After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Chapter 569 Borrowing Troops

Furthermore, Han Chang stated unequivocally, "Han Qing has not come to the capital recently, and the people of the Heavenly Principle Sect today were merely following the orders of that 'new leader' to set off a few fireworks."

Mu Shu felt that no matter how bizarre, unbelievable, or astonishing his deduction was, it was probably not far from the truth...

"Your Majesty... Ning Baixuan most likely received a message from that beggar. After receiving the message, he did not make a fuss, but went to the Court of Colonial Affairs to submit a memorial to Your Majesty to apologize."

After visiting the Court of Colonial Affairs, he wandered around the capital with his maids until the sun was almost setting before returning to the embassy.

"The servants at the Sticky Rod Office didn't take it seriously because they saw that he showed no abnormality. They only sent people to keep an eye on the beggar to see what would happen. If Ning Baixuan sent someone to see the beggar, the servants could follow the clues to find out what happened."

"Ning Baixuan received a message, which mostly concerned matters of great importance to our dynasty. Upon learning this, he was awestruck by the spirit of our dynasty and wanted to flee south overnight."

"This man immediately wrote a letter and sent it to all the officials, saying that he would visit them tomorrow and for the next ten days or so. Now it seems that he was using this as a pretext to make the servants mistakenly believe that he was just trying to promote the alliance between the North and the South and was running around everywhere."

"This man also wrote several letters to the Empress of the Southern Dynasty. The letters were full of tender sentiments, but they made no mention of our dynasty's important plans, which shows that he is cold-hearted and did not send the letters south immediately..."

"That night, this scoundrel forged Han Qing's letter and had it placed in Liuye Studio. At the same time, he also forged another letter from Han Qing and gave it to himself. He also secretly sent Prince Jing to a certain place... This servant is sending people to investigate the most likely places, such as Liuye Studio, Sihai Tower which he visited, and even the Court of Colonial Affairs..."

"At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), as he left the embassy, he ordered his servants to light gunpowder and blow up the embassy... Taking advantage of the chaos, he killed Yue Le and Tian Ye, and then, carrying Yue Le's head, pretended to come before this servant, showing him Han Qing's letter... to deceive this servant..."

"At the same time, this boy, using his so-called identity as the 'leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect,' instructed people to set off fireworks that resembled a Heavenly Principle Sect gathering... This is yet another layer of deception..."

"This servant was unwise and misled by him, so he sent Ah Lin with him to meet Han Qing, and they went to Liuye Studio... That scoundrel, that scoundrel..."

Mu Shu spoke very carefully, saying that Ning Baixuan wanted to leave the city that very night because he was "intimidated by the spirit of our dynasty."

He kept emphasizing that he was misled by Ning Baixuan and never mentioned it, but in fact, it was the emperor at the head of the table who made the decision to send Alin and Ning Baixuan to Liuyezhai.

But when talking about the letter found in Liuyezhai, Mu Shu couldn't help but feel a surge of anger, while at the same time, a chill ran down her spine.

This boy is incredibly cunning.

This is truly unbelievable!

Manchu!

This person even wrote a letter in Manchu on the back of the front letter!

The letter on the front reads that "Han Qing" is inviting this man out of the city, and this man even pretends to advise Ah Lin, telling him, "Don't leave the city! This must be Han Qing's smokescreen!"

The reverse side, written in Manchu... is a blatantly threatening letter... a letter threatening the Emperor...

Without this Manchu letter that Alin obtained, how could he and the Emperor have trusted it so deeply?!

Mu Shu was furious, but also felt a chill in her heart. She continued, trembling:

"...Therefore, the Nine Gates Commander's Office failed to find any thieves..."

"Because tonight..."

Mu Shu banged his head on the ground, gritting his teeth and saying hatefully,

There were no thieves at all!

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, perhaps because the flames in the four corner beast-shaped incense burners were a little dim, the air temperature seemed somewhat low.

Hearing the speculation of that lackey Mu Shu sitting below.

The word "absurd!" was already on Yongzheng's lips.

But it hasn't been said yet.

Ortai, sitting to the left, had already pointed out the most absurd part of it.

Ortai sneered and said:

"Lord Mu Shu, are you saying that Ning Baixuan received that beggar's message within a day... no... according to you, less than half a day? And then immediately made the decision to leave the city?"

"Not leaving the city tomorrow, but tonight? So decisive? Especially in such a short time, less than two hours, how could he have made so many arrangements? Lord Mu Shu, do you really believe it?!"

The Minister of War shouted sternly, and Mu Shu bowed even lower. After a few breaths, Ortai's eyes darkened, and he continued:

"...In fact, after His Majesty learned that Ning Baixuan was the new leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect, he no longer thought he could capture Han Qing tonight."

The implication, of course, is, "Why would you, sir, fabricate such an absurd story?"

