“Your Highness.”
Dong Xiao looked at the firelight in the charcoal basin and said coldly: “It seems this Yan Sanhe has quite a background!”
Zhao Yanjin nodded in full agreement: “Anything else?”
Hidden guard: “Nothing more.”
Zhao Yanjin’s expression cooled: “When the person investigating Yan Sanhe returns, have her see me immediately.”
“Yes!”
“Wait.”
“What other instructions does Your Highness have?”
“Today they went to Shen Wei’s estate. I don’t care what methods you use—find out for this prince exactly who they met at the Shen house, what they did, what they said. Leave nothing out.”
“Yes!”
The hidden guard bowed and pulled open the door, startled.
The hidden guard outside the door was also startled. After nodding to the person inside, they stepped sideways into the room.
This one was the one ordered to investigate Yan Sanhe.
“Your Highness, Yan Sanhe just turned seventeen this year. She never appeared at the Xie estate before. It was only this February that she entered the Xie estate.”
The hidden guard: “It’s said she’s a relative from Old Madam Xie’s maternal family. But this subordinate investigated—Old Madam’s maternal family is in Anhui Prefecture, yet Yan Sanhe came from Yunnan Prefecture.”
Yunnan Prefecture?
That was barbarous wilderness.
“Continue.”
“After living at the Xie estate for a few months, she moved to Young Master Pei’s separate estate. She rarely visits the Xie estate normally. She doesn’t spend much time at the separate estate—most of the time she runs outside the capital.”
“What does she do outside?”
“No one knows.”
“What else?”
“Nothing more.”
“That maid with martial skills beside her—what’s her background?”
“Can’t be traced.”
Zhao Yanjin rubbed his forehead: “Hey, how strange.”
Hidden guard: “Your Highness, should this subordinate make a trip to Yunnan Prefecture to investigate more carefully?”
“A round trip to Yunnan Prefecture takes at least two and a half months at the fastest. This prince can’t wait.”
Zhao Yanjin tilted his head: “Boren, what insights do you have?”
“None for now.”
Dong Xiao’s pupils narrowed: “Let’s wait until the person investigating the Shen family returns.”
…
Shen estate.
Eastern wing.
Shen Yande sat in the grand master chair for a full half hour without moving his bottom even once.
Thinking carefully about today’s events—something wasn’t right, wasn’t right.
Why did Father chase him out of the main hall today and forbid anyone from approaching?
Why did he suddenly faint for no reason?
Why when he woke up, it was like he’d become a different person—not saying a word, not eating or drinking?
Younger sister Shen Duruo, apart from being somewhat stubborn and cold-tempered, didn’t seem to have harmed anyone. Why would wronged souls follow her?
Where did these wronged souls come from?
No, this matter was too serious. He still needed to ask Father clearly.
Shen Yande stood and walked out of the study.
Just as he pulled the door open, something flashed before his eyes. Before he could see clearly, his neck felt pain. Looking down, a bright blade lay across it.
Shen Yande was so scared he didn’t dare move.
“I ask one question, you answer one question.”
A voice came from behind.
“Dare speak one false word, then don’t blame me…”
The blade pressed forward an inch. Blood immediately welled up.
Having lived in luxury his entire life, when had Shen Yande ever seen such a scene? He was so frightened he nearly wet himself.
“Good hero, spare my life, spare my life.”
“What did Zhu Yuanmo and the others come for today?”
Shen Yande’s mind went boom—it was actually about this matter?
“Speak!”
“I’ll speak, I’ll speak.”
Shen Yande: “They came… came to resolve matters for my deceased younger sister.”
“Why resolve it?”
“At Qingliang Temple, wronged souls were crying, said to have followed my younger sister back. Now they want to come after our Shen family.”
“Then what?”
“Then they came to the door to resolve it.”
His neck hurt. The blade pressed forward again.
“Ai ya ya, it hurts, it hurts. I’m speaking the complete truth.”
Shen Yande swore to heaven: “If I dare speak half a false word, may Heaven strike me with thunder, may I die a horrible death.”
