In the simple and quiet meditation room, the expressions of the two men were solemn, and Xu Buyue, the Princess of Nan'an, also kept silent.
Song Yinghuai twirled the Buddhist beads on his wrist and looked at Caiyu with a heavy gaze.
He knew that this girl hated evil like poison, and the Crown Prince was the one who had detained her younger brother. Naturally, she was eager to find evidence to bring down the Crown Prince and set her younger brother free.
But she didn't know that it wasn't as easy as she thought to bring down Song Chengyuan.
If Song Chengyuan were that easy to topple, Song Yinghuai would have succeeded the last time.
Emperor Guangwu's doting on Song Chengyuan had exceeded everyone's imagination.
This time, Song Chengyuan wanted to regain his power in the court by making meritorious deeds. Didn't Emperor Guangwu have the same intention?
Otherwise, Emperor Guangwu wouldn't have allowed Song Chengyuan to go up the mountain at the risk of being infected with the plague.
Once Song Chengyuan returned with meritorious deeds, Emperor Guangwu would return the power of the Eastern Palace to him.
It could be said that this time, whoever did the opposite of what Emperor Guangwu expected would end up offending the dragon's scales.
Caiyu had never been involved in the situation in the court, so she couldn't analyze it. But the other three people present could see it clearly.
Song Chengyuan had to fall, but only if he died could the trouble be eradicated forever!
Exposing his crime of creating the plague this time was not a good opportunity.
If there was a slight mistake, the outcome would be the same as Song Yinghuai's last time.
Song Yinghuai swallowed hard. Facing Caiyu's expectant eyes, he said difficultly, "Yu'er, leave this matter to us. You go back obediently and wait for the news!"
Was he going to avoid her again and handle it alone?
Caiyu looked at Sheng Jiangli unwillingly. Her gaze clearly told the man that she also wanted to participate.
Sheng Jiangli coughed lightly. For the first time, he was at a loss and didn't know how to respond.
He remembered that Caiyu had mentioned that she had another plan when going up the mountain in the village at the foot of the mountain.
At that time, he didn't understand. Now he guessed a little.
Wasn't Miss Lan San trying to use her meritorious deeds to exchange for a chance to retry the case of the Lan family?
But Miss San was too naive!
If it was about meritorious deeds, wasn't his numerous military exploits enough?
She didn't know that in order to save the Lan family, he had exchanged his numerous military exploits with the Crown Prince and was willing to be the Crown Prince's lackey. It was only with the Crown Prince's plea to Emperor Guangwu that he could only save the lives of the entire Lan family and change the death penalty to exile.
Caiyu's contribution to suppressing the plague was insignificant compared to his merit of conquering hundreds of thousands of Hu cavalry and destroying a country.
If she wanted to retry the case of the Lan family, it was not easy.
But what Sheng Jiangli considered was still not deep enough.
Even Sheng Jiangli didn't know that the case of the Lan family was more complicated than he thought.
Because he didn't know that the person behind the scenes was no one else but the emperor of Daye, who no one could touch.
Song Yinghuai couldn't even get a chance with the military power of 200,000 Yan troops. Naturally, Sheng Jiangli couldn't pin his hopes on Caiyu.
But how could he say this?
Could he let Caiyu offend the Crown Prince?
Sheng Jiangli thought for a long time with a splitting headache and then said, "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, I have a suggestion."
"The Crown Prince may be impatient to poison someone. He may do it tonight or tomorrow... You and the princess go to catch the person who is poisoning. I and Caiyu... Well, we'll try to find out the whereabouts of the prescription for the plague - dispelling decoction. How about that?"
Sheng Jiangli thought that if they could find the prescription and let Caiyu completely cure the plague, it would also be a great contribution, and they didn't have to face Song Chengyuan directly.
Even if Caiyu couldn't exchange her contribution for a chance to retry the case of the Lan family at that time, maybe Emperor Guangwu would, out of consideration for her contribution, allow Lan Jinshu's name to be cleared.
Song Yinghuai looked at him, his eyes flickering. For the first time, he didn't object to Sheng Jiangli and Caiyu acting together.
He didn't guess Caiyu's intention of using her contribution to exchange for a retry of the Lan family's case, but he guessed her intention of hating evil and wanting to catch the Crown Prince's evidence.
