Chapter 153: The missing person is Prince Chaolan

At this time, another person came to report to Dongfang Qi: "Your Highness, Duke Cui, Duke Zhao, and the Prince of Jin, hearing that the Crown Prince was ordered by the Emperor to visit the Li Duke, came to pay a visit!"

The Qi Guo has eight top-level aristocratic families, among which Li, Cui, Zhao, and Gu live in the capital and have the most power.

And the Li family and the Zhao family are in-laws, always acting in concert. The Cui family has always remained neutral, but is most trusted by Qi Zhaodi.

Visiting today, the two Dukes of Cui and Li also have their own thoughts.

As for the Prince of Jin, his biological mother came from the Zhao family, and his intention to win over the Li family at this time is very obvious.

In the Qi Guo, although the Emperor is respected, the power of aristocratic families cannot be underestimated for thousands of years.

When Dongfang Qi encountered an accident and did not appear for more than a year. The major aristocratic families couldn't sit still, and one after another submitted memorials to pressure Qi Zhaodi to pass the heir to someone else, to make early preparations for the future.

Under pressure, Qi Zhaodi had to summon the vassal kings from all over the country to the capital.

From this, it can be seen how great the influence of these aristocratic families on the government is.

Now, Dongfang Qi has returned to his position. But the various forces are still surging.

Especially this morning court, Qi Zhaodi again proposed to limit the major vassal kings to return to their fiefs within three months.

The most unwilling is Dongfang Yan.

He knows clearly that once he goes back, it will be difficult to fight for the throne.

And Lin Qingyue, she has now received the divorce papers, if she insists on staying in the Xuanjing Division in the capital, the relationship between them will be difficult to repair.

Dongfang Yan naturally refused to sit and wait for deportation, so he used the Zhao family to ease the relationship with the Li family.

Hearing today that the Crown Prince made a mess in the Duke's mansion, he immediately left his official business and ran over to fish in troubled waters—if there is a chance to grasp the Crown Prince's mistakes, he will not hesitate to fall into the well.

The Crown Prince is uniquely favored by the Emperor, but if he offends all the aristocratic families, his position as the heir will definitely not last long.

Dongfang Qi waved his hand, as if he didn't care about his subordinate's report, still holding his breath and concentrating, focusing on sensing the aura of the Twin Talisman.

Suddenly, he sensed it!

The Twin Talisman transmitted Lin Qingyue's voice into his sea of consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, the anxiety and uneasiness just now dissipated, and he turned to look at Lin Xiu: "There is indeed no deputy general of this palace here."

Li Xiu said: "So Crown Prince, are you ready to write a self-criticism edict?"

Dongfang Qi said: "There is no one here, it doesn't mean there is no one elsewhere, this palace wants to search the Duke's mansion's back garden!"

Li Xiu's face changed slightly, and the other Li family disciples were furious.

"Crown Prince, don't go too far!"

"The back garden of the Duke's mansion and the courtyards nearby are all lived in by the unmarried girls of our Duke's mansion. Are you going to ruin their reputation?"

Dongfang Qi said: "This palace will only search the back garden, and will not step into the boudoirs of the young ladies of your mansion. You can also pass the order first, let the young ladies close their courtyard doors and not come out."

"What big crime did the Li Duke commit? The Crown Prince is publicly bringing troops to raid the house!" Dongfang Yan stepped into the secret room with light steps, followed by Duke Cui and Duke Zhao.

Actually seeing the Crown Prince, several of them paid respects pretentiously.

Duke Zhao said: "The Li Duke's mansion really has a big face, actually able to make the Crown Prince visit to visit the sick in person. Wait, no, I think it doesn't look like visiting the sick, it looks like raiding the house? What big crime did the Li Duke commit, actually making such a big fuss?"

Dongfang Yan looked at Dongfang Qi with provocative eyes: "Even if it is a crime of raiding the house, there must be an Imperial Edict from the Emperor to raid the house, right? Crown Prince, may I ask where the Imperial Edict is?"

