Chapter 455 Discovering

the Abnormal Xixi's sparkling eyes were full of admiration, and she secretly admired in her heart.

[Mom, mother is so handsome! ]

Xixi seemed to see the hero in her mind, and she wished that stars could appear in her eyes to express her infinite admiration for her mother.

At the same time, Qin Qixuan also felt that today's development was unexpected. He asked Qin Shu with a bit of curiosity and admiration.

"Mother, you haven't been in the mansion often these days. Is it because you went to investigate Fang Qinghong's affairs?"

Qin Shu nodded slightly, but shook her head gently, and explained.

"It is indeed related to Fang Qinghong, but my actions are not just because of him." There was a deep look in her eyes.

She continued.

"Not long ago, His Majesty imposed house arrest on the second son. Although it was only temporary, it was indeed a serious matter."

Qin Shu couldn't help but sigh, with some worry between her brows.

"The second son hasn't been to the barracks for a long time. Although he still insists on practicing martial arts at home and maintains a good martial arts state, marching and fighting are not a one-man show. It requires teamwork and trust. I'm worried that even if his martial arts skills have not decreased, if his prestige in the army declines, it will be a big problem."

Qin Shu's worry is reasonable.

In the barracks, if a general wants to gain a foothold, in addition to his personal martial arts skills, it is more important to gain the trust and support of the soldiers. This is the key factor for a general to lead his team to victory, and it is also the point that the general values ​​most.

Qin Qixuan nodded in agreement, expressing his deep understanding of his mother's concerns, and asked doubtfully.

"Although the second child has been confined for a few days, the people in the barracks will not forget the second child so quickly, right?"

However, unexpectedly, Qin Shu shook her head slowly and said solemnly.

"The soldiers in the barracks will not easily forget the second child, but if someone is secretly doing something behind the scenes, that's another matter."

Hearing this, everyone showed confused expressions on their faces, and some were eager to find the answer. Xiao Xixi's curiosity was completely ignited, and she couldn't help but ask the first question, breaking the brief silence.

"Mother, what's going on?" Xiao Xixi's voice was full of childish eagerness and curiosity, as if eager to unveil a mysterious veil. Everyone turned their eyes to Qin Shu, their eyes flashing with a light of seeking a solution, expecting her to give a clear answer.

Qin Shu felt everyone's expectations, she did not answer immediately, but turned her eyes to Helian Shi. Helian Shi received Qin Shu's eyes, understood in his heart, so he took the initiative to speak, ready to solve this mystery for everyone.

"Let me tell you in detail." Helian Shi spoke in a steady and powerful voice, "Your mother was worried that there might be a deeper meaning behind the emperor's order, so she told me to pay more attention in the barracks and observe whether there is anything unusual. After a period of careful observation and understanding, I did find some unusual signs..."

However, before Helian Shi finished speaking, he was interrupted by Xiao Xixi anxiously.

Xiao Xixi clasped her hands together, with a gleam of desire in her eyes, and spoke in a coquettish and urging tone.

"Hey, General Helian, don't keep me in suspense, tell Xixi what's going on quickly, okay?" Her words revealed extreme desire, as if she couldn't wait to reveal the answer.

Helian Shi was amused by Xiao Xixi's words. He looked at the lovely girl in front of him with full of doting. He nodded quickly and agreed.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you now." The tense atmosphere around them also dissipated a lot because of Xiao Xixi's witty words. Everyone showed a relaxed smile, looking forward to Helian Shi's next narration.

"There is indeed a change in the barracks." Helian Shi's expression became solemn again. He said slowly, "I noticed that someone secretly replaced the generals left by the second brother. Those are his confidants who have been cultivated by him in recent days..."

Pei Xuanyi frowned when he heard this, showing obvious displeasure and vigilance against the means behind this. He fell into a brief contemplation, his brain working rapidly, trying to analyze the deep meaning behind this.

"Does this mean that someone is trying to undermine the military power in the hands of the second brother of the Qin family?" Pei Xuanyi finally spoke, his tone full of doubts and worries.

Helian Shi nodded and affirmed his guess.

"That's right. Although the troops under the control of the second brother are not huge, they are also of a certain scale. As the commander of the Zhenxi Army, I have a close relationship with the second brother. If things really develop to the point where they are out of control, it will be difficult for me to treat them equally."

Xiao Xixi also heard this conversation, and her cute little face showed a depth that was inconsistent with her age. She understood that the second brother had troops, which meant that the Qin family had a certain say in military affairs. So, who will this pose a threat to? Her thoughts began to drift to the struggles and conspiracies in the palace.

At the same time, Qin Qixuan's face became unusually solemn. He hesitated for a moment, and finally carefully raised an extremely sensitive question.

"Could it be... that this is all manipulated by someone in the palace in secret?"

Qin Shu's heart tightened when she heard this, and she immediately looked at Pei Xuanyi nervously. But Pei Xuanyi seemed to have heard nothing. He looked up at the sky, then looked down at the ground, as if telling Qin Shu, don't worry, he will keep this secret.

After being with Pei Xuanyi for so long, Qin Shu still has a certain degree of trust in him. She shook her head hesitantly.

"General Helian and I have had an in-depth discussion on this issue. We both believe that the manipulator behind this should not be the one in the palace." Qin Shu's tone revealed a certain firmness.

Helian Shi also nodded, took over the conversation and continued to analyze in depth.

"Indeed. If His Majesty really intended to seize the troops of the second brother, he could have directly issued a transfer order without using such a roundabout method. Now this practice of secretly replacing the generals is more in line with some people operating in secret and attempting to weaken the influence of the second brother in the army through gradual infiltration."

He paused for a moment and continued.

"Besides, the troops in the second brother's hands were ultimately deployed from me. I am the one who ultimately controls the military power. If the emperor really has doubts or dissatisfaction with the Qin family, he is unlikely to take direct action against the second brother. Therefore, after our analysis, the black hand behind this should not be..."