He hurried back to his residence, dismissed everyone, and shut himself in his room.

Then he took out an exquisite small bottle from the drawer, tapped out a white pill and swallowed it. Only then did the pain in his chest gradually ease.

After sitting quietly for a moment, someone knocked on the door.

“Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

“The matter you instructed has been investigated.”

He spoke through the door, “Speak.”

After a brief pause, a voice came from outside the door, “Wei Yi was born in Jinjiang and was originally betrothed to that Miss Ji. But later his parents died unexpectedly, and he entered the palace together with Prince Rong and Miss Ji. Prince Yi initially captured him to use as leverage against Prince Rong, and the person who rescued him at that time was the Princess.”

“Then who took him away this time?”

“It’s unclear. He was taken away at night when the city gates were already closed, so it should have been impossible to leave the city. Prince Rong’s household also searched throughout the capital, and aside from the Imperial Palace, there’s only one place they haven’t searched.”

“Where?”

“Anguang Residence.”

“Anguang Residence?” He murmured these three words to himself.

Then he put away the small bottle in his hand and pondered. Duke Yuguo had been hiding at Guang’an Temple all these years, and this time he also entered the capital hidden in a box, naturally settling at Anguang Residence. So if… he was the one who captured Wei Yi, what would be the reason? To use him as leverage against Jingrong? No! That would be completely unnecessary, after all, Jingrong was already detained in prison.

Once the annual memorial ceremony passed and he stirred up the court officials to petition, he could certainly pin a serious crime on Jingrong!

And his becoming Crown Prince was just a matter of time!

Then… if Duke Yuguo really did capture him, what was the purpose?

Doubts arose in his heart!

And a trace of vigilance was added.

Pressing on his gradually calming chest, he spoke through the door, “Come in.”

The door opened, and the person outside entered.

“Your Highness’s orders.”

“This prince has a matter to entrust you with…”

…

Prince Rong’s Residence.

Because of Shi Zijin’s matter, Shi Ziran was even more dispirited. At this moment, sitting on the roof, he stared blankly at the pitch-black night sky, his entire being seeming to have lost his soul.

Ji Yunshu and Muruo stood below, both looking at Shi Ziran on the roof, their hearts heavy with distress.

“You went to see Prince Xian?” “Yes.” Muruo nodded, her eyes sorrowful, saying, “I don’t know whether he changed or whether he was always like this. I told myself not to regret it, but now… I actually do regret it a bit, regret not listening to your words back then. Knowing there was a ghost behind the door, I still insisted on opening it, and ended up plagued by evil spirits, unable to move an inch.”

Ji Yunshu didn’t know how to comfort her.

Muruo looked at her and asked, “Jingrong told you to leave the capital after finding Wei Yi. What do you think?”

“He’s in prison now, how could I possibly leave?” “Miss Ji, if standing on the side of loyalty and righteousness, I would certainly hope you’d stay to help him. But if standing on the side of reason, I share Jingrong’s thinking and hope you’ll leave. Now that Prince Xian has made up his mind to eliminate him, once the annual memorial ceremony ends, he will surely incite his faction in court to petition and magnify Jingrong’s crimes. At that time, Jingrong will be besieged on all sides, and you leaving the capital would undoubtedly be the best choice.”

To this, Ji Yunshu smiled. She said, “If Prince Xian truly intends to kill me, I won’t be able to escape even if I flee to the ends of the earth. Moreover, since His Majesty’s decree hasn’t been issued yet, there’s still a chance to turn things around. But if I disregard everything and only think of saving myself, we won’t even have half a chance. I’ve said before, no matter what happens in the future, I won’t leave him. Living and dying together is not necessarily a bad thing.”

These words showed love as firm as gold and stone!

Muruo was moved, “Indeed, Jingrong did not love the wrong person.”

Of course!

Soon, Lu Jiang hurried over.

He said, “We’ve searched the entire capital and still haven’t found Young Master Wei. Currently there’s only one place we haven’t searched.”

“What place?”

“Anguang Residence.” He said, “That’s a specially arranged residence for the monks entering the palace this time, with heavy guards outside. We can’t get in.”

