Mu Hanjiang stood respectfully outside the bedchamber with his sleeves spread wide, still refusing to leave.

“I understand Your Highness needs rest, but His Majesty has commanded me to assist the Third Prince in investigating this case. I dare not delay. Once I’ve asked what I need to ask, I will depart and let Your Highness rest.”

Had anyone else spoken these words, it would have seemed extremely disrespectful. Would an official dare to keep the Crown Prince from resting if they couldn’t get the answers they wanted?

But the speaker was Mu Hanjiang—the head of the shadow guards who struck fear into the hearts of all officials—and he truly could trouble the Crown Prince.

Knowing she couldn’t shake off this persistent nuisance, Xiaoying simply got up, changed her clothes, and then collapsed weakly onto a nearby couch, allowing Young Master Mu to enter and speak.

When Mu Hanjiang entered the room, he was greeted by the sight of a delicately carved jade youth lounging languidly on the couch.

The youth wore a moon-colored casual robe, a jade crown with golden hairpins, one hand propping up his cheek, one foot dangling a half-fallen slipper, swinging leisurely, exuding an indescribable relaxed elegance…

Just as the Third Prince had grumbled when leaving the Eastern Palace that day, his fourth brother had become even more provocative than before.

Though his manner had less femininity, it had gained a certain indefinable allure.

Yan Xiaoying calmly endured Mu Hanjiang’s piercing gaze that swept over her, and mockingly said, “Young Master Mu, you truly must care about me, staring without even blinking! Come, sit on the couch, closer, and I’ll let you… Look your fill!”

The flirtation in these words was unmistakable. Mu Hanjiang immediately lowered his gaze, politely thanked the Crown Prince for offering him a seat, and then sat… on the chair furthest from the Crown Prince.

After hearing Mu Hanjiang’s purpose for coming, Xiaoying couldn’t help but laugh: “Wait, Young Master Mu wants me to help you reconcile accounts and restore the altered ledgers? You… think too highly of me, don’t you?”

The old accounts of the Imperial Household Department were being investigated, and someone had hastily altered the old ledgers. If they were to verify them one by one, it would certainly be time-consuming and laborious, and also inconvenient for interrogating and questioning people. Someone wanted to delay the process.

The flood disaster was urgent, the treasury of the Imperial Household Department was in crisis, and extracting money quickly from those corrupt officials was needed to address the emergency.

Why would Mu Hanjiang seek the incompetent Crown Prince’s help with accounting instead of requesting assistance from experienced officials? Wasn’t this like a desperate person seeking any remedy?

Mu Hanjiang didn’t find his request absurd at all and said calmly, “When Your Highness was drinking tea with me at the Court of Justice that day, you mentioned the old case of Meng Zhun. To refute me, you cited figures from the three-year-old accounts of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. After checking the records afterward, I found that Your Highness’s figures were accurate to the penny. When I asked Minister Li, I learned that Your Highness had only reviewed those accounts five days prior. You had merely glanced through them quickly without taking the ledgers away. Yet in such a short time, you could remember them without error, showing your exceptional memory, recalling the figures without mistake.”

Oh, so that day, angered by her foster father being framed, she had said too much to this fellow.

But she still maintained her flippant attitude and asked indifferently, “So?”

“So I learned of Your Highness’s vast knowledge and strong memory. Before those accounts were altered, Your Highness had already reviewed and examined them. If you’re willing to assist the Court of Justice, we can surely find the errors more quickly and help His Majesty punish the corrupt vermin.”

Xiaoying smiled, suddenly swinging her foot and violently flinging the slipper dangling from her toes at Mu Hanjiang.

“How dare you! Do you take me for a fool? This isn’t about punishing corruption! You and the Court of Justice are targeting my mother and the Tang family! I’ve heard that in these past days, all those arrested have been supporters and advisors of the Tang family. If I help the Court of Justice, wouldn’t I be severing ties with my mother and the Tang family?”

Thunder, rain, and even a shoe sole—all were graces from the Crown Prince.

Mu Hanjiang understood protocol and didn’t dodge, allowing the sole of the shoe to strike his face.

