Don't panic, nephew. I will take this pot of evil star.

After listening to the visitor's report, Mu Lanxun looked at the secret letter in his hand.

It was hard for Mu Fengze, as he arranged for people to come out at the last moment before the house arrest.

He closed his eyes and thought, those people were taken into custody as soon as they returned to the country, some were imprisoned, and some died. It was too coincidental. Who was behind this?

"Master!" Yuanri rushed in anxiously.

Mu Lanxun opened his eyes in a flash, and his dark eyes instantly became sharp.

"Emperor Qi Zhao has fallen ill!" Yuanri stepped to his side.

Then he said something even more shocking: "Suspected of poisoning."

Mu Lanxun's eyebrows suddenly jumped, "When did it happen?"

He had just met Emperor Qi Zhao yesterday, and the two of them had a brief conversation for the length of an incense stick.

It's only been one night, how could he be poisoned?

"Who said I was poisoned?" He felt something was wrong, and all kinds of thoughts were running through his mind.

"Mo Ling, Imperial Physician Mo."

Yuanri pursed his lips tightly. Mo Ling's status in the palace's Imperial Hospital was unparalleled, and it was not something that an ordinary little doctor could refute.

He said that he was poisoned, which was absolutely correct. However, Emperor Qi Zhao had always been well protected, so how could he be poisoned now?

"Master! We are surrounded!" Shangsi, who had been hiding in the dark, suddenly appeared. The sound of the cavalry's footsteps outside could already be heard from here.

Mu Lanxun narrowed his eyes, "Shangsi, you continue to guard here."

He looked at the dark room under the stone table in the yard with a hidden look in his eyes.

"New Year's Day, go and take a look." His tone was calm, without any panic.

As he watched the two of them disappear in a flash, he gradually formed a guess in his mind.

The leader of the imperial guard, Xu Ziyang, led a large number of soldiers and horses, fully armed, surrounded the Zixiang Palace, and knocked on the door of the palace in a cold and stern manner.

"Ninth Prince Mu Lanxun, I have been ordered to take you to the palace for questioning. Please move and follow me. Do not resist."

Xu Ziyang, dressed in a red python robe, had a long sword on his waist and wore a pair of black leather and white sole black boots. He had a solemn expression and a fierce look in his eyes, which made people feel awe.

"Sir Xu, could you tell me why you want to call my master?" Yuanri stood at the door and bowed respectfully, but did not move aside immediately.

Xu Ziyang raised his lips and smiled, "The palace masters have something to ask Prince Mu Jiu. Does it require an imperial decree?"

As soon as he said this, his subordinates who were on high alert behind him took two steps forward at the same time, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Mu Lan is seeking a hostage status. If he refuses to listen now, the commander of the Imperial Guard has every right to detain him by force.

"Master Xu, your words are too polite. I don't know the rules. I will go with you now."

A man walked out from behind Yuan Ri. Mu Lanxun smiled kindly at Lord Xu, but scowled at Yuan Ri angrily, "Why don't you get off!"

Xu Ziyang sneered, "Then I'll have to trouble Prince Mu Jiu."

Mu Lanxun looked straight ahead and said, "Please."

It seems that I have to go this time. Emperor Qi Zhao suddenly fell down due to poisoning, and it is probably because someone wanted to cut off his retreat.

Mu Lanxun was asked to leave, but the guards around Zixiang Palace did not withdraw. A small group of soldiers remained outside, under the pretext of "ensuring the safety of the palace."

Although they were heavily guarded, these people still treated them with courtesy. After all, they had just made peace with the State of Chu not long ago.

Along the way, he sat in the carriage, thinking carefully.

The palace was shrouded in dark clouds. The news of Emperor Qi Zhao's illness had not been made public. Only a few people knew about it, including Prime Minister Feng Linshang and Grand Tutor Luo Tong.

After the commander of the imperial guards, Xu Ziyang, brought Mu Lanxun here, he stepped forward to guard the door, with the momentum of a single man blocking a thousand.

