Chapter 426 The Crown Prince's Suspicion
"Your Highness, a report has come in that Marquis Pingyan was seriously injured at the Qiao residence and fell into a coma after returning."
"In a fit of anger, Lady Pingyan ordered her men to surround the Qiao residence."
Just as Xia Linyuan had ordered Qiao Jingyuan to be taken away and locked up, he heard his subordinates report earth-shattering news.
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, a playful look on his face.
Qiao Jingyuan had just surrendered himself, attempting to frame Lady Qinghe. Marquis Pingyan was seriously injured at Lady Qinghe's place and was on the verge of death.
What a coincidence?
Was it orchestrated by Marquis Pingyan himself, with the intention of confirming Lady Qinghe's crimes?
Or is it true, as Qiao Jingyuan said, that everything was done by Lady Qinghe? Was severely injuring Marquis Pingyan merely a desperate act in a moment of panic?
Having considered this, Xia Linyuan suddenly developed a strong interest in Madam Qinghe.
It has been a full fourteen years since he first met Marquis Pingyan when he was eight years old.
Of course, at that time, the Marquis of Pingyan was not yet the Marquis of Pingyan; he was merely a fifth-rank official who could only enter the palace to meet the emperor upon receiving an imperial edict.
During the fourteen years they knew each other, became friends, used each other, and achieved success together, he never doubted Pingyan Hou in the slightest.
Because he knew that the Marquis of Pingyan craved power, desired to rise to a higher position, and longed for fame and success.
Such ambition is exactly like his.
However, this marriage alliance, with the sudden appearance of Lady Qinghe, made him doubt the Marquis of Pingyan for the first time.
The first step was a marriage alliance.
Since Marquis Pingyan knew about Dayan's plot and that the person who came was a fake princess, why didn't he stop everything before the assassination attempt happened?
Why wait until the entire marriage procession is dead before searching for the fake princess and confronting Dayan?
Just to expose Dayan's conspiracy? To prevent Dayan from using tricks again in the future?
This was the reason that Marquis Pingyan gave him.
However, such a reason is rather far-fetched.
Did Marquis Pingyan not consider the possibility that the fake princess might die?
What if they can't find the fake princess and Dayan sends troops westward?
Wouldn't the situation get out of control then?
He was warlike, and he admitted that he had ambitions to subjugate Dayan.
But he also sees reality clearly.
The reality is that Da'e is not yet absolutely certain of defeating Dayan!
Therefore, his plan was to stabilize the court and smoothly take over power from his father before his abdication.
Then, he spent ten years consolidating military power, increasing trade taxes, and accumulating funds.
Over the next ten years, we will gradually erode the surrounding smaller countries.
When all conditions are ripe, that will be the perfect time for him to subdue Dayan and unify the world.
At that time, he was only in his forties, in the prime of his life!
I'm still too inexperienced. My own abilities and Da's strength are not enough to support my ambitions!
Therefore, he made his stance clear from the beginning: now was not the right time to start a war with Dayan. He would absolutely not allow war to break out at this moment!
However, it was clear that Marquis Pingyan had not listened to his words completely!
Although, as Marquis Pingyan said, the two countries did not actually fight, it is an undeniable fact that Dayan had deployed troops to the border and could launch a war at any time.
Dancing on the edge of a knife like this, if you're not careful, the result will be a gruesome death.
He didn't believe that Marquis Pingyan didn't understand this principle.
Secondly, there was Lady Qinghe, who was in charge of the marriage alliance.
According to his understanding, Lady Qinghe was the matriarch of the Dayan Xuanping Marquis's mansion, Lady Qiao.
This Lady Qiao was the wife of Marquis Pingyan in Dayan.
Her son is the current Marquis of Xuanping, and also the eldest son of the Marquis of Pingyan.
Who would believe that these two people have completely severed ties?
With so many people in Dayan, why was this particular person chosen to be the one responsible for escorting the bride?
