son, don't mess around

Chapter 814 The Real Killer of Tao Ya
Several men dressed in black robes and brocade, with swords at their waists, rushed into the Lü family compound.

Their auras were restrained, their gazes sharp. These men in black robes exuded a chilling aura that instilled fear in everyone.

From the moment they poured into the Lü family compound, the temperature inside seemed to drop several degrees.

The aura surrounding these people was proof that their hands were stained with a great deal of blood.

At this moment, the courtyard fell silent for a brief moment.

Among the several figures in brocade robes and black gowns, a man in a dark blue robe appeared. He was about thirty years old, with a serious expression and a glint of shrewdness in his eyes.

He wasn't carrying any weapons, but his aura was more powerful than anyone else's.

Chen Changqing!
The head of the Secret Astronomical Bureau!

All eyes in the courtyard fell on him, their expressions complex and their thoughts varied.

Chen Changqing's gaze swept quickly across the courtyard, taking in the figures of everyone present. His eyes then settled on a young man who stood out from the crowd. Before Chen could speak, the young man's lazy, nonchalant voice rang out.

Every word was piercing, clearly explaining what had happened. Chen Changqing's gaze narrowed slightly, instantly locking onto the young man who had fallen to the ground beside him, looking disheveled and just struggling to his feet.

When Chen Changqing's gaze fell upon him, Wu Yuan felt a chill run through his body, and the pores on his skin stood on end.

"Chen, Chief Chen..."

Wu Yuan's face was filled with terror, and his voice stammered with agitation and fear. He waved his hands repeatedly, "No, it's not like that..."

He could not bear the charge of assassinating the Crown Prince of Lin.

Seeing that the Prince of Lin appeared at the Lü residence today without any guards, he wanted to take advantage of Tao Ya's cousin's death to make trouble and 'teach' the other party a lesson.

Lin Jiangnian's guess was correct; Wu Yuan did indeed harbor some intention to step on him and stand up for him.

The Prince of Lin's reputation in the capital is too great, especially the feud between him and the Third Prince a year ago, which is known to almost everyone in the capital.

Although the Third Prince's rebellion was suppressed by the Emperor, rumors circulated in the capital that the reason his rebellion failed so completely was actually due to the secret machinations of the Prince of Lin.

There were even rumors in the capital that the current emperor had collaborated with this Prince Lin to set a trap for the Third Prince... Regardless of the truth, Lin Jiangnian's reputation in the capital was undoubtedly extremely high.

Countless people feared Lin Jiangnian, and countless others hated him to the core. But precisely because of this, countless people in the capital were watching him closely, constantly hoping to dampen the arrogance of this Prince Lin's heir.

If one could truly step on the Prince of Lin's son, one would undoubtedly be able to hold one's head high in the capital and rise above others.

As a member of a powerful family in the capital, Wu Yuan's family was not a small family, but it was far from being a top family. Like the Tao family, the two families had a deep kinship. Wu Yuan's mother was a daughter of the Tao family and Tao Shichang's younger sister.

In name only, Tao Ya could be considered his cousin.

Therefore, relying on his martial arts skills, he wanted to take advantage of the situation to attack Lin Jiangnian, who was unattended. But he never expected that this Prince Lin's son knew martial arts... in fact, his martial arts skills were unfathomable.

What terrified Wu Yuan even more was that the Prince of Lin was not a man of martial virtue... He actually said that he wanted to assassinate him.
Assassination of the Crown Prince of Lin?

That changes the nature of the situation!

That's treason, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!
At that moment, Wu Yuan's head was buzzing as Chen Changqing's icy gaze fell upon him. Wu Yuan had already forgotten his intention to teach Lin Jiangnian a lesson and hurriedly explained, "I...I had absolutely no intention of rebellion. It was...it was him..."

Wu Yuan pointed at Lin Jiangnian, his whole body trembling with excitement, and said, "He killed my cousin, and today he came to insult her funeral hall. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I wanted to teach him a lesson!"

“I had absolutely no intention of killing him or plotting a rebellion… He’s talking nonsense, utter rubbish!”

Wu Yuan looked very agitated and hurriedly tried to exonerate himself.

He had barely finished speaking when Lin Jiangnian's leisurely voice came from the side: "Are you implying that I, the young master, am spouting nonsense and slandering you?"

Wu Yuan looked up and met Lin Jiangnian's amused gaze. His expression changed drastically, and his heart sank.

He's not stupid; how could he not understand the meaning behind Lin Jiangnian's words?
Just as he was about to speak, he heard Chen Changqing wave his hand expressionlessly: "Take him away!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than two black-robed experts from the Secret Celestial Bureau approached Wu Yuan from the left and right. Wu Yuan's face turned pale, and he instinctively retreated, but after only two steps, he was seized by the two guards and prepared to be taken away.

"Wait a minute!"

At that moment, Tao Shichang's deep voice came from behind.

Wu Yuan, whose face had been deathly pale and who looked as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, cried out as if grasping at a straw: "Uncle, save me!"

