Chapter 11: Investigation Begins

December 25, 599th year of the Dawu calendar.

Although it was the end of the year, it was just an ordinary day, and the people still had to do what they should do.

However, Han Luoling's arrival was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing a huge uproar in this royal city.

Ordinary people only praised Han Luoling's beauty.

When she entered the city, many people came to admire her and even took seats early just to see her face.

After seeing her, there was no doubt about her title as the most beautiful woman in the Dawu Dynasty.

Compared with the mentality of ordinary people watching the excitement, in the circles of those high-level dignitaries, there were undercurrents that ordinary people could not detect.

After Ning Shanzhi returned to his house, he closed the door and refused all visits. In the secret room of his house, a man covered in a black robe had been waiting for him.

Ning Shanzhi saw him and asked hurriedly, "Does His Highness have any news?"

The man said in a hoarse voice, "His Highness is very disappointed. His Highness said that he asked you to properly resolve this matter as soon as possible, otherwise once the Xuanyiwei intervenes, it may be difficult to resolve it."

Hearing the three words "Xuanyiwei", Ning Shanzhi's face showed panic.

The Xuanyiwei is a spy force directly under Emperor Wu. They can arrest anyone, including royal relatives. They can conduct non-public interrogations of any suspects and directly convict and execute them.

If the Tiance Army is the indestructible sword in the hands of Emperor Wu, then the Xuanyiwei is the sharpest dagger hidden in his sleeves.

After a long time, Ning Shanzhi seemed to have made an important decision and said to the man in black robe, "Please tell His Highness that I will deal with this matter properly. Your Highness does not need to worry."

The man in black robe nodded without saying anything. His body seemed to merge into the shadows. After a moment, he disappeared into the secret room, as if he had never been there.

In another part of the royal city, in the Xiaoqi Mansion, the hall was in a mess, and all kinds of precious antiques and jades were scattered all over the floor. The servants stood outside the hall, lowering their heads and trembling.

Wang Qian stood alone in the hall, holding a parchment letter in his hand. Because of anger, the veins on his arms bulged and trembled.

At this time, Wang Ran hurried over. Seeing this scene, he paused, but still mustered up the courage to enter the hall.

"Father, what happened?"

"Han Luoling was attacked at Fengling Post Station last night."

Wang Ran was shocked and asked, "Who is so bold? How dare he assassinate Han Luoling?"

"Then, was it successful?"

"No." Wang Qian looked into Wang Ran's eyes, and a strong momentum enveloped him.

"Father?"

"The Ministry of Justice has received news that there were 50 assassins who assassinated Han Luoling, including four sixth-grade masters, but they were all killed, no one was left alive, and all were killed with one blow."

"After confirmation by the Tiance Army and the Ministry of Justice, they all died from the Snow Blade Mad Saber!"

"What? Snow Blade Mad Saber?" Wang Ran was even more shocked. The Snow Blade Mad Saber was a family technique of the Wang family and was never passed on to others.

Wang Qian continued, "Moreover, according to the confession of the North Gate Guard last night, someone left the city gate holding the token of my Wang family."

"I just checked, and the tokens of others are all there. Ran'er, where is your token?"

"Of course I carry it with me and never leave it." After saying that, Wang Ran reached to his waist and took out the token and presented it.

"Never left it?"

"Never left it."

"I heard that you got drunk in Wanhua Pavilion last night."

"I was just feeling depressed, so I vented."

"Then how do you ensure that no one takes your token after you get drunk, and returns it before you wake up?"

When Wang Ran heard this, he panicked.

Seeing his expression, Wang Qian asked sternly, "Tell me everything you did last night, where you went, and who you offended!"

Seeing his father's face, Wang Ran knew that the matter was serious, and quickly told him everything that happened last night, not daring to hide anything.

"According to you, before entering Wanhua Pavilion, the token was still on you."

"Yes, father."

"When you were drinking, only the old procuress surnamed Xue and Han Xu had contact with you. After you got drunk, the two girls took you back to your room, right?"

"Yes."

"Come here."

"Here!" Wang Qian gave an order, and several soldiers in armor appeared outside the hall.

"Investigate all the people who may have come into contact with Wang Ran in Wanhua Pavilion last night, including the waiter who served the dishes and the guests in the adjacent private rooms, and focus on the madam surnamed Xue and Han Xu."

After saying that, Wang Qian seemed to have thought of something, and added: "Don't make a big fuss, and don't make trouble in Wanhua Pavilion."

"Yes!"

After the few people left, Wang Ran said: "Father, it stands to reason that killing the assassin to protect Han Luoling is a meritorious act. Why did someone pretend to be a member of my Wang family? Isn't this simply deducting the credit from us?"

"Do you think this is a merit?" Wang Qian said angrily, "Father often reminds you not to forget the position of my Wang family."

"Once you choose a team, you must be careful and cautious, otherwise, if you make a mistake, you will be doomed."

Wang Ran is a smart man. After hearing what Wang Qian said, he naturally understood what his father meant.

This is not a merit, it is clearly a poison that accelerates people's lives.

Who is it?

For some reason, the first person that popped up in Wang Ran's mind was Han Xu, whom he had always regarded as a waste.

Ten days ago, he was forced to fall into the lake by Han Xu's words. Looking back, there were many unreasonable things.

He is a third-rank man, the best among the young generation in Wangcheng. He has such a strong will, how could he be influenced by the words of a useless person with no cultivation.

This is unscientific.

"Could it be that Han Xu is pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger?" Wang Ran just had such a thought in his mind, and then he extinguished it by himself.

Ask a teenager, who has such courage to pretend to be a pig to eat the tiger for six years? If there is, he is not a human, but a devil.

Moreover, Han Xu stayed in Qing'er's room in Wanhua Pavilion last night and did not come out until the morning. It was in full view of everyone. Wangcheng was already well known. There were many witnesses. It was impossible for him to split himself out of the city to kill those assassins.

"Whether you hide your strength or not, this year-end assessment will show your true colors."

Just when the Wang family was extremely anxious, Han Xu was in his small courtyard, crossing his legs, tasting the fine wine he brought back from Wanhua Pavilion in the morning.

When he went home, he also bought two baskets of steamed buns at the door to go with the wine.

"Master, the Wang family must be in a state of panic now. I just don't know how you imitated the Snow Blade Mad Knife, and even Wang Qian himself couldn't tell the difference." Lin Feng asked curiously.

Han Xu said, "Master, I have a plan."

Even if he trusted Lin Feng, some secrets could not be told to him.

The existence of the skill download system was too shocking, and it was enough for Han Xu to know it himself.

Han Xu didn't say it, and Lin Feng didn't ask. He had long been accustomed to the mystery of his master.

After drinking the last sip of wine, Han Xu stretched his back and said, "I didn't sleep last night, and I'm a little tired. Uncle Lin should rest early."

"The Ministry of Rites arranged for my sister to go to the palace to see the queen early tomorrow morning, and I have to accompany her."

"What a boring etiquette."

"Master, I'm afraid tomorrow won't be boring."

"That's right, the queen has always been the evil leader of the six palaces." Han Xu remembered many palace fighting dramas he had watched in his previous life. The queens were all as cunning as the sea, and they could bend and stretch.

Especially the sentence "I can't do it!" left a deep impression on Han Xu.

"Let's see how sister will deal with it tomorrow."