Ruiji's words made Ouyang Lin feel ridiculous.
Murong Xue is the imperial general and the commander-in-chief of the Azure Dragon Army. He is currently leading the troops on the front line. Asking him to put down the army and run all the way back to the imperial capital to see Rui Ji was definitely not something he could decide with his small personal guard.
Besides, he clearly has control over Rui Ji and can torture her in any way he wants. Why should he be intimidated by such a cunning woman?
He sneered and hummed: "Rui Ji, it seems you are not smart enough to understand the current situation. I don't care about your bullshit information at all. I just need to bring you to justice. I asked you just now Answering the question is giving you a chance. Since you don’t cherish it, forget it. Come on!"
"Here!" His subordinates responded in unison.
"Take her to the execution chamber and prepare to appear in court!"
The soldiers strode over and were about to lift up Rui Ji and drag her out. Unexpectedly, she suddenly laughed like crazy and said: "Ouyang Lin, something big is going to happen in the palace soon. If you are really not interested, then I will Take the secret to the underworld! Keep your word!"
"Wait a moment!"
Ouyang Lin couldn't help but hesitate when he heard that something big was going to happen in the palace. He first called the soldiers to stop, then stared at Rui Ji coldly, and said in a deep voice: "What on earth is going on?"
"I want to see Murong Xue!" Rui Ji shouted loudly: "As long as he personally guarantees me and asks the emperor to forgive me for all my crimes, I will tell you everything I know! Including the conspiracy in the palace!"
-
"Ouyang, do you believe what Rui Ji said?"
"Reporting to your majesty, I am still only dubious at the moment." Ouyang Lin responded: "But there is one thing worth paying attention to. Rui Ji is an important spy of Lao Jianhua, and she is also the woman of the false king of Jin. She must have many secrets of the rebels, and she is a The key tongue.”
Li Bing frowned: "Can't we use punishment?"
Ouyang Lin said loudly: "The execution can be carried out. However, I can't guarantee whether she will really have a way to commit suicide. If I guess wrong, the clues to the crisis in the palace may be completely cut off. I am worried about your majesty's safety, so I We have decided to suspend the probation and come forward to report.”
Li Bing took a long breath and sighed: "Tell Murong Xue to come back? Alas, I'm not afraid of letting him make this hard journey, but I can't bear it. You have to know that Murong Xue had a deep affection for Rui Ji back then. just in case……"
Ouyang Lin said lightly: "Your Majesty, no matter how deep your love is, it is not as important as the safety of the emperor. In my humble opinion, it is better to summon General Qinglong back to the capital immediately. Let Rui Ji confess as soon as possible, and the palace will be resolved as soon as possible. Crisis, and at the same time, we can also learn more about the internal reality of the rebels, which will be more beneficial to the subsequent crusade."
Hearing this, Li Bing nodded slightly: "Okay then, send someone to ask Murong Xue to return to the imperial capital quickly. Don't tell him the truth for the time being, just say...just say that I suddenly missed him very much, and asked him to come back to talk."
The eight-hundred-mile postage rushed out of the imperial capital, and within a few days the order was delivered to the front line.
Murong Xue heard that the emperor wanted to call him back to the capital urgently because she missed him so much. She couldn't help but be a little stunned: What an outrageous excuse to coax a three-year-old?
But then again, as a subject, when summoned by the king, no matter how outrageous it is, you must obey the order. Therefore, Murong Xue did not hesitate much, and immediately made serious arrangements for his subordinates. At the same time, he specially sent people to Luzhou to inform Li Jiangyao and Xu Youchang, and then hurried to the imperial capital.
Murong Xue traveled day and night, and it didn't take long to reach her destination.
After entering the city, he did not go directly to the palace to meet the emperor, but instead went to his consort's house, intending to wash off the dirt and dust first and then change into clean clothes, so as not to be rude in front of the emperor.
Princess Li Xi of Fenyang was also surprised when her husband suddenly returned from the front line. After listening to Murong Xue's explanation, the Seventh Princess immediately decided: You'd better not enter the palace rashly yet, wait until I send someone to find out the news.
Murong Xue originally didn't want to pay attention to Li Xi's suggestion, but then she thought about it and realized that the other party also had good intentions. Moreover, he had learned from the previous experience of being under house arrest in Yeting Palace, so he nodded in agreement and let Li Xi make arrangements.
The couple waited for a full morning and half an afternoon, and finally received the results of their inquiries.
And this result is also very puzzling.
"The imperial army captured a female prisoner, and it seems to be related to General Murong. That's why the emperor ordered someone to invite you back."
Murong Xue was confused after hearing these words. He looked at Li Xi blankly and said somewhat confusedly: "Female prisoner? What does the female prisoner have to do with me? Could she be a distant relative of the Murong family?"
Li Xi shook his head: "Even if you are a relative of the Murong family, they won't call you back from the front line. Besides, when did the Forbidden Army start working for the Criminal Department and start arresting prisoners?"
After saying that, she suddenly became alert and asked her subordinates: "Have you found out clearly? Which battalion of the Forbidden Army is it? Jinwu Guards? Tiger and Leopard Cavalry? Or Beiya? What is the name of the officer leading the team?"
