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Chapter 362: Chapter 362: The Top Strategy Attacks the Heart, the Middle Strategy Attacks the Body, the Bottom Strategy Attacks the Crime!

Perhaps many people didn\'t care much about this legendary figure, considering him at most as a topic for leisure talk, laughing it off and encouraging themselves. However, a minority began to admire Zhongshan, eager to witness the god-like man himself!

Zhongshan slowly rose in the Ancient Holy Capital like the sun, causing a stir that continued to spread, just as the saying goes: "I am not in the rivers and lakes, but my legend is."

At the same time, regarding the recent public condemnation of the royal family\'s sister-killing incident, many people no longer scorned Princess Qianyou so much. Instead, they were filled with extreme curiosity, waiting for the final judgment.

Could Zhongshan really reverse the situation and find the true culprit?

Within the Ancient Holy Capital, some gambling dens had already set up bets, awaiting the final outcome. In any case, at this moment, everyone\'s gaze was focused on Zhongshan and Princess Qianyou.

Princess Qianyou\'s Mansion, within the Qianyou Hall.

Zhongshan sat opposite Princess Qianyou, looking at the documents in his hand. Princess Qianyou carefully poured a cup of tea for Zhongshan, as tenderly as if treating her husband.

Seeing Zhongshan\'s frowning expression, Princess Qianyou couldn\'t help but smile with satisfaction.

"Sigh~~ Ah~~!" Zhongshan sighed deeply and threw the documents in his hand aside.

"What\'s wrong?" Princess Qianyou asked.

"These past ten days, I\'ve investigated these suspicious figures separately—testing, tracking, and even interrogating, but it\'s all been fruitless," Zhongshan shook his head.

"Could it be an outsider?" Princess Qianyou asked.

"An outsider? Possible, but it could also be the same person, just speculation," Zhongshan said.

"Who?" Princess Qianyou stared at Zhongshan intently.

"Duke Qitian!" Zhongshan frowned.

"Duke Qitian? Are you sure?" Princess Qianyou looked sharply at Zhongshan.

"I can\'t be sure, or rather, there\'s not a shred of evidence," Zhongshan sighed.

"Then why do you think it\'s him?" Princess Qianyou asked.

"It\'s a feeling, perhaps. First, during this period, Duke Qitian threatened me twice—once at the Ancient Holy Temple after court, and the other time at Yinging\'s memorial. He threatened me both times," Zhongshan said.

"Duke Qitian had a deep affection for Yinging. Perhaps he just cares too much about her and thought you were covering up for me, so he got emotional. Moreover, during those days in court, he was very aggressive, swearing to avenge Yinging. It didn\'t seem like an act," Princess Qianyou furrowed her brow.

"There are two possibilities. It could genuinely be out of hatred, or everything he did was just an act?" Zhongshan furrowed his brow.

"An act?" A sharp gleam flashed in Princess Qianyou\'s eyes.

"Yeah, and that day at the memorial, Duke Qitian was burning paper money for Yinging. He only noticed me after I entered the mansion and approached the memorial? Was he too engrossed before? Also, I found out he goes to burn paper money every day since Yinging\'s death, without fail. Why? Maybe because he misses Yinging. But what kind of person is Duke Qitian? Over the years, I\'ve come to understand him somewhat. Although not entirely heartless, especially since he found out he was the reincarnation of Shen Qitian, he\'s become extremely cold-hearted. Why would he burn money for a dead person every day?" Zhongshan rubbed his head and said.

Seeing Zhongshan rubbing his head, Princess Qianyou immediately stood up, walked behind Zhongshan, and leaned his head against her abdomen, gently massaging his head.

Princess Qianyou could see that Zhongshan had been mentally active for the past ten days, constantly working without rest for her case. Therefore, he was showing signs of slight fatigue, something she couldn\'t help with directly, but she could use her own method to alleviate his exhaustion.

This time, Zhongshan didn\'t resist at all. He leaned comfortably against Princess Qianyou\'s soft body, closed his eyes, and allowed her to massage him gently.

"Do you suspect that he burns paper money every day out of guilt for killing Yinging?" Princess Qianyou saw right through him.

"Yes, but it\'s just speculation. There\'s no evidence to prove that he\'s the murderer or that he had a motive. All traces at the crime scene have been erased. There\'s not a shred of evidence to be found," Zhongshan sighed deeply.

"Why do you suspect him then? Is it due to personal feelings?" Princess Qianyou asked.

"Personal feelings? There\'s always some influence from personal feelings that makes me unconsciously think of him. And there\'s another thing that makes me suspect him even more. It\'s the look in Yinging\'s eyes before she died. You said that after she was shot, she had a look of disbelief on her face. According to normal logic, she should have shown signs of fear first. But she showed a look of disbelief instead. Who killed her? It\'s very likely someone she trusted the most, and in the end, that most trusted person killed her. Anyone would find that unbelievable. And on that day in the Princess\'s mansion, who did Yinging trust the most? Duke Qitian! When Duke Qitian picked up Yinging\'s body, he managed to make her expression look peaceful! Isn\'t that a way to destroy evidence?" Zhongshan sighed deeply.

"If it wasn\'t Duke Qitian, then it could be another powerful figure sneaking into the Princess\'s mansion, making it even harder to investigate," Princess Qianyou frowned.

