The news of Cheng Xi's return from the army to the Zhenguo Mansion was sent to Li Jiangyao as soon as possible. According to the analysis of the Intelligence Department, Cheng Xi is likely to be the liaison between Wei Zixuan and the Cheng family, or in other words, an important part of the liaison process.

He had been with the White Tiger Army for a long time, and he was hardly involved in family affairs, and occasionally went home to visit his mother, so it would not be strange for anyone to see him. Even if I don't have time to go home, it is normal to send my own soldiers to and from the Zhenguo Mansion.

And Cheng Xi's boss, Gong Chengze, the general of the White Tiger Legion, happens to be the core figure of Wei Zixuan's faction.

Li Jiangyao asked in a deep voice, "Does Cheng Xi have any unusual behavior?" ”

Shi Feng replied: "I would like to report to the capital protector that Cheng Xi returned home immediately after receiving the order of the White Tiger Army to cancel the eastward advance, and there was nothing abnormal during this period. However, we suspect that he should know about Miss Lianji. ”

Li Jiangyao bowed slightly when he heard this: "I agree with your judgment, in the entire Zhenguo Mansion, the one who has the closest relationship with Wei Zixuan's family is the second son Cheng Xi, and he most likely went to see Cheng Dong with the news of Lianji. ”

"Dadu Hu, you made a special trip to meet with them in the morning, can Cheng Dong recognize the situation clearly?" Shi Feng worried.

"I think it's hard." Li Jiangyao said lightly: "Cheng Dong may be afraid of the strength in our hands, but the Cheng family is not something he can call the shots alone. Whether it is Cheng Xi or Cheng Wen, there is a reason to completely fall to Wei Zixuan and follow us. ”

Shi Feng was a little puzzled: "Then what are you still looking for him?" ”

Li Jiangyao said with a smile: "Playing idle chess and burying a contradiction may be of great use in the future." I let Cheng Dong and his younger siblings have a rift between them, so that the entire Cheng Mansion will not have any scruples about us. You must know that in the court, the Zhenguo Mansion and the aristocratic power behind him are still very terrifying, and they must be made to have some concerns. ”

Shi Feng nodded convincingly, and pondered: "Dadu Hu, do you want to let Princess Fenyang also help?" ”

Li Jiangyao pondered for a moment and asked, "You have cooperated with the Seventh Princess for a while, how do you feel about this person?" ”

"It's a ruthless character," Shi Feng replied, "Li Xi is not the same as ordinary royal nobles. She is ambitious, bold, and has a lively mind, and sometimes she doesn't even pay much attention to the bottom line. Such a person is fine in his own camp, but if he is an enemy, it will inevitably be a bit of a headache. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled: "What you said is quite appropriate." However, I'm not going to alarm her about Renhime for the time being, so I'll talk about it when I need to. ”

Shi Feng agreed and gave up.

Li Jiangyao picked up the teacup and thought while drinking: Lian Ji was kidnapped by the other party, and it has been a few days, if Lao Jianhua and Wei Zixuan plan to use her to win over the Cheng family, they should bring and hide people near the imperial capital at this time. There is a high probability that they will wait for Cheng Wen to be selected as the queen before offering Lian Ji.

At that time, if Li Jiangyao wants to come forward to protect and save people, he will inevitably have a head-on confrontation with the queen, the Zhenguo Mansion and the traditional noble forces behind them, and this is what Lao Jianhua hopes to see the most.

Therefore, if you want to minimize the scope of the conflict, avoid a fierce conflict within the Holy Tang Dynasty because of this matter, and give the Jiangnan rebels a chance, you must rush to snatch Lian Ji back before the election is decided.

According to the investigation and judgment of the Intelligence Department, the existing forces around Wei Zixuan did not directly participate in the Lanzhou operation, and the person who attacked Lian Ji and was responsible for guarding her was the Tiger Brigade sent by Lao Jianhua from Jiangnan.

Although these people have high martial arts, they are not familiar with the situation in the imperial capital, and they are even more unwilling to easily expose Wei Zixuan's identity, so they must not hide in the imperial capital, but choose to temporarily hide not far from the city, waiting for Wei Zixuan to send them a signal to hand over Lianji.

In other words, the places to pay attention to should be placed outside the city. However, this range is too large, east, west, north and south, any direction to be scattered, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

-

Under the bright sun, the road leading to the imperial capital is full of people and cars, lively and busy. A team of galloping war horses marched quickly, and they came straight to the imperial capital without stopping.

"Madam, are you okay after a night of driving? Would you like to take a break for a while? The captain of the guard asked with concern.

Xiahou Ninghan, who was riding his horse at the forefront, was concerned about Lian Ji's safety, and had already left his hard work and exhaustion behind. She whipped her horse whip fiercely and responded: "There are still seven or eight miles to arrive, and it is not too late to rest when you enter the imperial capital!" ”

The captain of the guard knew that she was worried about Lianhime, so he didn't want to say anything more, so he could only follow closely and urge the horse to gallop.

In less than a meal, the horse team came to the outside of the imperial capital, and the white-robed army, who had been waiting here for a long time, hurriedly stepped forward when they saw Mrs. Dadu Hu, and escorted Xiahou Ninghan into the city smoothly. The group did not stop and arrived at the Hu Mansion in Cheng'en Fang in a short time.

