The cold north wind was still howling, rolling up the dead branches and leaves and hitting the high walls of the Lin Mansion, as if whispering about the cruelty of this power struggle. After leaving the Lin Mansion, Lin Qingya did not go directly to Li Rui, but went to a secret house first. Pushing open the inconspicuous wooden door, a thin woman with a resolute face came into view. It was A Man, who was arranged by Li Rui to protect her. A Man was sitting quietly by the window, holding a book in her hand. When she heard the noise, she looked up at the door, and a trace of worry flashed in her eyes. She put down the book, stood up, and bowed slightly to Qingya: "Miss."
Qingya put down the package on the bed and said calmly, "Aman, thank you for your hard work." Her tone was calm, but she couldn't hide her inner fatigue. She didn't explain too much, but just walked to the table quietly, sat down, poured a cup of tea, and sipped it gently. The furnishings in the room were simple, but orderly, exuding a cold and lonely atmosphere. Aman stood quietly by the side, his eyes always following Qingya, as if waiting for her to speak.
After a moment of silence, Lin Qingya slowly said, "Today in the court, Li Chengqian openly accused me of deceiving the emperor and fabricating evidence to frame the prince." She calmly recounted the incident without a trace of panic in her tone. "He produced some forged accounts and several bribed officials as witnesses. But... I already have evidence that he colluded with the Xirong in private." As she spoke, Lin Qingya took out a roll of silk from her arms, which was densely written. She handed it to Ah Man. "This is the evidence I collected secretly, which is enough to convict him." When she handed the silk to Ah Man, her fingertips trembled slightly, and this slight movement revealed her uneasiness.
Ah Man took the silk and looked at it carefully. The room was very quiet, with only the sound of the wind outside the window and the slight sound of turning the pages. After a while, Ah Man raised his head, his eyes full of admiration: "Miss is really as good as a god." She looked at Qingya, with a hint of awe in her tone.
"It's not that I can predict everything, but... I have to be on guard," Lin Qingya smiled bitterly and shook her head gently. "Li Chengqian will be even crazier this time. The next few days will be even more difficult." She rubbed her temples gently, with obvious fatigue written on her face. She stood up and walked to the window, looking at the brightly lit imperial city in the distance, with a complicated light flashing in her eyes. "I need more time to prepare..." She said in a low voice, revealing deep helplessness, turned around and walked to the table to pick up a coat and put it on.
Ah Man watched Qing Ya's back gradually receding. She held the silk in her hand tightly, her eyes determined. She knew that this power struggle was far from over, and she would always stand by Lin Qing Ya and fight side by side with her. The cold wind outside the house was still blowing, making the branches in the yard tremble. But Ah Man's heart ignited a strong hope, this hope came from the smart and brave woman in front of him. Ah Man carefully put the silk away.
Lin Qingya used the evidence secretly sent by Ah Man to skillfully present the evidence of Li Chengqian's affair with Xirong to Emperor Li Heng. The evidence was conclusive, leaving Li Chengqian speechless and completely exposing the prince's party. The emperor was furious and not only abolished Li Chengqian's position as prince, but also placed him under house arrest.
Lin Qingya carefully unfolded the silk sent by Ah Man. Under the candlelight, the contents of the correspondence between Li Chengqian and the Xirong envoys written in fine small characters were clearly visible. She took a deep breath, raised the silk high, and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I now present the solid evidence to prove that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is secretly communicating with the Xirong and plotting something bad!" Her voice was clear and loud, and her eyes were fixed on Li Heng who was sitting on the dragon chair. Inside the palace, the noisy discussions disappeared instantly, leaving only Lin Qingya's steady and powerful voice echoing in the magnificent palace. Li Heng's face was terribly gloomy, and his fingers were unconsciously tapping the armrests of the dragon chair, making a "dudu" sound. Li Chengqian's face was pale, and his lips were trembling. He wanted to explain, but he couldn't find any reason. The rest of the civil and military officials were whispering to each other, and the atmosphere was extremely tense. Lin Qingya handed the silk to the eunuch beside her, and the eunuch respectfully presented the silk to Li Heng.
After reading Sisi, Li Heng's face was full of anger. He threw the memorial to the ground fiercely, "How dare you, Li Chengqian! How dare you do such a rebellious thing!" His roar echoed in the hall, shaking the glazed tiles on the roof slightly. He waved his hand, and the guards in the hall quickly stepped forward and escorted the trembling Li Chengqian away. The hall was silent, with only the heavy breathing of Li Heng and the heavy footsteps of the guards. Li Heng looked at Lin Qingya, his eyes filled with complex emotions, shock, anger, and... a little appreciation.
Taking this opportunity, Lin Qingya successfully returned to the center of power, gained the trust and reuse of the emperor, and was entrusted with the important task of investigating and handling the remnants of Li Chengqian.
Li Heng announced with displeasure that Li Chengqian was dismissed from the position of Crown Prince, and ordered Lin Qingya to be fully responsible for investigating Li Chengqian's remnants. When this order was issued, the court was shaken, and many people who were on good terms with Li Chengqian were secretly shocked. Lin Qingya accepted the order and thanked him in a dignified manner. Her calm tone concealed a courage that could not be ignored. Li Heng looked at her, and a trace of admiration flashed in his eyes. He now had a deeper understanding of this smart and capable daughter. Back at the mansion, Lin Qingya began to deal with the affairs of Li Chengqian's remnants. She was clear and organized, and she was not at all flustered.
At the same time, Lin Qingya also took this opportunity to weaken Zhao Sisi's power in the court, save his face, and thoroughly establish his own position in the court.
Zhao Sisi had always hated Lin Qingya. This time, when Li Chengqian fell, Zhao Sisi was also implicated. Many officials who were originally attached to the prince's party turned against him. Zhao Sisi, who was once arrogant, suddenly lost her support and became isolated and helpless. Seeing the once arrogant Zhao Sisi looking downcast in the court, Lin Qingya calmly straightened her sleeves.
However, Li Chengqian's power did not calm the disputes in the court. Instead, undercurrents surged, a new crisis approached quietly, and Lin Qingya faced greater challenges.
Although Li Chengqian was deposed, there were still undercurrents in the court. Lin Qingya was reviewing memorials in the study. The cold wind was howling outside the window, and the shadows of the trees were swaying, making people feel a little uneasy. She put down the brush in her hand, rubbed her eyebrows, and a deep fatigue surged in her heart. She knew that this was just a beginning, and greater challenges were waiting for her. Outside the window, the night was deep and the cold wind was blowing.