Chapter 228 Another Accident
Huo Yuchen frowned and pressed his fingers hard twice on his temples.
"Well, there's one more thing. Prince Huo Xu of Guangling was on a mission out of the capital. On his way back, he was besieged by hundreds of ferocious bandits. He was seriously injured and died. Local officials and guards have already rushed day and night to the capital with his body."
Lin Pianran opened her eyes wide in surprise, her face full of disbelief.
"Why is it so sudden? Why does this feel so similar to what happened to Prince Chang?"
"Do you feel the same way?"
"Well, that's how I felt when I first heard the news."
Lin Pianran asked tentatively, "Could it be the work of the fox-masked figure behind the scenes?"
"I don't have any solid evidence, but my gut feeling is that it's them. They're really going to any lengths to get the throne. They're truly ruthless!"
"Prince Guangling is a very gentle man. Over the years, he has been down-to-earth and has done his job honestly. He has never been ambitious, nor does he have any great desire for the throne. He just wants to do more practical things, live up to his status as a prince, and help the court with its worries."
"Over the years, my father has assigned him difficult tasks, and he has never complained. He has been hardworking and dedicated."
"But I didn't expect such a tragic accident. He was stabbed more than a dozen times and died a very miserable death."
"Now that my father's sons are getting into trouble one after another, it really feels like a storm is about to come."
Lin Pianran walked over, sat down next to Huo Yuchen, and leaned lightly on his shoulder.
"Your Highness, have you ever thought about why Prince Guangling died so tragically?"
"What's your opinion?"
"His reputation was so good that even though he was not favored by the emperor and had no ambition, he was praised by people inside and outside the court."
"This is also a huge threat to the fox masked man. He happened to be out on business, so this is a great opportunity to get rid of him. That's why they killed him."
"I think so."
After a pause, Lin Pianran continued, "The royal family in the capital must quickly find out the details. Now, not only do we want to find out the identity of the fox-masked man, I'm afraid that Emperor Qin Wu and Prince Chang also want to find out his identity, and they may be even more impatient than us."
"In this matter, they are definitely on the same side as you. Even if they are only temporarily on the same front, Your Highness can find a way to utilize their power."
"As for the princes who haven't been harmed yet, including Prince Qi, Prince Gong, and Prince Yan, Your Highness can send someone to keep an eye on them. Who knows when the person behind this might make a move on them. This can help prevent them from doing so, or you can follow the clues and find more leads on the fox masked man."
"Okay, I'll listen to you. I've already sent people here, but they weren't paying enough attention. I'll send more people and won't let the fox-masked man take advantage of me again."
Lin Pianran added, "Also, Your Highness, you can think about whether any of the princes are in cahoots with the fox-masked man. This possibility exists."
Huo Yuchen was shocked by Lin Pianran's words. He had never thought of it this way before.
Now he suddenly had an epiphany, which opened up new ideas for him.
Maybe there is such a possibility.
Otherwise, it would not be possible for the fox masked man to succeed so easily every time.
But no one could find any evidence against him.
There must be something wrong here.
Lin Pianran then continued to talk.
"If the prince and the fox-masked man are colluding, then Your Highness must be even more careful around him! Whether there are spies planted by other palaces in the Crown Prince's Mansion, they must also be carefully eliminated."
"Every time you go out, you must be careful and cautious, be careful of being attacked from all sides and being plotted against by them."
At this moment, something that she couldn't figure out flashed through Lin Pianran's mind.
So she continued, "Your Highness, do you remember how Prince Chang was captured? I remember that some of the Royal Guards escaped death from the hands of the men in black. Your Highness can order someone to find those Royal Guards who survived and see if they can provide any useful clues."
"Okay, I'll send someone to do it."
"Oh, there's one more thing I can't figure out. I feel like there's something strange going on."
The reason why Lin Pianran was so puzzled must be that he had great doubts.
"What is it?"
He was very busy during this period. Some things were over and done with, and he really had no time to think carefully about the past.
Seeing his anxious expression, Lin Pianran didn't beat around the bush.
"At the time, Prince Chang and Prince Qi were leading the Royal Guards together to search for the abducted girls. This led to Prince Chang being captured by the fox-masked man and tortured."
"Your Highness should be aware that Prince Chang is surrounded by a vast number of royal guards, several times more than Prince Qi. Furthermore, you told me that he is protected by two elders with unfathomable martial arts skills."
"But he was still caught by the men in black."
"The Prince of Qi was protected by only two royal guards, yet he managed to escape unscathed with only minor injuries. Doesn't your highness find this suspicious?"
After hearing this, Huo Yuchen realized how important a clue he had overlooked was. He couldn't help but clench his fists, and the expression on his face became a little colder.
"Also, there's another major point of doubt: Prince Qi's martial arts skills are mediocre, while Prince Chang's are far superior."
"Then how could the King of Qi possibly escape the pursuit of the men in black? It's completely impossible."
"I think there's definitely something wrong with this King Qi. He must be hiding a huge secret."
After hearing this, Huo Yuchen's eyes suddenly became clear and he immediately called Jingyu in.
"Jingyu, send someone to keep a close eye on Prince Qi's mansion. Don't miss any movement. Then, find a way to send a few servants into the mansion and keep Prince Qi under guard."
"We must carefully find out whether the King of Qi is colluding with the men in black."
"Yes, Your Highness."
When Jingyu saw the serious expression on His Highness's face, he knew that this matter was of great importance and took it more seriously.
After Jing Yu left, Lin Pianran continued, "Also, there's something strange about Prince Zhao's mansion. I feel like, apart from Concubine Li, everyone else is a little bit off. There's a strong sense of disharmony."
"Look, even though Princess Qinghe has encountered such a serious problem, Prince Zhao's attitude is very strange. He doesn't seem concerned or nervous at all. This is completely inconsistent with the rumored Prince Zhao who dotes on his daughter."
"And Huo Mao didn't show any concern for Princess Qinghe. After the incident, they quickly finalized Princess Qinghe's marriage without arguing or making a fuss, as if it was a non-issue."
"Isn't that strange?"
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