Chapter 170 Appointment
The crown prince had not rested well and was so angry that his body could not take it and he fainted. After Physician Xiao came over, administered acupuncture, and prescribed medicine, he quickly regained consciousness.
In fact, what Doctor Xiao really wanted to prescribe for him was a sedative. He hoped that after taking it, he could sleep for a day and a night. He was still young, so he would recover.
But today is the day of the Emperor and Empress's funeral. As the heir, everyone else can rest, but he cannot.
He only rested for an hour before getting up again, and the first thing he asked Li Xiaoxiao was, "Where did she go?"
Li Xiaoxiao drifted in like a ghost. The Crown Prince looked up and saw the bloodshot eyes in her eyes. He couldn't help but feel guilty: "Once things have settled down, I'll give you a few days off. Go back and get some rest."
Li Xiaoxiao didn't even bother to say thank you; she just nodded like a lost soul.
The Crown Prince said, "Tell me, how did you discover that the eunuch who emptied the chamber pot was suspicious?"
Li Xiaoxiao had already told the Crown Princess, Pang Shi, and the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, but since the Crown Prince asked again, she had no choice but to repeat herself.
The Crown Prince looked at her with emotion: "You've worked so hard. If it weren't for your meticulousness and high skills, Ke'er would have been doomed this time..."
His brow furrowed again: "But whose subordinate is this person? Could it be Li Chengyao who did it again?"
Besides him, he couldn't think of anyone else who would keep targeting his family and killing them.
Li Xiaoxiao yawned, her eyes welling up with tears: "I don't think so."
The crown prince was taken aback: "What do you mean?"
Li Xiaoxiao said, "Did Your Highness notice what this eunuch said before he died? He said, 'Master, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I'll go down and apologize to you right away.' If he didn't say that on purpose, then his master would have died long ago. But since he had already decided to commit suicide, there seemed to be no need for him to lie. So I tend to believe that his words came from the bottom of his heart, and that he genuinely wanted to go down and apologize to his master."
The Crown Prince fell into deep thought: "Already dead? Then he's not Li Chengyao..."
Li Xiaoxiao said, "It's definitely not him, because this old eunuch looks to be in his forties or fifties. He must have been in the palace for decades. How old is Li Chengyao? But there's one possibility..."
The crown prince asked, "What's possible?"
Li Xiaoxiao yawned again: "Didn't you keep failing to find out who was helping Li Chengyao behind the scenes? Do you think it could be this person?"
The prince was taken aback: "A eunuch who empties chamber pots?"
Li Xiaoxiao nodded: "A hunchbacked, old eunuch who empties chamber pots has no power or connections in the palace. He does the dirtiest, smelliest, and most tiring work, and he always has an indelible odor on him. Normal people would avoid him. But after emptying the chamber pots, he can leave the palace and can still have normal contact with Li Chengyao when he puts the pots back. Perhaps Li Chengyao's communications with the outside world are transmitted through those stinky chamber pots. Almost no one would lift the lid still covered in excrement to see if there's anything inside, right?"
Therefore, he must have escaped the Crown Prince's repeated investigations for this reason. No one could have imagined that the person behind Li Chengyao would send him a message through a stinky latrine.
The Crown Prince realized what was happening: "It's highly likely! The people behind Li Chengyao are using this eunuch to pass on messages, and this eunuch has a grudge against me, so they've teamed up to kill my entire family!"
However, the concept of having a grudge against the Crown Prince is too broad. Although he has a reputation for being wise and virtuous, that is in the eyes of the common people. As for the corrupt officials he has dealt with, he is also considered an enemy.
Therefore, the crown prince was unable to lock onto the target.
It seems the key lies with this eunuch. They must find a breakthrough through him. Where is he from? When did he enter the palace? Besides him, are there any other accomplices in the palace? Everything must be thoroughly investigated!
The Crown Prince said, "After finishing the funeral arrangements, I also have to attend to the enthronement ceremony. I really don't have time to investigate. I see that you are very meticulous, but your outstanding martial arts skills overshadow this advantage. Moreover, you are one of the few people who know all the facts. I intend to let you take over the investigation of the real culprit. What do you think?"
After tonight's assassination attempt by the hunchbacked eunuch, Li Xiaoxiao has successfully risen to become a top confidante of the Crown Prince's family, even surpassing Pang Shi, a general who has served the Crown Prince for over ten years.
