Peach Blossom.

In this small courtyard, there is no other woman except the maid Fang Qing.

The voice coming from outside was obviously not Fang Qing's. Fang Qing never spoke so loudly.

Chen Ji stood up, pushed open the door and took a look.

He didn't expect that what he saw was Prince Yongchang's eldest daughter, Princess Si Rong, who rushed in with her maid Xiaoying.

Ma Da didn't dare to leave, so he could only stand aside with the other guards, obeying their orders submissively.

In Ailao County, everyone knows Princess Si Rong, and Chen Ji is no exception.

Chen Ji remembered that when he was a child, his father, Duke of Qiao, was very optimistic about Prince Yongchang and once invited Prince Yongchang to his home as a guest. Prince Yongchang respected Duke of Qiao very much at that time.

But the good times did not last long. Xianzong believed the slander of the Meng family and demoted the Prince of Yongchang to the distant Yongchang. Soon after, he appointed the Duke of Qiao County to pacify the border.

Afterwards, Duke Qiao died in battle, and Prince Yongchang was never able to return to the capital.

When Lian Xianzong passed away, he left a will that Prince Yongchang did not need to return to Beijing to attend the funeral.

Everyone privately suspected that it was just a false will of Emperor Xianzong spread by Empress Dowager Meng in order to ensure that Emperor Xiaozong Si Yu could ascend the throne smoothly.

Later, Chen Ji learned from his father's old confidant that his father's "death in battle" was actually a trap designed by Chen Xi, which was instructed in advance by Xianzong.

In that battle to pacify the border, Duke Qiao and his eldest son Chen Xi went together. Duke Qiao died in the battle, and all the credit went to Chen Xi.

Therefore, Xianzong promoted Chen Xi to a higher position and allowed Chen Xi to inherit his father's title of Duke of Qiao.

The members of the Chen family, originally headed by the Duke of Qiao, also began to vie with each other in praising Chen Xi.

Everything was so natural, only Chen Ji was resentful.

Chen Ji finally escaped from the control of his brother Chen Xi by deliberately losing his position as the royal consort and faking his own death. He came to Yongchang in the hope that the Prince of Yongchang would remember the old times and discuss major plans together!

However, things were not as he thought.

The Wang family of Yongchang are very friendly, and it is not difficult for anyone to see them in Yongchang.

However, seeing it may not be useful!

When Chen Ji first arrived in Yongchang, he asked to see the King of Yongchang and explained his identity, the murder of his father, and how he faked his death and tricked his brother into going to Yongchang...

After hearing this, Prince Yongchang just nodded slightly and sighed, and then there was no further talk. He never took the initiative to summon him.

It seemed that King Yongchang treated him no differently than ordinary people!

He carefully analyzed the Prince of Yongchang in his mind:

Although he was a prince since childhood, his biological mother died early. He grew up in difficulty under the persecution of the Meng family. When he finally became an adult, he was exiled to a wild land and suffered torture for half his life. Now he is nearly forty years old. Will he trust someone easily?

He then carefully analyzed himself in the minds of the people:

He used to be Meng's son-in-law and grew up under the care of his brother Chen Xi. However, he turned evil into evil and murdered his brother, which resulted in him losing his position as a royal consort, being demoted to a commoner, and then dying in a fire... Am I worthy of trust?

It is actually very difficult to be trusted, so he might as well make himself useful.

Chen Ji realized that he must be of some real use to King Yongchang before he could gain the king's attention and reuse.

Only when he is reused by King Yongchang will his former Chen clan members begin to take his existence seriously again.

If the Chen clan members could change from supporting Chen Xi to supporting him, he would have more bargaining chips with King Yongchang.

These two things originally depended on each other.

These were his plans for the future and what he was working hard to do, but now... why did Princess Si Rong come to his house?

Si Rong was yelling at Ma Da: "Just because I returned your lost horse, shouldn't you show some gratitude?"

Chen Ji walked up to Si Rong and bowed, "I didn't know that the princess would come. I'm sorry for not welcoming you. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Si Rong turned her head to look at Chen Ji, and then asked Ma Da: "Who is he?"

Ma Da replied, "My Lord, this is my master, Master Chen."

"Oh...you are the owner of this house?" Si Rong looked at Chen Ji again.

Chen Ji smiled and responded politely: "That's right."

Si Rong was very straightforward and told Chen Ji: "That's perfect. Every time I come to see Mada, he always says he has important things to do. Since you are his master, I have to ask him, does he really have so many things to do? Doesn't he have any time to go shopping with me?"

Chen Ji was stunned. These words surprised him. He didn't know how many times Si Rong had said "every time I came to see Mada"?

He looked at Mada with a smile, thinking that he had usually underestimated this personal bodyguard who grew up with him.

He instantly understood why Mada had said that he didn't want to follow Princess Si Rong anymore.

He smiled and said to Si Rong: "If the princess needs the motor, just take him. Compared with the princess, my job here is nothing!"

After saying that, Chen Ji winked at Mada again.

Mada seemed reluctant, but since Chen Ji said so, he had to obey.

Si Rong was very happy, so she called Xiaoying, grabbed Mada's arm and went out.

It was not until dark that Mada returned to the courtyard to see Chen Ji.

Chen Ji had been waiting in the study for a long time.

When they met, Chen Ji was sitting at his desk, smiling mysteriously: "It seems that I have missed a lot of good shows during my absence from Yongchang!"

