Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

After stabbing Li Yunzhao in the heart several times, Xu Huaiyi and Li Yunting waited patiently for him to be unable to bear the pressure and do something stupid out of desperation so that they could find evidence to punish him. It was all because the Jinyiwei couldn't find any useful evidence.

Things developed as they wished. Li Yunzhao first sent two letters to the capital, one to Dingyuan Marquis Mansion and one to the third prince. The letters were not intercepted, but the contents inside could not escape the eyes of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

But there was no obvious problem with the content, it was nothing more than a request for help. Li Yunzhao was not stupid enough to write in the letter that he was shooting a cold arrow at Xu Huaiyi. The reason he gave was that the brothers were not on good terms. Li Yunting and Xu Huaiyi threatened him and slandered him in an effort to get rid of him so as to seize the position of crown prince.

He begged Marquis Dingyuan to find a way to get him back to the capital as soon as possible, as he was afraid that he would be plotted against and murdered if he stayed here any longer.

The matter with the Prince of Chu was also mentioned, but his words were vague and ambiguous. He just said that they were a bit close, and in the eyes of others, they were very close friends. In fact, the two of them did not interact much, and it was just superficial courtesy. He definitely did not get involved in the affairs of the Prince of Chu's Palace, and he knew nothing about the so-called factionalism.

Therefore, he asked the Third Prince to find an opportunity to help him clarify the matter, make his position clear, and never get involved.

After all, others may not know, but the Third Prince certainly knows why Li Yunzhao makes friends with the Prince of Chu. It is definitely not to help the Chu family. He is firmly in the Third Prince's camp.

The contents of the two letters did not reveal any evidence. Moreover, no one knew whether he was really frightened or announced his illness in a high-profile manner to avoid fighting. He boiled medicine in a jar in front of his tent every day. The strong smell made people avoid him. Those who didn't know thought he was terminally ill.

Not only that, the dozen or so personal guards he brought with him worked in two shifts and circled the tent non-stop for twelve hours. They looked at everyone suspiciously, as if anyone who approached them was trying to harm their prince.

The atmosphere around was so tense that even people who wanted to watch the fun stayed away.

After a few days, Li Yunzhao took action again, and this time he finally got some useful information.

He sent his most capable men to sneak out of the military camp. The Jinyiwei who followed him chased him secretly for most of the day before they saw the man enter an inn like a thief. The inn was not very eye-catching, but there were people coming and going, so the business was pretty good.

The Jinyiwei did not go forward to search for fear of alerting the enemy, so they left one to continue watching, while the other hurried back to the barracks to report to Shi Zhuo.

The next course of action will be decided by your superiors.

When Xu Huaiyi heard the news, it was already a few days later. Sun Yu called him into his tent and looked very solemn when he spoke.

"Li Yunzhao is indeed problematic. He couldn't hold it in for just a few days and sent someone to an inn called Jixiang in the nearby county town. He must have contacted someone there to pass on a message..."

"Your master uncle felt that there was no time to lose, so he personally led people to arrest them. He caught them by surprise and did capture quite a few people. However, after the interrogation, most of them went to stay and eat, and there was nothing wrong with them. Only two of them looked suspicious, but they were not honest, and we haven't gotten any useful information from them yet..."

Xu Huaiyi asked, "Where is the contact person sent by Li Yunzhao? Wasn't he caught?"

That’s the key!

Sun Yu said in a serious tone, "It was too late. When he saw the person, he was already dead."

"Did he commit suicide after his crime was exposed? Or was he killed by his accomplices?"

"He must have said something he shouldn't have said, and was silenced by the person he was in contact with."

Xu Huaiyi looked regretful, "So, the clue is broken again, and the person who silenced us must not have been caught, right?"

Sun Yu nodded, also feeling very sorry, "Fortunately, we have evidence against Li Yunzhao."

Xu Huaiyi said, "This is a weak evidence. The person is dead and nothing can be learned. Li Yunzhao can just shirk his responsibility by saying that he didn't know and that the guard acted on his own. At most, he didn't supervise him strictly enough."

Hearing this, Sun Yu said meaningfully, "If it was before, he might have been able to get away with it by making excuses like this, but it's not that easy now."

Xu Huaiyi asked curiously, "Are there any inside stories?"

Sun Yu said "hmm" in a low voice, "Firstly, the Chu Palace was impeached for forming a clique for personal gain, so it's hard for him to clear himself. His identity is sensitive, so he is the focus of the Jinyiwei's investigation. Secondly... although his personal guard is dead and the person who silenced him has escaped, the identities of some of the people caught are questionable. They may be related to the Japanese pirates and the Min Palace."

Xu Huaiyi's eyes lit up when he heard this. No matter if it was the Japanese pirates or the Prince of Min's Palace, he would be in trouble if he got involved with either of them. He couldn't help but sigh, "Isn't Li Yunzhao too bold? He dared to get involved with those people. Isn't this courting death? What is he trying to do? It can't be that he just wants to get rid of his disciples, right?"

