Speaking of this, the woman signaled her trusted servant to go guard outside and close the door.
"Sit down first..." The woman took her son to sit down at the table, shook her head, and whispered: "I haven't found anything... probably not, at least not in Jiannan Road."
"Your Majesty, he is cautious in his actions. It is hard to trust anyone, and he will not easily leave anyone with a weak point..." The woman said to her son, "I will continue to let people keep an eye on this matter, so you can rest assured for the time being."
Li Cong didn't speak for a moment, and then he curled his lips sarcastically for a moment.
So he is suspicious. He should let go of his suspicion now, right?
But he didn't feel at all at ease.
Perhaps from the moment he started to become suspicious, what he really suspected was not whether his father had another son, but whether his position in his father's heart was really as important as his father showed...
Once suspicion takes root, it is difficult to get rid of it.
During these days, he couldn't help but repeatedly recall the interactions with his father, and the actions of his father in asking him to stay today... were constantly watering the tree of suspicion in his heart.
He said to himself: "Even if it doesn't happen now, it doesn't mean it won't happen in the future..."
His father is in his prime. In the past, Li Lu and his two sons, one bright and one dark, were enough to prevent unexpected events. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer "accidents" in the road ahead, and his father is getting closer and closer to the throne.
close……
Li Cong clenched his fists and his eyes were suppressed: "In the future, my father will have many sons. They must be upright and decent, and they will be supported by various forces behind them..."
And the uncle he could rely on was no longer there, so what would he have to fight with those people?
In terms of family background and power, he is no match, but in terms of seniority, there is Li Lu above him...
He had never regarded that sick man as an opponent before, because he had the confidence given by his father and uncle, but now...
After his father took over the capital, in order to stabilize people's hearts, he would most likely make Li Lu the crown prince first. Other princes would be born soon, and he would be caught in the middle. Even if Li Lu died one day,
The little princes behind me must have already started to gain momentum!
Therefore, Li Lu can no longer live...
The sickly brother who had never been regarded as his opponent was now a well-deserved stumbling block.
He wants to get rid of Li Lu before his father's affairs are accomplished!
In this way, he can occupy the position of the eldest son, and his father can only temporarily make him the prince...
Only by seizing this opportunity and establishing a foothold in front of others early can he resist those latecomers!
Seeing the murderous aura emerging from his body, the woman saw through his thoughts at a glance, nervously grabbed one of his wrists and said: "At such a critical moment, we can't take risks!"
"Is mother willing to watch the situation be taken over by others?" Li Cong's eyes were full of unwillingness: "My son has endured for many years and has gone through fire and water for his father. He never even had a surname, and his mother never appeared in front of others... My uncle also died because of his father.
He died for a great cause! Do you want to make wedding clothes for others in the end?"
Thinking of her brother's death, the woman unconsciously tightened her grip on her son's wrist. She looked at the dancing candlelight with reddish eyes and said, "Mother is not trying to stop you, but this matter needs careful planning. You have to know,
Li Lu has been a hostage in the capital for many years, and we don't know much about him, but if he can return to Yizhou alive, I'm afraid he may not be as indifferent and simple as he appears."
"The attack on Bian Jun cannot be completed within three to five months. We still have time. Don't be impulsive. Listen to mother and consider the long term..."
Under the candlelight, the woman's voice became lower and lower.
In Prince Rong's Mansion, in the courtyard of the Crown Prince, Lan Ying was stroking the back of Ma Wan, who had just retched, and asked in a low voice: "Girl, have you really thought about it... are you going to the capital with the Crown Prince and the army?"
Ma Wan, whose face turned a little yellow, closed her eyes and nodded lightly.
"Can your body bear it?" Lan Ying whispered worriedly: "And you will soon be unable to hide your pregnancy..."
The girl is four months pregnant and has lost weight due to poor appetite. She has not yet shown her pregnancy under the cover of her skirt.
As for Prince Rong's son, who was already weak and seemed to have no hope of having an heir, he gradually became less concerned about that aspect. In addition, Prince Rong's palace was busy with affairs, so the bed issues could be ignored, so he did not notice anything strange about the girl.
But I heard that if a woman is pregnant for more than five months, her belly will get bigger quickly, and some people’s gait will also change. I will definitely not be able to hide it at that time.
And the march is bound to be bumpy, can the girl really hold on?
But Ma Wan was resolute: "You can't hide it even if you stay in Yizhou, and you and I have no chance of leaving this Prince Rong's Mansion."
