Prince Rong’s Manor!
Lu Jiang clutched a red list and hurried all the way to the pavilion in the rear courtyard.
At this moment, Jingrong was having tea with Qin Shiyu in the pavilion!
Their conversation was quite animated.
“The case can finally begin its investigation. The graves at Linshan have all been excavated. Now we’re just waiting for Master Ji to draw the skeletal reconstructions, so we can determine who the missing person is sooner. Then the case can continue to be investigated by following the leads!” Qin Shiyu said.
Jingrong nodded, “It’s just that it will take quite some time.”
“We’ve already waited fourteen years—what’s this short year in comparison?”
“Lord Qin is quite right.”
The two men took a sip of tea.
Qin Shiyu continued, “By the way, His Majesty’s birthday is approaching. Has Your Highness prepared your gift?”
Not even a trace of it yet!
He shook his head slightly and said, “There’s no rush.”
However, Qin Shiyu was quite concerned and said, “In past years, there would indeed be no need to rush, but this year is different.”
He was deliberately reminding him!
Jingrong smiled. Actually, he understood in his heart.
But he still asked, “What does Lord Qin mean?”
Qin Shiyu furrowed his brows and said, “The current political situation is very clear to all the major officials, and even to His Majesty. Although Your Highness has had no interest in court politics for many years and has never competed with the Crown Prince or Prince Yi, Your Highness’s character and conduct are in no way inferior to any other imperial prince. This year, Your Highness has been ordered to investigate the ‘Linjing Case’ and is already being watched by countless eyes. Now there’s also a Master Ji helping Your Highness, and this person is remarkably clever—at Noble Consort Xiao’s birthday banquet, he publicly used the missing persons case as a bargaining chip to make His Majesty agree to open the coffins at Linshan. Then, in the matter of Qujiang, he displayed his brilliance again. Having such a figure by Your Highness’s side—how could it not make others more vigilant?”
These words struck at the heart of the matter!
They also made one’s heart tighten.
Jingrong simply listened. His initially relaxed brow gradually furrowed.
He knew all this.
Moreover, all of it had deviated from his original plan.
He had originally intended to bring Ji Yunshu to the capital just to draw skeletal reconstructions, not wanting her to become entangled in court politics, but instead—
Everything had gradually gone off track!
He let out a soft breath but didn’t respond to Qin Shiyu’s words.
After a moment, Qin Shiyu seemed to remember something and looked up, saying, “Old General Li is currently on his way to the capital.”
“What?”
Jingrong was shocked!
Qin Shiyu continued, “For over a decade, Old General Li has been living in Qingzhou. No matter what happened, he never came to the capital. But for His Majesty’s grand birthday this time, he’s coming.”
Strange!
Jingrong pondered for a moment and said aloud, “Could it be for the ‘Linjing Case’?”
“Didn’t Your Highness hear from Master Ji that Lady Jiang told her that Duke Yuguo went to Qingzhou to find Old General Li, and after returning, the Duke Yuguo manor had an incident? There must be some connection between these two events. Otherwise, Old General Li wouldn’t be coming to the capital at this time when the coffins at Linshan are being exhumed. Clearly, he’s coming because of the ‘Linjing Case.'”
Qin Shiyu wasn’t questioning—he was certain!
Put this way, it made quite a bit of sense.
Someone who hadn’t entered the capital for over a decade was coming at this critical moment—just to deliver birthday gifts to His Majesty?
Or for the matter of selecting the Crown Princess?
Who would believe that!
Jingrong said, “If he’s truly coming because of the ‘Linjing Case,’ then that’s actually good. This prince won’t need to make a trip to Qingzhou. Once he enters the capital, this prince will find a time to have a good chat with that strange old fellow.”
The corner of his mouth curved up as he took a sip of hot tea.
Calling him a strange old fellow was not surprising at all.
Everyone knew that when Old General Li was in court, his personality was incredibly eccentric.
Speaking of this point, it was worth explaining in detail.
Jiang Taigong fished with a straight hook—that was odd enough, eccentric enough, right?
But this Old General Li was skilled at fishing with just a single line!
Neither agitated nor impatient, knowing it was impossible yet remaining stubbornly unchanging.
In short, one phrase summed it up: You’re anxious? Then you do it!
This was psychological warfare!
On the battlefield, he played this psychological warfare with endless variations. When enemy forces heard his great name, they’d immediately throw down their flags and quit.
Not fighting anymore, not fighting anymore!
Fighting a war was like fishing—utterly exasperating!
They said that when fighting against Old General Li, one absolutely had to have patience. But enemy generals on the battlefield were all brave and fierce warriors—who the hell wanted to discuss patience with you!
It was precisely this bizarre eccentricity that allowed this Old General Li to thrive in the court.
Until eighteen years ago, when he retired from military service and returned to the fields!
Whether such a strange creature with such an eccentric temperament would give Jingrong some face and recount everything about his meeting with Duke Yuguo back then remained to be seen. Otherwise, he’d have to be like Liu Bei visiting the thatched cottage three times, exercising patience and waiting for him to speak on his own.
Just thinking about it seemed like a troublesome affair.
Qin Shiyu had also thought of this point and said, “I do have some rapport with Old General Li. In this matter, let me approach him first to sound out his attitude. If it really doesn’t work, then Your Highness can go.”
“Alright!”
He nodded!
Just at this moment, Lu Jiang had already arrived with that red list.
“Your Highness, the inventory has all been listed here. Please take a look.”
He handed over the list.
Jingrong opened it and looked through it.
On that list were all precious and valuable items.
There was Nanyang gemstone, mountain-sea sapphire, Minshui vase, bamboo-heart skiff, thousand-layer curtain…
The list contained many more items!
After Jingrong looked through it once, he wasn’t very satisfied. He closed the list and said, “Although these are precious, they’re not suitable as birthday gifts.”
Lu Jiang said, “Your Highness, these are all rare treasures. This year, why don’t Your Highness send some of these?”
“No!”
A flat refusal.
Qin Shiyu across from him took the list and looked through it.
Then he said, “Lu Jiang is right. This year is different from past years. The gift Your Highness sends this year shouldn’t be too low-key.”
But Jingrong didn’t think so. He merely smiled faintly, “Although this year is indeed somewhat different from past years, this prince truly doesn’t want to get involved in factional struggles or compete with the Crown Prince and Prince Yi for attention. Moreover, this prince hasn’t accomplished any major deeds in the court. If this year the gift were made grander, it would seem somewhat deliberate. Lord Qin, you understand father emperor’s mindset.”
Upon these words, Qin Shiyu nodded.
“Yes, Your Highness is correct. I was indeed somewhat inconsiderate in my thinking.”
How embarrassing!
But he quickly added another remark, “Actually, in some matters, the more Your Highness tries to avoid them, the more unavoidable they become.”
After speaking, Qin Shiyu handed the list back to Lu Jiang.
Jingrong’s lips still curved in a smile!
Quite intriguing.
Lu Jiang, holding that list, asked Jingrong again, “Then Your Highness, this year’s gift…”
Jingrong’s eyes gazed toward the lotus pond in the distance.
In the early spring season, the entire garden was truly full of vibrant life!
After a long moment, he said in a deep voice, “There’s still half a month’s time. No rush.”
He waved his hand!
Lu Jiang bowed and withdrew.