Li Jiancheng raised his eyebrows and smiled, brilliant as early summer sunshine, “Miss Lu Li is intelligent as ice and snow, how could she not understand.”

“This slave truly must return now.” With these words, Lu Li turned and tried to escape, but the next moment, something cold pierced the back of her neck, immediately followed by waves of dizziness flooding her mind.

“Knowing too much is often not a good thing.” These were the last words Lu Li heard before losing consciousness.

Xue Wanche caught Lu Li before she collapsed to the ground. Li Jiancheng looked at the silver needle in his hand and chuckled softly, “The method Rong’er taught is much more effective than any knockout drug.”

“Your Highness, what should we do now?” Lu Li had already learned of Li Jiancheng’s affairs and absolutely could not be allowed to live; so Xue Wanche’s question was not about how to deal with Lu Li, but rather how Lu Li should die!

Li Jiancheng glanced around and pointed to a well not far away, “There will do.”

Xue Wanche responded with acknowledgment, then hesitated slightly, “Those guards all know it was this subordinate who led Lu Li away. How should we explain to them?”

Li Jiancheng pondered briefly, then said, “Just say that Lu Li falsely claimed to know about accomplices, but was actually using this as an opportunity to escape. As a result, she accidentally tripped and fell into the well. By the time you pulled her up, it was already too late.” As he spoke, he removed one shoe from Lu Li’s foot.

Xue Wanche nodded understandingly and immediately threw the unconscious Lu Li into the well. Soon came the sound of a splash as she hit the water. By the time Lu Li awakened from choking on water filling her nose and mouth, unable to breathe, she could no longer cry out, only weakly flailing her hands. After a while, even her hands stopped moving, and she floated silently in the well water, her green clothing particularly conspicuous in the dim depths.

This place was rarely traversed by palace servants, so no one discovered any of this. Li Jiancheng had chosen such a location precisely to facilitate murder and eliminate witnesses.

After Lu Li drowned, Li Jiancheng found a stone and placed it at the well’s edge, then positioned the shoe there to create the appearance of an accidental fall.

Only after completing all this did Xue Wanche begin shouting loudly, drawing palace servants to fish Lu Li out of the well. Afterward, Xue Wanche went to the Shuangyue Palace and, following Li Jiancheng’s instructions, recounted the events. Though the guards were surprised, they said nothing, only that they would truthfully report this matter to Li Yuan.

Not long after Xue Wanche departed, Xin’an discovered Lu Li was missing. She searched throughout the Shuangyue Palace but found no trace of her. In her alarm, she questioned the guards and learned of Lu Li’s words before leaving. Xin’an turned pale with shock and urgently asked, “Where is she? Wasn’t she supposed to be confined? How did you let her leave again?” Though she had never revealed even the slightest detail about Li Jiancheng to Lu Li, the latter had served at her side and might have truly discovered something. If she spoke Li Jiancheng’s name, their entire plan would be ruined.

“Deputy Guard Xue led her away, but none of us expected that Lu Li’s words were all lies – she actually wanted to use this as an opportunity to escape. In her panic, she accidentally tripped over a stone and fell into the well, drowning by accident.”

Hearing this, Xin’an secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said impassively, “Where is the body?”

“Deputy Guard Xue has already ordered it taken from the palace.” After receiving the guard’s response, Xin’an completely set her mind at ease and turned to return to the main hall.

It seemed that wretched girl Lu Li had indeed discovered something, or else Xue Wanche would not have taken her life. Hmph, the dead girl thought she could harm her and Jiancheng, not knowing she had walked right into the line of fire. Too clever for her own good – she died well!

After leaving the Daxing Palace, Li Jiancheng quietly changed clothes and headed to the Ministry of Justice prison, preparing to release Li Shimin. But as soon as he entered, he saw chaos inside, with several jailers all gathered at the door of Li Shimin’s cell. He hurried over and asked, “What’s happened?”

The jailer saw him and urgently replied, “This humble one doesn’t know what’s wrong either. Just now the Second Young Master was fine, even asked this humble one for a bowl of water to drink, then suddenly something was wrong – he was in terrible pain and breaking out in cold sweats.” Before he finished speaking, Li Shimin, who had been curled up on the ground, suddenly convulsed all over, his condition becoming increasingly dire.

Li Jiancheng urgently said, “Why don’t you hurry and open the door!”

Hearing this, the jailer snapped to attention and hastily fumbled for the key with trembling hands. Li Jiancheng was first to rush in, supporting Li Shimin and asking, “Shimin, what’s wrong with you? What happened?”

“Elder… Elder Brother!” Li Shimin barely managed these two words before being overwhelmed again by wave after wave of agony, in too much pain to even cry out.

If Li Jiancheng had harbored any doubts before entering, they were now completely gone. The cold sweat covering Li Shimin’s body like slurry could not possibly be faked.

But why would Shimin suddenly be in such condition? Wait – the jailer had mentioned that before the incident, Shimin had drunk a bowl of water. Could there be something wrong with that water?

Thinking of this, Li Jiancheng looked around and indeed found a bowl on the ground with a little water remaining at the bottom. He dipped his finger in it and tasted it – this water was indeed not like ordinary water, colorless and tasteless, but had a slight astringent quality.

Someone had indeed drugged it, intending to kill Li Shimin!

But… aside from him, who else would want Li Shimin’s life? Just then, urgent footsteps approached.

“Uncle Pei?” Li Jiancheng stared at the newcomer in surprise, never expecting him to appear here.

Pei Ji hurriedly nodded to him and asked, “What’s wrong with the Second Young Master?”

The jailer said with a troubled expression, “This humble one doesn’t know either – he suddenly became like this.”

“What muddled fools!” Pei Ji scolded irritably. At this moment, Li Shimin’s condition was becoming even worse. His face, which had only been pale before, now took on an ashen hue that filled one with foreboding.

Pei Ji made a decisive decision: “My carriage is waiting outside. Your Highness, quickly bring the Second Young Master out so we can summon a physician for him!”

Li Jiancheng acknowledged and was about to help up the still-convulsing Li Shimin when the jailer, emboldened, said, “Your Highness, Lord Pei, it’s not that this humble one wishes to make difficulties, but… the Second Young Master cannot leave the prison cell.”

Another jailer also steeled himself to say, “Imprisoning the Second Young Master was the Tang King’s order, and in just over an hour, the Second Young Master is scheduled for execution.” Before he finished speaking, Li Jiancheng had already thrown the personally written edict from Li Yuan at him: “Father has already determined that His Majesty was killed by Princess Xin’an and has nothing whatsoever to do with Shimin. He is to be released immediately without charges.”

The jailers were all extremely surprised to hear this. The execution order had already been given – how could it suddenly change to innocent release? Though full of doubts, the seal on Li Yuan’s edict was genuine, so they had no choice but to comply and release the prisoner.

After they stepped aside, Pei Ji and Li Jiancheng together helped Li Shimin leave the prison and board the waiting carriage.