After a long time—

Prince Xian finally withdrew his gaze and prepared to mount his horse and leave.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came from the distance. Everyone looked toward the sound. Through the profuse snowflakes, they hazily saw someone riding toward them. As the sound of hooves drew nearer, they finally saw clearly who it was—a messenger official from the capital’s courier station, urgently riding to deliver something.

The messenger official, seeing Prince Xian and his group, stopped.

He quickly dismounted.

“Greetings to Prince Xian.”

Prince Xian looked him over and asked, “Are you going to deliver some urgent document?”

“Some portraits issued by the court.”

“Portraits?”

Prince Xian’s eyes narrowed. He looked at the large sealed message tube on the man’s back and asked, “Has the missing person from the ‘Linjing Case’ been found?”

His tone held slight excitement.

The messenger official said, “In reply to Prince Xian, the person hasn’t been found yet, but the portrait of the missing person has already been drawn by Great Official Ji. We’re now preparing to distribute it to all prefectures and provinces to search for the person.”

“It’s been completed?”

“Yes.”

Prince Xian was stunned with joy. A smile slowly bloomed at the corners of his mouth, as if he had let out a breath of relief.

That stone that had pressed on his chest for more than ten years had finally lightened somewhat.

For him, this was tremendously good news!

He stepped forward. “Could you give me a copy of the portrait?”

“This…” The messenger official was put in a difficult position.

Because before departure, Prince Rong had specifically instructed that this matter must not be publicized—it was best to search for the person secretly.

Now Prince Xian was openly asking. Not give it? That would probably be inappropriate.

If he gave it, what if…

Prince Xian saw his concern and said: “Don’t worry. I’m just looking. I naturally won’t spread the portrait around everywhere, nor will I put you in a difficult position. Besides, when I return to the capital, I’ll naturally obtain the portrait anyway. I’m just looking at it early.”

That was true!

The messenger official considered for a moment, then still took out one portrait and gave it to him!

He held the portrait, his palm suddenly tightening.

The messenger official delayed no more time and quickly mounted his horse and left.

Prince Xian held the portrait and, at his attendant’s urging, boarded the carriage!

The carriage convoy moved forward!

He unrolled the portrait in his hand.

Zhao Hao’s appearance was truly lifelike.

Soon!

It was truly soon!

His eyes reddened. “Imperial Mother, I’ve finally waited for this day. As long as we find this person, the case of Duke Yuguo’s mansion will be made public. At that time, I’ll be able to avenge you!”

The two words “avenge you” were spoken through gritted teeth.

Fifteen years!

Back then, he had stood behind the curtain and personally watched his imperial mother being forced to drink poisoned wine and die.

Yet he had been powerless!

That scene had entangled him for a full fifteen years. Every deep night, when nightmares entered his dreams, he would be frightened awake.

Upon waking, he would be drenched in sweat, with tears at the corners of his eyes.

At this moment, the snowstorm grew heavier and heavier. The north wind howled like wolves, echoing through the forest, carrying an abnormally eerie quality…

The Imperial Palace.

The portrait of Zhao Hao sent by the Ministry of Revenue lay spread flat and neat on the desk.

Emperor Qizhen stared at it for a long time!

His gaze unwavering.

His eyes gradually darkened, revealing a cold light that was impossible to fathom. In the depths, there was actually a trace of murderous intent that fiercely surged from between his brows, falling upon the person in the painting.

At the same time, a pair of powerful hands tightly gripped the edge of the portrait.

Crushing it into a ball!

Eunuch Zhang stepped forward and softly called, “Your Majesty?”

Only then did Emperor Qizhen release the portrait in his hand. He pressed one palm on the desk, rose abruptly, circled around the desk before him, and walked with heavy steps to the screen stand at the side, staring at the sword he had once given to the Crown Prince.

His eyes tightened!

“I clearly remember that night—all seventy-three people in Duke Yuguo’s mansion were present, not one missing. Yet after the great fire when the remains were collected, there was exactly one set missing. What’s helpless is that I didn’t know who the missing person was, which has caused me to be unable to eat or sleep in peace all these years.”

Uh?

The low voice echoed in the enormous inner hall, making one’s hair stand on end.

Zhang Quan kept his head lowered, not daring to interrupt.

Emperor Qizhen reached out to touch that sword, his fingertips tracing one by one over the cold patterns on it. The uneven texture was like his current mood—rising and falling.

“I originally thought to close the case and be done with it, but Qin Shiyu was obstinately unenlightened. He brought three points of doubt as leverage against me, forcing me to have no choice but to agree to order the case reopened. What’s more, by such coincidence, Jingrong brought back a Master Ji who could restore the appearance of the dead. Very well—I want to see just who it was that escaped from under my nose back then. Now, I finally know.”

Turns out it was a cook!

Zhang Quan knew his master’s thoughts. He stepped forward and asked carefully and cautiously: “Then Your Majesty, now?”

“Clang!” Emperor Qizhen gripped that sword with one hand.

And drew it out.

The sword’s edge flashed with silver light, falling precisely on his sinister gaze.

“If you want something buried underground forever, the best method is to eliminate the root!”

…

Three days later, Prince Xian returned to the city!

He returned to his mansion to change into court robes, then hurried into the palace through the heavy snow.

The Shaanxi mountain bandits captured!

What a major event!

But—

Emperor Qizhen only praised him a few sentences and didn’t bestow merit or rewards. On the surface, he only casually rewarded some precious objects, but though they were called precious objects, they were actually just ordinary things that couldn’t catch the eye at all.

As expected for a son who wasn’t valued—even the rewards were so perfunctory.

Prince Xian knew this in his heart, but still kowtowed, gave thanks for the grace, and silently withdrew from the great hall.

On the road back to his mansion, he asked the attendant driving the horse, “Is Prince Rong currently at Zhuxi Garden? Or has he returned to Prince Rong’s mansion?”

“Prince Rong returned to Prince Rong’s mansion a few days ago.”

“Mm, then let’s return to the mansion first. I’ll get something, then go to Prince Rong’s mansion.”

“Yes.”

Returning to Prince Xian’s mansion, he changed out of his court robes, took something, and immediately went to Prince Rong’s mansion.

Jingrong was just in the study reviewing the case files from the “Linjing Case” closure back then. He read through the details one by one—written with reason and evidence, it was said to be natural disaster and human calamity, with no survivors, thus the case was closed.

He sighed!

If not for Qin Shiyu’s appeal, this case full of suspicious points would probably still not see the light of day.

In anger, he closed the case file and nearly threw it to the ground.

Just then, a young servant came to report: “Your Highness, Prince Xian has arrived.”

Hadn’t Prince Xian just returned to the capital?

He was silent for a moment, then nodded and had someone lead Prince Xian to the study.

When Prince Xian came, he rose to greet him.

“You just returned to the capital. Why didn’t you return to your mansion to rest first?”

Prince Xian: “I’m not tired.”

“Come, sit.”

The two sat down.

A young servant brought a pot of good tea.

Jingrong poured him a cup of tea, pushed it before him, and said: “With heavy snow falling and the roads difficult to travel, you must have suffered quite a bit on the journey back to the capital, right?”

Concerned!

Prince Xian smiled. “It was alright. Although the journey was slow, the heavy snow was beautiful scenery. I actually wanted to linger outside the city for several more days, but I had to hurry back to the capital to report on the Changbing mountain bandits matter, so I didn’t dare delay any longer.”

Jingrong: “You’ve now achieved great merit for the court. From now on, your path in court will be much smoother.”

Bah! Emperor Qizhen didn’t take it to heart at all.