Looking at Long Dan’s excited face, Yu Jin took a sip of tea and said lazily, “Tell me, what’s the situation?”
Without Cold Shadow’s training, he couldn’t have high expectations for this boy.
Seeing his master’s reaction, Long Dan was immediately dissatisfied.
What, did his master not trust him?
Long Dan coughed and said, “Today was the day Nanny Chang from Cining Palace usually goes to Fude Temple to offer incense. Remembering your previous instructions, I went to keep an eye on things personally, and unexpectedly discovered something big—”
Yu Jin impatiently tapped the table: “Get to the point!”
Ever since he became suspicious of the Empress Dowager, he couldn’t infiltrate Cining Palace, so he focused on the Empress Dowager’s connections outside the palace. That’s when the monthly visits of Nanny Chang to Fude Temple on the first day of each month caught his attention.
Such a target with a fixed time and location was very convenient to monitor, only requiring one or two people.
Yu Jin had assigned this relatively simple daily surveillance task to Long Dan.
To be honest, he hadn’t expected anything unusual to happen so quickly.
Sensing Yu Jin’s impatience, Long Dan didn’t dare to show off anymore and hurriedly recounted everything he had learned today: “Those two women intended to reveal the news of Princess Rongyang’s death to Nanny Chang. Once Nanny Chang knows, the Empress Dowager will know. When the Empress Dowager knows, she will surely be displeased with you and the Princess… Master, this is aimed at you!”
Yu Jin gave a faint “hmm” and asked, “What are the identities of those two women?”
“One is the wife of Supervisor Zhao from the Ministry of Personnel, and the other is the wife of Chief Clerk Zhang from the Court of State Ceremonial. I pretended to be from the Jinlin Guard to question them, and then had two subordinates follow them to prevent them from lying…”
With husbands who were just eighth-rank minor officials, it was unlikely they would dare to lie to the feared Jinlin Guard.
However, Yu Jin immediately seized on the key point: “Pretended to be from the Jinlin Guard?”
Long Dan chuckled: “I had a sudden inspiration and thought pretending to be from the Jinlin Guard would be most convenient for questioning. Those two women will tell their husbands, and the two minor officials won’t dare to actively seek out the Jinlin Guard to inquire, right?”
Yu Jin hit Long Dan on the head and angrily said, “Sudden inspiration my ass! If you dare to act recklessly like this again, I’ll break your head!”
Pretending to be from the Jinlin Guard, how could this kid come up with such an idea?
However, this matter did indeed require the Jinlin Guard’s involvement to be handled well—Yu Jin pondered for a moment, stroking his chin, and decided to go out.
After sending someone to inform Jiang Si, Yu Jin changed into inconspicuous everyday clothes and quietly left Prince Yan’s mansion.
Han Ran, the Commander of the Jinlin Guard, was drinking tea in a teahouse not far from the Jinlin Guard headquarters.
The Jinlin Guard had many tasks and was busy, with considerable pressure. Drinking tea wasn’t slacking off, but a way to relax the mind.
Han Ran liked to sit by the window in a second-floor private room to drink tea.
With no one else in the room, holding a cup of clear tea and observing the people coming and going on the street below gave him a sense that everything was under control—no, it seemed to be an illusion.
Why was Prince Yan looking up and smiling at him?
Han Ran couldn’t help but rub his eyes, and the handsome face smiling below seemed even clearer.
It was indeed Prince Yan!
Seeing that Han Ran had noticed him, Yu Jin pointed at himself, then pointed upwards.
Han Ran was stunned for a moment.
Did Prince Yan want to come up and talk to him?
Seeing no reaction from Han Ran, Yu Jin took it as tacit agreement. He quickly scanned the surroundings, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he leaped up, using his momentum to grasp the edge of the windowsill with his hand, then with another effort, jumped through the open window into the private room.
Han Ran was dumbfounded.
At that moment he was stunned, Prince Yan had already entered.