He had achieved success at a young age and maintained a dignified demeanor before all officials, civil and military. Even His Majesty had never treated him thus—when had he ever suffered such base humiliation?

At this thought, a flash of anger crossed Mu Hanjiang’s eyes, but when he looked up at the flippant youth, he realized the Crown Prince was deliberately trying to provoke him to change the subject.

Taking a deep breath, Mu Hanjiang finally controlled himself, lifting his robe to kneel on the ground: “I wouldn’t dare. I do this only for the country and the emperor. Your Highness is intelligent and must understand that severing ties with the Tang family isn’t a bad thing at this time. If you’re willing to help me, His Majesty will see it.”

Xiaoying hadn’t expected Mu Hanjiang to speak so boldly. Was he suggesting that severing ties with the Tang family was better than severing ties with His Majesty?

She smiled: “Where does your confidence come from, to think I would abandon my mother and the Tang family?”

Mu Hanjiang lifted his head slightly, looking steadily at the youth on the couch: “My sister’s appearance is not exceptionally stunning, nor is her temperament particularly virtuous, yet on the day of selection, Your Highness chose only Yanyan. I originally thought Your Highness merely had different tastes. But later, when the Third Prince came to make trouble, His Majesty showed no deep affection or attachment. It seems… Your Highness’s choice had nothing to do with male-female attraction, but rather, you wanted to use me to reject the lady from the Tang family. If Your Highness didn’t want to stand alone, why would you give up such a good match with the Tang family?”

These insights were only recently realized by Mu Hanjiang.

After all, he had previously regarded this good-for-nothing Crown Prince as a fool. What logic could there be in a fool’s actions?

But strangely, after being imprisoned for four years, the Crown Prince suddenly developed a good mind, and his actions, though seemingly absurd, all had some method to them.

This also forced Mu Hanjiang to reassess the Crown Prince as a person, as well as the principles behind his actions.

Xiaoying smiled. As expected of the man who commanded the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards on behalf of his father, with just a slight carelessness, he had figured out the reasoning.

She didn’t put her shoe back on but paced barefoot to Mu Hanjiang’s side: “Minister of Education, shouldn’t we first settle our accounts? You once feigned lameness to frame me, causing me to be confined for four years. Now that you see my dethronement has failed, you come brazenly asking for my help… Where does Your Excellency get the confidence to think I would forgive you?”

Seeing the Crown Prince expose the hidden truth from four years ago, Mu Hanjiang showed no panic and said solemnly, “Blessings and misfortunes are interconnected. The accident from four years ago, though causing Your Highness inconvenience, also allowed you to stay outside the vortex and reflect, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Your Highness’s loss of composure that day was a fact, as was my fall from the high platform. As for the reason for Your Highness’s loss of composure, it truly had nothing to do with me. So… there’s no question of forgiveness or not.”

“Are you saying you weren’t the one who drugged me that day?”

Elder Brother Feng Qiyuan was pure-hearted by nature and not a lustful person. He had attended palace banquets since childhood and had a decent tolerance for alcohol. He wouldn’t lose composure like that after just a few drinks.

Xiaoying had asked Feng Qiyuan about the circumstances of the palace banquet four years ago. According to her brother’s description, his reaction was more like he had been given some filthy drug.

Hearing the Crown Prince’s questioning, Mu Hanjiang frowned slightly and explained briefly: “I… wouldn’t dare.”

Indeed, how could such a dignified and refined noble young master like him drag a man to flirt with him?

Having cleared up this matter, Xiaoying magnanimously patted Mu Hanjiang’s shoulder.

This fellow had a point. Given the circumstances and her brother’s temperament, if he hadn’t been deliberately harmed by this man’s feigned lameness, he would likely have been drawn into an even bigger vortex with no way to protect himself, and wouldn’t have lasted until she came to rescue him.

Since Mu Hanjiang had come to negotiate a deal, it showed his intention to temporarily cease hostilities and make peace.

Xiaoying, now in the palace and treading dangerous waters, couldn’t speak too definitively. Temporarily easing relations with this cunning Mu Hanjiang was better than remaining enemies.

