Qingsong entered the book and reported, "Sir, Qingping is back."
Shi Jingyang turned around and said, "Please come in!"
Qingsong stepped back, and Qingping came in and bowed to greet him. "Master!"
Shi Jingyang pointed to the chair next to the desk and motioned for Qingping to sit down. "Sit down and talk."
Qingping bowed to express his thanks, straightened his body and sat down opposite Shi Jingyang.
His father was obviously very easy-going in front of them, but when he faced his father, he always felt anxious.
Qingping leaned forward and said: "Sir, we lurked around the paddock and found out.
Seven days ago, three groups of people entered the paddock from Wangjiawan, Shaba, and Yangmei Village. Six people entered from Wangjiawan and Yangmei Village, and eight people entered from Shaba.
After these people entered the paddock, until the evening of the second day, eighteen people left from the direction of Sapa and then went to the direction of Renshou.
Our people followed them all the way to Lengshui Dam. When they saw those people continuing to go north, they stopped following them and stayed at Lengshui Dam for a while before turning back.
The day after the group left, it happened to be the time when the people from the Royal Forest Army who had come to collect some food came in."
Every autumn, the forest guards responsible for security must collect some food twice in advance, five days before and three days before.
Speaking of which, the people who actually picked the points were the group five days ago, and the group three days ago were those who entered the venue in advance to prepare for defense.
Shi Jingyang frowned slightly and asked, "These people stayed in the paddock for almost a day and a night?"
Qingping nodded and replied: "Yes, almost a day and a night."
Shi Jingyang's frown deepened, these people have been in the paddock for more than ten hours, what are they doing in the paddock?"
Shi Jingyang raised his head and looked at Qingping, then asked: "Did you count clearly, there were twenty people who entered the paddock, and only eighteen people when they left?"
Qingping leaned forward and said, "Yes, twenty people went in, and only eighteen people left. Two people never came out."
Are these two people still in the paddock? The two groups of forest guards who entered the paddock successively did not find them?
To stay in the paddock, they must not only avoid the guards but also guard against wild beasts within the range. Why do they take the risk of staying in the paddock? What is their purpose? To assassinate the emperor?
In the last life, the emperor was in danger on the Qiuhuang. He was in danger from a ferocious beast, not an assassin.
Shi Jingyang thought hard, and after a while, he looked at Qing Ping and asked, "Where is the other person from? Can you tell?"
Qing Ping shook his head, "There are many people on the other side, and we are afraid that the other side will see the clues, so our people don't dare to get close."
Shi Jingyang thought for a while and said: "Qiu Xiang is not peaceful this time. Please pass on the order and act according to the previous instructions first to protect His Highness the Crown Prince. Do you understand?"
Qingping bowed and responded.
Shi Jingyang then ordered: "I don't know how many pairs of eyes are staring at us in the dark. Let's cheer up, be loose on the outside and tight on the inside. Don't let anyone see anything strange."
Qingping leaned forward again and lowered his hands, "Yes, I understand."
After Qingping withdrew, Shi Jingyang leaned back on the chair and looked upward with unfocused eyes, thinking about the past.
Now that I think about it carefully, the changes in the court in the last life began with this Autumn Festival.
This autumn is a watershed.
After the Autumn Festival, the emperor began to pay attention to King Chen of Yan. The momentum of the imperial concubine line increased day by day, and people in the court gradually relied on the imperial concubine line.
As for the prince's lineage, because he married Ning Wei, his grandmother and aunt complained about him, and his uncle also complained about him, so there was a rift between the two houses.
In the end, the queen came forward to make peace, and the two houses seemed to be at peace...
With his thoughts running away, Shi Jingyang sat up straight, picked up a pen and wrote the word "paddock" on the paper, and then circled it.
The other party left people in the paddock because they wanted to attack in the paddock.
In the last life, the emperor did not encounter assassins in the paddock. Wasn't those people's target the emperor?
It's a pity that Qiu Nian himself in the previous life didn't come, and he didn't know much about Qiu Nian.
Liu San came to the rescue! Shi Jingyang suddenly thought of Liu Jinrui.
Why was it Liu San who came to the rescue? The prince, Lu Qichuan, and Pei Dongliu who were beside the prince were all better than Liu San in martial arts, so why weren't they the rescuers?
Shi Jingyang's mind suddenly flashed back to Wu Mingxuan's drunken conversation once.
If His Highness hadn't had a stomachache in the first place, where would it have been Liu San's turn to rescue him?
Wu Mingxuan talked a lot when he was drunk. He didn't pay attention at the time. Thinking about it now, something might have gone wrong for the prince on the hunting day...
Shi Jingyang raised his hand and patted his forehead. In his last life, his death was not unjust at all.
And at that time, he was too young, too naive...too stupid...
There was a knock on the door. Shi Jingyang sat up straight and shouted: "Come in!"
