Li Hu’s guess was correct. Qian Xiaosi was not a fool. One accident could be considered an accident, but if accidents happened one after another, it must have been premeditated.

The night wind blew snowflakes against the doors and windows. King Kang stood quietly by the window, staring out in a daze.

The spies from the Northern Pacification Office stood by, waiting for King Kang to speak.

The night wind was growing stronger, making a harsh sound when hitting the doors and windows.

King Kang came to his senses, and walked back and forth in the study with his hands behind his back, saying, “As the Art of War says, when the enemy is weak, make him strong, and when the enemy is strong, make him weak. If we stop now, it will only deepen my suspicion.”

The spies from the Northern Pacification Office were somewhat worried: “Many people from the palace have changed into civilian clothes and are taking turns to guard the area around the palace these days. The people from the Sticking Pole Office may have already targeted the prince.”

King Kang stopped and said, “You don’t have to kill someone yourself.”

The spies from the Northern Pacification Office were puzzled.

King Kang smiled and said, “Don’t I suspect someone is behind this? Then find that person for him.”

The spy from the Northern Pacification Office was stunned. Aren’t we the ones manipulating this from behind?

King Kang continued, “I heard that I found several charlatans to perform magic tricks in the palace, and my three sons died one after another inexplicably. What do you think will happen if the Nightmare Town breaks out at this time?”

The spies of the Northern Pacification Office were all shocked. Nightmare? This was a taboo in the royal family! How many palace tragedies had occurred since the past, especially the witchcraft disasters during the Han and Tang dynasties!

A cold light flashed in King Kang’s eyes, “Isn’t this old slave’s life tough? This time I want to use him to kill his son and Hong Zhou. I want to see how tough his life is? Can I piss him off to death?!”

Having said that, he took out the list from his arms, unfolded it, and then his eyes fell on a name. He smiled and said, “There happens to be a shaman here.” Then he walked to the desk, picked up a pen and started writing.

After finishing writing, Prince Kang handed over the ink paper and said, “The rear house is also a place full of struggles and conspiracies. Various cruel methods emerge one after another. In addition to poisoning, slander and framing, nightmare is the most common one. This shaman witch often goes in and out of the rear houses of princes, dukes and nobles.” As she spoke, she whispered a few words in his ear.

The spy from the Northern Guard hesitated for a moment and said, “Foreigners cannot be trusted.”

“This was sent by your ancestor Dai Quan.”

King Kang shook the list and said, “All the family members of these people are inside the Great Wall. They are considered as death warriors! Your ancestors were very capable!”

Upon hearing that it was Dai Quan’s man, the spy took it with confidence.

Prince Kang carefully folded the list and put it in his arms, then said, “Before dawn, you must place the things in the residences of the Fourth Prince and Hong Zhou.”

The spy from the Northern Pacification Office responded and asked, “Should we take this opportunity to capture the Sixth Prince, the Twelfth Prince, and the Fourteenth Prince in one fell swoop?”

Prince Kang shook his head: “That’s too obvious! Get rid of the Fourth Prince and Hong Zhou first, as for those little Tartars, we’ll deal with them slowly later!”

The spy: “Yes.”

King Kang opened the door and walked out. The snow was falling even harder. What a good omen!
The spy bowed, lowered his head and walked quickly into the heavy snow.

Prince Kang stretched out his hand to catch the falling snowflakes. The reason why he chose the Fourth Prince was because only the Fourth Prince’s wife had visited Prince Kang’s Mansion and the inner house recently!
As an emperor, Qian Xiaosi did not believe in the illusory theories of ghosts and gods, but his three sons all died in accidents and no clues have been found so far, so he could not help but think about it.

After much thought, he decided to find a few shamans to go to the palace to pray for blessings and ward off disasters.

The palace was not big, and Qian Xiaosi could hear the deafening drum sounds in his bedroom. He did not fall asleep until four o’clock in the morning. When he woke up, it was already noon. His body, which had just recovered from its rest, felt a little weak again.

He took the medicine and drank it in one gulp, then Qian Xiaosi rinsed his mouth and leaned against the head of the bed to rest.

At this moment, the eunuch in charge hurried in, knelt down beside the bed, and reported to Qian Xiaosi: “Your Majesty, Princess Kang is ill, with a high fever and unconscious.”

Qian Xiaosi was surprised: “Oh? Did you call the imperial physician?”

The eunuch in charge said: “It has been passed on.”

Qian Xiaosi asked anxiously, “What did the imperial physician say?”

The eunuch in charge said: “The doctor said he had caught a cold, but…”

Qian Xiaosi: “Just what?”

The eunuch in charge said: “People from Prince Kang’s mansion found a little man in Princess Kang’s pillow.”

Qian Xiaosi: “What little man?”

The eunuch in charge said: “It’s a figurine with the name and date of birth of Princess Kang written on it!”

Nightmare Town!

Qian Xiaosi was struck by lightning and stood there for a long time without saying a word.

Eunuch in charge: “Your Highness!”

Qian Xiaosi came back to his senses and stared at him: “Who is it?”

The eunuch in charge hesitated for a moment and replied, “Only the Fourth Lady has been to the Kangwang Mansion in the past few days. I heard that the Fourth Lady was very close to a shaman.” Qian Xiaosi’s face sank: “You take people there in person and search it thoroughly for me!”

