Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong made trouble until midnight, then he turned the window again and left secretly.
Li Rong wanted to keep him, but he smiled and said, "I still have something to do tonight, give me your token, and I have to see Hongde again."
"What are you going to do?" Li Rong frowned, and Pei Wenxuan reached out, "Just give it to me."
Li Rong hesitated for a moment, and finally handed the token to Pei Wenxuan.
Now that the two are together, be careful and trust each other. She didn't want to destroy the cornerstone of this feeling.
Pei Wenxuan took Li Rong's token, kissed her, and left quickly.
Li Rong was lying on the bed and closed her eyes in response. After waiting for a long time, she raised her hand to cover her eyes in disgust.
Her trust in a person is the ultimate after all.
The incident in the memorial hall shocked the entire court, and when the next morning, everyone was talking about it, and they were all talking about what happened this time.
In the early morning, everyone was waiting for Li Ming to say a result. After all, Li Ming visited the fire scene to inspect the fire last night. There should be some news about such a big thing.
However, Li Ming didn't mention it from beginning to end, and when the morning was over, he said lightly: "Last night there was a fire in the memorial hall, and many of the documents are missing. If you handed in the documents yourself, go to the officials of the memorial hall. Register it, if it is burnt, make up a new one, and if it is not burned, forget it."
With that said, Li Ming raised his head and glanced at everyone, as if a little tired: "Do you have other things?"
No one in the court answered, Li Ming waved his hand: "Then let's retreat."
Li Ming said, he stood up, and Fulai stepped forward to support him. He seemed to be a little tired, and when he walked down the stairs, he seemed a little reluctant.
Shortly after leaving, a young eunuch came to Su Rongqing and said respectfully, "Master Su, Your Majesty, please come over."
Su Rongqing's expression was the same as usual, even with a bit of gentleness: "Do you know what your Majesty asked me to do?"
The little eunuch shook his head and said only: "I don't know the slave, but the adults just go."
Su Rongqing nodded, thanked him, and followed the eunuch to the imperial study.
As soon as he left the door of the main hall, Li Rong subconsciously looked at Pei Wenxuan, who was talking to someone. Pei Wenxuan happened to look over, and he nodded at Li Rong, indicating that she was relieved, and then Pei Wenxuan joined the others. People chatted and laughed, turned around and walked out.
The ministers left one after another, and Li Rong also stepped out. She deliberately walked slower. Before she reached the palace gate, she waited for the eunuch sent by Li Ming. The other party had time, and when he saw Li Rong, he was busy He shouted: "His Royal Highness stay!"
Li Rong paused and looked at the person who came. The eunuch trotted in front of her panting heavily, "Your Highness, it's fortunate that you didn't leave the palace."
"My lord, this is..." Li Rong looked puzzled and pretended to be puzzled. The eunuch took a deep breath and saluted, "Your Highness, Your Majesty asked you to go to the imperial study, and I have something important to call you."
Li Rong got this, nodded, and then smiled at the eunuch: "I'm tired sir."
"This is what I did." The eunuch's breath almost calmed down, and he raised his hand respectfully, "The servant will lead the way for His Highness."
When Li Rong got the word, she followed the eunuch to the imperial study room. When she arrived in the imperial study room, Su Rongqing was kneeling on the ground and Li Ming was sitting on a high place. The atmosphere between the two was a little stalemate. Ming raised her hand to make her stand up and gave her a seat. Li Rong looked at Su Rongqing, then turned to look at Li Ming: "Father asked me to come here, this is..."
"Didn't you participate in Su Rongqing?" Li Ming looked up at her and said straight, "Now that your book is on fire in the memorial hall, I just called you in and confronted you face to face. Master Su said he didn't know Hong Master De, what do you say about Pingle?"
"What do you need to say?" Li Rong laughed. "Do you know me? Just let Master Hongde come to see him. Do I need to tell me?"