"Okay, then just listen to the girl..." Lan Ying quickly made up her mind and said: "Girl, when the maid finds an opportunity, we will escape halfway!"
"If the girl wants to keep this child, she can keep it. Even if she doesn't go back to Ma's house, she can still support the girl and her by chopping firewood for embroidery work!" Lan Ying said with red circles in her eyes.
Before the capital was captured by Bian's army, the prime minister tried every means to send a secret letter to the girl, in which he asked the girl to try to assassinate King Rong...
At that moment, Lan Ying even thought that the Prime Minister was crazy. What could the girl use to assassinate King Rong?
But seeing the girl's silent expression, Lan Ying suddenly understood that the prime minister was clearly forcing the girl to commit suicide in disguise!
At that time, Lan Ying was so angry that she cried. How could the Prime Minister do this?
Because the existence of the girl has become a barrier between the empress and the Prime Minister's Palace? The Prime Minister wants the girl to assassinate Prince Rong to show loyalty to the Ma family? In other words, the Prime Minister wants to completely cut off the involvement with Prince Rong's Palace.
, not to embarrass the emperor, not to leave any future troubles, and the girl’s life will be cut off where the knife falls, right?
When the girls were desperate, they thought of obeying the prime minister's instructions, but before they could find a chance to meet Prince Rong, a huge change occurred in the capital, and the empress fled to Luoyang...
The sudden change in the situation prevented the girl from getting to that point, but Lan Ying still felt resentment in her heart when she thought of Ma Xiang's letter.
Sensing Lan Ying's mood, Ma Wan shook her head and said in a slow and authentic voice: "Lan Ying, my grandfather is not to blame for this."
"It was not my grandfather who forced me to marry into Prince Rong's palace. My grandfather made it clear to me early in the morning. I insisted on marrying and hid my selfish intentions from my grandfather..."
She was too naive at that time. She had a place in the boudoir. She thought she had read some books, so she thought she had the best of both worlds and ignorantly underestimated the dangers of politics.
Thinking about it now, becoming a political victim was a fate she could not escape from the moment she knelt down and begged her grandfather to let her marry Li Lu.
Since it was a choice she made, she should bear all the consequences herself.
And now she just wants to know whether the person she insisted on marrying had lied to her from the beginning and was just using her from beginning to end——
"Girl, we don't care about those fights..." Lan Ying's attitude was firm and her purpose was clear: "Let's leave, stay far away!"
She is different from others, she only has one idea, and that is to let the girl live.
The girl saved her life, let her read, taught her how to read, and made her sensible. His kindness to her was greater than heaven. The prime minister was loyal to the emperor, but she was only loyal to her girl.
"Okay, let's leave..." Ma Wan gave Lan Ying a forced smile and asked Lan Ying to pack her things, and specifically asked her to take the golden lock left by Princess Rong with her.
After Lan Ying withdrew, Ma Wan suddenly couldn't help but retched again.
At this time, the sound of saluting came from outside, and Li Lu, who had been busy outside recently, came back.
Ma Wan suppressed her nausea, quickly wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, straightened her words and stood up.
But Li Lu still noticed something strange about her, stepped forward to hold her hand, and asked with concern: "Is Wan'er sick?"
As he said that, he noticed Ma Wan's too thin wrists, his expression changed slightly, and he turned around and asked for a doctor.
"No need!" Ma Wan quickly stopped.
Li Lu looked at her: "Wan'er..."
"Lanying has already taken the medicine..." Ma Wan said as calmly as possible: "I'm just too worried about my grandfather and the others..."
Li Lu noticed that the ends of her eyes were slightly red, as if she had cried.
Ma Wan held Li Lu's hand and continued the topic: "I have something to discuss with the Crown Prince, and I hope the Crown Prince can agree."
"I want to go to the capital with the crown prince..." Ma Wan's eyes turned redder, and her thin face lost its former delicate and calm appearance. She looked helpless and pitiful, like a person about to drown: "Your Majesty, I don't want to be left alone.
In Yizhou."
Realizing his wife's helpless dependence, Li Lu raised his hand and half hugged her into his arms.
"I was originally worried that the march would cause you to suffer, so I thought of letting you stay in Yizhou and wait." His voice was gentle and intimate, showing utmost respect and protection: "But since Wan'er doesn't want to, then come with me."
Hearing such a tone, Ma Wan's tears fell uncontrollably.
How much she thought that all this was true, even if she was destined to be unable to escape from this political battle, at least her sincerity was not a joke, so she would have no regrets...
