Chapter 181 Sweeping Them All in One Wrap

midnight.

Xiao Yongjing, dressed in black, entered the inner room with extremely light movements, only to find that Shen Yiqiu was not asleep, but was carefully reviewing the stack of letters and account books by candlelight.

Xiao Yongjing strode forward, casually took the letter from her hand, held it high, and his eyes were full of reproach:

"Why aren't you asleep yet? Didn't I tell you to get some rest?"

Shen Yiqiu raised her head, her eyes showing no trace of sleepiness, and smiled slightly when she saw that it was him:

"Aren't we waiting for His Highness? How's the investigation going?"

Xiao Yongjing's ears turned red. He glanced at her helplessly, then sat down on the edge of the bed, his expression grave.

"You're quite easygoing; that file really does have problems."

"The key testimonies above are vague and unclear, and the so-called physical evidence records are also vague, as if they have been deliberately erased or modified. The methods are extremely similar to those used in the case of Vice Minister Wang."

"As for Zhao Jieyu, there's been no movement yet, but the bait has already been laid."

He looked at the letter and ledger in his hand.

"What's this? Have you made a new discovery?"

Shen Yiqiu took the letter from his hand, opened it, pushed it in front of him, and pointed to the topographical map:

“Look at this. My grandmother secretly included a map of the Longnan defenses in her letters home. I believe this is not unfounded. I suspect that my eldest uncle’s case may be related to frontier military affairs, or even to certain people colluding with foreign enemies to make huge profits.”

She picked up Ruan Tianxin's account book again.

"This is the ledger that Tianxin sent. Several hidden lines of funds in these ledgers seem to be pointing to Longnan..."

Xiao Yongjing took the ledger and lightly tapped the marked location on the topographic map:

"Your suspicions match the clues I've uncovered."

"I secretly reviewed the case files of General Shen Runian and discovered that a key deputy general who stood up to accuse him of colluding with the enemy had retired shortly after the war and moved his family to Jiangnan."

Shen Yiqiu keenly grasped the key point:

"Not in Longnan? That doesn't make sense. If it's a genuine accusation, then either stay in the army and get promoted based on merit, or go into hiding and leave for another place."

"Moving to the commercially developed Jiangnan region... it seems more like going to enjoy a life of luxury, or taking over some kind of industry?"

Xiao Yongjing gave her an approving look and nodded:

"That's right. Following this lead, I discovered that this family's business in Jiangnan expanded rapidly in just a few years, secretly maintaining close ties with a vast and intricate network of imperial merchants. And the ultimate interests of this network..."

Shen Yiqiu continued, her voice lowering:

"...all of it flowed into the inner palace, to that seemingly unassuming Consort Zhao?"

Xiao Yongjing shook his head with a serious expression:

"It wasn't her."

This time it was Shen Yiqiu's turn to be surprised. She really couldn't think of anyone else in the palace besides Consort Zhao who would be involved in this matter. Could it be...?

Her gaze was fixed on Xiao Yongjing, making sure he wasn't joking, before she spoke:

"Could it be..."

"It is indeed her, Imperial Noble Consort Zhao Ke'er."

"Using her status as the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, she secretly cultivated a network of connections over decades, using her vast wealth to infiltrate the court and the public. Military procurement and official promotions were likely all manipulated behind the scenes by her."

Shen Yiqiu frowned and placed the topographic map and the account book side by side:

"Therefore, Zhao Ke'er may be using this business network to smuggle pig iron from Longnan for huge profits, and on the other hand, she needs to ensure that this source of income remains unobstructed."

Her fingertips pressed heavily on the map of Longnan.

"My eldest uncle, Shen Runian, was the garrison commander of Longnan at the time. He may have noticed this 'worm' hidden on the border line, which touched her core interests."

"Therefore, Zhao Ke'er took the initiative and used her spies in the army to fabricate evidence and frame my uncle for treason, eliminating this stumbling block in one fell swoop and putting the blame on the Yongjia Marquis's mansion!"

Xiao Yongjing added solemnly:

"Not only that. She chose to frame someone for treason and illegally engage in smuggling because the crime of treason could destroy the reputation of a military family and ensure that your Shen family would never recover."

“This is not just about money, it's revenge! Your grandmother, Shen Zhaohua, must have offended her badly back then and blocked her path.”

Shen Yiqiu's eyes gradually dimmed:

"In other words, it is very likely that my grandmother's death was also related to Zhao Ke'er. But what I can't understand is that she claimed to be my grandmother's best friend, and that the two had no business dealings or emotional entanglements. Why did she hate my grandmother and our Shen family so much?"

Xiao Yongjing shook his head:

"I also don't understand, was all her gentleness and kindness over the years just an act?"

Their eyes met, and Shen Yiqiu took a deep breath:

"In this way, Song Qingming and Zhao Jieyu are nothing more than pawns on her chessboard. And my mother and I, and even my uncle whom I have never met, are all sacrifices she uses to get revenge on my grandmother."

Xiao Yongjing held her slightly cool hand, offering her support:

"Now we know who our opponent is and what her methods are. Next, all we need to do is find the evidence to expose her true colors."

"The key may lie in this location in Longnan and the imperial merchants in Jiangnan."

But then his tone suddenly changed, and a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes:

"There's another matter, one that's chilling to contemplate. Since Zhao Ke'er dares to say that her son, who was lost outside the palace, didn't die young, then all these years, she's been playing the role of a kind and benevolent elder in front of me, while quietly supporting me, the Crown Prince, in court. What are her true intentions...?"

He paused for a moment, hesitated for a second, and then spoke:

"...I'm afraid she's not truly supporting me. She's most likely paving the way for her own flesh and blood. She wants me to remain firmly in the Eastern Palace and become the target of everyone's criticism, clearing all obstacles for her son, and finally... ruining my reputation so that I can benefit her true bloodline."

This speculation also shocked Shen Yiqiu.

"No wonder she supports our marriage so much. The Crown Prince married the daughter of a traitor. She wants to use the Shen family to wipe us both out in one fell swoop."

She instinctively grabbed Xiao Yongjing's arm, unable to remain calm any longer, her eyes filled with worry:

"If that's really the case, given your position in the Eastern Palace, wouldn't it be incredibly easy for her to frame you?"

Xiao Yongjing felt her fingers tighten, and the desolation in his heart was completely dispelled by this warmth.

He placed his hand over hers and slightly raised his head.

"Silly girl,"

"Do you think I secured my position as Crown Prince by some favor? I'm not some pushover. Haven't I seen enough open and covert attacks over the years? If she wants to mess with me, she'd better think twice before she even has the ability."

Shen Yiqiu's unease eased slightly, but she still repeatedly urged him:

Even so, you must be extremely careful. She is in the shadows, while we are in the light.

"rest assured."

Xiao Yongjing gripped her hand tightly.

"Now that I know of her wolfish ambitions, I am prepared. But you,"

His gaze fell on her pale face, filled with tenderness.

"We need to get better quickly so that we can fight side by side and uproot her completely."

"It's late, let's rest first. We can discuss this further tomorrow."

...