When Zhao Huai heard this, his face turned livid!
Burning with rage, he glared at Zhao Qing, extended his finger, and viciously jabbed his chest several times, saying, “Don’t think that just because you say this, I’ll agree. Fine, I’ll let her investigate. Once she uncovers the truth about the skeletal remains in the urn, I’ll still kill her all the same. Those who killed my brothers—I won’t spare a single one of them either.”
“If you kill her, I guarantee not a single person in Gaoshan Stronghold will survive,” Zhao Qing said.
“Oh?” Zhao Huai narrowed his eyes. “So you’re saying you know who those people are?”
Of course he knew!
That Master Ji was a famous case-solving expert in the capital, and that young master was the emperor’s son, the current Prince Rong!
Zhao Qing said seriously, “The one who issued the kill order is a prince.”
A prince?
Zhao Huai confirmed he hadn’t heard wrong. “A prince? The current emperor’s son?”
“It’s Prince Rong. By his side is a Master Ji, renowned throughout the capital. The cases handled under him are countless. Moreover, I’ve heard that even the current emperor is somewhat wary of him—a formidable person. And that person is precisely the one you’re currently confining in the woodshed.”
Uh!
Zhao Huai was surprised!
But not frightened.
He waved his hand. “Impossible!”
“I have no need to deceive you. I’ve already investigated this matter thoroughly.”
“It can’t be.” Zhao Huai still refused to believe it and continued, “That young scholar is just an insignificant thing. How could he be the person you’re describing? And that Prince Rong or whatever—it’s complete nonsense. Who doesn’t know the emperor issued a yellow decree that imperial princes fundamentally cannot leave the capital?”
Brother, who told you all this?
Zhao Qing instead bore with patience and said, “Don’t you know that a major incident occurred in the capital recently?”
“Of course I know. The disaster relief silver from Yufu County’s residences went missing. The court couldn’t investigate it, so His Majesty dispatched someone to investigate.” After finishing, he didn’t forget to add another sentence, “In my view, the court privately took it themselves—thieves crying ‘catch the thief,’ yet pushing all the responsibility onto people like us.”
Filled with righteous indignation!
Yet seemingly straying from the main point.
Zhao Qing said, “Then you surely know that the one commanded to leave the capital to investigate the disaster relief silver this time is precisely Prince Rong, right? Moreover, according to the itinerary, that Prince Rong’s cavalry should have just reached Shanhuai County.”
Uh!
Calculating it this way, it really was true!
Zhao Huai’s heart trembled slightly, shifting from earlier surprise to current trepidation.
He paced several steps, his entire face darkening.
After a long while!
Once he had digested this matter, he walked two steps closer to Zhao Qing, raising his rough hawk-like brows. His sinister eyes gathered a mass of cold light as he said disdainfully.
“Even if everything you say is correct, my Gaoshan Stronghold isn’t to be trifled with. You should know better than anyone—outside are mechanisms Father set up before his death. No matter who it is, if they force their way in, they’ll die. This is also why the court hasn’t dared send people to suppress us all these years.”
“Zhao Huai, when all is said and done, you’re still my biological older brother. If we’re talking about who hates you most in this world, it must be me. But I can’t stand by and watch you commit more crimes for your own sake.”
“Me? For my own sake? I’m doing this for my brothers.”
“Then you should stop even more. Don’t sacrifice more lives.” Zhao Qing was also angry now.
The two argued until their necks turned red.
Zhao Huai was extremely cold and stern, snorting once. “So, are you afraid? Afraid that the prince will hold you accountable? Worried the court will deploy troops? That’s why you want to save that person—so you can then take credit?”
“No!”
“Then what’s the reason? What could possibly make you risk coming here to save someone?”
Because—
He wanted to know how Jiu’er truly died!
So he couldn’t say. If the killer really was Zhao Huai, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t take Ji Yunshu’s life and prevent her from investigating the cause of Jiu’er’s death.
Zhao Qing only said, “I have my own reasons. I don’t need to tell you. In any case, I’ve said everything I should say. If you truly kill that Master Ji or take that Prince Rong’s life and His Majesty becomes furious, the court will pursue this. Do you really think the mechanisms outside Gaoshan Stronghold can block the court’s military forces?”