Besides, she had long wanted to stir up that stinking sewer of Jiangsu and Zhejiang!

Such an opportunity to investigate accounts and enter the game was rare—how could she let it pass?

But before entering the game, conditions had to be agreed upon: “If I help you and word gets out, it will be trouble. Yiyuan is desolate; I don’t want to be confined again…”

Mu Hanjiang replied without hesitation: “This matter shows Your Highness sacrificing family ties for justice. I will certainly not betray the Crown Prince’s favor. This matter shall be known only to heaven, earth, you, and me!”

Xiaoying smiled lazily and asked, “Have you brought all the ledgers?”

Mu Hanjiang countered, “Would it be convenient for Your Highness to examine the accounts in the Eastern Palace?”

It seemed Young Master Mu also knew that the Eastern Palace was full of spies from various palaces, making it unsuitable for doing proper business.

“…Do you know about the famous performer Qin Guan coming to the capital to sing?”

Mu Hanjiang was momentarily confused by the question, but when he met the youth’s sly gaze, he immediately understood his meaning.

And so, the next day, the deathly ill Crown Prince suddenly revived with energy, dressed himself properly, and announced he was going to the Imperial Household Department on business, catching everyone off guard.

Jian Hu greatly disliked this impulsive behavior without proper notification to the Empress, and said she would inform Her Majesty.

Xiaoying told her to quickly go inform the Empress and not delay her departure.

But when Jian Hu went to Fengming Palace to report, Xiaoying waved to Jin Zhong and simply left, getting rid of Jian Hu.

Sitting in the carriage, Xiaoying yawned, seeming tired, appearing as if she hadn’t slept well.

Halfway there, the Crown Prince suddenly ordered a change of route, saying on impulse that he wanted to go to a theater in the city to watch a performance. So the carriage procession turned toward the theater.

Today, the theater was open as usual but unusually quiet, as if someone had already reserved the entire place. Only a few burly men who looked like fighters were seated inside.

But since the Crown Prince had come, he naturally entered. The Crown Prince decreed that watching performances was an extremely refined activity unsuitable for rough guards, so all attendants were forbidden to enter, and Jin Zhong also remained at the bottom of the staircase on the first floor.

In a dim private box on the second floor, hung with beaded curtains, Mu Hanjiang had found a stand-in for the Crown Prince.

A youth of similar build to Xiaoying changed into the Crown Prince’s clothes and sat in the dim box, drinking tea and watching the performance. Looking up from below, one could only see a general outline, unable to distinguish true from false.

Meanwhile, Yan Xiaoying and Mu Hanjiang, who had been waiting there, sat in the tea room behind the box and began reconciling accounts by candlelight.

Mu Hanjiang had long suspected this young Crown Prince of hiding his talents, but when he verified his thoughts, the young Crown Prince’s shrewdness still exceeded his imagination.

Watching the youth skim through pages, marking suspicious accounts, and even skillfully manipulating an abacus.

Mu Hanjiang pursed his lips and couldn’t help asking, “Your Highness, why… do you know how to use an abacus?”

A Crown Prince’s education would include the art of ruling, archery, but never such merchant skills of the marketplace.

Yan Xiaoying remained composed, fingers moving without pause, not even looking up as she said, “Thanks to you! Why don’t you try being imprisoned for four years, like being in jail, so boring? I learned many skills from those eunuchs and guards—calculating with an abacus, making noodle soup… I can even weave straw sandals! Would you like me to make you a pair sometime?”

Mu Hanjiang wasn’t sure if the Crown Prince was threatening to give him a hard time.

But regarding the events of four years ago, he was indeed in the wrong, so he finally wisely kept quiet and no longer interrupted the Crown Prince’s work.

The head of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards, who normally handled thousands of matters daily, now stole half a day of leisure, sitting to the side sipping tea, occasionally raising his eyes to discreetly observe the youth opposite him.

The candlelight flickered in the dark room, the slender youth lowered his head with knitted brows in contemplation, turning his wrist to wield the brush, marking and writing.

Deep in shadows, with a delicate profile, it was difficult to distinguish whether the figure was male or female…