Thump, thump, thump – he rushed forward, reaching out to pull his mother down from the horse. Unfortunately, being short with stubby legs, he couldn’t reach her. Su Xuan had already gracefully dismounted and helped Qin Chang Ge down.

As if he hadn’t noticed Xiao Baozi’s face darkening like the bottom of a pot, Su Xuan only smiled at Qin Chang Ge and said, “Regarding today’s incident, I will certainly investigate thoroughly and give you a proper explanation.”

Nodding with a smile, Qin Chang Ge replied, “Thank you for your trouble. Sect Leader, your sect affairs are numerous – please return early.”

Su Xuan smiled, then turned to face the fiercely glaring Xiao Baozi, “Young Master, it’s been a while.”

“Just Master will do. Why add ‘Young’?” Young Master Xiao became even more fierce.

However, his fierce look and tone immediately took a sharp turn when he saw what Su Xuan held in his open palm.

“What is this?” His dark eyes sparkled brilliantly.

In Su Xuan’s hand were two items. One was an exquisite cube divided into six faces, each face composed of nine small blocks of red crystal, topaz, black agate, turquoise, mutton-fat jade, and lapis lazuli carved into beast heads. Under the sunlight, it gleamed magnificently. Seeing the delicate carving, Baozi took it and began playing with it. In just a few moves, he discovered that some of the small blocks could rotate. He immediately began frantically turning them, only to find that the beast heads had been scrambled. His interest greatly aroused, he couldn’t stop fiddling with it. Still not idle, he grabbed the other item with his free hand – a series of interlocking jade rings mounted on a sword-shaped frame. Baozi glanced at it and, finding it less interesting than the beast-head cube, pursed his lips dismissively.

Qin Chang Ge immediately recognized these as luxurious upgraded versions of a Rubik’s cube and the nine-ring puzzle. In her modern life, which family’s children hadn’t played with the Hungarian Rubik’s cube? It was remarkable that Xiliang now had such things. The Rubik’s cube could train children’s spatial imagination and dexterous hands, while the nine-ring puzzle could temper children’s impatience and build strong perseverance. Su Xuan appeared carefree and unrestrained, but his choice of toys showed considerable insight. He had spotted Xiao Baozi’s flaws at first glance and was planning to teach according to the child’s aptitude.

Indeed, she heard Su Xuan say with a smile, “These are toys from the foreign land of Limoria beyond the Eternal Sea. This cube is called a Merck Cube. It’s said that children there all play with this – when the beast heads are scrambled, one must restore them to their original state as quickly as possible. Playing with it has many benefits. My Blazing Flame subordinates who trade in Li Kingdom occasionally go to sea and brought one back for me. This is a nine-ring puzzle, which I obtained by chance. I have no use for it, so I brought it for Young Master to play with.”

“Rong Rong,” Qin Chang Ge called to her son who was playing with great delight, “do you think you’ve forgotten to do something?”

“No.” Xiao Baozi didn’t even lift his head.

“Oh?”

“When someone shows excessive courtesy without reason, they’re either a traitor or a thief. Uncle Qi said so.” Xiao Baozi played with the precious toys someone had given him while speaking righteously without the slightest blush.

Qi Fan, who had come out, groaned with a headache.

Qin Chang Ge smiled, “Oh… Then why do you accept stolen goods from traitors and thieves, staining Young Master Ming’s good reputation? Come, let’s righteously return these gifts!”

To avoid drawing attention from interested parties to the name Xiao Rong, Baozi had long ago changed his name. Previously called Qi Rong, now with a mother, he was naturally called Ming Rong.

Bad mother! Xiao Baozi looked up resentfully, shot his mother a glance, and reluctantly thanked Su Xuan. Su Xuan laughed heartily, patted his big head, and said, “To receive Young Master Ming’s words of thanks – what an honor!”

“Naturally,” Xiao Baozi replied unabashedly, “If you stop circling around my mother, I’ll let you feel even more honored.”

This child with his excessive possessiveness… Qin Chang Ge smiled darkly and said coolly, “Son, you’re wrong. With you as a burden, what man would circle around your mother?”

Su Xuan was stunned, then threw back his head and laughed heartily. He turned and leaped onto his horse, glanced at Qin Chang Ge, then bowed his head to Xiao Baozi and said, “I told you, your mother is a beauty. Beauties must have men to cherish them, or else their flowering years and beauty would be wasted. Moreover, your mother is also a wonderful person. Beauty plus wonderful person – rare in this world. Why shouldn’t I pay my respects?”

He rode away laughing heartily, his snow-white figure straight as bamboo, leaving behind bright laughter scattered like pearls.

Xiao Baozi hugged his Rubik’s cube, watching his retreating figure, and asked his mother in bewilderment, “What does ‘burden’ mean? What does ‘burden’ mean?”

Inside the coffin shop, Qin Chang Ge gave an overview of what had happened earlier. Qi Fan was stunned halfway through listening. After a long while, he asked in a daze, “Miss Ming, do you think this was aimed at Sect Leader Su and implicated you, or was it directly targeting you?”

Qin Chang Ge didn’t answer but said, “What about the travel passes I asked you to prepare yesterday and those two hidden stakes in the mansions? Let me see them first.”

Qi Fan brought over a box and called over a young man, saying, “This is the one who served as a hidden stake in Prince Zhao’s mansion, named Wei Gong. Wei Gong, come meet Miss Ming.”

Wei Gong stepped forward and bowed. Qin Chang Ge examined him carefully, noting his sharp and capable features, and felt satisfied. She asked, “What was your position in Prince Zhao’s mansion back then?”

“Reporting to Miss, I was a front courtyard guard.”

“What was Prince Zhao doing that night?”

“That night was the sixtieth birthday celebration of Yingdu’s great scholar Meng Tingyuan. His Highness personally hosted the birthday banquet at the palace, inviting all of Yingdu’s renowned literati. After the feast, Meng Tingyuan was drunk, so His Highness ordered a large sedan chair to send him back, personally escorting him to the sedan. He was in particularly good spirits that day. Though it was already near the third watch, he invited several literary guests he usually valued to gather in his study to discuss poetry and literature. They didn’t disperse until early fourth watch.”

“What were you doing?”

“I was on duty that day, guarding the front mansion throughout. I witnessed all of this.”

“Was there anything unusual?”

Wei Gong thought for a moment and said, “Nothing.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled, “You answered too quickly.”

Not understanding, he raised his eyes. Upon meeting Qin Chang Ge’s gaze, Wei Gong involuntarily shivered and quickly said, “Yes, yes, let me think again.”

Gritting his teeth and frowning in deep thought, after a long while he said hesitantly, “There is one thing… I don’t know if it’s problematic…”