726 Admiration (5)
Prince Li smiled at the two brothers in front of him and said, “What do you think?”
Prince Xiang was a cautious and timid person. Looking at Prince Li’s smiling face, he couldn’t help but shiver. Prince Li had always been a smiling villain. On the surface, he looked amiable, but he was the most ruthless. Prince Xiang said, “Isn’t it too risky?”
When Prince Cheng heard that, he said, “Why is it risky? We can’t really let the crown prince marry Miss Shen and get the military power of the Shen family so easily. Sixth Brother and Prince Zhou have been competing for so many years but to no avail. That crown prince is sick. Even if he gets so much power, he won’t have the luck to enjoy it.”
Prince Cheng had always been rude and impudent. However, it was obvious that his words satisfied Prince Li. Prince Li said, “Eighth Brother is right. It’s indeed not what I want to let the crown prince get the Shen family’s military power. If this marriage is successful, not only will I be at a disadvantage, but you two will also be in trouble. I won’t let that happen. I proposed to assassinate Miss Shen to avoid future trouble. Although Miss Shen is very innocent, she can only blame the crown prince for dragging her into the mess.”
Prince Li smiled as he spoke about the assassination of Shen Miao. Although he said that Shen Miao was innocent, there was no sympathy in his tone.
“But how do we pin this on Prince Zhou?” Prince Xiang asked softly.
“Prince Zhou is usually impulsive. Everyone will suspect that he did it on impulse. Father has a lot of complaints about him to begin with and will punish him severely,” Prince Li said.
“Killing two birds with one stone is a good idea.” Prince Cheng was beaming with smiles, “I support your idea, Sixth Brother!”
Prince Xiang did not speak, but even if he did not speak, it did not matter. He and Prince Cheng were both Prince Li’s followers. Prince Li’s decision represented the two of them. If they succeeded, they would benefit together, but if they failed, they would also die together. This was what they understood from the beginning.
He sighed in his heart and could only hope that the assassination of Shen Miao would go smoothly tomorrow.
…
The night was as dark as ink. The winter wind blew on people’s faces like a knife. The wooden bucket of water left outside froze at night. It was stuck to the ground the next day and could not be lifted up.
On the upper floor of the inn, in front of the window, the purple-clothed young man stood with his hands behind his back, frowning. A snow-white pigeon suddenly flew in from outside and landed on the window sill in front of him, its body covered in a layer of snowflakes.
Xie Jingxing took off a small silver tube from the pigeon’s leg and let the pigeon into the house. With charcoal burning, the room was warm. The pigeon flew to the desk in the room. It tilted its head and pecked at the corn in the small bowl on the table.
Xie Jingxing took out a small paper roll from the silver tube, unfolded it, and read it. He casually threw it into the charcoal stove and turned it to ashes. Tie Yi walked in from outside and walked behind Xie Jingxing, saying, “Master, the carriage is ready. We’ll set off for the capital tomorrow morning.”
Xie Jingxing nodded.
Tie Yi did not leave. Instead, he looked at Xie Jingxing’s back and seemed to be a little hesitant whether he should say it or not.
“If you have something to say, say it,” Xie Jingxing said without looking back.
Tie Yi was shocked and quickly said, “Master, there’s news from the capital that Shen Xin is looking for a suitable young talent for Fifth Miss Shen these few days. It seems like she has the intention of getting married.”
Xie Jingxing did not turn around. Tie Yi looked at his back and for some reason, he felt his hair stand on end. He did not know if he should say this or not and was torn in between. Ji Yushu and Gao Yang did not mention this in the letter they sent over from the capital. If Tie Yi said it now and Xie Jingxing blamed the two of them when he went back, it would seem like Tie Yi was being a busybody.
