Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

"Your Highness, are we not going to catch the thief anymore?"

Liu Wei, a confidant of King Cheng, asked.

"Fool, what are you catching? This is clearly a diversionary tactic they're using."

We've fallen for their trap!

Didn't you hear the guard report that the bandits from Jingmeng Mountain went to the street near the Prime Minister's residence?

Xie Jingxing cursed.

How could he raise such a bunch of useless people!

"Your Highness, do you mean that the thief was just trying to distract us, and their real purpose is to rescue Prime Minister Xiao?"

Liu Wei then understood his master's words.

"Isn't it a bit too slow to realize this now!"

Speed ​​up...

"If Xiao Wen runs away, you'll all have to come back with your heads!"

Xiao Wen ran away. He won't be beheaded, but he will be punished by his father, and even his mother won't be able to protect him then.

My father said that Xiao Wen has something very important in his possession, and he cannot die.

Of course, he wouldn't tell these people, not even his queen or his mother.

My father said that if he finds that thing, the throne will be passed down to him.

So he has to find that thing.

However, despite the severe torture inflicted by the guards at the imperial prison, they were unable to extract any valuable information.

Nothing was found on him.

"Yes, Your Highness, but there is something I don't understand. According to you, the bandits of Jingmeng Mountain created chaos outside the Prime Minister's residence to distract the guards and rescue Prime Minister Xiao."

But how could Prime Minister Xiao, a first-rank civil official, possibly have any dealings or connections with the bandits of Jingmeng Mountain?

Liu Wei knew that the bandits of Jingmeng Mountain were not loyal to the imperial court and were unwilling to surrender to it.

They frequently rob wealthy businessmen, and are said to be ruthless killers, each one a skilled fighter.

The common people were terrified of it and avoided it at all costs.

It's truly unbelievable that they would actually rob someone in the city at night.

"snort!

Although Xiao Wen is a civil official, can you guarantee that he did not collude with bandits?

They might have been secretly colluding all along.

Alright, enough of this nonsense, hurry up and check if Prime Minister Xiao is still at the Prime Minister's residence...

Xie Jingxing quickened his pace, praying in his heart that he wouldn't run away.

His only consolation was that the thief had probably only stolen some gold and silver jewelry, and nothing else.

Because she couldn't take it with her at all.

He's quite bold, storming the Prince's mansion all by himself.

To be able to escape the palace even after being discovered shows that he has some skill.

If he catches this person, he must tear him to pieces to vent his hatred.

Half an hour later, they finally arrived at the Prime Minister's residence.

As soon as Xie Jingxing entered the gate, he grabbed a guard at random and asked, "Is Prime Minister Xiao still here?"

The guard felt a sharp pain from the iron grip of the hand, but dared not cry out, only stammering, "Return..."

Your Highness, the Prime Minister... The Prime Minister has been in the mourning hall the whole time, without leaving for even a moment.

only……"

"Just what?"

Xie Jingxing's heart tightened, and he demanded an answer in a stern voice.

"However, the banditry earlier caused a disturbance in the mansion. When the steward led people to investigate, they found that the two guards guarding the back door and the two guards outside the mourning hall had also been knocked unconscious."

The guard lowered his head, his voice growing softer and softer.

Xie Jingxing shoved him aside and practically ran towards the mourning hall.

Liu Wei and his men hurriedly followed, their hearts filled with apprehension.

If Xiao Wenzhen were rescued right under their noses, all of them would probably lose their heads.

Thankfully, they weren't rescued.

However, since someone was knocked unconscious, it means that someone really came to rescue the Prime Minister, but why didn't he run away!

Liu Wei shook his head, thinking to himself: Could it be that Prime Minister Xiao has been driven mad by the torture in prison?

The two guards outside the mourning hall had been helped to the side, slowly regaining consciousness, their faces still bearing bruises from being struck by a heavy object.

At this moment, a guard was anxiously rubbing his hands. Upon seeing Prince Cheng arrive, he immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, I have failed in my duty!"

The thief had somehow sneaked into the courtyard, knocked out the guards, but... but didn't break into the mourning hall...

Xie Jingxing ignored his rambling, took a few steps forward, abruptly lifted the white banner outside the mourning hall, and strode inside.

The candlelight flickered...

A person dressed in plain white undergarments and a worn outer robe was kneeling on a cushion with his hands clasped together, muttering incantations.

This man was none other than Prime Minister Xiao Wen. Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes, stood up, and rubbed his aching knees.

The prime minister, who was over forty years old, had a gaunt face. His days in prison had made him look even more haggard, with prominent cheekbones and deep-set eyes. But his eyes remained calm and unfathomable, like an ancient well with a cold pool.

He looked at Xie Jingxing who barged in, showing neither surprise nor fear. He simply nodded slightly, his voice a little hoarse, and called out, "Your Highness..."

Xie Jingxing's sharp gaze swept across the entire mourning hall like that of a hawk.

He then lifted the white cloth on the offering table and bent down to check it, only to find it empty.

Inside the mourning hall, apart from the coffin, there was nowhere to hide, and there were no signs of fighting or hasty departure.

Xiao Wen stood there, watching calmly, neither annoyed nor angry.

