The next day.

The Ministry of Revenue confirmed the name of the last set of remains—Zhao Hao!

The Vice Minister of Revenue hurriedly rushed to Zhuxi Garden at the first opportunity.

He reported! “The missing person was a cook from Duke Yuguo’s mansion. He died at age 41. His ancestral home was in Nanshui County in the west. He had an elderly mother at home, as well as a younger brother and younger sister. Because his family was impoverished, he was sold to the capital, then later entered Duke Yuguo’s mansion as a kitchen helper and gradually became head chef. It’s said that Duke Yuguo loved eating his pearl meatballs. Some common people who frequently delivered vegetables to the mansion all said he was a very good and honest person. Now that we’ve confirmed the missing person was him, calculating it out, he should be… over fifty years old now. We’ll notify all prefectures and provinces. As long as the person isn’t dead, it shouldn’t be difficult to find him.”

A detailed explanation.

Jingrong looked at the information about Zhao Hao that the Ministry of Revenue had sent him. After reviewing it once.

He gently closed it!

His brows locked tightly.

After all these years, he had thought that when he learned who the missing person was, he would definitely be very excited.

But he wasn’t.

Instead, like Ji Yinshu’s mood, he was even more nervous!

That sense of nervousness pressed on his nerves.

The Vice Minister of Revenue, seeing him silent for a long time, took the initiative to inquire, “Your Highness? What are your instructions?”

He let out a quiet breath. After pondering for a moment, he ordered, “Go find several people who knew Zhao Hao. Based on their descriptions, have Great Official Ji draw the portrait. Then ask some artists to copy the portrait well and distribute it to all prefectures and provinces. Remember, don’t post the portrait everywhere, because the truth of the case is still unclear. If the arson that year was deliberate, and if Zhao Hao truly knows the truth, the culprit might very likely harm him. Therefore, we absolutely cannot be too ostentatious. It’s best to… investigate secretly.”

“Yes.”

“Also, if we find that person, we must protect him well and bring him immediately.”

“Understood.” The Vice Minister of Revenue also worried: “Then… what if he died after escaping from Duke Yuguo’s mansion?”

Yes!

What if the person had died long ago?

And this point—Jingrong had also considered it.

He said, “Back then, since he was able to escape from Duke Yuguo’s mansion, even if he truly died afterward, he must have left some clues. No matter what, if alive we must see the person, if dead we must see the corpse. Even if only a pile of white bones remains, you must bring them to this prince.”

“This official understands.”

After responding, the Vice Minister of Revenue went to handle the matter.

Soon, the Ministry of Revenue found several people who knew Zhao Hao—all were vegetable farmers who had delivered vegetables to Zhao Hao at Duke Yuguo’s mansion back then. But because too much time had passed, each person’s description was quite different.

Ji Yinshu held her brush, unable to put ink to paper for a long time.

Only after asking each person clearly again and again did she begin to draw.

After approximately half a shichen passed, Zhao Hao’s portrait was finally completed.

When those people looked at it, they were extremely surprised.

“Yes, this person is Qin Hao.”

“Exactly identical.”

“Compared to when I saw him fifteen years ago, it’s truly the same. He hasn’t aged at all.”

Ji Yinshu: “…”

You saw him fifteen years ago, so what was drawn is naturally his appearance from fifteen years ago. Of course he hasn’t aged.

When she organized the portrait and handed it to the Ministry of Revenue, she specifically instructed: “Fifteen years have already passed. The portrait may differ from his current appearance. When notifying all prefectures and provinces, this point must also be made clear. It’s necessary to be careful.”

The people from the Ministry of Revenue firmly remembered her words.

Before long, the portrait was copied many times and began to be distributed to all prefectures and provinces.

At the same time, news came from outside the capital.

The mountain bandits throughout the Shaanxi Changbing area had all been captured and were already in prison, awaiting orders from the Ministry of Justice.

The court immediately erupted.

The often-ill Prince Xian, who had long resided deep in the palace, had unexpectedly truly captured those cunning mountain bandits!

Though everyone harbored doubts in their hearts, the facts were indeed laid out before them.

Now that Prince Xian had achieved merit, the Emperor would certainly reward him. Probably before long, those fence-sitters would start switching sides with the wind again.

Outside the capital!

A procession of soldiers and horses advanced through the heavy snow. Because the mountain road was rugged and the wind and snow were too heavy, the carriage convoy’s journey was delayed.

Inside the carriage, Prince Xian wore a thick cloak and held a hand warmer in his hands, yet even so, his hands were still ice cold. Beside him sat a cage covered with a cloth, and inside were still those three pigeons. From leaving the palace to departing the capital, he had always kept them by his side. People who didn’t know would occasionally ask him a few questions, and his answer was always the same—he said that having resided deep in the palace for many years, it was thanks to these pigeons’ companionship, so he often kept them by his side for company.

Over time, people said he had an eccentric personality!

That he was a freak!

Go to hell—who doesn’t have a pet!

That Liu Qingping from Jinjiang even raised a whole pavilion full of birds!

The cold wind lifted the carriage curtain, and a few grains of white snow from outside blew in, landing on his face and taking a long time to melt. He reached out to brush them away, a chill shooting through his fingertips, making his whole body shudder several times.

Suddenly—

The carriage stopped.

The guard outside said, “Your Highness, a large tree has fallen ahead. We’ll have to wait a while.”

He made a sound of acknowledgment and lifted the curtain.

They were currently in the mountains, with large trees towering all around, their leaves and branches all hanging down half a chi from being pressed by the heavy snow.

The heavy snow continued, blocking people’s vision.

He looked ahead and vaguely saw a tree fallen in front of the carriage convoy, lying across the ground. Everyone was clearing it.

He asked: “Where are we now?”

“Qishan.”

“When can we reach the capital?”

“According to the schedule, in five days.”

Prince Xian was silent for a while, looking up at the sky. Suddenly he stood up and dismounted from the horse!

The guard quickly said, “Your Highness, it’s cold outside. You should sit in the carriage.”

But he had already gotten down.

“It’s fine.”

Both feet stepped onto the snowy ground—soft and comfortable.

The attendant driving the horse quickly held an umbrella over his head.

“I never realized… that a heavy snow day could be so beautiful!” he exclaimed.

The attendant was puzzled and asked: “Has Your Highness never seen snow before?”

“I have.”

“Then aren’t all snowy days the same?”

“They’re not the same.” He denied it, looking up at the densely falling snowflakes, his eyes gentle and sorrowful. He continued, “Different days, different places—the snow you see is different. Inside the imperial palace, with red walls and green tiles, all you can see is that patch of sky above your head. So the snow seen year after year is cold. But the snow seen outside the palace is a kind of beauty.”

His voice was very soft!

The attendant beside him couldn’t hear very clearly.

He reached out and caught a few flakes. The snowflakes fell onto his palm, then jumped and danced as the cold wind blew them, like several mischievous children. He didn’t feel cold at all. Standing in place, wrapped in his cloak, he stared intently at the profuse snow before his eyes.

After two incense sticks of time had passed, the large tree ahead was finally cleared away.

The guard said: “Your Highness, we can go now.”

“Wait a bit longer.”

“But…”

“Wait a bit longer.” He was reluctant to leave. The beautiful scenery before his eyes seemed to gradually cleanse his heart as well.