Mu Jingrui brought Shangguan Wanning to an inconspicuous house and carried her over the wall.
Someone came to greet him immediately.
"Master Mu."
Mu Jingrui just nodded slightly and took Shangguan Wanning to the room in the backyard.
"You will live here temporarily, and someone will take care of your food and daily life."
Shangguan Wanning looked around. The room looked very simple, but she felt uneasy in a completely unfamiliar environment.
"Then my parents..."
"Your father is the head of the government. With his influence in the court, nothing will happen for the time being. As long as we find out that Shangguan Xiaoxiao's miscarriage has nothing to do with your mother, this matter will naturally pass."
Mu Jingrui said it lightly, but only Shangguan Wanning knew that it was not easy to actually do it.
"I'm going to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince now. You should have a good rest. I'll come back to see you later and help you find out about your parents' condition."
"Wait a moment."
Shangguan Wanning looked at Mu Jingrui's back as he turned away, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Mu Jingrui turned his head and looked at her again. There seemed to be...
Reluctant?
"What's the matter?" Mu Jingrui looked at Shangguan Wanning indifferently. He really wanted to go up and hug her.
Shangguan Wanning hesitated for a long time, then slowly said, "Can you... help me with one more thing?"
"explain."
"Help me find Lutong. That silly girl can't go back to the Prime Minister's Mansion. I'm afraid...she may have been sold without even knowing it."
Mu Jingrui frowned slightly, revealing a complicated expression.
He originally thought that Shangguan Wanning would say some words of comfort to him, but who knew it was actually for Lutong.
"good."
This time, Mu Jingrui left without looking back.
When he arrived at the Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yujue had been waiting for a long time. When he went in, there were a few trusted court officials who seemed to be discussing something and looked worried.
"I'm here." Xiao Yujue signaled the maid to serve Mu Jingrui a cup of tea. "Have you heard about Lord Shangguan's matter?"
Mu Jingrui nodded slightly.
"Master Mu, it's a good thing you didn't marry the eldest daughter of the Shangguan family, otherwise you might have been implicated at this time."
Mu Jingrui felt somewhat contemptuous of such self-preservative remarks, so he did not respond.
"Everyone, you have worked hard. Go back and rest first. In short, within the scope of your authority, do your best to protect Shangguan Yue."
Xiao Yujue dismissed everyone else, leaving only him and Mu Jingrui in the study.
"Your Highness, Lord Shangguan has been an official in the court for many years and his power is deeply rooted. Logically speaking, he should not be imprisoned with his entire family before being interrogated. Is there any other hidden story?"
Mu Jingrui was thinking about this all the way.
“Jingrui, have you heard of Ling Ruiying?”
Mu Jingrui was stunned, and there was a hint of confusion and worry in his eyes.
"Your Highness, are you referring to the Southeast Jiedushi?"
Xiao Yujue nodded silently.
"If I remember correctly, Ling Ruiying and your father should have participated in the same martial arts examination, and they became successful at about the same time. Although the Ling family has a complex network of influence in the court, and his rapid rise was assisted by his family, we cannot deny that he is indeed a talent."
Mu Jingrui did not object to this.
He had heard his father say more than once that Ling Ruiying was good at both literary and military skills in stabilizing a country.
"The Ling family's influence in the court has been enduring. In addition to the achievements of the men of the Ling family, the women of the Ling family have also made great contributions. The Queen Mother is a member of the Ling family, and the Queen is also a member of the Ling family. Their purpose in marrying Ling Zhiru into the royal family is self-evident."
When Xiao Yujue rejected Ling Zhiru in order to marry Mu Jingyan, she was actually rejecting the support of the Ling family.
"Jing Rui, I think you should also know that Xiao Zhenting has tried to win over Shangguan Yue more than once. As the prime minister, he can control a huge amount of power in the court. However, even if he married Shangguan Xiaoxiao, Shangguan Yue did not stand on his side."
Mu Jingrui nodded.
"I also guessed that the prime minister was dismissed so quickly, and the King of Qin must have put in a lot of effort in secret. But... are they a little anxious? After all, up to now, Shangguan Yue, the old fox, has not said that he will stand on your side."
Xiao Yujue smiled slightly, opened his folding fan and waved it gently.
"You said your future father-in-law is an old fox. Aren't you afraid that Princess An Ning will find out and twist your ears?"
Mu Jingrui paused, lowered his eyes, and revealed a faint smile.
What he said is true.
How could he become the prime minister at the age of just over 40 without some fierce tactics and cunning?
"The reason why they are so eager to get rid of Shangguan Yue is because..." Xiao Yujue's expression became serious, "Ling Ruiying is coming back."
Mu Jingrui's pupils dilated and he was a little surprised.
"He is the governor of the southeast, and he is responsible for guarding the southeastern border."
"That's right, but don't forget that in order to prevent the governors from raising their own troops, the court sends court officials to inspect every five years, and every ten years, the governors will be asked to return to the capital to report on their work. As for whether to stay or leave after the report, it is up to the emperor to decide."
Mu Jingrui nodded. According to the previous situation, the reason why Ling Ruiying was sent out was actually because the emperor was worried that the Ling family’s power in the capital was too great and no one could contend with it.
"Could it be that the Queen Mother and the Empress want Ling Ruiying to replace Shangguan Yue?"
Xiao Yujue did not comment.
"So, we have to rescue Lord Shangguan before Ling Ruiying comes back. Otherwise, once Ling Ruiying returns to Beijing, things will become even more difficult."
Xiao Yujue secretly observed Mu Jingrui's expression and asked casually, "By the way, I heard that Princess An Ning was not in the hands of the government. Do you know her whereabouts?"
Mu Jingrui had no intention of hiding anything, so he told everything that happened today.
"You can protect her safety for the time being. If you need assistance, you can mobilize the secret guards of the Prince's Mansion at any time."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Mu Jingrui had already thought about it. The current situation in the court was treacherous and Xiao Yujue's every move was being monitored.
If it comes to protecting Shangguan Wanning, it is safer to use the underworld forces.
"Now, the most direct clue is the two imperial doctors. As long as they are willing to come forward to testify against Ling Zhiru, all problems will naturally be solved."
Xiao Yujue also agreed with this idea.
He is now in the same boat with Shangguan Yue. If Ling Ruiying really becomes the prime minister, Xiao Zhenting will be even more powerful, while he can only wait for death.
The two discussed some details of the response. After leaving the Prince's Mansion, Mu Jingrui went straight to find the two imperial physicians, Wang Ying and Xiao Jian.
Wang Ying's family said that he switched shifts with another imperial physician today and went to the palace to be on duty.
Mu Jingrui came to the Imperial Hospital, but did not see Wang Ying.
"Where is Doctor Wang Ying?" Mu Jingrui asked a young eunuch who was dispensing medicine.
The young eunuch looked around in confusion and replied, "I haven't seen him since lunch."
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