Saying that, Li Rong looked at Su Rongqing with a half-smile, "It depends on whether Master Su dares or not."
"This minister has a clear conscience," Su Rongqing said with a cold expression, "Your Highness has this judgment, someone must have provoked His Highness, and this minister also wants Hongde to come over and ask clearly."
"Then pass it on."
Li Rong didn't have the slightest fear on her face, she shook the small fan lightly, looked at Su Rongqing and said, "Whether it's pretending to be a ghost or taking it seriously, you'll know when someone comes."
Su Rongqing didn't speak. He didn't look at Li Rong, and he didn't know whether he didn't dare or didn't want to. He just lowered his eyes and looked at the ground.
Li Ming waved his hand and asked someone to spread Hongde, while Li Rong sat on the spot with a fan, her heart beating a little faster.
The confession is false, and when Hongde comes, there is a great possibility of revealing the contents. After all, his son is still alive and dead, and he can't help him at this time.
If Hongde enters the palace, then everything will be over.
She was scared to death and her palms were sweaty. The only thing she could believe now was that Pei Wenxuan would not harm her.
She restrained the movement of shaking her fan and pretended to be casual. The three of them waited for a while, then Li Ming turned his head and looked at Li Rong: "The people haven't arrived yet, so tell me what's going on first. You say Su Qing's family What's the matter with inciting Hongde to frame you?"
Li Ming asked, Li Rong stood up, and vividly recounted the forged confession by Pei Wenxuan and what she knew. It was probably that Su Rongqing approached Hongde at Huguo Temple, and threatened him with the life of Hongde's illegitimate child outside the country to frame her for helping Li Chuan to postpone the marriage in private, and then secretly contacted Concubine Rou and sent Hongde to the palace.
Li Ming and Su Rongqing listened quietly, Li Ming raised his eyes and looked at Su Rongqing: "Su Qing's family, what do you say?"
"His Royal Highness said that there are loopholes everywhere." Su Rongqing looked calm as usual, Li Rong smiled: "Oh? Master Su, might as well say, where are the loopholes?"
"According to His Highness, since Wei Chen wanted to falsely accuse His Highness, why did Hongde say that His Highness helped the Crown Prince postpone the marriage as a crime? Wouldn't it be better to say that His Highness asked about treason in private?"
"I have to ask you this," Li Rong waved her fan slowly, "Why didn't you say that, how would I know? But you are right, if you didn't frame me, and I wanted to frame you, why would I find such a thing? What a ridiculous reason? And from another angle, why would I do such a thing? The prince is not too young now, and the choice of a concubine is also imminent. If I really think about him, I should help him hurry up Marrying a girl from a famous family is what you need to do. Why do you want to say no to the wedding date?" Li Rong laughed, "I'm a big sister, can I harm him?"
If she really wanted to harm Li Chuan, then Li Ming didn't have to worry so much.
"It's time to ask Your Highness." Su Rongqing pushed the conversation back, and Li Rong looked into his eyes with a smile, but didn't answer.
While the three were waiting, Hongde got out of the sedan chair from the inspector, and was sent to the palace by the guards.
At this time, Pei Wenxuan was sitting on his knees in the room, holding on to chess pieces, playing chess with the person opposite.
The teenager sitting opposite Pei Wenxuan was wearing a black robe, obviously coming secretly. Looking at Pei Wenxuan's leisurely attitude, he frowned: "According to what you said, since Su Rongqing has set the memorial hall on fire, the confession is no longer available. They are bound to let Hongde enter the palace now, and once Hongde enters the palace , isn't that revealing the stuff?"
"What if he can't enter the palace?" Pei Wenxuan chuckled, and the boy looked at him in surprise.
Pei Wenxuan was talking, turned his head to look out the window, and couldn't help but feel a little emotional: "The clouds are starting, I'm afraid it's going to rain."