Of course they couldn’t!
Even using human flesh to block the mechanisms would be sufficient.
Zhao Qing continued, “Because Shanhuai County is on the main route to the capital, once something goes wrong, it will implicate the innocent. That’s why the court doesn’t intervene—not because they’re worried about those mechanisms.”
These words were what Jingrong had told him at the inn.
Although Zhao Huai was a brave man, since Zhao Qing had already revealed Ji Yunshu and Jingrong’s identities and said so much, if he continued to hesitate, it would be somewhat inappropriate.
After deliberating for a moment!
He gave orders.
“Someone, go bring those two people here.”
Da Chui responded and, still rubbing his aching stomach, went to fetch Ji Yunshu.
After a night’s time, plus the excellent medicine Zhao Qing had sent, Ji Yunshu’s back had improved considerably, and her complexion had also recovered.
But she still allowed Wei Yi to support her as she walked in.
Seeing Zhao Huai and Zhao Qing standing together, she roughly guessed what had happened.
Unexpectedly, just as she approached, Zhao Huai asked in a tone full of disdain, “So you’re that Master Ji? Renowned throughout the capital? Even His Majesty is wary of you?”
Bah!
Who said that!
I’m renowned throughout the capital? When did even His Majesty become wary of me?
It’s all rumors, all rumors!
If this were on Weibo, with over 500 reposts, someone could be sentenced!
Ji Yunshu’s small lips parted slightly. She glanced sideways at Zhao Qing before saying, “This humble one is merely an obscure young scholar.”
Zhao Huai didn’t believe it.
He snorted once and said in a commanding tone, “Stop pretending. Don’t you want to preserve your life? Fine. As long as you investigate who destroyed the wine in my urn, I’ll let bygones be bygones.”
How magnanimous!
He didn’t forget to add, “I’m not afraid of your court. I simply want to investigate who destroyed the wine in my urn. Also, I want to obtain what’s in Zhao Qing’s hands.”
Got it!
Got it!
I know you’re actually very impressive!
So you don’t need to deliberately emphasize your reasoning.
Zhao Huai seemed to have worked himself up. He waved his hand and ordered, “All of you listen well. Fish out that skeleton from the urn and let this young scholar investigate thoroughly. Whatever she needs, give her everything. But also keep a close watch. If anything goes wrong, I’ll slaughter you all.”
The crowd didn’t dare speak, only nodding repeatedly.
Pairs of eyes had already settled on Ji Yunshu.
While Zhao Huai departed, burning with rage.
At this moment—
“Why didn’t you directly reveal your identity?”
Zhao Qing questioned.
Ji Yunshu smiled slightly. “Is the Second Chief truly confused, or pretending to be confused?”
“Hm?” Zhao Qing was puzzled and pressed, “Explain yourself more clearly.”
Ji Yunshu didn’t plan to beat around the bush with him.
“An imperial prince leaving the capital to investigate a case is a major matter. Not half an error can occur. Even if something were to happen, it shouldn’t happen within Shanhuai County’s boundaries, so close to the capital. The prince’s cavalry was ambushed by mountain bandits. In a fit of rage, he slaughtered thirty to forty bandits. Afterward, the bandits kidnapped someone close to Prince Rong as leverage. So, if you were His Majesty, what would you think?”
Killed people—impulsive, right?
Had people kidnapped—useless, right?
Making such a scene on the road from the capital—if Emperor Qizhen knew about it, that would be disastrous.
After all, Jingrong and Prince Yi were the greatest competitors for the throne. Prince Yi’s momentum was fierce. Who knew if Jingrong might become the next incompetent crown prince? So His Majesty thought of a scheme—directly dispatching Jingrong to Yufu County as exile, preserving his life.
But if Jingrong somehow solved the case and found ways to return, wouldn’t he fall back into factional strife again?
So this time, if Emperor Qizhen truly found out, in a fit of rage he might directly order Jingrong demoted to Yufu County, legitimately conferring upon him the title of Carefree Prince.
Don’t come back. Don’t embarrass yourself anymore.
That would essentially be blatant “exile.”
And on Emperor Qizhen’s forehead would still be carved the phrase—”Father is doing this for your own good.”