But at this moment, with the folding screen separating them, even if Ji Yunshu wanted to continue questioning, she probably wouldn’t get anything more out of him.

She had no choice but to gather her plain robe and stand up, dusting off the fine fallen leaves on her body. She cupped her hands in salute, turned around, and left.

But she had barely stepped out of the pavilion when Old General Li’s scolding voice came from behind the screen.

“You little beast, you’ve stolen and drunk the aged wine I brought again.”

He was cursing Li Zhao, naturally!

Ji Yunshu only listened with half an ear, but her footsteps didn’t pause as she gradually departed.

Leaving the Li residence, Jingrong’s carriage was still waiting outside. Lang Bo helped her up into the carriage, where Jingrong was squinting as he waited for her.

Seeing her climb in, he ordered Lang Bo, “Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

With that response, the carriage headed toward Zhuxi Garden.

Inside the carriage, Jingrong looked at Ji Yunshu’s bewildered expression and knew without asking.

He said, “It’s only natural you didn’t get an answer. If he told you so easily, he wouldn’t deserve the title of Old General.”

“It’s not that he said nothing.” Ji Yunshu replied.

“Oh? What did he say?”

“In the time it took to drink six or seven cups of tea, he talked about his worthless son and his beastly grandson!”

Pfft—

Jingrong couldn’t hold it in and laughed out loud.

He couldn’t help but mock, “That whole Li family is utterly peculiar!”

Ji Yunshu was speechless!

After a moment, she reached out to lift the carriage curtain and looked outside for a few moments. Seeing they had already left the vicinity of the Li residence, she turned around with a serious expression and spoke to Jingrong.

“Actually, Old General Li mentioned one more thing.”

“What?”

“He brought up how the current Duke Yuguo, when he was Prince Ning, yielded the position of Crown Prince to your father emperor. He didn’t go into depth, and when he mentioned it, it didn’t seem deliberate. However, it was as if he was hinting at something.”

Jingrong understood her meaning.

“You mean Old General Li was actually trying to tell you that the case at Duke Yuguo’s residence fourteen years ago was connected to my father emperor?”

Bah!

She hadn’t said that at all!

She absolutely couldn’t let this be pinned on her—this accusation was one she truly couldn’t bear.

However, Jingrong was a prince, so discussing his father behind his back was only human nature!

Ji Yunshu was extremely cautious and said, “I’m only speculating, I have no solid evidence. Just consider it idle talk from Old General Li. But I also feel that there’s something he didn’t say, or even that he’s deliberately concealing something and simply doesn’t want to tell me.”

After listening to her words, Jingrong pondered.

The hand resting on his knee tapped lightly a few times as he said, “If what you say is true, and Old General Li is indeed deliberately concealing something, then that matter must be extremely important—so important that he’s waited fourteen years, until the very moment when the Linjing Case is about to be uncovered, to choose to enter the capital.”

“Then what is this thing he’s concealed for fourteen years? And why has he entered the capital now? If he really came because of the Linjing Case, then why won’t he tell me what happened back then?”

Ji Yunshu’s questions surged forth like a tide.

However—

Jingrong suddenly drew a conclusion.

“Because he has another purpose!”

These words startled even Jingrong himself.

What kind of person was Old General Li? A senior minister who had served three dynasties! If his entry into the capital this time truly had another purpose, then it must be a major move.

Ji Yunshu hadn’t considered this point, but now that Jingrong had spoken it aloud, she too was quite shocked.

Her expression grew grave!

She remained silent for a long time!

Jingrong’s handsome face grew solemn, his brows furrowing into the character for river.

He earnestly cautioned Ji Yunshu, “I’ll secretly send people to investigate this matter. You’d best not meet with that old fellow again. If he truly has another purpose, it would save you from becoming his chess piece.”

“But I estimate I’m already his target for becoming a chess piece.”

“What do you mean?”

“He discussed with me the position of Director of the Bureau of Review and Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice.” Ji Yunshu said lightly.

“Director of the Bureau of Review and Prosecution?” Jingrong was puzzled. “Several years ago, the father emperor ordered that position abolished. Why bring it up suddenly?”

Ji Yunshu’s elegant brows curved slightly, but she said nothing.

After pondering for a moment, Jingrong had an epiphany. “It seems he was extending an olive branch to you!”

“As they say, receiving favors from others makes one beholden to them.”

“So you didn’t accept this olive branch?”

“It’s not that I didn’t accept it—I didn’t dare accept it! I don’t want to be someone’s chess piece!”

The young woman’s words carried a touch of willful petulance.

Jingrong found it incredibly endearing. His lecherous gaze fixed on her, instantly making Ji Yunshu’s whole body tingle.

She quickly turned to the side!

“Your Highness has this habit of staring at people—why can’t you ever break it?”

A complaint.

Jingrong smiled and wanted to reach out to pinch her cheek, but who knew the carriage would stop just then. Lang Bo lifted the curtain and stuck his head in.

“Your Highness, we’ve arrived!”

They’d reached Zhuxi Garden!

So quickly?

Jingrong’s raised hand paused in midair—neither extending it further nor lowering it seemed right.

Ji Yunshu seized the opportunity and got off the carriage.

Jingrong’s face turned dark. After following her down, he shot Lang Bo an angry glare.

He said coldly, “Meddlesome!”

Then he hurried after Ji Yunshu.

Leaving Lang Bo disheveled in the wind.

Had he done something wrong? No, he hadn’t—they had indeed arrived at Zhuxi Garden. He had only lifted the curtain to report. This had angered the prince too?

Could he get a reason?

He scratched his head and followed them in.

Ji Yunshu had just entered the courtyard when her waist was suddenly embraced from behind. Before she could react, her feet left the ground and her body floated lightly into the air.

From the courtyard, someone carried her as they leaped onto the roof.

Her feet landed on the tiles, swaying unsteadily a few times, but the hand at her waist firmly steadied her, and only then did she stabilize.

The roof wasn’t very high, but looking down still made her heart flutter. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling—she was quite frightened!

When she looked up, she saw that face suddenly magnified before her eyes.

The culprit was Jingrong!

She twisted her body and demanded, “What are you doing?”

“Even though the current situation is fraught with complications and heavy clouds, it cannot affect what’s between this prince and you.”

“Hmm?”

“Today is auspicious—it would be a shame not to appreciate it.”

“Hmm?”

Ji Yunshu was pulled by him to sit down on the roof!

When she looked up, she saw a full moon hanging in the ink-colored sky!

Brilliantly clear.

Moonbeams on the roofbeam, two figures pressed close together, tree branches swaying with their shadows.

A beautiful scene!

Ji Yunshu’s hand was tightly grasped by Jingrong.

Their fingers interlaced!

But looking at the full moon, Ji Yunshu’s heart inexplicably filled with melancholy.

She murmured a phrase.

“I wonder if one day I’ll suddenly return.”

Her voice was very soft, but Jingrong still heard it!

He turned to look at her and asked, “Return? Return to Jinjiang?”

She shook her head.

“A place from a dream.”