Chapter 374 Bring the Qinglang Sword
He knew very well that if Xiao Yu were a wise ruler, Grand Tutor Zhou would not be involved in too much factional strife. But given Xiao Yu's current state, Grand Tutor Zhou had already decided to get rid of him.
Xiao Yu set a trap to kill Zhou Taifu, but Zhou Taifu used this trap to set another trap.
He used his own death to set the stage for this game.
No wonder the late emperor said that it wasn't up to him to decide who would sit on the throne; it was up to Grand Tutor Zhou.
The late emperor couldn't care less about so many things even after his death, but he knew even better what kind of person Grand Tutor Zhou was, which is why he didn't clear any obstacles for the Crown Prince before his death.
It also granted Grand Tutor Zhou even greater power.
However, since the Crown Prince had been diligent in governing and caring for the people during his years on the throne, Grand Tutor Zhou relinquished his power.
Everyone thought so, but Grand Tutor Zhou only gave away the rights that everyone could see, while he held tightly to the rights that others couldn't see.
"The steward beside Grand Tutor Zhou is actually the leader of the Netherworld Sect."
Chen Jie felt powerless. All the forces he had secretly cultivated had been slaughtered before they could even be used.
This is equivalent to cutting off one's own arm.
As Chen Jie was pondering his next move, another person rushed in, "My lord, the Prince of Langya has arrived with his troops."
"What does he want to do? This is the capital!" Song Zhuran exclaimed in surprise. "Does he intend to kill someone openly?"
Although everyone knew that Chen Jie was behind everything, and Jiang Wan Ning was one thing, there was no evidence yet in the capital, and without His Majesty's decree, it was unacceptable for her to lead troops to arbitrarily break into the residence of a court official.
"What exactly does Pei Yanchuan want to do?"
Chen Jie was also somewhat puzzled, but he had a premonition that Pei Yanchuan's visit was not a good thing for him.
Chen Jie said in a deep voice, "Go out and take a look."
Chen Jie took two steps, stopped, and turned to look at Song Zhuran inside the room. "You should go back to the palace as soon as possible, and make sure no one sees you."
Although Song Zhuran did not want to leave, she dared not disobey Chen Jie again.
But he didn't leave immediately; instead, he hid inside the house and observed everything outside.
Chen Jie stepped forward into the courtyard, where Pei Yanchuan was sitting in a grand chair, followed by imperial guards. However, these were imperial guards, not Pei Yanchuan's own soldiers, which meant that Pei Yanchuan's arrival was ordered by Xiao Yu.
"I wonder what brings the Prince of Langya to my residence with his troops in the middle of the night?"
Pei Yanchuan leaned back lazily in his armchair, raised his eyes to look at Chen Jie, and said in a cold voice, "Prince Consort, His Majesty encountered assassins when he entered the palace. I received a secret report that the assassins were hiding in your residence."
"Nonsense! When did Your Majesty encounter an assassin? How could I not know?"
"Don't you know?" Pei Yanchuan said calmly. "You'll have to ask that person in the palace."
Chen Jie lowered his eyes and glanced at the house behind him.
"When Your Majesty and I entered the palace, we encountered assassins at the palace gate. Fortunately, Your Majesty was not harmed. Your Majesty sent me to investigate."
“I followed him all the way, and he disappeared near your residence.”
"Don't worry, we're just here to search. We didn't say that the assassin is you, Prince Consort."
Chen Jie said coldly, "I have not seen any assassins. If there were any, I would have captured them long ago. There would be no need for the Prince of Langya to search. I will personally go to the palace to explain this matter to His Majesty."
"Is the Prince Consort trying to stop us?"
Chen Jie said, "As I said, there are no assassins in my residence. If there were assassins, would my guards be blind?"
"Furthermore, if I intended to assassinate His Majesty, why would the assassin I arranged have fled to my residence with a tail?"
Pei Yanchuan tilted his head and lazily scratched his temple with one finger. "I think the prince consort's analysis makes a lot of sense."
"However, it's also possible that it wasn't an assassin, but someone else related to the prince consort?"
"In any case, this person came to your residence from the direction of the palace. Since there is nothing there, then Prince Consort, why don't you step aside and let me search? That way, I can report back to you."
"So that you can clear your name."
Pei Yanchuan said, "If the prince consort insists on obstructing this, I have reason to suspect that you have something to hide."
Chen Jie angrily said, "Pei Yanchuan, don't push your luck. In my opinion, you are the one crying 'stop thief' while being the one who is actually the one who is being bullied."
Pei Yanchuan tilted his head, looking at the Imperial Son-in-Law Chen Jie with a defiant gaze, as if to say, "Yes, so what can you do about it?"
Enraged, Chen Jie drew a sword from the waist of a nearby soldier, and the soldiers behind him all drew their swords and pointed them at Pei Yanchuan.
The imperial guards behind Pei Yanchuan were equally fierce, their swords pointed at the prince consort.
Pei Yanchuan said calmly, "You should think this through, Prince Consort. You've lost an arm. If you arouse His Majesty's suspicion again today, you'll have no chance to turn things around."
Chen Jie asked suspiciously, "You would be so kind?"
"Now that you've searched me today, does that mean I have a chance?"
Pei Yanchuan laughed and said, "You know what I want."
Chen Jie seemed lost in thought and remained silent for a long time.
Pei Yanchuan continued, "So? Have you made up your mind?"
“This thing never belonged to you. You’re keeping someone else’s things and can’t take them out. It’s just sitting there anyway. If you return it today, I might spare your life.”
When did you find out?
"That's not something you should know."
Chen Jie hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "I can give you the things, but you'd better not try anything funny."
"Even if you find the assassin in my residence, do you think His Majesty will really believe you? He'll just suspect me, but His Majesty can't do without me."
"You still can't do anything to me."
Chen Jie understood that Pei Yanchuan already knew about what happened back then, but his decision not to kill him was not because he was waiting for an opportunity, but because he wanted the world to know who was behind the murder of the Duke of Ying, the God of War of Dongling Kingdom.
Furthermore, Pei Yanchuan also wanted to know who the person from Western Xia was who had cooperated with him back then.
“You can try,” Pei Yanchuan said calmly. “You’re not wrong, but if you can’t announce it to the world, I can imprison you.”
They all knew that His Majesty's current life was Chen Jie's protection, but also an obstacle.
With his current strength, a direct confrontation between Pei Yanchuan and himself would only result in mutual destruction.
If Song Zhuran hadn't been at the manor, Chen Jie would never have backed down. Pei Yanchuan had also anticipated Song Zhuran's presence and wanted to use this to force him to hand over what he wanted.
Pei Yanchuan's purpose in coming today is the Azure Sword.
“I can give you this,” Chen Jie said. “I will definitely remember what you did today.”
Pei Yanchuan seemed not to hear the threat.
Chen Jie clenched his fists tightly. "Go to the study and bring me the Qinglang Sword."
Song Zhuran wanted to go out and stop them, but after thinking about it, she didn't move. If she went out now, she would only cause more trouble for her master.
The guards quickly brought out the Qinglang Sword. Although Chen Jie felt reluctant, he still had someone deliver it to Pei Yanchuan.
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