Women dressed as men: powerful officials

Chapter 193 Conspiracy

Qianjinfang

Wu Shiming entered from the back door, walked around rows of gambling tables, and went directly to the second floor.

Different from the bustling first floor, the second floor is exceptionally quiet, more like a separate space.

After Wu Shiming entered, he saw the man in black sitting in the upper seat.

Prince Northern Yuan Dynasty.

His eyes flickered slightly, and he walked over and said, "I greet the prince."

Bei Yuan didn't say anything, but just continued to look at the teacup in front of him.

Wu Shiming also did not speak, and the two of them were just playing a silent game.

Finally, the person who was accompanying the prince said, "Your Highness, Master Wu is here."

Bei Yuan suddenly came to his senses at this moment, and said in surprise: "Zi Qian, why didn't you tell me you were coming? I was thinking about something, and I didn't notice you coming."

Ziqian is Wu Shiming's pen name.

Usually only children from aristocratic families would be given a courtesy name. Wu Shiming did not have a courtesy name at first, only a name.

After he started his business, he didn't want to reveal his identity, so he casually took the name "Zi Qian".

People who know him call him Ziqian.

If you are not familiar with someone, just call him Mr. Ziqian.

Wu Shiming smiled faintly and said politely: "The prince is busy with many things every day, and I dare not disturb him."

Wu Shiming knew it clearly.

This is just a show of force.

He has been in the capital for many years and has seen all kinds of people.

He had already seen through the prince's little trick.

It's nothing more than weighing the pros and cons.

"Strange, I am alone." Bei Yuan stood up and said, "Sit here."

Wu Shiming took a look and saw that the prince was pointing at the position beside him, so he immediately said in fear: "I dare not."

"You are my great contributor, so you don't need to follow those etiquettes."

Bei Yuan patted the chair.

Wu Shiming then went over and sat down.

Bei Yuan poured a cup of tea, handed it to Wu Shiming, and then asked, "A big event happened in the capital today. Does Ziqian know about it?"

Wu Shiming asked: "The prince said that the general of Shuozhou has returned to the capital."

"Yes."

"I heard."

"Then Ziqian, do you think this will have any impact on us?"

"It's just a general returning to the capital. What impact can it have?"

Bei Yuan heard this and smiled more deeply. He asked, "Don't tell me that you don't know that Xie Xiaocheng is the Third Prince's man."

"Whether it is or not, it has nothing to do with the cooperation between me and the prince, right?" Wu Shiming asked back.

"What do you think is the prerequisite for you to cooperate with Gu Neng?"

"The common people don't know."

Bei Yuan gently turned the teacup, "The premise for you to cooperate with me is because I am the prince. If it weren't for me, do you think you, Wu Shiming, could do such a big business in the capital? If something happened to me, do you think you could stay out of it?"

Wu Shiming heard this and said, "The prince is the heir to the throne, so naturally nothing will happen to him."

"You are wrong. It is true that I am the crown prince, but if I don't sit on the throne, who can guarantee that I will have the last laugh?"

Bei Yuan turned the teacup around and continued, "For so many years, I have tried so hard to win over the court officials, but now, because of the interference of the Third Brother, all my efforts have almost failed!"

Wu Shiming raised his eyes slightly and asked, "What does the prince need me to do?"

Bei Yuan looked at Wu Shiming and said calmly, "Kill Xie Xiaocheng for me."

The queen arranges the marriage and the concubine marries on her behalf.

This was all his idea.

In the past few years, he has tried to win over court officials. Grand Marshal Song Tiancheng and Imperial Censor Wei Chenyi are both his people. Only Qi Chengen from the Prime Minister's Office is unmoved.

To this end, he did not hesitate to ruin Qi Shengmei's reputation in order to marry her. Even so, the Prime Minister's Mansion still maintained a neutral attitude.

The only good thing is that Qi Shengmei is in poor health and may die at any time, so he still has a new chance to marry the Crown Princess.

Song Xiu Yue is the best candidate to take over the military power of the Song family.

But he was so active that, although the emperor did not say it explicitly, he was already somewhat wary. Therefore, he could not marry the daughter of the Song family directly.

Even a prince's concubine cannot bribe Song Tiancheng.

So he conspired with Song Tiancheng.

Let Beiyao marry the legitimate daughter of the Song family, and then find a concubine's daughter to marry at random. In this way, not only can the emperor's suspicion be dispelled, but Beiyao can also be eliminated without bloodshed.

After all, after Bei Yao marries a wife, he will be immediately crowned king and go to his fiefdom.

Once Bei Yao leaves, he will no longer pose a threat in the capital. At that time, Qi Shengmei can die, and it will also be the best time for him to marry Song Xiu Yue and take over the military power of the Song family.

But now everything has changed.

Xie Xiaocheng brought the alliance agreement with Geshu back to Beijing, and the emperor was very impressed and even wanted to entrust him with important tasks. Even Song Tiancheng, who was originally going to be sent to the south to suppress the bandits, was now replaced by Zhang Yue recommended by Xie Xiaocheng.

In addition to what happened before, Bei Yuan hasn't slept well in the past two days.

All his subordinates are civil officials and advisers, and no one can help him deal with Xie Xiaocheng.

Otherwise, Bei Yuan would not have come to see Wu Shiming in person.

"Your Highness is really too kind to me. I only know how to do business, not kill people."

Wu Shiming is not stupid.

A general who has been guarding the border for many years must be highly skilled in martial arts. Even if he has no one to protect him, he will not lose his life easily.

What's more, he was a general who had just returned to Beijing to be awarded a title for his meritorious service.

Killing Xie Xiaocheng is simply a foolish dream.

Bei Yuan had expected this. He said calmly, "If Xie Xiaocheng doesn't die, then the ones who will die are you and me."

"Why?"

"Do you know where the weapons and food you sold to Nan Sheng came from?"

Wu Shiming's smile froze, and he asked Bei Yuan with a serious look on his face, "What does this mean, Prince?"

"The weapons sold to Nansheng came from Sishui County. The Geshu tribe was short of food and clothing, and they had a hard time every winter. The magistrate of Sishui County was my man, so he conspired with the Geshu tribe to launch a fake war, in order to embezzle food and military pay. The weapons were then sold to Nansheng through you, Mr. Ziqian."

Bei Yuan smiled faintly, "I think you are a smart person and should understand the interests involved."

"Your Highness, do you mean that Xie Xiaocheng knows about this?"

Wu Shiming couldn't sit still anymore.

He has been working with the prince for a long time and things have always been pretty good.

He was talented and the prince was powerful, so he made a lot of money over the years, especially from selling weapons. He didn't want to cause trouble and never asked where the weapons came from. So when the prince said that business could no longer be done and that he should switch to selling contraband salt, he didn't ask much.

Now it seems...

It’s not that it can’t be done, but that the business has been noticed by others.

"Yes."

"Then why hasn't there been any news about this matter yet?"

"This is the scariest part. They clearly had the opportunity to report this matter, but they kept it secret. I think they must be planning something bigger."

When Bei Yuan learned that the incident in Sishui County was exposed, he was a little worried and even asked the prime minister to come forward, but gradually, he calmed down.

Now that it's exposed, we can just find a scapegoat.

But what he didn't expect was that there was no follow-up to this incident, as if it had never happened.

It was then that he began to feel truly afraid.

Therefore, Xie Xiaocheng must die.

Bei Yuan looked at Wu Shiming, his smile faded, and he reminded him, "I know the character of the Third Brother. He will not easily attack unless he is sure of a fatal blow. He has been hesitant to move, and he must be waiting for an opportunity. If Xie Xiaocheng doesn't die, then you and I will die."