Just when everyone thought Li Xiaoxiao would be flattered and agree, she yawned again: "Your Highness, please find someone else. I really am unable to do so..."
After she finished yawning, she changed the subject and said, "However, I can recommend someone. He is more meticulous than me, has stronger logic, and knows a lot about His Highness and Li Chengyao's past. He is the most suitable person to investigate."
The crown prince raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, who could possibly receive such high praise from you?"
Li Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "My husband is Meng Guanqi."
The Crown Prince rolled his eyes on the spot. It's true what they say, "Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders." She turned down such an important task, but then immediately pushed it onto her own husband.
But then the Crown Prince thought about it again and realized that Li Xiaoxiao was also busy protecting Ke'er and probably wouldn't have much time to investigate the case. However, Meng Guanqi was currently gaining experience at the Hanlin Academy and needed to train properly. Moreover, he was a top scholar and had outstanding intelligence and strategy, so it was the most suitable person for him to take on this responsibility.
He nodded in agreement: "Alright, I will entrust this case to him. If he can find out the truth, his position can be moved up after I ascend the throne."
Li Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up. That meant he could be promoted! That was great! The monthly salary of three taels of silver was still too little. Promotion, promotion as soon as possible.
At dawn, the officials held their final mourning ceremony. Under the guidance of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Crown Prince boarded a carriage and led the coffins of the Emperor and Empress to the imperial mausoleum.
After the Emperor and Empress's funeral was completed, the Crown Prince finally relented and gave Li Xiaoxiao a three-day leave.
Upon hearing this news, Li Xiaoxiao was like a wilted seedling suddenly blessed with rain; she immediately raised her head, her bright red eyes shining!
She's finally going home!
She's going home for a big meal, to eat all the big chicken legs, big pork hocks, roast duck, and fish soup she hasn't had in days, and then sleep soundly for a whole day and night, hahaha!
She was so excited that she ran incredibly fast and didn't hear Wan Quan chasing after her desperately.
Wan Quan was panting as he ran, feeling utterly exhausted. He now thought that Li Xiaoxiao was just putting on a pitiful act in front of His Highness, pretending to be as weak and listless as a wilted eggplant, in order to coax His Highness into giving her a three-day leave. Otherwise, how could she have run so fast and disappeared in the blink of an eye?
Wan Quan chased her for a while but couldn't catch up. He sighed and thought, "Oh well, even if I can't catch up, I can still find her home."
Li Xiaoxiao rushed home as soon as she left the palace. It was just past noon, and she thought she might be able to have lunch with Meng Guanqi when she got home!
Just as Meng Guanqi picked up the bowl, Liu Zhi ran in excitedly: "The young mistress is back! She said she's going back to her room to take a bath first!"
Meng Guanqi was overjoyed and immediately instructed her, "Go to the kitchen and tell the cook to prepare more dishes. Remember, they must all have meat, not vegetarian ones..."
Liu Zhi left as instructed, and Meng Guanqi immediately went to their residence. Upon entering the inner room, he heard the sound of water in the washroom. He couldn't help but go in: "Although the weather is hot now, we have hot water at home. You're already so tired, be careful not to catch a cold if you take a cold bath..."
Li Xiaoxiao was actually sitting in the bathtub. When she saw him come in, she looked at him pitifully with her two bright red panda eyes.
Looking at her pale and tired face, Meng Guanqi felt heartbroken: "Wait for me a moment."
He turned and went to the kitchen to fetch two buckets of hot water, which he filled the bathtub to the brim. Sure enough, taking a hot bath felt very different from taking a cold bath. Li Xiaoxiao was so comfortable that she almost fell asleep: "I don't want to move anymore. Can you wash my hair?"
Seeing his wife so exhausted, Meng Guanqi didn't have any romantic thoughts. He carefully washed her hair, then used a towel to scrub her body, making sure she was clean before taking her out of the tub, dressing her, and drying her hair.
Li Xiaoxiao fell asleep halfway through her shower. Liu Zhi ran in and asked, "Is the food ready? Shall we bring it over here?"
Looking at Li Xiaoxiao's sleeping face, she subconsciously lowered her voice and whispered, "The cook made braised pork knuckle and meat patties. Should we put them back in the pot to keep them warm?"
Upon hearing about the braised pork knuckle and meat patties, Li Xiaoxiao immediately opened her eyes, which gleamed red: "Bring them up!"
