The cousin is beautiful but ruthless.

Chapter 253 What is he plotting?

“The handwriting on that piece is exactly the same as the one you left on this piece of paper. You imitated the Emperor’s handwriting and used a bat-patterned box to deliver the transfer order to me. That bat-patterned box later appeared in the Prime Minister’s residence.”

Upon hearing the name "bat-patterned box," Li Jing's eyes subtly changed.

He hadn't expected Li Sheng to be able to find out that the bat-patterned box had appeared in the Prime Minister's residence.

Li Jing's hand tightened slightly. He was glad that the transfer order had been destroyed long ago, otherwise it would have caused trouble sooner or later.

"I have already sent Lord Yu to take Wei Jianfeng to the palace to report this matter. You can forget about leaving for now. Just stay here and relax."

They knew that Li Jing was just waiting for the common people and scholars outside to make a big fuss so that he would leave the Dali Temple.

But now that we have this evidence, people outside can finally shut up for a while.

Only after Li Sheng left did Li Jing reveal some of his true emotions.

Zhao Wanfu, a pawn under his command, has already been ruined. He really doesn't want to take that step unless absolutely necessary.

Let's wait and see what else they can come up with.

The emperor has not yet issued an edict to remove him from his position as crown prince, but he does not seem to be showing any leniency towards the past.

If you say he's thinking about old feelings, Li Jing sneered. It's Li Jiangui who's truly thinking about old feelings for Li Sheng.

He was clearly a commoner now, yet those guys kept calling him "Your Highness," and Li Sheng called him "Father Emperor" to his face, and Li Jiangui didn't say a word of reproach.

They are both his sons, so why do they sometimes treat each other so differently?

Not long after Li Jiangui saw the evidence presented, the edict to depose the crown prince was issued.

Li Jing received the imperial edict in prison, and his hands trembled uncontrollably the moment he saw it.

During the day, he was still thinking about how there was no imperial edict to depose the crown prince, but now it had been delivered to him.

"Your Highness, please don't be offended. The Lizhou case involves many people, and Your Highness also has many things to deal with. If you can clear your name, that would be a great thing for everyone."

Lai Shun cupped his hands in greeting and exchanged a few polite words with Li Jing.

Li Jing gripped the object in his hand tightly and sat back down without saying a word.

Li Sheng wasn't surprised to hear the imperial decree; the path Li Jing was taking was just like his own back then.

"There's finally some progress."

Li Sheng felt a little relieved when he saw Li Huaijiang rushing in.

"Brother, there is still no trace of Zhao Jiahe."

Li Huaijiang never expected that Zhao Jiahe, who appeared later, would disrupt the game. Zhao Yu's accident made her unable to have children, and Zhao Jiahe was sent to the Eastern Palace. This was just a minor matter.

But even such a small matter has put them in a very difficult position.

"If Zhao Jiahe left Chang'an before Li Jing was arrested, then finding her will be just as troublesome as finding Jiang Fengxiao back then."

After Li Sheng finished speaking, he gestured for Li Huaijiang to sit down.

Li Huaijiang knew how much time it had taken to find Jiang Fengxiao, but they couldn't wait that long any longer.

Li Huaijiang suddenly lowered his voice: "Brother, have you found out if Li Jing has been keeping a private army?"

Upon hearing Li Huaijiang's words, Li Sheng loosened his grip on the object.

"I am investigating this matter."

Li Huaijiang walked around to stand in front of Li Sheng.

"I'm not aware of the matter of the private army, but there is one thing: do you still remember General Pei's fiancée, that Miss Shen?"

Li Sheng remembered that they had met once more.

“Li Jing once sent people to kill her. Those people could not be identified and were not from the martial arts world. When I heard that my third brother had been killed, I suspected that he had raised a private army. Now it has confirmed my guess.”

Li Huaijiang became increasingly frightened as she thought about it. She had investigated so many things to seek justice for Li Sheng, but her methods were no match for Li Jing's. If Li Jing were pushed too far, who knew what he might do?

"Don't be afraid," Li Sheng reassured her for the time being. "He's still at the Dali Temple, where Lord Yu is, and Father is also watching over him. He won't cause any trouble in the short term."

Li Huaijiang nodded, but Zhao Jiahe remained a thorn in his side.

"I hope so."

Li Sheng had read the case file in front of him many times. Jiang Fengxiao and Zhao Wanfu had never met, yet they seemed to be on the same wavelength.

While they were busy with matters in Lizhou, news suddenly came from the border that foreign tribes had invaded.

"Invasion by foreign tribes?"

Li Jiangui turned around; he had just driven them away not long ago, and now they were back.

Ji Yuxiu learned about this from her father. She also found it strange. She came back a little late that day to clean up those messes.

"General, Miss Shen has arrived."

Ji Yuxiu put down the note. As soon as Shen Hanyu arrived, she asked, "You knew everything?"

"Yes." Shen Hanyu nodded. "This matter is suspicious. What did Uncle Ji say?"

She was surprised because these things hadn't happened before, and things were very different from her previous life.

“Aye said that those foreign tribes suddenly made a move and came towards the border. This cannot be faked.”

Ji Yuxiu would have doubted if someone else had said it, but she would definitely believe it if her father said it.

Shen Hanyu frowned. At this crucial juncture, it seemed they were going to transfer someone out of Chang'an.

If he really leads his troops away from Chang'an, things could get complicated.

“I know what you’re worried about. The case in Lizhou has been making headlines recently. Sending troops out at this time is probably a ploy, but the border is in trouble, and I have to go.”

Ji Yuxiu couldn't feel at ease if she didn't go; she was a general of Dayong, so she definitely had to go.

"Yuxiu, this is too dangerous."

Wei Ming rushed over.

"Why are you making a scene again?"

Ji Yuxiu had only been back for a short time, and now she had to go back again.

"It's normal for a general to act this way. Don't worry about me. I will go as ordered by the Emperor."

Shen Hanyu was even more worried. Ji Yuxiu had been transferred away, leaving only Pei Du. If Li Jing was plotting something, he would definitely make sure that neither of them could get away.

"I have something to do, I'll go out for a bit."

Shen Hanyu couldn't wait any longer and wanted to tell Pei Du, so Miao Cui brought over the horses.

"Be careful on the road, young lady."

Miao Cui was not as fast as Shen Hanyu, who arrived at Dali Temple first.

When Pei Du saw her coming, he helped her down from her horse.

“That person’s scheme is to keep you and Yuxiu tied up, and to transfer you out of the Dali Temple so that you can stop investigating this matter. If the situation at the border is serious, you may have to go there too. They have malicious intentions. I don’t believe that the situation at the border happened suddenly.”

Even without memories of her past life, Shen Hanyu knew how meticulous Ji Yuxiu was in her work. Moreover, it was even more suspicious that the foreign tribes, having suffered heavy losses, chose to launch a counterattack instead of taking a period of rest.

“They are in the Dali Temple, but their influence is extremely high.”

The more Shen Hanyu spoke, the more flustered she became, and Pei Du tightened his grip on her hand.

"I won't be leaving for now, don't worry."

Even if he were to leave the Dali Temple, Pei Du would make all the necessary arrangements.

Li Jiangui asked him to assist Yu Qi in investigating the case because he wanted him to protect these people.

Therefore, Li Jiangui would never let him leave unless absolutely necessary.

Hearing his confident tone, Shen Hanyu felt a little relieved.

"That's good. If you leave, the waters of Chang'an will be muddied."