Duke Cui said: "Duke Zhao, Prince of Jin, be careful. Crown Prince, hearing the Emperor's summons, why not go to the palace together?"

Dongfang Qi said calmly and composedly: "It is not raiding the house. It is just that the deputy general of this palace went missing in the Duke's mansion, and this palace is worried about her safety, so he searched everywhere. Just finished searching this secret room, and found unexplained blood stains on the bed in the secret room, fearing that she encountered an accident, so this palace wants to go to the back garden of the Duke's mansion to search again."

Li Xiu hurriedly said: "Your Highness, the blood stains here are just some stains accidentally stained by servants and maids. It has nothing to do with the person you are looking for. Furthermore, if you can't find it here, can you find it in the back garden? Our Li family is not a small family, and cannot tolerate being humiliated again and again. Maybe your deputy general left her post without authorization and returned to the Eastern Palace."

Dongfang Qi said: "Impossible. The people of this palace will never leave this palace without reason."

Dongfang Yan laughed: "It turns out it was for a mere deputy general that you made such a big fuss. It seems that in the eyes of the Crown Prince, aristocratic families are really not worth mentioning."

This sentence clearly accused the Crown Prince of being arrogant and contemptuous of aristocratic families.

Sure enough, the Li and Zhao families both sank their faces. Although Duke Cui is a neutral person, he also doesn't like the Crown Prince's contempt for aristocratic families.

Dongfang Qi said: "She is not an ordinary deputy general, but a person of great importance who saved this palace's life, accompanied this palace through mountains and rivers, avoided the ambush of villains, and returned to the capital safely."

Dongfang Yan's expression changed slightly: "The person you are talking about is... is it her?"

Dongfang Qi nodded: "Not bad, it is Prince Chaolan, Lin Qingyue."

Dongfang Yan was furious: "When did she become your deputy general? You came to the Duke's mansion to visit the sick, why did you bring her? A man and a woman alone, what kind of decorum is this?"

Dongfang Qi said: "The deputy general was the position when she escorted this palace before, and it was not revoked in time, so when this palace came to the Duke's mansion, Prince Chaolan accompanied her as her duty. As for the word 'a man and a woman alone', the Prince of Jin used it inappropriately. This palace has many attendants, how can there be 'alone', how can there be 'a woman'? What should be explained, this palace has explained. Everyone, please move aside, don't block the way!"

Dongfang Yan originally wanted to fall into the well, but he didn't expect Dongfang Qi to drag Lin Qingyue into the water, which was simply hateful!

But at this time, even if it involved Lin Qingyue's safety, he absolutely could not miss the opportunity to suppress the Crown Prince.

Dongfang Yan said: "Even if the missing person is Prince Chaolan, you cannot search the Duke's mansion casually. The royal family and aristocratic families are of the same breath, how can they hurt their harmony because of a woman?"

Duke Zhao hurriedly echoed: "That's right! That former Princess is not a person who keeps her duty, leaving a good Princess position and not being one, and being with men in the Xuanjing Division all day long! What decent woman is like her? Today's matter, who knows if it was her deliberately hiding to alienate the relationship between the royal family and the aristocratic family."

Dongfang Yan glanced at Duke Zhao, his eyes revealing a bit of dissatisfaction—he didn't like others talking about his woman like this.

Duke Cui said: "Your Highness, today's actions have lost decorum. If it continues, I am afraid it will be difficult to end. The old minister asks the Crown Prince to return to the palace!"

Dongfang Qi looked at Li Xiu deeply, did not continue to waste words with them, and did not accept the ladder handed by Duke Cui.

He walked out of the secret room, passed through the study, and went straight to the back garden after leaving the West Courtyard, and ordered loudly: "Search the back garden, even if you dig three feet into the ground, you must find Prince Chaolan safely!" ===== CHAPTER 154 =====