The old case
from more than ten years ago would only bring harm to Prime Minister Wu's reputation if it was brought up.
It would only benefit him. But he was the one who reported that there was a spy in the Duke's Mansion.
Qiu Che breathed more lightly.
In an instant, her thoughts turned around.
Wu Yiqi sent a pigeon yesterday, giving her the news without any heart, and it didn't seem like he knew about this old case.
Even if we take a step back, it was indeed Prime Minister Wu who deliberately exposed the plan for some reason, and Wu Yiqi should be the one who was kept in the dark.
Li Shi seemed not to notice her reaction, and pondered: "What's even more strange is that the Jinyiwei didn't find any of the Nanyi spies reported by Prime Minister Wu in the Duke's Mansion, but other cases were found one after another - except that Rosemary was also in the case of Commander Yuan, this case seems to have nothing to do with the Nanyi people."
As he said, he handed the case file to Qiu Che and asked her to read it herself.
There was no more information in the file, but it recorded the events that happened in the Duke's Mansion yesterday in chronological order.
Including the drugging of Yuan Fuyaotai and Yingyu's death.
It was almost the same as what Wu Yiqi had described to her.
"Now, Minister Cui and others are in a state of panic, but these old ministers are pressing us hard," Li Shi sighed and said worriedly, "I am desperate and have tried all kinds of methods... My dear minister, take a look, what can you possibly find out?"
Qiu Che put away the file under the other party's seemingly casual but actually closely staring gaze, slowly opened his lips and uttered a sentence: "This case involves a huge and complex matter, and I dare not speak nonsense."
Li Shi was speechless for a while, and did not expect to get such an answer. He said with a little impatience: "Just say what I ask you to say!"
Qiu Che then humbly cupped his hands, and the first sentence he said was: "In my opinion, this case may be related to the last Imperial Garden case."
Li Shi raised his chin, not looking surprised, and asked her to elaborate.
Qiu Che said: "Judging from the time, Commander Yuan and that Yaotai girl took Chinese medicine at the same time, and it happened by accident. The same method, the same incense burner, the same rosemary, and the case in the imperial garden are almost exactly the same."
"Her Royal Highness the Princess was just taking a walk in the backyard, but was suddenly taken by that palace maid to see the Queen. But as soon as she opened the door, she discovered what was going on, and soon, the Queen and others rushed over."
"From then on, the shadow of the palace maid disappeared in the case. The ladies at the banquet were all watching. There were no other guests outside the backyard, and there were few servants."
"Until a maid showed up and told everyone that someone had died."
"The whole thing is full of doubts," Qiu Che said as he made his move, counting them out in an orderly manner, "First of all, Commander Yuan followed the Queen to protect her safety - why did he appear in the backyard? And why was he entangled with Yaotai girl?"
"Why do the two of them have different opinions and both say that the other forced them?"
Li Shi smiled: "Maybe it's just an excuse?"
Qiu Che shook his head and said nothing, "This is the first point. Second, why did Yingyu, the guide, lie to trick Your Highness over there? What did she experience after that? Why did she die in the pond?"
When Qiu Che said this, Li Shi laughed again: "Haven't you ever thought that Lehe was lying and no one took her there at all?"
"I believe Your Highness," Qiu Che showed the longing of a young boy for his sweetheart, "Besides, Your Highness has no need to lie."
"Why not?"
Li Shi asked back, "In the Imperial Garden case, she should have been the target of your father, but she was lucky to leave early and escaped-"
"If you want to use the same method to retaliate against someone, but accidentally use it in the wrong place, so you rush to solve it... this is not impossible."
"If she wants revenge, it has nothing to do with the people in the Duke's Mansion. Your Majesty's logic is too forced. What's more..."
Qiu Che paused, then stared at the emperor with a strange, accusing and sad look, and said: "Don't you, Your Majesty, trust His Highness?"
"Don't you love His Highness the most? Isn't Your Majesty clear whether she would do such a thing?"
As soon as these words came out of his mouth, and met Qiu Che's slightly suspicious eyes, Li Shi immediately swallowed the rest of the words, coughed a few times, and said guiltily:
"Of course not, I just asked casually."
