Chapter 97
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“Blame him? Are you comforting Xu Wenze or did you discover something?” Huo Luo watched Xu Wenze leave and instinctively turned to Yue Chen.
Yue Chen turned to look at Huo Luo, raising an eyebrow with a teasing smile. “What? Willing to talk to me now?”
Huo Luo’s expression immediately stiffened, and he almost angrily retorted, “Who’s not talking?!”
Yue Chen adopted a mocking expression that seemed to say, ‘It’s clearly you.’ This infuriated Huo Luo, and he glared fiercely at someone.
However, in the midst of his glare, his gaze drifted elsewhere, still unwilling to make direct eye contact.
Yue Chen’s eyes flickered for a moment; he knew that given Huo Luo’s temperament, there would likely be some awkwardness for a while.
Observing their peculiar interaction, Lin Qingyang was full of confusion. However, he became intrigued by Yue Chen’s assurance that Xu Wenze wouldn’t be blamed. Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu lying on the bed, his eyes closed as if completely uninterested in Yue Chen’s statement.
Nevertheless, Yue Chen seemed eager to share more, “Because this assassination attempt was probably arranged by Prime Minister Li and Concubine Mei.”
This revelation shocked both Huo Luo and Lin Qingyang. Lin Qingyang had always assumed that the assassins, even if not arranged by Chu Lishu, were hired by someone genuinely seeking to harm the Fourth Prince. How could it be orchestrated by the mother and grandfather of the Fourth Prince?
Huo Luo immediately exclaimed, “How is that possible? Why would they do this? The Fourth Prince is still so young; what if something happened? A tiger wouldn’t eat its cubs!”
“But didn’t the Fourth Prince escape without any injuries?” Yue Chen sat down, and poured tea for himself and Huo Luo. However, when he picked up the teapot, his wrist trembled unexpectedly. Suddenly, a bronze-colored hand took the teapot from his fair hand and poured two cups.
Yue Chen glanced at Huo Luo, whose face remained unchanged, but the tips of his ears turned red.
Yue Chen pursed his lips, suppressing a smile, and said slowly, “You forgot the scenes the guards recalled just now. Initially, they had no idea that assassins were lurking nearby. Suddenly, dozens of crossbow arrows appeared, accurately targeting individuals with no defenses. In the end, only the Fourth Prince was hit by an arrow. Even if it were non-martial experts secretly ambushing, could they miss a child? Are they still professional assassins?”
Huo Luo, being more knowledgeable about martial arts matters, immediately grasped the situation when Yue Chen mentioned it. “You’re right, it doesn’t make sense. Are they putting on a show? Intentionally bringing some assassins to pretend to attack the Fourth Prince, creating a scene of countless casualties, as if it were a tragic disaster, yet not harming the Fourth Prince at all. But… why?”
Yue Chen took a slow sip of tea and said, “Of course, it’s a show for the emperor. Although Concubine Mei is favored, the Fourth Prince doesn’t hold the emperor’s favor as much as the Third Prince. Plus, in the recent period, those three families have been targeting each other, suffering heavy losses. They are worried that at any moment, those three families might shift their attention to them. So, they have been cautious and low-key for a while, but at the same time, they realized this was a good opportunity.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyang quickly grasped the situation, “If they take action in advance, creating a tense situation, portraying themselves as victims, and attracting the emperor’s attention, those three factions wouldn’t dare to make a move again. The ones most likely to want to harm the Fourth Prince are those three faction. If anything happens to the Fourth Prince, they become the prime suspects. By making such a commotion, it actually sets up the greatest protective shield for the Fourth Prince in the future.”
Yue Chen smiled, “Exactly. It will also create mutual suspicion among the other three factions. They will all think it was the other side’s doing and won’t suspect Concubine Mei. After all, Concubine Mei’s love for the Fourth Prince is well-known. They should believe that Concubine Mei wouldn’t use the Fourth Prince as bait.”
“But they still did it, right? Indeed, there is no good person in the palace.” Huo Luo snorted coldly.
“Their actions are a disguised way of protecting the Fourth Prince. I bet Concubine Mei has already gone to the emperor, crying her heart out. The emperor will surely be furious. In his eyes, the Fourth Prince hasn’t yet participated much in the power struggles and is already targeted. As a father, he would be cautious. After this, the emperor will likely secretly warn those three factions. He will also show more love and tenderness towards Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince, gaining several advantages at once.”
