Chapter 464: Poison from the Same Origin

Chapter 464: Poison from the Same Origin

Chapter 464: Poison from the Same Origin
Xiao Xia suddenly remembered that when he was checking from the fourth floor, he could see the gate of the block, but could not see outside the wall. His carriage was coming from the south, and the other party could not see it.

They could only see their carriages after they entered the town, but they could not see them again after the carriages went a few more feet. In other words, their shooting range was only three feet, and their shooting time was only a few seconds.

In this case, someone must stand guard at the gate. When his carriage arrives, the sentry must immediately raise his hand or a flag to signal, and the other party can then prepare for the assassination.

The sentry would stand in front of the gate or ride on the wall. It would be impossible to ride on the wall as he would be discovered by his own soldiers, so he could only stand in front of the gate.

Xiao Xia immediately called his personal soldiers together and asked, "When our carriage was still a few dozen steps away from the gate, did you see anyone standing in front of it?"

The guards could not remember anything. At this time, the driver said, "I remember that it was a soldier holding a red flag. I was worried that I would bump into him, but he went in again."

"Yes! There was a soldier." Several bodyguards remembered.

There are two soldiers guarding the gate of each block. Could it be one of them?
Xiao Xia rode to the gate and found several officials from Henan Prefecture questioning two soldiers guarding the gate.

Xiao Xia turned around and gave a few instructions to the two personal soldiers, who immediately ran off.

At this time, Henan Prefecture Shao Yin Yuan Wendu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I pay my respects to Your Highness!"

"You are."

"I am Yuan Wendu, the Shao Yin of Henan Prefecture!"

"You are Yuan Wenzhen's brother!"

"It's a humble job!"

"Did you find anything?"

Yuan Wendu bowed and said, "I just heard that the assassins were attacking from the tower. Their chance was actually very small. The moment the carriage entered the gate, I thought there should be someone waiting at the gate."

Xiao Xia nodded, it was indeed a coincidence.

"I've thought about this, too. My coachman saw a soldier holding a flag standing at the door. He went into the square before the carriage approached. It was most likely one of these two soldiers."

"Ah! Then I will detain them all."

At this time, a personal soldier whispered in Xiao Xia's ear: "Your Highness, the driver said that it was not these two soldiers. These two soldiers were very short and fat. The soldier he saw was tall and thin like a bamboo pole."

After a while, a bodyguard came running over, holding a red flag on a thin bamboo pole.

"Your Highness, the flag was found in the alley next to it."

Xiao Xia took the flag and looked at the two soldiers again, and saw that both soldiers were staring at the flag nervously.

Xiao Xia sneered in his heart. Even if it wasn't them, they were insiders.

Xiao Xia handed the flag to Yuan Wendu, "Yuan Shaoyin, I'll give this flag to you. The two soldiers should be insiders, interrogate them carefully!"

"Please rest assured, Your Highness. I will find the messenger as soon as possible and capture the assassin!"

Xiao Xia turned around and went back home. As he walked into the gate, he saw Zhang Qiao coming towards him.

"Aqiao, how is Captain Wang?"

"Don't worry, Master. Captain Wang's poison has been controlled by me, but I discovered that the poison on this arrow is the same as the Crown Prince's."

Xiao Xia was surprised, "Are you sure?"

Zhang Qiao nodded, "It's confirmed. I've also checked the two poisoned arrows on the car. They are confirmed to be the same Qiang poison, which is a slow-acting poison. Captain Wang treated them quickly, and the poison hasn't spread yet. I've cut out the flesh of the poisoned part, and the remaining poison will be completely removed by tomorrow at the latest."

He had caused his elder brother to suffer a fate worse than death, and now he even dared to assassinate him. Xiao Xia began to feel murderous intent.

The assassination of Prince Jin immediately caused a sensation in the court and the country. One must know that assassination is the biggest taboo in the officialdom. If a wave of assassinations becomes popular, everyone will be in danger.

Emperor Yang Guang was even more furious that Prince of Jin was assassinated when he came to Beijing to report on his work. He ordered the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple and Henan Prefecture to investigate the case strictly and bring the assassin to justice.