Yongzheng threw the slightly cold hand warmer onto the table. Mu Shu wanted to retort, but upon hearing the 'thud' of the hand warmer hitting the table, she quickly touched her head to the ground and dared not utter a word.

Yongzheng waved his hand, dismissing the eunuch who had come to change his hand warmer.

He interlaced his fingers, letting his hands hang down by his sides, and glanced at Mu Shu with a calm expression:

"Don't say anything more... Let's wait a bit... The so-called invitation from Han Qing to Ning Baixuan must be a ruse. Whether Han Qing exists or not... we can't just listen to the third brother's side of the story."

"The other envoys from the South were all staying at the Siamese embassy."

"Alin led three hundred cavalry to follow Ning Baixuan. If Ning Baixuan really wanted to escape, then he has seriously underestimated the Eight Banners cavalry."

At this point, the emperor, who was quite tired tonight, paused for a moment before continuing:

"It seems they've set up camp outside the city, haven't they?"

"Exactly!" Mu Shu, sweating profusely, quickly kowtowed and said, "Outside the city, this servant and Lord Ortai arranged a battalion of three hundred cavalry to watch over them. Lord Ortai's deployment was thorough, and this servant is truly impressed."

Ortai knew that Mushu was on the verge of death, so he didn't interrupt. When he heard the last flattering remark from the other party, Ortai understood perfectly.

He knew that this was a message from the other party, hoping that he would put in a good word for them and that they would be rewarded handsomely afterward.

But before he could speak, the emperor at the head of the table rubbed his temples and sighed:

"Let's wait a bit. Once Ah Lin brings Ning Baixuan back, we'll know where Zhu Enbo has gone."

"As long as Ning Baixuan and Zhu Enbai are captured, along with the officials of the Southern Dynasty, things will be largely the same."

Ortai immediately clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Your Majesty's decisive action is truly wise and benevolent! He immediately ordered Changbao to pursue Alin; his wisdom and decisiveness far surpass those of us!"

Emperor Yongzheng cursed, "Wise and enlightened my foot!"

It was at this moment...

boom!

The Siamese embassy where the Southern Dynasty envoys were staying... was bombed...

……

It is less than two miles from the head of Shuijing Village.

Ning Nan held up the torch, the flame flickering on his cheeks. He looked up and smiled, gazing ahead.

"Brother Lin, do you think we'll arrive first, or will Han Qing arrive first?"

Also riding on horseback, Alin squinted and said:

"Since Han Qing invited us, he naturally arrived first. Doesn't Lord Ning agree?"

Ning Nan laughed and said, "That's hard to say. Lord Alin's three hundred cavalry are not too close to us, but not too far either, only about three miles away. We can faintly hear the sound of their hooves. Han Qing might hear it and be so scared that he'd wet himself and wouldn't dare show his face."

Alin calmly said, "I instructed Chang Rui that they would stop three miles away. I don't think this Master Han is such a coward."

"I hope so." The Southern Dynasty's Grand Prince Consort, holding a torch, nodded.

Ah Lin held the reins in his left hand and held the knife across the horse in his right... If Han Qing wasn't seen at the village entrance, he wouldn't wait a moment longer... He would immediately break Ning Baixuan's legs... and take him back to the capital...

……

"How are you going to escape from three hundred riders?!"

Zhen Susu once asked him this question in the study.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard, your household guards, and the twenty or thirty men we brought from Huainan from the Northern Qiantian Temple—that's all the men we have. How can they help you escape? Even if you include me, it's just a matter of a horse's hoof hitting me."

"Your mission camp has a hundred riders... Well, that should be enough for them to slaughter a round..."

"Don't expect us to teach you anything. Although you are the leader, it's so late, even a skilled cook can't cook without rice. We can't conjure up three hundred riders for you..."

"Moreover, even if my sect rebels, it will choose to stay far away from the capital. There are too few people near the capital... We need to recruit manpower, and we can't do it without preparing three months in advance..."

"To surround and kill three hundred Manchu cavalry... we need at least a thousand, maybe even three thousand... otherwise it's just suicide..."

Zhen Susu's face was pale, and she bulged out her big eyes.

He sat behind his desk, raised an eyebrow, and asked in a questioning tone:

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards can't win?"

"Ugh." Zhen Susu crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at him. "What else?"

"My painstakingly trained servants and your thirty-odd brothers from Qian Tian Tan can't even beat them?"

"Oh."

"Even with our Southern Dynasty delegation's hundred cavalry and fifty infantrymen, we still can't win?"

"Hmph!" Zhen Susu snorted, raising an eyebrow to signal to the cult leader before her: You'd better stop talking nonsense.

"Then there's nothing we can do."

Ning Nan shrugged.

His tone became somewhat helpless, even a little unsteady as he said: