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

Chapter 67 Fang Yiai has no choice

In the Chongjiao Hall, a boat-shaped silver ingot less than two inches in size was placed diagonally on a wooden box on the table.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, looked at Dai Zhide and asked, "I'm afraid this silver ingot was not made by a private person. It's so crude. Dai Qing, can you tell me in detail how it came about?"

Li Anyan, Du He, Helan Chushi, Qin Huaidao and others stood on both sides, all looking at Dai Zhide.

"I was ordered to deliver a New Year's gift to the home of the Imperial Physician, Xie Jiqing. Unfortunately, Xie Jiqing was not off duty at that time, so I helped Madam Xie deliver the gift to the storeroom. I accidentally knocked over a box containing ten silver ingots.

"I didn't think much of it at first, but suddenly I realized that the missing teeth on these silver ingots are exactly the same as the silver ingots that Yongzhou Prefecture found at Zhou Cang's residence in Zhuoying County." As Dai Zhide finished speaking, his expression grew serious.

Everyone suddenly became solemn. They immediately ignored the words "unintentional", "warehouse", and "coincidentally" that Dai Zhide said, and their eyes were fixed on the silver insulator.

"Xie Jiqing probably wouldn't be able to do anything to a Jinwu Guard commander." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly, then looked up at Dai Zhide and asked, "So, do you have any evidence to prove who delivered these silver ingots to Xie Yiling's home?"

Dai Zhide hesitated for a moment, then bowed and said, "Although there is no evidence, the last time... I was escorting Doctor Xie back to the palace, I accidentally discovered that Fang Yiai, the military officer of Prince Yong's palace, had met with Doctor Xie privately, and not just once..."

"Fang Yiai, is he crazy?" Du He immediately looked up, gnashing his teeth as he bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Highness, I will capture him right now and confess my guilt to you!"

Du He and Fang Yiai were almost friends since childhood, but they gradually went their separate ways later.

But even so, Du He married Princess Chengyang and Fang Yiai married Princess Gaoyang, and they immediately became brothers-in-law.

It is difficult to completely hate each other and kill each other.

Li Chengqian gently waved his hand and said, "Don't worry. Although Fang Er met with Xie Yiling in private, there is no evidence to prove that this thing was given to him by Fang Er. So, keep a rubbing of this thing first and see if you can find something similar from Fang Er in the future and compare them. Now... Helan, you go there in person and deliver this thing to the medical box that Xie Yiling carries with him."

"In the medical kit you carry with you?" Helan Chushi looked at Li Chengqian in surprise.

Li Chengqian sneered softly and said, "I just want him to know that he has been exposed. I want him to live a restless life day and night for the whole year. At the same time, I also want to see who he will contact at this time. If they still take those silver ingots..."

"Stir up trouble and catch the culprit in the act." Dai Zhide said this subconsciously, and then bowed solemnly to Li Chengqian.

Du He looked at Dai Zhide in surprise, then at Li Chengqian. Li Chengqian nodded gently, "That's right. Go ahead, Helan, and be more agile."

"Yes!" Helan Chushi bowed solemnly, then picked up the silver insulator and quickly turned around and left.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and said, "Everyone go and get busy. Du He stays here."

"Yes!" Everyone bowed, glanced at Du He briefly, and then retreated.

……

After everyone left, Du He looked at Li Chengqian and said with a bow, "Your Highness."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Erlang, find a way to accidentally reveal the matter of Yinting to Fang Er."

"Tell it to Fang Yiai?" Du He looked at Li Chengqian with some confusion and said, "Your Highness, this is a perfect opportunity... I understand."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "This is a choice I'm giving him. If he's smart enough to do nothing, or even completely distance himself from the matter, then I'll naturally let him go. But if he persists, or even..."

"Then he deserves to die." Du Hemin bowed solemnly.

"Go ahead." Li Chengqian smiled and waved his hand, and Du He bowed and retreated.

Only when Du He's back disappeared from his sight did Li Chengqian's expression gradually turn cold.

If we alert the enemy, one strike will not be enough.

It's like killing someone, how can one time be enough?

Fang Yiai had no choice.

……

Yongzhou official residence, the backyard lobby.

Hou Junji tapped the table lightly, looked at Helan Chushi with dissatisfaction, and said, "So you sent the silver ingot back?"

"Yes, father-in-law." Helan Chushi took out a piece of origami from his sleeve and unfolded it in front of Hou Junji, saying, "But I made an extra copy of the missing tooth of the silver ingot."

Hou Junji looked carefully at the rubbing in front of him and asked, "Are you sure this is the same one you found at Zhou Cang's place?"

"I've compared them," Helan Chushi said, bowing gently. "Hmm!" Hou Junji nodded gently, his face thoughtful as he continued, "So, if the silver ingot in Xie Jiqing's home was a gift from Fang Yiai, then the one in Zhou Cang's home must also have been from Fang Yiai. He was the one who ordered the murder of the crown prince and then murdered him to silence him."