After Yue Chen’s analysis, Lin Qingyang really wanted to take a few deep breaths. Indeed, one should never judge a situation by its surface appearance. So did Chu Lishu know about this plan and follow Concubine Mei’s implementation?
How did he figure it out?
A sense of awe rose again in Lin Qingyang’s heart. That condescending gaze, as if Chu Lishu knew everything, was chilling.
However, Yue Chen quickly provided a speculative hint.
“In fact, when I learned that the Fourth Prince would come today, I felt very strange. The Fourth Prince is so young, why would Concubine and Prime Minister Li easily allow him to come to Duke Wei Guo’s residence? It couldn’t be just to see the two of you, right?” Yue Chen teased Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu with a smile.
Lin Qingyang forced a laugh and shook his head.
Yue Chen continued, “Moreover, they chose such a chaotic day. In the eyes of outsiders, it might seem like they trust Duke Wei Guo’s residence, so they’re not concerned. But someone as petty as Prime Minister Li, how could he possibly… Now it all connects. It would only make sense if everything was intentionally arranged by them.”
Yue Chen’s words sparked a thought in Lin Qingyang’s mind. So, when Xu Wenze asked them if they were coming at the Imperial Academy earlier, Chu Lishu had already guessed that there was something unusual about the Fourth Prince’s visit. After all, he had orchestrated the previous conflicts between the three factions. He likely had some expectations for the reactions of the Fourth Prince. Chu Lishu probably instructed Lu Yi and Lu Shi to investigate Prime Minister Li’s recent actions, confirming the staged assassination and allowing Lu Yi and Lu Shi to participate, creating an opportunity to act as saviors and gain favor and trust. This plan had a much higher chance of success than if Lu Yi and Lu Shi had acted independently.
However, there still seemed to be something off.
After listening, Huo Luo pondered for a while and couldn’t help but express doubt, “This is just your speculation. How can you be sure it’s not one of the three factions?”
“Those three factions just recently angered the emperor, and they are cautious and on guard against each other. They would prefer to lay low and bide their time. Any of them would be reluctant to attract attention, and naturally, they would remain quiet for some time. Moreover, if they were to undertake such a risky endeavor, any location would be better than Duke Wei Guo’s residence. The fact that Concubine Mei and the others chose Duke Wei Guo’s residence suggests it’s because they are familiar with the place. In case of any mishaps, they would have better control here.”
“So, Duke Wei Guo is also aware of this matter? Why didn’t he inform Xu Wenze? This is his only son, and he’s been injured.” Huo Luo frowned, displeased.
“Because Duke Wei Guo doesn’t know. Such a secretive matter, even in an alliance, cannot be disclosed. Didn’t I mention? Prime Minister Li is a petty person and wouldn’t fully trust anyone. Also, this includes the fact that Prime Minister Li wants to keep a tight rein on Duke Wei Guo’s residence. By creating a situation where the other party is genuinely afraid and worried about not being trusted due to this incident, Prime Minister Li can then show generosity, tolerance, and trust. Duke Wei Guo’s residence will likely be grateful and pledge unwavering loyalty to him.”
“Despicable!” Considering Xu Wenze as an ally, Huo Luo couldn’t help but curse.
“Why didn’t you tell Xu Wenze earlier?” Lin Qingyang, curious about Yue Chen’s understanding of the Wei Residence, asked. Weren’t they friends?
“What’s the use of telling him? To sow discord and break the alliance? I have no evidence, and if they develop suspicions because of what I say, it won’t be good for them. After all, Duke Wei Guo has chosen this path himself, and we can’t interfere.” Yue Chen explained calmly. “Unless Xu Wenze decides to step out of this matter on his own, he probably wouldn’t want to hear these unpleasant truths.”
“Hop out? It’s impossible for Xu Wenze, as the young master of Duke Wei Guo’s residence, to act independently.”
Huo Luo couldn’t help but say, “So, this matter is developing according to their plan. Since you can figure it out, I don’t believe others can’t. Is the emperor not clever? Would he be completely fooled, without any suspicion?”
Yue Chen retorted, “Why are you doubting my intelligence? We are close and can see clearly. The emperor hears only second-hand information and, being in the midst of it, how could he see through it all?”
Huo Luo, dissatisfied, glanced at Yue Chen, who continued, “But, it’s not perfect. I’d say they missed two points in this scheme.”
Huo Luo and Lin Qingyang looked at Yue Chen curiously as he flaunted his intelligence.
