lcionline Chapter 131 Secret Message
Chapter 131 Secret Message
Upon hearing this, Chu Jingru was startled and hurriedly asked, "Qu Dacheng? He is the captain of my personal guard, how could he betray me?"
Princess Changning's gaze was cold as she explained, "Father, Qu Dacheng is colluding with the Qin and Liu families in Jinhua County and is suspected of hiding prohibited weapons. If it weren't for Captain Liu's timely discovery, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Upon hearing this, Chu Jingru broke out in a cold sweat. He had never imagined that such a huge crisis was lurking around him.
He was filled with rage: "Qu Dacheng dared to collude with the rebels and plant spies right under my nose! Liu Shan, Xu Bo! Investigate this case thoroughly immediately, and kill all those involved!"
"Father, wait!" Princess Changning suddenly grabbed Chu Jingru's arm, her eyes icy. "The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. Acting rashly may alert them. Xu Bo, you lead fifty elite soldiers to surround and capture Qu Dacheng; Liu Shan, you take the tiger tally and mobilize the personal guards to launch a surprise attack on the Zhao residence—remember, I want both prisoners and irrefutable evidence!"
Liu Shan and Xu Bo exchanged a glance and replied in unison, "Your subordinate obeys!"
Chu Jingru stared blankly at his daughter's decisive demeanor, then suddenly pulled out a bronze tiger tally from his pocket and said with a wry smile, "Ning'er, this personal guard battalion... is entrusted to you."
After saying this, he shoved the tiger tally heavily into Liu Shan's hand, saying, "Liu Lieutenant, I... am getting old."
Liu Shan took the tiger tally and was shocked, knowing that this was a sign of the King of Kang's trust in him.
He nodded solemnly: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will not fail in my mission!"
Xu Bo also solemnly replied, "Your Highness, I will do my utmost to ensure that the traitors do not escape justice!"
Chu Jingru nodded and watched the two leave, but his heart was still unsettled.
He turned to Princess Changning and sighed, "Ning'er, if you hadn't discovered it in time, I would have almost made a terrible mistake."
Princess Changning gently comforted Prince Kang, while asking with a hint of curiosity, "Father, Ge Yuniang has been married into the royal family for some time now, why haven't you noticed the scars on her body?"
Chu Jingru blushed and stammered, "I...she...this...when we're intimate, she's always shy and...unwilling to take off her clothes."
Princess Changning blushed; she hadn't realized that such a thing could actually be done while clothed.
……
The night was as dark as ink, but the Zhao family's warehouse was brightly lit.
As Zhao Tingxiao was directing his confidants to move boxes of crossbows into the storeroom, a cold laugh suddenly came from outside the door: "Young Master Zhao, are you busy so late at night preparing dowry for Lord Qu?"
Zhao Tingxiao turned around in shock, only to see Liu Shan standing in front of the door with a knife, his personal guards surrounding the courtyard.
"Liu...Lieutenant Liu..." Zhao Tingxiao forced a smile, "What do you mean by this?"
Liu Shan slowly approached, the tip of his knife flicking up a crossbow bolt from the box: "Possessing military crossbows and colluding with traitors. Zhao Tingxiao, do you know this is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family?"
Zhao Tingxiao's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he suddenly shouted, "Attack!"
More than twenty men in black leaped out of the warehouse in an instant, their blades flashing like snow as they slashed at Liu Shan!
"Stubborn fools!" Liu Shan moved like lightning, and with a sweep of his blade, blood spurted from the throats of three people.
The guards rushed forward and subdued the remaining followers in an instant.
Seeing that things were not going well, Zhao Tingxiao turned around to run away, but Liu Shan kicked him in the back of the knee, causing him to fall heavily to his knees.
"Where is Qu Dacheng?" Liu Shan's eyes were cold as he pressed the blade against Zhao Tingxiao's throat.
