In the middle of Unitary Time, the sun was still slanting in the western sky.
The gate of Prince Zhou's Mansion was open, and Wen Rong stood in the courtyard behind the gate, quietly waiting for Wu Chengsi's return.
Suddenly, he saw Feng Ying, Ping Qi and others walking along the corridor, and asked: "Miss Feng Ying, are you going out?"
Feng Ying said solemnly: "We are here to find you!"
"Find me?"
Fengying nodded and said, "We heard that the person who stole the gold medal was Her Royal Highness the Princess's brother. Is this true?"
Wen Rong nodded and said, "Yes."
"That man fled Chang'an City?"
"right."
Feng Ying pursed her lips and said, "This guy ran away really fast."
Wen Rong asked curiously: "Why do you ask this?"
"Of course we caught him back, but since he left Chang'an City, there is nothing we can do." Feng Wu said, crossing her arms.
Dahuang said: "We can go out of the city to pursue him."
Feng Ying glared and said: "No! Our main task is to protect His Highness, we can't stay too far away from His Highness!"
Dahuang was very stubborn and said: "You stay and protect me, I will chase him alone."
Fengying thought for a while and said to Wen Rong: "Manager Wen, is this okay?"
Wen Rong smiled and said, "You are under the control of Captain Feng. As long as she agrees, there will be no problem."
Dahuang said: "Feng Wu won't object, I'm going." After saying that, he walked directly through the side door next to the gate.
Wen Rong didn't expect him to leave immediately, so he asked Fengying: "Does Captain Feng care about you?"
Feng Ying snorted: "If she was willing to take care of us, we wouldn't go to you to ask about where to stay!"
Wen Rong thought: "If there is no one to restrain them, I'm afraid they will cause trouble in the future."
He said, "Miss Fengying, you need to tell deputy captain Chen Shen what you want to do in the future."
Feng Ying frowned and said, "Do I have to report everything to him?" A look of displeasure appeared on her face.
Wen Rong smiled and said: "It's not a report, just say hello to him."
Although Feng Ying was a little reluctant, she still nodded out of concern for Wen Rong's face.
Not long after Feng Wu and others left, the sound of horse hoofbeats sounded, and Wu Chengsi finally returned.
After learning that the gold medal was stolen, Wu Chengsi only frowned and did not have much reaction.
However, when Wen Rong revealed that it was Li Jingye who stole the gold medal, Wu Chengsi's expression changed drastically and he immediately asked in detail.
After asking, he hurried as fast as flying, and soon arrived at Li Zhiying's bed. He opened the door and went in, only to see Li Zhiying sitting on the couch.
She kept staring in the direction of the door, as if she had been waiting for Wu Chengsi.
Seeing him coming back, he immediately stood up and said with a pale face: "Husband, I lost the gold medal, please punish me."
Wu Chengsi walked up to her, grabbed her hand and said, "I was afraid that you would do this. It's just a gold medal, not a big deal. If you get so angry about it, that would make me anxious."
Li Zhiying heard his concern, tears welling up in her eyes. She buried her head in his chest and swallowed: "Husband, brother... why are you doing this to me... How can I ever be sorry for him!"
Wu Chengsi patted her shoulder and said softly: "Don't cry, we don't have to shed tears for this kind of person."
Li Zhiying cried even harder. If Li Jingye had done this half a year ago, she would not have been so sad.
But after half a year of her hard work, the relationship between the brother and sister has been repaired, and she even feels that Li Jingye regards her as his only relative.
Even under such circumstances, Li Jingye still betrayed her, how could he not make her sad.
After crying for a while, Li Zhiying gradually felt better. She touched her husband's coat that was wet from crying, and said with a blushing face: "Husband, let me help you change your clothes."
Wu Chengsi said: "Don't worry, there is something I still don't understand. Why are you so sure that it was your brother who stole the gold medal? Is it because he came to the palace yesterday?"
Li Zhiying said: "When he came over with his second brother the day before yesterday, I felt that something was wrong with his attitude towards me. He did not dare to look at me or say a word to me."
"And the reason why I went out yesterday was because I received his letter. He deliberately tricked me into going out, presumably to steal the gold medal!"
Wu Chengsi nodded.
From this point of view, it was indeed Li Jingye who stole the gold medal.
But the gold medal has the greatest effect in Chang'an City, so why did he take the gold medal out?
No, maybe he didn't take it out, but gave the gold medal to someone else.
Thinking of this, Wu Chengsi's face hardened and he said: "Madam, I have to go out for a trip. I will take care of this matter. You don't have to worry too much."
Li Zhiying nodded, knowing that the theft of the gold medal was no small matter. Wu Chengsi had to deal with the aftermath and said: "Husband, I think this matter may have something to do with King Pei."