Furthermore, why didn't Marquis Pingyan inform him immediately after he arrived in Xijing?
At this time, an assassination attempt occurred, and this person became the prime suspect, even stabbing the Marquis of Pingyan.
Is it really such a coincidence?
Previously, when Marquis Pingyan confessed his family affairs in Dayan to him, he was pleased and even trusted him more because of it.
But now, everything about Dayan has become the best evidence for him to doubt him.
Are the Dowager Lady of the Marquis's Mansion, who could cause chaos in the capital of Dayan, and the Qinghe Lady, who was entrusted with important responsibilities by the Emperor of Dayan and was in charge of escorting the bride, really inferior to a Wang Shi who puts her husband first?
Is Ji Huailang really superior to Pingyan Marquis's three sons, Min Rong, Min Yao, and Min Hui, and their grandchildren?
So, regarding the Marquis of Pingyan's alleged infiltration, treason, and defection, what was real and what was fake?
At this moment, Xia Linyuan truly couldn't be sure!
"Your Highness, is there anything we should do?"
Xia Linyuan shook his head. "Have our people keep an eye on things, but don't do anything for now."
"Didn't I give Marquis Pingyan three days?"
"We'll discuss everything in three days."
"yes."
***
Just as the Crown Prince and Marquis Pingyan were estranged because of the assassination attempt, Min Pan'er and Ji Huailang's group arrived at the border.
After a night's rest, Ji Huailang took Min Pan'er to attend the negotiations between the envoys of the two countries the next day.
When the King of Chu in the Da Yan envoy procession saw Min Pan'er in the Da Xi envoy procession, his expression changed drastically.
"Your Highness, Your Highness the Prince of Chu, what's wrong?"
Some of the envoys from Dayan noticed the Fifth Prince's unusual behavior and immediately inquired about it with concern.
The Fifth Prince shook his head and replied, "It's nothing," but his gaze remained fixed on Min Pan'er.
He had seen Min Pan'er several times on his way from Huizhou to Da'an.
At that time, Min Pan'er was bright, charming, and stunningly beautiful. Although she seemed to lack personality and was like a doll to be manipulated, she was at least beautiful and vibrant.
But in just one month, Min Pan'er seemed like a completely different person.
She lost a lot of weight and looked like she had lost her soul, appearing haggard, withered, and dejected.
Also, why is she using a cane?
What happened to her legs?
Why didn't Da'er send anyone to carry her? There wasn't even a maid to help her.
What exactly did she experience after the marriage procession was attacked?
When the Fifth Prince was looking at Min Pan'er, Min Pan'er also noticed his gaze.
She quickly stole a glance at the Fifth Prince, then bit her lip, putting on a pitiful and tearful expression.
Ji Huailang was sitting next to Min Pan'er and almost immediately noticed the subtle interaction between the Fifth Prince and Min Pan'er.
Especially after seeing Min Pan'er's pitiful expression, he almost instantly understood the meaning behind his father's words when he left Xijing.
Soon, the two sides resumed their debate over the attack on the marriage alliance.
The content of the debate was the same old thing.
However, today's arrival of Ji Huailang and Min Pan'er brought a new twist.
Ji Huailang bluntly stated that Dayan had ulterior motives and that the princess sent for the marriage was a fake princess, and Min Pan'er was that fake princess.
At the same time, Jiang Hongling was also brought up to testify, confirming that Min Pan'er was indeed the Xihe Princess who married into the Dayan Kingdom.
Two days in advance, the envoys of Dayan received a secret order from Emperor Xiaozhao, instructing them to insist that the princess sent by Dayan for the marriage was the real princess. They emphasized that Dayan's sending of the princess was out of genuine desire to establish a Qin-Jin alliance with Dayan in exchange for peace between the two countries, and that there was absolutely no ulterior motive involved.
As for the attack on the marriage procession, if it wasn't the work of the Da-Lian people, then it must have been a third-party force that didn't want the two countries to get along, and thus sabotaged the relationship.
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