Knowing she craved meat, Liu Zhi served the braised pork knuckles in a basin. The two plump knuckles were stewed until they were glistening with oil and had a fragrant aroma that made one's mouth water.
Li Xiaoxiao unceremoniously reached out with her chopsticks, about to take a bite of the fattest piece of meat, when she suddenly heard a familiar voice call out: "Sister Xiaoxiao..."
Li Xiaoxiao froze instantly. Was she still half asleep? How could she be hallucinating? She could actually hear Aze's voice in her own home.
She didn't turn around, trying to clear her head; it must be a hallucination!
Then Aze called out again, "Sister Xiaoxiao!"
This time the sound was even louder. Li Xiaoxiao sighed inwardly and turned to look at the door. Aze was holding Wan Quan's hand and standing at her door, drooling over the bowl of meat.
Meng Guanqi stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, Eunuch Wan."
Wan Quan's face was almost frozen with a smile: "Lord Meng, I'm sorry to disturb your lunch. His Highness the Crown Prince is still worried about the young master in the palace, so he asked me to bring him to your house to stay for a few days."
Li Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and immediately accepted the fact. She waved to Aze and Wanquan: "Come and eat quickly, there's meat to eat!"
Because he was observing mourning, Aze had been eating vegetarian food for seven days straight. He couldn't take his eyes off the glistening, oily meat, but he remembered the rules and glanced at Wan Quan with some worry: "Father said I can't eat meat..."
Li Xiaoxiao immediately said, "Who saw it? Who saw you eat meat? Wan Quan, did you see it? Liu Zhi, did you see it?"
Wan Quan and Liu Zhi understood each other and immediately shook their heads: "No, we didn't see it."
Li Xiaoxiao smiled and put a large piece of meat with a good balance of fat and lean on his plate: "Eat up, you're still growing, eat more."
Aze opened his mouth wide in surprise, but the meat in the bowl smelled so good. Remembering what Li Xiaoxiao had said, no one saw him eating, he took a big bite without hesitation!
It smells so good! He had never eaten meat that smelled so good before!
He immediately began to wolf down his food.
Li Xiaoxiao also put a bowl of meat on Wan Quan's plate: "Sit down and eat quickly. If you don't tell us and we don't tell us, who will know we're eating meat here!"
After serving Wan Quan a bowl, she gave Meng Guanqi a small piece of meat and a few green vegetables before it was her turn. She picked up a large piece of fatty meat and put it in her mouth, squinting her eyes in enjoyment. It was so delicious, an absolute delicacy.
The four of them ate together, and in the end, three of them were stuffed. Only Meng Guanqi maintained an elegant posture, holding a bowl of tea and rinsing her mouth carefully. The other three were very unladylike, clutching their stomachs and wishing they could collapse on the spot.
Li Xiaoxiao looked at Aze: "Your father didn't keep his word. He promised to give me three days off and even sent you here. I'm planning to sleep for a day and a night. What are you planning to do?"
Aze said, "Sister Xiaoxiao is going to sleep for a day and a night, and I will sleep for a day and a night as well. Mother said that Sister Xiaoxiao is very tired and told me not to disturb you when I came."
Li Xiaoxiao was deeply moved; it was the Crown Princess who truly cared for her!
She stood up, picked up Aze with one hand, and placed him on the bed in the side room: "You sleep here, I'll sleep next door. Just call me if you need anything. Willow Branch~"
Liu Zhi hurried over: "Oh, I'm here."
Li smiled and said, "You stay here and take care of him. Call me if you need anything."
Liu Zhi nodded hurriedly, helped Aze take off his coat, made him lie down, and even fanned him.
Aze was also very tired, and he fell asleep immediately after fanning himself a few times.
Li Xiaoxiao walked back into the house and found that Wan Quan had not left yet: "Does the Crown Prince have something to instruct me on?"
The Crown Prince cannot do without Wan Quan. If it were just about sending A Ze to her house, he wouldn't need to come in person. He must have something important to say for himself.
Wan Quan said, "That's right, Lord Meng, let's go outside to talk." He didn't want to disturb her sleep.
Li Xiaoxiao knew it must be about that hunchbacked eunuch. She wasn't worried about letting Meng Guanqi investigate. She closed her eyes and went straight to her bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
Li Xiaoxiao guessed correctly. Wan Quan had entrusted the investigation of the hunchbacked eunuch to Meng Guanqi on the orders of the Crown Prince: "His Highness has already spoken with the Hanlin Academy and wants to transfer you to his side for a while. Your main task is to find out the details of this hunchbacked eunuch. His Highness originally ordered the Imperial Household Department to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of all eunuchs and palace maids in the palace, but he was afraid that the Imperial Household Department's intervention would destroy the evidence, so he ordered Chief Eunuch Wei to postpone it and let Lord Meng investigate first."
