A Wu leaned against the chair like a puddle of mud. The soft muscle poison on his body had long since dissipated, yet he still felt like a living dead man, merely breathing without the ability to think.
Zhong Li sat opposite him, watching him.
After an unknown period of time, Zhong Li poured a cup of clear tea and placed it before him. She then rose to leave.
"Wait!" A Wu suddenly called out to her.
Zhong Li stopped without turning her head.
"I... I know all the secrets of the Wu family's Silver House," A Wu said.
Zhong Li replied, "You don't need to tell me. The Dali Temple has already investigated most of it. Wu Xingyan has also been arrested. In a few days, there will be no more Wu family Silver House in the Southern Yue Kingdom."
A Wu smiled faintly, "As expected of Lord Zhong. You do things without any hesitation."
Zhong Li ignored him and prepared to walk away.
"Fu Chong!" A Wu spoke again. "Everything I've done was at Fu Chong's suggestion. Using human bodies to transport *qiecaocao* for the Wu family Silver House was also Fu Chong's idea. I also know a bigger secret of Fu Chong's."
Zhong Li turned her head and looked at A Wu. "Tell me, what do you want in return?"
A Wu let out a wry laugh. "So, Lord Zhong, you don't believe I'm atoning for my sins? Have you lost faith in me?"
"You can put me in a disadvantageous position, but you should never have involved Zhong Wuyou. You want me to trust you, but on what grounds?"
As Zhong Li spoke, the smile on A Wu's face gradually faded. He lowered his head and muttered, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Zhong Li retorted sarcastically. "If killing and arson can be settled with a simple 'sorry,' would there be so many grievances and enmities in this world?"
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and then said, "If you want to tell this secret, tell it. If not, I won't force you. I can investigate it myself."
"I'll tell you!" A Wu was anxious. "Lord Zhong, I never intended to exchange what I know for anything from you. I just hope that by speaking it out, my guilt will be lessened."
Zhong Li remained silent. She had already treated A Wu with utmost kindness.
"The Wu family Silver House is secretly owned by Fu Chong. He is now closely connected with the Northern Di through the Silver House. Lord Zhong should have heard in Linzhou that the people of Linzhou no longer farm or raise livestock. This is all because the meat sold by the Northern Di to the Southern Yue Kingdom is very cheap."
"Yes!" Zhong Li nodded.
"Linzhou is the best route for the Northern Di to attack Jincheng. Linzhou's dependence on the Northern Di is now particularly severe. If the Northern Di intends to invade the Southern Yue Kingdom, or wants to detach Linzhou from the Southern Yue Kingdom, they only need to..."
"Cut off the supply of cattle and sheep to Linzhou, and during the time it takes to dispatch grain from Jincheng to Linzhou, launch an attack and take Linzhou. It wouldn't be a problem, right?" Zhong Li finished A Wu's sentence.
A Wu nodded heavily. "Your Lordship is correct, but you've only told half of it."
"What do you mean?" Zhong Li asked.
"The one defending the border of Linzhou is Hua Rong, the legitimate son of the Hua family, and currently the most respected among the younger generation in the army. After all, the Shen family has declined. Therefore, by doing this, they are also weakening the Hua family."
When Zhong Li emerged from the inner hall, it was already noon. A Wu's words still echoed in her ears. The court all said Fu Chong was cunning and ruthless. Now, it seemed the words were not unfounded.
However, even with all preparations, there would always be unexpected events, and this unexpected event was Shen Tuju. Shen Tuju's death had sent her and Lu Wuxie to Linzhou, and it had also made the Emperor understand the crisis in Linzhou. It was no wonder Fu Chong had tried every means to kill her in the Beitian Nunnery case; it turned out she had been thwarting Fu Chong's plans all along.
"Li'er! *Wuwu*..."
As Zhong Li reached the entrance of the Dali Temple, a figure rushed into her embrace, crying. Before she could react, she was bumped, feeling a slight pain.
"Ugh..." She gritted her teeth and let out a muffled groan.
Hua Yao, nestled in her arms, came to her senses and quickly stepped back a few paces, looking at her cautiously. "Li'er, did I hurt you?"
Zhong Li shook her head. "It's alright. The young lord helped me apply medicine. There's ice chips in it, so it doesn't hurt as much as you imagine."
"You've finally made up with the young lord!" Hearing Zhong Li's words, Hua Yao's pouting lips curved up in excitement. "Yes, we've made up," Zhong Li nodded, her eyes filled with warmth.
"That's wonderful. Otherwise, I'd always be worried about you," Hua Yao said.
Zhong Li smiled, then changed the subject. "Speaking of which, why were you running in here crying just now?"
Hua Yao had always been good-natured. When something happy happened, she would forget her previous troubles. Now that Zhong Li reminded her, her lips pouted again. "What should I do?"
"What do you mean, 'what should I do'?" Zhong Li asked, confused.
"Oh, right. You're injured, so the Emperor has allowed you to skip morning court." Hua Yao said.
Zhong Li caught the implication in her words, sensing that something had happened during the morning court. "What happened?"
"In this morning's court, His Highness the Crown Prince asked the Emperor to grant me a marriage."
"What did you say?" Zhong Li thought she had misheard, looking at the wronged Hua Yao in disbelief.
Hua Yao said, "It's true, Li'er, what should I do?"
Zhong Li's eyebrows furrowed. She hadn't expected that just as the Beitian Nunnery case concluded, and the crimes of the Wu family Silver House had not even been fully clarified, the Empress would make another move. The Crown Prince's request to marry Hua Yao, while seemingly a marriage proposal, clearly revealed the Empress's intentions. By suppressing the Hua family in Linzhou and then trying to win them over in Jincheng, they were forcefully making the Hua family a part of the Crown Prince's faction, gathering all the key figures in the court. When the time was ripe, even if Lu Jing'an were still alive, they could force his abdication!
"What did the Emperor say?" Zhong Li asked.
Hua Yao replied, "The Emperor did not agree immediately. He only said that the Beitian Nunnery case is not yet over, and after it is clarified, the Crown Prince's marriage will be discussed."
Zhong Li understood that the Emperor was delaying.
"That means it's not finalized. What are you afraid of? There's definitely room for negotiation," she comforted her.
Hua Yao shook her head. "But as soon as the court ended, I heard that Her Majesty the Empress went to see the Emperor. What if the Emperor changes his mind?"
"Yao'er!" Zhong Li looked at the distressed young girl who was about to jump with anxiety. She quickly grabbed her shoulders. "Don't worry, there's always a solution to everything."
"A solution? What solution?" Hua Yao was somewhat dejected.
Zhong Li thought for a moment and said, "I heard the Sixth Prince is only two years younger than the Crown Prince, about the same age as you."
"What does Li'er mean?" Hua Yao asked. "You mean you want the Sixth Prince to help? Good heavens, let alone making things worse, but there's a distinction between legitimate and concubine-born sons. If the legitimate son hasn't married, how can a concubine-born son..."
"Yao'er. Do you trust me?" Zhong Li asked.
Hua Yao nodded.
Zhong Li said, "Good, then go home now."
"Ah?" Hua Yao looked completely bewildered.
Zhong Li said, "Go home and get a good night's sleep. I promise you won't marry the Crown Prince."
After saying this, she pushed Hua Yao towards the carriage she had arrived in.
After Hua Yao left, Zhong Li walked over to Old Horse Head and quietly told him a place. Although Old Horse Head was somewhat suspicious, he still took Zhong Li there.