Turn the tables
On the other side, in the South Garden of the palace, the situation was even more chaotic.
Young Prince Fang obviously understands better than Qin Shu what it means to turn the tables.
"How dare you two scold me!!"
Fang Che's face was still tear-stained, but his voice was louder than anyone else's: "I knew it! You lied to me! You all lied to me!!!"
Fang Ci coughed dryly and swallowed back all the words he had in mind to scold him for his nonsense.
She had no choice but to swallow the anger that filled her heart: "If it weren't for Lu Xiyun's high martial arts talent, your life fire would have almost burned Southern Xinjiang to ashes." She changed her tone to a serious and earnest one, trying to make amends:
"Ah Che, this is it. Look, Jing Yuan is so badly injured. If I don't block the news, what if the barbarians come looking for revenge and hurt him again?"
Although the young prince was a bit uneducated, he was no fool. "Then why did you hide this from me?! If the barbarians really came, wouldn't I be the first one who could protect him?!"
Fang Ci coughed dryly. When asked, she got stuck. She gave Jamel Xiao a look: I have no other tricks, you come and coax me.
Xiao Jingyuan: “…”
He thought, he had no involvement in this matter. He could even be considered a half-victim...how come he was now just like Fang Ci's accomplice?
Xiao Jingyuan sighed imperceptibly and said resignedly: "Little Prince, this matter...we did not consider it carefully. Next time-"
"How dare you do it again!!" Fang Che was so angry that he said, "If you do this again, I will leave you!!!"
The young prince turned around and glared at Fang Ci angrily. For the first time in all these days, he dared to bring up the matter of Southern Xinjiang again: "And you, sister! Jing Yuan isn't even a warrior, and you actually let him go to Southern Xinjiang with two outsiders?!"
Fang Ci's tone softened: "Yes, yes, yes... Your Highness is right. Sister shouldn't have done that. I will reflect on it immediately when I get back."
She looked at Jamel Xiao and shifted the blame: "And you! Reflect on yourself. You are not even a warrior, yet you dare to follow two outsiders to Southern Xinjiang!"
Xiao Jingyuan sighed helplessly: "I know I was wrong."
Fang Che hugged Xiao Jingyuan and cried out of breath again: "You reflect on yourself... If you dare to die again, I really don't want you anymore... Really... If my sister goes to fool around with Xiao Wujiu again in the future, I won't help you! ”
Xiao Jingyuan: “…”
He was silent for a moment, and finally spoke in a low voice: "Your Highness...you don't have to worry about it now."
I really don't want to be your brother-in-law.
Fang Che's eyes widened in disbelief: "How can that be possible?! If you two aren't together and the palace isn't handed over to you, do I have to give it to Xiao Wujiu?!"
Fang Ci choked him: "A Che, do you have a possibility... This palace was given to you by your father, and in the future, you will hand it over to your son."
Young Prince Fang shook his head like a rattle, his tone frighteningly firm, his self-awareness exceptionally clear: "No way! Without Jing Yuan, I definitely can't do it!!"
"...You little bastard." Fang Ci said with a wry smile, "You're using your sister as a tool for a marriage, aren't you?!"
Fang Che suddenly realized something, and the young man said, "You grew up together, childhood sweethearts. They all say you two are made for each other! What's wrong with that?!"
Xiao Jingyuan's expression was subtle. He was very secretive and spoke in a low voice: "Your Highness... sometimes, being too familiar with others can... well, anyway... you know."
Fang Che understood immediately and gave him a look that said, "I understand, I'm sorry to trouble you." He softly advised, "Jingyuan, for my sake, please at least give it a try. And sister, you should also change your temper. Maybe Jingyuan will agree to be with you!"
Fang Ci couldn't stand it any longer, and she blurted out: "You two, tone it down a bit! According to what you said, you two grew up together and are childhood sweethearts. Maybe he likes you more. Then why don't you two just be a couple!!"
Jamel Xiao: “?!”
"It's over—" Fang Che turned his head and looked at Xiao Jingyuan: "Jingyuan, please persuade her quickly, my sister is starting to talk nonsense..."
Fang Ci was so angry that he pounded his hands left and right: "No one wants me anymore? Do I care about you guys?!"