When the two were talking, they carried Hongde's sedan chair all the way forward, but no one noticed that when the wind picked up, there was blood seeping from the bottom of the sedan chair all the way.
When the sedan chair was carried to the gate of the palace, the guard rolled the curtain and said angrily, "Get down..."
Before he finished speaking, the guard froze in place. Everyone was attracted by the guard's shock, and then they turned their eyes to the sedan chair, and saw the monk's robes stained with blood, and a dagger nailed him to the sedan chair.
"Dead...dead!"
After a long time, the guard finally reacted, turning his head and shouting at the person behind him: "Go and report to Your Majesty, Master Hongde is dead!"
The person who sent the message quickly turned back and ran all the way into the palace. The attendants passed it one by one and passed it to the imperial study at the fastest speed.
At that time, Li Ming was drinking tea when he saw the eunuch hurriedly stepped in, knelt on the ground, and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, Master Hongde was assassinated on the road!"
Hearing this, Su Rongqing, who had been closing her eyes for a while, suddenly opened her eyes, and Li Rong stood up abruptly, with a bit of anger in her surprise: "What did you say?!"
After a while, Li Rong immediately stepped out and said anxiously, "Quick, show me."
When Li Rong walked out, Su Rongqing immediately said, "Your Majesty, please also visit Rong Weichen."
Su Rongqing was originally an official of the Ministry of Punishment, and this kind of case really belonged to him, but Li Ming stopped them: "Don't leave, let him do the autopsy."
The two were forced back to their positions. Li Ming raised his hand and asked Su Rongqing to sit down. Su Rongqing respectfully saluted and sat down.
Everyone didn't speak, Li Rong looked worried, but she was relieved.
Su Rongqing still did it. If Hongde died, there would be no proof of death, but in Li Ming's heart, Su Rongqing couldn't wash it clean.
"Hong De is dead, and the testimony and witnesses are gone."
On the other side, in the princess' mansion, Pei Wenxuan's voice was very low, the teenager shook his head, and said only: "No, there is no evidence, the father will not convict Su Rongqing, he is suspicious, and when he suspects Su Rongqing, he will also doubt you and my sister."
"So," Pei Wenxuan laughed, "it's about the third step, and His Majesty will start to check the authenticity of the words of His Royal Highness the Princess. What can be checked now is where is that son of Hongde?"
Pei Wenxuan's chess piece fell on the chessboard: "This investigation will be interesting."
The storm started, and in the inner palace, the three emperors, Li Rong and Su Rongqing, were waiting for the news, each with their own thoughts. Li Ming thought about it, and seemed to be thinking of something, then turned his head and said to Li Rong: "You said before that Hongde has a son?"
"Yes."
"In Su Aiqing's hands?"
"right."
"Fulai," Li Ming turned to call Fulai and waved, "Go check."
Fu Lai respectfully responded and backed away. The three sat in the imperial study and continued to wait for the result.
"Your Majesty may not be able to find out where this child is, but you can still see how this child was taken away. If you do too much, there will always be omissions. For example," Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes and looked at the opposite. Li Chuan, "Occasionally, a neighborhood sees a child being kidnapped and recognizes the sign of the Su Mansion. It's a common occurrence, isn't it?"
The thunder roared down, and it seemed like a heavy rain poured down. Pei Wenxuan picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and looked up into the distance.
He thought about it and couldn't help but say, "Do you think I should go to the palace to pick up your sister?"
"You... don't you want to pretend that your feelings are not good?"
"Beautiful looks are so far away, there is always another look." Pei Wenxuan said, stood up, and went to find an umbrella.
Seeing that Pei Wenxuan was about to leave, Li Chuan said anxiously, "What about after that? Even if the royal father knew that the child was taken away by someone from the Su residence, so what?"
"Since Your Majesty already knows that Hongde was sent out of the palace by one person, and that the child was taken away by people from Su Mansion, then do you think, even if there is no evidence, who does Your Majesty believe?"
