After the Cannon Fodder Awakened, She Married the Female Lead! [Quick Transmigration] 89p2

Chapter 89 p2

On the tenth day of their patrol, the Prince of Pingnan sent an urgent report in duplicate to Li Mo and Xue Zhao.

“Heir Apparent, His Highness means for you and General Xue to go and offer condolences to the Prince of Zhenbei. His Highness has already arranged for the two thousand guards to accompany you. They are on their way here.”

“The Prince of Zhenbei has passed away?” Li Mo opened the letter that the deputy general had handed her and frowned as she read it. “When did it happen? How did he die?”

“As you wish, Heir Apparent. According to the letter from the new Prince of Zhenbei, it seems to be a recurrence of an old illness,” the messenger said. “But according to our news, it seems that the Prince of Zhenbei was poisoned by a traitor, and even his only daughter, Princess Anping, was implicated and passed away.”

Princess Anping? Li Mo frowned slightly, and then searched for the related memories in her mind.

Both the Prince of Zhenbei and the Prince of Pingnan had very few children. The Prince of Pingnan only had one son, Jiang Ling. The Prince of Zhenbei was a little better. The Princess of Zhenbei had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, so he had a son and a daughter.

“Uncle Xue, the Prince of Zhenbei and we shouldn’t have any grudge, right?” Li Mo asked with a slightly dazed expression. “Why did Dad ask me to bring so many people over? For a condolence, shouldn’t we be traveling light and fast?”

Xue Zhao thought for a moment and cupped his fists. “Don’t worry, Heir Apparent. The relationship between the Prince of Zhenbei and us has always been alright. When the border war was tight before, we also sent over a batch of grain, but…”

“But what?” Li Mo pressed.

“Heir Apparent, the Prince of Zhenbei has refused the Sixth Prince’s goodwill before,” Xue Zhao said in a low voice. “This is also what this subordinate has heard. I don’t know if the news is true.”

Li Mo nodded thoughtfully. If that was the case, then the so-called traitor beside the Prince of Zhenbei, could it be the work of the Sixth Prince?

No, if he were a male lead candidate, he shouldn’t be stupid enough to do something that was almost treason, right?

“Don’t worry, Heir Apparent. This subordinate will protect you,” seeing that Li Mo’s brows were not relaxed, Xue Zhao thought that she was worried and quickly expressed his loyalty.

“Mm, then I’ll have to trouble you, Uncle Xue,” Li Mo put away her thoughts. “When the people that Dad has sent arrive, we’ll set off. It’s better to go for the condolence earlier.”

Wen Shi was a male lead candidate when he was the Heir Apparent. Now that he had succeeded as the Prince of Zhenbei, the probability of him becoming the male lead was even greater. Killing had to be done early. Since she was going, she had to get rid of a competitor for herself.

“You are wise, Heir Apparent,” Xue Zhao praised. He would not let go of any opportunity to praise Li Mo.

The journey from the south to the north was already far. In addition, she had to bring two thousand guards with her, so the speed of travel was even slower. It took her nearly fifteen days to reach the Prince of Zhenbei’s fief.

Fortunately, the Third Prince, who had been sent by the imperial court to offer condolences, was even more of a show-off. He had brought a full five thousand accompanying guards. In the case that his journey was shorter than Li Mo’s, he had arrived an hour later than her.

“Brother Wen Shi, my condolences,” Li Mo changed into a nearly all-black robe and went to visit Wen Shi before the Third Prince. “When your uncle was injured last time, I had originally wanted to come and visit him, but I was worried that it would affect him, so I only sent some silver and grain over…”

As Li Mo spoke, her eyes reddened, and she couldn’t help but start to sob. “I didn’t expect to miss the chance to meet my uncle. This is a matter of lifelong regret for me!”

Wen Shi stood up and patted Li Mo’s shoulder. “You are too kind, Brother Jiang Ling. Before my father passed away, he also mentioned this matter and instructed me to remember the Prince of Pingnan’s kindness and to be sure to continue the friendship between our two families.”

“Brother Wen Shi, you are being too polite. You and I were good friends when we were young. Could it be that now that you are the Prince of Zhenbei, you are going to distance yourself from me!” Li Mo’s tone was a little complaining. “Our two families have been on good terms for generations. It’s just a little bit of supplies. What’s the point of talking about kindness?”

“Brother Jiang Ling!” Wen Shi also seemed to be very touched. “Good brother, for a lifetime.”

“Didn’t we have an agreement when we were young? You guard the north, and I’ll watch the south. We’ll keep the war outside the border!” Li Mo searched through her pitifully small memories, trying to evoke Wen Shi’s shared memories.

She was on someone else’s territory now. She had to get on good terms with Wen Shi. Besides, the better their relationship, the less she would be suspected when something happened to Wen Shi.