Fang Che dodged with his head in his hands, crying out in pain: "...Sister, I'm doing this for your own good. Xiao Wujiu is unclear, but Jing Yuan knows everything!"
Xiao Jingyuan, who was innocently implicated, hid while protesting in a low voice: "Princess, I am innocent...and Prince, please don't involve me anymore..."
Just as the argument was getting heated, a personal guard suddenly hurried in and reported in a low voice, "Princess, Xiao Jingxiu has escorted a Yanshi to see His Royal Highness Prince Xiang. I heard it's about Master Xiao and the evil soldiers."
Fang Ci frowned: "Got it. I'll be right there."
Fang Ci snorted coldly and walked away with a flick of his sleeves.
After a while, Fang Che asked in a low voice, "You really don't want to consider my sister?"
Jamel Xiao: “Don’t consider it.”
Fang Che's face was filled with sorrow, as if he had made a huge sacrifice for the future of the palace. "So... you really like me a little more?"
"...Your Majesty, please respect yourself."
···
The North Garden of the Palace.
Xiao Jingxiu brought people into the house and first gave Ren Xuan a look
Although Xiao Jingxiu's actions were dishonest, Ren Xuan could clearly distinguish between those who were close and those who were distant.
On one side was his brother, a man who had stood shoulder to shoulder for many years, and on the other was the Fang family, who were constantly plotting to dig up his ancestral graves. To Ren Xuan, the choice was obvious: to side with the right or the relative.
Ren Xuan lowered his voice and said calmly, "Take advantage of now, while he is still in a good mood."
He added, his hint clear enough: "What Your Highness needs now is an impartial judge. Don't mix in your own personal opinions, understand?"
He made it clear, "I just talked to Fang Ci. You two should both take a step back and let this matter rest. If you don't involve your brother, Fang Ci will think you're investigating the case seriously and that this is all Fang Che's own fault."
Xiao Jingxiu's expression was still cold and gloomy, but he nodded, and at the end he said thank you before continuing to enter.
Just as Ren Xuan said, the atmosphere in the room was quite relaxed.
Fang Ci is cleaning up his brother's mess.
She sat beside the couch, checking Lu Xiyun's Qi and meridians while she argued rapidly, "Prince, don't listen to Ache's nonsense. He practiced for years to achieve that Dharma image. You've only practiced for a few days. How could you possibly burn your life essence?"
She swore confidently, "You acted quickly, and the blood didn't enter your consciousness, so the cost wasn't great. Backlash is cumulative, so don't worry too much. Just don't use it a second time in the short term, and you'll be fine."
Lu Xiyun was skeptical: "Then why did you stop Fang Che?"
Before Fang Ci could answer, footsteps were heard at the door.
She turned around and immediately calmed down. Her tone turned cold and she said very briefly, "Helping others is different."
She answered Lu Xiyun, but her eyes were fixed on Xiao Jingxiu. Before the two of them spoke, the tense atmosphere had already spread in the room.
Inside the room, Qin Shu, the only person who could mediate, turned a blind eye. Without stopping his hands, he took out a bowl of medicine and handed it to the young man on the couch.
Prince Lu was reluctant, but he finally gave in to the words, "Wen Congren said, if you don't drink, I'll double the amount tomorrow."
Qin Shu looked at the guy in front of him with satisfaction as he raised his head and drank it all. He also pushed a plate of candied fruit over to him: "Sweet."
Xiao Jingxiu was left a little scared. He clasped his fists and leaned over, calling out in a low voice: "Your Highness."
Qin Shu didn't even raise his eyelids, his tone calm and almost cold: "General Xiao, tell me. How did you obey my orders?"
After he finished speaking, Lu Xiyun turned his head and looked at him with an ambiguous look.
All of a sudden, Xiao Jingxiu was enlightened and instantly understood the implication of Ren Xuan's words "His Highness needs you to handle the case impartially".
Qin Shu didn't discuss matters in the main hall, but instead let them into this inner room. It wasn't for no reason. He wasn't the one explaining this to Qin Shu, but Qin Shu was the one explaining it to Lu Xiyun.
Qin Shu needed him to have a reasonable position so that he could completely sever ties with this mess in front of Lu Xiyun.