Ji Yunshu pondered, “Anguang Residence? Guang’an Temple? Pigeons? Communication? Scar? Could it be…”

Muruo heard her soft murmuring and asked in confusion, “What is it?”

Eh?

Though it might have been expected, it still greatly shocked her.

Lu Jiang and Muruo didn’t understand and waited for her to explain in detail.

She narrowed her eyes and spoke an astonishing sentence, “I suspect… Duke Yuguo might truly still be alive.”

…

The next day, the day before the annual memorial ceremony.

On this day, according to the already planned itinerary, Emperor Qizhen and numerous court officials left the capital, heading to Mount Ji.

Prince Xian also accompanied them.

The monks from Guang’an Temple were rather troublesome, stubbornly refusing to ride in carriages. Sandwiched in the middle of the procession, the carriages were loaded with boxes large and small.

They traveled for half a day!

They arrived at the foot of Mount Ji.

Mount Ji was neither high nor low, with only one path up the mountain, and it wasn’t wide. Eventually they had to proceed in separate lines.

Before ascending the mountain, they stopped for a while.

Inside his carriage, Prince Xian drank a mouthful of hot water. Lifting the curtain to look outside, light snow was falling, but the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow. Looking out, among the forests and mountains, white snow stretched endlessly, a beautiful sight.

He instructed the person outside the carriage, saying, “Be careful.”

“Your Highness can rest assured, everything has been properly arranged.”

“That’s good.”

“Chirp!” Suddenly a flock of gray magpies flew across the sky, in great numbers, dense and numerous, quickly flying into the forest. The white snow on the treetops scattered down with rustling sounds, creating a beautiful scene.

A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes held a clear and cold gleam.

He exhaled a breath of cold air.

Only then did he lower the curtain.

Sitting peacefully inside.

The procession ascended the mountain, arriving at the Mount Ji mausoleum in the afternoon, settling in the temporary palace.

Emperor Qizhen went to the sacrificial hall to chant sutras with those monks.

While everything here was peaceful, a sudden storm was stirring in the capital.

Just as the Emperor left the capital with numerous officials, Ji Yunshu and Lu Jiang secretly went to the Ministry of Justice prison.

Inside the cell, Jingrong looked up at that small window, the pale white light streaming in, falling on his face, feeling so cold.

Cold to his very heart.

Was Jing Yi like this before he died too?

“Tap tap~”

Footsteps!

Hearing the sound, he looked and saw Ji Yunshu and the others entering.

Immediately, his brow furrowed tightly. Through the sturdy wooden bars of the cell, he said, “Didn’t I tell you to leave the capital immediately after finding Wei Yi?”

Ji Yunshu: “He won’t be in danger.”

Her voice was soft, yet firm and resolute.

Jingrong found it strange, “What happened?”

Ji Yunshu: “Do you remember that monk I saw at Guang’an Temple?”

“I remember!” She explained: “The scar on that monk’s face was a burn, left over a dozen years ago. And that pigeon I saw outside Prince Xian’s palace was identical to the pigeon that monk was holding. Now with the annual memorial ceremony, the monks from Guang’an Temple have entered the capital, and coincidentally at this time, Wei Yi was suddenly taken away. Yet Zhao Huai and Wen Xian, who always value the Young Master as their life, haven’t shown themselves at all. Isn’t that too strange? Unless… the ones who took Wei Yi were those two. Moreover, Uncle Lu led people to search the entire capital but couldn’t find Wei Yi, yet there’s one place we haven’t searched—the heavily guarded Anguang Residence. The monks from Guang’an Temple are staying there. Think about it, why would Wen Xian and Zhao Huai take Wei Yi there? Why has Prince Xian been in contact with that monk all these years? The only answer I can think of is that the monk is actually Duke Yuguo! All these years, he’s been in contact with Prince Xian. The matter of secretly opening the coffin this time should also have been arranged by him for Prince Xian, to put you to death.”

Though Jingrong was shocked, it was also within his expectations!

He pondered carefully and suddenly was alarmed. “Things can’t be this simple.”