Wu Chengsi smiled and said: "I also thought of it, I was about to go to Tianlao to see Li Xian!"
After leaving the dormitory, Wu Chengsi left the house and headed towards the prison.
After passing through the gate of the Imperial City and arriving at the Tianlao Gate, he did not go in immediately. Instead, he asked the Tianlao Supervisor: "Has anyone come to Tianlao with the Queen Mother's token?"
The prison commander was stunned for a moment and said, "Your Highness, no."
Wu Chengsi didn't ask any more questions, entered the bottom floor of the prison, and came all the way to the door of the cell where Li Xian was imprisoned.
Compared with other cells in Tianlao, this cell is much cleaner and more spacious, and it also has a wooden bed and a desk.
Li Xian was lying on the wooden bed, facing inward, and did not turn around when he heard footsteps.
Wu Chengsi took a few steps to the side, but still couldn't see the face of King Pei clearly, so he could only say: "Your Highness, King Pei, are you okay recently?"
King Pei still lay there and said nothing.
A voice suddenly sounded from behind Wu Chengsi, saying coldly: "Wu Chengsi, you can ask this kind of question? If you were asked to live here for a few months, would you feel comfortable?"
Wu Chengsi turned around and saw that the person who spoke out was King Li Yuanjia of Han.
I haven't seen him for more than half a year. He is much older than when he was in Yangzhou, his hair is unkempt, and he no longer looks as good as before.
The Heavenly Prison Supervisor said angrily: "You bastard, how dare you talk to His Highness King Zhou like this, do you want to be beaten?"
King Han glanced at the prison commander with disdain and sneered: "You are a green bean-like sesame officer. You were not worthy of carrying my shoes before, but you still dare to reprimand me?"
The jailer had seen too many destitute royal family members and had no respect for them. He said coldly: "You also know that it was before, but now you are just a prisoner in the Tianlao!"
Wu Chengsi ignored the quarrel between the two. He only cared about Li Xian. Seeing that Li Xian remained motionless, he said in a deep voice: "His Royal Highness, if you don't say anything, I will come in."
King Pei finally moved. He climbed up with extremely slow movements. He glanced at Wu Chengsi and said calmly: "Why did you come to me?"
Wu Chengsi looked carefully and found that it was indeed Li Xian himself. After a long silence, he said: "Li Xian, although you and I are enemies, we have known each other for a long time. I want to give you a ride before you die."
Li Xian's eyes widened suddenly. He was stunned for a long time, lowered his head and said, "Really? This day has finally come."
The expression is mixed with fear, sadness, regret and relief.
Wu Chengsi stared at his expression for a moment, and then looked away for a long time, looked at Li Yuanjia again, and strode out of the cell.
As they walked along the prison road, the Heavenly Prison Supervisor smiled and said: "Your Highness, King Zhou, has the imperial court issued an order to kill Li Xian?"
Wu Chengsi did not answer and asked instead: "Has anyone come to see Li Xian or Li Yuanjia recently?"
The Heavenly Prison Supervisor was stunned and said: "No, no one has come to see them since they were imprisoned."
Arriving outside the prison, Wu Chengsi took a few deep breaths and looked quite gloomy.
Feng Wu was slightly confused and said, "What's wrong with you?"
Wu Chengsi said in a deep voice: "I just deliberately used words to test Li Xian. If a person learns that he is about to die, normally his expression will be very sad."
Feng Wu said: "I think he is quite sad."
Wu Chengsi nodded and said: "His expression is impeccable, without any flaws."
Feng Wu tilted her head, with an expression of "I don't understand what you are talking about."
Wu Chengsi continued: "Have you noticed Li Yuanjia's expression?"
Feng Wu raised her eyes, thought about it for a while, and said, "He doesn't seem to care much."
Wu Chengsi said solemnly: "I can see clearly, it's not that he doesn't care, but that he doesn't believe it at all!"
Feng Wu wondered: "Don't believe it?"
"Because he knows very well that what I told is a lie!"
Feng Wu crossed her arms and said, "What you said was a lie!"
Wu Chengsi said angrily: "They have been locked up in prison and no one has come to see them. How does he know the situation outside and how can he tell whether what I said is false?"
Feng Wu was stunned and said: "That's true." She didn't like to use her brain and immediately asked: "How does he know that what you said is false?"
Wu Chengsi said slowly: "Of course someone told him. If I guessed correctly, someone had been telling them about the situation outside the prison. They knew very well that the court did not intend to kill them immediately, so they naturally knew that I was lying to them."
Feng Wu asked curiously: "Then why did Li Xian show that expression?"
