Chapter 198 Defection
"Ruan Xingzhi? Your Excellency has found Ruan Xingzhi's whereabouts?" Song Zhimin was a little surprised.
If Ruan Xingzhi goes to the Southwest, wouldn't that be right in the territory of the Southwest Army?
Prince Qi, Xiao Huaijin, is also in the southwest. As long as we send a letter to Prince Qi, we will definitely be able to find Ruan Xingzhi.
Why would they ask me to go find Ruan Xingzhi, and even kill him...?
Song Zhimian subconsciously looked at her hands.
His hands were soft and delicate; he didn't seem like someone who could wield a knife at all!
Ye Yunshu nodded slightly, first gesturing for Song Zhimin to sit opposite her, and then poured Song Zhimin a cup of tea.
"That Ruan Xingzhi..."
I've had people tracking his whereabouts ever since he disappeared.
The Ruan family's roots are in Jiangnan. When he first ran away, I thought he would go to Jiangnan to seek refuge with some of the Ruan family's old friends.
He lived out his life in anonymity.
But my men searched along the line from the capital to Jiangnan, and found nothing.
It suddenly occurred to me that Ruan Xingzhi could make the King of Wu listen to his every word and hide his true intentions so well; his thoughts must be deeper than you and I think.
What we can think of, he can definitely think of too.
Therefore, the direction he ultimately fled to was definitely not Jiangnan.
The North? Impossible. The Weiyuan Army controls the North, and their checks are much stricter than in other places. A fugitive like him would be arrested as soon as he went there.
In the southwest, with its towering mountains, if he were to walk through the mountains, very few people would be able to spot him.
Later, I had Chun Buwan from the southwest of the capital investigate, and they finally found Ruan Xingzhi's whereabouts.
However, Ruan Xingzhi disappeared after entering Diancheng.
"Zhimian, tell me, where did Ruan Xingzhi go?" Ye Yunshu looked at Song Zhimian.
After a moment's thought, Song Zhimian realized where Ruan Xingzhi had gone.
"The southwest is guarded by the Southwest Army, and it borders the Biao Kingdom. Recently, there have been quite a few frictions with the Biao Kingdom, and the situation there can almost be described as tense."
After this drastic change, Ruan Xingzhi in Da Yu had almost no way out.
Having lived in the capital for many years and having extensive connections with various families, he was intimately familiar with the situation in the capital.
He didn't go to the southwest to join the Southwest Army; he must have gone to the Kingdom of Biao!
He wanted to rely on the Kingdom of Biao to take revenge, and he wanted to cause chaos in the Great Yu.
Therefore, it will definitely stir up a major war in the southwest, and once it starts, it will inevitably affect the people.
As for what state the fat country will end up in... he won't care.
Ruan Xingzhi went to Biao Kingdom. He lost his trail in Dian City, and there was a village called Wula Village between Dian City and Biao Kingdom as a buffer.
There is also a town called Linglong, which is the largest town for trade between Chongqing and the State of Biao, and also the most prosperous town in Southwest China.
There are many caravans coming and going from Linglong Town, so Ruan Xingzhi was probably disguised as a member of a caravan when he left Linglong Town and entered Wula Village.
Finally, they entered the Kingdom of Biao from Wula Village. "Song Zhimian said with certainty.
Ye Yunshu looked at Song Zhimian with admiration in her eyes.
What a clever and insightful girl! Just give her a little information, and she can analyze so much more...
Ever since Mu Xiao told her that Song Zhimian discovered that Ruan Xingzhi was the one strategizing behind the King of Wu, Ye Yunshu noticed that Song Zhimian was different.
From initially trying to save himself, to later plotting to kill Cai Boju.
Then there's everything that happened at the palace banquet later.
Song Zhimian is a very intelligent and calm girl.
It's such a waste that she stayed in the palace as a lady-in-waiting.
Ye Yunshu had a lot on her mind.
Since taking over the three mountains of Biao Kingdom in the southwest, Xiao Huaijin has written to him more than once, wanting to take over Biao Kingdom in one fell swoop.
But Ye Yunshu knew that defeating the Biao Kingdom would be easy.
It will be very difficult to govern after it is taken!
The country is all mountains, and the people there are unruly and only think about immediate gains. If they are not careful, they will drag the people of the southwest back into misery.
Ye Yunshu also wanted to take over the Biao Kingdom, but she didn't want to do so through a two-army war.
Sometimes, the effects of a scheme can far exceed people's expectations.
"Zhimian, you are very smart; you thought of all this right away."
That's right, Ruan Xingzhi went to the Kingdom of Biao. As for which prince of the Kingdom of Biao he will serve under, there is no news yet.
The reason I sent you to the southwest this time was under the pretext of delivering gifts to the young prince and the twelfth prince.
Stay there a while longer. It will get cold in the capital soon. The southwest is like spring all year round. Spend the winter there before you come back.
I will arrange for four people to accompany you.
Two men and two women will disguise themselves as palace servants and eunuchs. Once you get there, you'll have to act according to the situation.
"Find Ruan Xingzhi as soon as possible, and have these four people kill him!" Ye Yunshu said calmly.
Song Zhimian agreed without hesitation.
Ruan Xingzhi...
Ruthless and cruel, seemingly warm on the surface but actually cold-blooded and heartless.
He clearly foresaw the impending doom for the Ruan family, yet he chose not to save anyone, but instead packed his valuables and left...
Moreover, since he went to the Kingdom of Biao this time, he would definitely betray some information he knew in order to gain the trust of the people of Biao.
Ruan Xingzhi!
They must die!
Song Zhimian stood up and took two steps back, then clasped her hands above her head and bowed deeply to Ye Yunshu.
"Song Zhimian, a fifth-rank master of ceremonies from the Imperial Household Department, thanks you for your trust, sir!"
Ye Yunshu looked at Song Zhimian and suddenly felt a little reluctant to part with her.
Without Song Zhimian in the capital, I seem to have lost some interest in looking at the account books!
“Song Zhimian, if you kill Ruan Xingzhi this time, whether you kill him yourself or you plan it, I will recommend you for a reward when you come back.”
Furthermore... I can grant you one request using my identity as Princess Tianyuan.
"Whatever your request, as long as it's not about wanting to sit in that position, I can grant you anything," Ye Yunshu said with a smile.
Song Zhimian knelt down again.
"Yes! Song Zhimin will certainly live up to your mission!"
...
Upon returning to the East Palace, Song Zhimian first went to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's courtyard.
The Crown Princess looked haggard; the departure of Lord Shangguan had been a great blow to her.
Especially after seeing the letter left to her by Lord Shangguan, the Crown Princess cried for two days.
She never expected her grandfather to do so much for her and for the Crown Prince.
"Master of Ceremonies Song... I'm afraid you'll have to work hard this time!" the Crown Princess said with a forced smile.
Song Zhimian respectfully performed the grand ceremony.
"His Highness doesn't look very well. Your Highness should pay more attention to him. The young prince is in the southwest, and he must be thinking of his parents in the capital."
"Does Your Highness have any message for the young prince?" Song Zhimian asked softly.
The Crown Princess was taken aback.
Song Zhimian's meaning was very clear: you still have the Crown Prince to take care of, and the Crown Prince's health is not good.
Your son is still young and needs your care...
After a moment of silence, the Crown Princess said, "Let Juege follow his seventh uncle to broaden his horizons. His father and mother are waiting for him to return in the capital."
Song Zhimian immediately agreed.
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