The subordinate raised his hand and replied: "Princess, I can't remember exactly which battalion it was. I only know that the leading officer's surname is Ouyang."
"Ouyang Lin?!"
"Oh yes, it's him, Ouyang Lin."
Murong Xue was a little curious and asked Li Xi, "What? Do you know this person?"
Li Xi took a deep breath, sent his men away first, and then whispered: "Some time ago, it was this Ouyang Lin who took down Wei Zixuan according to the emperor's secret order!"
Hearing this, Murong Xue raised her eyebrows: "So, the so-called female prisoner incident may be related to the Jiangnan rebels?"
Li Xi's face was as dark as water, and he nodded slightly and said: "Eighty percent is like this. If it weren't for the rebels, there would be no reason for the emperor to let you leave the legion and run back all the way. But... among the rebels, there will be Which woman is related to you?"
When she said this, she suddenly froze, as if she remembered something, and Murong Xue's reaction was similar, and she was also stunned for a moment.
The couple thought of a person almost at the same time, a person that neither of them wanted to mention easily.
Murong Xue was silent for a moment, then suddenly said calmly: "If it is really her... what does the emperor mean by this? Do you want to ask me for my guilt?"
"Absolutely not." Li Xi responded: "Husband, you are loyal to His Majesty and to Shengtang. No one dares to question this. The emperor himself was also a witness at that time, so he naturally knows that you were deceived by her, and How can I implicate you for no reason?"
"Then why did you ask me to come back?" Murong Xue frowned and said in a deep voice.
Li Xi thought for a while and tried to express his thoughts: "In my opinion, it is probably related to the trial and investigation. Maybe they want you to persuade her so that she can honestly explain the importance of the rebels." intelligence."
Murong Xue was stunned for a while, then suddenly murmured: "I... don't want to see her."
"It's best not to see you." Li Xi nodded and said: "Try not to get involved in this kind of right and wrong. How about this, I'll ask the doctor to prescribe some medicine. You pretend to be sick at home, just say that you are working on the front line, and you encountered wind and cold on the road, so you We will be bedridden when we arrive in the Imperial Capital. Let’s continue to observe the situation and then make plans.”
Murong Xue sighed helplessly and nodded silently.
-
Li Bing couldn't help but be surprised when he heard that Murong Xue fell ill immediately after returning. He didn't think much and immediately ordered the imperial doctor to go to the Prince Consort's Mansion to diagnose and treat Murong Xue.
Princess Li Xi had expected this to happen, so she made full preparations in advance. After using several small tricks, she finally fooled the imperial doctor.
Murong Xue continued to pretend to be ill, while Li Xi's people continued to search for information.
At midnight the next day, two more guests came to the Prince Consort's Mansion: Shen Lie and Yuan Bin. They heard that Murong Xue suddenly returned to the imperial capital from Huangmei. Firstly, they were worried about the situation on the front line, and secondly, they were also worried that Murong Xue had encountered some trouble, so they paid a visit at night.
When they heard from Li Xi that the Forbidden Army's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had captured a female spy, who might be Rui Ji, Shen Lie and Yuan Bin immediately became excited: No wonder! I said that this woman seemed to have disappeared out of thin air. No matter how I looked for her, I couldn't find her. She must have fallen into the hands of Ouyang Lin.
After listening to Yuan Bin's account of what happened to them, Murong Xue and Li Xi suddenly realized. In turn, they could confirm that the woman who could alert Li Bing and mobilize Murong Xue was indeed Rui Ji.
"Uncle Shen, what should we do next?" Li Xi frowned: "Why did Li Bing ask my husband to come forward to see that woman?"
Shen Lie understood Murong Xue's past with Rui Ji, and his feelings even more clearly. He coughed twice awkwardly and analyzed: "In my opinion, this matter was probably not Li Bing's idea."
"It's not him, is it that Ouyang Lin?" Yuan Bin asked curiously.
Shen Lie shook his head: "If you were Ouyang Lin and could directly interrogate Rui Ji, would it be necessary to transfer General Murong back from the front line?"
Li Xi's eyes lit up: "You mean, this request... was made by Rui Ji herself?"
Murong Xue was stunned when she heard this, and then a complicated expression appeared in her eyes.
Shen Lie stroked his beard gently and nodded: "It's very possible. Although I still have no way of judging why Rui Ji made such a request, judging from past experience in handling cases, some criminals will indeed insist on similar conditions. Only after you meet someone can you be willing to confess truthfully."
Li Xi gave Murong Xue a meaningful look and asked, "Uncle Shen, do you think you should see her?"
Shen Lie did not speak in a hurry. Yuan Bin who was standing next to him said quickly: "If Rui Ji really takes this as a condition and promises to confess honestly after meeting General Murong, then she should still meet him."
Li Xi rolled her eyes at him angrily, turned around and asked Murong Xue: "Husband, what do you mean?"
Murong Xue thought about it seriously and looked at Shen Lie: "We just guessed that she would be like this, but there is no basis for it, right?"
Shen Lie nodded: "You are right. Moreover, Shen has another worry. I suspect that Rui Ji actually wants to use you to continue her mission."
