Chapter 87 The Northern King

"His Majesty will surely order a thorough investigation at tomorrow's morning court session. The case will likely be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review, either Shen Zhengming or Huan Zixing."

Xie Yunman said, "Alright, I've told you everything I know. These two are familiar with you, so you can talk to them."

Furthermore, the military personnel killing the new science students were probably trying to disrupt this year's imperial examinations.

But why you in the Ministry of Personnel must interfere with the imperial examinations is something you probably know best.”

Xiao Ling thought to himself: He knows quite a lot.

"Understood. I'll send someone to take you back in a bit. Don't go out unnecessarily these days, and remember to bring enough people with you when you do."

Then he looked at Xie Yunyu and said, "I'll give you two people to accompany you when you go out."

Xie Yunman quickly stopped her, saying, "No need, we have people at home to help."

Xiao Ling was extremely annoyed by Xie Yunman's stubbornness.

He glared angrily at Xie Yunman without saying a word.

Seeing this, Xie Yunman scoffed lightly, then stood up:

"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. If there's nothing else, my brother and I will not disturb you any longer."

Xie Yunyu had no choice but to get up as well.

Left with no other option, Xiao Ling had Qingquan lead a group of people to escort the two home.

When the two returned home, Xie Yuntang and Wu Yumin were already back.

After the four of them got separated, Xie Yuntang and his companion walked back to the carriage and waited for the two of them to return.

Suddenly, Qingchen appeared and said that Xie Yunyu and Xie Yunman were on their way back and that they should go home first.

They also said that the market was unsafe, and that a new scientific student had been assassinated.

Xie Yuntang and the other man were worried about Xie Yunman, so they returned with Qingchen.

The two had just arrived home when Xie Yunyu and her brother followed them in.

Xie Yuntang quickly looked Xie Yunman up and down, and was relieved to see that he was unharmed.

"I heard a new science student was assassinated on the street. Are you alright?" Xie

Xie Yunman shook his head.

Because he didn't want his family to worry, Xie Yunman didn't tell them about the assassination attempt.

What should have been a joyous Lantern Festival was abruptly ended by an assassination attempt.

The emperor was furious at the morning court the following day.

He ordered the Dali Temple to thoroughly investigate the case, and the Dali Temple handed the case over to Du Zhengming.

Du Zhengming's first stop in investigating the case was Xie Yunman.

After listening to Xie Yunman's detailed account of what happened, they went to the scene where Xie Yunman was assassinated.

Then she went to find Xue Weiyang.

The Xue family is also unhappy about this.

Xue Weiyang was unhappy because Xie Yunman had rejected her.

Xue Zhan was also unhappy because the people he had arranged yesterday had not been used.

My younger sister inexplicably fought with the man in black, and by a twist of fate, saved Xie Yunman.

Although the result was correct, the process was quite different.

This process even attracted questioning from the Dali Temple.

Xue Weiyang was unaware of Xue Zhan's arrangements; she only knew that she happened to be passing by and had saved Xie Yunman.

He then told Du Zhengming everything he knew.

Seeing that the two men's testimonies were basically consistent, Du Zhengming believed that Xie Yunman was also one of the victims.

He was just lucky to be saved by Xue Weiyang, otherwise he would not have escaped his fate.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ling was in the Emperor's study, reporting the news from the previous night to His Majesty.

Upon hearing this, the emperor's expression turned even more unpleasant.

Without saying a word, he waved his hand to dismiss Xiao Ling.

At Princess Jinyang's residence, the princess heard that Xiao Ling and Xie Yunman had been together the previous night, and in the end, she even sent a carriage to send them back to the residence.

I'm so heartbroken.

I was just about to bring things up and ask Xiao Ling what he really meant.

But then a servant came to report that there had been assassinations targeting new science students in the capital last night, including Xie Yunman.

Princess Jinyang suddenly understood why Xiao Ling had wanted to send Xie Yunman back to her residence last night.

They planned to discuss the matter with Xiao Ling after the Duke of Qi returned, and then confront him.

But no matter how long they waited, Xiao Ling didn't return.

Finally, I found out that he had entered the palace.

The Ministry of Personnel suddenly became very busy. Xiao Ling left early and returned late for several days in a row, and the Princess could not catch him at all.

Seven days later, the case of the student's murder was solved.

His Majesty the Emperor decreed that the assassination was orchestrated by Yuan Yanbin, a student of the New Science Academy, who was jealous of the students' talents.

However, the emperor did not say that Yuan Yanbin was from the northern border and was a man of the eldest prince.

After discovering Yuan Yanbin's identity, Du Zhengming immediately informed the emperor.

The emperor remained expressionless at the time, but after Du Zhengming left, he smashed everything in the imperial study to pieces.

Everyone serving in the Imperial Study was trembling with fear, lest they lose their lives in the slightest mistake.

The emperor then summoned Princess Jinyang to the palace.

Princess Jinyang was worrying at home about her son being gay when she suddenly heard the emperor's summons.

Upon entering the Imperial Study, one finds the Emperor standing there, examining a map of the Great Yong Dynasty's empire.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Your Highness has arrived, no need for formalities."

The emperor turned around and said calmly.

As soon as Princess Jinyang entered, she immediately noticed the unpleasant atmosphere in the imperial study.

Seeing the emperor turn around, look up, and then express surprise:

"Your Majesty, did you not sleep at all last night?"

The emperor had dark circles under his eyes, his lips were dry, and there seemed to be a few more white hairs at his temples.

Princess Jinyang was two years older than the emperor, but now the emperor looked older than her.

"I have something on my mind and can't sleep," the emperor said with a worried expression.

"What's on your mind that's causing you so much worry?"

The emperor slowly walked down the steps and stood before his elder sister.

"Our plans in the North have been thwarted by him."

Upon hearing this, Princess Jinyang's face immediately darkened.

How did he break the deadlock?

The emperor sighed, "The eldest son has joined forces with him."

Upon hearing this, Princess Jinyang began to berate her:

"That idiot, the eldest brother, thought he was different from his mother, but it seems they were cut from the same mold."

All those years of nurturing him have been wasted.

After berating the eldest prince, Princess Jinyang angrily questioned the emperor:

What exactly is the situation in the North right now?

The emperor closed his eyes briefly: "The northern border is probably already in his hands."

"well……"

Princess Jinyang sighed deeply after hearing this.

After a few breaths of silence in the room, Princess Jinyang spoke:

"Things have already come to this, so what do we do now? Do you have any ideas?"

"The northern border was the fiefdom my father granted him. Before he died, my father feared that I would kill him after I ascended the throne."

He was given all military and political power in the North.

Since I ascended the throne, I have made many plans and arrangements to regain military power in the northern border. I originally intended to send my eldest son to guard it.

But I never imagined that this fool, the eldest son, would actually be turned against me! It infuriates me to no end…”

"Your Majesty, why don't we eliminate the threat completely?"

Princess Jinyang's eyes were filled with coldness.

"We've sent people over the years, but we've never succeeded. It's as if he has eyes in the back of his head."

"Don't you suspect that there are informants within his inner circle in the central government?"

"We've cleared out several waves, but like weeds, they just keep growing back after we cut them down, it's endless..." the emperor sighed.

"His difficulty lies not in himself, but in the skilled advisors and strategists his father left him."

Father intended it to save his own life, but he never imagined he would use it against us.

Princess Jinyang sighed as she spoke.

"The eldest brother is in the capital now, so things are easier to handle here."

"The northern border is entirely in Prince Rui's hands; he has built it up over many years, making it virtually impregnable. How should we proceed?"

The emperor remained silent.

Princess Jinyang suddenly spoke up: "Why don't we turn the tables on them?"

The emperor raised his eyes: "Oh, how about we turn the tables on them?"

"Should we trap the leader, have someone disguise themselves as him, and then make contact with him again?" Princess Jinyang thought for a moment and said.

The emperor pondered for a long time, but before he could speak, someone came from outside to report that Grand Commandant Wei was requesting an audience.