At the same time, Prince Yi’s manor also received the news.

Dou Quan hurried to report to Jing Yi. “Your Highness, we’ve investigated. Minister of Personnel Peng Yuanhai indeed has no dealings with Prince Rong, so the Ministry of Personnel’s impeachment memorial has nothing to do with Prince Rong. However, Yuanhai previously worked under Qiao Zheng, and previously, Qiao Zheng had private dealings with Your Highness. This subordinate fears His Majesty might think—that it was Your Highness who deliberately coached the Ministry of Personnel to impeach Prince Rong.”

“This is exactly what this Prince is worried about.” Jing Yi pondered deeply. “Memorials all go through the Office of Transmission for screening before being sent up. There’s no reason Director Qu of the Office of Transmission would send up a memorial impeaching a prince. The coincidence is that three years ago, it was this Prince who recommended Director Qu. So everything points to this Prince, and to this Prince secretly colluding with the Ministry of Personnel and Office of Transmission, deliberately impeaching Jingrong to eliminate him completely.”

“Then Your Highness, what do we do now?”

“At this time, Father Emperor should have also received the news. This chess move of this Prince’s… is difficult to make.”

His voice was grave!

His brows tightly locked.

Dou Quan asked, “But since this matter has nothing to do with Prince Rong, then who could it be?”

Jing Yi shook his head. Right now, whether in the court or among the Crown Prince’s remaining faction, none had the ability to control the Ministry of Personnel and Office of Transmission.

To control one ministry and one office—even he, a prince, couldn’t accomplish that.

So who was the person behind the scenes manipulating things, knowing how to kill two birds with one stone?

Jing Yi said in a deep voice, “We must make plans early.”

Lest the position of heir apparent change!

No, lest the imperial throne change.

…

Five days later, Yufu County!

At the county gate, County Magistrate Zuo Yao had long been waiting here with his people.

Under the blazing sun, the yamen’s people waited anxiously for most of the day.

Drenched in sweat!

Mentally exhausted!

Zuo Yao was burning with anxiety and deeply uneasy, pacing back and forth in place, his hands nervously rubbing together. He kept looking to see if Prince Rong’s carriage had arrived, while sighing. “It’s already this time, why haven’t they come yet?”

He muttered like this for a long while!

Chief Constable Zhou really couldn’t stand it anymore. He wiped the pearl-sized beads of sweat from his forehead and stepped forward saying, “My lord, why don’t we go back first? Waiting like this isn’t a solution.”

Not waiting anymore.

No matter what, not waiting anymore.

Zuo Yao glared at him. “Go back? What if they arrive and we’re not here to receive them? Prince Rong came by His Majesty’s order to investigate the missing disaster relief silver, and that Master Ji was sent by Dali Temple to investigate the case from several years ago. We can’t afford to offend either one. If we’re negligent, both our heads won’t be enough compensation.”

“Then why don’t we wait somewhere cooler? The sun is so strong—if we keep standing here, we definitely won’t hold up.”

“You’re the one with too much nonsense.”

“My lord…”

“Shut up.” Zuo Yao rebuked.

Chief Constable Zhou was put in his place. He wiped more sweat and sighed helplessly. His lord being timid as a mouse wasn’t a matter of just one or two days.

So he could only retreat to the side, raising his head to glance at the sun overhead. It was practically blinding his dog eyes.

The junior constables from the yamen were swaying with their heads wobbling from the heat, their entire persons nearly roasted.

If this continued, they’d definitely get heatstroke!

But that Lord Zuo was stubbornly tenacious, pacing back and forth in place for several more circles.

Suddenly—

The sound of horse hooves came from far and near. They saw Jingrong’s guard riding toward them on horseback.

Imposing and majestic.

“They’re coming, they’re coming.”

Everyone instantly perked up. Zuo Yao also immediately tidied his wrinkled official robes, straightened himself, and respectfully watched as the horse stopped before him.

The guard pulled the reins, speaking in a very authoritative voice. “You must be Lord Zuo?”

“Indeed, this official.”

“His Highness sent me ahead to notify Lord Zuo that you need not come out to greet him. Everyone should hurry back to the yamen. His Highness won’t arrive until evening.”

“Evening?”

A thunderbolt struck down hard.

So all this standing he’d done was for nothing?

The guard was only responsible for notification, not for comforting people. He pulled the reins, pressed his foot against the horse’s belly, and left.

Alas!

Zuo Yao let out a heavy sigh.

Chief Constable Zhou, as if catching him in a mistake, straightened his back and came forward. “My lord, I told you we should go back first. We’ve been standing here like fools all morning, and His Highness won’t arrive until evening.”

“When did you become so full of nonsense?”

“I’m speaking the truth.”

“Alright, alright, everyone hurry back to the yamen.” Zuo Yao looked helpless. His tense nerves also relaxed. With this relaxation, his legs went soft and he nearly fell to the ground.

Son of a bitch, the heat was killing him.

He wiped the sweat from his head and quickly entered the city gate.

Everyone also hurried to follow.

Finally they wouldn’t become roasted suckling pigs.

…

Not far from Yufu County, the carriage convoy proceeded unhurriedly.

Those guards on horseback rode while being roasted by the sun until their skin and flesh nearly burst.

If one sniffed carefully, one could even smell the scent of roasted meat.

Fragrant!

Even men of iron had to soften before Father Sun.

This July weather was both stuffy and hot!

Simply unbearable!

Inside the carriage was also stuffily uncomfortable. Combined with the bumpy journey, it was torturous.

So Jingrong ordered slow travel to avoid rushing and causing some incident, and sent someone ahead to Yufu County to notify the county magistrate.

Ji Yunshu had a cold constitution and rarely felt hot, but even now she couldn’t bear it anymore.

Jingrong curved his lips with an evil charm. “If you don’t mind, just take off your clothes to avoid getting sick from the heat. Don’t worry, this Prince won’t look.”

Yes, this Prince will just look once.

Absolutely only once.

Ji Yunshu glared at him. “I’m not hot.”

“You’re not hot, but this Prince is hot.”

Having said this, he made motions to take off his clothes, but was immediately stopped by Ji Yunshu.

“What are you doing?”

Jingrong looked innocent, asking back, “This Prince is hot. Is there something wrong with taking off clothes?”

Indeed there wasn’t. In modern times, one could even go shirtless wearing only briefs.

But—

Seeing her frown without speaking for a long while, Jingrong asked again, “What? Can’t take them off?”

He could!

So Ji Yunshu could only withdraw the hand blocking him.

However—

After Jingrong removed his outer robe, he prepared to remove the inner robe underneath.

“Wait!” Ji Yunshu stopped him again. “Taking off the outer robe is enough. If you’re really hot, just pull open the curtain.”

“Opening the curtain can’t cool one down. It’s better to strip completely naked for comfort.”

You’re an ancient person—can’t you be a bit more conservative?

Ji Yunshu’s face turned blue. “Right now we’re in a carriage, not in a room. If you strip naked and the people outside see, it’ll be impossible to explain.”

She didn’t want to be called a cut-sleeve.

The next moment, Jingrong’s lips curved with a mischievous smile as his body leaned toward her.

“According to what you’re saying, in a room with the door closed, one can strip completely naked?”

“Ugh!”

Fell into a trap!