20demayo Chapter 453 Those with thick skin get to eat their fill, those with thin skin get nothing.
Chapter 453 Those with thick skin get to eat their fill, those with thin skin get nothing.
Old Master Chen put down the teacup, which was now only filled with the last few tea leaves, and let out a long sigh of relief.
He looked completely at ease, without the slightest bit embarrassed.
Sure enough, those with thin skin get nothing, while those with thick skin get to eat their fill.
Even in later generations, Lord Chen would probably live a very carefree and unrestrained life.
Jiang Xiaoqi patted the crumbs off the pastries, thinking that she would ask the main kitchen to make a few more plates of matcha pastries when she got back.
He just had a taste, and he really hasn't had enough.
After having eaten and drunk the tea, Lord Chen finally spoke again.
"Lord Jiang, has there been any progress in the recent case?"
Jiang Xiaoqi was surprised. How could someone who always ignored everything suddenly care about such a sensitive topic?
Of all the officials in the Hanlin Academy, Lord Chen was the first to ask about this matter.
Even if Liu Peng and Xiao Ming were very curious, they would refrain from asking.
Jiang Xiaoqi picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and then slowly said, "Lord Chen, is this your own question, or are you asking on behalf of someone else?"
"Haha, of course I'll ask myself. You know I'm not a reliable person, so who else would I ask for?"
"Oh? We have indeed made some progress, but it will take some time to investigate thoroughly. Why has Lord Chen suddenly become interested in this case?"
Lord Chen laughed heartily, but his eyes became more serious: "Although I usually don't concern myself with worldly affairs, this case has a great impact, and the people in the court are all in a state of panic."
"Many people don't not want to ask, they just don't dare to. I'm not anyone's person. What's wrong with asking privately out of curiosity? It won't involve me anyway."
I know my own limitations and whether I have any useful abilities.
Lord Chen's attitude was quite frank, but he had made a special trip here not just to have tea and snacks and inquire about the case.
Drinking tea and having snacks was just a side thing; the question I just asked was the real purpose.
He observed Lord Chen discreetly, noticing that his gaze was indeed open and honest, and that his words did not seem to be false.
"Does Lord Chen have some clues behind this question?" Jiang Xiaoqi asked tentatively.
Old Master Chen stroked his beard and pondered for a moment: "It seems that the old Prince Xuan Nan is about to return to the capital. Lord Jiang might as well investigate from this angle."
Jiang Xiaoqi's heart skipped a beat. The Prince of Xuan Nan?!
His Majesty the Emperor's uncle, and also His Majesty the Emperor's only surviving uncle.
When the emperor was young and conquering the country, this imperial uncle helped him a lot.
It can be said that half of His Majesty's throne was won by this old imperial uncle.
After the emperor overthrew the old dynasty and successfully ascended the throne, he wanted to make the Prince of Xuannan the regent, but the old prince refused.
It is said that the emperor's power cannot be delegated to others, not even the closest of relationships.
His Majesty the Emperor was deeply moved and granted this imperial uncle the largest and best fiefdom.
Now that he is getting older, His Majesty the Emperor, being very filial, ordered that the old imperial uncle be brought to the capital to live out his retirement. The old imperial uncle declined several times, but in the end, he could not dissuade the Emperor.
We'll be arriving in the capital in just over two weeks.
From this perspective, this royal uncle can be considered a wise king, who is not competitive or greedy, takes great care of his juniors, and is extremely loyal to his monarch.
However, many things cannot be judged by appearances alone.
Having watched so many political dramas in her past life, Jiang Xiaoqi felt it was worth investigating, since Lord Chen wouldn't make baseless accusations or joke about cases.
So he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your advice, Lord Chen. I will send someone to investigate."
Lord Chen waved his hand: "It's good if I can help. Only when this case is solved as soon as possible can the court be at peace."
After saying that, he didn't wait for anyone to see him off and went straight back to his office.
This time, the gift was a friendly one, and neither of them mentioned anything about money.
However, the next day, Master Chen received a food box that was not light in weight.
Jiang Xiaoqi's principle is to ensure that no one works for free.
This was true of Lord Chen, who provided the information, and even more so of the people around him.
Li Mo is now working two jobs, so his monthly salary is also divided into two parts: one part is paid by the Jiang family, and the other part is paid separately by Jiang Xiaoqi.
Like Wenbin and the others, they received monthly wages from the Jiang family, as well as wages and year-end bonuses from the Liuxiang Pavilion shop.
However, on Xuan Nan Wang's side, Jiang Xiaoqi did not send Li Mo.
He sent a letter directly to Lin Feng, instructing those remaining at each stronghold to conduct reconnaissance nearby.
This saves people the trouble of traveling, since Lin Feng has people on almost every road to Beijing.
However, shortly after the investigation began, news suddenly spread throughout the capital that Prince Xuannan had been assassinated en route.
This news was like a thunderbolt, instantly causing an uproar in the imperial court.
Who is the Prince of Xuan Nan? He is His Majesty the Emperor's own uncle.
For some reason, Jiang Xiaoqi felt a tightness in her chest. Her first thought was: Was this a real assassination attempt? Or was it a staged event orchestrated by the old prince?
It's no wonder he's a conspiracy theorist. Lord Chen just provided a clue, and then Prince Xuannan got into trouble. Could it be that one of his own people alerted the enemy?
No, the people Lin Feng trains wouldn't be that careless.
Those who are assigned tasks by Lin Feng are all highly capable.
We have to wait for Raymond Lam's message to arrive before we can make a judgment.
Jiang Xiaoqi suppressed her complicated thoughts and went over the timelines of various events again.
On the day of the assassination, the Prince of Xuannan must have already been away from his fiefdom for quite some time.
The case has been under investigation for several days now, and the Prince of Xuannan was suddenly assassinated on the road. Is he trying to slow down his journey to the capital?
After all, if someone is truly injured, His Majesty the Emperor would not prevent them from recuperating on the road until they are able to set off again.
The recovery time would then be very flexible. How can we be sure that the Prince of Xuan Nan is really injured or completely unharmed from such a distance?
How can we determine from such a distance that the person "recovering from injuries" is truly Prince Xuan Nan himself?
How can we be sure that the Prince of Xuan Nan is still in the same place, rather than having slipped away to another place to do something else, and having the most perfect alibi, given that he is so far away?
Jiang Xiaoqi admitted to being a conspiracy theorist and that she watched too many TV dramas.
But if this case isn't solved, the Jiang family will also be implicated, so he has to think a few steps ahead.
Just as Jiang Xiaoqi was filled with doubts, Lin Feng's message by carrier pigeon finally arrived.
The letter described the assassination scene in detail, and Lin Feng judged that it was not a staged event. The assassin was ruthless, and the Prince of Xuan Nan was indeed seriously injured.
Strangely, the assassin's identity was unknown, and he retreated immediately after the attack, as if his only purpose was to prevent the Prince of Xuan from entering the capital.
Jiang Xiaoqi frowned and read the letter several times.
It was definitely a letter written by Raymond Lam himself. Was I really wrong just now?
This Prince Xuan Nan was not some cunning fox, but a pitiful old man who had been stabbed and wounded.
At this moment, the imperial court was in complete chaos. His Majesty the Emperor was furious and ordered the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of War to work together to find out the truth as soon as possible.
Sigh, there's no other way. I can't leave this time, so I really have to send Li Mo, the newly appointed assistant in the investigation, out.
"Don't worry, sir, I will check it carefully!"
"Take care on your journey, and don't fight recklessly. Preserving yourself is the most important thing!"