Xiao Dongyang paused for a moment and continued, "The contents of this letter are all orders from the Third Prince, Xiao Nangua, instructing his subordinates on how to manage this army that was privately recruited on the outskirts of the capital."
After speaking, the eldest prince looked down at the third prince with disdain.
There are only four prominent figures in this area, each belonging to different factions. Zhou Zhizhi is directly under the Emperor's jurisdiction and remains neutral, making her the most qualified person to be the judge at this moment. Choosing her would be convincing, and even the Empress would have no reason to object.
Zhou Zhizhi opened the letter and glanced at its contents. "That's right, just as the First Prince said, this letter does indeed bear the Third Prince's private seal, and its contents are of great importance to the private army."
Faced with the current situation, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the more one tries to defend the Third Prince, the more counterproductive it will be.
“This man appeared here dressed as the Second Prince, and these soldiers are under the command of Xiao Xiyou. I now reasonably suspect that this is a trap set by the Second Prince, and I’m afraid even the First Prince has been deceived!”
The Empress spoke righteously, but anyone with discerning eyes could see that it was just a lie she told to exonerate the Third Prince.
The fact that the Second Prince was out of favor in the palace was known even to the people of the capital. How could he have such great ability to privately form an army and get the First Prince to stand up for him?
"Then what does Your Majesty think?" Xiao Dongyang appeared calm on the surface, but in his heart he had already cursed countless times.
"In my opinion, we should summon the Second Prince to the palace tomorrow for a confrontation so that we can find out the truth of the matter."
Zhou Zhizhi listened from the side, laughing inwardly: "Hahaha, this Empress really dares to think. By tomorrow, she will probably have already found a scapegoat. Even if the First Prince is brainless, he will never agree to her proposal."
As Zhou Zhizhi had predicted, Xiao Dongyang frowned and said, "Your Majesty, this is probably inappropriate."
"My father has ordered me to thoroughly investigate this matter, and if necessary, he will allow me to handle it on a special basis. I have been tolerant of the Empress, who is the head of the harem and my elder. I hope that the Empress will not make things difficult for me. However, if my father blames me, no one can bear the responsibility," Xiao Dongyang said with a forced smile.
Zhou Zhizhi, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, stepped forward and bowed to the Empress and the Crown Prince. "Your Majesty, Crown Prince, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."
A strange atmosphere lingered between the Empress and the Crown Prince. Zhou Zhizhi's words broke the deadlock between the two. Xiao Dongyang turned to look at Zhou Zhizhi, "Grand Preceptor Zhou, please speak freely."
Zhou Zhizhi looked directly at the Empress, then turned to the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, I believe the Empress's concerns are not without merit, but by tomorrow it will be too late."
"I believe we should go to the Second Prince's residence immediately and confront him face to face, catching him off guard," Zhou Zhizhi said, straightening up and looking at the two people in front of her.
"Your Majesty, I believe the Imperial Advisor is right. We should go to the Second Prince's residence now and confront him. If we find conclusive evidence that proves he is the mastermind, I will personally apologize to my third brother."
"However, my third brother is still under suspicion at this time. I hope Mother can understand. I am only enforcing the law impartially."
"Guards! Take the Third Prince to the Imperial Prison!" the First Prince ordered the generals behind him, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Yes." Those following the eldest prince were all his uncle's trusted confidants cultivated over many years, and naturally they followed the eldest prince's lead without question.
The eldest prince was determined to win this time, so he brought as many as two thousand men, all of whom were elite soldiers. They surrounded Liuli Lane completely. Even if the empress wanted to object, she was still outnumbered and outmatched by two thousand soldiers.
Besides, Zhou Zhizhi had already provided a reasonable solution, so she had no reason to stop it.
The Third Prince had indeed been driven to desperation by the First Prince recently. When he saw the First Prince take out his father's thumb ring, he finally understood why Xiao Dongyang had been targeting him all along.
So that's where they were waiting.
"Xiao Dongyang, don't be too smug. We have a long future ahead of us!" Xiao Nangua said to Xiao Dongyang with a wicked smile.
"Third brother is joking. I am just doing my job. If it is later found that the truth is not that you did it, I will definitely clear your name."
Xiao Dongyang looked at Xiao Nangua with a very good mood. So what if his mother was the Empress? She still lost to me. In the future, his mother will become the Empress Dowager!
"I'm sorry to trouble the Third Prince today, please." Xiao Dongyang gestured to make way for him.
After the general forced the Third Prince away, the Empress impatiently spoke up, "First Prince, don't waste any more time. Hurry up and come with me to the Second Prince's residence."
"Your subject obeys." After answering the Empress, Xiao Dongyang instructed the people around him, "Go to the Second Prince's residence first, surround it, and make sure that no one is allowed to leave the residence. After Her Majesty the Empress and I arrive, go in and search directly."
"Yes." Upon receiving the order, the general beside him immediately made arrangements: "You few will lead the teams from the left, and you few will lead the teams from the right, and meet up outside the Second Prince's residence."
"Your Majesty, please."
"Your subject will lead the way," the eldest prince said as he mounted his horse and addressed the empress, who was sitting in a sedan chair behind him.
...
"Who are you? Do you know where you are? How dare you be so insolent!" Xiao Liang, who was on night watch outside the Second Prince's residence, saw a group of people and shouted at them.
"We have come to see His Highness the Second Prince on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress and the First Prince," a general said to Xiao Liang. "We hope that His Highness the Second Prince will come out and give us a reply."
Upon hearing that it was the Empress and the First Prince who had orchestrated this, Xiao Liang's momentum immediately deflated. After all, their master was weak and alone; how could he have offended both the Empress and the First Prince at the same time?
What should we do?
"General, please wait here for a moment. I will go and inform His Highness the Second Prince." Xiao Liang spoke more tactfully, though he was already burning with anxiety.
"Thank you for your trouble."
This general was also a reasonable person. After all, he was a confidant of General Lan Yuanlong. Their purpose this time was only to bring down the Third Prince. As for the Second Prince, he was not worth worrying about at all.
Xiao Liang hurriedly ran towards Xiao Xiyou's study, which was brightly lit.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"
Before he even arrived, his anxious voice had already reached Xiao Xiyou's ears.
The time came, and they finally arrived.
Xiao Xiyou put down the chess piece in his hand and apologized to the Imperial Censor Zhou Mingwei opposite him, saying, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Lord Zhou. The servants in the manor have always been poorly disciplined, which is why they are so unruly."
After saying that, he got up and opened the door. "What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry? Can't you see that I have guests here? What's all the fuss about?"
Xiao Xiyou cursed at Xiao Liang, but it was all just for show.
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