Zhao Tingxiao gave a bitter laugh: "Lord Liu is too late... Commander Qu left the city yesterday with his trusted men, and they've probably arrived by now..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Bo rushed in, his clothes stained with blood: "Captain Liu! Qu Dacheng's residence is empty. Only a hundred crossbows and secret letters were found in the secret room!"
He handed over a wax-sealed letter, the cover of which was prominently printed with a dragon pattern.
Liu Shanzhan read the letter carefully, and his expression changed drastically—the letter even mentioned that "the Xia emperor is seriously ill, and a plum will be used to replace a peach during the autumn hunt!"
Meanwhile, candlelight flickered in the main hall of the Prince Kang's residence.
Princess Changning looked at Ge Yuniang kneeling on the ground and said calmly, "Ge Yuniang, you can speak now. Who exactly instructed you to get close to my father?"
With tears streaming down her face, Ge Yuniang slowly said, "Your Highness, Princess, I... I was forced into this situation. I was kidnapped by villains, and before I died, a powerful figure stopped me. He said that I look very much like the Princess and could be used as a secret weapon..."
Ge Yuniang continued in a low voice, "Later I learned that I looked remarkably like...like the princess's deceased mother. After that important person took me away, he tormented me for months, forcing me to imitate the princess's demeanor and accept Ziyan's new identity. He would slap and whip me for the slightest mistake...Later, I was sent to the prince's mansion and became the prince's beloved concubine..."
Princess Changning crushed her teacup and demanded sharply, "Who brought you to the Prince's residence?"
Ge Yuniang quickly replied, "I dare not conceal the truth. It was Qu Dacheng who arranged it personally. He used me to secretly pass on messages and whisper in the prince's ear, attempting to influence the entire prince's mansion through the prince. Although I have no choice, I feel deeply ashamed and beg the prince and the princess for forgiveness."
Princess Changning snorted coldly. If Liu Shan hadn't been vigilant, the Prince's Mansion would have been doomed if things had continued like this.
Chu Jingru asked in a deep voice, "Zi...Ge Yuniang, do you know who that important person is?"
Ge Yuniang shook her head, "I have never met that gentleman, nor do I know his name. I only know that his voice is very hoarse."
Princess Changning frowned and said, "That person was very likely using a falsetto."
Suddenly remembering something, Ge Yuniang hurriedly said, "Once when he was drunk, he muttered, 'Lord Yin's move was brilliant...'"
"Lord Yin?" Chu Jingru's pupils constricted sharply. "Could it be Yin Nantian?!"
Princess Changning shook her head slightly, "Yin Nantian has been diligent and conscientious for so many years and has never done anything unusual. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would do such a rebellious thing."
"Whether it's him or not, there must be a traitor within the Prince's mansion." Chu Jingru said solemnly, "Ge Yuniang, are there any other accomplices of yours within the Prince's mansion?"
"Yes!" Ge Yuniang hesitated for a moment before continuing, "The two nannies who accompanied me when I married into the family are both from the other side and are responsible for monitoring me. I dare not resist in the slightest, for fear of implicating the Prince."
Upon hearing this, Chu Jingru felt both moved and angry.
He looked at Ge Yuniang, his tone complicated: "Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would never let anyone hurt you!"
Ge Yuniang sobbed uncontrollably, "Your Highness, those two old women are both martial arts masters, capable of splitting trees and rocks with their bare hands. If I reveal the truth, they will surely kill both me and Your Highness. I know Your Highness is a good person, and I don't want you to lose your life because of this..."
Upon hearing this, Chu Jingru felt both moved and helpless.
He looked at Princess Changning and sighed, "Ning'er, how should this matter be handled?"
Princess Changning said calmly, "Father, although Ge Yuniang was forced into this situation, she did participate in the other party's conspiracy. However, considering that she did not cause any actual harm and that she is still in love with you, I suggest that she be placed under house arrest in the mansion and dealt with after the matter is over."