"The prince said that there is a lack of evidence." Helan Chushi bowed seriously.

"Evidence is easy to find. We just need to go to Fang Yiai's mansion... No, these things belong to the Prince of Wei. Unless we search the Prince of Wei's mansion," Hou Junji said, looking embarrassed. He shook his head and muttered to himself, "No one can search the Prince of Wei's mansion without an imperial decree, so there will be no evidence."

"That's why the prince designed to alert the enemy, but this will take time." Helan Chushi's expression became serious.

"Yes, Fang Yiai won't be so easily fooled. He might even send other assassins... No, that's not necessarily the case. Catching Fang Yiai in the act is too difficult." Hou Junji looked ahead and said softly, "Unless the assassins in Luoyang can be captured and sent to Chang'an, or both sides can be sent to Your Majesty at the same time..."

Hou Junji suddenly looked up at Helan Chushi and said, "Helan, do you think you can tell His Majesty about this?"

Helan Chushi was slightly stunned. He didn't understand what was going on for a moment.

"Open and covert fighting, brothers killing each other, are now brought before Your Majesty. Fang Yiai is unlucky, but we will not have a good ending either." Hou Junji closed his eyes gently.

He knew the emperor too well. Although he always condoned the fratricide between his sons intentionally or unintentionally, he was most reluctant to face the situation when the bottom line was broken.

"But this kind of thing is the King of Wei..." Helan Chushi couldn't help but refute.

Hou Junji shook his head and said, "The King of Wei will be fine, but we will be... Therefore, someone needs to bear the emperor's wrath in this matter. Who should it be?"

Hou Junji suddenly lowered his head and looked at the paper in his hand. Looking at the silver ingot imprint on it, he squinted his eyes and said, "The prince said that this thing was made privately, right?"

"Father-in-law, it is not against the law to privately forge silver ingots." Helan Chushi didn't understand what Hou Junji was trying to say.

"Different silver ingots made by different people have different markings. So what about that jade Buddha?" Hou Junji looked up at Helan Chushi and said, "That jade Buddha was carved by someone. We should be able to find out who carved it, right?"

"You can give it a try!" Helan Chushi's expression gradually became serious, and he said with a folded hand: "I will check it out right away."

"Be careful!"

……

"Tibetan?" Hou Junji looked at the two extremely similar three-inch jade Buddhas on the table in disbelief.

"Yes." Although Helan Chushi was equally surprised, he nodded and said, "There are a lot of these things on the market recently. It may be related to the Tibetans coming to Chang'an to propose marriage. Especially at the end of the year, they sent expensive gifts to many princes and dukes."

"We have it too?" Hou Junji looked up in surprise.

"Yes, the prince has some too." Helan Chushi nodded seriously.

"Prince, Prince..." Hou Junji suddenly narrowed his eyes slightly. Prince, could he have already known that the Tibetans were involved?

Shaking his head slightly, Hou Junji regained his composure and said, "Remember when the Jinwu Guards were investigating a case, Zhou Cang originally organized a team, but later stopped, and something went wrong."

"It was a Tibetan. The Prince of Wei's Mansion was looking for someone, but they found out it was the Prince of Jin, so Fang Yiai stopped. But the Tibetans intervened again, so Zhou Cang had to take action. Something went wrong, so Fang Yiai killed people to silence them." Helan Chushi finally came to his senses.

Hou Junji looked up calmly, he was so slow to realize it, but he quickly shook his head, those involved in this matter were all evil people, Helan who was usually not bad now seemed inferior.

"In Luoyang, Li Yifu, Zhang Wenguan, and Su Dingfang are all investigating. They'll be sent to Chang'an soon. As for Xie Jiqing, if Fang Yiai can't resist taking action, the Crown Prince will also find evidence against him." Hou Junji sighed and said, "This year's New Year will be much more lively."

"There are also Tibetans who are trying to disrupt the peace in Chang'an." Helan Chushi's expression gradually became solemn.

"The prince doesn't like Tibetans." Hou Junji smiled lightly, with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"The Tibetans." Helan Chushi suddenly raised his eyebrows and whispered, "Father-in-law, will the Tibetans go to the palace for the New Year's Eve banquet this year?"

"I think so." Hou Junji nodded. Suddenly, his face darkened. He looked at Helan Chushi and asked, "What about our mansion?"

"His Majesty hasn't issued an order yet." Helan Chushi was slightly stunned, then said comfortingly: "Perhaps, the imperial edict has not yet come down."

"What are we doing here at a royal family gathering? Most people wouldn't even have time to hide." Hou Junji looked up at Helan Chushi and said, "Go keep an eye on Xie Jiqing. When they catch the killer, I, your father-in-law, will go to the palace immediately."

"Yes!" Helan Chushi bowed seriously. For some reason, he felt that if Fang Yiai really chose to kill someone, it would definitely be on New Year's Eve.

On New Year’s Eve, the emperor held a banquet for the kings in Taiji Palace.

Fang Yiai had no choice.

(End of this chapter)