Yu Jin sat down across from him without hesitation, poured himself a cup of tea, and asked with a smile, “Has Commander Han eaten?”
Such a familiar and friendly greeting was common among people of Da Zhou when meeting on the street, but at this moment, Han Ran didn’t know how to respond.
Of course, he hadn’t eaten, but had Prince Yan just come in like this?
“I hope I’m not disturbing Commander Han’s tea. I saw that Commander Han didn’t object, so I came over to ask for a cup of tea.”
Han Ran stared at the face so close to him, with only one thought: Such a handsome face, how could it be so thick-skinned?
After a moment of silence, Han Ran smiled and said, “If Your Highness wishes to drink tea with me, it’s my great honor. However, in the future, Your Highness had better use the stairs—”
Yu Jin justified himself righteously: “Jumping through the window is more convenient.”
Han Ran: “…” He was left speechless.
Taking a sip of tea and finding it somewhat bitter, Han Ran smiled and said, “Did Your Highness come to see me just for tea?”
He had heard that this prince didn’t act according to common sense.
Yu Jin’s slender fingers held the white porcelain teacup, showing some nonchalance: “This prince has discovered some information that Commander Han should investigate.”
“Uh, I’m willing to hear the details.” Han Ran said this but felt some displeasure in his heart.
The Jinlin Guard was the Emperor’s eyes and ears, only taking orders from the Emperor himself. Since when could a prince so openly direct him? Wasn’t Prince Yan afraid of angering the Emperor if he found out?
As someone who had long held the position of Jinlin Guard Commander, Han Ran was deeply shrewd and showed little expression on his face.
“Today, this prince’s subordinate went to Fude Temple to donate money for incense on behalf of my wife, and accidentally uncovered something…”
After listening to Yu Jin’s account, Han Ran was completely stunned.
Was Prince Yan stupid? This was blatantly telling him that people from Prince Yan’s household were monitoring the Empress Dowager’s people.
How could he believe such a coincidence of accidentally uncovering something?
By this point, Han Ran could no longer guess Yu Jin’s intentions.
Yu Jin didn’t let him guess for long, saying straightforwardly, “Commander Han, for the wives of two minor officials to be able to set up a scheme for the Empress Dowager’s people, there must be something fishy going on. Shouldn’t the Jinlin Guard investigate this thoroughly?”
Han Ran’s mouth twitched.
Prince Yan was truly thick-skinned, accusing others of setting up schemes for the Empress Dowager’s people when he was the one monitoring them.
“This prince’s subordinates have already questioned the identities of the two women—” At this point, Yu Jin rubbed his nose embarrassedly and said, “In the urgency of the moment, and fearing they wouldn’t speak, my subordinate claimed to be from the Jinlin Guard.”
Wanting Han Ran to get involved, the fact that Long Dan had impersonated the Jinlin Guard couldn’t be hidden, so it was better to reveal it early and be straightforward.
Anger flashed in Han Ran’s eyes, already beyond furious.
Impersonating the Jinlin Guard?
Prince Yan wasn’t just thick-skinned anymore, he was insane, wasn’t he?
“Commander Han?” Seeing Han Ran’s prolonged silence, Yu Jin smiled and prompted.
Han Ran came back to his senses and gave Yu Jin a deep look, his expression turning cold: “Is it appropriate for Your Highness to interfere with the Jinlin Guard’s investigations?”
Yu Jin appeared surprised and aggrieved: “How is this interfering? This prince is merely making a small suggestion. After all, those targeting the Empress Dowager have evil intentions. If another disturbance occurs, Commander Han might also face reprimand from Father Emperor.”
Han Ran laughed angrily: “So you’re saying I should thank Your Highness?”
At this point, he didn’t even want to use the term “this official” anymore.
The Jinlin Guard originally didn’t fear any royal or noble, nor did they need to give face to anyone.
Now he just wanted to know where Prince Yan got the confidence to come here and say such things!