"Seeing how loving you are, I think Lehe will have someone to rely on in the future, so I feel relieved."
Qiu Che's eyes were cold, but his face showed a look of sudden enlightenment, "So that's how it is... But it's not a good idea for Your Majesty to keep Your Highness and the Queen locked up like this. There's a lot of talk about it outside, and there are probably a lot of rumors."
Li Shi looked thoughtful, "In that case, after asking about their whereabouts, you can take my oral order and let the Jinyiwei release them from house arrest."
Qiu Che was stunned, as if he didn't understand what he meant, "Forgive me for being stupid..."
Li Shi snorted coldly, "Since this case is related to the Imperial Garden case, and you are responsible for investigating the Imperial Garden case, then I will hand this case over to you."
"I hope you won't let me down again."
Qiu Che showed joy on his face, looking like a smart but love-obsessed young man, "I knew that Your Majesty would be sharp-eyed and careful! Your Majesty is indeed a wise master! I will live up to your expectations and am willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty! "
Who can't say polite words?
These two sentences made Li Shi feel a little flattered.
In fact, Qiu Che knew that the emperor would be able to see all of the above.
It's just that he might not have thought as deeply as Qiu Che.
But he asked Qiu Che to say it just now, not to know the answer immediately, but to see if she could satisfy Li Shi.
- This case is not unsolvable, but on the one hand, the case is a bit complicated, and it will definitely be time-consuming and laborious to solve.
Secondly, Li Shi intends to train Qiu Che and wants to give her this mess to deal with. If he succeeds, he will accumulate reputation for his capable minister. If he fails, it will only be the loss of a new recruit, which is insignificant.
But after all, it can be regarded as a major case that both the government and the public are paying attention to, so it is necessary to test whether Qiu Che has the ability - after all, the experience of the failed investigation last time is still vivid.
But this time, Qiu Che's performance passed him.
Li Shi pondered, and said casually: "By the way, you haven't finished speaking just now. Since there are so many doubts, what about the third and fourth points? "
Qiu Che also became serious and said, "The third point is how did the Empress and others suddenly appear? Were they also brought here? I found that no one has explained this in the files so far."
"What's the importance of this?" Li Shi frowned a little, "What does it have to do with the following?"
"Your Majesty, please be patient," Qiu Che smiled, "It is precisely because it seems to have nothing to do with it that it seems particularly strange - I think, perhaps more answers can only be told to Your Majesty after I personally participate in the interrogation." Hearing
this, Li Shi waved his hand: "Forget it, I am too lazy to listen, this matter will be settled and left to you."
Qiu Che accepted the order.
The monarch and the minister chatted for a while, and after playing a game of chess, the emperor showed a bit of fatigue.
Qiu Che stood up and left at the right time. Before leaving, he was ordered to get the gold medal of amnesty from Cui, the commander of the Jinyiwei.
This trip was a success.
In fact, Qiu Che had many more guesses, which she did not say in front of the emperor. What
she found most strange was, how could it be such a coincidence that so many things happened in the Duke's Mansion in just one day?
How could it be so coincidental that all the things involved the Queen, Yaotai, Li Qingwu, and even Prime Minister Wu?
How could it be so coincidental that a palace maid suddenly died while everyone was still watching the scandal?
Too many coincidences are no longer coincidences.
Qiu Che took the gold medal and went to Fengyang Pavilion in the harem first.
This is the residence of the princesses in the harem. After the princess's mansion is opened outside the mansion, this place will be vacant.
Li Qingwu moved out of here after getting married, and the current emperor only has two princesses, Lehe and Pingyi. After she left, there was only Pingyi left here.
Logically, she should not have lived here again, but this time the situation was special, so she was placed under house arrest in the palace and was not allowed to go out.
Qiu Che walked all the way to the door of Fengyang Pavilion, but was blocked by the Jinyiwei with a sword.
She took out the gold medal and shook it: "In compliance with the order of His Majesty, we are here to take Her Royal Highness the Princess back to the palace." When
the two Jinyiwei saw the token, their faces changed slightly, and then they put away their knives and saluted her silently.