Ma Da still looked serious, and bowed to Chen Ji: "I will follow you wholeheartedly, sir, without any distractions."

"Hey...you are not a child anymore. It's normal to have some other thoughts!" Chen Ji looked at Ma Da, a faint smile on his face.

Mada didn't say anything, but just stood there with his head bowed.

After a while, Chen Ji sighed again: "However, you also know that although Prince Yongchang was banished, he is still a descendant of the royal family. It is impossible for him to look down on you. I guess this princess is just looking for something new. You shouldn't take it too seriously."

Ma Da replied, "I understand."

Chen Ji nodded and asked again: "What does she mean by returning the lost horse?"

Ma Da had no choice but to tell the truth: "It was Master Wang Er. When he took Miss Tao Ye away, he also hijacked one of our horses. Later, the horse was sent back by Princess Si Rong."

Chen Ji was immediately furious: "What a bastard Wang Jing, he even came to my house to rob? Isn't he too arrogant?"

Mada lowered his head again and said nothing.

Chen Ji asked: "Where are they now?"

"Prince Ning's Palace."

"Are you going to look for Wang Yi?"

Motor nodded.

"He knows that Wang Yi is in Prince Ning's Palace?" Chen Ji was a little surprised.

Because he was very sure that since he sent people to follow Wang Yi, although he could not follow Wang Yi every step of the way, he would definitely not give Wang Yi the opportunity to spread the news.

"It was my subordinate who told Mr. Wang Er." Ma Da lowered his head, ashamed, and explained, "At that time, my subordinate didn't know that he and Miss Tao were in cahoots. He threatened Miss Tao's life, so my subordinate told me where Situ Wang was..."

Chen Ji did not blame Mada. After all, Ailao County was only a small place. Even if Mada had not told him, Wang Jing would have found out where Wang Yi was sooner or later.

However, Wang Jing would know it a little later.

He fell into deep thought. He had copied by hand the map of seven treasure locations drawn by Wang Yi through Tao Ye, but he had heard from his father's trusted old servants that there should have been eight vaults where Zhongzong hid the treasury when he fled west.

He had been secretly planning in his mind that once he tracked Wang Yi and got the clue of the eighth vault, he would kill Wang Yi and present the vault location map to King Yongchang.

Such breaking news was enough for him to take credit in front of King Yongchang and gain King Yongchang's trust.

However, it is too easy to be discovered if you follow someone in Yongchang.

Wang Yi seemed to have realized that someone was following him a long time ago. He changed his residence again and again, and finally pretended to be a refugee and lived in the Ning Palace. After that, he seldom came out of the Ning Palace, and even if he did, it was only for a short while.

Chen Ji was not worried at that time because he knew that Wang Yi was loyal to Emperor Xiaozong and had no ulterior motives. Sooner or later he would leave Yongchang and return to Jiankang to present the treasury to Emperor Xiaozong.

He only needs to wait for Wang Yi to be on the road from Yongchang to Jiankang, and then he will have plenty of opportunities to take action.

However, times have changed. Now... Emperor Xiaozong is dead... The new emperor is still a child, and the power in the court is controlled by the Meng family.

In this case, will Wang Yi return to Jiankang?

When Chen Ji heard that Wang Jing had traveled thousands of miles to Yongchang to look for his father, he was actually a little nervous.

The most important thing is that Wang Jing came here accompanied by Tao Ye, and Tao Ye must have told Wang Jing about her act of stealing the map a long time ago.

He guessed that the main purpose of Wang Jing's trip was to persuade Wang Yi to switch allegiance to Prince Yongchang.

Once Wang Yi knew that Emperor Xiaozong was dead and the secret of the treasury map had been stolen, he would most likely agree to surrender to Prince Yongchang.

When Empress Dowager Meng announced the death of Emperor Xiaozong, she sent people to spread the news to various states and counties, but she did not send a message to Yongchang.

But such a major event, even if there was no one specifically to spread the news, would not fail to reach Yongchang if it only relied on word of mouth among the people on the streets. It was only a matter of sooner or later.

If Wang Yi has already presented the vault location map to Prince Yongchang, then what is the use of this pirated map in his hand?

Chen Ji asked Ma Da again: "How long has Wang Jing been in Ning Wang's palace?"

"It's already the fourth day." Ma Da knew what Chen Ji was worried about, and added: "During this period, our people have been hovering outside the Ning Wang Palace. Neither Wang Yi nor Wang Jing have come out recently. The Yongchang Wang has not been to Ailao recently."

Chen Ji felt relieved when he heard this: "When will Prince Yongchang go to Prince Ning's palace next time?"

Everyone in Ailao County knew that Prince Yongchang loved his people like his own children and would take one day every month to visit the refugees living in Prince Ning's Palace.

By that time, the Wang father and son would naturally have the opportunity to ask for an audience with King Yongchang.

Ma Da said: "Princess Si Rong said that she should go on the first day of next month."

Chen Ji looked through the old almanac. Tomorrow is the end of the month. It may be too late to do anything to stop the Wang father and son from presenting their treasures.

If Wang Yi and he presented the vault location map on the same day, who would Prince Yongchang believe?

He couldn't think of the answer for a moment.

He thought silently, the only way now was to fight the Wang family openly, but fortunately he had a backup plan...