Li Zhao let out a soft breath.
Ying Niang was still in a coma, and his own body was in such a battered state. If anything were to happen to Ye Wanmian, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
Thinking of the scene he had witnessed in that small courtyard, Li Zhao's eyes were filled with a cold chill.
"What about those two people now?"
Xiao Jingcheng replied, "I've had them locked up separately, cutting off all possibilities of their suicide. Once Uncle Li recovers a bit more, you can interrogate them personally."
"However..."
Remembering the message the dogs had conveyed to him, Xiao Jingcheng said coldly, "They are not the masterminds. There's someone else who wants Lady Jiang dead."
"What did you say?!" Li Zhao was greatly shocked. The sudden movement tugged at his chest, and he couldn't help but cough violently.
Xiao Jingcheng quickly stepped forward to pat his back. After Li Zhao caught his breath, he firmly grasped Xiao Jingcheng's hand and gritted his teeth, asking, "What did you mean by that just now?"
Xiao Jingcheng thought for a while and decided to tell Li Zhao the truth, "I'm quite fortunate to have a connection with the dogs in Dongli Town. I asked them to keep an eye on Lady Jiang's small courtyard. I was supposed to return to the capital today, but I received a message from the dogs."
If it were someone else, Li Zhao would surely think the person was joking. But today, he had seen with his own eyes those dogs running to Huichun Hall to deliver the message, so he didn't doubt what Xiao Jingcheng said.
"Uncle Li should have heard from Jiang Mian about the Ye family in the capital," Xiao Jingcheng said. "Uncle Li should also know that Ye Huan, the eldest son of Imperial Censor Ye, and Ye Wanxing, the biological daughter of Lady Ye, both came to Dongli Town with the Prince of Xuan, and they even came to Huichun Hall to seek medical treatment."
How could Li Zhao not know?
He immediately understood what Xiao Jingcheng meant. "You mean it's these two from the Ye family who want Ying Niang's life?"
Xiao Jingcheng said coldly, "To be exact, it's Ye Wanxing, the young lady of the Ye family."
"She's also the one who bribed a gambler in an attempt to ruin Jiang Mian's reputation."
"This girl has such a vicious heart!" Li Zhao said hatefully. "Not only does she want to harm Mujin, but she also wants Ying Niang's life!"
Suddenly remembering something, Li Zhao frowned and said, "We didn't see that girl in Ying Niang's courtyard today."
Xiao Jingcheng let out a cold laugh. "She's engaged to the Prince of Xuan and will be the future Princess of Xuan. She won't do the killing herself, but this matter must be related to her. Uncle Li, rest assured. I won't let her go, nor will I let those two off."
Li Zhao pondered for a while and said, "We can settle accounts with them later. For now, Ying Niang and Mujin are more important."
"Thank you very much today. Saving Ying Niang makes you my benefactor. I won't forget this kindness."
Xiao Jingcheng returned to his previous seat and said seriously, "I must clarify to Uncle Li that the reason I rushed there was not to win Uncle Li over and make you owe me a favor so that you'd serve me from now on."
To be honest, this really surprised Li Zhao.
Did this young man from the Xiao family really not rush there in the heavy rain to rescue Jiang Zhiqing in order to make him and Mujin owe him a debt of gratitude so that they could be used by him?
It was no wonder that he speculated about Xiao Jingcheng's actions with the worst possible intentions. This young man had been groomed to be an emperor, and one of the emperor's tactics was to control his subordinates.
Doing whatever it took to achieve one's goal was the norm for the royal offspring.
Li Zhao looked at Xiao Jingcheng with a scrutinizing gaze. "If you didn't save Ying Niang for this reason, then why? Surely it wasn't just out of kindness?"
Xiao Jingcheng met Li Zhao's gaze and said, "Whether Uncle Li believes it or not, when I rushed back to Lady Jiang's courtyard, the only thought in my mind was to save people. I didn't have time to think about anything else."
"If I really have to find a reason, I think it might be that I didn't want to see Jiang Mian lose her biological mother."
He curled his fingers and tightly clenched his fist. "My mother was despised by my father and sent to the cold palace. My uncle rebelled with his troops, occupied the capital, and ascended the throne. I was far away in Dongli Town and couldn't do anything. I don't know if he'll treat my mother well."
"But at least, I could save Lady Jiang."
Even as this "Crown Prince," he had to admit that his abilities were limited after all. He couldn't fly through the sky or disappear into the ground, nor did he have three heads and six arms.
"Moreover, I already owe Jiang Mian a great deal. I don't want to see her experience the parting from her loved ones before she can even reunite with them."
Xiao Jingcheng's honesty left Li Zhao somewhat silent.
Wasn't this also his concern before?
Her loved ones were clearly right beside her, but they couldn't reveal their identities to her or take good care of her and love her as family members. This was also extremely cruel to her.
Seeing Li Zhao struggling as if he wanted to sit up, Xiao Jingcheng stepped forward to help him and fetched a coat to put on him. Li Zhao's complexion was extremely poor. This sickly appearance was somewhat similar to that of the Prince of Mu.
Li Zhao looked at Xiao Jingcheng, carefully sizing up the man in front of him.
Perhaps due to the successive blows he had endured, the arrogance between his eyebrows had now been completely replaced by a gloomy air, but his eyes had become even sharper, and his overall temperament had become even more steady.
It seemed that the news from the capital hadn't knocked him down, and it seemed that he had already made a decision in his heart.
Li Zhao said slowly, "The question I asked you the other day, do you have an answer in your heart now?"
Xiao Jingcheng pondered for a moment and replied, "Everyone has desires and ambitions in their hearts. Some people want to obtain more wealth, some want to gain greater power. Some people are born with such a nature, while others are forced by life to climb upwards."
"If Uncle Li had commanded a large army back then and knew that the King of Chu intended to wipe out the entire Li clan, would Uncle Li rebel?"
Without waiting for Li Zhao to answer, Xiao Jingcheng continued, "Uncle Li surely would. For the sake of the entire Li clan and the common people in the world, Uncle Li would surely strive for it with all his might, because if he didn't strive, he would die."
"So, the Xiao clan of Lingyang didn't want to follow in the footsteps of the Li clan. At that time, they made the choice they should have made."
Li Zhao couldn't help but laugh. When he looked at Xiao Jingcheng again, there was more admiration and warmth in his eyes.
Yes, he was right. If he had been able to make a choice back then, it would have been the Li and Xiao clans sitting securely in that position, ruling the world.
"As for what Uncle Li said about losing one's true self and becoming a slave to power after obtaining supreme power..."
Xiao Jingcheng's gaze fell on the black-and-white boundary of the light and shadow on the ground.
"In this world, there are often more evil people than good people, because evil people can easily get everything they want, while good people often need to put in more effort and time than evil people to achieve what they have in mind."
"Evil can never be completely eradicated, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to get rid of it. Good people should be rewarded. Only when the world sees that doing good deeds will lead to good results will more and more people turn towards goodness, and only then can the country be stable."
"I can't guarantee to Uncle Li that I'll never change in the future. But as long as I'm alive, I'll do my best to do what I can for the common people. If one day I become like the King of Chu, then being beheaded and humiliated is also my fate."