The eunuch in charge said, “Your Majesty, are you searching the witch or the Fourth Prince’s mansion?”

Qian Xiaosi: “Search them all!”

“Yes.” The eunuch in charge kowtowed, stood up and walked out.

Qian Xiaosi got off the bed and shouted, “Come here, help me change my clothes!”

Before he finished speaking, a group of eunuchs and palace maids hurried in.

Shengjing City is not big. In less than half an hour, the eunuch in charge rushed back and reported the results of the search to Qian Xiaosi, who was sitting on the couch in the west warm pavilion.

Qian Xiaosi put down his confession and looked at the eunuch in charge.

The eunuch in charge said, “The witch told me that besides the Fourth Lady, many princes and nobles’ families had bought paper figurines from her.” He was silent for a moment, “I didn’t find anything from the Fourth Lady. However, I found something in the Fourth Prince’s study that shouldn’t be there.”

Qian Xiaosi stood up suddenly: “What is it?”

The eunuch in charge took out something wrapped in red silk from his sleeve, placed it on the couch, and untied it.

Qian Xiaosi stared at it and suddenly his face turned pale and he stood there in a daze.

The eunuch in charge hurriedly supported Qian Xiaosi and gently stroked his back.

Qian Xiaosi finally came to his senses, but his voice was hoarse: “Go, bring that little beast here! And that vicious woman, no, I will not see that vicious woman, I will sentence her to death!”

The eunuch in charge said, “Yes!” He bowed and walked out.

Qian Xiaosi looked at the table again. On the red silk were two little figures with the names and birth dates of the Eighth Prince and the Eleventh Prince written on them, and there were needles stuck in their chests!
After a while, the fourth prince was brought in.

Seeing Qian Xiaosi, the Fourth Prince fell to his knees and cried, “Father, this is unfair!”

Qian Xiaosi: “Unfair? I ask you, did you say: ‘Old Eight and Old Eleven are dead, the position of Crown Prince is yours?'”

Without waiting for the Fourth Prince to reply, Qian Xiaosi slammed the couch and said, “Why are you so crazy? For the position of Crown Prince, you disregarded the kinship and cursed your own brother. I’m sure you will curse your father next. Why don’t you just kill me with a knife? Then you can ascend the throne and become the emperor right away. Wouldn’t that be more convenient?”

The fourth prince’s brain buzzed, and he was stunned for a long time before he trembled and answered: “Father, I have said nonsense when I was drunk. But I have never done this. I have never thought about becoming a prince.”

“shut up!”

Qian Xiaosi slammed the couch, “You still dare to quibble at this time! Let me ask you again, why did that vicious woman go to Prince Kang’s Mansion every other day? Who ordered her to do so? The vicious woman’s personal maid confessed that you ordered her to go to Prince Kang’s Mansion, hoping that Princess Kang would speak well of you in front of me and let me make you the crown prince. When you saw that Princess Kang did not agree, you became vicious. You are simply the most inhumane beast in human clothing in the world since ancient times!”

This might be the power of an emperor. The fourth prince collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a word.

Qian Xiaosi glanced at him with disdain: “A disloyal, unfilial and immoral person like you is not worthy of being a crown prince, let alone an emperor! Come on, send this little beast to the clan house, demote him to a commoner, and confine him forever.”

The eunuch in charge said, “Yes!” and waved his hand.

Two palace guards carried the dazed Fourth Prince out.

Qian Xiaosi walked back and forth for a few steps, then suddenly stopped and said, “Search! Search the homes of all the princes, dukes and nobles!”

An unprecedented search began in Shengjing City. At the same time, the news that the fourth prince was demoted to a commoner and confined to the clan house for life spread, causing panic among the people.

The search results of each mansion were soon placed on the couch one by one. Qian Xiaosi was standing in front of the couch, looking at them carefully one by one.

There is good news and bad news. The good news is that the prince has not been nightmared, but the harems of the various mansions are really chaotic, and in order to fight for power, all kinds of vicious means are used.

Just when Qian Xiaosi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the eunuch in charge walked in with a solemn face, holding something wrapped in red silk in his hand.

Qian Xiaosi stared at him closely, at the red silk in his hand.

The eunuch in charge carefully placed the red silk on the couch and slowly unfolded it. It turned out to be a little straw man, the size of a palm. There was a portrait pasted on the front of the man, which was painted to look exactly like Qian Xiaosi. Qian Xiaosi’s name and date of birth were also written on it. There were needles stuck in his eyes and chest!
Qian Xiaosi trembled all over: “Who?”

Eunuch in charge: “He, Heshuo He Prince”

Prince Heshuo He? Hong Zhou?

Qian Xiaosi only felt dizzy, and then there was a sharp pain in his heart. An unprecedented heartache came over him. His face twitched in pain. He wanted to hold on to the couch to prevent himself from falling, but his hands went limp and he fell down as if he had been hit by a stick.

The eunuch in charge quickly hugged him.

A mouthful of blood spurted out of Qian Xiaosi’s mouth, then his head drooped, with blood gushing from the corners of his mouth.

The eunuch in charge was stunned and shouted, “Someone come!” Then he picked up Qian Xiaosi and ran out! (End of this chapter)