The masked men exchanged a glance with each other and without saying a word, they rushed towards Shen Xingwen.

  Decisive and concise, indeed with the demeanor of a professional assassin.

  Shen Xingwen's eyes sank, and he immediately turned his horse around, wanting to leave.

  A masked man suddenly threw the knife in his hand, Shen Xingwen barely dodged it, and the next moment he was thrown off the horseback by inertia.

  Those masked men quickly jumped from their horses to the ground. Shen Xingwen saw this, ignoring his pain, got up and started running.

  He clutched his chest tightly, apparently targeted by the masked man.

  "First confirm if he has it on him!" The leader gave a cold command.

  Shen Xingwen heard this and ran even more desperately forward.

  The masked man pursued closely, without any suspense, Shen Xingwen was fundamentally unable to outrun these people with high martial arts skills and superhuman strength.

  Just as he was about to catch up with Shen Xingwen, the assassin aimed at Shen Xingwen.

  A knife was swung from behind, Shen Xingwen heard the sound and turned his head, saw the blade, and was stunned for a moment.

  At this moment, the assassin had already drawn his knife across Shen Xingwen's chest, which he had been covering with his hand. His clothes were torn and his arm was covered in blood.

  Crack, something fell under Shen Xingwen's feet.

  The assassin's eyes lit up and he stepped forward with a palm that sent Shen Xingwen flying. He himself bent down to pick up the object.

  The paper was shaken open, and the shocking "Crown Prince's Plea" appeared before one's eyes.

  "That's it!"

  The assassins were overjoyed when they succeeded.

  Shen Xingwen seemed to have also forgotten about "running away", his eyes fixed motionlessly on them.

  The assassins discovered, gazing past with cold eyes.

  The assassin threw the letter in his hand into the air, and then a dozen knives hacked at it. The handwritten letter was torn to shreds amidst the swords.

  "It's time to kill now."

  The evidence has been destroyed, and the person must be silenced.

  In an instant, those knives, in mid-air, directly changed direction and began chopping towards Shen Xingwen.

  Shen Xingwen stared at the approaching moment, his open eyes flashing with a hint of a smile.

  The Dali Temple at this time.

  The gate opened wide, and Zuo Xuewei's gaze swept around in a circle. He said coldly, "I've received a secret report that the Dalisi Temple is harboring an imperial fugitive. Search it."

  Zuo Xuewei is the Emperor's personal guard, and these bailiffs from the Dalisi Temple can only stand by and watch, no one dares to stop him. Besides, the Dalisi Temple has already been emptied out by half now.

  Zuo Xunwei's men directly rushed into the dungeon, but found that there was no prisoner in the dungeon, as if it had been vacant for a long time.

  They furrowed their brows and turned around to search other parts of the Dalit Temple.

  They pushed open the door of the study and were stunned by a person slowly standing up inside.

  Pei Tan slowly put down the pen in his hand and looked at Zuo Xuewei, who had burst in with a proud expression. When Zuo Xuewei saw Pei Tan, he also looked stunned.

  "Although I, Pei, have been stripped of my official position," said Pei slowly, "I shouldn't be considered a prisoner of the Left Valiant Guard, should I?"

  Obviously, Zuo Xuewei had just shouted outside to catch Qin Fan, and the sound had already reached the closed study room, where Pei Tan heard it.

  The figure stepping in from behind Zong Xiu's back was Zong Chuke.

  He stared at Pei Tan, his eyes like a dry well, dull and lifeless: "Pei Tan?"

  According to timing, Pei Tan should have been blocked on his way out of the palace earlier.

  "Lord Chancellor," Pei's lips moved slightly: "If Pei hasn't remembered wrongly, this isn't the Chancellor's residence."

  A eunuch led soldiers into the Temple of Great Rites; if this wasn't by imperial order, it would be hard to explain.

  Zong Chuke's hand in his sleeve was clenched tightly, his expressionless face staring at Pei Tan. It had come to this, and it was too late to turn back now. "This Grand Temple, it seems only you are left."

  Pei's lips moved slightly, but he didn't speak. It seemed that Zuo Xue had already searched the place earlier, and indeed there was no one else in the temple.

