Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 133: Su Qing, Zhang Qing, you and Li Yifu should go to Luoyang again (Part )

At the Yongzhou Prefecture official residence, an assistant clerk walked quickly into the hall and said, "Your Highness, the Sima of the King of Wei and the military officer of the King of Wei request an audience."

"Let them in." Li Chengqian looked up and said.

"Yes!" The assistant official immediately turned around and left.

Looking outside the hall, Li Chengqian pondered for a moment.

Li Tai went to the palace to accuse Li Chengqian of sending someone to assassinate him, but he probably did not inform Su Xu and Chai Lingwu at all.

If the two of them knew about it, they would never allow Li Tai to use such despicable means.

These two people should not be underestimated, especially Chai Lingwu.

All the clues indicate that the person who acted as a matchmaker between Qi Zhixuan and Li Tai was Chai Lingwu.

But to be honest, Li Chengqian still doesn't quite understand what role Chai Lingwu played in this matter.

Chai Lingwu was the second son of Chai Shao and Princess Pingyang, the younger brother of General Chai Zhewei of the Right Guard, and the husband of Princess Baling.

Later, when Changsun Wuji destroyed Li Ke, in addition to implicating Prince of Jing Li Yuanjing, Fang Yiai and Chai Lingwu, Princess Gaoyang and Princess Baling were also sentenced to death for treason.

Gao Yang deserved the death penalty, but what about Princess Baling?
There is something wrong with this family!

……

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is here to pay his respects to you." Su Xu and Chai Lingwu stood in the hall and bowed at the same time.

The ministers on both sides of the hall looked at the two of them with scrutiny in their eyes.

Although the prince said that there must be an assassination in the Prince of Wei's mansion, his meaning was actually very clear. Whether it happened or not, it must have happened.

In other words, the prince also admitted that the assassination might be fake.

Although Li Tai was a prince and could call a horse a zebra, the people from Yongzhou Prefecture, Dali Temple and Jinwu Guard were all experienced in solving cases. They had long been suspicious because they could not find any clues in a major case like the assassination of the prince.

It’s just because it was said by the King of Wei that the matter cannot be denied.

Now seeing Su Xu and Chai Lingwu, the scrutiny in everyone's eyes, as well as the dissatisfaction hidden behind the scrutiny, were all directed at the two of them.

Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly and said, "No need to be so polite."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Su Xu and Chai Lingwu saluted again.

Li Chengqian looked at the two men and asked, "How is the internal investigation of the Prince of Wei's mansion going? How did the assassin get so close to the Prince of Wei so easily? Have you found any loopholes?"

"Your Highness," Chai Lingwu said, bowing, "It's almost the end of the year, and the palace guards are inevitably a bit slack, which is why the thieves have an opportunity to take advantage."

"He is also someone who knows the Prince of Wei's Palace very well!" Li Chengqian raised his head slightly. He couldn't help but feel a little confused. How could Qi Zhixuan know so much about the Prince of Wei's Palace?

"Your Highness is absolutely right." Chai Lingwu lowered his head and sighed softly. He didn't know what was going on with this sudden assassination.

"The assassin's assassination attempt failed and he left the Prince of Wei's palace. However, the Yongzhou Prefecture and the Jinwu Guards reacted very quickly. This person must have been blocked in Chang'an City. Therefore, how to find this person among the nearly one million people in Chang'an City is the key."

Li Chengqian turned to look at Du Ruo, the military officer of Yongzhou Judicial Department, and asked, "Mr. Du, how can Yongzhou Prefecture find someone in this situation?"

Du Ruo immediately stood up and said, "Your Highness, I have ordered the county lieutenants of Chang'an and Wannian counties to mobilize the district officials and other criminals in the city to investigate. However, without a portrait of the thief, the investigation is difficult."

"Sima Su, Army General Chai." Li Chengqian turned to look at Su Xu and Chai Lingwu, who immediately bowed and said, "Yes!"

"We must have a portrait of the thief, even with the slightest detail. Now, please go back to the Prince of Wei's Mansion and bring General Du and the painters from Yongzhou Prefecture, Chang'an, Wannian, Jinwu Guard, Dali Temple, and Qianniu Guard. Go to the Prince of Wei's Mansion together and find anyone who has seen the thief, even if it's just his back, and draw him." Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly.

Previously, Su Xu and Chai Lingwu did not allow people from Yongzhou Prefecture and the Dali Temple to enter and investigate.

Su Xu was the son-in-law of Princess Nanchang, and Chai Lingwu was the son-in-law of Princess Baling. They were involved in the assassination of the prince. The two of them prevented outsiders from entering on the grounds that they needed the emperor's order. However, they never imagined that the person the emperor finally sent to investigate the case was the prince.

When the King of Wei was assassinated, the first person the two thought of was the Crown Prince.

But soon, the two rejected this idea.

Firstly, both of them knew that the prince now had a huge advantage in the battle for the crown prince position and would never use such self-defeating means.

Secondly, they also knew that the Eastern Palace now had very few people outside the palace and did not have the ability to assassinate and then escape.

"Yes!" Su Xu and Chai Lingwu immediately bowed in response.

"Go ahead." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly.

"Yes!"

"Sima Qu and Dai Qing should go too." Li Chengqian looked up, and Yongzhou Sima Qu Jing and Dai Zhide immediately stood up with their hands clasped, and then followed Su Xu, Chai Lingwu and Du Ruo.