Wu Chengsi said with a solemn expression: "Even Li Yuanjia doesn't believe it, how could he believe it? He was afraid that I would be suspicious, so he deliberately pretended to be like that."
Feng Wu raised her eyebrows and said, "The Heavenly Prison Warden just now said that no one has come to see them, so who told them what happened outside?"
Wu Chengsi glanced at the Tianlao gate and said, "Either the prison officer lied, or the other jailers of the Tianlao were bribed."
Feng Wu's eyes flashed fiercely: "Do you want to arrest the prisoner and torture him?"
Wu Chengsi shook his head and said: "No, it is better if we do nothing and let Li Xian think that we are not aware of their flaws."
Feng Wu fell silent. She finally made a suggestion, but it was rejected again. Her enthusiasm for speaking was greatly reduced.
Wu Chengsi did not speak again, and stood outside the prison, looking in the direction of the prison, his eyes flickering.
It can now be judged that the person who instigated Li Jingye was probably King Pei, so after winning the gold medal, what King Pei wanted to do most was to be free.
Thinking of this, he ordered: "Feng Wu, find a capable person and let him squat outside the prison every day. As long as someone shows a gold medal or comes to Li Xian, report to me immediately."
Feng Wu thought for a while and said: "The heavenly prison is inside the imperial city, and it seems that ordinary people can't get in."
Wu Chengsi said: "Don't you have a Xiangjun token? Just lend it to him?"
Feng Wu said "Oh", groped around on her body, took out a silver token, and secretly rejoiced: "Fortunately, I didn't pawn it a few days ago."
When leaving the imperial city, Wu Chengsi hesitated slightly, wondering whether he should tell Wu Mei about this.
The best choice is to tell Wu Mei and then announce the loss of the gold medal to both the government and the public. Then the person who stole the gold medal will not dare to use it easily.
But in this case, Li Jingye, who stole the gold medal, will undoubtedly die, and Li Zhiying will be sad.
Not only that, Wu Chengsi also had doubts. He always felt that this matter was not as simple as it seemed, especially with so many strange things happening in the mansion one after another.
Let’s not mention his assassination for the moment. Two guards were killed, and Lu Xiong and Hongming were in danger one after another. These three incidents were probably instigated by King Pei.
It is absolutely impossible for a person like King Pei to do such a thing just to vent his anger. There must be a deeper intention, and it is probably related to the theft of the gold medal.
Thinking of this, a sudden flash occurred in his mind, and he suddenly quickened his pace and hurried towards the outside of the imperial city.
After leaving the city, he ordered one of his guards: "Invite the princess to the Wannian County Government Office immediately." After saying this, he arrived at the Wannian County Government Office as quickly as possible.
It was already the time of Xu, and all the officials in the county government office had gone to office.
When the county magistrate learned that King Zhou was visiting, he hurriedly came out of the back office to welcome him and said, "I'm going to pay homage to His Highness King Zhou."
There was a bit of anxiety in his tone, and he thought to himself: "Could it be that His Highness King Zhou came here to inquire about the murder of the guards in the palace?"
Wu Chengsi said: "No need to be polite, where are the two murdered guards in my mansion?"
The county magistrate thought: "It is indeed like this!" He hurriedly said: "We are building a house for the elderly."
"I want to see them!"
The county magistrate said: "Please come with me."
Entering the widow's house, there were three wooden boards in the dark room. On two of them, bodies were lying on them, covered with white cloth.
The temperature inside the house was much lower than outside. There was only one candle light, the windows and doors were opened a crack, and the wind blew in from the outside, making a low cry.
Wu Zuo was a middle-aged man with a pale face. He saluted Wu Chengsi and the county magistrate and said, "The cause of death of these two people was..."
Wu Chengsi waved his hand and said: "I already know the cause of death, there is no need to say more."
Wu Zuo agreed and quietly stepped aside.
Magistrate Wannian watched Wu Chengsi walk to the door and looked outside, as if he was waiting for someone, and did not dare to ask any more questions.
After a long time, a government servant came in a hurry and said: "Your Majesty, Your Highness Princess Zhou has arrived. Please go out to greet her."
The county magistrate was secretly surprised: "It turns out that King Zhou is waiting for the princess outside the palace. Why is he waiting here? Could it be that these two guards have something to do with the princess?"
"His Royal Highness King Zhou, look..."
"Let the princess come directly here."
The county magistrate said: "Yes!" He turned to the Yamen servant and said: "Why don't you please come over quickly?"
After a while, Li Zhiying came over with a big belly. Wu Chengsi came forward to meet her, held her hand and said: "Madam, I'll let you go for a while."