Saying that, Pei Wenxuan put on his coat and walked out: "Your Majesty will conduct a strict inspection. As long as the eggs are cracked, the follow-up will be easy. His Royal Highness, I'm going to pick up the princess," Pei Wenxuan turned his head towards Li Chuan smiled, "Your Highness, please."
After Pei Wenxuan finished speaking, he stepped out.
At this time, Zu Zuo's report was almost out, and the attendant rushed to the inner palace with the results of Zu Zuo.
The soldiers who were looking for Hongde's youngest son outside the palace also found an old man. After the old man had roughly described it, the soldier immediately sent a man back to the palace on horseback and sent the news back.
At the same time, there was a young man who entered the palace in a hurry.
Zuo Zuo's report was the first to arrive. After Li Ming finished reading the report, he looked up at the two people who had been waiting for the result, and said coldly, "It was suicide."
Li Rong repeated in disbelief: "Suicide?"
Li Ming responded, and then someone came in and whispered in Li Ming's ear for a while.
Li Ming suddenly raised his head and looked at Su Rongqing coldly.
Su Rongqing still kept the appearance that she didn't know anything, pretending to be unsure of Li Ming's eyes, Li Ming stared at him for a moment, and suddenly shouted angrily: "Su Rongqing, don't hand over Hongde's child!"
After Su Rongqing got this, she looked calm, and she just bit her to death and said, "Wei Chen, I don't know what Your Majesty is talking about."
"If you want people to know nothing but do nothing for themselves, and you let people kidnap their children, do you really think that no one knows?!"
"Wei Chen has been wronged!" Su Rongqing immediately knelt down, "Where did Your Majesty hear the news, you can let people come out, and Wei Chen can confront people."
"Confrontation? What confrontation? Hongde identified you, and the confession went to the memorial hall, and the memorial hall was set on fire. When people came to the palace to testify, they died on the way and committed suicide. If someone hadn't threatened him with a child, what would he have done? Suicide? Now that I check the child again, and it has something to do with you, one can be said to be a coincidence, but is there such a series of coincidences in this world?!"
"What Your Majesty said is," Su Rongqing said coldly, "Wei Chen also thought it was not a coincidence, and this move will surely be framed for others."
"You fart!"
Li Ming was so angry that he grabbed the cup and smashed it. Su Rongqing didn't hide, but still smashed the cup with water on his head. The tea splashed all over him, and blood dripped from his forehead. However, he didn't move at all, knelt on the ground, and said, "Please also ask Your Majesty to investigate."
"Okay, very good." Li Ming raised his finger at him, nodded and said, "Check, let's check. Come on, pull Su Rongqing down and put him in jail, and thoroughly investigate him and Hongde..."
Before the words were finished, the eunuch's announcement came from outside: "Your Majesty, Deputy Director Su asks to see you."
Hearing this, Li Rong looked out the door anxiously, Li Ming frowned, and after hesitating for a moment, he said impatiently, "Xuan."
After Li Ming finished speaking, he saw Su Ronghua hurriedly approaching. He knelt down respectfully, and said in a seldom solemn manner, "My minister, Su Ronghua, sees your majesty."
Li Mingzheng was so irritable, he restrained his emotions, raised his hand and said, "Get up."
"Wei Chen dare not."
Su Ronghua knelt on the ground and spoke calmly. Li Ming raised his eyes and looked at him. After a long silence in the room, Li Rong instantly guessed Su Ronghua's intention.
He is here to atone!
Li Rong's brain was running fast, thinking about the consequences of such a change.
If Su Ronghua confessed to all the charges, the confession that named Su Rongqing would become extremely suspicious. It's just that Su Ronghua came so coincidentally now that Li Ming wouldn't believe it, but at the same time, it would also shake the credibility of all the previous evidence.
In this way, even if Su Rongqing did not completely regain the winning side, at least they could be evenly matched.
