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

Chapter 33 Fang Xuanling: Calculation and Counter-Calculation
A bright yellow memorial was placed on the black table, with the cover inscribed with a cross: "Your servant, Li Anyan, the Prince's Household Officer, has a memorial."

Fang Xuanling placed one hand on the memorial. He did not open it, but he knew that it contained a request from the Crown Prince to go to Changxingfang to pay his respects to Lu Hu five days later.

The candlelight in the study was bright.

A faint wisp of smoke came out from the cracks in the stove next to it.

Fang Xuanling's face was gloomy and uncertain.

Five days later, the prince will go to Changxingfang to mourn and hold a memorial service for Lu Hu on the seventh day after his death.

The seventh day is the night when the soul returns.

Is the prince up to some trick?

Five or six feasible methods flashed through Fang Xuanling's mind in an instant.

If Fang Xuanling were given more time, he would be able to come up with more reliable and more vicious methods.

However, the prince's actions made Fang Xuanling feel difficult to understand.

Ever since the prince recovered from his injuries and started attending court, his actions have often surprised Fang Xuanling.

Even the various methods used are much more sophisticated and profound.

For example, in the case of Lu Hu, who could have thought that the prince would so brazenly break his leg.

Although the prince's actions were careful and no one had any evidence to link this incident to him, anyone who had been investigating the prince's broken leg, upon seeing the news that Lu Hu, the prince's servant, had a broken leg, quickly guessed that Lu Hu was related to the prince's broken leg.

Li Tai once tried to investigate whether it was Li Chengqian who directly sent people to do it, and Fang Xuanling also helped secretly, but the final result was unexpected.

Lu Hu's broken leg was all an accident.

It has nothing to do with the prince.

Many people let the matter go, but there were also a few who only considered the heart rather than the actions, and did not even look at the evidence, and completely believed that this was the prince's revenge and injury.

They also believed that Lu Hu was the one who broke the prince's leg, and there was even someone else manipulating him behind the scenes.

For example, Zhangsun Wuji, for example, the emperor.

……

With a "click", the window frame shook slightly due to the cold wind, which brought Fang Xuanling back to his senses.

He shook his head helplessly. Unless absolutely necessary, who would do anything to the prince? Are they really trying to kill themselves?

But things have come to this, and we can only deal with it step by step, starting with the crown prince.

Fang Xuanling's expression became solemn.

The Crown Prince's leg was broken. According to Fang Xuanling's original plan, he would use various means to force the Crown Prince, drive him mad, and even force him to the point of rebellion. In the end, he would depose him and make the King of Wei the Crown Prince...

However, the prince's leg was indeed broken, and he even became lame due to delayed treatment.

Of course, the prince's little tricks are indeed confusing, but as long as a royal physician is sent to investigate in detail, nothing can be hidden.

However, while the prince was using small tricks to confuse the court officials, he was also fighting back, and his counterattack was very fierce.

For example, even though Lu Hu's legs were crippled, he was still able to distance himself from the matter and make it impossible to find any evidence of his involvement. This is quite unusual.

In fact, this is not the prince in Fang Xuanling's memory at all.

The prince doesn't have this means.

Someone is helping him, who is it?

Yu Zhining?
Fang Xuanling shook his head slightly. Yu Zhining was a man who could teach and educate people, but this kind of calculating method was not like him.

Zhang Xuansu?
Fang Xuanling shook his head again. Zhang Xuansu had always been imitating Wei Zheng. He was fine as a minister of remonstration, but his method of giving advice was not like him.

Li Anyan?
He was just a fighter on the battlefield. He could not come up with such sophisticated and interconnected tactics.

If he is not an old employee of the Prince’s Eastern Palace, then he must be a newcomer.

Dai Zhide.

Fang Xuanling's expression became solemn. The person who was plotting behind the scenes this time was probably the young man Dai Zhide.

Dai Zhou's son passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a Chao San Lang in the sixth year of Zhenguan. After Dai Zhou's death, he inherited the title of Dao Guo Gong and was promoted to the rank of Guerrilla General, and served as the Prince's Right Guard General.

A Jinshi, who was a civil official of Chao San Lang, was transferred to the military official of Youji General, and at the same time served as Lang Jiang of the Right Guard of the Crown Prince.

The emperor's arrangement made Fang Xuanling smell something different.

Are they from the Baiqi Division?

As a Jinshi, serving as a Hundred Cavalry Commander requires not only brains but also skills. Such a person is absolutely capable and has a good future.

But is he intervening now because the crown prince has been deposed, and will this affect his career? Cui Qian.

Fang Xuanling couldn't help but think of Cui Qian, and his face became solemn. Dai Zhide had already locked onto Cui Qian, the Dali Temple was also watching Cui Qian, and the Qianniu Guards were also watching Cui Qian. It meant that the emperor had seen through Cui Qian, and Cui Qian was very close to him, Fang Xuanling.

