By this time, the sky had also brightened considerably!

As soon as Li Shiyan woke up, his first thought was to hurry to the Su residence to see Shu’er.

But to deal with the Marquis, he had no choice but to first eat breakfast at home, letting his father see him so he’d know he was staying at home obediently. Only then would it be convenient to slip away.

Sure enough, the Marquis was uneasy about his little troublemaker son, so as soon as day broke, he came over. He happened to catch Li Shiyan obediently eating in his room. Such good behavior was quite unexpected. At least this troublemaker had stayed quietly at the residence last night without causing any problems!

If he knew Li Shiyan had secretly gone out, the Marquis would probably die of anger!

Li Shiyan guessed he would definitely come check on him early in the morning, so he pretended to eat his breakfast. To conceal his injured arm, he tried his best to hide that hand behind him, not revealing it lest any abnormality be detected.

He asked, “Father, are you planning to just keep confining me like this? I’m a person, not some cat or dog!”

The Marquis of Kangding sat across from him, speaking sternly. “So many things have happened during this period, so you’d better stay at the residence for a while. Don’t do anything! Don’t go out either. When this incident at Ning’an Manor has mostly passed, I’ll let you out again. This will prevent you from bringing me another heap of troubles.”

“But I’m innocent. Even the Court of Judicial Review released me! The way you’re confining me now makes it seem like I committed some great crime.” Li Shiyan complained.

The Marquis glared at him, scolding in a low voice, “Don’t waste my time with so much nonsense. Over these years, haven’t you caused enough trouble? Which time wasn’t I the one cleaning up after you? Although you didn’t kill anyone this time, if you hadn’t been so impulsive and meddlesome, would you have become a suspect?”

Hearing this, Li Shiyan nearly threw down his chopsticks but still held back. He thought about quickly getting through this so he could secretly slip out to the Su residence later and see Ji Yunshu. Thinking of this… so no matter what the Marquis said now, it all went in one ear and out the other.

Not anxious, not irritated.

Obedient and sensible!

After the Marquis finished his lengthy speech—

He nodded forcefully. “Yes! I understand.”

“If only you could truly listen!”

Li Shiyan shrugged, then suddenly looked gossipy, asking him, “By the way, Father, hasn’t anything been happening at court recently?”

At this question, the Marquis of Kangding’s expression darkened, becoming more grave.

Li Shiyan felt something was off. He leaned forward and continued asking, “What? Don’t tell me… something really did happen?”

The Marquis glared at him angrily again. “Why are you asking so much? This doesn’t concern you anyway!”

“…” As if he hadn’t asked.

However, judging from the Marquis of Kangding’s expression, something must have really happened at court. But recently, everything at court had been peaceful—nothing had occurred!

The only thing that could count as a major event was the matter of Prince Jing’an’s remains. But it had already been several days—shouldn’t he have been buried already?

Could it be… something had gone wrong?

But what could have gone wrong?

Li Shiyan was too lazy to ask more.

To prevent this boy from doing anything else, the Marquis repeatedly instructed him on what he couldn’t do. Li Shiyan agreed to everything.

After dealing with him, he finally managed to send him away.

As soon as the Marquis of Kangding left the courtyard, he threw down the chopsticks in his hand and quickly called for Xiao Luzi, instructing, “I’m going out now. You stay in the courtyard and keep watch. I might… not return until evening. When the time comes, meet me at the back gate.”

Upon hearing he was going out again, Xiao Luzi’s face turned pale. He instinctively grabbed Li Shiyan’s sleeve, showing a nervous and fearful expression. “Shizi, you absolutely cannot go out again today. If the master comes and sees you’re not here, there’ll be big trouble.”

“Don’t worry! There won’t be! My father has to deal with court matters. He won’t be home all day. As long as I get back before he returns from court! Just stay in the courtyard and don’t let anyone discover I’m gone!” With that, Li Shiyan left.

Xiao Luzi chased after him for two steps but couldn’t catch up.

He was so anxious he spun in circles on the spot!

In the end, he could only use last night’s trick—placing two pillows on the bed, covering them with the blanket, closing the door as he left, and instructing the household staff not to enter, saying the Shizi wanted to rest!

