“Cough, cough, cough.” Qi Shuo began coughing.

The coughing immediately drew Cheng Maoming’s attention: “Is the Heir all right?”

The jade-skinned young man’s cheeks flushed with a thin layer of red from coughing: “I’m fine, Grand Commander, please continue questioning.”

But Cheng Maoming didn’t continue: “We’ve been questioning for so long, everyone’s tired. Let’s have some tea and rest a bit before continuing.”

The Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations was perceptive and quickly said: “Why don’t you come sit at the Court of Diplomatic Relations?”

The Court of Diplomatic Relations was right next to the guesthouse, very convenient to reach.

Before leaving, Cheng Maoming specifically instructed his subordinates: “Keep a close watch on all these people. We still need to question them later.”

Upon arriving at the Court of Diplomatic Relations, Qi Shuo said to the Minister: “May I borrow Minister Ouyang’s study?”

The Minister was momentarily stunned by these words, while Cheng Maoming was both surprised and delighted: “Has the Heir perhaps discovered some clue?”

The Minister gave Cheng Maoming a deep look.

He was certain that today’s Grand Commander Cheng was acting a bit strange. Just because Prince Jing’s Heir wanted to use a study meant there was a clue? He must be going mad from wanting to find the missing Yuliu maidservant.

“More or less.” Qi Shuo nodded slightly.

The Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations fell into a daze.

Although Prince Jing’s Heir’s answer was cautious, the meaning was clearly that there was a clue!

“Minister Ouyang?” Cheng Maoming called out, thinking to himself that Minister Ouyang must be getting on in years, seeming not quite sharp.

The Minister snapped back to attention: “Oh, this way please.”

The group went together to the study, where writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were all available.

Qi Shuo politely asked: “You don’t mind if I use these?”

“The Heir may use them as he pleases.” As the Minister spoke, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

There weren’t many imperial family members as modest and courteous as Prince Jing’s Heir.

Qi Shuo spread out the painting paper, picked up a brush, and began to draw.

His expression was focused, his brush flying across the page. Soon the outline of a young woman took shape.

In the study, besides the person painting, there were only Lin Hao, Cheng Maoming, and the Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations. The three kept their eyes fixed on the paper. Before long, Lin Hao was the first to notice something: “Is this the missing Yuliu maidservant?”

“Is it?” Cheng Maoming pushed the Minister aside to get a closer look.

The Minister’s attention shifted to Lin Hao: “And this person is—”

He had been curious about this young man’s identity for some time.

Cheng Maoming inwardly groaned, just about to help cover things up, when he heard Lin Hao say openly: “I’m Second Miss Lin from the General’s Mansion, accompanying the Heir to observe.”

In that instant, the Minister’s eyes went round. It took him quite a while to let out an “Oh,” and he looked toward Qi Shuo in a daze. Qi Shuo was focused on painting and didn’t respond, so he couldn’t help but look at Cheng Maoming, only to see the Grand Commander’s face completely unchanged.

Thus the elderly Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations fell into another daze.

“Why is the Heir painting the Yuliu maidservant again?” Cheng Maoming had also figured it out and asked Qi Shuo in puzzlement.

“Just a moment.” Qi Shuo quickly finished painting the Yuliu maidservant, picked up the paper to set it aside to dry, then spread out another sheet of rice paper and began drawing again.

Cheng Maoming grew even more curious.

Still painting?

As Lin Hao watched Qi Shuo’s brush strokes fall, inspiration struck: “Hu Da?”

“What Hu Da?” Cheng Maoming didn’t react immediately.

The Minister was equally bewildered: “Is the Heir going to paint that Hu Da from earlier?”

Qi Shuo focused on painting and gave a faint acknowledgment.

Cheng Maoming and the Minister looked at each other, both seeing confusion in the other’s eyes.

“Why paint Hu Da?” Cheng Maoming didn’t want to disturb Qi Shuo, so he simply asked Lin Hao.

