“Then we’ll return to the city and report to Lord Qian, and then thoroughly investigate this matter.”
Zhao Shi'an looked at this official.
“This is Jiaozhou, and you are subordinates of the Southern King. How can you investigate this matter fairly? If the results are unsatisfactory to the court, it will inevitably implicate both of you.”
The two officials paused, and instantly understood Zhao Shi'an's meaning.
"We understand. I will go back immediately to write down what happened and then report it to the capital."
"Go on, by now, we should have found the murderer."
"yes."
The two adults descended the mountain with trepidation, and sure enough, once they entered the city, they told them what had just happened there.
It is said that the parents of the murdered children took a peach wood sword down the mountain, and when they reached the gate of the Nanwang Mansion, the blood-stained peach wood sword suddenly caught fire.
The murderer was in the Southern Prince's Mansion. When everyone connected this to the fact that the Living Buddha Temple belonged to the Southern Prince's Mansion, they instantly understood everything.
In the entire Jiaozhou region, only the Southern King would dare to use so many children's lives as sacrifices.
Just recently, many sorcerers had been appearing at the Southern Prince's residence, and their attention immediately turned to the Southern Prince.
A large crowd gathered outside the Nanwang Mansion, demanding an explanation from the Nanwang.
But the Prince of Nan not only failed to show up, he even ordered his soldiers to drive away the people.
This action undoubtedly aroused public anger, and people vented their rage. Some threw filth into the Nanwang Mansion through the wall, some splashed dog blood on the walls of the Nanwang Mansion, and some even went so far as to run into the Nanwang Mansion and set it on fire.
The King of the South was a local lord, how could he tolerate these people running wild over him? It is said that a group of people were captured and thrown into prison.
However, the actions of the Prince of Nan's Mansion have further angered the public.
Now, it's not just in the prefectural city; it seems that what the Southern King has done has already spread to other places.
This matter lasted for several days before news finally came from the capital.
An imperial envoy was dispatched from the capital to investigate the matter.
And this imperial envoy was none other than Fan Li, the son of the Grand Princess.
Fang Qing was stunned for a moment when she heard about this, but she immediately understood the emperor's intention.
This matter involves the Grand Princess, and if someone else were to investigate, it might leak out. But Fan Li is different.
The matter concerning the Grand Princess and the Prince of Nan will certainly not be made public.
Moreover, in order to dispel the rumors, Fan Li would naturally investigate this Prince of the South to the bitter end.
"People from the capital are all coming. When do we plan to show up?" Fang Qing asked.
At this moment, Zhao Shi'an was accompanying Fang Qing as they watched tea farmers fry tea.
"We still haven't found out Gao Wancheng's whereabouts."
Fang Qing looked at him and asked, "What are you planning to do?"
"Use Yin Ma Cheng to make the King of the South confess voluntarily."
"But the Prince of Nan is currently preoccupied with his own problems. Does he really care about the life or death of a useless son?"
According to Fang Qing's understanding, the King of the South had more than one son, Yin Ma Cheng, and there was definitely more than one talented son among them.
Therefore, she felt that someone like the Prince of Nan probably wouldn't care about Yin Macheng's life or death.
Zhao Shi'an shook his head and chuckled.
“If it were any of his other sons, the Prince of Nan might not care, but Yin Macheng is different.”
"Because he is the legitimate son?"
Yin Macheng's mother was the Princess Consort of the Southern Kingdom. She died after giving birth to him. The Southern Kingdom doted on this son, which fostered Yin Macheng's arrogant and domineering nature.
"No, because Yin Ma Cheng was born to the King of the South and his beloved woman."
Fang Qing was stunned for a moment.
When he realized who the woman the Prince of Nan loved was, he opened his eyes wide in shock.
"Didn't the Grand Princess marry the old Prince of the South back then?"
The old Prince of the South is the brother of the current Prince of the South. The Grand Princess did not bear him any children, nor was there any news of the Grand Princess giving birth in Jiaozhou.
Zhao Shi'an noticed Fang Qing's doubts and said, "It's not exactly honorable for a sister-in-law to have a child with her brother-in-law, especially since this sister-in-law is a princess of the current dynasty. Naturally, we should keep this a secret if possible."
After a pause, Zhao Shi'an continued, "The Grand Princess was a devout Buddhist. During the six months she spent in Jiaozhou before returning to the capital, she lived in a temple, and that's when the child was born."
The Wind and Rain Pavilion even knows this.
“As long as I spread the word, the Southern King will definitely save their only child.”
Fang Qing was still worried.
"The Prince of the South has military power. Aren't you afraid that he might resort to desperate measures and launch a coup?"
Zhao Shi'an took Fang Qing's hand and walked to the side, saying casually, "When the old Prince of Nan was alive, this Prince of Nan was irresponsible. It was the Grand Princess who brought down the old Prince of Nan. The current Prince of Nan was only put on the throne by the Grand Princess. He has no military power."
Fang Qing slowly opened her eyes wide.
"So, the military power in Jiaozhou is in the hands of the Grand Princess?"
Zhao Shi'an nodded.
"I just found this out, and I suddenly understand why the late emperor insisted on welcoming the eldest princess back to the capital despite the opposition of his ministers. He was afraid that the eldest princess would develop other ideas in Jiaozhou while holding military power, and he was also afraid that the military power on her side would fall into the hands of others."
In that case, there's really nothing to be afraid of about this King of the South.
Zhao Shi'an had Xiao Liu deliver the message to the Prince of Nan's residence.
Sure enough, even in this chaotic time, the Prince of Nan still met with Zhao Shi'an.
They met outside Jiaozhou City.
When the Prince of the South received Xiao Liu's message, he had already guessed that Zhao Shi'an was still alive. When he saw Zhao Shi'an in person, his mind cleared up instantly.
This was all Zhao Shi'an's conspiracy.
The sky was dark, but the pavilions outside the city were brightly lit.
The Southern King was deterred from entering the pavilion by the heat emanating from the torches beside him.
He walked into the pavilion and looked at Zhao Shi'an, who had a calm expression.
Zhao Shi'an only brought Xiao Liu with him, while the Prince of Nan was accompanied by at least twenty black-clad guards.
"Zhao Shi'an, was he sent here by the current emperor?"
He couldn't think of any other possibility besides this.
"I already said, I just came here with my wife."
The Prince of the South clearly did not believe it; he frowned and sat down opposite Zhao Shi'an.
"There's no one else here. What, you can't even speak the truth to me?"
Zhao Shi'an's gaze fell on the Prince of Nan.
"To be honest, it's not impossible. So I'll tell you. I came here for something that Gao Wancheng has, and I think you know about it."
The King of the South remained unmoved.
"what you up to?"
“It’s very simple. Use Gao Wancheng and what he has to exchange for your son. I think this is a very worthwhile deal.”
The King of the South stared intently at him.
His usual gentle and unassuming facade is slowly crumbling.
"Since you know what Gao Wancheng has, why do you think I would still exchange Gao Wancheng for Cheng'er?"
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