Sun Yu pondered and said, "He probably doesn't know the true details of the inn. He was just being used as a pawn."

"So, it's the Prince of Chu?" He showed a shocked expression, "Is the Chu Palace really forming a clique and having evil intentions?"

Sun Yu didn't respond, but frowned, obviously worried.

Xu Huaiyi added, "If it is related to the Japanese pirates, then it is not just a simple clique for personal gain, it is collusion with foreign enemies and treason..."

"Hush, keep quiet, how can you say that?" Sun Yu warned in a low voice, "We are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of the royal family. It is taboo."

Xu Huaiyi blinked innocently, "But now, even though we don't want to get involved, we're involved. Uncle-master has even arrested the people. If he continues to interrogate them, he'll definitely find out something. With the evidence, how can the Imperial Guards not report it? Now, the Prince of Chu has been brought back to the capital for questioning. Sooner or later, the truth will be exposed..."

Sun Yu sighed, "But the timing is not right. The war is not over yet. If things get out of hand, I'm afraid it will be difficult to end. By then, none of us will be able to get away with it."

Xu Huaiyi disagreed, "Problems always need to be solved. It may not be a bad thing to expose them now. If those people are allowed to collude and harm the country, who knows how big a mess they will cause, especially those comrades who died on the battlefield. Their deaths may be victims of conspiracy and intrigue. It's not worth it!"

Hearing this, Sun Yu's face changed slightly. After a moment of silence, he agreed, "You are right. I was thinking wrongly. Since it is a malignant tumor, it is better to pierce it and remove it as soon as possible. We can't just endure it and ignore it because we are afraid of pain or danger."

"What do you mean?"

"I will write a letter to your master and inform him of everything that happened here. We really shouldn't get involved in the royal family's struggle, but colluding with foreign enemies is something that cannot be tolerated and must be investigated thoroughly."

The attitude of the Jinyiwei was even more resolute than that of Sun Yu. After a ruthless interrogation, the result came out soon.

Of course, it would not be announced to the outside world, and they had to find various reasons to cover it up, for fear of causing panic among the people and thus affecting the war.

But no matter how hard they tried to cover it up, some rumors still spread. After all, Li Yunzhao left after the Prince of Chu returned to Beijing.

Li Yunzhao left in a very low profile. Before dawn, the military camp was filled with snoring. A carriage slowly left, surrounded by many Jinyiwei with solemn expressions.

Xu Huaiyi heard some noise and came out to take a look while going to the bathroom.

And there is Li Yunting.

The two of them watched the carriage disappear into the distance before going into the tent.

Li Yunting asked, "Are you still going to do it?"

Xu Huaiyi spread his hands helplessly, "Where is the chance?"

Li Yunting said calmly, "There is still a chance, as long as you want it."

Xu Huaiyi's heart skipped a beat and he asked in a low voice, "What opportunity?"

Li Yunting said, "Before he gets far, let's catch up with him. I'll help you lead away those Jinyiwei, and then you can kill Li Yunzhao, right?"

Xu Huaiyi stared at him speechlessly. "You are so bold, aren't you, so early in the morning? They are the Jinyiwei, seven or eight of them. You dare to poke such a hornet's nest. Aren't you afraid of getting burned?"

Li Yunting said casually, "I am confident that I can get away."

"You can't just do it recklessly. It's too risky. What if there's an expert inside? What if this is a trap they set up just to wait for someone to fall in? Wouldn't you just walk into their trap?"

"I have to let you vent your anger. Otherwise, once Li Yunzhao returns to the capital, it will be too far away to reach him. How can you avenge yourself?"

Xu Huaiyi's heart warmed when he heard this, but as they were all men, he couldn't say anything sentimental. He just thanked her and saw that the clay pot on the stove was boiling. He used hot water to make two bowls of black sesame paste, and the two of them drank it.

Crushed walnuts and red dates are added to the black sesame paste, fried and mixed together. You can just soak it in water and drink it. It is convenient, delicious, and nourishing. This is one of the supplies delivered with the batch of honeycomb coal stoves. In addition, Gu Huanxi also prepared a lot of dried meat and meat sauce, which can be stored for several months without going bad when the weather gets cold.

After finishing a bowl of porridge, his whole body warmed up. Xu Huaiyi sighed comfortably and returned to the previous topic, "I don't have such a big grudge in my heart anymore. Before, I was worried that Li Yunzhao would be able to escape punishment after returning to the capital with the intercession of your father and the third prince. That's why I wanted to take revenge myself. But now, no need. This time, no one can save me. Even if I don't die, I will lose a layer of skin. It may be more painful than living!"

Li Yunting vaguely guessed something and his eyes flickered, but he didn't ask any further questions.

No matter how good a friend is, he still needs to have a sense of propriety.

