Chapter 162: Using a Strategy

"Prince Jing was assassinated on his way to do his work." Pei Jing said.

"Assassination?" Jiang Zhaoyue asked hurriedly, "How is he now?"

"I heard he was injured and bleeding, but his life is not in danger."

"Who hurt you? You're so brave!"

"He is from Jiangnan."

Yesterday, Jiang Zhaoyue, Pei Jingzhou and others went to see Prince Jing and visited Prince Jing's Mansion. Today, just when they suspected that he had a relationship with the people of Southern Jiang, he was assassinated.

She couldn't help but say, "Isn't this too coincidental?"

"Is there something fishy?" Chen Xuanmo asked.

Pei Jingzhou pondered for a moment and said, "He started it first."

"He attacked himself?" Chen Xuanmo asked in confusion, "What's his purpose?"

"The purpose is to frame Your Highness." Jiang Zhaoyue said.

Pei Jingzhou was surprised by Jiang Zhaoyue's intelligence and nodded: "Yes, he wants to frame me."

Chen Xuanmo didn't know what Jiang Zhaoyue and Pei Jingzhou encountered when they went to Prince Jing's Mansion, but based on what had happened in the past few days, he still followed their thoughts and said, "Did he start the war in the border states?"

Jiang Zhaoyue nodded: "It should be."

"He was also the one who suppressed the news and didn't let the capital know?" Chen Xuanmo asked.

Pei Jingzhou nodded: "Yes."

Jiang Zhaoyue analyzed, "Now that the border states and the capital are almost deployed, he intends to put the blame on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, including the assassination."

"That's right." Pei Jingzhou said.

Chen Xuanmo was furious: "How vicious he is to treat his own brothers like this!"

Jiang Zhaoyue didn't pay attention to Chen Xuanmo's emotions and talked about the matter at hand: "Your Highness, do you know what he has deployed now?"

Pei Jingzhou pondered for a moment and spoke again: "If you want to frame someone, you must have evidence."

Chen Xuanmo continued: "The Border State War is the evidence."

Jiang Zhaoyue shook her head: "That is public opinion, not evidence. It has an impact on Your Highness, but it won't bring Him down in a short time."

Chen Xuanmo asked, "Do you mean that Prince Jing has buried other evidence?"

Jiang Zhaoyue nodded.

"Duke Zhenguo's Mansion." Pei Jingzhou spoke.

Jiang Zhaoyue and Chen Xuanmo looked at Pei Jingzhou together.

"The Eastern Palace is heavily guarded. There is no way Xiao Congbei can interfere. If he wants to seriously injure me, he can only do so through the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion." Pei Jingzhou said.

Yes.

Pei Jingzhou has lived in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion for more than ten years and has deep feelings for it. The outside world also ties him and the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion together. If they want to deal with him, starting from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion is the most direct, effective and convincing way.

Jiang Zhaoyue and Chen Xuanmo nodded together.

"Pei Jing!" Jiang Zhaoyue called immediately.

"Yes." Pei Jingying.

"You should go to the Duke Zhenguo's mansion secretly now and convey my words to the Duke Zhenguo and his son." Pei Jingzhou whispered something.

Pei Jing took the order and left.

"Red grass." Pei Jingzhou called.

"Yes." Red Grass appeared.

"Go to Prince Jing's mansion and keep watch. If anything unusual happens, notify me immediately."

"Yes, Your Highness." Hongcao left immediately.

Pei Jingzhou assigned tasks to other secret guards.

"Your Highness, please notify my sister-in-law as well." Although Zhang Siyin is a woman in the harem, her intelligence and courage are not inferior to men, and she is more careful than men.

If there were no time constraints, Jiang Zhaoyue felt she would have become a prominent figure. "If Xiao Congbei can't take action in the front yard, he might try to take action in the back yard."

"Hongyao." Pei Jingzhou called.

"Yes." Hongyao, who was guarding outside the door, walked in.

"Go quietly to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion and meet the Crown Prince's wife." Pei Jingzhou looked at Jiang Zhaoyue: "You have more contact with the eldest sister-in-law. How do you think we can convey our intentions to her?"

Jiang Zhaoyue said: "Just say it directly."

Pei Jingzhou was puzzled.

Jiang Zhaoyue looked at Hongyao and said, "Tell the Crown Prince's wife that someone is trying to use the Zhenguogong Mansion to obtain evidence of treason, disloyalty, unfilial behavior, and injustice to frame His Royal Highness. Please ask her to keep an eye on the backyard and send someone to inform us immediately if anything unusual happens."

"Yes." Hongyao left Muhuayuan, changed into a simple dress, and left the palace as she knew the way. When she arrived at the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, night had already fallen.

She came to Qilinyuan quietly.

In the corridor, the maid asked Zhang Siyin: "Madam, are you setting up dinner?"

Zhang Siyin glanced at the gate and said, "The prince hasn't come back yet. Let's wait a little longer."

"Yes." The maid retreated.

Hongyao jumped down from the beam.

Zhang Siyin was startled and subconsciously covered her slightly bulging belly.

"Don't be afraid, Madam, I am Hongyao," said Hongyao hurriedly.

Zhang Siyin breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately became nervous again: "What are you doing here at this time? Did something happen to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess?"

Hongyao relayed Jiang Zhaoyue's instructions to Zhang Siyin.

Zhang Siyin was horrified after hearing this.

Pei Jingxiao happened to come back at this time.

Zhang Siyin relayed Hongyao's words.

Pei Jingxiao also mentioned Pei Jing's visit: "Let's go investigate now."

"Wait a minute." Zhang Siyin stopped Pei Jingxiao.

"What's wrong?" Pei Jingxiao asked.

"The Duke's Mansion is too big, and the investigation is too slow. We might not even find the stolen goods before someone comes to the mansion looking for 'evidence'." Zhang Siyin analyzed.

Pei Jingxiao frowned: "What should we do then?"

Zhang Siyin thought for a moment and said, "Let the evidence come out on its own."

Pei Jingxiao was puzzled.

Hongyao was also confused.

Zhang Siyin explained: "No matter what the evidence is, to be able to enter the Zhenguogong Mansion, there must be an insider, right?"

Pei Jingxiao was furious: "The Zhenguogong Mansion treats people well, yet there are still people who betray us."

Zhang Siyin was very calm: "There are all kinds of birds in the forest. This is not our problem, it's just human nature."

Hongyao nodded.

Zhang Siyin continued, "To ensure the evidence plays its best role, the insider must keep a close eye on it."

"If the evidence is a letter or something like that, it must be on the insider," Pei Jingxiao said.

"Impossible." Zhang Siyin denied: "Whether it's a letter or something else, it's all meant to frame His Royal Highness. If it's on someone else, His Royal Highness can just say it's a false accusation or push it onto someone else and get away with it.

"Therefore, the evidence must be in a secret, formal, or solemn place, which can show that His Royal Highness is collaborating with the enemy, betraying the country, being disloyal, unfilial, and unrighteous. Otherwise, it will be impossible to bring His Royal Highness down."

After listening to Zhang Siyin's analysis, Hongyao was amazed in her heart, and at the same time she admired the Crown Princess's ability to recognize heroes.

Zhang Siyin continued, "So, we'll find a reason to investigate, and have a few maids and servants secretly spread a message saying that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to look for something in the mansion. If the insider hears it, he will definitely go to check on the safety of the evidence. We just need to wait and see."

Pei Jingxiao said: "Then I will do it now."

Zhang Siyin grabbed his arm: "Not now."

"Why?"

"Are you stupid? The master and servants are all running around the Duke's Mansion right now. How could we know who went to see the evidence?" Zhang Siyin said, "When everyone is asleep, whether it's the master, servants, or the night watchmen, they will all be in places like Songqing Hall, Lihua Garden, and Qilin Courtyard.

"We only need to send trusted people to stand on trees, walls, and other high places to observe the situation in each courtyard, and we will be able to discover the actions of the traitors."

After listening to this, Pei Jingxiao couldn't help but say, "Wife, you are so smart."

"Don't praise yourself first. Think about who we can really trust and make arrangements at night." Although Pei Jingzhou is a member of the royal family, his safety is related to the life and death of the Zhenguo Mansion. Zhang Siyin dare not take it lightly.

Pei Jingxiao nodded.

Zhang Siyin looked at Hongyao and said, "If Miss Hongyao is not in a hurry to leave, you can help us find an insider."

Hongyao said, "Yes."

It soon became late at night.

The people arranged by Pei Jingxiao and Zhang Siyin were in place.

Pei Yan and Pei Siya took a group of maids and servants to each courtyard to ask if anyone had left the house in recent days, if there was anything unusual, etc., which made people confused. At the same time, they also spread the news that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was looking for something.

The lights in the entire backyard of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion flickered on and off.

Hongyao, Pei Sijing, Pei Che and others stood on a high place, paying attention to the situation in each courtyard. Then Hongyao saw a dark shadow sneaking out of Wang's Songqing Hall.