“Where did the wronged souls come from?”
“I, I don’t know!”
“Master Shen, you’re not being honest. Then don’t blame…”
“I truly don’t know…”
Shen Yande’s legs shook with fright: “My father chased me out! Heaven as my witness, if I dare speak one false word…”
“Who was that servant?”
“What servant?”
“The servant Zhu Yuanmo brought.”
“It’s… it’s his newly accepted disciple, cross-dressed as a male.”
“How did they resolve it?”
“I, I don’t know…”
Shen Yande’s tears and snot flowed down together: “My father absolutely refused to say!”
Slap—
The black-clothed person’s hand rose and palm fell. Shen Yande’s body softened and collapsed to the ground.
…
“Your Highness, this is what this subordinate asked about.”
The hidden guard glanced at the Prince’s expression.
“Didn’t dare disturb the old Imperial Physician. It’s said when Master Zhu and the others left, the old Imperial Physician fainted. This subordinate feared that forcing him might cause something bad to happen to the old Imperial Physician, so returned to request Your Highness’s instructions.”
Zhao Yanjin frowned: “The Shen family has a daughter?”
“Yes.”
Dong Xiao’s voice suddenly lowered: “Your Highness has forgotten—the Shen family’s daughter is called Shen Duruo. She was once a female physician at the former Crown Prince’s estate.”
With this reminder, Zhao Yanjin’s expression changed abruptly. He immediately said coldly: “You may leave first.”
“Yes!”
The hidden guard closed the door and left.
Zhao Yanjin could no longer sit still. He stood and paced back and forth in the room.
Dong Xiao: “Your Highness, remain calm.”
Zhao Yanjin’s feet paused, his expression rather tense: “Shen Duruo—specially pardoned by the Late Empress. There are rumors saying she…”
“Your Highness, speak cautiously.”
Dong Xiao quickly cut off the words: “Now is not the time to discuss Shen Duruo. Dead people have no connection to us whatsoever. Be careful—disaster comes from the mouth.”
“Right, right, right!”
Zhao Yanjin touched his chest: “Let’s discuss Zhu Yuanmo and them, discuss them.”
Dong Xiao: “Looking at it this way, Zhu Yuanmo and the others aren’t plotting anything either?”
Zhao Yanjin was confused: “How is it they’re not plotting anymore?”
“According to what I know, Shen Duruo’s coffin was sent back to the capital a few months ago. The Shen family wouldn’t let the coffin enter the door. They used Young Master Pei’s connections to carry it to Qingliang Temple, held the funeral from Qingliang Temple.”
Dong Xiao: “There were wronged souls crying. Young Master Pei found Zhu Yuanmo, so they came to the door to resolve it.”
Zhao Yanjin: “Where did the wronged souls come from?”
Dong Xiao asked unhurriedly in return: “What does Your Highness think?”
Zhao Yanjin thought of those rumors and slapped his forehead: “Look at my memory. Let’s not discuss this, not discuss it.”
“The only strange thing is this woman called Yan Sanhe. When did she become Zhu Yuanmo’s disciple? The Zhu family never accepts disciples.”
Dong Xiao frowned: “Who exactly is she? Always running outside the city, and able to have so many men revolving around her?”
“She’s just a woman.”
Zhao Yanjin’s face was full of disdain: “Bind her and bring her here. After some harsh interrogation, I guarantee she’ll be as obedient as a cat, spilling everything.”
“This woman’s identity is Minister Xie Daozhi’s goddaughter. It would be improper for Your Highness to act.”
Dong Xiao pondered for a moment, then stood:
“Leave this matter to me. Even if something happens, it won’t implicate Your Highness. Your Highness should continue watching the Zhu family, find a way to locate evidence of Zhu Yuanmo’s private connection with the Crown Prince and Grand Prince.”
Zhao Yanjin: “That Zhu Yuanmo associates closely with the one surnamed Pei and the one surnamed Xie—that’s evidence.”
“Not enough.”
Dong Xiao: “To make His Majesty believe, there must be ironclad proof to let Your Highness turn defeat into victory.”