To be honest, Jiang Ling and Wen Shi were only close when they were young. At that time, their backgrounds and ages were similar. They didn’t have to worry about this and that. It was normal for them to play together.

After the age of ten, the two of them had changed from meeting to occasionally exchanging letters. As for after the age of fifteen, they were basically just nodding acquaintances.

After chatting for about a quarter of an hour, a servant came to report that the Third Prince, who had come to offer condolences on behalf of the emperor, had arrived and was on his way to the mourning hall.

Li Mo and Wen Shi looked at each other. The two of them stood up from their seats with a tacit understanding and said in unison, “Brother Wen Shi/Brother Jiang Ling, let’s go and greet the Third Prince first.”

A hint of surprise flashed in their eyes. Then, they nodded at each other and walked forward side by side.

Li Mo/Wen Shi: This person’s skin is quite thick. A relationship that had long since faded could be turned into a brotherly relationship with a straight face. It seemed that the other party was not an easy character to deal with.

“This subject pays his respects to Your Highness, the Third Prince,” Li Mo and Wen Shi said in unison again. Even the angle of their bows was the same, less than twenty degrees.

“You are too polite,” the Third Prince immediately returned the salute with his hands cupped. He looked at Wen Shi with a sad expression and began to express his respect for the old Prince of Zhenbei, and also the emperor’s regret for the Prince of Zhenbei’s passing, and so on.

Wen Shi’s eyes reddened when he was told this. “His Majesty and Your Highness’s intentions, my father understands. It’s just that the hateful barbarians used a dirty trick and actually bribed my father’s personal guard with a large sum of money, causing…”

As he spoke, the expression on Wen Shi’s face changed. He clenched his teeth, his tone full of suppressed anger. “After I have settled my father, I will definitely make those who hurt my father pay with their blood! I will not let a single one of them go. I will definitely have them all dismembered by five horses! Only then can I comfort my father’s spirit in heaven!”

The Third Prince nodded with great empathy, a hint of guilt that was not easily detected in his eyes. “Indeed. We must make the barbarians pay the price! If you have anything you need the imperial court’s support for, Your Highness, just say the word.”

Hearing this, the expression on Wen Shi’s face was quite moved. “This subject has received His Majesty and Your Highness’s intentions. I believe that my father’s spirit in heaven will definitely bless our Zhenbei army to pacify the barbarians and kill our enemies with our own hands.”

While Wen Shi and the Third Prince were having a “friendly” conversation, Li Mo went to say a few words to the old princess who was keeping vigil. Then, she took three incense sticks and lit them. After bowing three times while standing, she lifted her robe and knelt down to bow three more times.

Seeing Li Mo’s actions, Wen Shi was stunned, his eyes clearly surprised. Although she did not know the specific relationship between Jiang Ling and her brother, she was sure that the two of them were no longer good brothers.

It was true that Jiang Ling was the Heir Apparent of the Prince of Pingnan, but he represented the Prince of Pingnan. With this identity, he had enough reason and position to not kneel and pay his respects.

As for the Third Prince, besides the surprise on his face, there was also a little bit of embarrassment.

Jiang Ling, who had come on behalf of the Prince of Pingnan, had actually paid his respects to the Prince of Zhenbei as a junior. Then what about him? Although he was representing the emperor, he was also a junior to the Prince of Zhenbei.

Should he bow or not? If he bowed, he would lose the emperor’s face. If he didn’t, he would definitely cause a rift between him and Wen Shi.

“Brother Wen Shi, why are you looking at me like that? Is there a problem with me paying my respects to my uncle?” Li Mo inserted the incense and turned around, looking at Wen Shi with a puzzled expression.

“It’s nothing. I just feel that my father, my father will be very happy,” Wen Shi put away the surprise in his eyes. “Thank you, Brother Jiang Ling.”

“To say thank you between brothers is too distant,” Li Mo patted Wen Shi’s shoulder. Seeing the other person’s body subconsciously stiffen, she raised an eyebrow slightly.

Wen Shi’s shoulders were a little thinner than she had imagined. It didn’t seem like a person who had been in the military camp all the time. Was it because of the Prince of Zhenbei’s death that he had become so thin?

“Bring the incense. I will pay my respects to the Prince of Zhenbei on behalf of my father,” the Third Prince hesitated for a moment and finally decided to put on a show.

After all, he knew very well who had killed the Prince of Zhenbei. If he really knelt down to pay his respects, he might attract some unclean things.

Li Mo stayed at the Prince of Zhenbei’s mansion for a total of four hours. After accompanying Wen Shi and the Third Prince for dinner, she proposed to take her leave.

