“To stop Prince Rong from investigating the Linjing Case.”

When Ji Yunshu spoke these words, the usually composed Old General Li’s expression suddenly changed, and the teacup in his fingers nearly toppled to the ground.

And though Ji Yunshu had her back to him, she could still sense his unusual reaction.

This also proved that she had guessed correctly.

She turned around, staring at Old General Li as she continued: “I don’t know why you want to obstruct Prince Rong from investigating the Linjing Case, but if my guess is correct, it must be related to Duke Yuguo’s visit to you fourteen years ago. When I asked you that day, General, you didn’t tell me the truth either, because you’ve been concealing something from the very beginning. And that matter must involve widespread implications, relating to Duke Yuguo, relating to the current Emperor, and perhaps even relating to the overall fate of the entire Great Lin realm.”

These words didn’t sound like speculation, but rather a definitive statement.

Old General Li gently set down his teacup, drew a breath, and turned his gaze toward Ji Yunshu. He stood up, looking at the distant hills and forests shrouded in thick fog, his wrinkled face extremely grave.

He praised with a sigh: “I must say, Sir is truly too clever.”

Clever?

Though these words were complimentary, to Ji Yunshu’s ears, they were laughable.

She said bitterly: “If I were truly clever, I wouldn’t have only just now discovered your purpose, General, nor would I have watched Prince Rong go to prison in your stead.”

“Prince Rong’s current predicament was also an unavoidable measure on this old man’s part.”

“An unavoidable measure? Just to stop Prince Rong from investigating the Linjing Case, to guard your secret with Duke Yuguo, you would have Prince Rong die for you?” Ji Yunshu grew somewhat agitated, her agitation tinged with anger.

Old General Li showed a trace of guilt, repeating that same phrase: “Today’s outcome is not what this old man wanted either, but circumstances forced my hand, and ultimately I took this step. Only if Prince Rong dies can the Linjing Case be stopped.”

“Foolish!”

Ji Yunshu rebuked him sharply and took two steps closer: “General, you’ve been wise all your life, yet confused for this moment. Consider this, General—this case was ultimately ordered by His Majesty for Prince Rong to investigate. The imperial edict stands there; no one can disobey it. Even if Prince Rong truly died, there would be another person to take over this case. Would the General not make another trip to the capital and kill them one by one?”

Question after pointed question!

Old General Li seemed struck by lightning. This question apparently hadn’t occurred to him.

And Ji Yunshu continued: “Does the General know that if Prince Rong truly died, I would also continue the investigation, and I would certainly uncover the truth thoroughly? So the one you should kill isn’t Prince Rong, but me instead.”

A miscalculation!

Such a miscalculation!

With Ji Yunshu’s reminder, Old General Li’s mind finally cleared, and he slapped his thigh in genuine regret.

Thinking to himself: Why didn’t you scholar say this earlier?

Damn!

Brother, do you need me to remind you to take a shit too?

Old General Li sighed: “This old man can no longer turn back now.”

“Not necessarily.”

“Hm?”

“I didn’t stop you at the city gate, General, but here instead, which is enough to show that I won’t prevent you from leaving the capital and returning to Qingzhou. It also means that Prince Rong won’t come to harm. He will safely leave the Imperial Prison, and this incident will have no connection whatsoever to either the General or Prince Rong.”

“Sir’s meaning?” Old General Li was slightly shocked!

“I guarantee this matter won’t be connected to the General, and I won’t reveal half a word to anyone. However, I need the General to exchange it for the secret you’ve hidden for fourteen years.”

Her tone was full of conditions!

Yet—

Old General Li said: “The matter has already passed for fourteen years. Why is Sir so persistent in wanting to know?”

“Because I want to know what kind of secret could involve the Linjing Case and make the General so ruthless as to want to eliminate Prince Rong.”

“Does Sir truly want to know what Duke Yuguo said to me back then?”

Ji Yunshu nodded honestly.

After a long silence, Old General Li’s eyes lowered and then rose: “If it were before this old man had just returned to the capital, I absolutely would not have told you. But now that things have reached this point, there’s no meaning in my continuing to conceal it. Very well, I’ll tell you.”

After a long pause—

“Back then, when the Eighth Prince ascended the throne as Emperor, he began secretly weakening Duke Yuguo’s power, constantly suppressing him, even sending hidden guards to monitor every soldier and authority in Duke Yuguo’s hands. Duke Yuguo knew that one day, His Majesty would kill him just as the Late Emperor killed Duke Chao.” He paused, then continued: “Sir surely knows that Duke Yuguo’s household roster recorded in the Ministry of Finance lists seventy-three people, but Sir surely doesn’t know that Duke Yuguo’s household actually had seventy-five people.”

Eh!

Ji Yunshu was shocked!

Her eyes widened!

Disbelieving!

Old General Li’s face was full of regret, his eyes seemingly brimming with tears: “The two people not recorded on the Ministry of Finance roster—one was Duke Yuguo’s third wife, and the other was his son who had just been born twenty years ago.”

Eh!

Ji Yunshu’s entire body went numb for a moment, her hand in her sleeve clenching tightly into a fist!

She questioned: “How is that possible? Duke Yuguo’s five wives and children are all buried in the Imperial Mausoleum, not one missing.”

“Because that third wife came from a brothel background, she was never listed on Duke Yuguo’s household roster. The year the Eighth Prince ascended the throne, which was twenty years ago, the third wife had a difficult labor and gave birth to a son. Duke Yuguo already knew he would be like Duke Chao—His Majesty would surely kill him. So, to protect the third wife and the newly born young master, Duke Yuguo publicly announced that the third wife had died in childbirth and the child couldn’t be saved either. That very night, he ordered distant relatives to send the two away from the capital. The next day, he held a grand funeral, but because the third wife had no official status, she wasn’t buried in the Imperial Mausoleum.”

“It wasn’t until fourteen years ago that Duke Yuguo came to find me and told me about this matter, saying that he had suddenly lost contact with the third wife. At that time, His Majesty had also begun to move against Duke Yuguo’s household, so he begged this old man to help him conceal the truth. If something happened to him, he asked this old man to secretly search for the young master and entrust him to my care. He even gave this old man a command token, saying that if I could find the young master, I should give him the token, because that token could command the hundred thousand troops Duke Yuguo had hidden along the border. But all these years have passed, and this old man still cannot find any trace of the young master.”

“Not long ago, this old man heard that Sir was going to open the coffin, so I rushed from Qingzhou to the capital. Because with Sir’s cleverness and intelligence, sooner or later you would discover that third wife. Once the coffin was opened, you would discover the tomb was empty, and His Majesty would also learn that the young master was still alive. He would certainly pursue him relentlessly to eliminate any future threat.”

“Entrusted by another, one must be loyal to their trust. Regardless of whether the young master is now dead or alive, this old man cannot let anyone open the third wife’s tomb.”

After hearing all this, Ji Yunshu took a very long time to process it!

Her feet weakly retreated two steps backward.