  "In that case, there's nothing more to say." Zong Chuke said coldly, "Perhaps you are the imperial convict, colluding with Daoist Hu Chao, intending to deceive the emperor's mind. Take him away!"

  Pei Tan took it down.

  Zuo Xuewei immediately stepped forward and surrounded the study room. Killing a commoner wasn't that difficult.

  Pei Tan slowly opened his mouth: "The so-called Daoist Hu Chao was indeed detained in the Dalisi Temple earlier, because he was an important witness for a case being tried by the Dalisi Temple and revealed the whereabouts of the handwritten letter by Crown Prince Li Xian."

  Zong Chuke's pupils constricted: "The Crown Prince's handwritten letter?"

  Pei Tan looked at him: "That's right, we already know where the prince's letter is."

  The left guards looked at Zong Chuke's face, which had suddenly changed color, and exchanged puzzled glances.

  Pei Tan said: "At this time, Zong Shangshu brought people to the Temple of Great Wisdom. It seems that he has opened the gate of his own Shangshu Mansion."

  This time the ceremony to worship heaven, Zong Chuke is all out, there can't be any reservation. All the people in his hands should already be here, while Dali Temple is on the contrary, even the left-behind officials seem too few.

  Zong Chuke's eyes widened, indeed, just now he was brought by Zuo Xiuwei with a momentum of searching everywhere, forgot to pay attention, where did the yamen of Dalisi Temple go?

  Is that it? Except for those few guarding the entrance, this place seems to be empty now.

  Pei Tan met Zhong Chuke's gaze with a faint smile on his face: "Thanks to the Secretary of State for thinking of me during the ceremony, Pei Mou returns the courtesy. The people from the Supreme Court should already be guests at the Secretary's residence."

  Zong Chuke's lips began to tremble with a gloomy voice: "Pei... Tan..."

  Pei Tan suddenly composed himself, staring at the Left Guard in the study: "The Supreme Court has ordered an investigation into the wrongful death of Crown Prince Li Xian. Based on the testimony, it is natural and proper to search the Ministry of Works for the prince's posthumous writings."

  Upon hearing that they were searching for the Crown Prince's will at the Shangshu Mansion, Zong Chuke's eyes turned red with rage: "You say the Crown Prince's handwritten letter is..."

  Pei Tan said slowly: "Does the Prime Minister ever think of searching his own home?" So many people were mobilized to search the Grand Temple, what a waste.

  Zong Chuke suddenly turned around and immediately left.

  The remaining Left Guards were all bewildered, and the expected culprit was not caught. The entire Temple of Great Wisdom had only Pei Tan alone in it.

  Pei Tan did not stop him, and now Zong Chuke is leaving, it's already useless.

  Unlike the chaotic search of the Temple of Heaven, when Zong Chuke stood in front of his own

  In front of the Shangshu Fu gate, inside was in perfect order.

  He still can't believe that the prince's handwritten letter would actually be hidden in his Shangshu Mansion.

  But after a moment, he saw a yamen runner wearing a Dalisi temple robe coming out of the Shangshu Mansion.

  Zong Chuke's blood froze in an instant.

  "Your Excellency," the leading yamen runner who was in charge of searching for evidence saw Zong Chuke return without any signs of panic, and smiled as he said: "You actually hid the Crown Prince's letter, such an important piece of evidence, behind your son's memorial tablet. If it weren't for the Crown Prince appearing to us in a dream, we would never have found it."

  The lower officials of the Ministry of War were apparently unfamiliar with this formation and hastily shouted at Zong Chuke: "Minister!"

  Zong Chuke looked at the yamen runner with a cold gaze: "You dare to search the residence of the Minister?"

  The official smiled and said: "I have an imperial decree in hand, I beg your pardon, Minister..."

  Zong Chuke's face was terrifying at first glance: "The imperial edict allows you to search my son's ancestral temple?"

  The official's expression also turned solemn: "Your Excellency, this is a personal request from the Crown Prince himself. The Empress Dowager immediately ordered the Ministry of Justice to retrieve the Crown Prince's belongings as soon as possible. The Ministry of Justice was just following procedure."

  Zong Chuke had already stopped listening, and he said to Zuo Xuewei beside him: "Kill them all."

  Zuo Xuewei could follow Zong Chuke to capture the so-called imperial convicts, but when facing the execution of the imperial decree by the Dalisi Temple guards, Zuo Xuewei was equally shocked in his heart.

  After Zong Chuke gave the order, no one moved.

  Zong Chuke stared at the Zuo Xuewei general beside him: "What are you waiting for?"

  The general hesitated for a moment, "Your Excellency, I'm afraid we cannot carry out such an order."

  Zong Chuke's eyes were bloodshot: "General Yang has ordered you all to obey me, dare you resist!?"

  If Zuo Xuewei takes action now, he can still annihilate everyone in the Dalisi Temple.

  Before Zuo Xuewei could react, a stern voice said: "This general has never said that he would disobey the imperial decree!"

  The Zuixiaowei exclaimed: "Great General!"

  Yang Jue, clad in armor, sat on horseback, looking down at his Left Vanguard General, saying: "Whoever holds power is the one to be obeyed."

  Behind Yang Ju, a imperial carriage was approaching, with the other half of the Left Valiant Guard surrounding and escorting it in grand style, an awe-inspiring sight.

  The people of Dali Temple saw the sedan chair and immediately held up their written statements, surging towards the gate, "Empress Dowager! The will of the virtuous prince is here!"

  By the side of the imperial carriage, a man dressed in Taoist robes raised his hands and shouted loudly: "The prince's dream has come true! Heaven is indeed on our side!"

  Inside the imperial carriage, the Empress Dowager's trembling voice: "Bring it over... let me take a look..."

  The people of Dali Temple rushed forward, holding the manuscript with both hands and handed it over.

  The rest of the Left Guards were majestic and powerful. Yang Ju looked down from a high place: "Zong Chuke, why did you secretly hide the prince's letter? Don't you dare to confess quickly?"

  His eyes were bulging with rage, and he looked like a madman.

  Suddenly, a change occurred, and Zong Chu Ke drew out his sword from the waist of Zu Xie Wei, who was closest to him.

  He immediately drew his sword and walked towards the imperial carriage.

  At once all the Left Guards were startled. Yang Guangyi's eyes widened: "Block off Zong Chuke! Capture him on the spot!"

  "How dare you, Zong Chu Ke! You actually dare to threaten the safety of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager..."

  …

  This time the chaos caused by the worship of heaven gradually subsided a month later.

  It's said that after Zong Chuke was killed, he insisted it was a conspiracy by the Grand Justice Temple. Unfortunately, so many pairs of eyes witnessed it, and the crown prince's will was found behind his son's nameplate. His words would never be believed again.

  Instead, he actually proved that he was seeking revenge and repeatedly splashed dirty water on the Temple of Great Wisdom and Pei Tan.

  The case of the Dali Temple was successfully investigated, and our Shen Shaoqing also received a fourth-grade official robe bestowed by the emperor, formally appointed as Shaoqing.

  Pei Tan was restored to his original position, and Li Shouli personally petitioned the Emperor Zhongzong and Empress Dowager Wu Zetian. Although there was no chance of a marriage alliance, Pei's family were decent people and did not want to make enemies either.

  Zhong Zong then let Pei Siqian atone for his crime by establishing merit.

  Two months later, the Tubo envoy entered Tang and personally asked Zhongzong for marriage. Zhongzong immediately appointed Li Shouli, a light-luck temple, as the King of Bin. His daughter, Li Nunu, was promoted to Princess Jincheng and married the Zanpu of Tubo several months later.

  In this battle, neither the Imperial Secretariat nor the Grand Chancellor's office won. The only winners were the imperial family of Li Tang.

  It is said that Empress Dowager held Xian Taizi's will, crying every night for the injustice suffered by the crown prince. Zhongzong ordered the Dali Temple to thoroughly investigate the case, and after half a year, the case was finally concluded.

  Pei Tan entered the palace and received an imperial edict. On the palace path, a palace maid holding a bamboo umbrella slowly walked in front of him.

  Pei Tan looked at her: "You've waited for a long time."

  The case spanning twenty years has finally come to an end.

  Under the bamboo umbrella, Jing Wan'er's eyes and eyebrows were as gentle as Tai Yu Chi, "Wan'er knows that as long as she is here, she will eventually wait for her master..."