Zhenguan Xiaoxian Wang Li Shen Li Shimin

"Let's go to the study."

After explaining everything, Li Shen turned around and his face became gloomy again.

He brought Xue Rengui and the guard to the study.

Li Shen took out Wang Hongfu's letter again and read it carefully.

It mentioned that Wang Wencheng was killed and that they suspected that there were problems within the Ashina tribe.

It is written in great detail, including the preliminary autopsy of Wang Wencheng and what Ashina Liang said and did.

He also brought up Ashina Liang and his analysis. Wang Hongfu felt that this matter was very strange and suspected that someone was behind Wang Wencheng's murder to silence him.

Li Shen also agreed with Wang Hongfu's conjecture, and the first one he ruled out was a vendetta.

How could the common people and merchants who were persecuted by Wang Wencheng have the ability to sneak into a team of 2,000 people?

He also accurately poisoned and killed eight people.

Wang Wencheng has been executed. Even if they have a grudge against him, they should know that once they arrive in Chang'an, he, as the King of Ji, will not forgive Wang Wencheng.

Wang Wencheng is doomed to die, so there is no need to risk assassination.

The only explanation is that someone didn't want Wang Wencheng to reach Chang'an alive and was trying to cover up something.

After reading the letter, Li Shen said to the guard:

"Tell me what you know."

"Yes."

The guards took orders and told what they knew. Of course, there were some things they didn't know outside the tent.

But it is basically the same as what Wang Hongfu said.

"Wu Jinnian? Who the hell is he?"

Li Shen frowned.

"Your Highness, Wu Jinnian is the county magistrate of Qianyang County," the guard replied.

Li Shen pondered for a moment and stood up.

"Come here, prepare the horses. I want to go back to Prince Ji's mansion."

He was undecided about this matter, so he decided to go back to the palace to discuss it with Wang Xuance.

"Rengui, you go back with me. I will only take my personal guards with me. The guards will stay here to protect the princess and the others."

"I accept your order."

Li Shen found Lu Dingniang and told her that he had to go back to Prince Ji's Mansion to do something, and asked Lu Dingniang to wait for him again.

Lu Dingniang didn't ask what happened, but just asked Li Shen to be cautious and careful.

Li Shen nodded and agreed to take Xue Rengui and the guards and ride on horseback all the way back to Prince Ji's mansion.

After jumping off the horse, Li Shen threw the reins to the palace guards.

"Shitou, go find Chief Secretary Wang and come to my study to discuss something important."

After saying this, he took Xue Rengui and the guard into the palace.

A moment later, Wang Xuance came to Li Shen's study.

"I see you, Your Majesty."

"Well, no need to be polite. Sit down and take a look at this first."

Li Shen waved his hand, then handed Wang Hongfu's secret letter to Wang Xuance.

Wang Xuance took the letter and sat down. He read it carefully before looking up and saying:

"My Lord, this matter is indeed unusual."

"What do you mean? Did you expect this?" Li Shen asked in surprise.

"Your Majesty, this was just a suspicion I had at the beginning, or rather a guess.

I had a question at that time: why did Wang Wencheng do this?

Is it for fame and fortune? Where does he get such courage?

According to Wang Hongfu, Wang Wencheng was also a weak scholar in the past, but he was smart and had some talent.

Wang Hongfu didn't believe at first that Wang Wencheng dared to do such a big thing and embezzled more than one million strings of cash from the palace. "

Wang Xuance expressed his original guess.

"Money can make people's hearts move. Perhaps it is because of profit that Wang Wencheng took such a risk?"

Li Shen said that this was not impossible. The reason why people did not betray their conscience was because they did not have enough chips.

Everyone has a price tag in their heart for themselves, and beyond that price tag, people can do anything.

"Your Highness is right. I thought so at the beginning, so I didn't report it to Your Highness.

But I still had a doubt in my mind at that time. "

Wang Xuance nodded in agreement.

"What doubts?"

“Your Majesty, think about it, Wang Wencheng is just a small shopkeeper. Even if he relies on the reputation of Prince Ji’s Mansion, it is impossible for him to have such a great power in just a few years.

The local people might be afraid of him, but were the local officials, the tribal leaders, and even the Protector General Guo Xiaoke also afraid of him?

Guo Xiaoke is a Duke.

What enabled Wang Wencheng to control such a large area in just a few years?

I guess there must be someone behind this, otherwise he would just be embezzling some money on his own."

After hearing Wang Xuance's words, Li Shen fell into deep thought. He was also quite confused at first, but Li Shen felt that Wang Wencheng did it under his name.

But now that Wang Xuance analyzed it, it seemed to make some sense.

After a moment, Li Shen looked up:

"Are you saying that Guo Xiaoke and these officials and tribal leaders have been bribed by the person behind the scenes?"

This was the only explanation in Li Shen's mind.

But Wang Xuance shook his head:

"I'm not sure. Guo Xiaoke is a duke after all. He shouldn't be bribed. Maybe there are people from the other side among the officials below.

But probably not all.

Guo Xiaoke is guarding the northwest, and he will not allow any traitors to exist among his subordinates.

As for the leaders of those tribes, this may be more likely."

Li Shen frowned:

"If Guo Xiaoke had not been bribed, why would he help Wang Wencheng cover up?"

“Your Highness, perhaps Wang Wencheng did something that made Guo Xiaoke believe that he was really working for you, Your Highness.

That's why Guo Xiaoke did a favor and received a lot of money in return.

This incident must have been done by someone behind the scenes who helped Wang Wencheng do it.”

Wang Xuance’s analysis made a lot of sense, and Li Shen also felt that this should be the case after listening to it.

He stroked his chin and thought:

"Who is this person then? There aren't many people with such great abilities.

Could it be the work of the noble family again?"

The first thing Li Shen thought of was the long-silent Five Surname Families.

"Your Majesty, there are no clues now, and we are just guessing.

The most important thing right now is the money that Manager Wang mentioned.

Manager Wang is right. Regardless of whether there are traitors in the Ashina tribe or not, we cannot take any risks."

It’s more than one million strings of cash. Wang Xuance’s meaning is very clear. Take care of the money first and find the person later.

"Yes, yes, you are right, money is the most important.

But...But...

Alas~~~I have to go to the palace again.

The last time I entered the palace, I lost two hundred thousand strings of cash."

Li Shen really didn't want to go into the palace again. Two imperial edicts, each worth 100,000 strings of cash, was too expensive.

It’s more expensive than my own cursive calligraphy.

"Your Majesty, there is nothing we can do about this, and perhaps we can do this..."

Wang Xuance told Li Shen his idea, and Li Shen's eyes lit up.

"Well, the method you mentioned is good, maybe it will work.

Rengui, I'll leave this matter to you.

But before that, I have to go to the palace.

Alas~~~ that place is truly a den of dragons and tigers."