All Heavens: From Joy of Life to The Great Feng Night Watchman

Page 547

Zhong Li nudged Chu Caiwei and said in a low voice, "Junior sister, let's go out."

Chu Caiwei stared at Princess Lin'an curiously and asked in confusion, "Why? Let's listen, maybe we can help."

“Let’s go. Sister Lin’an must have something urgent to discuss with Master.” Princess Pingyang said thoughtfully, then she and Zhong Li helped Chu Caiwei out, one on each side.

Biao Biao wiped away her tears and sobbed, "You're finally back. Something happened to the Crown Prince."

Then, Princess Lin'an briefly explained the matter, which was the case of Consort Fu that had occurred in the palace.

Consort Fu, a concubine of Emperor Yuanjing, died unexpectedly. She fell from the pavilion with her clothes disheveled. At the time, only the Crown Prince was in the room, and he was drunk.

Such bizarre events are the most troublesome, and several government departments are hesitant to investigate.

After all, the matter involves the Crown Prince, which is a matter of great importance concerning the foundation of the country. Who would dare to make irresponsible remarks?

“Li Chang’an, the Dali Temple, the night watchmen, and the Ministry of Justice haven’t made much progress. I think they’re just going through the motions and not really investigating the case properly.”

"Can you help me? How could my brother, the Crown Prince, do such a thing? He must have been wronged."

Li Chang'an wiped away Biao Biao's tears, then expressed his deep agreement, "The Crown Prince was indeed wronged."

Biao Biao said anxiously, "I knew you would think the same way I do, but now those incompetent officials in the government are not doing their jobs properly, and no one dares to investigate."

"Don't be in such a hurry. Let me ask you a few questions. What does that Consort Fu look like?"

"Of course she is very beautiful, but the Crown Prince is not a lecher! Apart from the Crown Princess, he only has sixteen concubines, secondary consorts, and concubines in total. How can he be considered a lecher?"

Li Chang'an suddenly realized why Biao Biao had no defenses against him. It turned out that in her eyes, a concubine and a courtesan were only two women, far from meeting the standard of lust.

"Is he an alcoholic? Does he often cause trouble after drinking?" Li Chang'an asked again.

Lin'an shook her head, but then suddenly remembered something, "The Crown Prince drank Bai Ri Chun, a tonic for kidneys and aphrodisiacs, which was sent to my mother by the Empress... It's possible that the Empress and Fourth Brother framed the Crown Prince!"

The Fourth Prince was Huaiqing's elder brother, born to the same mother. Moreover, the Fourth Prince was the eldest son of the legitimate wife, making him more legitimate than Huaiqing's elder brother in Lin'an.

However, because the succession dispute from two hundred years ago is still recorded in history books, Emperor Yuanjing did not face much opposition when he deposed the eldest son and established the younger son as the crown prince.

"I understand." Li Chang'an nodded. The case remained unchanged, unaffected by the butterfly effect of Li Chang'an's time travel.

Upon hearing this, Biao Biao immediately sat up straight and stopped crying.

"You know! Then you've solved the case!"

Li Chang'an was speechless for a moment, feeling helpless and puzzled. He hadn't even learned any crime-solving skills, so why did Biao Biao trust him so much?

"Our apprentice is so good at solving cases, you must have taught him! So you've already solved the Crown Prince's case, right!"

The bright peach blossoms were filled with expectation, as if they had grasped at the last straw.

Biao Biao is really so naive that she has no common sense. Li Chang'an hasn't even been to the scene, and she only asked two questions. How could she possibly solve the case?

"Why do you think the Fourth Prince and the Empress framed the Crown Prince? Is it possible that the Crown Prince acted recklessly while drunk?"

Men who drink too much are prone to sexual misconduct because they become easily agitated and do things they wouldn't normally dare to do.

If the Crown Prince is truly diligent and cautious, then his outburst after drinking will be quite fierce.

Moreover, the story of princes stealing their stepmothers was a common occurrence in Li Chang'an's previous life.

Of course, there are also cases of theft, such as a stepmother riding her stepson to the throne, which are the most extreme examples.

"Of course the Empress wants the Fourth Prince to be the Crown Prince. Among all the princes, the Fourth Prince and his elder brother, the Crown Prince, are the most concerned about national affairs. If the Fourth Prince didn't want to be the Crown Prince, why would he be so enthusiastic about national affairs!"

"Deposing the eldest son in favor of the youngest is a path to disaster," Li Chang'an said bluntly.

In the presence of a legitimate eldest son, it is unusual for a legitimate emperor to appoint a son born out of wedlock as crown prince.

Lin'an clearly didn't mind Li Chang'an criticizing Emperor Yuanjing; she was proud that her own brother had become the crown prince.

"Because my mother was favored and was the most beautiful!"

Biao Biao proudly raised her chin, her face as beautiful as a painting.

Li Chang'an knew that the Empress was more beautiful than Consort Chen, surpassing her in both appearance and temperament. No wonder Wei Qingyi had always been thinking about her.

If the Empress were twenty years younger, her beauty would surpass that of Huaiqing and Lin'an.

However, a concubine's favor with the emperor is not solely determined by her looks and temperament; sometimes, being too aloof can actually make it harder for her to gain favor.

