After killing Li Xuanye, Su Fan left immediately without any delay.
Su Fan went to find Xiao Yan that night.
Handing him the ledger.
"Here, take it. No one found out, and I got the stuff back,"
Su Fan said, handing the ledger to Xiao Yan.
"Oh, and this. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, I don't know what's written inside."
Su Fan remembered the note and handed it to Xiao Yan as well.
Xiao Yan took it and opened it, nodding with satisfaction.
"I didn't expect you to be so fast, amazing!"
Xiao Yan said, giving Su Fan a thumbs up in admiration.
[Ding! Mission complete, obtained 200000 experience, Martial Essence Stone +1!]
[Ding! Congratulations on leveling up!]
Su Fan leveled up again, reaching level 44.
"Less nonsense, where's the Martial Essence Stone?"
Su Fan extended his hand to Xiao Yan and said.
"Don't worry, you'll get yours,"
Xiao Yan immediately called Chen Fang and asked him to get the Martial Essence Stone for Su Fan.
When Chen Fang arrived, he whispered a few words in Xiao Yan's ear.
Xiao Yan's expression changed instantly.
He waved Chen Fang away, signaling him to leave.
"You killed Li Xuanye, you bastard?"
After Chen Fang left, Xiao Yan could no longer maintain his composure, and asked Su Fan with a shocked expression.
"Uh... didn't you say not to be discovered? Li Xuanye saw me, so I had to silence him."
Su Fan said with an awkward expression.
If it weren't for the mission, he really didn't want to kill Li Xuanye. Killing the Minister of War could lead to a lot of trouble, but there was no other way. To get the mission reward, he had to kill him.
Xiao Yan felt his vision go black.
Damn it! He shouldn't have let Su Fan do this!
What the hell is this?! I asked you to find evidence, and you went and killed the person directly? What use do I have for evidence then?
"Forget it, forget it. I'll handle it. Don't talk about this outside, lest you get yourself into trouble."
Xiao Yan waved his hand helplessly, having no choice but to clean up Su Fan's mess.
"Then what about my Martial Essence Stone?"
Su Fan said shamelessly.
"You still have the nerve to ask for the Martial Essence Stone? You dog! Go get it from Chen Fang!"
Xiao Yan knew Su Fan was thick-skinned, but he didn't expect him to be this thick-skinned, and said with a helpless expression.
Su Fan got two Martial Essence Stones from Chen Fang. After using one earlier, he now had ten Martial Essence Stones in his hand.
If he saved a bit more, he could "change class" when he reached level fifty!
The death of the Minister of War immediately caused a huge stir in Tianlong City.
Especially since he was killed in his own home, assassinated.
When the Emperor received the news, he was furious.
"We must thoroughly investigate the killer! Bring the killer to justice!"
The Emperor personally ordered that the killer must be brought to justice.
The subordinates immediately sprang into action, investigating the cause of Li Xuanye's death.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan quietly went to the Imperial Study.
"Father."
"Zhi Qian, what is it so late at night?"
Xiao Yuan asked, surprised to see Crown Prince Xiao Zhi Qian.
"Father, your son has inadvertently obtained some items. Please take a look."
Xiao Yan respectfully handed the ledger and the note to a eunuch waiting nearby, who then presented them.
Xiao Yuan looked at the ledger and the note with confusion.
As he read, his expression grew more somber.
"Bastard!"
Xiao Yuan slammed the table in anger.
"Li Xuanye actually did such a thing! The front lines are in urgent need, and he still dares to embezzle military supplies!"
Xiao Yuan no longer felt any pity for Li Xuanye's death, only anger.
The items recorded were evidence of Li Xuanye's corruption and bribery.
"Where did you get this from?"
Xiao Yuan questioned Xiao Yan with confusion.
"Your son had long suspected the Minister of War, Li Xuanye, and specifically sent his subordinates to infiltrate his home. This was discovered in one of his secret chambers. This letter was also obtained recently; it was written by Li Xuanye."
Xiao Yuan did not betray Su Fan, merely saying it was his subordinate.
He had already asked Chen Fang to find an opportunity to get close to the Minister of War. If anyone investigated, they would likely only investigate Chen Fang and not suspect Su Fan, as Su Fan had only recently returned from Beiling City.
"This Li Xuanye truly deserved to die! Guards, go and search the Li family's residence!"
Xiao Yuan, in his anger, was about to order the confiscation of Li Xuanye's home.
"Father, absolutely not!"
Xiao Yan quickly stopped Xiao Yuan.
"Why? He's a traitor, and you're still pleading for him?"
Xiao Yuan frowned and said.
"No, traitors and rebels naturally deserve to die."
Xiao Yan quickly explained.
"It's just that Li Xuanye has just died, and if Father confiscates his property in the name of treason, won't it give people something to gossip about? Will some ministers who were close to Li Xuanye be displeased by this?"
Xiao Yan thought a lot about it. The first thing he considered was the impact of this matter, and then he considered how to handle it.
Xiao Yuan was slightly taken aback.
He had been too impulsive just now and hadn't considered this point.
What Xiao Yan said was correct. If he hastily convicted Li Xuanye, with no one to corroborate his death, it would seem as if he had sent someone to kill Li Xuanye and then framed him.
It was indeed not advisable to proceed this way at this moment.
"Do you have a solution?"
Xiao Yuan looked at Xiao Yan and asked.
He was quite satisfied with his eldest son. Xiao Yuan possessed intelligence and means, the only drawback being his lack of ambition for the throne.
"Father can pretend not to know about this matter. We can proceed as previously arranged, find a scapegoat, and pin the crime of assassinating Li Xuanye on him. Anyway, Li Xuanye's faction has already been arrested, and Cao Yuanqing is still in prison. With Li Xuanye dead, the position of Fang Shijie, the only remaining one, is also revealed on this note. We just need to follow the plan. After things are settled, we can find an opportunity to deal with Li Xuanye's family later."
Xiao Yan said softly.
This made Xiao Yuan look at Xiao Yan with even greater admiration.
His thoughts were meticulous, yet he was also ruthless. He was a man destined for great things.
"Good, we'll do as you say!"
Xiao Yuan immediately agreed to Xiao Yan's suggestion.
Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
To clear Su Fan's suspicion, he had sacrificed the lives of Li Xuanye's entire family.
The next day, the killer of Li Xuanye was found and executed on the same day.
The speed was so fast that many people who had just received the news were caught off guard.
"The efficiency of the Emperor's intervention is indeed fast. The killer was executed in less than a day!"
Someone who heard the news exclaimed about the efficiency of the palace's operations.
Only a few people sensed that something was not quite right.
Li Xuanye had just died, and the killer was caught the next day. Most importantly, he was executed on the same day. Wasn't that too hasty?
Regardless of how many people had doubts, it was the Emperor's decision, and no one dared to defy it. They could only keep their doubts to themselves.