When Qiu Che walked in, Li Qingwu was sitting under the long corridor, holding a delicate little girl in his arms. His eyebrows were gentle and peaceful as he held a book. His slender fingertips slowly moved across the pages as his lips and teeth opened and
closed. It didn't look like she was under house arrest, but like she was in seclusion.
- Although there were a bunch of palace maids beside them.
Qiu Che's footsteps attracted the attention of Fuling, who was bored next to her. She looked up and exclaimed in surprise: "My Prince Consort!"
Li Qingwu paused.
Then the big and the small turned their heads to look over at the same time.
Li Qingwu smiled subconsciously, put down the book, stood up with Pingyi, and looked at the courtyard door behind her, wondering: "Why are you here?"
Qiu Che didn't reply, just said: "How are you?"
Li Qingwu paused and said: "Don't worry, I'm fine, just stayed here for one night."
Qiu Che nodded, saw Pingyi, raised his eyes slightly, and swept across Li Qingwu's forehead.
Smooth, white and tender, without scars.
She remembered the scar she saw on Li Qingwu's forehead at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet. It was probably because Li Qingwu had been punished a few days before that.
As long as she was in the palace, it was really hard for Qiu Che not to worry.
When she approached, she saw Pingyi looking at her curiously, holding her sister's hand, and said in a baby voice: "It's the handsome brother-in-law! Ashu recognizes him!"
Several people present were amused by her. Fuling was afraid that Qiu Che would be angry, so she didn't dare to laugh too obviously. After all, a man would not be very happy when being praised for his beauty.
But Qiu Che didn't seem to mind, and even lowered his head to rub Xiao Qingshu's head, saying, "How did sister Shu know that I was your 'brother-in-law'?"
Pingyi blinked, and was hit by her smile. His head was dizzy, and he pushed his own sister out without any hesitation: "It was my sister who said it!"
Li Qingwu was a little embarrassed, and met Qiu Che's inquiring eyes, pretending to be calm and said, "I was teasing her, don't mind it."
At that time, she didn't know that Qiu Che was a woman.
Fuling was confused on the side: "The little prince was not wrong, he was originally your 'brother-in-law', how could the prince consort mind this?"
The two looked at each other and tacitly did not answer the question.
Qiu Che withdrew his hand and said, "Let's go."
Li Qingwu blinked: "Can I go?"
"What else?" Qiu Che raised his hand and shook the gold medal in his hand, "His Majesty has ordered that this case will be taken over by me - the rest, let's go back first."
Fuling immediately threw away her previous doubts and was overjoyed: "Great! Your Highness is the eldest princess after all, how can you be under house arrest like this!"
It seems that the prince consort is still useful, and he was able to lift the house arrest for her Highness in just one day.
Li Qingwu signaled her to keep her voice down, because walls have ears.
Fuling quickly covered her mouth and stopped talking excitedly.
The two said goodbye to Pingyi. When they were leaving, seeing her holding Li Qingwu with a reluctant look on her face, Qiu Che touched her head again and said, "Ashu, be good. In a few days, brother-in-law and sister will come back together and bring you candy."
Pingyi had a childish mentality and immediately opened his eyes wide: "Really?!"
"Really!"
Pingyi cheered: "Great! Thank you, beautiful brother-in-law! Don't worry, Ashu will definitely wait for you to come back!"
Not only Fuling and Pingyi were happy, but Fufeng, who was a secret guard but couldn't help Li Qingwu out of trouble, was also happy.
This time, he helped them drive the carriage, and his eyebrows and eyes were a little cheerful, and he no longer gave Qiu Che a gloomy face.
After the two left the palace, they went back to the princess's mansion first.
In the carriage, Qiu Che told her the general content of the case, and said that he would go to the imperial prison first.
When Li Qingwu got off the car, I thought Qiu Che would go straight to the imperial prison, but I saw her following him down.
Li Qingwu just opened his mouth.
Qiu Che walked towards her, smiling, stretched out his hand to grab her arm, and gently led her to the mansion.
At that moment, Li Qingwu clearly heard her voice floating in his ear.
"We are being monitored. Don't talk. Go in first."
Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. I wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Try to have a Saturday tomorrow! (clenched fist)