Li Shiyan went to the stables, casually leading out a horse, then rode from the back gate toward the Su residence.

Only, with his injured arm, relying on just one hand, riding was considerably slower…

At this very moment, Zhu Yao was riding in a sedan chair and had almost reached the Marquis’s residence when she happened to encounter Li Shiyan riding past on horseback along the road.

His speed wasn’t fast!

Cai’er glanced and thought she might have seen wrong.

Then she said to Zhu Yao inside the sedan, “Miss, just now that person… seemed to be the Shizi.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao immediately stuck her head out to look back, only seeing a figure on horseback from behind.

She recognized him. “Yes, it’s the Shizi!”

Cai’er wondered curiously, “So early in the morning, where is the Shizi going?”

“Follow him!” Zhu Yao ordered.

Cai’er was stunned. “Miss, perhaps we should…” go back instead.

Before the final words could be spoken, Zhu Yao said, “I must see him. Quickly follow.”

“…Yes!” So Cai’er quickly had the sedan bearers turn around and give chase.

At the same time—

Qi’er personally led people to the courtyard where Ji Yunshu had previously stayed, preparing to take away her belongings!

But Luo Yang was still sleeping in his room at this moment, completely unaware that people had come outside!

It was Xiao Ba who discovered them when he got up to use the toilet and quickly shook him awake vigorously.

“Brother, outside… people have come outside!”

Luo Yang turned over, still muddled, as if he hadn’t heard at all!

“Brother, wake up, quickly wake up!”

Luo Yang finally got up, bleary-eyed, sitting up to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s come.”

“Who?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Go see!” As Luo Yang spoke, he immediately threw back the covers, got out of bed, and rushed outside.

At this moment, four people stood in the courtyard, with Qi’er at the fore.

Qi’er couldn’t believe Miss Ji would live in such a dilapidated place!

Even a maid in the Su residence wouldn’t live here.

One could see how stingy that person surnamed Wen was!

Luo Yang recognized that girl. At Ning’an Manor, that woman seemed to have… always been by the side of a man in a wheelchair.

Qi’er stepped forward. “You must be Luo Yang. We actually met at Ning’an Manor, though you may not recognize me.”

“I recognize you!”

“That’s good!” Qi’er got straight to the point. “I’ve come on behalf of Miss Ji to take away the things she left here.”

Luo Yang thought he had heard wrong. He looked her up and down, along with the several burly men behind her, and laughed coldly. “Where is Miss Ji?”

“She’s currently at my young master’s residence.”

“At your residence?”

“Yes!” Qi’er’s expression was extremely serious. “So, I need to take away her belongings now.”

Luo Yang laughed. “You come here so early in the morning and claim to represent Ji Yunshu—you think I’ll believe that?”

“It’s absolutely true!”

“Without seeing her in person, I won’t believe anyone who comes. All of you leave immediately. Otherwise, don’t blame this young master for being impolite.” Luo Yang pretended to crack his knuckles, putting on a very fierce appearance, trying to intimidate these people into leaving.

But the people across from him… weren’t the least bit frightened!

Luo Yang raised his chin. “I remember that person in the wheelchair seems to be surnamed Su, some kind of general. Miss Ji doesn’t even know you people, so how could she be at your residence? Either you bring your master here, or you take me to see Miss Ji. As long as I see her, you can take her things away however you like. But right now, without seeing her, if you dare take away her belongings, you’ll have to step over this young master’s body first. Otherwise, I’ll go report to the authorities right now!”

And Xiao Ba also hurriedly ran out from the room, but seeing the visitors had ill intentions, he weakly cowered behind Luo Yang.

Qi’er spoke calmly, patiently saying, “Luo Yang, I need you to understand one thing. I didn’t come to ask your permission—I came to inform you.”

“Inform?”

Qi’er raised her hand and instructed the people behind her. “Go get the things.”

“Yes!” Those people prepared to find Ji Yunshu’s room and rushed in.

Seeing this, Luo Yang pulled Xiao Ba and also rushed in quickly, blocking those people’s path!