Chapter 74 Seeking Cooperation Repeatedly

Wang Shilang?

Song Yiqiu stopped where she was. Vice Minister Wang was her grandmother's former subordinate and Wang Feiran's father.

After the poetry gathering, Wang Feiran promised to make an introduction, but nothing came of it. She guessed that something had happened, and little did she know that her guess was correct.

She took a deep breath, sat back down in her chair, snatched the wine cup from the prince's hand, downed the remaining wine in one gulp, and wiped her mouth with a bold gesture.

"The wine has been drunk. Now, can you speak?"

Looking at her decisive and adaptable demeanor, Xiao Yongjing chuckled softly, his amusement growing even stronger:

"General Song is truly straightforward."

He took out an object wrapped in soft cloth from his sleeve and handed it to Song Yiqiu.

"The general should recognize this, right?"

Song Yiqiu took it, opened the soft cloth, and inside was a uniquely crafted metal arrow.

She held it in her hand and examined it carefully, her brows furrowing slightly:

"The three-edged barbed arrows commonly used by the enemy in Longnan? They are crudely made and not of high quality."

These arrowheads are common in border regions.

Bai Mei also came over to take a look and clicked her tongue.

"A three-headed arrow? That's it?"

Song Yiqiu tossed the arrow back onto the table, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure at being mocked:

"Does Your Highness think of me as a pampered young lady who is ignorant of weapons and has never seen them before? Using something as common as those on the border to make a show of things."

It's such a waste of her time that she actually thought he had some important clue.

Xiao Yongjing keenly caught the fleeting disappointment on her face, chuckled softly, and slowly added:

"General Song, look closely. This arrowhead... was found in the suburbs of the capital."

"What?!"

Song Yiqiu was truly shocked this time, and suddenly grabbed the arrow again!

This thing is common in Longnan, but it's absolutely impossible for it to appear in the capital city right under the emperor's nose. Unless... enemy spies have already infiltrated the capital region.

Her expression turned serious as she carefully examined the arrowhead once more.

This time, she noticed something was wrong.

Although this arrowhead largely imitates the shape of the Longnan three-edged arrow, there are significant discrepancies in some subtle details, such as the texture of the metal and the forging marks.

"Miss, this arrow... seems a bit off."

Bai Mei also saw through the trick, pointing to the joint of the arrowheads.

"The forging marks here don't seem to be the work of craftsmen from Longnan. They're more like... the style of blacksmith shops near the capital. In their pursuit of resemblance, they've inadvertently given themselves away."

Song Yiqiu's eyes instantly turned cold as she looked at Xiao Yongjing:

"Your Highness means that this is a fake?"

Xiao Yongjing nodded, without denying it:

"Moreover, this counterfeit arrowhead was found in the study of Vice Minister Wang's residence as evidence of treason, along with several secret letters imitating the handwriting of border officials."

Song Yiqiu's heart sank suddenly:

"Minister Wang? Your Highness suspects him..."

Xiao Yongjing interrupted her, his voice icy:

“It’s not a suspicion, it’s solid evidence. Someone anonymously reported to Father that Vice Minister Wang is a traitor who has colluded with the enemy, possesses enemy weapons, and is working with foreign powers. Father is furious and has issued an edict… to exterminate Vice Minister Wang’s entire family, three generations.”

Exterminate their entire clan!

The paternal, maternal, and paternal families, though smaller in scope than the extermination of nine generations, were still a catastrophic disaster for the Wang family.

Song Yiqiu suddenly stood up, and Wang Feiran's intelligent and resolute face flashed through her mind, as well as the Minister Wang she had seen at her grandmother's house when she was young.

He deeply admired his grandmother and was of an upright character, making it impossible for him to commit treason.

"That's impossible!"

Song Yiqiu's voice was filled with anger.

“Vice Minister Wang is a former subordinate of my grandmother, a loyal and brave man. How could he be a traitor? This is a frame-up!”

The crown prince picked up his wine cup, took another sip, and spoke as if it were none of his business:

"General Song, why are you so agitated? The entire Wang family has been imprisoned and interrogated overnight by the Dali Temple. They will likely be executed before three months are up."

Song Yiqiu found it hard to believe:

"Such a big matter, why isn't there a single word about it in the capital?!"

The news was clearly being tightly controlled.

Xiao Yongjing looked up at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"That's why I said if you didn't wait for me, you would miss this important intelligence. Now, General Song, do you still think I'm just wasting my time?"

Song Yiqiu gripped the cold, fake arrow tightly, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and calmed herself down:

"Your Highness came specifically to inform me of this matter. What is your intention? Surely it's not just a well-intentioned reminder?"

Xiao Yongjing raised his head and asked abruptly:

"General Song...the day of inheriting the title is approaching, isn't it?"

Without waiting for Song Yiqiu's reply, he continued speaking to himself:

“Vice Minister Wang is a trusted subordinate of General Shen, the former Marquis of Yongjia. The two had a close relationship in the army back then, which was known to everyone in the court and the public. If Vice Minister Wang’s crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country is proven true, then as his most steadfast promoter and ally in the past, can the former Marquis of Yongjia… completely sever ties?”

"Three men can make a tiger, and many mouths can melt metal. No matter how clean a reputation is, it cannot withstand the repeated erosion of rumors. At that time, I'm afraid General Shen's lifelong reputation will be ruined in an instant."

He stopped and looked directly at Song Yiqiu:

"And you, Song Yiqiu, the foundation upon which you inherited the title of Marquis of Yongjia is built upon General Shen's unquestionable merits and innocence."

"If this foundation is tainted... do you think you can still inherit the title smoothly? Will His Majesty allow a granddaughter suspected of being a traitor to inherit such an important title?"

Song Yiqiu fell silent.

She understood the Crown Prince's unspoken message: the prerequisite for inheriting the title was that her grandmother's achievements were spotless.

The other party's framing of Vice Minister Wang is likely just the beginning; the ultimate target is the grandmother, thereby undermining her succession to the title.

She took a deep breath:

"Perhaps... starting with Vice Minister Wang, their goal wasn't Vice Minister Wang himself, but rather to use him to slander my grandmother and ultimately prevent me from inheriting the title. Is that right?"

Xiao Yongjing nodded approvingly:

"Song Yiqiu, you're not as stupid as I thought."

Song Yiqiu stopped beating around the bush and spoke directly:

What do you want?

She didn't believe Xiao Yongjing would help her for no reason.

Xiao Yongjing seemed to appreciate her directness, leaning forward slightly:

"I enjoy talking to intelligent people. My requirements have never changed. Song Yiqiu, I want to work with you."

Song Yiqiu stared at him for a moment, then slowly sat down and gave Bai Mei and Qing Zhu a wink.

The two understood each other and immediately retreated silently to the door of the private room, guarding it vigilantly to ensure that no one was eavesdropping.

"Tell me, how do you want to cooperate?"

Seeing that she had finally relented, Xiao Yongjing smiled triumphantly, his playful side suddenly aroused.

He stretched out his long, slender fingers and casually picked up a strand of Song Yiqiu's hair that fell over her shoulder, twirling and playing with it between his fingertips, languidly teasing her:

"What a pity... If you had agreed to cooperate with me earlier, this matter might have been easier to handle. Unfortunately, the timing is now delicate, and I'm not quite sure how sincere General Song truly is at this moment?"

Song Yiqiu twitched her lips speechlessly, inwardly cursing this person for being so fickle!

He was the one who proposed the collaboration time and time again, but now that I'm genuinely interested, he's pretending.