At this moment, the boat was already swaying unsteadily as it sailed toward the center of the river, continuing downstream toward Zhao Family Village!

Inside the boat, Ji Yunshu looked at Jingrong with a trace of doubt.

Jingrong seemed to want to maintain an air of mystery, curving his lips into a smile. Those sinister pupils held a frivolous playfulness, yet when they fell upon Ji Yunshu’s gaze, they carried the tenderness of an iron-blooded man.

Like a flame, gradually spreading through Ji Yunshu’s entire body!

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable under this stare, she instinctively averted her eyes.

She said, “Since Your Highness can guess what I want to ask, why maintain this air of mystery with me?”

“Master Ji, it seems you truly have no fear of death.”

“Does this have anything to do with Your Highness knowing I’m here and knowing I’m going to Zhao Family Village?”

“Of course it does.” Jingrong’s answer was firm, his gaze focused. “That night when we were pursued by the black-clothed assassins, since they harbored murderous intent, how could they simply let the matter rest? This prince has already stationed hidden guards around himself, and moreover, this prince can still protect himself. But Master Ji, you are all alone.”

The implication was clear—he was worried the black-clothed assassins would target her again!

Ji Yunshu’s expression tightened. “If this humble one hasn’t guessed incorrectly, Your Highness should have secretly sent people to monitor me.”

“Not monitor—protect.”

His voice was deep and utterly serious.

On the road from the yamen back to the Ji family residence, Ji Yunshu had already sensed someone following her. Sure enough, they were Jingrong’s people.

“This humble one is very grateful for Your Highness’s intentions,” she said.

But Jingrong carried a trace of self-reproach. “If not for this prince, you wouldn’t have been dragged into this. Protecting you is what this prince should do.”

“But even so, Your Highness need not accompany me to Zhao Family Village.”

“As a precaution, one must be on guard. You can neither fight nor know how to escape. If you truly encounter those black-clothed assassins from that day and lose your life, this prince would owe you for the rest of his life.”

These words stirred something in Ji Yunshu, making her feel something was off. Her brows lowered, and she said nothing more.

Jingrong asked another question. “However, what are you going to Zhao Family Village for? In such heavy rain, and in such a hurry.”

Ji Yunshu answered, “I discovered a child’s belly band on Master Jiang’s clothing.”

A belly band?

Hearing these two words, Jingrong’s brow furrowed. After some thought, he shook his head slightly. “Master Jiang and Madam Jiang have no children.”

“However, there was once a little girl in the household—the daughter of a woman called Sister-in-law Yu. Now they live in Zhao Family Village. Since the case of the yin-yang corpses remains unsolved, naturally I must investigate thoroughly as soon as possible.”

“Must you go yourself? Have the people at the yamen all broken their hands and feet?”

Hey, hey, hey, can you not speak so bluntly!

She’d just been thinking this fellow had become a bit more normal, and with one sentence, he’d exposed himself again.

Ji Yunshu pressed her lips together, hiding her distaste, and said, “When the yamen people handle matters, they always make a big spectacle of investigating, making it known to everyone. But this case is different.”

“How is it different?”

“…”

Ji Yunshu was stumped by his question. This… she didn’t know how to explain it either.

Shaking her head, she only said, “Once we arrive, Your Highness will naturally understand.”

This curious baby Jingrong finally fell silent and stopped asking questions.

Outside, torrential rain poured down, beating against the boat’s canopy with increasingly loud sounds.

Deafening!

The boatman stood at the stern, rowing with all his strength.

The swaying boat looked extremely dangerous.

The further downstream they went, the larger the waves became. The boat was solitary on the river’s surface, tossed about by the waves in dramatic ups and downs, seeming on the verge of capsizing.

If not for the experienced boatman, the boat would have already sunk.

Inside the boat, Ji Yunshu gripped the handrail with one hand, her expression growing increasingly tense.

Sitting across from her, Jingrong showed no sign of tension. Instead, he inappropriately asked a question.

“Your father is dead?”

“…”

He actually believed her lie?

She didn’t know whether to call him naive or simple-minded.

Ji Yunshu didn’t answer.

Jingrong furrowed his brow with worry and asked again, “Your injuries—are they somewhat better?”

“Ah—”

Just as Jingrong asked that question, the boat suddenly lurched violently. Ji Yunshu’s hand slipped from the handrail, and her entire body lunged uncontrollably toward Jingrong.

In that instant, her left hand, which had lost its support, was firmly grasped by Jingrong’s large hand, and her waist was immediately confined within Jingrong’s arm.

Her face, at the very moment Jingrong caught her body, crashed into his solid chest.

Fine satin pressed against her cheek, combined with the cool sensation of invading rainwater, mingled with the man’s unique scent, swirling around Ji Yunshu’s nose, making her shudder violently.

Her body also trembled like frost on a winter morning.

Faintly shaking!

Holding the slender Ji Yunshu in his arms, Jingrong felt somewhat greedy.

His hand unconsciously used a subtle force, pulling Ji Yunshu even more tightly into his embrace.

When the boat stopped swaying, he lowered his head, bringing his lips close to her ear, and asked softly.

“If this prince weren’t by your side, what would you do?”

“…”

Five years ago when I transmigrated here, you weren’t around, and didn’t I manage just fine?

Naturally, Ji Yunshu kept these words stuck in her throat without speaking them aloud.

She raised her eyes and met Jingrong’s gaze looking down at her.

Their eyes locked together like tangled threads, wrapping tighter and tighter, yet making her heart feel anxious.

She had to admit that Jingrong was an extremely handsome man!

Though he didn’t have Wei Yi’s gentle breeze-like demeanor and peaceful beauty.

Nor did he have Ji Pei’s scholarly air and sympathetic gaze.

However, Jingrong’s appearance was as if carved by an official’s blade—handsome, emanating a dignified air. His wicked brows and eyes held at this moment a faint, deep smile.

Such a man gave one a strong sense of security!

Ji Yunshu immediately avoided his gaze. Her unconfined right hand pressed against his chest, pushing with force to struggle free from his embrace.

“Thank you, Your Highness. The boat was swaying, and this humble one didn’t grip firmly.”

“Then sit beside this prince, and this prince will support you.”

“…”

Before Ji Yunshu could offer a rebuttal or two, he had already pulled her to sit beside him, gripping her arm with absolutely no intention of letting go.

Ji Yunshu twisted her wrist, somewhat afraid to look at Jingrong beside her, only saying, “This humble one is fine. Please release your grip, Your Highness.”

“No.”

“Your High—”

“If you fall to your death inside the boat, this prince will still have to collect your corpse. Too troublesome.”

“…”

Speechless!

She could only compromise!

The boatman rowing outside looked inside and called out loudly.

“Are you two young masters all right? Sit steady—once we pass the next few waves it’ll be fine. Though Zhao Family Village isn’t far, with today’s heavy rain, the water’s surface isn’t calm either. You…”

The boatman outside prattled on endlessly, his voice gradually drowned out by the heavy rain.

After traveling for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they finally arrived at the entrance to Zhao Family Village.

Fortunately, they arrived safely!

Jingrong supported Ji Yunshu as she disembarked, and only then did he release her hand.