Consort Xiao could be said to know the affairs of the capital like the back of her hand. But regarding faraway Jinjiang, where the heavens were high and the emperor distant, it had merely blown past like the wind without catching her attention. Naturally, she didn’t understand this person Ji Yunshu very deeply either.

Jing Yi had always been deeply calculating and never fought battles he wasn’t confident of winning. Yet he hadn’t anticipated that his mother would bring up the matter of the disappearance cases at the birthday banquet that day. Even less had he expected that Ji Yunshu would emulate Qin Shiyu, using the power of challenging authority to force the Emperor to agree to the Duke Yuguo case and open the coffin for examination.

If the truth of the disappearance cases was uncovered, then Jingrong’s overturning of the Duke Yuguo case would only be a matter of time. In the future, he would naturally have a place at court, and the Emperor would also reward him. At that time, Jingrong’s power would inevitably grow enormous. To Jing Yi, this would be like a cold needle dipped in deadly poison. Not only a threat—very likely, it could also put him to death.

Just as he would put Jingrong to death!

Thinking deeply on this, Jing Yi’s usually calm face revealed barely concealed vigilance and worry.

Seeing him remain silent for so long, Consort Xiao seemed to gain some awareness.

She asked probingly, “Could that Master Ji… truly be an extraordinary person?”

Jing Yi raised his eyes. His deep, ink-like pupils tightened slightly as he said, “For the past half year, Jingrong has been investigating the ‘Linjing Case’ outside the capital with no leads whatsoever. Moreover, along this journey, your son also dispatched people to ambush and kill the guards he sent back to the capital to report his whereabouts, hoping to use that dragon document to convict him of treason. Unfortunately, complications arose midway that disrupted the entire plan.”

“Moreover, a person called Ji Yunshu unexpectedly appeared. This person seems to have no exceptional talents, yet is extremely intelligent. Although she’s from a small county town, the cases she’s taken on number no less than seventeen or eighteen, if not thirty or forty. Every single one was accurately solved. Indeed, she is an extraordinary person.”

Speaking to this point, Jing Yi indeed showed some admiration.

He continued, “Jingrong intentionally brought her back to the capital, wanting to use her abilities to solve the ‘Linjing Case.’ So your son also dispatched assassins, intending to eliminate the threat at its root, but they failed and alerted the prey.”

Consort Xiao was startled, her expression tightening.

“This palace was truly too careless. I was singularly focused on suppressing Jingrong and overlooked this. Had I known, I should have investigated clearly before deciding. The blame lies only in this palace being too hasty.”

Full of regret!

Jing Yi said, “Now that the chess piece has been wrongly placed, we must find a way to remedy it.”

“What do you mean, Yi’er?”

“Although they’ve already returned to the capital, that doesn’t mean they’re safe.”

Jing Yi’s meaning was obvious!

Having killed once, naturally they wouldn’t mind killing a second time.

But…

“Improper!” Consort Xiao immediately rejected it.

Jing Yi didn’t understand. “Does Mother have a better solution?”

Consort Xiao’s slender brows and eyes lifted slightly, as if gathering into an enormous vortex, gradually deepening, making one feel profoundly eerie.

Her embroidered hands tapped lightly within her brocade robes a few times, and her crimson thin lips curved upward.

She said, “Such an intelligent person—if we kill her, wouldn’t that be a pity? Since she can help Jingrong, why couldn’t she help us? If we could take her for our own use, presumably, Yi’er, your ascension to the Crown Prince position would only be a matter of time.”

Ah!

One statement awakened the dreamer!

Jing Yi thought it over carefully and immediately smiled, though his tone remained measured. “Mother is still the most thoroughly thoughtful.”

“Tomorrow, this palace will summon her into the palace for a visit to sound out her intentions. If she loves wealth, this palace will give her gold and silver treasures. If she covets official position, what harm is there in giving her one? This palace doesn’t believe there exists a person in this world without desires.”

When Consort Xiao learned of Ji Yunshu’s true character, she would probably slap herself hard!

How could she know that Ji Yunshu loved wealth only to secure food and a future path? But now that Luan’er had died, one bowl of porridge was enough for her.

As for coveting official position?

Where would that even come from?

Consort Xiao seemed to hold complete confidence. That piece of superior “jade” that was Ji Yunshu—she absolutely had to obtain it.

After the two had plotted together for a while, Jing Yi saw that the hour was getting late. Thinking he should still make a trip to the imperial study to see his father, after all, having entered the palace, the title of filial son still had to be fully performed.

Before leaving, Consort Xiao pulled him over and straightened his clothing for him.

As she did so, she said, “Your father has been in a bad mood recently. Border affairs have weighed heavily on his mind. When you go, be careful with your words. Don’t touch on things that vex him.”

“Your son understands.”

“Oh right, didn’t your father bestow a golden canary on you last time? Have you been caring for it well?”

Caring for it?

He’d already released it.

However…

He nodded. “Your son has been caring for it well. The creature Father bestowed cannot have any mishaps.”

“Good that you understand.” Consort Xiao’s jade hand gently brushed his shoulder. “Go see your father.”

Jing Yi clasped his hands in salute, bowed, and withdrew.

Leaving Zhangzhi Palace, it began to drizzle. A eunuch stepped forward offering an umbrella.

But Jing Yi suddenly swept his sleeve, knocking the umbrella from the eunuch’s hand to the ground.

It made a muffled thud!

This frightened the eunuch terribly.

He quickly knelt on the ground, prostrating himself, not daring to make a sound.

Jing Yi’s extremely cold eyes carried a kind of resistance and unwillingness toward imperial power.

He hated it—hated his father!

A bestowed golden canary?

It was clearly meant to tell him that he was just a golden canary, who could only stay in a cage and should never, ever covet the Crown Prince position.

His hands at his sides clenched into fists, then gradually relaxed.

With another sweep of his sleeve, he headed toward the imperial study.

The eunuch on the ground didn’t dare raise his head for a long time. What had happened to Prince Yi today?

Everyone knew Prince Yi was gentle by nature, very tolerant toward people, and even had the title of refined gentleman. How could he have lost his temper so greatly at this moment?

Strange!

…

The carriage returned from Yi Zhuang to Prince Rong’s manor. All along the way, Jing Xuan had been hanging out the carriage window, her body and head nearly completely extended outside.

That nauseated feeling originally still lingering in her heart became even more unbearable with the jostling of the carriage.

She vomited several times until even bile was coming out.

Ji Yunshu still sat properly, not even glancing at her once, though without the slightest hint of disgust.

When they finally arrived at Prince Rong’s manor, Jing Xuan immediately jumped down from the carriage and rushed into the manor like a streak of smoke, probably to find a place to continue vomiting.

Ji Yunshu followed Jingrong into the main hall. Lang Bo stood guard outside the door.

He asked her, “What do you really think about this case?”

“You actually want to ask if I have confidence, don’t you?”

“I’ve never doubted your abilities. Since I said I would trust you, I will definitely continue to trust you. On this point, you need not question.”

Ji Yunshu said calmly, “If that’s the case, I might as well tell Your Highness—actually, I have no leads whatsoever. Currently, I can only wait for Jing Zhaoyin to go to the crime scene and investigate thoroughly. If nothing is found, then what the next step should be, I also don’t know.”

Speaking to this point, she actually smiled helplessly.

“Perhaps we can only wait for the murderer to strike again!”