At dusk, Henan Prefecture Shao Yin Yuan Wendu came to visit Xiao Xia and brought an important news. "Your Highness, the four people involved in the case have been found, but unfortunately they are four bodies. The sentry who reported the news was the nephew of one of the soldiers. He was killed in the alley next to his home, with a sword piercing his heart. Fifty taels of silver were found in his home, which should be the money to bribe him.

The other three assassins were on a boat in the Luo River outside the city. They were all killed with one sword. No one knows the three assassins. We asked the bounty hunters, but they didn’t know them either. They are most likely not from Luoyang.”

"How do you know that the three of them are assassins?

"They lost two crossbows, but not the poison arrows. Each of them had two crossbow arrows, and there was also another crossbow."

After saying that, Yuan Wendu placed two quivers on the table, each containing two poisoned crossbow arrows.

Xiao Xia said calmly: "This poison arrow is exactly the same as the one that assassinated the prince. Has Yuan Shaoyin thought of anything?"

"what!"

Yuan Wendu was shocked. He knew very well who assassinated the prince, but he had no idea that it was Prince of Jin who assassinated him.

"Now that the assassin is dead and all clues are gone, what can we do?"

"Doesn't Yuan Shaoyin know who assassinated the crown prince?"

Yuan Wendu shook his head and denied it. "I can guarantee that the assassination case has nothing to do with the Guanlong nobles. Could it be the Wei family? I heard that Your Highness confiscated their money in Wujun."

Xiao Xia sneered and said, "It's not that I underestimate the Wei family, they have the intention but not the courage to do it!"

"That's not necessarily true. The Wei family may not dare to risk their lives for money and His Highness, but if it involves a fight for the throne, the Wei family will also go all out!"

Xiao Xia smiled and said, "It seems that Brother Yuan really wants to see the battle for succession happen again?"

Yuan Wendu showed a trace of embarrassment on his face, and quickly laughed dryly: "No! No! Your Highness is worrying too much, I am just providing an idea, I will not disturb Your Highness, I am leaving now!"

Yuan Wendu said goodbye and left in a hurry.

Xiao Xia returned to the study and thought about the ins and outs of this assassination. First of all, it was unlikely that the Guanlong nobles were involved. He had just visited Yuan Xiaoju yesterday and reached some kind of reconciliation. Even if the Guanlong nobles wanted to assassinate him, they would stop.

The assassins from Jiangnan are also impossible. They might assassinate me, but they won’t assassinate the prince.

The only one left is the King of Qi's faction. Of course, it may also be the work of individual forces of the Guanlong nobles, such as the Dugu family. They suffered heavy losses in the dispute over salt profits in the south of the Yangtze River. Even if other families do not want to participate, they will fight alone.

It is also possible that the remnants of the destroyed Tuyuhun forces colluded with the Wei family to assassinate him, so it was only natural for them to use Qiang poison.

At this time, Xiao Xia thought of a person. He picked up his pen and wrote down a name, "Wang Long", the father of the favorite concubine of King Qi and the father of Wang Shichong. This person was actually the leader of the Qiang people in Jiaohe County. He had the motive to assassinate the prince for King Qi, and he also had the motive to assassinate himself for both public and private reasons.

Since everyone is into assassination, let them experience the feeling of being assassinated.

Wang Shichong hurried back to the mansion and went straight to his father's study in the backyard.

Father Wang Long has been waiting for him for a long time.

"How is it? Have all the witness evidence been eliminated?" Wang Long asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, father. The three assassins and the informant have been eliminated. In fact, even if they are caught, they will not be traced back to us. They will only be traced to a Mr. Jian who never existed."

Wang Long said worriedly, "I'm worried that Xiao Xia is too smart. Sooner or later, he will suspect me of the poison. That poison is a Manchu medicine unique to the Qiang people in Jiaohe County.

"Father, even if he finds out, there is no evidence. Can he say that we assassinated him?"

"Has Xiong Kuohai returned to Hebei?"

Wang Shichong nodded and said, "I have already returned. Don't worry, father. This was the first operation I planned. Although it did not succeed, the defense was impeccable."

Wang Long sighed and said, "Keep silent for a while. Wait until this assassination case is forgotten before taking the next action."

(End of this chapter)