Li Jiangyao came out of the mansion, raised his hand to help Xiahou Ninghan get off the horse, and couldn't help but feel distressed and said: "You are doing well in Western Xinjiang, why bother to make this trip?" ”

"Lian Ji is in danger, and I am also responsible," Xiahou Ninghan said apologetically, "I didn't take good care of her, so you were distracted." ”

Li Jiangyao smiled freely: "Look at what you said, how can it be so exaggerated?" First, Lian Ji has fallen for the enemy's tricks, and it is not your responsibility; Second, I was already fighting with internal and external enemies, and this was just one of the episodes, so I didn't have to worry too much about it. ”

"Figured it out?" Xiahou Ninghan asked curiously as he walked.

"Almost," Li Jiangyao held her hand: "It's nothing more than the law of responding to the enemy when soldiers come to block and water comes to cover the earth, and everything will not deviate from its roots." ”

Xiahou was puzzled: "Jiang Yao, you don't seem to be in a hurry at all. You must know that Lian Ji's own safety is one layer, and what is even more troublesome is that you have been taking her in and protecting her, once you let the court seize the handle, her crime can be big or small. ”

Li Jiangyao nodded: "Don't worry, you take a good rest first, and let's discuss countermeasures slowly." ”

When the two came to the guest room in the side courtyard, Li Jiangyao first poured a hot tea for Xiahou Ninghan, and then said softly: "You are thin, the road must be very hard." ”

Xiahou Ning Han smiled: "I am pampered in Western Xinjiang, I should be blessed." It's you, who lead a large army to fight, can't eat well, and can't sleep well. I'm here this time, and I don't plan to go back, so I'll be by your side. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled, and then raised his hand to comb the hair of Xiahou Ninghan's sideburns: "It's the same as before, a willful little girl." ”

Xiahou Ninghan looked at Li Jiangyao quietly, as if he had returned to the beautiful time when he had spent the sacred land. In her mind, Li Jiangyao is not only a peerless general in the world, but also a person she loves deeply.

For him, he is willing to give everything.

"Did you receive the previous letter?" Li Jiangyao's words pulled Xiahou Ninghan's thoughts back: "What do you think about the bloody massacre at Murong Xue and Li Xi's wedding?" ”

Xiahou Ninghan replied in a deep voice: "I agree with your judgment, Ge Shuxuan may have really escaped, and our assassination operation failed last time." ”

Li Jiangyao nodded and did not say anything.

Xiahou Ninghan continued: "However, it would be too unbelievable to say that the poisonous assassin was the Turkic Great Khan Ashinajin. There must be a lot of things we don't know about. Jiang Yao, I heard that the assassin is still in the hands of the imperial court, and he is using the antidote of Wu Rong's predecessors to detoxify him, what is the current situation? ”

"Li Bing attaches great importance to this matter," Li Jiangyao replied, "He did not hand it over to the Reverse Scale Division, let alone let the Dali Temple of the Criminal Department take care of it, but was in charge of a secret forbidden army unit." Until now, we don't know where the poison assassin was being held, let alone whether he regained his senses. ”

Xiahou Ninghan bowed slightly, and analyzed: "If that person is really Ashina, I am worried that the emperor will have other plans for him." ”

Li Jiangyao was curious: "Do you have another picture?" What do you mean? ”

Xiahou Ninghan looked at the other party: "Of course it's the west." Tanli and Hesijia returned to the Western Continent to compete with Gema Khan and other Turkic tribes for imperial power, and the influence of Ashina Zhijin was naturally self-evident. ”

Hearing this, Li Jiangyao suddenly frowned: "I really never thought about this question. If Ashina is killed in battle, Tanli and Hesijia will join forces to rule the entire Golden Clan, but if their father Khan is not dead, then the situation of the Turkic Empire will become very complicated. Li Bing has both hatred and ambition for the Turks, and maybe he will really use the so-called Ashina branch to plot against the Western Continent as you guessed. ”

"It is logical that Shengtang counterattacked the Turkic mainland, whether it is in the court or in the people, there will not be too many opposing voices." Xiahou Ning Han frowned lightly: "Li Bing can invade the Turkic Empire by holding Ashina Zhijin hostage, and force He Sijia and others to surrender on their knees. And in that case, the Western Ghost Desert will also become the starting point of the revenge of the Holy Tang Dynasty. ”

Li Jiangyao sighed: "I hope it won't be like this." I originally thought that if the rebellion was put down earlier, the world would return to peace, and everyone would live a peaceful life. Whether it is Shengtang or Western Xinjiang, the people are really too bitter. ”

"The tree wants to be quiet and the wind does not stop," Xiahou Ninghan also sighed: "What you want is to relieve the people from hanging upside down as soon as possible, but some people want to make great achievements." ”

Li Jiangyao waved his hand: "Alas, let's not talk about these distant things, let's talk about the current situation." According to my analysis, Lian Ji should have been hidden by the enemy near the imperial capital, waiting for the queen to settle down, and then use it as a bargaining chip against us. ”

As he spoke, he gave Xiahou Ninghan a detailed introduction to Xiahou Ninghan about the situation of Wei Zixuan, the left servant of Shangshu and Cheng Wen of the Zhenguo Mansion. Xiahou Ninghan listened carefully and agreed: "You are right, the most critical issue now is the position of the queen, once the Cheng family gets this opportunity, Lao Jianhua and they will definitely launch an attack on you immediately." ”