Chapter 1239

The wheels rolled, and Duan Liuqing, standing outside the city gate, stood in place and waved goodbye to Hongchan with a smile.

Watching the carriage gradually move away, Duan Liuqing turned her head and immediately returned to the city.

Beside her followed more than a dozen people from the Military Intelligence Department.

"Prepare a carriage immediately, and then leave the city from the direction of the Pingcheng Gate," Duan Liuqing said in a low voice.

The assassins of the Military Intelligence Department beside her nodded immediately.

Boom!

Accompanied by the sound of a heavy blow.

The gate of the Grand General's mansion was smashed open from the outside.

Jian Shuo, wearing armor and pressing his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, stepped into Grand General He Jin's mansion with his combat boots.

Behind him, a large number of imperial guards swarmed and rushed into the mansion.

And the maids and attendants in the mansion fled in panic in all directions.

"Search, search carefully for me; do not let go of any corner," Jian Shuo ordered.

The imperial guards, having received the order, rushed into the mansion like tigers and wolves, then scattered and rushed toward the courtyard.

And Jian Shuo, under the protection of more than a dozen imperial guards, stood in the middle of the courtyard waiting.

Not long after, the imperial guard soldiers searching everywhere returned to Jian Shuo one after another to report.

"General, we did not find her."

"General, we did not find her."

"General..."

Listening to the reports of his subordinates, Jian Shuo, standing in the courtyard, frowned tightly.

No one?

"Capture all the attendants, especially the maids and attendants serving the He clan, and bring them over for interrogation," Jian Shuo ordered with a frown.

After Jian Shuo gave the order, there was another scene of chaos in the courtyard.

More than a dozen maids and attendants were seized by the imperial guard soldiers and knelt before Jian Shuo.

"Speak, where is the He clan?" Jian Shuo asked, looking at the dozen maids and attendants kneeling before him with a frown.

Where had the maids ever seen such a scene? Each of them was so frightened that they lowered their heads for a moment, not daring to speak.

They served the Empress, and this was the Grand General's mansion.

Speaking carelessly could lead to death.

Glancing at the numerous maids and attendants who did not speak, Jian Shuo drew the sword at his waist with a swish.

Subsequently, he thrust the sword into the chest of the maid closest to him.

Pfft!

The long sword pierced through her chest; Jian Shuo stepped on the maid's shoulder and pulled out the long sword.

Fresh blood flowed.

Jian Shuo looked viciously at all the remaining maids: "Speak quickly, if you don't speak, you will die!"

Under this intimidation, the numerous maids finally spoke.

"Empress... Empress just left, left from the back door... the slave only knows this much, the rest the slave is not clear about."

Left?

Jian Shuo's expression changed.

Coincidence?

It could not be a coincidence.

Since the He clan came out of the imperial palace, she had stayed in the Grand General's mansion and had not left even once.

Why did she leave just at this time?

Someone must have tipped off the He clan!

It must be!

"Seal the mansion; until an order is received, do not let anyone leave."

"Also, immediately notify all city gates, saying it is the Empress Dowager's decree to seal all city gates."

"In addition, immediately return to the palace to report to the Empress Dowager," Jian Shuo issued a series of orders.

Grand Tutor's mansion.

Yuan Kui, who had not been seated for long after returning from the imperial palace, received the news that He Lingsi had escaped.

"Uncle, after Jian Shuo went to He Jin's Grand General's mansion, he did not find the He clan. It is estimated that the He clan had already received the news and left in advance."

Yuan Ji, standing opposite Yuan Kui, said: "Someone must have tipped off the He clan in advance."

Yuan Kui nodded slowly.

The He clan was finished.

Under these circumstances, for someone to still be able to tip off the He clan, it must be someone with a relationship involving extreme interests.

Otherwise, when the wall falls, everyone pushes; it would be too late.

If the child in Empress He's belly were truly an imperial heir, that would be easier to explain, and there would still be people willing to gamble.

But now, the child in the He clan's belly was not an imperial heir.

But a ghost fetus conceived in secret.

In that case, only the father of this ghost fetus would protect the He clan at such great cost.

"Gongdao, who do you think is protecting the He clan in secret?" Yuan Kui narrowed his eyes and sat hunched behind the desk.

Yuan Ji thought for a moment and shook his head, saying: "Nephew does not know, but I think it must be someone very closely related to the He clan, very likely..."

"Duan Yu?"

Yuan Kui looked up at Yuan Ji.

Yuan Ji nodded slightly.

Although He Jin was the Grand General, his reputation and his relationship with the great noble families were not good.

Inside Luoyang city, people called He Jin the butcher's son behind his back.

Born a butcher, although he was the Grand General, he was still looked down upon.

There were even fewer people who sincerely befriended He Jin.

The vast majority were just attaching themselves to power and wealth, befriending He Jin with this mentality.

But now the He clan was finished.

He Jin was about to be executed, and He Lingsi's position as Empress was also gone.

After today, the He clan would be completely erased; why would anyone help the He clan in secret at such a time?

"If it were Duan Yu, then this ghost fetus in the He clan's womb..."

Yuan Kui narrowed his eyes; those long, narrow eyes were like a cunning old fox.

"Could it be Duan Yu's?" Yuan Ji looked surprised.

Yuan Kui smiled and said: "It is too early to say whether it is or not, but once the He clan is captured, everything will be revealed."

"If it really is Duan Yu's... hehe, enfeoffed as a king?"

"Promiscuity in the harem, secretly conceiving a ghost fetus with the Empress—although the world is vast, it cannot contain him."

"Tell Gonglu to dispatch the Huben Army; we must find the He clan, find her at all costs!"

Yuan Kui narrowed his eyes and said: "In addition, spread the news in Luoyang city, saying... the Empress secretly conceived a ghost fetus, and there is a disloyal person who has been promiscuous in the harem."

PS: Which cute reader actually ran to my DY to urge for updates! Hee hee! ===== CHAPTER 1241 =====