Those who gain favor in the imperial harem are not necessarily the most beautiful; they may be the most intelligent. Even if one's looks are slightly inferior, as long as one possesses the skill of speaking fluently and engaging in conversation, and provides sufficient emotional support, one can generally gain favor.

At this moment, Lin'an had already begun a brainstorming session. She frowned and suddenly had an inspiration.

Her current spirited demeanor resembled that of a proud and smug little hen. "Li Chang'an, do you think Huaiqing might be behind this?"

As soon as he voiced this guess, Lin'an deflated like a punctured balloon. "Huaiqing is cunning, despicable, and ruthless. I can't outmaneuver her..."

Li Chang'an shook his head and said, "It wasn't Huaiqing's doing, because Huaiqing also looks down on her brother."

Biao Biao nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes! I was confused. Huaiqing is arrogant, unrealistic, aloof and cold, and doesn't even respect his own brother! How could I possibly help him fight for the position of crown prince?"

"Lin'an, do you really want to find out who's behind this? The palace is the most cruel place, and the outcome may not be what you want to see."

Lin'an clearly didn't understand the underlying meaning of the matter. "Of course I want to clear my brother's name! No matter what mistake he made, he is still my own brother, and besides, he wouldn't make such a mistake!"

Li Chang'an nodded and said, "Alright then, this case is very simple. I'll teach you a few tricks, and you can solve it yourself?"

Biao Biao's peach blossom eyes widened, and she stretched out a slender white finger, pointing to her small nose. "You mean...me?"

"I can solve cases? Li Chang'an, don't tease me now."

Li Chang'an encouraged him, "Lin'an, you have to believe in me."

Lin'an nodded, then shook his head. "I trust you the most, but... I don't trust myself..."

Li Chang'an was speechless; the woman really did have self-awareness.

"I'll teach you now. After you listen, if you feel you can learn it, then give it a try. If you still don't have confidence, then I'll think of another way, okay?"

Under Biao Biao's skeptical gaze, Li Chang'an did some quick calculations and told Lin'an about several key aspects of the Fufei case.

At the time, instead of giving her spoilers, I explained what to do and what to pay attention to at each step of the investigation.

Perhaps because it involved her older brother's safety, Biao Biao stared intently at Li Chang'an, listening with great interest, as if she understood everything.

"Li Chang'an, I understand, I think I can do it!"

"Thank you, I feel confident now!"

Biao Biao's gaze was firm, her little hands clenched into fists, full of confidence in herself.

Seeing her so confident, Li Chang'an's heart skipped a beat, and a strange sense of unease arose within him, making him feel uneasy.

Even if they can't find anything wrong, they won't make a blunder, right?

Give her a chance!

"Then go ahead and investigate. You don't need too many people; just bring the eunuchs and maids from your palace."

At this moment, Lin'an, after a short period of training by Li Chang'an, has become radiant and full of confidence, with an inexplicable confidence like that of Conan.

"Brother Crown Prince, wait for me to come and save you!"

Watching Lin'an's departing figure, Li Chang'an was still comforting himself, thinking that Biao Biao should be able to handle it, which was practically the standard answer for her.

If you can copy this wrong, then you're really terrible.

Since crossing over to the Great Feng Dynasty, this was the first time Li Chang'an had felt such a strong sense of uncertainty.

This feeling didn't come from a top-tier expert, but from a princess who was both incompetent and loved to play.

In the imperial study room.

It's been three days since the Fufei case broke out, and there's still no progress.

Emperor Yuanjing slammed his fist on the table, threw a pile of memorials on the ground, and became extremely agitated.

"The case is complex and there are many suspicious points. We request a few more days' grace! Do you think that the law can't punish everyone and that I can't deal with you all?!"

The memorials submitted by the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Justice, and Wei Yuan were almost identical, as if they were copied from each other's homework.

The Minister of Justice, his face flushed, said, "Your Majesty, this case is full of doubts. I have done my best, but I am completely clueless."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review immediately knelt on the ground, "This old minister is incompetent! I beg Your Majesty to grant this old minister permission to retire and return to his hometown!"

Wei Yuan kept his eyes down, not daring to say such things; the night watchman was the emperor's last line of defense.

Emperor Yuanjing knew that these people were just making excuses and avoiding the issue.

This matter is too important, concerning the face of the royal family and involving the crucial issue of deposing and establishing a crown prince. None of the three judicial departments are willing to get involved, so they will inevitably be passive in handling the case.

"Are there no loyal and virtuous officials who are devoted to the country?! I wish I could kill you all!"

Wei Yuan and the Minister of Justice also knelt down, shouting in unison, "We are not afraid to die, but we hope Your Majesty will take care of your health!"

Emperor Yuanjing was even angrier. The three of them were rehearsing their lines perfectly, as if they had planned it all beforehand!

"Bastard!"

The officials on both sides remained silent. Even those who had a grudge against Wei Yuan dared not kick him when he was down. Such cases within the palace were the easiest to get into trouble with.

If they can't find out, they'll die; if they do find out and it involves royal secrets, they might still die.

The incident happened suddenly, and none of the parties had come up with a solution. The Crown Prince's faction was trying to exonerate him, while other factions were thinking about who to support after deposing the Crown Prince.

In any case, the death of Consort Fu is not important at all. What is important is that this case involves the struggle for the foundation of the nation, and that is the real issue.

"Wei Yuan, doesn't the night watchman's office have many expert detectives? Can the night watchman solve this case?"