The capital is rife with undercurrents and intrigue.
After more than a month of arduous travel, Shen Qingci and Su Yunqing finally arrived in the capital. The capital was as prosperous as ever, but their hearts were heavy. They knew that this city was fraught with danger and intrigue, and that Li Linfu's spies were everywhere.
Instead of going home immediately, they found a secluded inn to stay in. Shen Qingci changed into ordinary people's clothes and quietly slipped out of the inn, wanting to contact her father, Shen Yanzhi, to find out about the situation in the capital.
Shen Qingci arrived near the Shen residence and saw that the gates were tightly closed, with several unfamiliar soldiers guarding the entrance. His heart tightened; he knew that the Shen residence must be under Li Linfu's surveillance.
He dared not approach rashly and could only linger nearby. Just then, he saw a familiar figure emerge from the side gate of the Shen residence; it was none other than the old steward of the Shen family. Shen Qingci quickly stepped forward and grabbed the old steward: "Uncle Li, it's me."
When the old butler saw Shen Qingci, he was both surprised and delighted: "Young Master, you're back! You're finally back! Master and Madam were so worried."
"Uncle Li, how is the situation at home?" Shen Qingci asked hurriedly.
The old steward sighed: "Young master, ever since you were exiled, Prime Minister Li Linfu has sent people to monitor the Shen family. Your husband and wife have been trying to seek justice for you everywhere, but Li Linfu has obstructed them in every way, and they have even been reprimanded by the emperor several times. Your husband has been worrying too much and has fallen ill. He is still in bed now."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci felt extremely guilty and angry: "It's all my fault, causing my father and mother to suffer. Uncle Li, could you please pass on a message to my father and mother, telling them that I'm back and that they shouldn't worry, and that I will definitely find a way to clear my name?"
The old butler nodded: "Young master, don't worry, I will definitely pass on the message. However, you must be careful, Li Linfu has many spies, so be careful not to be discovered by them."
Shen Qingci nodded, bid farewell to the old steward, and quietly returned to the inn. He told Su Yunqing about the situation at the Shen residence. Su Yunqing was also very worried after hearing this: "Brother Qingci, what should we do now? Father is ill, and we can't show our faces. How can we clear our names?"
Shen Qingci pondered for a moment and said, "Yunqing, our most important task now is to find the evidence that the old servant mentioned, to prove that Li Linfu embezzled military funds and framed loyal officials. As long as we have this evidence, we can expose Li Linfu's true colors in front of the emperor."
“But we don’t know where that evidence is,” Su Yunqing said.
Shen Qingci smiled and said, "The old servant once said that the evidence is in the hands of an old friend of his. His old friend is the former Minister of War, Lord Wang, who was dismissed from his post and sent back to his hometown because he offended Li Linfu. We can go to Lord Wang and ask him for the evidence."
Su Yunqing nodded: "Alright, let's set off now to find Lord Wang."
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