On the other hand, Li Linyuan sent people to secretly follow the scholars and merchants who were leading the riot in Sifang Pavilion.
As a result, the truth gradually surfaced.
"Your Highness, I have checked it out."
Li Linyuan submitted the secret report to Qin Yuan, "Those who caused the trouble are all students from Qingyun Bookstore in the south of the city. They usually boast of being aloof and noble. As for the merchants who joined in the trouble, they are all booksellers who have dealings with the academy."
After a pause, Li Linyuan added, "My subordinates have found out that they were all bribed."
Qin Yuan unfolded the secret report, frowning slightly: "Bribery?"
"That's right," Li Linyuan said. "These people seem to be clean, but they all have weaknesses. The leading scholar, Zhang He, has a seriously ill mother at home who urgently needs medicine. The other one, Wang Yong, has a huge gambling debt."
"As for those merchants, they were all caught smuggling."
This means that the person who can bribe them must be of high status.
"Have you found out who it is?"
Li Linyuan lowered his voice: "The final flow of funds all points to the Ruiwang Mansion."
After those words were spoken, the room fell into deathly silence.
Prince Rui Chu Hong appears to be bright and handsome, gentle as jade.
But Li Linyuan knew that such people were often sheep on the surface but wolves on the inside.
Qin Yuan's face was hidden in the candlelight, dark and unclear.
After a long while, he ordered:
"Send a message to Prince Rui's mansion, saying that I have invited you to the Xiangshan Horse Racing tomorrow."
Li Linyuan paused: "Your Highness wants to..."
Qin Yuan closed the secret book, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.
"It's customary to reciprocate. Since he has given me such a generous gift, how can I not express my gratitude?"
Li Linyuan understood instantly and bowed.
"Yes, I'll send someone to Prince Rui's mansion to pass on the message."
——
The next day, Xiangshan Racecourse.
The morning mist has not yet dissipated and the mountain wind is biting.
Chu Hong came riding on a horse in moon-white riding clothes.
A smile still hung on the corners of his lips as he raised his voice from a distance, "Your Highness Qin is in such a refined mood today that he actually invited me to a horse race?"
Qin Yuan stood on his horse with a stern look on his face, his dark cloak fluttering in the wind.
"I heard that King Rui is an expert in horseback riding and archery, so I came to seek his advice."
As the saying goes, when rivals meet, they become jealous of each other.
Chu Hong chuckled lightly, but his eyes were cold: "Your Highness Qin, is it possible that you have other intentions?"
He meant something, "Some things cannot be forced, just like the wind in Xiangshan or the sand on your fingertips. You can't catch them, and you can't keep them. The same goes for people."
He was implying that he couldn't keep Chu Qingluan and that this marriage would not be successful.
Qin Yuan looked at him, his eyes were cold, but his face remained expressionless: "You can't stop the wind, it's because you don't have enough ability."
His sharp eyes stared straight at Chu Hong, not giving in at all: "Whether people can stay or not depends on who is keeping them."
These words were like a boomerang, piercing Chu Hong's heart accurately and making him furious.
It implies that Chu Qingluan likes him, so he can keep her.
And if she doesn't like you, you won't be able to get a single inch of her clothes even if you try your best.
The smile on Chu Hong's face froze slightly, and then he sneered: "Your Highness Qin is confident, but it's a pity..."
He paused, spurred his horse closer, and lowered his voice: "Do you really think that she would give up the kingdom of Chu and marry far away in Qin for you?"
Qin Yuan tightened his grip on the reins slightly, pursing his lips tightly. "Whether she wants to give up her kingdom is her business. I will respect her decision no matter what she chooses."
"But if someone interferes and deliberately sabotages..."
He suddenly raised his eyes, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "Then I will have no choice but to take action."
"drive……"
After saying that, Qin Yuan squeezed the horse's belly, and the fierce horse he was riding rushed out like an arrow.
Chu Hong's eyes turned cold, and he immediately whipped his whip to catch up -
The two of them galloped all the way and soon arrived at the archery range.
This is the royal horse farm located in Xiangshan, where people can hunt and shoot arrows, and it is often open to some aristocratic children in Beijing.
There are many targets on the shooting range.
The two men galloped on their horses, drawing their bows and arrows, and the sound of arrows was endless.
The rules of the competition are also very simple. Whoever hits more red hearts wins.
After ten arrows, Qin Yuan's arrows hit the center of the target, but Chu Hong was distracted and two of his arrows missed the target and flew to the edge of the target.
The attendants present also held their breath and dared not utter a word.
After the round, Chu Hong's face darkened slightly. He reined in his horse and stopped, forcing a smile as he said, "His Highness Qin is indeed worthy of his reputation."
Qin Yuan did not answer, but slowly drew the last arrow from the quiver, drew the bow, pulled the string, and then -
“Whoosh!”
The arrow flew out quickly, but it was not aimed at the target, but directly at Chu Hong!
Chu Hong's pupils suddenly shrank. The arrow flew to his face in the blink of an eye.
He subconsciously turned his head to avoid the arrow, which whizzed past his ear, took off a strand of hair, and nailed into the tree trunk behind him.
The guards at the scene changed their expressions and drew their swords and stepped forward.
At the same time, the guards on the Qin side also drew their swords as if facing a powerful enemy.
However, Chu Hong and Qin Yuan raised their hands at the same time to stop him.
Chu Hong raised his hand and touched his ear. His fingertips were stained with blood, and a cold storm gradually gathered in his eyes.
"What does your Highness Qin mean?"
"Could it be that you intend to assassinate me publicly on the territory of Great Chu?"
He clenched his fists tightly, and a huge rage rose in his heart.
However, Qin Yuan just slowly drew back his bow and said coldly, "This arrow is a warning."
He suddenly rode closer and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I won't pursue you for the Sifang Pavilion incident this time, but if there's a next time..."
He glanced at Chu Hong's injured ear without a trace of emotion: "This arrow will not miss."
With just one sentence, the smile on Chu Hong's face completely disappeared, and his eyes were filled with resentment and sinisterness.
"What does your Highness Qin mean?"
Qin Yuan reined in his horse and took two steps back. "If you don't want others to know, then don't do it yourself. If you compete openly and honestly like a real man, I might even look up to you."
"Such a method is nothing special."
Qin Yuan looked down at Chu Hong with undisguised contempt in his tone.
Chu Hong successfully changed his expression, and his knuckles cracked.
Sure enough, the matter of Sifang Pavilion was finally discovered.
Oh!
Chu Hong stared at Qin Yuan's receding back, raised his hand to wipe the blood from his ear, with unwillingness and stubbornness surging in his eyes.
Is it fair competition?
good!
I hope you don’t regret it!
——
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