Xiao Jingxiu did not hesitate, and immediately clasped his fists and said impartially: "Your Highness, please understand that I am only here to investigate the evil soldiers. I have no intention of coercing the young prince or burning my blood for the prince."
He stated righteously: "Any evil army must be traced back to its source. This is the consensus."
Fang Ci, who was standing aside, rolled his eyes almost to the sky and almost let out a "huh" on the spot.
Qin Shu did not say a word, but just gestured for him to continue.
Xiao Jingxiu breathed a sigh of relief, his tone deepened, and he said slowly: "I have thoroughly investigated the whole matter. The evil soldiers in southern Xinjiang originated from Yanshi."
Xiao Jing paused for a moment, glaring at Fang Ci fiercely. Ultimately, forced by 'Your Highness's overall situation', he reluctantly gave in and said, "It wasn't forged privately by the Nan Mansion."
Qin Shu raised his eyes upon hearing this. "If it's a misunderstanding, then the princess is here. For the sake of this prince, how about you two clarifying things today and resolving the conflict?"
Since Qin Shu has spoken, of course we can only "turn hostility into friendship".
Fang Ci smiled, his tone veiled, "How dare I? General Xiao is so righteous that he disregards his own family. He is truly a role model for us."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingxiu's teeth ached, and he almost bit his entire mouth of teeth to pieces. In the end, he lowered his head and clasped his fists, forcing out a sentence: "My humble position in handling the case has been inappropriate, and I hope the princess will forgive me."
Fang Ci helped him up with a forced smile: "General, this is serious."
It seemed that the two people in the room were about to perform the song "Reconciliation between the General and the Prime Minister".
In the midst of the "harmony", Xiao Jingxiu did not abide by the ethics of martial arts, and suddenly added: "But Nanjiang's private use of weapons is also a violation of the rules and cannot be exempted from punishment."
Fang Ci was also convinced. They had agreed to each take a step back. I retreated, and you, a shameless villain, launched a sneak attack, right?!
Fortunately, as the victim and the person involved, Master Lu's focus was only on Yanshi.
Before Xiao Jingxiu finished speaking, Lu Xiyun had already cast his gaze: "Where is the Yanshi person?!"
The culprit who caused him to probably live a few years less, Prince Lu was furious.
Xiao Jingxiu responded, not daring to delay, and immediately ordered his attendants to bring the person over.
Soon, two soldiers came in, one on the left and one on the right, escorting a man.
Yanshi was thin and shackled. He was pushed to kneel in the house, with disheveled hair and a miserable appearance.
Despite this, Yanshi still had a strong desire to survive.
Seeing Qin Shu, he immediately bowed and said, "You must be His Royal Highness Prince Xiang! Your Highness, please spare my life! I am willing to follow your lead. The Yanshi in southern Xinjiang are all my people. I can help you!"
Qin Shu narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Oh? How can you help me?"
"Fang Cun!" The Master Yan said in shock: "You are offering a huge reward for killing him in the secret army, right? I know his whereabouts, and I can help you kill him!"
The Yanshi was grasping at straws, his voice rising, almost slapping the floor as he swore, "Your Highness, cooperate with me, and I'll help you kill him!"
Qin Shu lowered his brows. After the chaos in Yinshu City was quelled, Lu Xiyun had been in a very low mood for a while. He had sent someone to quote a price on the secret list, thinking that getting Fang Cun's head back might improve Lu Xiyun's mood.
Unfortunately, Yanshi's whereabouts have always been elusive, and the offer of several thousand taels of gold has not been followed up to date.
Qin Shu subconsciously looked at Lu Xiyun. Xie Lingyan's death has always been a knot in this guy's heart. When Yanshi mentioned Fang Cun again, Qin Shu was afraid that Lu Xiyun would think of something bad again.
Qin Shu's gaze paused, and almost instantly, he realized that something was wrong with Lu Xiyun.
The young man's hands, which were originally supporting the edge of the bed, were slightly curled up, his knuckles turned white, and his whole face was blank, as if he was in a trance.
Qin Shu leaned down and looked at the other person at eye level: "What's wrong with you?"
The young man didn't answer, but suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
It seemed like Lu Xiyun himself didn't understand the reason, but driven by instinct, he reflexively hated and rejected the Yanshi in front of him.
The young man whispered, his tone very light: "...Don't cooperate with him."
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