Tao Shichang's face was gloomy. He naturally couldn't just stand by and watch Wu Yuan be arrested in front of him. He took a deep breath and said in a slightly gentler tone, "Chief Chen, today's matter is all a misunderstanding. Yuan'er had no intention of assassinating the Prince of Lin. This was just a young man's foolish act. Please don't take it to heart."

Facing Chen Kui, a man rumored to be upright and incorruptible in Beijing, Tao Shichang spoke with great respect. He dismissed the earlier incident as a youthful joke.

However, Chen Changqing did not give him any face.

Whether he had any assassination intentions or not, the Secret Service will find out once they arrive.

Chen Changqing's icy tone made Tao Shichang's expression change. He hadn't expected that this leader Chen would show him no respect whatsoever.

He was anxious. Now, Chief Chen in the capital was deeply favored by the Emperor and held a high position of power. Anyone who fell into the Secret Observatory would be severely punished, if not killed. He naturally could not let Wu Yuan fall into the Secret Observatory.

But what can he do if the leader doesn't give him face?
Thinking of this, Tao Shichang suddenly turned his head and looked at Lü Fusheng, who had been silent under the eaves.

Lu Fusheng did not look at Chen Changqing, but instead focused his gaze on Lin Jiangnian beside him, and calmly said, "Your Highness, Wu Yuan has offended us greatly today, and it is indeed his fault. However, he truly had no intention of assassinating Your Highness. Could Your Highness spare him this time for my sake?"

As he spoke, Lü Fusheng turned to look at Wu Yuan, his face expressionless: "Hurry up and apologize to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Wu Yuan's face was extremely ugly. Today, he had intended to step on Lin Jiangnian to gain favor, but he hadn't expected things to backfire. Realizing that things were going badly, he felt extremely frustrated, but he also knew that if he didn't back down now, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Suppressing his resentment, he lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry..."

"Today, I was in the wrong!"

Lin Jiangnian's gaze did not linger on Wu Yuan. Instead, he looked at Lü Fusheng, who had stepped forward not far away, and said indifferently, "Since Lord Lü has spoken, I, the young master, will naturally give him face."

As he spoke, Lin Jiangnian glanced at Chen Changqing again: "Chief Chen, since this boy has no intention of harming this young master, why not let him go?"

Chen Changqing glanced at Wu Yuan silently, nodded slightly, and waved his hand.

Wu Yuan was then released. He was almost unsteady on his feet, his face filled with relief as if he had survived a disaster.

"Disgraceful! Get back home right now!"

Hearing Tao Shichang's irritating voice, Wu Yuan finally came to his senses. His face turned ugly, and he gritted his teeth and slunk away from the courtyard.

Then, Lü Fusheng's gaze fell on Chen Changqing, and he asked, "I wonder what brings Chief Chen to my Lü residence today?"

Chen Changqing calmly said, "His Majesty, having learned of the changes in the Lü family, has entrusted me with the entire matter. I have come today to investigate the death of Young Madam Lü."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Tao Shichang's eyes. Just as he was about to speak, Lü Fusheng said calmly, "Please thank His Majesty for his concern. My Lü family is unharmed. Ya'er's death was an accident, and this matter has nothing to do with anyone else, so there's no need to trouble Chief Chen."

Chen Changqing glanced at Lü Fusheng, the former Minister of Personnel, whose status in the capital was still not to be underestimated.

After a moment of silence, Chen Changqing nodded.

"In that case, I won't bother you any longer!"

As he spoke, Chen Changqing turned around, his gaze falling on Lin Jiangnian, and he paused again.

"I've heard that His Highness the Crown Prince of Lin was once close to Madam Lü?"

The unexpected question startled everyone present. They seemed surprised that Chief Chen would suddenly target the Crown Prince of Lin.
Faced with Chen Changqing's question, Lin Jiangnian smiled faintly: "Nonsense, pure slander. This young master and Madam Lü did have some interactions, but to say that we are close is purely a deliberate fabrication by someone with ulterior motives."

Chen Changqing nodded silently: "This matter may not be related to Your Highness, but His Majesty entrusted it entirely to me. Now that Madam Lü is dead, this matter is ultimately inextricably linked to Your Highness. Therefore, I must ask Your Highness to accompany me back to the Secret Observatory!" His tone remained indifferent, yet it caused many people present to narrow their eyes. Especially Lü Fusheng and Tao Shichang on the other side, both of them squinted.

Unexpectedly, Chen Kuishou would actually target the Crown Prince of Lin?
Rumors say that Chief Chen is incorruptible and fearless of powerful figures, and indeed, his reputation is well-deserved.

Lin Jiangnian raised an eyebrow: "Chief Chen also believes that Madam Lü's death is related to this young master?"

"Whether or not it is related to Your Highness cannot be determined at this time. However, this matter is indeed inextricably linked to Your Highness, and we hope Your Highness will understand."

"Of course, Your Highness can rest assured that if this matter is truly unrelated to Your Highness, our Secret Observatory will never wrong Your Highness."