Xu Huaiyi did not hide it from him, and lowered his voice to reveal some information to him.

After listening to this, Li Yunting's eyes were blazing, "Then it is right to let Li Yunting return to Beijing."

Xu Huaiyi didn't react for a moment, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Li Yunting raised his lips and explained slowly, "If he goes back with such a crime, how do you think my selfish and cold-hearted father will treat him?"

Xu Huaiyi was not stupid. He pondered for a moment and took a breath, "That shouldn't be the case, right? After all, he has loved me for so many years, and he is the eldest son..."

Li Yunting mocked, "It's very likely. In the eyes of Marquis Dingyuan, what are sons? All his sons combined are not as important as the interests of the Marquis's Mansion. As long as the Marquis's Mansion is there, he can have as many sons as he wants, but if the Marquis's Mansion collapses, what's the point of having so many sons?"

These words left Xu Huaiyi speechless for a moment.

Li Yunting continued, "Besides, there is the Third Prince. Marquis Dingyuan must protect his interests. After all, only if the Third Prince is well, the Marquisate will be well. When necessary, he can only cut off his own arm. Who said Li Yunzhao is stupid? Why did he choose the Prince of Chu when he could have won over anyone else? He thought he had gained help, but in fact, he was just a knife in his hand."

Xu Huaiyi didn't know what he was thinking about, his expression suddenly changed, "Yun Ting, Li Yunzhao may not be able to return to the capital."

"Huh? Why?"

"Quiet..."

Li Yunting understood instantly, "Then he is really pathetic."

No one wants him to live!

Even the Jinyiwei were using him as bait. How could a dignified young master of a marquisate end up like this if not pathetic?

As a result, the entire Dingyuan Marquis Mansion lost its dignity. Although Li Yunting never considered himself a member of the Marquis Mansion, his mother was completely devoted to the Mansion. Once this matter spread throughout the capital, I'm afraid she will be uncomfortable for a while.

Xu Huaiyi's guess soon came true. With Sun Yu as his master, he was well-informed. Therefore, he knew at the first time that the team escorting Li Yunzhao was besieged by bandits. He also knew that the bandits were of unknown origin and might be people impersonating from the Palace of the Prince of Min or the Palace of the Prince of Chu. In addition, Li Yunzhao was shot to death by an arrow.

The amount of information was quite large, but it was all within his expectations, so after hearing it, Xu Huaiyi remained calm and only asked, "Where are the Jinyiwei?"

Sun Yu said, "The Jinyiwei suffered heavy casualties, so we urgently recruited more than a dozen people from nearby prefectures. One group will go to investigate the origins of those bandits, and the other group will return to Beijing to report. Even if Li Yunzhao is dead, his body must be brought back."

"Killed with just one arrow? Isn't that too easy?"

"The arrow is poisonous, just like the one that shot you in the face."

"So, they are the same group of people?"

"Well, but it's hard to prove that it was Li Yunzhao who shot the arrow. After all, Li Yunzhao also died from such a poisonous arrow. When he arrives in the capital, Marquis Dingyuan will definitely defend his son in order to distance himself from the matter. He will push all these things onto the Japanese pirates or the Chu family. In this way, he can get rid of the crime and seriously injure the Chu Palace. It's a two-pronged approach and it can be considered revenge for his son."

Xu Huaiyi chuckled, "He has a nice idea. Will the Chu Palace agree? Will the Jinyiwei agree? Even if Li Yunzhao was deceived, it is an indisputable fact that he is related to the Japanese pirates and the Min Palace. Who knows what else he did behind the scenes? If not, those people would not risk coming to silence him."

Sun Yu frowned and guessed, "It may be that they want to put all the blame on him. Anyway, he is dead and there is no way to explain himself. Let the Chu Palace say whatever they want."

Xu Huaiyi asked tentatively, "Master, when Master Uncle asked the Jinyiwei to escort Li Yunzhao back to Beijing, didn't he ever think that someone would cause trouble?"

Sun Yu frowned even more when he heard this. "I thought about it and made a lot of preparations. I was planning to lure you into a trap and catch more people. But the plan was great, but it failed."

"Why? Are the Jinyiwei's fighting power not good enough? Or is the opponent too strong?"

"The people selected by your uncle are all good at fighting. Unfortunately, the other side has too many people and they are well-trained. They are not afraid of death and fight without regard for the consequences. The Jinyiwei can't resist. The most important thing is... there is a traitor among the Jinyiwei. With the help of the inside and outside, how can they not lose?"

"Then isn't Master Uncle in trouble as well?"

"Well, I guess he'll have to go back to Beijing to defend himself."

"So...are we going to give up halfway?"

"Someone has taken over, but I don't know how much they will find out. Alas, it rains but it pours. The war is still at a stalemate and there is no progress. Now these things have happened. It seems that there will be no peace before the New Year."