Qingsong walked in and said, "Sir, Commander Lu is here."
Without waiting for Shi Jingyang's invitation, Lu Qichuan walked in through the door.
"Qing'an, you set up a barbecue grill here to barbecue?" Lu Qichuan came in and asked.
Shi Jingyang stood up and went over to greet him, saying, "It's rare for brothers and sisters to go on a trip, so I'll take this opportunity to gather everyone together and have a small party to eat, drink, and chat."
Lu Qichuan praised: "This is good, it can enhance the relationship between brothers and sisters."
Speaking of this, Lu Qichuan said enthusiastically: "His Highness likes to be lively. How about I go and invite His Highness over? It just so happens that Your Highness has something to do with you, so you can chat while eating."
Shi Jingyang was about to go talk to the prince, but he immediately nodded and said: "What a great idea. Talking about things while grilling meat. The truth and falsehoods can numb people's eyes. I'd like to ask Mr. Lu to go there."
"I can't afford the word 'work'. This is my duty." Lu Qichuan smiled and walked out as he spoke.
Qingsong came over with tea and saw Lu Qichuan leaving, and asked in surprise: "Master Lu is leaving?"
Lu Qichuan nodded with a smile and said: "If you don't want to leave, come as soon as you go and let me roast a whole lamb. I like it. And prepare some wine, either Bamboo Leaf Green or Longshan Huadiao..."
Shi Jingyang interrupted him with a smile: "There are quite a few demands!"
Lu Qichuan said: "How can this be my request? Your Highness wants this, so hurry up and prepare."
Shi Jingyang was in a daze. This was really the prince's taste. After so many years, he actually forgot about the prince's preferences.
Shi Jingyang cupped his hands and said, "Thanks for reminding me, I'll let someone prepare."
After Lu Qichuan left, Shi Jingyang said to Qingsong: "His Royal Highness will come over, hurry up and prepare."
Qingsong bowed in agreement, took two steps back, turned around and left quickly, giving orders to his servants as he walked. The servants got the order and started busy in the courtyard.
If it's just a gathering of a few gentlemen and young ladies from Duke Chengguo's Mansion and Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, just set up a few barbecue grills, prepare some ingredients, and set up two tables, then everything will be settled.
But now His Highness the Crown Prince is coming over. From the defense to the people serving, from the drinks to the side dishes, everything needs to be exquisite and there can be no mistakes.
After Qingsong left, Shi Jingyang shouted: "Come out."
Jiang Min stepped out from behind the screen, leaned towards Shi Jingyang and said, "Master."
Shi Jingyang said: "Let people keep an eye on the prince's palace and see who comes in and out of the prince's palace after His Highness leaves the palace?"
If the prince is upset on the day of hunting, there must be something wrong with the people serving him closely.
Jiang Min understood and bowed, "Yes, I understand."
Jiang Min retreated behind the screen and left through the back door.
After Shi Jingxing washed up, he took the maid and mother-in-law to Jiang Mansion's other courtyard.
After learning that Jiang Xingyu had returned to the capital, Shi Jingxing walked back angrily, regretting that he had not comforted Jiang Xingyu before and made her leave in anger.
"Miss, in front of you are Miss Liu Si and Miss Liu Wu." The maidservant said,
Shi Hua's words interrupted Shi Jingxing's thoughts.
Shi Jingxing looked up and saw that the fourth lady Liu Jinman and the fifth lady Liu Jinru from the Prime Minister Liu's Mansion were looking at her, apparently waiting for her.
Shi Jingxing raised a smile and said, "Hello, Fourth Miss, Hello, Fifth Miss! Where are you going?"
The two ladies from the Prime Minister's Mansion returned the favor to Shi Jingxing.
Miss Liu Si spoke first: "I heard that Miss Shi is here this time. My sister and I are planning to go to Weiyuan Hou Mansion to talk to Miss Shi. We don't want to meet Miss Shi here."
Shi Jingxing was very surprised. She didn't expect these two people to come looking for her.
A look of surprise appeared on Shi Jingxing's face, "Really? What a coincidence."
"Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, the people in the Hou Mansion said that Miss Shi has gone out." The servant who went to deliver the post in advance came back to report.
Liu Si smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, we met Miss Shi."
The servant then saw Shi Jingxing on the side, bowed his knees to Shi Jingxing, and then stepped aside.
Miss Liu Wu looked at Shi Jingxing and asked, "Have we disturbed Miss Shi by coming here so presumptuously?"
Others are looking for you, so naturally you can't say no.
Shi Jingxing smiled and greeted warmly: "Why are you so annoying? It's rare for us to go out. Let's get together and talk more lively!"
If you two don't mind it, how about we go to the house and sit down? Just in time, my brother said we will have barbecue at the house today."
Miss Liu Si looked at Shi Jingxing with bright eyes, "Barbecue? Are there many people? Will it disturb me and my fifth sister if we join?"