Lin Hao smiled slightly: “The Grand Commander will understand once the Heir finishes the painting.”

Cheng Maoming got nothing from his questions and disappointedly touched his nose.

The study fell quiet for a time, until finally Qi Shuo set down his brush.

Cheng Maoming and the Minister simultaneously craned their necks, staring intently at the person on the painting.

It was indeed Hu Da, whom they had just questioned.

“Does the Heir think this person is suspicious?”

Qi Shuo took the portrait of the Yuliu maidservant he had set aside earlier and placed it together with Hu Da’s: “Grand Commander, Minister Ouyang, compare these two people. What do you notice?”

“These two people—” Cheng Maoming stroked his chin as he examined them, then suddenly paused, saying uncertainly, “Their face shapes seem quite similar.”

Receiving Qi Shuo’s nod of approval, Cheng Maoming grew excited: “And the distance between their eyebrows and eyes, the shape of their noses—”

“Hu Da is the Yuliu maidservant in disguise?” The Minister’s beard trembled with excitement.

Cheng Maoming’s remaining words got stuck in his throat, and he looked at the Minister with distaste.

Why did this person have to blurt out the answer?

Qi Shuo used a handkerchief to gently wipe the ink from his fingertips, his tone calm: “The two have similarities in face shape and features. The missing Yuliu maidservant has the natural conditions to disguise herself as Hu Da.”

Cheng Maoming clapped his hands: “So that means Hu Da and the gatekeeper might both be telling the truth—the Hu Da who went out the second time was the Yuliu maidservant in disguise!”

He couldn’t help but cast an admiring look at Qi Shuo: “How did the Heir notice this?”

Many things seem simple once explained, but to find the key point amidst layers of fog requires extraordinary perception.

Qi Shuo exchanged a glance with Lin Hao.

They had thought of this so quickly because of what happened with the fake Du Qing.

“I enjoy painting portraits and have a habit of observing a person’s facial features and bone structure. Plus, having just painted the Yuliu maidservant, the impression was quite fresh.” Qi Shuo paused, then brought up the Yuliu envoy. “When the Grand Commander suggested to the Yuliu envoy that we paint a portrait of the Yuliu maidservant to facilitate the search, the other party showed not the slightest reluctance. That’s when I began to have some suspicions.”

Contrary to what he showed, the Yuliu envoy absolutely did not want the maidservant to be found, yet he didn’t care at all that the Yuliu maidservant’s appearance would become known. One possibility was that the missing maidservant had changed her appearance, in which case searching for her based on her portrait would actually provide cover.

Cheng Maoming couldn’t help but nod: “The Heir is truly observant.”

The Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations also looked at Qi Shuo differently.

He had thought Prince Jing’s Heir was just a talented scholar skilled at painting, but he turned out to be a person of exceptional intelligence.

“There’s more.” Lin Hao took over: “The Yuliu envoy said those three maidservants had a deep bond with the missing maidservant, but when they spoke with the Heir, they only showed shyness and excitement, without any worry for their missing sister. That also doesn’t make sense.”

The young man who had been so composed all along explained earnestly: “This I truly didn’t notice.”

Lin Hao smiled.

Qi Shuo: “…”

Cheng Maoming looked at Qi Shuo sympathetically.

See, this is why you shouldn’t bring your future wife along on such serious official business.

“Ahem. So according to the Heir and Second Miss Lin’s deduction, the person we need to find isn’t the Yuliu maidservant in this portrait, but Hu Da?” Cheng Maoming picked up Hu Da’s portrait, incidentally helping Qi Shuo out of his predicament.

“To be safe, the Grand Commander could question Hu Da and the gatekeeper again without alerting the Yuliu envoy. If they confirm they weren’t lying, it should be correct.”

“Good, I’ll arrange for someone to question them quietly right away.”

The Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations couldn’t help but voice his concern: “If that maidservant truly disguised herself as Hu Da to leave the guesthouse, I’m afraid she left the city at that time, didn’t she?”