"Brother, be careful on the road. There may be people watching outside the city."

Ruyi was a little worried about him and couldn't help but remind him: "Also, the Third Prince has gone out of the city. It is not certain where he went. He may have gone to Yancheng. You must be more cautious in everything."

Xiao Pingyue was stunned and looked at her in disbelief, "How do you know all this?"

"...My guards found out that the Third Prince has a substitute."

Jing San said this.

But it was not easy to talk about Rong Yan, so Ruyi had to conceal it out of kindness.

"Okay, I'll be careful."

After hearing these words, Xiao Pingyue frowned even deeper.

Because this means that the capital city will become more unstable.

After Xiao Pingyue left, Ruyi seemed to be thinking about something. She couldn't help but go out and say to Lingdang and the others, "Keep an eye on the outside and report any disturbance in time."

The more turbulent the situation, the more important the news.

Ruyi dare not be careless.

After thinking for a while, he turned back and looked at Madam Xiao, "Mother, the capital is not peaceful right now. At our banquet today, we must be on guard against someone causing trouble and hurting the emperor."

Mrs. Xiao was also stunned and subconsciously looked at Xiao Pingxin.

Xiao Pingxin looked at Ruyi, "You mean, they might choose to start it in our house?"

"I'm just worried."

Ruyi did not dare to be careless. "The emperor rarely leaves the palace, so it is not easy for them to do anything. The palace is also the emperor's territory, and the screening is very strict."

"On the contrary, there are all kinds of people at the banquet today. Our family's defense is definitely not as good as the palace. This is a good opportunity to take action."

"Besides, it's not easy for us to be on guard."

Xiao Pingxin was a little shocked when he heard this, "You're right!"

"You and mother eat first, I'll go prepare something." He didn't bother to stay and left quickly.

Under normal circumstances, Ruyi's words might not have worked.

But now is an extraordinary time—

The prince was assassinated!

Last night, Ruyi was assassinated in the inn again!

The assassin came from the city defense army.

If even the guards have been infiltrated, how can we talk about security?

If the emperor died in the Xiao family, the Xiao family could not afford such a serious crime, and hundreds of years of foundation would probably be destroyed.

Ruyi also felt heavy in her heart.

There are still two hours before the banquet starts.

After eating a little, she lost interest in chatting and went straight to the yard to practice swordplay. She was thinking about the situation outside and felt uneasy.

…

now.

Fang Yizhou was on his way to the Golden Palace.

It has been two days since Minister Gu entered the palace, but there has been no news so far. The Gu family finally can no longer sit still.

"Qingyun, go out and ask your father what's going on and why he hasn't come back yet."

The old man of the Gu family was uneasy and got up and went out himself, "I'm going to the cemetery to discuss it with the queen."

Gu Qingyun nodded, followed him out, and whispered, "It's strange. The news that Concubine Duan was sent to the Buddhist temple last night has spread, but why is there no news about my father?"

The old man of the Gu family was speechless.

Who should he ask if he wants to?

"You can't say that something happened in the prison, right? I'll go to the Dali Temple and take a look."

Concubine Li and the Second Prince are not in the palace, so the Gu family has no reason to enter the palace, and they can only make indirect attempts for now.

"You go and take a look first. I think this matter is a little strange, as if something is wrong."

The old man of the Gu family frowned, "There is a problem with the city defense army. Someone must want to move."

"I don't know if it's the Third Prince or the Fourth Prince."

After all, it can't be the second prince.

Gu Qingyun heard this and said, "If they stir up trouble, maybe they can suppress the death of the crown prince and let us get away with it? Then, whoever makes trouble can be framed."

The old man nodded and said, "You are right, let's go and find out first."

For so many years, Minister Gu has been on duty in the Ministry of Rites, and he has never been unable to return.

Mr. Gu felt uneasy.

When he went out and saw the direction of the Xiao family, he couldn't help but feel a sigh of relief. "Today is the Xiao family's family recognition banquet. Shen Ruyi, that little bitch, is going to become the daughter of the Xiao family. It's really unfair!"

In his eyes, Ruyi was the murderer who angered her mother to death.

When the old man of the Gu family thought of this, his eyes turned red and his eyes were blazing with fire, but there was nothing he could do.

Only then did he think of Gu Qinghua, "By the way, have you seen your brother recently?"

Gu Qingyun despised Gu Qinghua.

He had forgotten he had such a brother.

After being stunned for a long time, he came back to his senses. He remembered that the person Mr. Gu was talking about was Gu Qinghua, so he shook his head and said, "No, he has not appeared since he left that day."

He added: "I sent people to look for him before, but they couldn't find him."

But please don't come back.

There is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children, and he hopes to have a useless legitimate eldest son pressing on his head.

Upon hearing this, the old man of the Gu family was furious again, "When your father comes back, let him divorce Shen Yuewan."

"It's really bad luck to be associated with the Shen family!"

As they were talking, the two of them separated, one rushed to the Dali Temple, and the other hurried to the cemetery to look for the Second Prince and Concubine Li.

…

At the same time, Fang Yizhou entered the palace.

The morning court session had just ended, and arrangements had been made for the Crown Prince's burial, which would take place in the imperial mausoleum three days later.

The court officials had just left.

Fang Yizhou met the emperor in a side hall outside the imperial study and presented the assassin's signed confession with both hands.

"Your Majesty, this is the assassin's confession. He said that they are the assassins secretly raised by the Second Prince. There are 300 of them in total, scattered around the western suburbs."

The emperor glanced at the confession and asked, "Have these people been found?"

"Not yet. There are too many people. I need your order to arrest them. That's what I'm here for."

Fang Yizhou said.

The emperor was worried and asked Eunuch Yuan to draft an edict.

Then he handed it to Fang Yizhou and said, "Go grab it after the Xiao family banquet starts."

"yes!"

Fang Yizhou took the order and left.

On the way out, he met Xiao Pingxin who was rushing over.

The two looked at each other, and Xiao Pingyue spoke first, "Master Fang, the murderer who assassinated the prince..."

Fang Yizhou's expression was complicated. "The assassin confessed that he was the Second Prince's man, but..."

Both of them were halfway through their sentences.

Xiao Pingyue nodded, "I'll go see the emperor!"

Fang Yizhou turned his head and said, "Be careful and stay safe on this trip."

Xiao Pingyue's back stiffened slightly, and he turned to look at him, "Lord Fang is in the capital as well."

Ruyi warned him.

Fang Yizhou also reminded him.

This proves that going to Yancheng may not be that easy.

He entered the imperial study.

"This general pays homage to His Majesty!"

Kneeling on one knee, Xiao Pingyue felt the heavy breath of the emperor.

The emperor said, "You leave through the north gate. I will order you to patrol the northern desert."

"After you get out of the city and shake off the enemy's tail, go back in a detour, gather the elite soldiers in Yancheng, sneak back to the capital, and enter from the back mountain."

"I will give you a pass."

As he said that, he threw a piece of dragon jade to him.

The emperor spoke very little, but he conveyed a huge amount of information.

Xiao Pingyue pondered for a moment, then understood what was going on. He couldn't help but look up and ask, "Your Majesty, is there anyone who wants to rebel?"

"Just keep it in mind and don't tell anyone."

The emperor narrowed his eyes, his look was obscure.

Between the time when the court was dismissed and when Fang Yizhou went to meet the emperor, he received a report from the palace guards that the third prince had left the city and only left a substitute in the prince's mansion. It was really good!

If Ruyi hadn't reminded him last night, he might not have discovered this even if he sent someone over there.