"Presumably, he was not just trying to demonstrate to me, but his ultimate goal was to destroy and burn the evidence left by Jiang Fengnian."
Luo Jiuli gritted his teeth.
"The arson case in Jiang Mansion was really done by him. This old man was really cruel and ruthless. Thirteen lives were taken! How could he do it?"
Xiao Mingxuan said:
"So far, all signs point to him, and he must be closely related to this case."
At the same time, inside Fengyi Palace in the Imperial City.
"Why not King Zhao? But Hu Jue?"
The graceful queen was half leaning on the beauty's couch, holding a stove in her hand, her bright red fingers tapping the wall of the stove every now and then.
Opposite the queen, sat the virtuous king Xiao Zhuhan, who was tall and handsome, with clear and cold eyebrows. Even if he didn't speak, he looked a bit graceful.
"King Zhao."
Xiao Zhuhan's tone was calm and calm, making it impossible to tell what kind of emotion he was feeling, or even to tell whether he was happy or angry on his face.
"Does the Queen Mother think that with his ability, he can really stand out among the other princes?"
The queen looked up at her prince and smiled thoughtfully.
"For King Zhao to reach this point, Hu Jue and the advisers behind him are indispensable."
"The emperor valued martial arts, so King Zhao went to the battlefield and won military merits. But did he really get his military merits based on his own ability? I'm afraid it's more than that."
"Even your mother understands this truth, how come your father doesn't understand it?"
Speaking of the emperor, there was no trace of warmth in the queen's eyes, but only indifference.
Xiao Zhuhan listened to his mother's words, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.
"This is the brilliance of my father. Behind Hu Jue is the Queen Mother and Concubine Hu. The former dynasty's disciples are intertwined. If we can't eliminate them, it will leave disasters."
"In this case, it is better to plan it slowly. On the one hand, it will give Hu Jue the glory he wants, and on the other hand, he will catch his mistakes and eat away at the rights in his hands bit by bit."
"In this way, it will not cause backlash, but also give Hu Jue and his disciples the illusion that the father is still afraid of the Queen Mother and the Sima Mansion."
This is also the fundamental reason why he pointed the Jiang Mansion arson case and the thirteen murder cases at Hu Jue.
Only the more mistakes Hu Jue makes, even to the point of anger and resentment, the closer Hu Jue's death will be.
Once Hu Jue died and the Great Sima Mansion fell, the two female relatives, the Queen Mother and Hu Guifei, had nothing to fear.
As for the idiot King Zhao, without Hu Jue's support behind him, wouldn't it be easy to catch him if he packs it up?
"This is imperial power. The most important thing about imperial power is balance. Only with the balance of the forces below can the emperor sit firmly on the throne."
The queen didn't seem to agree with her prince's views.
"Balance? Huh! You are too good at putting gold on your father's face."
"To put it bluntly, my father is just using Hu Jue to suppress your grandfather's side."
"Your grandfather, a first-class prime minister, has been suppressed by Hu Jue for so many years, and you, the legitimate prince, have not been appointed as the crown prince--"
"Mother, be careful what you say."
Xiao Zhuhan interrupted the queen's words, his face surprisingly calm.
"Although this is the Queen Mother's Fengyi Palace, it is inevitable that the walls have ears. It's better not to say such things."
The queen was startled, and realized that her son's calm mind was definitely not comparable to that idiot King Zhao.
"Mother understands that she can just think about it in her heart."
In fact, because of the matter of establishing the crown prince, she had some opinions on the emperor.
Xiao Zhuhan glanced at his mother, his eyebrows clear and sparse.
"The queen mother lives deep in the harem and knows little about the affairs of the previous dynasty."
"My grandfather once told his son that people should not be too popular. Only by restraining their sharp edges appropriately can everyone feel at ease."
"After all, under the imperial power, the love between husband and wife, father and son, and brotherhood are as weak as a piece of paper and cannot withstand any test."
After saying that, he stood up, dressed in a moon-white satin robe, which made him even more gentle and jade-like, yet exuding an outstanding nobility.
"Mother, my sons and ministers must retire."
After saying that, without waiting for the queen to speak, she turned around and walked out of the palace door.
"Emperor...son."
The queen's words were swallowed back as her son left.
This is the son she gave birth to in ten months of pregnancy, who has the same cold temperament as her.
She behaves in a manner that is not alienated from others, but not too close. Even with her, the queen, she can be polite but maintain a certain distance.
The queen put her hand on her chest and murmured to herself.
"Why, I feel so lost."
——
Luo Jiuli thought Xiao Mingxuan would take her somewhere, but she never thought that the carriage would actually stop at the door of the Ninth Prince's Mansion.
"Let's go."
Xiao Mingxuan held her back.
"Your Majesty...are you bringing me to the palace?"
Xiao Mingxuan turned around and curled his lips.
"You'll know when you get in."
Luo Jiuli was confused, what do you know?
The two got off the carriage.
"Your Majesty, Second Miss."
The housekeeper seemed to have been waiting at the door for a long time, and there were more guards at the door than usual.
Xiao Mingxuan gave a faint hum and pulled Luo Jiuli into the house. Qin Yin followed closely behind him.
Luo Jiuli has been to Jiuwang Mansion countless times, so he is naturally very familiar with it.
But today, Xiao Mingxuan did not take her back to the backyard. Instead, he held her hand and walked all the way to the school grounds in the northwest corner.
Speaking of which, she had come to Jiuwang Mansion many times, but this was the first time she came to the school grounds.
There are no elegant and leisurely pavilions or sparkling lakes here. This is an independent and private house.
A three-foot-high wall separated all the scenery in the school grounds.
I heard from the housekeeper that this is a forbidden area for everyone inside and outside the mansion.
Because, here there is not only a spacious and strict school ground, but also a secret underground chamber and torture hall.
As soon as Luo Jiuli followed Xiao Mingxuanfu into the gate of the school grounds, a slight and chilly breath appeared in the originally dead air in the camp.
She thought there was no one here, but the moment they entered, everyone, whether they were in the light or hidden in the dark, all appeared and knelt down.
The body, as sharp as a blade, knelt down humbly. Although no sound came out, everyone's nerves tensed up in an instant.
Luo Jiuli's heart was slightly shaken, and she turned to look at Xiao Mingxuan silently.
He didn't say a word, his face was cold and noble, his demeanor was cold, and his whole body exuded a strong coercion that made people awed and convinced.
This is his true courage.
Luo Jiuli thought truthfully, and her fingers unconsciously clenched his big hand.
Xiao Mingxuan seemed to feel the change in her mood and turned to look at her.
"Afraid?"
Luo Jiuli shook his head.
"With your prince here, I can accompany you through mountains of swords and seas of fire."
"What's more, this is the Ninth Prince's Mansion, the prince's territory."