Li Zhiying said solemnly: "Husband, is it related to those two guards?"
Wu Chengsi nodded and said, "Yes, come over and have a look at them to see if you know them."
The two of them entered Wu Zuo's room together, and Wu Zuo had already lifted up the white cloth, revealing the corpses of the two guards.
Li Zhiying said "Ah" and said in surprise: "It's them?"
Wu Chengsi's eyes lit up: "Do you know them?"
There were many guards in the palace, and most of them might look familiar to Li Zhiying, but there were not many that she really knew, and these two people happened to be her acquaintances.
"Every time I go to see my brother incognito, Commander Lu will take the two of them with me to protect me."
Wu Chengsi's eyes flashed and he said, "The one traveling with you incognito is Hong Ming, right?"
Li Zhiying was startled, and then her expression changed drastically.
The four people who were attacked in the palace were actually the ones who followed her to see Li Jingye incognito!
"Husband, what is going on?" Li Zhiying trembled all over.
Wu Chengsi grabbed her hand and said softly: "Don't be afraid, let's go back home first and talk about it on the way."
He turned to Magistrate Wannian and said, "Sorry for disturbing you."
Magistrate Wannian said hurriedly: "What did your Highness say? It is an honor for me to serve you."
After leaving the county government office, Wu Chengsi and Li Zhiying sat in the carriage together.
"Zhiying, please tell me in detail about Li Jingye and Li Jingwu coming to the palace the day before yesterday." Wu Chengsi looked solemn.
Li Zhiying nodded and recounted every little thing from the time the two entered the house to the time they said goodbye and left.
After Wu Chengsi listened, he didn't say a word for a long time.
Li Zhiying bit her lip and said: "Husband, I understand that my brother has never planned to reconcile with me. He even hates me even more. He even wants to take revenge on those who went to see him with me!"
Wu Chengsi laughed and said: "Where are you thinking? You have misunderstood your elder brother. He has indeed sincerely reconciled with you. He was not responsible for stealing the gold medal."
Li Zhiying was stunned: "Who is he?"
Wu Chengsi narrowed his eyes and said word by word: "Your cousin Li Jingwu!"
Li Zhiying opened her eyes wide and said in disbelief: "How could it be possible? Yesterday only my brother came to the palace, but my cousin did not come. How could he steal the gold medal?"
Wu Chengsi suddenly said: "Zhiying, your brother has always been on the side of King Pei and has never interacted with us. Your cousin has just returned to the British government not long ago, and he has never come to see you, right?"
Li Zhiying said: "Yes, both brothers passed the government for the first time yesterday."
Wu Chengsi said: "From our point of view, we can naturally tell who is who at a glance, but what about the other people in our house? Who has seen your brother or cousin and can tell them apart?"
Li Zhiying lost her voice and said: "Only Hong Ming, Commander Lu and the two guards have seen my brother. The others have not seen him, and no one knows my cousin!"
Wu Chengsi nodded and said: "That's right. From other people's perspective, how should they differentiate between your brother and your cousin?"
Li Zhiying reacted very quickly: "You could tell from the fact that I talked to them, but my cousin was always stuck with my elder brother, and my eldest brother didn't reply. It was really difficult for others to tell who I was talking to!"
"That's right. And I noticed from what you just said that you only took the initiative to talk to your brother at the banquet table, and never took the initiative to talk to your cousin, right?"
Li Zhiying was stunned and said: "That's true."
She and Li Jingwu hadn't seen each other for many years, and their relationship had become cold. Moreover, the two of them were not biological siblings, so their attention was focused on Li Jingye.
Wu Chengsi sighed: "After you asked the question, your eldest brother didn't reply. Your cousin did all the talking. Others would mistake your cousin for your brother."
Li Zhiying was stunned for a while and said: "Yes, that must be why the maid recognized Li Jingwu as her elder brother. When Li Jingwu came over yesterday, she thought it was her elder brother!"
She no longer calls Li Jingwu "cousin", obviously she no longer treats him as a relative.
Her thinking suddenly became much sharper, and she analyzed: "Li Jingwu deliberately grew a beard, but his brother cut it off. It looks like Li Jingwu is much older, and other servants also recognized Li Jingwu as his brother."
Wu Chengsi nodded: "In order to use this trick, they really took great pains to attack Hong Ming, Lu Xiong and others who know your eldest brother, in order to prevent Li Jingwu from being seen by the four people when he came in yesterday."
"But Commander Lu and Hong Ming are not dead, aren't they afraid of being discovered?" Li Zhiying frowned.
"Lu Xiong was seriously injured and couldn't get off the ground easily, while Hong Ming locked herself in the room. They must have tried their best to find out the news before taking the risk!"