Instead, he calmly asked, "Your Highness, are you looking for someone?"

"Prime Minister, what a refined taste you have! The outside world is in complete chaos, yet you stand still, your expression unchanged, and you even manage to calmly recite scriptures?"

Xie Jingxing took a step closer, his gaze fixed on Xiao Wen, his tone chilling.

Xiao Wen put down the prayer beads in his hand and said calmly, "Today is the anniversary of my mother's death. I am focused on chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist prayers for her. As for what is happening outside, I am ignorant and have no idea."

Xie Jingxing sneered and approached step by step, "I don't know, the bandits of Jingmeng Mountain suddenly attacked the street outside the Prime Minister's Mansion, causing chaos. Then my mansion was robbed. The thieves lured away the pursuers and came straight towards your mansion."

The Prime Minister actually claimed ignorance?

All of this is just too much of a coincidence!

Who would have thought that the usually aloof Prime Minister Xiao would collude with bandits? Doesn't that make his crime even more serious?

Xiao Wen raised his eyes and met Xie Jingxing's gaze: "Does Your Highness suspect that I am colluding with mountain bandits and intending to escape?"

He shook his head slightly, a faint hint of mockery flashing across his lips. "Your Highness has seen it too, I am still here."

If someone really came to save me, why did they abandon me?

Perhaps, the thief and bandits were not targeting me at all.

Or perhaps...

These people's target is you. Didn't you just say that your palace was robbed?

When you rushed back, didn't you notice that any valuables were missing?

How could I, a civil official, possibly collude with bandits? If I, an old and weak man, truly possessed such abilities, would I still be here?

Xie Jingxing was speechless, stifled by his neither firm nor soft words.

Indeed, Xiao Wen is still here, safe and sound.

If it were truly a rescue operation, there would be no reason to abandon it once they reached the doorstep.

Did I really make the wrong judgment?

Did the thief and the bandits have another purpose?

But the place where the thief created the chaos was clearly facing the Prime Minister's residence...

Doubts arose in his mind, and all sorts of thoughts came to mind.

The Emperor spoke with such solemnity, so anything about Xiao Wen, or that he knew, must be of great importance.

Where would Xiao Wen hide something like this?

He really wanted to get that thing and then kill the old man.

But since the item wasn't found, he couldn't be killed!

The Prime Minister's residence had been secretly searched several times, and the imperial prison had been thoroughly searched, but nothing was found.

Could it be...

He never carried that thing with him; instead, he gave it to someone or hid it somewhere only he knew about.

Besides, he had never actually seen what his father was talking about; he only said it was a parchment scroll.

The series of events tonight is too strange.

The thieves broke into the Prince's mansion, seemingly only to create chaos. Although they stole a considerable amount of gold and silver, these losses were not the most serious for the Prince's mansion.

The bandits of Jingmeng Mountain have always operated in the mountains, but they suddenly ventured deep into the heart of the capital, just to cause trouble outside the Prime Minister's residence.

Those bandits didn't need to take such a big risk.

Although the bandits of Jingmeng Mountain were rampant and ruled the mountain as kings, they generally did not enter the city to commit atrocities, such as burning, killing, and looting.

Unless... all of this is to convey a message, or to confirm something.

Xie Jingxing's gaze locked onto Xiao Wen once again.

Even though he was imprisoned, this prime minister remained neither arrogant nor humble, and was neither afraid nor humble.

Even when facing his mother's coffin and remains, he showed no sadness whatsoever; he remained eerily calm.

This calm, however, made Xie Jingxing even more uneasy.

"It is best that the Prime Minister is well."

I was just worried about your safety, so I checked on you.

It's late, so I won't disturb you as you continue chanting sutras for the old lady's soul.

Xie Jingxing suppressed the turmoil in his mind, softened his tone, and then led his subordinates out.

"The capital is in turmoil tonight. To ensure the Prime Minister's safety and to prevent further complications, the guards at the Prime Minister's residence have been doubled."

You must take good care of the Prime Minister. If anything happens to him, none of you should live either.

Did you hear me clearly?

Xie Jingxing deliberately lingered outside the mourning hall and spoke loudly.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Wen sneered, but he was secretly pleased, because it proved that Ayan and Tao'er had not fallen into their hands.

Xie Jingxing gave him a deep look at the mourning hall, then turned and said, "Let's go!"

Leaving the study and walking into the courtyard, Xie Jingxing whispered to Liu Wei, "Send three times the number of men to surround the study like an iron barrel!"

Not even a fly is allowed to fly in, much less fly out!

Also, what method did the thief use to knock out the guards tonight?

What traces will it leave?

Liu Wei hurriedly said, "I've checked it. It was a blunt, heavy blow to the back of the neck, done cleanly and efficiently."

Apart from the guard's injuries and the half-brick lying on the ground, there was nothing else.

Those bricks were the common blue paving bricks found in courtyards.

Xie Jingxing cursed, his brows furrowed.

The other party was shrewd and left no valuable clues.

"What about the bandits in Jingmeng Mountain?"

"Have you caught them alive?"

Xie Jingxing gradually became irritable, and his tone became very unpleasant.

The people around were trembling.