Peach Blossom.

Si Yuan glanced at Chen Ji lightly without saying anything.

Tao Ye was furious at Chen Ji's suggestion to "execute on the spot" and started to criticize him as usual: "Bullshit! Didn't you bow down to Emperor Xiaozong more than a year ago and try your best to please Princess Si Yao? Now you come here to flatter me, aren't you half-hearted?"

Chen Ji smiled and replied, "Your Majesty is very observant and will know that I was forced to become a royal consort by my brother. Besides, I have never been an official in Jiankang, and I have divorced the princess. I am following my father's will and being loyal to Your Majesty. I have never had any second thoughts!"

Tao Ye immediately came up with a strong reason to defend Wang Jing: "My second brother was also forced to become a prince consort. He burned his feet with moxa to refuse the princess' marriage, which made him lame now! If you ask around in Jiankang, who wouldn't know about this?"

Princess Si Rong was listening at the side, and was very puzzled. Why were both princes-in-law forced to become princes-in-law?

She leaned close to Mada and whispered in his ear, "Is Princess Si Yao ugly?"

Mada didn't know how to answer. It seemed wrong to talk about the princess's beauty behind her back, so he just replied softly, "She... is a little fat..."

Si Rong seemed to understand something. It was indeed because Jiankang was rich that the princess was raised to be plump and white. Looking at Yongchang, everyone was thin!

Si Yuan ignored the bickering between Tao Ye and Chen Ji and glanced at Wang Jing: "Have you finished reading it?"

Wang Jing was daydreaming about the possible cause of Emperor Xiaozong's death when he suddenly heard Si Yuan's question. He hurriedly handed the letter back to Si Yuan with both hands.

Si Yuan took the letter back and asked Wang Jing, "Is this written by your father?"

Wang Jing answered truthfully: "Yes."

Wang Jing turned his head and looked at Chen Ji, anger rising in his chest: "May I ask, Brother Chen, how did you get these letters?"

"What do you think?" Chen Ji raised his eyebrows as if teasing.

Wang Jing was more and more certain in his heart that the person who killed Emperor Xiaozong must be Chen Ji...

But Wang Jing could not stand up for Si Yu in front of Si Yuan. Back then, Prince Yongchang Si Yuan and Emperor Xiaozong Si Yu competed for the throne. Si Yu won with the support of Meng, while Si Yuan was demoted to the remote Yongchang to suffer. It was impossible for Si Yuan not to resent Si Yu.

Si Yuan coughed twice and asked again: "Prince Consort Wang, do you know about your father's many correspondences with Emperor Xiaozong? Where is your father now?"

Chen Ji laughed secretly. He knew that Wang Yi was in Prince Ning's palace. If Wang Jing did not admit it, he could immediately find Wang Yi among the refugees; if Wang Jing admitted it, then Wang Yi would be a spy sent by Emperor Xiaozong to Yongchang, a spy who had been lurking in Yongchang for many years!

Wang Jing pondered for a moment and gradually came up with another idea.

He knelt at Si Yuan's feet and told him frankly: "Your Majesty, my father is the Minister of Civil Affairs. He left the capital secretly and came to Yongchang only after he claimed to be ill. I handled official business for my father in the capital and often communicated with him. Naturally, I knew his whereabouts very well."

Si Yuan couldn't help but be curious after hearing this: "Since your father was acting under the order of the emperor, why did he lie to his superiors and leave the capital without permission?"

Wang Jing raised his head slightly, revealing a helpless look on his face: "Your Majesty and Emperor Xiaozong are brothers, and grew up together in Jiankang Palace. Naturally, you know best that although Emperor Xiaozong was fortunate enough to ascend the throne, he was always controlled by the Meng family. Emperor Xiaozong's original intention of looking for treasure was to have the power to fight against the Meng family one day, and the Meng family didn't know about the treasury, so of course Emperor Xiaozong had to keep it secret."

Si Yuan nodded. Of course he believed these.

Si Yuan was persecuted by the Meng family since he was young, which made him physically weak. He understood the Meng family's methods and was also very clear that Si Yu was not Meng's biological son. Even if he became emperor, he would most likely become a puppet in the hands of the Meng family.

The truth was just a prelude. Then, Wang Jing began his fabrication: "Before my father left Beijing, Emperor Xiaozong summoned him alone. He said that he and his brother were from the same roots, but because of the instigation of the Meng family, the brotherhood became estranged. When he finds the treasury, recruits soldiers, and destroys the Meng family, he will definitely welcome his brother back. From now on, the brothers will be united and will make the country last forever."

Si Yuan listened quietly. He glanced at Wang Jing, half believing and half doubting.

Wang Jing continued, "The last time I sought to see Emperor Xiaozong alone was two months ago. It was to ask him to cancel my marriage with the princess and to redress the injustice of my first wife who died in vain. At that time, he had a sad face and said that he was powerless to make the decision on this matter. He said that he lived a cowardly life and that every time he resisted Meng, he would suffer. He told me that if he was unfortunate, my father and I must go to Yongchang and seek refuge with the king, and never let the Great Qi Kingdom be destroyed by a woman. I didn't expect that only a few days later, Emperor Xiaozong really died inexplicably on the bed of a concubine! And Meng concealed the fact and did not announce the death until all the court officials respectfully invited the eldest prince to ascend the throne..."

Chen Ji wanted to laugh as he was listening, but he didn't dare to. He knew that what Wang Jing said was pure fabrication, but his words were made up in a way that was reasonable and appropriate, and even explained the principle of "a loyal minister should not serve two masters"!

Si Yuan was a man who had experienced a lot, so naturally he would not easily trust anyone. He looked at Wang Jing and asked again: "Do you have any evidence for what your second brother said to you and your son?"

