Ji Bozai sneezed unexpectedly.
Across from him, Yan Xiao fanned himself and quipped, “Has your romantic escapade turned into a cold?”
“Bite your tongue,” Ji Bozai retorted irritably. “If I were you, I’d pray nothing happens to me, or this mess will land on your head. Let’s see how you’d handle it.”
Reminded of this, Yan Xiao’s mirth faded, and he sighed helplessly, “What luck I have. Just as I was about to enjoy three days off, two of the three physicians at the Baicao Hall died.”
“Isn’t that perfect for you? With two old doctors dead, you can immediately take their place. Your motive for murder is even stronger than those dancing girls.”
Yan Xiao’s fanning paused. He leaped up to cover Ji Bozai’s mouth, both angry and amused. “Just because that little beauty favored me slightly yesterday, how can you baselessly accuse me like this!”
Ji Bozai brushed him off, giving him a cold look. “Who said she favored you? She’s in my courtyard now.”
“You may keep the person, but not the heart,” Yan Xiao lamented. “I can already imagine how that beauty must be weeping in your courtyard.”
Ji Bozai made to leave.
“Hey, hey, good brother, let’s not talk about that,” Yan Xiao hurriedly pressed him back down. “I’m skilled in medicine, but far less knowledgeable about poisons than you. The judicial officer isn’t asking me to identify the poison. Please, help me out.”
The chopsticks of those who died at last night’s banquet had all been smeared with poison. The poison didn’t dissolve in water, was light purple, and odorless. He had searched through many medical books but found no relevant records.
Ji Bozai lazily took the silver tray from him, glancing at the purple powder. “This is just Wuyou grass.”
Yan Xiao was stunned. “You can tell at a glance?”
“That’s why I call you a quack,” he sneered. “I was identifying poisons when you were still wandering around swindling people.”
With the mystery solved, Yan Xiao didn’t bother arguing over this small victory. He immediately sent someone to inform the judicial officer.
“Wuyou grass is only found in the palace. The culprit must be one of the dancers at the banquet. Only they could move freely among the guests without arousing suspicion,” Yan Xiao mused. “But most dancers are raised by the Grand Secretariat. Why would they use such a method to kill a few powerless old ministers when they could simply order their execution?”
“You’re a physician, not a judge. Why think so much?” Ji Bozai stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back.”
Still, deep in thought, Yan Xiao merely waved his hand.
Cursing him under his breath, Ji Bozai left the inner court alone.
Due to the murder case, both the inner court and the streets were under strict control. Everyone was being questioned, which irritated Ji Bozai, so he returned to his private residence early.
As he entered the room, Ji Bozai raised an eyebrow slightly.
Ming Yi wore a jade-colored gauze skirt, its hem spread gracefully on the couch like a blooming flower. The waistline suddenly tightened, with a lotus-pink silk ribbon accentuating her slender waist. Her upper body was wrapped in a perfectly fitted gauze top, neither too much nor too little.
She was engrossed in reading a book. Even in the evening, her eyebrows and lips remained impeccably groomed. Her watery eyes sparkled, her cheeks were lightly powdered, and the candlelight fell just right, adding a touch of gentleness to her appearance.
Hearing movement at the door, she looked up, her eyes showing just the right mix of pleasant surprise and shyness. “My lord, you’ve returned?”
Having seen many women, Ji Bozai found it easy to see through her little tricks. Her makeup had likely just been touched up, and the curve of her skirt had probably been carefully arranged.
But he still found it pleasing. No man dislikes a beauty going to great lengths to please him.
So he casually pulled her into his arms. “Did you miss me?”
Ming Yi’s face reddened, and she nestled against him obediently. “My lord is busy with affairs of state. How could I selfishly disturb you?”
She was considerate, but it felt like something was missing.
Ji Bozai sat down, gently lifting her chin. “Still thinking about that third-rank official?”
Panicking inwardly, she hurriedly shook her head. “How could that be? Now that I’ve come with you, my lord, you’re the only one in my heart.”
“You’re lying,” he narrowed his eyes.
Awkwardly scratching her brow, Ming Yi mumbled guiltily, “You should give me some time to adjust…”
“Perfect,” he said. “There’s been a murder in the inner court. They want to interrogate all the dancers. Why don’t I send you back? You can help with the investigation and adjust at the same time.”
“A murder?” She was startled, her face paling. “Who was it?”
“The physicians from Baicao Hall,” he observed her sidelong. “Do you know them?”
Ming Yi shook her head repeatedly. “No, I don’t.”
She hesitated, blinking. “Why would they suspect the dancers?”
“Those two died right under the Grand Secretariat’s nose without a sound. Who else but the dancers could have poisoned them?” He idly played with her waistband. “You were there yesterday. They might summon you for questioning soon.”
“Please, no,” her face fell. “Anyone can see I don’t have the heart to kill. Please, my lord, see reason.”
When nervous, the tip of her nose turned pink, and her eyes became watery, making her look easy to bully.
Ji Bozai looked at her with a hint of a smile. “If you didn’t kill anyone, what are you afraid of?”
Ming Yi was on the verge of tears. Her delicate fingers clutched his robes as she shook her head desperately. “I’m afraid of the dark prison. It’s dirty and dark, with crawling insects and rats. Even a short stay would be torture. Please, my lord, have mercy.”
Ji Bozai watched her leisurely, waiting until she was almost in tears before pulling her onto his lap. He teasingly stroked her chin. “With me here, what is there to fear?”
Ming Yi relaxed, finally leaning softly against him, nuzzling his neck coquettishly. “You scared me…”
This was exactly what he wanted – to scare her.
Ji Bozai, having navigated the world of romance for many years, understood human nature well. This girl was initially uncertain, not knowing whom to rely on. She needed to be frightened a bit.
Now, she was obediently nestling against him, neither struggling nor avoiding his touch. Her delicate arms were even wrapped around his neck, as if afraid he might leave.
However, intimacy aside, he later summoned Matron Xun privately.
Matron Xun reported as usual: “This girl hasn’t contacted anyone outside, nor has she done anything improper. Her background is clean, and her origins are verifiable. She just talks too much.”
Ji Bozai only cared about the first few points. As for her talkativeness, it was just for these few days. Once his interest waned, she could talk all she wanted; he wouldn’t hear it anyway.
So he only asked, “What are her preferences?”
Matron Xun pursed her lips. “Gold, silver, jade, precious stones – she likes them all.”
It wasn’t unusual for women to be greedy for wealth, but to be as blatant as she was a first for Ji Bozai. Others knew money was vulgar and would at least try to hide their desire for it. This one, however, was so open about it, as if afraid others wouldn’t know.
That was fine. A fair exchange – he could afford it. As long as she didn’t cling to him afterward, everything was negotiable.
So the question was, how much did this little girl think a night of pleasure was worth?