Although Cui Qian was extremely careful every time he entered Fang Mansion, it was inevitable that someone would occasionally see something. If the Baiqi Division really had to intervene and conduct a detailed investigation, who knew what they would find out.

Now the prince has some doubts about him.

Of course, the Crown Prince was just as suspicious of everyone else, but he was the most suspicious. After all, Fang Jun was currently serving as a military officer in the Prince of Wei's palace...

"Bang bang bang" the study door was suddenly knocked, and Fang Yiai's voice rang out from outside the door: "Father!"

Fang Xuanling breathed a sigh of relief, looked up and said, "Come in."

……

With a "squeak" sound, the door was pushed open.

Fang Yiai, dressed in a crimson official robe, walked into the study and closed the door behind him. He then stepped forward and bowed earnestly to Fang Xuanling, saying, "Greetings, Father!"

Fang Xuanling looked at Fang Yiai's official robe and frowned: "Why, just came back from the Prince of Wei's Mansion?"

"Yes!" Fang Yiai looked up and said carefully, "Father, the incident involving the Crown Prince's servant Lu Hu has been making a lot of noise lately. Some say that Lu Hu was responsible for the Crown Prince's broken leg earlier this year, and that the man behind Lu Hu's actions might be the King of Wei."

Fang Xuanling was slightly stunned, then he laughed.

"Erlang." Fang Xuanling looked at Fang Yiai and asked, "You've been in the Prince of Wei's mansion for so long. Do you think the Prince of Wei did this?"

Fang Yiai was slightly taken aback, then he bowed and said, "I dare not deceive you, Father. The King of Wei has this intention, but he doesn't have the courage, and he can't do it. He and Lu Hu don't even know each other, let alone ordering him to harm the prince."

Fang Xuanling sneered slightly, leaned back, and said casually: "Very good, if someone asks you, just say so."

"Aye!" Fang Yiai looked up in surprise.

Fang Xuanling shook his head slightly and said, "During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, there was the deposed Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, the Prince of Qi Li Yuanji, and the current... The affairs of the Prince of Qin's Palace naturally need not be elaborated upon, but when the deposed Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi started fighting, they were also very crazy, and they kept many things secret from their subordinates."

"Aye, you mean the King of Wei..." Fang Yiai's face was full of horror, but halfway through his words, he lowered his head as if he thought of something, and his face suddenly became ugly.

"What's wrong?" Fang Xuanling sat up straight.

Fang Yiai took a deep breath and said, "Today, someone was spying outside the Prince of Wei's mansion. When the prince went out to arrest him, the person had already escaped. So we guessed that someone might be suspicious of the Prince of Wei. However, when the Prince of Wei learned about this, his face turned a little grim."

Fang Xuanling nodded gently and said, "If His Majesty asks you in the future, you must tell the truth. As for the rest, you don't know and you were not involved."

"Yes!" Fang Yiai finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"There are still people spying on the prince's palace. Next time, if they are caught, they will be sent directly to the Dali Temple. I, your father, want to see who dares to spy on the Prince of Wei's palace." A hint of coldness flashed across Fang Xuanling's mouth.

"Yes!" Fang Yiai accepted the order solemnly.

"Calm down all matters with tranquility." Fang Xuanling looked at Fang Yiai and said with concern, "The most important thing for the Prince of Wei's Palace right now is to compile the Comprehensive Geography. Put all other matters aside... If the Prince of Wei asks, tell him these four words."

"Yes!" Fang Yiai bowed solemnly, looked up, and saw Fang Xuanling already bent over to deal with official documents. He quickly said, "Son, I'll take my leave."

Fang Xuanling waved his hand gently, and Fang Yiai bowed again and left the study.

……

With a creaky sound, the study door was closed again, and Fang Xuanling raised his head.

But at this time, his expression couldn't help but relax.

Prince, you are still too young.

Or perhaps Dai Zhide is still too young.

They may have some suspicions, but there are too many people for them to suspect, and it is difficult to do anything without evidence.

Lu Hu died. Although Cui Qian was suspected, he had little to do with Lu Hu's death. At most, he just passed on a message. It was difficult to get him to speak.

That's why they were forced to stare at King Wei, wanting to see if there was any connection between Cui Qian and King Wei, but unfortunately, they had no connection at all.

But, Cui Qian finally knew too much.

And Dai Zhide has already exposed him, who knows what the future will be like?

Fang Xuanling turned sideways to look into the darkness of the west wing and said calmly, "Tell the people in Yankangfang that they can start now."

In the darkness, a tall, black-clad, masked woman walked out and asked with a strange voice, "When?"

"Five days from now, on the night of Lu Hu's seventh day." Fang Xuanling raised his head, looked at the wooden beams on the roof, and said softly, "The Crown Prince will obviously do something that day, so let Cui Qian die on that day as well. It will be perfect."

"Yes!" The masked woman bowed, then silently retreated into the darkness, and the silence dissipated.

(End of this chapter)