“The first point is that they weren’t ruthless enough. If they had managed to injure the Fourth Prince, it wouldn’t have aroused any suspicion.”
Huo Luo defended, “That can be seen as the guards faithfully performing their duties, ensuring their master isn’t harmed. Without him, the Fourth Prince would’ve been injured for sure.”
“That’s hard to say. Who knows how others might think? It’s a matter of perspective. But, well…” Yue Chen suddenly smiled, “Chu Lishu, I’m curious. Did that assassin intend to harm the Fourth Prince, and you saved him, or did the assassin never intend to harm the Fourth Prince, and it was you who got involved?”
“Hey!” Huo Luo immediately pulled Yue Chen, feeling that Yue Chen was being a bit too much in speculating about others.
Lin Qingyang felt awkward and didn’t dare to speak. Although Yue Chen was very clever, he could never have imagined that the assassin was actually someone Chu Lishu had sent in.
Without turning his head, Chu Lishu, in a tired voice, said, “It’s nothing. I just saw that opportunity with the sword and thought it was a good chance. Look, now both my cousin and I can go into the palace as study companions.”
Chu Lishu’s candid admission left Yue Chen speechless. “Seizing the moment, courageous and resourceful, indeed impressive,” Yue Chen praised. Suddenly, a vague sense of something unusual flashed through his mind, but he didn’t grasp it, completely deceived by Chu Lishu.
Yue Chen continued, “Secondly, the assassin is said to be from the Blood Abyss Pavilion. This is very inappropriate. It would be better to have assassins with unidentifiable backgrounds, rather than letting people suspect it’s the Blood Abyss Pavilion’s work. Whether it’s true or not, it’s not suitable at all. This is something I can’t understand, and I find it quite awkward.”
Huo Luo frowned, “I remember after that assassination attempt, the Blood Abyss Pavilion was severely suppressed. At that time, didn’t you say the Blood Abyss Pavilion might have influential figures in the capital backing them?”
Yue Chen nodded, “Yes, that’s right. That’s why it’s strange. If it’s indeed the Blood Abyss Pavilion, it would indicate that the power behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion is aligned with the Fourth Prince’s faction. Otherwise, this kind of self-staged assassination of a prince would leak out due to various conflicting interests before it even begins. Alternatively, the mastermind could directly carry out a successful assassination, leaving Concubine Mei and the others defeated. So, they wouldn’t take the risk of hiring killers or mercenaries outside their control.”
Yue Chen continued, “If it’s a fake, then what’s the purpose of Concubine Mei and the others framing the Blood Abyss Pavilion? To confuse and mislead? It would be better not to arrange such a plan. After all, it’s impossible to trace the origin of the killers, and having no evidence of the assassins’ identity would make the situation even more mysterious. This is something I don’t understand.”
Lin Qingyang was puzzled when he heard this. This aspect should have been arranged by Chu Lishu, and he actually couldn’t comprehend it. What could be the purpose?
Suddenly, Yue Chen spoke up, “Chu Lishu, what do you think?”
Lin Qingyang’s heart skipped a beat.
“You’re asking me?” Chu Lishu, looking weary, turned his head.
Yue Chen chuckled, “When it comes to clever minds, it’s the two of us here. Of course, I’m asking you. Let’s analyze it. Why?”
Feeling somewhat belittled, Lin Qingyang and Huo Luo exchanged glances:…
Chu Lishu pondered for a moment before saying, “It might really be the forces behind the Fourth Prince. Anyway, not many people can guess that they orchestrated it themselves. With such influence, they can feel more at ease. It’s also possible… that they want to know who is behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion.”
Yue Chen’s expression suddenly changed, and then he furrowed his brows tightly as if trying to figure something out.
“What does that mean?” Huo Luo couldn’t understand, frowning.
Although Lin Qingyang was also puzzled, he realized the answer. Chu Lishu wouldn’t mention the second possibility without reason; it seemed more like a hint to Yue Chen that the purpose of the Fourth Prince’s faction was to investigate the people behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion.
Yue Chen seemed to have figured it out. “Indeed, if the Blood Abyss Pavilion assassins were impostors, then the goal of Prime Minister Li and the others is to investigate which faction is behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion. They disguised themselves as Blood Abyss Pavilion to carry out the crime of assassinating the prince, and the forces behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion will certainly be suspicious of each other. In the future, they only need to observe the changes in the capital and find clues from there.”
