Chapter 786

Li Er roared in anger.

"Nonsense! Qingque is my own flesh and blood; he would not do such a thing!"

Although he knew that Li Ke's analysis was calm and rational, this wounded Li Er's emotions, and he refused to believe it.

"663" Although Li Er was the Emperor of Great Tang.

Yet his Empress, his daughter, and his son Li Ke had all left him one by one.

This made him, as a human being, feel exceptionally miserable emotionally.

He felt as though he had been abandoned by everyone!

Therefore, he had given Li Tai an extraordinary amount of trust. He firmly believed that this son would not betray him.

Otherwise, he truly would have no relatives left.

At this moment, Fang Xuanling, forced by necessity, came out to smooth things over again.

"If we say Prince Wei sent them, then how many others knew the news of Your Majesty's envoy to Great Qin?"

When Li Er left, he had let Zhangsun Wuji, Du Ruhui, and Cheng Yaojin be responsible for overseeing the state. These three people all knew.

Others also knew that Li Er was not in Jin Ling.

But the specific destination was not necessarily clear.

If someone guessed that Li Er had come to Great Qin, it was not impossible.

Li Ke handed the small crossbow in his hand to Fang Xuanling.

"I am merely an outsider helping to analyze. As for who exactly made the move, your Great Tang Imperial Court must investigate it yourselves."

Having finished speaking, he left.

These words infuriated Li Er to the point of choking.

His hand pointed tremblingly at Li Ke's departing back.

"Rebellious son! Xuanling, look at this, what kind of son have I raised? Ungrateful!" Fang Xuanling hurriedly pressed down Li Er's hand.

"Be cautious, do not expose your identity. Whatever the matter, wait until we return to Jin Ling to discuss it."

Just like that, the assassination attempt subsided.

But the impact it brought was deeply etched into everyone's hearts.

After this night, the relationship between Li Ke and Li Er became very subtle.

The two were like enemies, neither speaking to the other.

Yet Li Ke had the guards he brought strengthen their protection of Li Er.

Early the next morning.

Before they had even weighed anchor to set off.

Li Ke sought out Fang Xuanling to deliberate.

They needed to carefully screen all the accompanying personnel.

In the end, they indeed found a stranger among them whom no one recognized.

Li Ke escorted that spy before Li Er.

"There is still one live captive here; if you wish to continue the investigation, go ahead and interrogate him."

Having finished speaking, he left.

Li Ke was truly persistent in considering himself an outsider and would not meddle in this affair.

Fang Xuanling explained helplessly to Li Er.

"It was he who sought me out to propose the screening. And they truly found one."

At this time, Li Er, after a night of reflection, had calmed down much more.

He had already realized that regardless of whether it was Li Tai, at the very least, he had to get to the bottom of this matter first.

The guards by Li Er's side were all veterans.

It took less than half an hour for that spy to confess everything.

He was clearly different from the previous assassins; he did not have such firm convictions.

"What? The killers were sent by Yin Hongzhi?"

The matter became increasingly baffling.

An unexpected person had appeared in their field of vision.

Fang Xuanling also could not fathom how this Yin Hongzhi could have known Li Er's news.

"Your Majesty, Yin Hongzhi's entire family died at Your Majesty's hands; his revenge is understandable. But who leaked the news to him is worth deep investigation."

Fang Xuanling did not point it out directly.

Li Er knew clearly in his heart that the person Fang Xuanling was speaking of was Consort Yin. Among the four consorts, she ranked second, only after Consort Wei.

She was Yin Hongzhi's own elder sister.

"I did not tell Consort Yin about my trip to Chang'an; it shouldn't be her, right?"

This matter already involved the inner palace, and it was not convenient for Fang Xuanling to be suspicious.

He could only say: "It is best if we return to Jin Ling City quickly now, and investigate after we return."

Pengcheng was no longer too far from Jin Ling.

Traveling at full speed, they would arrive in one day.

One day later.

Jin Ling City.

Li Er looked at the long-lost tall city walls, his heart filled with deep emotion.

Finally, he had returned.

He had told no one the news of Li Er's return...

The group chose to enter the city low-key, wanting to see if anything had happened in Jin Ling City while they were away.

Just as they entered the city, they saw the main street was extremely bustling.

Someone was shouting.

"The list of new Metropolitan Graduates has been posted!"

"Hurry and go watch the Top Graduate parade through the streets!"

"I heard the one who won Top Graduate this time is the young master of the Lu family!"

Li Er was furious the moment he heard this.

Du Ruhui was actually this bold, to privately decide to hold the imperial examinations while he was not in Jin Ling.

And he had even appointed a Top Graduate!

One must know, after passing as a Metropolitan Graduate, one still had to go through a round of palace examinations. The Emperor personally interviewed them, and the Emperor personally appointed the Top Graduate, the Second Place, and the Third Place.

Someone had replaced the thing the Emperor was supposed to do.

This was plotting rebellion!

Thinking of this, Li Er was anxious to return to the palace.

He wanted to go back and see if his Imperial Palace was still his own.

Fang Xuanling grabbed Li Er.

"Old Li, be cautious. If the Imperial Palace has already been controlled by rebels, wouldn't you be walking into a trap if you go?"

Li Er was so angry that bloodshot eyes appeared in his gaze.

But up to now, he still did not know who exactly wanted to rebel.

In Chang'ancheng, when things had reached this point, the person Li Er trusted most was revealed. Li Er said to Fang Xuanling.

"Let's go, let's go to Yaojin's house first to scout out the situation before making plans."

Fang Xuanling was not surprised at all.

It was just that Li Ke was bringing Great Qin guards, which was a bit too conspicuous.

After entering the city, he could not continue to be with Li Er.

Li Ke took his own people to his own New Literature Bureau.

This shop was still his, but he hadn't come for a long time; the shop was already locked, and there was no one there.

Before parting, Fang Xuanling had originally asked Li Ke to take all the songstresses and dancers brought back from Great Qin and settle them on the banks of the Qinhuaihe.

But he was refused by Li Ke.

"They are all good citizens of Great Qin, here in Great Tang to teach singing and dancing. Minister Fang, please do not treat them as lowly people again!"

This was a slap, struck fiercely across Fang Xuanling's face.