Qu Jing is Hou Junji's deputy, and Dai Zhide is not only the head of the Dali Temple but also a close confidant of the Eastern Palace. If the two of them were to come forward and then pretend to obey but secretly disobey, it would be a disrespect to the Crown Prince. ...

After the few people left, Li Chengqian said calmly, "Those who are not involved should leave first."

"Yes!" All the other officials of Yongzhou Prefecture turned around and left, leaving only Hou Junji, Chang He, Su Dingfang, Helan Chushi, Hu Yan, and Zhang Wenguan in the hall.

At this time, Li Chengqian finally asked, "I heard that the Qianniu Guards made some gains outside the residence of Supervisory Censor Wang An today?"

Chang He glanced at Helan Chushi, then bowed and said, "Your Highness, we did find some clues, but the man later jumped into the canal and escaped... Your Highness is saying that it was that man who assassinated His Highness the Prince of Wei."

Chang He suddenly came to his senses and his expression became stern.

It was the Crown Prince's order to have the Thousand Bull Guards monitor Wang An's residence, and the ones mobilized were also the Thousand Bull Guards from the Eastern Palace.

However, how could the affairs of the Qianniu Guard be concealed from Chang He, the General of the Left Qianniu Guard, so later many places were taken over by people sent by Chang He.

"Perhaps." Li Chengqian tapped the table lightly and said, "If it really is that person, then his most important priority is not to stay in Chang'an City, but to escape from Chang'an City. Now, please ask the Earl of Wushui County to immediately send people to the various gates of Chang'an to inquire whether anyone has left the city today with tokens from the Prince of Wei's Palace, the Princess of Nanchang's Palace, the Princess of Baling's Palace, and the Princess of Gaoyang's Palace, and has fled the capital in a panic after leaving the city."

"Yes!" Chang He bowed solemnly.

"If there is, find out where that person went and how long he was gone, and then follow that clue to investigate." Li Chengqian looked at Chang He, nodded and smiled, "Wushui County's Bobi Gu is familiar with this matter."

"I obey your command." Chang He bowed, then quickly turned and left.

Li Chengqian calmly watched Chang He leave, then turned to look at Hou Junji and said, "Duke Chen, the Earl of Wushui County is always like this... like this..."

"Smart." Hou Junji bowed slightly and said, "Wushui County Earl has always been sharp and alert. He will never appear where he shouldn't be, but he knows everything."

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian turned to look at Hu Yan, the Junior Official of the Dali Temple, and asked, "Sir Hu, are you still keeping an eye on the Xueyantuo envoy?"

"Still watching." Hu Yan stood up and bowed, his expression cautious. "According to investigation, the Xueyantuo envoys plan to leave Chang'an after the New Year and return to Mobei. All their guards and officials are also in Chang'an."

"Chang'an is prosperous, and they don't want to leave easily." Li Chengqian smiled, then looked at Su Dingfang and asked, "Su Qing, I heard that you went to Luoyang last year?"

"Yes!" Su Dingfang immediately bowed, looking slightly surprised and somewhat confused.

"Please go to Luoyang again. Bring Zhang Qing with you, and call the Censor Li Yifu. The three of you should go to Luoyang together and ask at the checkpoints along the way if there are any people rushing from Chang'an to Luoyang." Li Chengqian looked up and said softly, "It's the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month. At this time, there are not many people traveling from Chang'an to Luoyang. So, capture him alive."

"Yes!" Su Dingfang and Zhang Wenguan immediately bowed, then turned and left. When they arrived outside the Yongzhou official residence, Li Yifu was already waiting.

Li Chengqian then turned to Hou Junji and Hu Yan and said, "After the person is captured, hand him over to the Qianniu Guard for interrogation. Yongzhou Prefecture and the Dali Temple will arrest him based on the confession provided by the Qianniu Guard. Be prepared."

"Yes!" Hou Junji and Hu Yan looked at each other with stern expressions.

The arrangements made by the Crown Prince at the Yongzhou official residence today clearly show that he has a clear idea in his mind.

It seems confusing to have a hammer on the left and a stick on the right, but that's actually the reason.

Conceal your true thoughts and make it difficult for people to understand your purpose.

Su Xu, Chai Lingwu, and Chang He probably didn't know that Li Chengqian had already identified the assassin and went to Luoyang.

If all this is connected to what happened last year, then this case must be related to King Wei.

This person might actually be the King of Wei's man.

Therefore, after the person is caught, the matter will be handed over to the Qianniu Guards to handle, after all, there is the possibility of anyone else intervening.

At the same time, it is also protecting them.

The prince was very scheming and had a sharp vision. Both of them felt that he was almost as capable as them.

This is already a huge compliment.

Hou Junji was a commander-in-chief of the army who had fought for many years, and Hu Yan was a Shaoqing of the Dali Temple who had witnessed countless cases. When they looked at Li Chengqian in this way, they had already recognized that even if Li Chengqian put aside his status as the crown prince, his abilities in all aspects were enough to be on par with theirs.

……

The night is deep and the evening drums are beating.

The curfew in Chang'an City is approaching.

Su Xu and Chai Lingwu rode out of the Prince of Wei's mansion. Chai Lingwu sighed softly and said, "Uncle, the news has been confirmed. The Prince of Wei has been confined to the Purple Cloud Pavilion by His Majesty."

"Why?" Su Xu turned to look at Chai Lingwu and asked, "Why was His Majesty confining me to my room after I reported the assassination of the King of Wei to His Majesty? What was the real story behind the assassination of the King of Wei? Why was the Crown Prince the one handling it?"

"I do not know!"

(End of this chapter)