"Yes, no matter who it is, all traces of the crime have been wiped clean, leaving no clues!" Zhongshan sighed deeply.

"Sir, Princess, Master Shuijing requests an audience!" A-da called from outside the hall.

"Shuijing?" Zhongshan opened his eyes wide, and Princess Qianyou stopped massaging.

"Please, bring him in!" Zhongshan said.

"Yes!" A-da immediately responded from outside the hall.

Zhongshan and Princess Qianyou glanced at each other, then got up and went out of the hall to greet him.

Soon, Master Shuijing arrived dressed in Confucian attire, holding a feather fan.

"Master Shuijing pays respects to Princess Qianyou and greets Duke Dongfang!" Master Shuijing smiled as he approached.

"Master Shuijing, when did you return? Please come in!" Zhongshan smiled in welcome.

Princess Qianyou smiled faintly, relinquishing the host\'s role here to Zhongshan.

Master Shuijing glanced at the two of them, a hint of understanding in his eyes, but he didn\'t reveal it. Instead, he smiled and entered the Qianyou Hall.

"Duke Dongfang has kept me in the dark for so long!" Master Shuijing exclaimed as soon as he entered.

"Oh?" Zhongshan looked puzzled.

"The Tianbeng Plan. I only found out about it yesterday upon my return. The plan to collapse the Great Yu Dynasty was actually orchestrated single-handedly by Duke Dongfang. I wondered why Emperor Daxuan appointed you as the Supreme Commander of the Three Armies back then. It\'s because you single-handedly conquered the battlefield over there," Master Shuijing laughed.

"Hehe, Master Shuijing overpraises me. It was just a few tricks that anyone could have used. I just happened to think of it at the time. As for the battles of the Great Guang Dynasty, didn\'t Master Shuijing also devise a strategy for a major decisive battle? Conquering twenty cities in three months, and finally entering the Aurora City, all thanks to Master Shuijing," Zhongshan laughed.

"Hehe, compared to Duke Dongfang, my actions were just minor skirmishes, and I didn\'t manage to implement anything in time," Master Shuijing laughed.

"I wonder what brings Master Shuijing here so suddenly?" Zhongshan asked with a smile. After all, both of them were intelligent people. They could praise each other endlessly, but it was better to get to the point.

Upon hearing Zhongshan\'s question, Master Shuijing\'s expression turned serious. "Upon my return yesterday, I heard about the incident involving Yinging. Shuijing deeply regrets it and firmly believes that the princess is not capable of such fratricide."

"Yes, thank you!" Princess Qianyou nodded gratefully.

"Hehe, speaking of which, thanks to the princess in the past, I had several opportunities to meet her," Master Shuijing suddenly said inexplicably.

Her? Both Zhongshan and Princess Qianyou immediately thought of whom he meant—the Ninth Princess Consort of King Daxuan, the woman whom Master Shuijing had always been reluctant to part with. During the recent release of sky lanterns in the ancient capital, Princess Qianyou had invited Master Shuijing and her to release sky lanterns together.

"Thank you very much, Master Shuijing. Regarding the Yinging case, although Shuijing doesn\'t know much about it, I happen to have some information that may be useful for Duke Dongfang\'s investigation, so I came here without delay. I hope I\'m not interrupting anything," Master Shuijing said.

"How could that be? We are grateful that Master Shuijing thought of us. We\'re just curious about what\'s so serious that made Master Shuijing come," Zhongshan frowned.

"Do you remember the eve of the imperial examination? That time when you returned, did Duke Qitian release a sky full of petals to welcome the princess?" Master Shuijing asked.

"Yes," both nodded.

"Before that, Duke Qitian told me that he had prepared three strategies: top, middle, and bottom!" Master Shuijing said.

"Top, middle, and bottom strategies?" Zhongshan raised an eyebrow.

"Top strategy attacks the mind, middle strategy attacks the body, bottom strategy attacks the crime!" Master Shuijing said.

"Attack the mind with the top strategy? Attack the body with the middle strategy? Attack with crime in the bottom strategy? Hiss..." Zhongshan took a deep breath.

Attack the mind?

Was it the romantic atmosphere created by the petals? Perhaps there was more to it. However, Princess Qianyou had been with him ever since, so Duke Qitian couldn\'t execute it. That could only be changed to the middle strategy.

Attack the body?

In the Valley of Ten Thousand Apes, Zhongshan forced Princess Qianyou\'s life and death, even using the strongest aphrodisiac under heaven to try to get Princess Qianyou\'s body first and then her heart? But it failed! It was disrupted by the dominant Sword God Palace Master, Jian Hong?

Attack the crime?

Princess Qianyou had indeed committed a crime now. According to what Princess Qianyou said, after the crime was established, it was not necessarily fatal, but it would definitely strip her of her princess status. At this time, Duke Qitian could come forward and take Princess Qianyou directly back home. Because in the past, Gu Lin and Gu Qianyou had a marriage contract. Princess Qianyou could jump out of the marriage contract only because she became a princess. However, if she were removed from her princess status, did Duke Qitian have the right as her fiancé to take her back home for education?

"What a poisonous plan, what a ruthless heart!" Princess Qianyou took a deep breath.

"But this can only be considered as a train of thought. If Duke Qitian doesn\'t admit it, it can never become evidence," Zhongshan frowned.

(To be continued...)