The only one who sacrificed in the middle was Su Ronghua.
Li Rong reacted for a moment and wanted to say something, but before she opened her mouth, she heard Su Ronghua respectfully say, "Please, Your Majesty, turn your back."
Li Ming stared at Su Ronghua, and after a long time, he waved his hand: "All retreat."
Everyone didn't move, Su Rongqing stared at Su Ronghua, Su Ronghua ignored him, Li Ming couldn't help but get angry when everyone didn't move: "Why, I can't even call you?!"
Hearing Li Ming getting angry, Li Rong took a deep breath, stood up, saluted and walked out.
Li Rong and Su Rongqing went out one after the other. After going out, the two stood to one side and watched the heavy rain pouring down the heaven and earth, forming a rain curtain in the heaven and earth, as if they were beating gongs and drums to stage a big show.
In the distance from the rain curtain, the palace gate slowly opened, and a young man in a blue shirt with embroidered orchid, holding an umbrella, stepped on the rain from the palace gate.
Li Rong and Su Rongqing both looked at the person who came, and shouts came from the imperial study.
Li Rong couldn't help laughing when she heard the shouting.
"I heard that Master Su and the eldest brother have a very good relationship. When I saw it today, it really is."
As she said that, she turned her head and was a little curious: "Aren't you feeling guilty?"
Su Rongqing didn't speak, he just looked into the distance.
The young man in the distance walked through the palace square and became the only bright color in the rain.
"His Royal Highness," Su Rongqing's always clear tone was somewhat hoarse, "sometimes, there is no room for guilt. Those who walk on a dead end can only move forward."
"I used to think that people are forced to move forward," Li Rong laughed, looking at the people who were getting closer, "but now I know that the road is always made by people. You don't go there. Go ahead, you never know if there is a road ahead."
"Maybe there's a cliff ahead."
Su Rongqing's voice was cold, and Li Rong turned to look at him with a bit of brilliance between her brows: "Then let's see, you will be smashed to pieces and move forward."
Hearing these words, Su Rongqing finally looked away from the rain. He looked at Li Rong: "Will Your Highness be smashed to pieces for this so-called road?"
"Maybe." Li Rong thought for a while, "I'm just, take a step, take a step."
"Your Highness is not such a person."
"Rongqing," Li Rong suddenly called out the title of her previous life, Su Rongqing was stunned for a while, then she heard Li Rong say, "People change."
While speaking, Pei Wenxuan had already arrived in front of them.
The rain fell down the umbrella like beads, and the young man raised a handsome face under the umbrella. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes were bright with a kind of gentleness that belonged to someone.
When he looked up, only Li Rong was in his eyes, and his clear voice was respectful with a bit of teasing: "Your Highness, Wei Chen heard the heavy rain and came to pick him up."
Saying that, he turned his eyes to Su Rongqing.
Su Rongqing looked at him calmly, he looked at Su Rongqing with a smile.
The eyes of the two met across the rain curtain, and in an instant they talked about decades of disputes, love and hatred.
"I was a student back then, and I heard about the name of Master Su. You and I have each been the leader for three years, but we have never faced each other head-to-head once. Now I have to meet Master Su," Pei Wenxuan nodded slightly, "It's a pleasure to meet."
Su Rongqing looked at him coldly, he understood what this happy meeting was referring to. He was not talking to the young Su Rongqing, but to a Su Rongqing who had been secretly fighting with him for decades and came back again.
This "good luck meeting" is his greeting and his declaration of war.
He clearly informed Su Rongqing that he knew he was back.
It was precisely because he knew that he was back that he found the target so quickly and implemented the plan so decisively, and it was Pei Wenxuan's hands-on style that he always took steps and set up traps everywhere.
Su Rongqing couldn't help laughing. He looked at Pei Wenxuan seriously, and said calmly and seriously, "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Pei Wenxuan smiled even more.
This contest, which was 30 years late, finally started after a lifetime.