"Puff!" Stupid, I definitely know you didn't have it, but you're too easily frightened. You just blurted it out. Won't this trick be useless next time? How naive!
"why are you laughing?"
"Since you said so, let's get back together?"
Lu Anyuan was a little embarrassed. Fortunately, no one followed him in. Otherwise, where would he put his face? "Yeah."
"Okay, then you don't have to go to my palace tonight."
"Huh? You're still mad at me..."
Xu Yixing didn't say anything for a long time. He looked around the room and said, "I'd like to live in this study and see what it's like. Why do you spend the whole day there?"
"Hahaha! Madam, I knew you were the best!" Lu Anyuan approached directly, but was ruthlessly stopped by Xu Yixing.
"Where's the explanation I want?"
"Oh! Of course, it's the person I sent."
"Assassinate the Second Prince? Are you crazy? Besides, it didn't succeed!"
"It doesn't matter whether it succeeds or not. I'm just venting my frustrations on him. I didn't lie to you about that."
Lu Anyuan took Xu Yixing around the study, talking as they walked.
"Why so sudden? Your assassination attempt today was clearly ill-prepared and full of flaws. Aren't you afraid they'll find out?"
"Do you remember what I told you about the assassination attempt on me when I was a child?"
Xu Yixing nodded, but it had been so long, could they still find out that it was related to the Second Prince?
"That's the reason. A few days ago I found out who the murderer was. Plus, we've been at odds lately, and I was mad at him, so I decided to take it out on him."
Is it that simple? For the first time, Xu Yixing felt that the fight among the princes was like a child's game. If they disliked someone, they could just scold or kill them at will.
Seeing Yixing's uncertain expression, Lu Anyuan knew she must be suspicious, so he explained: "Anyway, Second Brother can't find out anything. These arrows are all imitations of border troops' supplies. The killers have all retreated, and he didn't really get hurt. Besides, we have suffered a lot from them, so they won't find out about us."
... No? Xu Yixing thought of another possibility. Perhaps this was Lu Anyuan's way of paralyzing the enemy, making the Second Prince think that this was his ultimate move, or forcing the Second Prince to counterattack, so as to seize the opportunity.
After all, the second prince has been performing too well recently and has a very good reputation among officials. If nothing unexpected happens, the emperor might really appoint a crown prince.
It is even possible that there was tacit approval and support from several other princes, otherwise why did everyone leave today, leaving only the second prince and the seventh prince alone.
"Forget it. I don't understand what you guys are up to anyway. God and Heaven Bodhisattva, just don't get me buried with you. Sigh!"
"I can't bear to do that!"
In the middle of the night, it was the first time that Xu Yixing spent the night in the study, and it felt quite special.
However, Lu Anyuan arranged the study like a library, with bookshelves standing there. Facing the flickering candlelight, she felt a little ghostly. She could only bury her head in the quilt, and later she simply closed her eyes and pretended that she was blind.
Lu Anyuan turned around and saw that Xu Yixing was still awake, and he felt quite concerned.
"Not used to being here?"
"No, I just thought about what happened tonight and felt a little emotional, so I couldn't sleep."
"What are your feelings? Tell me."
Xu Yixing could tell Lu Anyuan's voice was full of fatigue. She'd probably been so exhausted these past few days that she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep. At that moment, she had an absurd and risky idea in her head that might solve her current predicament.
"I was wondering what would happen if something else was discovered in the Second Prince's fiefdom, such as a gold mine?"
Lu Anyuan turned over and turned to Xu Yixing: "Oh, if he found a silver mine or an iron mine, it would be enough for him to brag for a long time. If he found a gold mine, wouldn't we brothers be the ones carrying his shoes?"
With no one around, Lu Anyuan spoke more boldly. It was unclear whether he was truly dissatisfied with the Second Prince or was influenced by Xu Yixing's outspoken nature.
"But isn't there a saying that goes, 'If you want to kill someone, you must first drive him mad'? If the Second Prince knew there was such a great treasure within his fiefdom, would he behave inappropriately and bring a crime upon Your Majesty?"
"Hmm..." Lu Anyuan looked thoughtful. He understood the meaning of this strategy. As the saying goes, pride comes before a fall. It didn't matter whether there really was a gold mine or not. As long as the Second Prince believed it, there would inevitably be a series of chain reactions.
However, this idea is rather unconventional, and it remains to be seen whether it can be concealed from the Second Prince. What if it backfires and the Emperor thinks it is an auspicious sign and directly appoints my second brother as the Crown Prince? That would be even more troublesome.
"You're so bold! You even dared to come up with such an idea. When you came back, didn't you ask me not to implicate you? Now, won't your idea bring disaster to our entire clan?"
Lu Anyuan gently stroked Xu Yixing's back. There were three scars on her back. Although they were not obvious to the naked eye, they were very noticeable to the touch. This must be why Xu Yixing saved him and why he relied on him.
"The Nine Clans are also your Nine Clans. I really want to see how the relationship between your family is copied."
"Alright, let's discuss this later. Even if I were to do it alone, it would be in vain. Let's discuss it and decide."
Xu Yixing counted on his fingers. The "we" that Lu Anyuan mentioned probably included not only his advisers but also the Fourth Prince. The Fifth Prince must also be informed, otherwise he would be the first to discover the problem when he was in charge of Qibei.
As for the remaining people, the eldest prince should not do it. After he lost Military Advisor Lu, he was obviously restricted in every way. And judging from his character, he would not want to cause a feud between brothers, so he was excluded.
The Third Prince had always been aloof and aloof, much like his mother's temperament. Xu Yixing had only spoken to him briefly at the thank-you banquet since their wedding, and the rest of the time, it was as if he didn't exist and probably wouldn't get involved in such matters.
The Sixth Prince couldn't see through it. After all, Lu Anyuan said that the Sixth Prince helped to find someone to renovate the Second Prince's mansion. Who knows how close their relationship is? Lu Anyuan probably wouldn't go looking for him.
In this case, what chances do three less favored princes have of winning against one who is in the limelight?
"If you use this strategy, remember to give me a thank you gift later."
"Puchi!" Lu Anyuan really admired her for being able to speak so calmly and directly about such a life-threatening matter, and he even heard a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Well, with a wife like her by my side, I have nothing to fear even in the most difficult or dangerous situations.
"Then if our plan fails and our property is confiscated, my second brother will probably be happy to burn a huge mountain of gold for us when we are buried together."
"Bah!" Xu Yixing turned over and ignored someone's restless little paws.
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