Huo Luo also found it quite reasonable and nodded, saying, “Very possible.”
Lin Qingyang felt a strange sympathy for Yue Chen, who was desperately seeking the truth. In reality, it had nothing to do with the Fourth Prince’s faction. Chu Lishu himself was investigating the people behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion.
The truth was that Concubine Mei and the others did arrange unidentified assassins from the Blood Abyss Pavilion. Lu Yi and Lu Shi infiltrated the scene, deliberately leaving behind information about the Blood Abyss Pavilion during their escape, leading everyone to mistakenly believe that the assassination attempt on the Fourth Prince was carried out by the Blood Abyss Pavilion. This way, Chu Lishu could hide in the shadows and observe which faction was truly behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion.
If it truly was the Fourth Prince’s faction, then this incident was equivalent to sowing discord, making them start to doubt whether the Blood Abyss Pavilion under their control had issues. There would undoubtedly be strange personnel movements within the Fourth Prince’s faction recently, providing Chu Lishu with evidence to prove that the Blood Abyss Pavilion belonged to the Fourth Prince’s faction.
However, if the Fourth Prince started investigating and fortifying against the Blood Abyss Pavilion, it would demonstrate that the Blood Abyss Pavilion was unrelated to them. This would lead to following Prime Minister Li’s lead, leveraging their influence, observing the changes in the capital, and uncovering the truth. In this way, it saved Chu Lishu a lot of effort.
Having understood this, Lin Qingyang once again took a deep breath. This series of intricate maneuvers was truly mind-boggling! They completed the mission of becoming the study companions, gained the trust of the Fourth Prince’s faction, and utilized this opportunity to investigate the Blood Abyss Pavilion’s influence that Chu Lishu wanted to control. Did the male lead’s brain CPU not overheat from all this?
While Lin Qingyang was sighing infinitely, Yue Chen was quick to contribute once again.
However, Yu Chen soon furrowed his brows. “But if it’s really the second possibility… why suddenly target the Blood Abyss Pavilion? It doesn’t seem like the right timing for the Fourth Prince’s faction. After all, the Blood Abyss Pavilion is just a martial arts organization in the martial world. Saying it is backed by the powerful is just our speculation.”
Lin Qingyang felt inexplicably excited, as if jealousy was at play, wishing that others could also overcome Chu Lishu’s designs, proving that Chu Lishu wasn’t as terrifyingly intelligent and cunning.
“Perhaps they’re worried that the Blood Abyss Pavilion is in the hands of their enemies, so they want to eliminate it first. Whatever they investigate behind the scenes, we wouldn’t know,” speculated Huo Luo. “In any case, since they’re using assassins, why don’t they achieve two goals with one action?”
Lin Qingyang: … God opened a window for Yu Chen, but Huo Luo stood outside and closed it.
Indeed, Yu Chen suddenly appeared somewhat defeated. “When did that old man become so shrewd? To think so much? I didn’t even consider that.”
“You’re already very clever,” Lin Qingyang said regretfully, even though he hadn’t defeated the big boss.
Yue Chen was about to complain, but suddenly he felt something was off. He hadn’t thought of it, but someone else had and had even reminded him.
Yue Chen looked at Chu Lishu on the bed, who had already withdrawn his gaze indifferently.
Yue Chen’s expression became even more complex. He remembered the scene where he had a private conversation with Chu Lishu during the day, and at that time, he had almost bluntly exposed the issue with Chu Lishu’s identity. However, the other party remained vigilant, not giving the slightest opportunity.
Yet, he remained resolute. The only person who could surpass him in strategy, make him unable to see through, and still feel completely overwhelmed could only be that one person.
While others might judge based on appearances, Yue Chen discerned by observing the other person’s thought patterns. At this moment, he truly reaffirmed his suspicions.
If it is really that person, then everything analyzed just now might have to be reevaluated. Due to his fanboy mentality, Yue Chen simply couldn’t believe that Chu Lishu came all this way just to get injured, gain some favor, and enter the palace. It seemed too impractical. However, he was truly frustrated because he couldn’t grasp the key points of the situation.
As it was already late, Yue Chen and Huo Luo didn’t want to disturb Chu Lishu’s recovery and decided to leave directly.
When they arrived at the main hall to bid farewell, they coincidentally witnessed the scene of Duke Wei Guo preparing to see off Prime Minister Li, with Xu Wenzhe following behind them.
However, the atmosphere of that scene was different from what Yue Chen had initially speculated.
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