Several people were sitting upright in the side hall, all with anxious eyes. Emperor Qi Zhao was in his prime and there were few children in the harem, so no one dared to think of the worst.

During the morning court session this morning, several attentive ministers noticed that Your Majesty was not in good spirits.

But no one thought much about it. Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister was urgently summoned back by Eunuch Fude before he even returned to the Prime Minister's residence.

Afterwards, several high-ranking ministers also entered the palace. After hearing what Imperial Physician Mo said, they all trembled. Who was so bold as to poison His Majesty?

Who has Your Majesty been meeting with these past two days? Are there any unusual expenses related to food and drink?

After a round of questioning, everything was normal, except for the private meeting with Prince Mu Jiu last night.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister, Your Excellency the Grand Tutor." Mu Lanxun bowed and saluted with his brows lowered.

"Prince Mu Jiu, I heard that His Majesty met with you alone yesterday, and has not met with anyone alone since then until this morning's court session. I reasonably suspect that you engaged in inappropriate behavior during that time."

Taifu Luo Tong spoke in a low voice, slowly, with pain in his eyes.

Feng Linshang, contrary to his usual behavior, did not speak, his eyes half closed, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Mu Lanxun sneered in his heart. Since they were meeting alone, whatever he said now would be just quibbling. If Emperor Qi Zhao was unable to testify soberly, he would have no way to defend himself.

"Master Taifu, His Majesty just chatted with me about the customs of Chu State. He must have wanted to prepare some small surprises for the Royal Concubine."

He told them some of the stories, some true and some false, and also reminded them that without clear evidence pointing to him, they could not make a final decision.

"Also, let me say something quite outrageous. No one would bring suspicion of wrongdoing upon themselves. I trust that the adults will make their own judgment."

He defended himself neither arrogantly nor humbly, and his attitude was calm and composed without any panic or fear.

Taifu Luo Tong looked at him steadily. The absurd deeds of Emperor Chu were well known to everyone, but he didn't expect that some of his sons were still capable of doing something remarkable.

It's true that the bigger the forest is and the more birds there are, there will always be one or two that stand out.

"That's the logic... but it doesn't rule out the possibility that some people will do the opposite, risking their lives to confuse the public, don't you think?"

Luo Tong chuckled and spoke vaguely on purpose.

Mu Lanxun was silent and glanced at Feng Linshang. The Prime Minister didn't say a word and sat there like a sculpture.

He allowed the Grand Tutor to test him with words, and his attitude clearly showed that he was thinking the same as the Grand Tutor, that Mu Lanxun was the most suspicious.

"How about this? Prince Mu Jiu will stay in the palace until His Majesty regains consciousness. The Dali Temple will intervene. As long as the truth is uncovered and it has nothing to do with you, we will release you immediately. How do you do that?"

Luo Tong had an expression that showed he was concerned for his own good, and with just a few simple words he was about to send him to the Dali Temple.

A gleam of light flashed in Mu Lanxun's eyes, and his face looked quite annoyed, but he had to compromise, and then he clasped his fists and bowed.

"I believe that Lord Fang will be able to find out the truth and clear my name."

Feng Linshang only raised his eyes at this time, looking at the top of Mu Lanxun's head where he was bending over, and a trace of annoyance flashed through his heart.

The more at ease Mu Lanxun was, the more inexplicably unwilling he felt. However, he didn't want to delve into what he was unwilling to accept.

Just watching him turn around indifferently, I inexplicably felt that the figure looked very much like Feng Tianxu.

Mu Lanxun turned around with a hint of sarcasm on his face. The Prime Minister's previous promise was probably no longer valid.

Even though Feng Tianxu's death was not caused by me, I did not kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me.

Just because Feng Xili chose him.

It turns out that when the pain doesn't hit you, you can say or do whatever you want. But once you feel the pain, some things are really beyond your control.

Even if that person is a powerful prime minister, he is not immune to this.

Oh, but what about the Dali Temple?