Wan Quan's eyes were also full of fatigue: "You don't need to go to the Hanlin Academy to report for duty during this period. You can ask the Imperial Household Department for any information you need. If anyone dares to refuse to give it to you or make things difficult for you, just tell me directly, or you can even report directly to His Highness. Absolutely no one will dare to stop you."
Meng Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Yes, Your Excellency obeys."
Wan Quan took out several old booklets from his bundle: "These are the registration records of Zheng Futian, the hunchbacked eunuch, when he entered the palace, as well as his records of working in various places over the years. But he was just an insignificant eunuch, and the officials in charge might have been perfunctory in their records. We can't guarantee that they are all true. This requires Lord Meng to investigate them one by one."
Meng Guanqi nodded and took the booklet he handed over.
After Wan Quan finished handing over the task, he couldn't help but glance at the side room and sighed, "The young master has encountered danger again, which has frightened His Highness and the Empress. We don't know how many of Zheng Futian's accomplices are still in the palace. His Highness and the Empress are worried about the young master leaving Guard Li's side for a moment, so they had no choice but to send him here. I hope Lord Meng will be lenient with him."
How many times has this happened? The Crown Prince is almost emperor but is still being suppressed and beaten. He only has one son, how can he be at ease? The safest place is where Li Xiaoxiao is, so he resolutely decided to let his son go home with her.
Accompanying Aze out of the palace were Wan Quan, who had other duties, and a team of more than twenty imperial guards and guards from the Eastern Palace, who were scattered around the Li residence to protect Aze's safety.
Meng Guanqi said, "The Crown Prince will be much safer with Xiaoxiao by his side. Please tell His Highness and the Crown Princess that the situation is still unstable and His Highness and the Crown Princess have many things to do. Since you are worried about too many variables in the palace, why not let the Crown Prince stay at my house for a while? After His Highness ascends the throne, the harem can be thoroughly investigated to ensure safety before bringing the Crown Prince back to the palace."
Wan Quan thought about it again and realized that this made perfect sense. Wouldn't it be more reassuring for the Crown Prince and Empress to have the young master living with Guard Li at her house than in the palace? Otherwise, the two of them would be overwhelmed with work every day and would have to constantly inquire about their son's situation, which would be quite exhausting.
Wan Quan thanked Meng Guanqi profusely: "I will go back and report to the Crown Prince and the Empress, so that they can rest assured to leave the young master in the Li residence."
Meng Guanqi casually flipped through a few pages of the booklet in his hand, and suddenly said, "Could Eunuch Wan have obtained the resume of Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War?"
Wan Quan's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly remembered this person. His expression gradually turned serious: "Vice Minister Wang? Prince Xin's father-in-law?"
Meng Guanqi said, "It is indeed this person. I once heard the Crown Prince mention that the late Emperor's attitude towards him had been very mild, and he had even considered having the Crown Prince oversee the country. However, after meeting this Vice Minister Wang, his attitude completely changed. Later, this person even became the father-in-law of Prince Xin, which shows that he is in cahoots with Prince Xin. Zheng Futian may be a small pawn, but this Vice Minister Wang is a real big fish!"
Wan Quan frowned slightly: "Vice Minister Wang is a third-rank official. Without obvious evidence, it would be extremely difficult to investigate him, especially since he is the Left Vice Minister and is almost certain to be the next Minister of War. Without evidence, the cabinet would oppose any investigation into him."
The Crown Prince absolutely cannot afford to antagonize the Cabinet now.
Therefore, he has no immediate plans to take action against Vice Minister Wang.
Meng Guanqi said, “It’s alright. I know it will be extremely difficult to take him down, but he must have played a pivotal role in the case of Prince Xin’s plot to murder the Crown Prince. Moreover, given his position, he couldn’t possibly be unaware of who is supporting Prince Xin behind the scenes. So perhaps we can still hope to obtain crucial evidence from this Vice Minister Wang.”
Wan Quan nodded: "I understand. I will report this to His Highness as soon as I get back and send you Vice Minister Wang's resume as soon as possible."
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