Returning to her own residence, after confirming that there was no one, Li Mo dared to take off the disguise mask on her face, and then took out a set of night clothes and patiently waited until late at night.

The Prince of Zhenbei’s mansion was heavily guarded. Li Mo, who had changed into night clothes, did not intend to force her way in. She just had 033 scan and record a detailed terrain map as she passed by. Then, she headed for the inn where the Third Prince was staying.

The Third Prince was already twenty-five this year. Logically speaking, this kind of condolence errand should not have fallen on him. Even if the Sixth Prince and the Prince of Zhenbei were not on good terms, there was still the favored Ninth Prince who could be sent out.

Besides, the Third Prince was already the prince favored by the civil officials. If he were to get on good terms with the military generals, the possibility of him ascending to the throne would be even higher. How could the emperor do such a stupid thing? There must be a problem.

“033, can you get the news from the capital? I want it to be more detailed,” Li Mo asked.

“Master, I have already obtained some information related to the Third Prince before. I have already organized it and sent it to you,” 033 said. It had been with Li Mo for so long and had long since learned to collect the information that Li Mo needed in advance.

Li Mo praised 033 a few times. While browsing the information, she went around the patrolling guards by the inn. With the help of the wind and the swaying tree shadows as cover, she successfully appeared directly above the Third Prince.

Secretly lifting a tile, Li Mo looked down through the gap and happened to see the Third Prince talking to a middle-aged strategist dressed as a scholar.

“What should I do next? The relationship between Wen Shi and Jiang Ling looks not bad. Jiang Ling even paid his respects to the Prince of Zhenbei as a junior,” the expression on the Third Prince’s face was rather anxious. He was pacing back and forth in the room uneasily. “What if the two of them join forces? The imperial court will be in danger!”

“Don’t be impatient, Your Highness. The relationship between the two of them cannot be good, and will not be good,” compared to the Third Prince, the expression on the strategist’s face was much calmer. “Don’t forget, Your Highness, that the Sixth Prince also had a hand in harming the Prince of Zhenbei.”

“Now that Jiang Ling and the Eighth Princess are married, no matter what their relationship is after marriage, Jiang Ling has been labeled as being in the Sixth Prince’s camp,” the strategist paused for a moment. It was only after the Third Prince had sat down again that he continued to speak.

“Your Highness, our purpose in coming this time has not changed. What we need to do is still to find a way to make Wen Shi suspect the Sixth Prince. If we can also make the relationship between him and Jiang Ling worse, that would be even better.”

The Third Prince frowned and thought for a moment. He picked up the teacup on the table and took a big gulp. “I know this, but the problem is how we are going to do it. If we give the evidence too obviously, Wen Shi might suspect us instead.”

“Your Highness, why don’t we also pull Jiang Ling into the game?” The strategist quickly gave a suggestion. “You can take the opportunity to invite Jiang Ling out for a trip, Your Highness.”

“And then?” the Third Prince asked. “How are you going to pull him into the game?”

“Your Highness, don’t we still have two spies here that we haven’t used? At that time, we can just have them deliberately cause trouble in front of Jiang Ling. Using the excuse of a quarrel, we can reveal that one of them has suddenly become rich…”

“As long as Jiang Ling is not stupid, he will definitely see that there is a problem. As long as he investigates…”

Not to mention, the strategist was quite something. After hearing the entire arrangement and layout of the trap, Li Mo actually felt that the success rate of this trap was very high, so high that it was almost enough to deceive her.

“If that’s the case, will it seem a little deliberate for me to invite Jiang Ling out for a trip?” The Third Prince was a little hesitant. His personality was relatively cautious, and he was unwilling to do anything too risky.

“Your Highness’s worry is indeed reasonable, but this is also a means to confuse them. As you said, Your Highness, whether you invite Jiang Ling for a trip or not, we can still get things done.”

“Under these circumstances, you still invite Jiang Ling for a trip, witness the two of them quarrel, and send people to investigate. In the eyes of those who are thoughtful, you will be the most innocent.”

Under the strategist’s explanation, the Third Prince finally dispelled the doubts in his heart. “I see. You go and arrange things first. I’ll go and ask Jiang Ling out in two days.”

Whoa, this move of diverting the trouble was well played. This way, no matter if her relationship with Wen Shi was good or bad, it would only turn out to be bad in the end.

After all, the Eighth Princess’s identity was tied to the Sixth Prince, and Jiang Ling’s identity was tied to the Eighth Princess. If she entered the game, no matter what she did, she would offend one of them.

Li Mo did not leave immediately, but waited quietly until the middle-aged strategist had left and the Third Prince had fallen asleep after tossing and turning.

Looking up at the sky, the original half-moon had been covered by dark clouds at some point, and the surroundings had darkened at once.