Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

Xiao Lie had anticipated this, and naturally he had already carefully hidden away the important items.

The officers from the military garrison searched the place thoroughly but found nothing. They could only retreat sheepishly under the unfriendly gazes of the people in the mansion.

Zhao Teng gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, his heart sinking deeper and deeper.

The situation in the capital is turbulent and unpredictable; it's certainly not something a nobody like him can get involved in.

Fortunately, he did not do anything excessive to the caravan at the city gate; otherwise, he would have had unpredictable consequences after the incident.

Thinking about it this way, Zhao Teng broke out in a cold sweat and felt even more fortunate.

He straightened his back, his eyes blazing, and loudly ordered his men to turn and head towards the Kang Prince's residence.

Everything seemed normal at the Prince Kang's residence, but a few soldiers discovered a pile of similar weapons deep inside the storeroom. Zhao Teng's expression changed drastically. He immediately ordered his men to take these items with him to the palace and instructed the other guards stationed at the Prince Kang's residence to prevent anyone from leaving.

This move caused widespread panic within the Prince Kang's residence.

In Qingyi Garden, Shen Qinglan lit incense as usual, but Yunxiu was very anxious and carefully approached her.

"Miss, aren't you worried?"

"Don't panic, the more you panic, the more mistakes you'll make."

She pulled Yunxiu's hand and forced her to sit down.

Yunxiu took a deep breath and had no choice but to sit down, maintaining her composure. Shen Qinglan, after reprimanding her maid, cast a wistful glance towards the palace.

She did everything she could, and hopefully, in the end, they will all get what they want.

When Zhao Teng's news reached the palace, it completely paralyzed King Kang, leaving him terrified.

He couldn't understand how his carefully planned scheme had turned into a deadly trap for him.

"Father, I am innocent! I truly did not do it. Father, please believe me..."

The Minister of Justice and others looked at Prince Kang with complicated expressions.

The evidence had all been recovered from the Prince Kang's residence; that was a foregone conclusion. Among the group, the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture turned pale, cold sweat pouring down his face, and he couldn't help but feel relieved.

Thank goodness.

He didn't truly believe the contents of the secret letter, nor did he get involved; otherwise, he wouldn't know what would have happened to him now.

When gods fight, mortals suffer. Knowing this well, the Prefect of Jingzhao shrank back further, trying to hide himself in the shadows.

The emperor sighed softly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

"King Kang framed him, and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had him flogged thirty times as a warning to others."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and others frowned slightly, knowing that the punishment was too lenient, but seeing the emperor's gloomy face, no one dared to speak and could only silently agree.

The emperor then glanced at Xiao Lie beside him with a meaningful look.

"Are you satisfied with this punishment, my dear minister?"

How could he be dissatisfied? If he felt it was unfair, wouldn't that be dissatisfaction with His Majesty?

But to accept it would be too frustrating. This damned emperor, not only was there injustice when something happened, but he even tried to use it to punish him…

In an instant, a multitude of thoughts flashed through Xiao Lie's mind.

But that was just a fleeting thought. He cupped his hands in greeting and bowed in response.

"Your Majesty's decision is made with divine will, and I dare not express my dissatisfaction."

"What a convenient excuse for your autocratic rule! Do you think I'm biased and don't listen to others?"

"Your Majesty has your reasons for doing this. Since Your Majesty has sentenced him to thirty lashes, there must be a deeper meaning behind it."

There's a deeper meaning to that statement, as if it implies that something was ordered, but also that nothing was ordered.

The emperor gave him a long, thoughtful look, then spoke calmly without changing his expression.

"Alright, this case is closed. You can all go back now."

Everyone bowed and took their leave, except for King Kang, who was dragged away by the guards and loudly proclaimed his innocence.

Hearing the increasingly loud screams outside, Xiao Lie paused, but his expression remained unchanged.

He looked up at the sky and thought that the sun was shining brightly and it was a really nice day.

The slightest movement of this matter aroused suspicion among many families in the capital. However, this matter was of great importance and serious nature, and it involved the imperial heirs and grandsons. The palace kept the news tightly under wraps, and apart from a few ministers involved, not many people knew about it.

But these things could not be hidden from King Jing.

He had informants in the palace and overheard how Xiao Lie was suspected, how he turned the tables on the spot and shifted the blame onto Prince Kang, and how Prince Kang cried out that he was innocent and was severely punished. He felt extremely pleased.

Under the dim candlelight, King Jing and Xiao Lie clinked glasses, King Jing feeling triumphant, and then tilted his head back to drink.

"Young Master Xiao, I admire no one else in the capital but you. You have managed to make Prince Kang suffer defeats at your hands time and time again. You are truly remarkable."

Xiao Lie smiled slightly, "If Prince Kang hadn't wanted to scheme against us, how could I have played along and set a trap for him to fall right into?"

However, while it was satisfying to see King Kang punished, the thirty lashes were far too lenient.

If it were any other prince who framed and slandered the families of noble officials, Your Majesty, in order to show fairness and appease the hearts of your ministers, might have directly demoted him to a commoner or sent him to a harsh and cold place, forever stripping him of the imperial throne.

And now, the Emperor has decided to settle this matter by going to fetch thirty lashes.

King Jing gripped his wine cup tightly, his face dark, his eyes filled with jealousy, and his chest brimming with rage that seemed about to burst forth.

"We are all Father's children, so why does Father favor our third brother so much? He not only arranged a good marriage for him, but also let him off lightly despite his repeated mistakes. If Father is so biased, then what are we children?"

Previously, he thought that although his favor was slightly inferior to that of Prince Kang, as long as he worked hard and made achievements, he might be able to surpass his third brother.

The events that occurred during this period completely shattered his illusions.

He even suspected that his father's past favoritism in having him compete against his third brother was perhaps intended to use him as a whetstone for his brother's skills. Otherwise, why would he always be placed in a position where he could pose a threat to his third brother, but not to the point of completely overshadowing him?

The emperor feared the stone was too soft to sharpen the blade, and too hard to damage it, so he had no choice but to choke him and place him in the perfect position.

His tone was low and his eyes were deep.

"Young Master Xiao, do you think I truly have a chance to ascend the throne? Has Father already made his decision, and is he merely keeping me hanging on with a hollow promise? If so, I might as well..."

Seeing that he was about to say something outrageous, Xiao Lie immediately poured him more wine and interrupted him.

"Your Highness, please be careful with your words."

King Jing paused, then drank his wine in a sullen mood, his face showing even more frustration.

"I dare not say these things to anyone else; I can only find a little relief here with you."

"Xiao Lie, we've known each other for several days now, and I believe we share similar interests and have some mutual affection. If one day... my father truly harbors murderous intent towards the Northern Border, would you be willing to assist me...?"

Xiao Lie poured another cup of wine into his glass and sighed softly.

"Your Highness, please be careful with your words."