It was absolutely inappropriate for Caiyu to do this. It was more appropriate for the powerful Princess of Nan'an to do it.
Song Yinghuai tightened his face and nodded. "Okay, let's act separately."
Caiyu wanted to say something but hesitated. She always felt that there was still something she was not willing to accept.
But Sheng Jiangli dragged her away impatiently, afraid that she would make further requests. "Let's go, let's go. Brother will take you to make meritorious deeds!"
Caiyu: "..."
Xu Buyue looked at Song Yinghuai. Seeing the man staring intently at the just - closed door with a reluctant and forbearing look, she bit her lip and said, "Fourth brother, General Sheng's method is the most reasonable."
"It can not only not dampen Caiyu's confidence but also let her avoid offending the Crown Prince."
Song Yinghuai of course knew this. Otherwise, how could he watch Sheng Jiangli take Caiyu away?
He took a deep breath, swallowed the depression in his heart, and left without saying a word.
Caiyu was dragged by Sheng Jiangli and walked stumblingly. She kept asking, "Brother A'li, what's your plan?"
Sheng Jiangli turned and led her to a secluded place. After looking around to make sure there was no one around, he put his hand on the tree trunk and trapped her in front of him. He asked with a half - smile, "You said earlier that you had another plan when going up the mountain. It wasn't to see the Prince of Yan. It was to use your meritorious deeds to exchange for a chance to retry the case of the Lan family?"
Caiyu hesitated for a moment and then nodded in recognition. "Yes."
"It's not as simple as you think, Shu'er. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
"Why?" Caiyu asked puzzledly. "Five years ago, a female doctor in Xinzhou suppressed the plague, and the emperor pardoned her father's death penalty... Now I don't even expect the emperor to pardon the exile of the Lan family. I just ask for a chance to retry the case. Will the emperor refuse?"
Sheng Jiangli wanted to say something but hesitated. He didn't know how to say it.
He couldn't tell her that he had heard that even Song Yinghuai couldn't get this chance with his military power, could he?
He couldn't make his love rival look great in Caiyu's heart for no reason.
He paused and said, "I won't stop you from making meritorious deeds. It's always a good thing to have merits. I'll help you find the prescription. But don't have any thoughts about the Crown Prince. He's not someone you can easily deal with."
The Crown Prince was someone even the Prince of Yan couldn't deal with. Caiyu's counter - attack would be like hitting a stone with an egg.
Caiyu frowned.
She really wanted to kill two birds with one stone this time, to strive for a retry of the Lan family's case and expose the Crown Prince's evil deeds to the world.
Why didn't Sheng Jiangli allow her to touch the Crown Prince?
He wasn't really a follower of the Crown Prince.
"Also." Sheng Jiangli continued to admonish, "If you want to try to exchange for a chance to retry the case, go ahead. I'll recommend you to the emperor at that time. But if the emperor doesn't agree, you must hold your temper. Don't confront the emperor, and don't... cry."
Seeing Sheng Jiangli's serious look, Caiyu had no choice but to agree for the time being.
"Okay, okay, I'll promise you... So what should we do now?"
Sheng Jiangli saw her pouting with an unwilling look. He guessed that she still hadn't given up the idea of exposing the Crown Prince. He was extremely helpless.
He pinched Caiyu's cheek and said with a gritted - teeth smile, "Don't be angry. Is it less interesting for me to take you to make meritorious deeds than to follow the Prince of Yan?"
"This mountain isn't the Crown Prince's mansion. There are no secret compartments for him to hide things. The prescription must be hidden in the Crown Prince's personal clothes. I'll take you to steal it."
"Can't the Crown Prince memorize the prescription? Does he have to bring it up the mountain?" Caiyu was in pain from being pinched. She turned her head and muttered.
Sheng Jiangli sneered with contempt in his eyes. "Let that good - for - nothing memorize the prescription? He was raised on a farm since childhood. He doesn't like studying but only likes fighting. He can't even recite an article smoothly... There are dozens of herbs and their weights in the prescription. How could he memorize it? He must bring it with him."
As he said, he took Caiyu's hand and walked.
"Where are we going?"
"To peek at the Crown Prince taking a bath." Sheng Jiangli said with a rogue smile. "I'll just look. You close your eyes and don't peek later."
"… Who wants to peek at that scumbag!"