Miss Liu Si asked politely, but her face was full of excitement and she couldn't wait to join.
Shi Jingxing despised Miss Liu Si's hypocrisy in her heart. She said nagging, but in her actions she was not afraid of disturbing others.
Shi Jingxing smiled so hard that his eyes narrowed and he said, "Yes, barbecue! There are not many people, just a few cousins from the Chengguo Palace."
Miss Liu Wu smiled and said: "Sorry to bother you, it just so happens that I haven't seen Sister Yi for a long time."
Shi Jingxing smiled and invited: "Then let's go."
The group had only taken a few steps when Yang Qinghan's voice sounded behind them: "Sister Xing."
Shi Jingxing turned around and saw the three ladies from the Yang family, and stopped to wait for them.
The three young ladies from the Yang Mansion approached and exchanged greetings with each other.
The group of people went to the other courtyard of Weiyuan Hou Mansion with cheers, so Shi Jingxing went out and brought back a group of tails.
Shi Jingyang quickly received the report. "Sir, what should we do next?" Qingshan asked.
Shi Jingyang was worried for a while when Wu Mingyi came over to pester them and they couldn't talk.
These ladies arrived at just the right time, so that he could sit separately for men and women in an upright manner.
Shi Jingyang said calmly: "Divide the yard into two, set up a few more grills, and separate the seats for men and women."
Qingshan was ordered to withdraw and make arrangements.
In order to let the young people play freely, Mrs. Hou went to the Chengguo Palace next door to talk to Mrs. Li on the pretext that she liked peace and quiet, leaving space for the young people.
Not long after Shi Jingxing returned with everyone, the prince arrived with Lu Qichuan and Pei Dongliu who had just arrived.
Everyone saluted the prince one after another.
The prince said: "When we go out to play, everyone can do whatever they want, there is no need to be formal."
Shi Jingyang stood next to the prince and asked: "Your Highness, should you sit inside or outside?"
The prince looked around, pointed to the table under the verandah on the right, and said, "Let's sit there."
Shi Jingyang bowed and said politely: "Your Highness, please."
The prince walked in front, Shi Jing followed half a step behind, and walked to the verandah. Shi Jingfan had been afraid of the prince since he was a child, so when he saw the prince coming, he took Wu Mingxuan to barbecue.
After the prince sat down, he looked at Shi Jingfan who was dragging Wu Mingxuan towards the grill and said with a smile: "Brother Fan is as afraid of being alone as ever."
Shi Jingyang looked at his younger brother, withdrew his gaze and poured tea while saying, "He is afraid that His Highness will test his homework."
The prince picked up the tea cup and sipped the tea, "I haven't tested him on his homework for a long time."
The prince then asked: "Why do you think of gathering here? The person in purple is the fifth lady of the Prime Minister Liu's Mansion? When did Sister Xing get close to the people of the Prime Minister's Mansion?"
The prince put down the cup and looked around the yard.
While adding tea to the prince, Shi Jingyang said: "The fourth and fifth ladies from the Prime Minister's Mansion are here to talk to Sister Xing."
When the prince saw Miss Liu Wu looking towards the verandah, he looked away and continued to sip the tea, "Is that for you? The noble concubine intends to let Miss Liu Wu become Princess Chen."
Shi Jingyang twitched his lips, "What does it have to do with me?"
The prince smiled and leaned back, "It really has nothing to do with you."
Just as the prince was about to say something, Guiliang, under Jiang Min, came over with snacks.
While placing snacks, he said to Shi Jingyang: "Sir, after Your Highness left the palace, a maid named Ruihuang handed a note to the flower bed at the back corner door of the palace. Soon, someone from the imperial concubine's palace came to take the note away."
Shi Jingyang said: "I know."
Guiliang stepped back, and the prince turned to look at his chamberlain Fu'an.
Fu'an took a step forward, leaned forward and asked, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
The prince asked: "When did Ruihuang enter the East Palace? What responsibilities does he have in the East Palace?"
The prince suddenly asked about the palace maid, which made Fu'an stunned. He immediately became alert and replied cautiously: "Back to your highness, Ruihuang entered the East Palace three years ago and works in the tea room."
The prince waved his hand and said, "I understand, please step back."
Fu'an stepped aside.
The prince said in a low voice: "How many people like this are there in the East Palace?"
Shi Jingyang said comfortingly: "It doesn't matter, it's not too late if Your Highness is alert."
With that said, Shi Jingyang reported the information he had inquired about to the prince truthfully, and finally said: "Obviously, the other party wants to do tricks on Qiu Xiang. From now on, your highness must be careful at all times."
The prince sipped his tea and said, "I understand."
Shi Jingyang said: "From now on, Commander Lu must personally handle your Highness's food and drink. His Highness cannot eat anything that Commander Lu does not personally deliver to His Highness."
The prince thought for a moment and asked, "What if Gu and his father eat together?"
