After Yu Qizhe asked Xiao Ning to sit in the front hall, he asked Song Nian to bring in tea.
"I wonder what brings General Xiao to my house so early in the morning?" Yu Qizhe poured Xiao Ning a cup of tea before asking slowly.
Xiao Ning took a sip from the teacup. He wanted to be evasive and test the waters, but he was not a civil official after all. As a military commander, he could not say those roundabout words. He asked directly, "Do you know anything about Miss Liu San's life experience? I see that you are not surprised that Liu Ziqi was able to persuade me to lead the Weining Army to help Shengjing. I think you are familiar with his and Miss Liu San's life experiences."
Yu Qizhe held the teacup and said nothing.
Seeing that he was not surprised at all, Xiao Ning thought that he just agreed with his statement, but he still asked, "Are you clear or not?"
Yu Qizhe nodded under his repeated questioning.
Xiao Ning immediately stated his purpose with confidence: "I am willing to bring the Weining Army to quell the rebellion because of Liu Ziqi. Now that Zhu Kuang is unconscious in Xianyang, it is a good time to set things right. I want to risk my life and fight him, but he won't give me a definite answer. Can you help me persuade your brother? If this is successful, the government can be clear and the people can have a wise ruler. Miss Liu San's life story can also be made known to the world."
Xiao Ning's eloquence was not as inflammatory as that of the civil servants, so he could only say everything that came to his mind.
"What did big brother say?" Yu Qizhe remained unmoved and just asked Xiao Ning.
Xiao Ning sighed, looking helpless: "He said he had no legitimate reason, how could it be? Zhu Kuang's throne was not legitimate. Everyone knows that he changed his title to Mingzheng, just to tell the world that he got the throne legitimately, but it's just a cover-up. Your eldest brother is the real grandson of the emperor, the orphan of the former crown prince. We should rectify the chaos and welcome the real grandson of the emperor to sit on the throne. That's the most legitimate."
He raised his eyes to look at Yu Qizhe: "If your elder brother doesn't make a decision, when Zhu Kuang wakes up, I will be in big trouble, and the Weining Army will also be implicated."
"Big brother has his concerns. After all, it is the eleventh year of Mingzheng. So many years have passed. How many people still remember the late crown prince? How many people are willing to acknowledge him as the legitimate heir?" Yu Qizhe said calmly, "General Xiao, instead of asking me to persuade big brother, why not let the people know how the current emperor got the throne? It's time to make the tragedy of the late crown prince's mansion and the Huaiyang Princess's mansion known to the world."
Xiao Ning listened attentively. He said, "Go on."
"If eldest brother, the legitimate grandson of the emperor, takes that position, it is popular and supported by all officials. I think it will be difficult for eldest brother to refuse. This way, you will not be without a legitimate reason." Yu Qizhe said meaningfully.
Xiao Ning thought for a moment and understood what was meant. His eyes lit up and he smiled as he patted Yu Qizhe's shoulder. Just as his hand was about to fall, he remembered that Yu Qizhe's shoulder was injured, so he quickly withdrew his hand and said with a smile, "You are smart and have ideas. No wonder Miss Liu San wants to marry you. So this is what happened. I will arrange it right away. The military generals are easy to deal with. I will go to Annan Marquis's Mansion to find Gu Wei. But the civil officials have too many twists and turns in their minds. However, as long as you and Liu Ge Lao stand up, I don't think they will dare to sing a different tune."
Xiao Ning was in a hurry to get things done, so he put down the teacup and was about to leave.
Yu Qizhe smiled faintly, stood up and saw Xiao Ning off.
Not long after Xiao Ning left, Song Po prepared breakfast. Yu Qizhe had just finished half a bowl of porridge when Han Chong, the clerk of the Dali Temple, suddenly came to the door and brought a piece of news: "My lord, something happened in Zhaoyu. The second prince is dead."
Yu Qizhe paused while eating, put down his spoon, and a shadow covered his face: "Who did it?"
Han Chong stammered, "Yes...it's the eldest daughter of the Liu family."
Yu Qizhe, who was taking off his official robe, turned his head to look at him and frowned.
Han Chong's heart sank: "The Second Prince made a big fuss on the city tower that day. Elder Liu was worried that he would cause trouble again, so he had him imprisoned in Zhaoyu. However, most of the people in Zhaoyu were withdrawn to defend the city and fight. There were only two judges and an old coroner left. The guards were really weak, and I don't know how Miss Liu got the key to the cell..."
Yu Qizhe's first reaction was how could a weak woman like Liu Yaozhen kill Zhu Hui? Even if Liu Yaozhen got the key to the cell, Zhu Hui had learned the Six Arts of a Gentleman. Even if he was not good at martial arts, he was far from being someone a weak woman could kill.
"There are suspicious points in this case..." He paused suddenly, thinking of the scene when he and Yu Jiao met Zhu Yu and Cui Mubai on the pleasure boat on the moat. He immediately understood why Liu Yaozhen wanted to kill Zhu Yu.
"Where is Miss Liu?" Yu Qizhe put on his official uniform and asked Han Chong as he walked out.
Han Chong quickly followed and replied, "The person is in Zhaoyu. Zhu Yu must have died last night. When he was found, Miss Liu was sitting next to Zhu Yu's body. No matter what I asked her, she didn't say a word, as if she had lost her soul."
Yu Qizhe hurried back to the Dali Temple and told Han Chong, "Block the news and tell everyone in the Dali Temple to keep their mouths shut."
Han Chong said: "When I heard about this, I ordered everyone to be sent out. Now, apart from the old coroner who discovered the case, there are only you and me involved."
Yu Qizhe nodded and stepped into Zhaoyu.
Zhaoyu had never seen the sun or the moon for years. In the dark and damp prison, there were only a few candles emitting faint light. When Yu Qizhe walked to the cell where Zhu Yu was imprisoned, he saw blood splattered all over the walls. Zhu Yu's body was lying on the ground, his abdomen was covered in blood and flesh, his internal organs were vaguely visible, and his stiff face showed a look of pain.
The bloodstains on Liu Yaozhen's clothes had dried. She sat on the ground, clutching a bloodstained dagger in both hands.
"Sister, the person is already dead." Yu Qizhe approached and said slowly, "I'll take you back home."
Liu Yaozhen had no reaction, just as Han Chong said, as if she had amnesia.
Yu Qizhe called her a few more times, but Liu Yaozhen remained indifferent.
Yu Qizhe squatted down and tried to take the dagger from Liu Yaozhen's hand, but Liu Yaozhen held it tightly.
Yu Qizhe had to think of another way. He asked Han Chong to stop the carriage outside Zhaoyu and said to Liu Yaozhen, "Sister, Qizhe is rude." Then he dragged her up from the ground and put her on the carriage. He ordered Han Chong, "Keep an eye on the second prince's body and don't let anyone into Zhaoyu for now."
Yu Qizhe took Liu Yaozhen back to Liu Mansion. When they arrived at the screen wall, Yu Qizhe ordered Song Nian to drive the carriage directly into the mansion, and he went to the study to inform Liu Yu about the matter.
Liu Yu was a little bit unbelievable. How could his eldest daughter kill someone, and kill the second prince?
He went to the carriage, lifted the curtain, and saw Liu Yaozhen covered in blood. He was shocked for a moment, and then heard Yu Qizhe say that Liu Yaozhen had been silent since she killed someone, as if she had lost her soul. Liu Yu stretched out his hand to his daughter with a worried look on his face, and said in a gentle voice: "Sister Zhen, don't be afraid, your father is here."
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