"It's just that there are a lot of military affairs. I'm afraid I won't be able to be by your side all the time. You have to take care of yourself." Li Lu comforted him in a low voice: "Also, you have to remember what I said. No matter what, I will do my best.
Do your best to protect the Ma family..."
He gently patted his wife on the shoulder and said to her: "Wan'er, don't be afraid, I'm here."
Ma Wanru was in the mist, tears fell, and she responded with the word "good" in a hoarse voice.
Now that the suspicion has arisen, whether it is true or not, let's go to the capital and see what he does. Then we should know.
If it was false, then there should be an end between her and him.
It was dark outside and the wind blew silently, but inside Li Lu still comforted her softly.
On the day of the mobilization of troops, Li Lu personally helped Ma Wan, who was wearing a cloak, into the carriage.
Li Cong, who was seeing him off, looked at the scene of the couple's deep love and harmony, and thought of the Ma family behind Ma Wan, and a sneer filled his heart.
His mother was right, his eldest brother may not be as simple as he seems on the surface, and he must understand more before taking action.
The carriages and horses moved slowly, and among the ranks at the front, the big flag with the character "李" and the character "Rong" fluttered in the wind, heading east.
In the middle of the motorcade, Li Lu was sitting cross-legged in a spacious carriage. There were two scribes in the carriage, helping Li Lu handle official documents.
Li Lu raised his hand to spread the paper and asked casually: "What did Li Cong and his son find out?"
These two scribes have become Li Lu's confidants. One of them has been in Prince Rong's palace for many years and has his own foundation and means.
The scribe said at this time: "Hui Shizi, no one has been found over there."
"Oh?" Li Lu was a little surprised, but also a little surprised: "Using Li Cong as a sword, I thought that my father had another young son whom he cherished, but it turned out that he didn't."
It seems that his father did not show his paternal heart to others in private.
His father probably didn't have the so-called fatherly heart.
So, it's not that it wasn't given to him, it's that it wasn't given to him at all.
Li Lu felt it was a bit ironic, but couldn't help but smile.
For his father, everything was empty talk before he ascended the throne. It was enough to have two sons as chess pieces. It would be more cost-effective to cultivate the rest after he ascended the throne.
"The prince borrowed Li Cong's help to find out about this matter, which can be regarded as killing two birds with one stone." The scribe also smiled and said: "Then Li Cong's biological mother thinks that her methods are clever and obscure, but in the end she is just a woman."
Li dipped his pen into ink and replied casually: "It has nothing to do with whether you are a woman or a man. There are women who have achieved great things. Sir, you should not look down on women..."
The scribe smiled and nodded "yes".
Li Lu wrote a letter: "As a man, Li Cong, like his mother, doesn't know the real reason why he was left behind."
His mother's search to see if there were other children was noticed by their father. However, their father was decent and ruthless, and his abandonment was so silent that no one even knew that he had been abandoned.
It doesn't have much use value, but it still doesn't know how to advance or retreat, and refuses to stay contented. How can it not be annoying to people?
This was a result that Li Lu had foreseen long ago, and it all stemmed from the "reminder" he gave Li Cong.
"What kind of thinking can a person who only knows how to kill people do?" The scribe said: "Li Cong has been abandoned. From now on, the prince only needs to look forward."
"Yes, we have to look forward." Li Lu said with a smile in his eyes.
The road ahead is difficult, but fortunately he still has his wife. As long as he and Ma Wan are still husband and wife, he will have a great chance to win over the Ma family and the literary forces behind the Ma family.
But this path alone is not enough to make people feel at ease.
However, he was still a little unwilling to have to compete for food under his father... Who knew that he already knew that this broken body that could survive for who knows how long was a gift from his father.
He wanted to try one more path, one more choice.
So he is writing letters to those women he calls "women who can also achieve great things."
She never replied to his letters, but he lacked patience and shame. These two things were very cost-effective and did not cost anything, but if you persisted, you would often get unexpected rewards.
At the same time, a fast horse entered Luoyang, passed the city gate, and went straight to the Luoyang government office.
The government office here has long been occupied by people from Chang Sui Ning to handle government affairs.
The horse was stopped, and when the soldier turned over and dismounted, he shouted: "The envoy delivers the message!"
The guards cheered up and quickly let him go. One of them quickly followed the soldier and walked inside.
"The envoy delivers the message——!"
Loud shouts came into the palace one after another. All the officials along the way gave way, their eyes filled with eagerness - the envoy's message had finally arrived. I wonder what the message would be?