so quickly.

Knowing that Nie Ping was now hiding in the Vermilion Bird Temple, Shen wanted to go to visit, but was stopped by Ling Li, "The Vermilion Bird Temple is adjacent to the Zhaowang Mansion, and you and I move around frequently, which is extremely unfavorable to her. ”

"Your Highness is someone who suspects Ling Zhao is spying on us?"

"If my previous guess was correct, our every move was being watched. You were right last time, I need to leave Yongding as soon as possible to distract them. When you are investigating old cases in Beijing, you need to be careful in everything, and you must not startle the snake. ”

"I understand." He nodded calmly.

After Ling Li returned to the Qiudi Pavilion, he immediately summoned the officers and men of the Zhenxi Army to set off. He did not return directly to the camp of the Zhenxi Army, but spent several days in the old residence of Lucheng on the pretext of escorting Ling Juan back to Lucheng. During this period, he took two guards to take advantage of the night to take a detour to Dongchuan County, where Cheng Beikui was stationed.

In that year, Cheng Beikui once led the infantry division to ban Qiao from pretending to be a spice dealer to Anyuan to investigate the Liukou incident, and the last report he submitted on the fact that no barbarians were found in Anyuan to disturb the people was the root cause of Emperor Chengde's request to exterminate his family after Gu Zhun's family committed suicide, and it was also one of the reasons why Emperor Chengde made a painful determination to clean up Zhao Bangyue and his party. According to the time when Ling Li later discovered the formation of the "eastward relocation plan" of the western plow, Gu Zhun's report of the rogues disturbing the people should be true.

Ling Li's sudden arrival made Cheng Beikui very worried. Generals with heavy troops are not allowed to communicate in private. Fortunately, Ling Li did not enter the garrison of the Xiangjun army, but only ordered someone to take a seal letter and invite him to meet him in a small farmhouse courtyard dozens of miles away from the garrison.

After the two met, Ling Liping retreated and asked in detail about Anyuan's investigation of the Liukou disturbing the people and Gu Zhun's lying about the military situation.

"Why did Your Highness suddenly ask about these old things?" Ling Li suddenly asked about twelve years ago, which made Cheng Beikui a little vigilant.

"I suspect that someone is behind these things, I want to find out who is behind it, and I hope that my uncle will tell the truth."

"If you find out who is behind it, how does Your Highness plan it?"

"Naturally, a tooth for a tooth." Ling Li clenched his fists and said in a sonorous voice.

Knowing what Ling Li was thinking, Cheng Beikui told the story of the year in detail.

At that time, in order not to make the target too conspicuous, he divided the fifty guards into three teams, disguised as spice sellers, tea sellers, and cloth merchants, and entered Anyuan from three different roads. This is also the reason why Ling Li, who chased all the way along the post road, never detected their movements. In the area of Wuhualing, west of Anyuan, the three of them visited several border towns and obtained conclusive evidence that the Xili barbarians were harassing the people.

"Since there was conclusive evidence at that time, why didn't my uncle wash away Gu Zhun's grievances, but instead gave false testimony to the imperial court?" Ling Li asked bitterly.

"When I rushed back to Yongtime, His Highness and Niangniang had already faced the saint. If I report the truth, what will I do to your Highness?! Moreover, at that time, there had already been a case of fraud in the imperial examination, and if Zhao Bangyue could be overthrown in one fell swoop, it would be extremely beneficial to His Highness......"

The crown prince Ling Chong was born by Empress Zhao, although his status was respected, he had a perverse temperament and mediocre talents, and he did not like Emperor Chengde. If it weren't for the support of Zhao Bangyue and his party, his position in the East Palace would have been in jeopardy. And the second prince Ling Zhao is a celestial and man. Liu Junyi is favored by Emperor Chengde, but he is obsessed with wind and snow, has no ambitions, and is not a good person for governing the country. In his eyes, the only one who can really be worthy of the great responsibility is Ling Li, who was born in martial arts and cherishes his family and country.

Cheng Beikui told his thoughts that day, before he really made up his mind to deceive the court, he had a secret meeting with Ling Li's mother in Xuanwu Temple, and the brother and sister discussed the situation for a long time, and finally chose to commit perjury, in order to overthrow Zhao Bangyue and fall into the ground.

At this moment, Ling Li knew that the uncle who had taught him to serve his family and country since he was a child was so "cherished for his family and country"!

Ling Li was silent for a long time before he spoke again: "In this way, Gu Zhun's case is really an unjust case?" ”

"It's true that Xili Liukou is harassing the people, but I can't say for sure whether Gu Zhun is greedy for military salaries." Cheng Beikui saw Ling Li's gloomy face, and said uneasily: "Now, if His Royal Highness wants to clear Gu Zhun's grievances and overturn the case, I am afraid that you and I will both be in a quagmire and cannot extricate ourselves......"

Ling Zhao loves to play chess with his father in Fubi Pavilion, and over the years, he has really played a good chess hand! Overturning Gu Zhun's case means that Cheng Beikui's perjury will be made public, and this account will naturally be counted on Ling Li. This calculation is so vicious that it makes people unable to move.

"Uncle, don't worry, I won't be stupid enough to plant myself in the river in order to salvage the dead. No matter how well a person hides, there will always be times when his feet are exposed, and I will slowly look for evidence. Seeing Cheng Beikui's worried face, Ling Li opened his mouth to comfort him.

Cheng Beikui breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this, and he immediately said: "By the way, after you disappeared a while ago, in addition to the people from the Zhenxi Army, there were also a few business-looking people who came to Dongchuan County to inquire about your news......

"A man who looks like a merchant?" Ling Li frowned.

"Well, I was more vigilant at the time, so I asked people to follow them and found that those people were in a shop called Tianxianglou."

- "There is a Tianxiang Building in Changle Lane in the west of the city, which is the favorite place for the women who love fragrance in the city. After Xixi Youchun, I learned that the owner behind Tianxianglou was actually the Second Highness. ”

Thinking of what Shen Chan had said back then, a light flashed in Ling Li's eyes, "Tianxianglou? I forgot that he was the owner of this shop! ”

"...... are you talking about?"

"My second brother, the most famous perfumer in South Vietnam, is the same as Shu Wang Lingzhao."

Cheng Beikui suddenly realized: "King Tongshu has always been friendly with His Royal Highness, and it is difficult for him to send people to look for you......"

"yes, if he doesn't find me, how can he sleep well?!" The corners of Ling Li's lips showed a hint of ridicule.

"His Highness suspects that the person behind Gu Zhun's case is he?!" Cheng Beikui said vigilantly.

Ling Li nodded, and told him some of the information he learned in the Vermilion Bird Temple that day, and Cheng Beikui was also surprised.

"Thanks to my uncle for reminding me today, Chen Ping is now in the capital and has nothing to do, so he just let him keep an eye on Tianxiang Tower. I'm going to take a trip to Anyuan, and I have a lot of clues to go through. ”

"I also have a lot of old friends in Beijing, if Your Highness can use them, just command."

"Good. I'll take my leave first, uncle, take care. ”