Wang Jing knelt upright and answered respectfully: "Your Majesty, if Emperor Xiaozong had left "evidence" of what he said, I probably wouldn't have been able to reach Yongchang safely and would have been killed by Meng on the way!"

Si Yuan remained silent. It had been nearly twenty years since he was demoted to Yongchang. He was unable to judge Si Yu's mentality in recent years based on his memories from twenty years ago.

"Your Majesty, the treasury is the relic of Emperor Xianzong. It belongs to Emperor Xiaozong and also to Your Majesty. Emperor Xiaozong lived a very miserable life! He ascended the throne, but no one cared about his death for no reason! Who in the world today is willing to risk his life to seek justice for Emperor Xiaozong? I beg Your Majesty to dig up the treasury, recruit soldiers and horses, and avenge Emperor Xiaozong!" Wang Jing spoke passionately, and then he kowtowed deeply to Si Yuan.

At this point, Wang Jing thought that whether it was true or false was no longer so important. Whether Si Yuan believed it or not, the word "revenge" gave Si Yuan an excellent excuse.

After all, Si Yu's son Si De has ascended the throne as emperor. Although he is still a child, he is recognized by court officials and has the right to rule. If Si Yuan rashly leads his troops into the capital, it would be a rebellion. He must have a strong reason.

For the officials and people of Qi State, Si Yu's last words lacked "evidence", but Wang Jing, as Meng's legitimate son-in-law, sided with Si Yuan and was the best witness.

Si Yuan nodded slightly, still maintaining a polite smile: "I am deeply moved by Prince Consort's words. Please stand up!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Wang Jing stood up.

Si Yuan looked up at the sky. It was already past noon. He said to Madam Han, "It's getting late. We should go back to Xitang."

Mrs. Han helped Si Yuan stand up and walked down the pavilion together.

Tao Ye was very puzzled. Prince Yongchang neither said that he would adopt Wang Jing's opinion nor asked where the eighth vault was. He just withdrew directly. What did this mean?

All the followers followed Si Yuan, and Chen Ji hurried to catch up.

Unexpectedly, Si Yuan stopped and looked back at Chen Ji: "Mr. Chen, there is no need to follow me. Please go back by yourself!"

"Yes..." Chen Ji was stunned and dared not move forward.

The motor had to stop along with Chen Ji.

Si Rong was originally walking behind Si Yuan. After hearing this, she didn't know whether she should walk or not, and she slowed down her pace unconsciously.

Madam Han whispered in Si Rong's ear with a smile: "The princess is the king's legitimate daughter, so she should know the king's preferences best. You must be cautious when introducing anyone to him in the future."

After hearing this, Si Rong's face turned red, and she didn't dare to go with Chen Ji and Mada. She glanced at Mada and hurried to catch up with her father Si Yuan.

Chen Ji stopped where he was, looked at Si Yuan and his group going away, then glanced at Wang Jing and Tao Ye who were still standing in the pavilion, and clenched his fists silently again.

Wang Jing's heart was also filled with dark clouds. He walked down from the pavilion and approached Chen Ji: "You got those letters from Emperor Xiaozong, right?"

Tao Ye hurriedly followed, and when she heard Wang Jing ask this, she was confused again.

Chen Ji looked disdainful and smiled frivolously: "Why should I answer your question?"

"It was you who killed Emperor Xiaozong!" Wang Jing's eyebrows showed anger and he stared at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Think whatever you want!"

Tao Ye opened her eyes wide in shock and questioned Chen Ji: "Why did you kill the emperor? Is it because he abolished your status as a royal consort?"

"Silly girl, do you believe whatever he says?"

When the person he was talking to became Tao Ye, Chen Ji showed his tender side.

But Tao Ye was disgusted by this tone: "I don't believe him, so how can I believe you?"

Chen Ji smiled faintly: "You trust him so much, why don't you ask him, how many of the words he said in front of King Yongchang just now are true?"

Tao Ye snorted. She would never question Wang Jing like that. She always believed that Wang Jing had his own reasons for doing things!

"Brother Wang, your skill in making up stories on the battlefield is truly amazing! It would be a waste of your talent if you don't write a few play scripts!" Chen Ji looked at Wang Jing and couldn't stop laughing.

Of course, that was a sneer.

Wang Jing looked at Chen Ji with contempt, his eyes as sharp as a sword. Every time he saw Chen Ji in the past, he would think of the death of his first wife Mantangjiao, and now the death of Emperor Xiaozong was added to the list, but he was still powerless.

Chen Ji took the motor and turned to leave.

Wang Jing just stared for a long time.

"Is he really the murderer who murdered the official?" Tao Ye also looked at the backs of Chen Ji and Mada.

Wang Jing replied softly, "Eight or nine out of ten."

Tao Ye didn't quite understand. She just felt very hungry and had to fill her stomach before she could think about other problems.

She pulled Wang Jing to the big kitchen and found that lunch had already been distributed and there was no one in the kitchen.

"What a shame these people are! Don't they even know to leave some food for us? I thought they were good people!" Tao Ye looked at one pot after another, and each pot was empty.

Wang Jing watched Tao Ye lift the lid of the pot, stick her head out to look, and then put it down again. She was so agile, just like a little monkey jumping around to find food. She was so smart and cute that Wang Jing seemed to forget his worries for a while without realizing it.

"Don't look for it anymore. I left two steamed buns for you from this morning. Go back and eat them!"

Tao Ye was very happy when she heard this, and hurriedly followed Wang Jing back to his residence to find some steamed buns to eat.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, and had just taken a few bites of the steamed bun when she heard some strange noises outside, like many disorderly footsteps, coming from the direction where they were entering and exiting the curtain.

Before they had time to guess, suddenly a pile of large and small stones came from outside the curtain and hit Wang Jing and Tao Ye!