Chen Changqing spoke calmly, his tone even, yet his presence carried an undeniable authority.

Over the past year, Chief Chen has established a firm image in Beijing, being decisive, fearless of authority, and winning the affection of many people.

At this moment, everything is revealed.

Lin Jiangnian smiled and said, "Alright, then I'll give you face and go with you."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Your Highness!"

Chen Changqing's expression remained largely unchanged as he walked out of the courtyard. Lin Jiangnian then left the Lü residence with him.

The courtyard quieted down, leaving only Lü Fusheng standing under the eaves and Tao Shichang beside him.

"Why did you stop me just now?!"

Once everyone was alone, Tao Shichang withdrew his gaze, his face grim. He stared at Lü Fusheng and questioned, "Ya'er's death is clearly inextricably linked to him, so why do you say it has nothing to do with others? Are you trying to exonerate this child?!"

Lu Fusheng's eyes were deep and his gaze indifferent: "So what if it's related to him?"

"Can you handle him?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Shichang's expression turned even more unpleasant.

"You mean my daughter died in vain?"

"My daughter married into your Lü family, and your Lü family just stood by and watched her be forced to her death by the Prince of Lin, without doing anything?!"

Faced with Tao Shichang's questioning, Lü Fusheng merely glanced at him and calmly said, "Do you think he only came for your daughter?"

"What do you mean?"

“You know better than anyone what your Tao family has done.”

Lu Fusheng's gaze was deep: "Three months ago, the Crown Prince of Lin was assassinated in Chujiang City. Don't tell me you didn't know about this?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Shichang's eyes widened in fear, and he said coldly, "This matter has nothing to do with my Tao family! Do you also believe that my Tao family did it?"

"I don't know if you did it, but..."

Lu Fusheng's eyes turned slightly cold: "If he believes that it was your Tao family who did it, no one in your Tao family will be able to escape."

These words made Tao Shichang's face turn even paler: "What, what do you mean?!"

For some reason, he understood something from Lü Fusheng's eyes.

Did he discover something?

“You know your daughter better than I do.”

Lu Fusheng looked at him without any emotion, his eyes cold: "Considering the marriage between our two families, and that Tao Ya is now dead, I will not pursue this matter with you. But do not implicate my Lu family in the underhanded dealings of your Tao family over the years."

"If you want to take revenge on him, that's your business, but it has nothing to do with my Lü family. My Lü family will never get involved. You should give up on that idea as soon as possible."

Tao Shichang's face turned completely pale. Without the support of the Lü family, it would be as difficult as climbing to heaven for his Tao family to take revenge.

Even……

"Do you really think you can just swallow this? He's already gone too far as to bully you. Have you forgotten? This time, it's your entire Lü family who has lost face!"

Tao Shichang stared at him, gritting his teeth: "He's now being targeted by Chen Changqing. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... Chen Changqing is no pushover. With his help, what can he do even if he's the heir of the Prince of Lin?!"

Hearing Tao Shichang's words, Lü Fusheng gave him a cold look.

If Chief Chen could lend a hand, it would indeed be a good opportunity.

but……

Is it really that simple?

Lu Fusheng remained expressionless, but as he recalled the scene from just now, he felt that something was amiss.

But I can't quite put my finger on it.

……

Outside Lu's mansion.

A carriage slowly departed from the Lü residence and returned to the Secret Observatory's mansion in the capital.

The mansion was deep within its courtyards, and the halls and rooms were completely empty.

Lin Jiangnian stood quietly in the hall, looking at Chen Changqing who had entered, and asked, "What did you find?"

Chen Changqing said, "Tao Ya's death is indeed somewhat suspicious."

"How to say?"

Lin Jiangnian had already understood Chen Changqing's gaze when they were at the Lü residence. Their conversation there was nothing more than a performance, which allowed Lin Jiangnian to smoothly arrive at the Secret Observatory.

"Your Highness's appearance at the Lü family that night caused quite a stir, so I was ordered by His Majesty to investigate the matter. I sent people to monitor the Lü family's movements. But until the night Tao Ya committed suicide, no suspicious persons were found. All signs indicate that Tao Ya's death did not seem to be murdered by outsiders."

"indeed so."

Lin Jiangnian nodded.

It's very strange that even the Secret Observatory couldn't find any suspicious persons around!

All indications suggest that the possibility of outsiders silencing him has been almost entirely ruled out. Therefore, suicide seems to be the most likely explanation.

"but……"

Lin Jiang shook his head: "She would never commit suicide."

Although he had little interaction with Tao Ya, Lin Jiangnian realized from their brief encounter that the woman was not simple. She was not only smart but also very calm. He could tell from the fact that she deliberately set a trap for him that night that she was meticulous and had a backup plan.

A woman like that would never choose to commit suicide simply because her identity has been exposed.

So, having ruled out all other possibilities, only one last one remains...

Lin Jiangnian and Chen Changqing exchanged a glance, both seeing a glint of shrewdness in each other's eyes.

"Lü Fusheng?!"

"..."

(End of this chapter)