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

The Emperor has already made his decision regarding Qiu Niang's matter, and there is no room for maneuver.

On another note, it's time to clear out the spies in his Duke Zhenguo's mansion.

After returning to his residence, Xiao Lie went straight to Qingzhi Courtyard.

Since the incident last night, Lin Wan'er had been feeling uneasy. Now, upon hearing that Xiao Lie had returned unharmed, her heart sank into an icy abyss. She was so cold that she didn't even notice when the tea spilled on the ground and soaked her shoes.

What happened? How could Xiao Lie still be alive and back? Didn't the Third Prince assure her that this attack would be a sure success? Would he wait until Xiao Lie falls from power before bringing her out?

Xiao Lie stepped inside and saw a pale, lifeless face. He knew exactly what was going on and gave a cold smile.

"Why, does the Crown Princess seem rather unhappy to see me return?"

Lin Wan'er shuddered, quickly regained her senses, and forced a smile.

"Your Highness... Your Highness is too kind. Your safety concerns the entire Duke's mansion. Now that you have returned safely, that is the best thing. How could I, as the Crown Princess, not be happy?"

"Oh?" Xiao Lie raised an eyebrow slightly, his smile carrying a deeper meaning.

This seemingly skeptical look made Lin Wan'er's palms sweat with nervousness.

Xiao Lie sat down casually, and the maidservant below, being quite perceptive, served him hot tea early on. Xiao Lie took a sip and said slowly.

"Last night, Commander Xie of the Imperial City Garrison led his men straight to my inner courtyard. They made no obstacles along the way, their purpose was clear, as if it had been planned in advance."

"What a pity! The devil may be ten feet tall, but the righteous are one foot tall. Some people think they are the ones luring others into a trap, but little do they know that they themselves are being outmaneuvered and suffering the consequences."

Xiao Lie smiled slightly, "Speaking of which, last night's smooth sailing was largely thanks to the Crown Princess?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Lin Wan'er shuddered, her face turned pale, and she stared at him in disbelief.

Xiao Lie smiled, said nothing more, and turned to leave, leaving Lin Wan'er alone, terrified.

She gripped Chunxue's hand tightly, her voice trembling as she asked, "What exactly does he mean?"

Did he suspect that she was a spy secretly tipping him off, or was he implying that she had helped him turn the tide?

"Using their scheme against them," Lin Wan'er silently pondered these four words, and her mind suddenly became clear.

No, if the Third Prince finds out that this matter was leaked from her, he will definitely not let her off easily.

She paced anxiously, wringing out her handkerchief. Her maid, Chunxue, not understanding her distress, kept trying to comfort her.

"Miss, Xiao Lie's escape must have been an accident. If we catch him in the act next time, we'll definitely be able to..."

"Shut up! You have absolutely no idea what happened!"

That very evening, news came from Qingzhi Courtyard that Lin Wan'er had fainted from fright.

Sixteen silently raised his hand and made a cut across his neck, whispering, "Young Master, why don't we strike while she's still ill and kill her? Let's be discreet, so the people outside won't notice?"

Xiao Lie glanced at him silently.

If Lin Wan'er had just married into the family, he might have agreed, but now...

He patted Sixteen on the shoulder with a smile, "He's so useful, wouldn't it be a waste to kill him? A useless teammate defecting to the enemy is equivalent to increasing our chances of winning."

Sixteen scratched his head, somewhat puzzled. Seeing his master so happy after being called a "pig teammate" for once, he felt it was a good thing and couldn't help but feel happy.

"By the way, how's the Liu family doing?"

Sixteen shook his head, indicating no immediate abnormality.

These words made Xiao Lie frown silently. The lack of anything unusual was the biggest unusual thing.

"Didn't the Third Prince send anyone?"

Sixteen shook his head. "After the incident, the Third Prince wanted to distance himself as much as possible, so he didn't dare send anyone over again."

Sixteen glanced at his master silently, as if to say, "Don't you know what's going on?"

Xiao Lie coughed. "He's quite smart, actually."

However, the more this was the case, the more suspicious he became.

"Make arrangements for us; we'll visit the Liu family tomorrow."

……

The criminals investigated by order of the emperor himself, Liu and her son, were generally not allowed to approach, but Xiao Lie, the aggrieved party, was different.

Xiao Lie smiled and said, "I hope the jailer will be lenient. If that doesn't work, then I will have no choice but to go to the palace to request an imperial decree."

The jailer knew perfectly well that the reason the higher-ups were so harsh on Liu and her son was to avenge Xiao Shizi. His request to come and see them was simply a matter of saying a few words in the palace.

Thinking of this, the jailer weighed the silver in his hand and stepped aside.

"However, I urge you to hurry, Your Highness. This matter is not in accordance with the rules, and if outsiders find out..."

"I see."

The jailer chuckled awkwardly twice and said nothing more.

Once inside the prison, Liu and her son were already beyond recognition from the torture. They were disheveled, covered in whip marks, and looked extremely pitiful. As soon as they heard footsteps outside, they trembled instinctively. But when they saw who it was, they realized that...

The two rushed to the cell door and pleaded loudly.

"Your Highness, I truly know I was wrong. Please, I beg the Emperor to show leniency."

"Yes, Your Highness, from now on... from now on I will not dare to use the Duke's mansion's money to pay off gambling debts. Please forgive me this time."

Xiao Lie leisurely admired the two's disheveled appearance without saying a word. Only when Liu and her son remained silent did he begin to speak, his heart pounding.

"Alas, although you two are heartless and treacherous, I, the young master, am soft-hearted. Considering you are relatives, I might spare you this time. But what will you offer in return?"

The Liu mother and son exchanged bewildered glances, not understanding what she meant. Everything they possessed was given to them by the Duke's mansion; what could they possibly offer in return?

Xiao Lie leaned slightly forward, his voice low and menacing, staring intently at Liu Shi.

"Liu, who exactly sent you to infiltrate my inner circle?"

Liu's pupils constricted sharply, as if struck by lightning.

It took her a while to find her dry, hoarse voice.

"Your Highness, what are you saying?"

"You understand, don't play dumb. Your lives and your child's lives are now entirely in my hands. If you're willing to talk, I might spare your lives. Take this secret with you to the underworld. If you don't talk, I have other ways to find out."

When Xiao Lie first checked the accounts, he discovered that Liu Changdong had been able to embezzle for so many years without being discovered, which was undoubtedly due to Liu's secret cover-up. In fact, Liu Changdong had even given some of the embezzled money to Liu's family.

What's even more suspicious is that not long after Liu Changdong arrived at the Duke's mansion, Liu's mother and son also came to seek refuge there.

If Liu Changdong was the emperor's man, then who was the Liu family member whose relationship with Liu Changdong was questionable?

"By the way, it's quite a coincidence, you and Liu Changdong both have the surname Liu, so you're from the same family."

"Hey, if I really send someone to investigate, won't it be discovered that you two have some kind of relationship?"

The smile on Liu's face could no longer be maintained. Her lips trembled twice, and she spoke in a trembling voice.

"Your Highness... Your Highness, please don't joke. There are so many people in the world with the surname Liu; it's all just a coincidence."