Qi Fan laughed nearby and said, “No matter, just speak freely.” He glanced at Qin Chang Ge, recalling that fleeting look in her eyes just moments ago, and felt slightly startled.

“That night around the third watch, His Highness and the others were discussing poetry and literature in the study. One scholar had drunk too much and perhaps got too excited in the discussion – he actually vomited all over the study floor. His Highness ordered people to go in and clean up, had the man escorted out, arranged a small sedan chair to send him home, then moved to the inner study to continue their discussion… I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now that I think about it, His Highness was in remarkably good spirits that day…”

Around the third watch – exactly when the incident occurred.

With a slight smile, Qin Chang Ge remained noncommittal but changed the topic. “For what reason were you expelled from the mansion?”

“I accidentally broke an imperially gifted jade vase. Originally I was to be beaten to death, but His Highness said it was an unintentional mistake, not deserving death. Though the death penalty could be waived, I couldn’t escape punishment, so he had me beaten ten times with the rod and expelled from the mansion.”

“When were you expelled?”

“Three months after that night.”

Qin Chang Ge nodded and said, “You’ve worked hard. You may go. Mr. Qi, I see this man is quite clever. If the silk shop needs a manager, you might consider cultivating him.”

Qi Fan agreed. Wei Gong was overjoyed, bowing repeatedly before departing happily.

“What about the one who was beaten to death – what was his offense?” Qin Chang Ge asked thoughtfully, slapping away Xiao Baozi’s wolf paw that was reaching for the sixth piece of golden silk walnut pastry on the plate.

“I heard it was for incompetence in handling affairs… You know how Prince Jing’an appears gentle but is cruel at heart. He governs his household with military law. All his subordinates signed life-and-death contracts. When he kills people in his own mansion, it’s like cutting grass – no one questions it.” Qi Fan reached out and moved away the date paste cake beside the golden silk walnut pastry, as if he hadn’t noticed the small wolf paw sneaking up from another angle, gradually approaching its target.

Qin Chang Ge hummed in acknowledgment, grabbed three pieces of date paste cake, waved them in front of Xiao Baozi’s widening eyes, and under his longing gaze, calmly placed them in her own mouth, eating them elegantly and slowly before saying, “Three matters – I trouble you with them.”

Qi Fan stood up with a half-smile, bowing to receive orders, showing an attitude of complete compliance. He had always vaguely felt that this woman had the bearing of the late Empress, and he believed she could solve this shocking blood case and avenge the late Empress. As long as he could clear the Empress’s name, what harm was there in being loyal to her?

When he stood up, with perfect understanding, he “accidentally” brushed the date paste cake by his hand to the floor.

Xiao Baozi stared at the dust-covered sweets, rattling the nine-ring puzzle in his hands until it formed a circle, viciously imagining it around someone’s neck, tightening it.

Neither of the two adults spared him a glance.

Being thoroughly ignored, Xiao Baozi climbed onto a stool, placed his hands on his hips, and looked down imperiously, trying hard to assert his presence: “Three cakes – I trouble you both to return them to me.”

“Oh,” Qin Chang Ge finally looked at him directly, “You really want them?”

“Yes!”

“So you want them. Why didn’t you say so? If you don’t speak, how would I know you want them?” Qin Chang Ge shook her head with infinite regret. “However, are you certain you can finish them all? I don’t allow wasting food.”

“Definitely!” Xiao Baozi scoffed. Three cakes – what was that? The five pieces of golden silk walnut pastry in his stomach were waiting for the date paste cakes to join them for a reunion.

“Very well,” Qin Chang Ge smiled sweetly, “You said it yourself. If you can’t finish these three cakes, you’ll never touch any sweets again.”

“Of course.” Xiao Baozi was impatient. Bad mother was being too talkative today!

Standing up, Qin Chang Ge rummaged through the pastry box stored up high, brought out a plate of cakes, and pushed it before her son with a grin.

“Please help yourself, Young Master Xiao.”

Rarely did bad mother relax her restrictions on his sweet consumption. Xiao Baozi looked at the plate with delighted eyes.

Ah!

Evil, disgusting bitter melon cakes that he swore eternal hatred against!

“Eat up,” Qin Chang Ge smiled attentively, “Look, three pieces, cakes, that’s right.”

…

Amid Xiao Baozi’s screams, under his gaze that was first bitter and vengeful, then on the verge of tears, and finally pitiful and pleading, while he dawdled eating half a bite and spitting out another, Qin Chang Ge continued discussing serious matters with an unchanged expression. She first related what she had heard from Su Xuan about the flying needle’s origins and the Drinking Snow Tribe legend, then said, “First, go check Meng Tingyuan’s household registration to see if his birth date really was that day. Second, investigate Su Xuan’s true background – I mean his real background. I want any related clues, and send a capable person to the Red River to collect all information about the Drinking Snow Tribe from villages and tribes around the ice fields. Third, arrange an identity for me – I want to work as a servant in Prince Zhao’s mansion for a few days.”

Qi Fan first agreed, but upon hearing the last sentence, his eyes widened as he blurted out, “How could that possibly work—”

Rong Xiaotian, who was just entering the door, heard the last sentence and opened his mouth to speak, but was struck by a flying meatball along with a plate of cakes. The meatball was shedding tears like rain, with a mouthful of cake refuse to swallow, clinging to him while complaining: “Wuu wuu Uncle Rong, they’re bullying me…” While taking the opportunity to spit all the cake in his mouth into Rong Xiaotian’s clothes, stuffing the cake in his paws into Rong Xiaotian’s sleeves, and desperately rubbing it in to destroy the evidence. In just one sentence’s time, all three cakes had met their heroic end on Rong Xiaotian’s body.

With a dark face, looking down at Xiao Baozi who was hugging his waist and showing him an ingratiating smile, Rong Xiaotian’s gaze slowly fell to his own disheveled clothes. Xiao Baozi’s gaze followed downward. Seeing the tragic state of the clothing, he trembled guiltily. Meanwhile, Qin Chang Ge was already saying coolly, “Young Master Xiao, have you finished eating your cakes?”

Quickly changing his expression, Xiao Baozi whirled around, righteously indignant and trembling as he pointed accusingly, “I ate them! It’s all Uncle Rong’s fault – he hugged me so tightly! He made me spit them out!”

…

Rong Xiaotian’s face darkened with grief and indignation. Late Empress, why did you give birth to such a cunning disaster?! And why was he always the scapegoat being pushed forward? Did he look particularly easy to bully?

Rong Xiaotian had never been particularly patient, nor did he have the habit of not striking back when bullied.

So he immediately waved his hand and respectfully escorted the scheming and shameless Crown Prince of Xiliang steadily out of the study, to squat in the flower garden ten meters away.

After sending away Xiao Baozi, the three of them finally sat down to discuss business. Rong Xiaotian picked up the previous topic: “Why are you fixated on Prince Zhao? Clearly the Emperor is suspicious – we’ve been investigating him for three years—”

“Perhaps you’ve all been investigating in the wrong direction for these three years,” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “I just remembered something that made me decide to investigate Prince Zhao first – what appears on the surface is often not the truth. Xiao Jue is suspicious, but is he really the only one under suspicion?”