Xiao Jin narrowed her eyes.
She had never considered that such a possibility existed.
But thinking carefully, if the original self’s power before death was truly as vast as Juege claimed, plus the original self’s already decent martial arts, it indeed shouldn’t have come to this.
Before, Xiao Jin had thought the author forcibly lowered the character’s intelligence, deliberately making the original self an early-dying cannon fodder. But now, it seemed perhaps not so simple.
Only, if the original self really did this willingly… based on the original novel’s setup, it was hard not to think of the male lead.
Recalling the male lead’s various behaviors since she transmigrated, she couldn’t find any major faults.
The only suspicious point was that he appeared far too conveniently.
As the Crown Prince of Qi with his own intelligence network, that was normal enough. But he always seemed to anticipate events and appear where he shouldn’t be.
Thinking this far, Xiao Jin felt that merely completing the System’s quests probably wasn’t enough to handle the various coming crises.
Before, she could comfort herself—just finish the tasks, wait another year, and she could go home.
But the current situation clearly showed the System was screwing her over.
The earlier claim that completing the tasks would let her return to the original world now seemed like nothing more than empty promises from a superior.
Being fed these empty promises, Xiao Jin suddenly sobered up. She couldn’t survive on empty promises—she had to rely on herself.
So she tossed aside the brocade handkerchief and said to Juege: “Tell me.”
“Tell me, what plans did this Prince make before?”
…
Juege, pressed into a chair by Xiao Jin, extremely awkwardly recounted the original self’s long and complex plans.
Xiao Jin listened very carefully.
After hearing everything, she discovered the original self’s plans seemed vast and complex but could actually be summarized in three matters.
First matter: campaign against Yao.
Second matter: attack the Melody Shine Kingdom.
Third matter: secretly support the Fifth Prince.
Three matters in total, two related to warfare. Truly, though the original self was violent and warlike, she wouldn’t have been so idle as to go to war for no reason.
After all, war between two kingdoms exhausted resources and people. Not only would it deplete troops and supplies, but it would also lose the hearts of the people.
The original self wasn’t a fool—she certainly understood this.
Yet the original self still went to war, and attacked two kingdoms at once, thoroughly cementing her reputation as a god of slaughter.
Unable to understand this, Xiao Jin frowned and said to Juege: “This Prince can no longer remember why I campaigned against Yao back then.”
She truly couldn’t understand the original self’s various actions, which seemed like an actor deliberately throwing the match.
Juege seemed to recall something, her expression becoming rather strange.
Seeing this, Xiao Jin knew Juege must have something to say. She simply toyed with that box of Spring Mountain Void on the desk, her knuckles tracing the dark carved patterns on the lid, saying nothing.
She didn’t press further, instead choosing to give the other time to think and react.
Juege watched Xiao Jin’s pale, slender fingers caress the rosewood case and felt that icy color was truly harsh on the eyes.
Somewhat uneasily lowering her head, she said respectfully: “This subordinate remembers now. Before you went on campaign, you had this subordinate secretly investigate someone.”
Xiao Jin’s hand paused. “Who?”
Juege answered: “The Ninth Princess of Yao, Chu Shao.”
…
The atmosphere froze for a long time.
Xiao Jin was silent for a moment before asking slowly: “Why did this Prince investigate Chu Shao?”
Juege replied: “This subordinate does not know.”
“…”
Xiao Jin fell silent again.
She truly couldn’t understand the original self’s actions. Nor did she know what the original self knew. A Qi prince who only liked war—why investigate a Yao princess?
So she simply changed the subject: “Then what did you find out?”
Though many years had passed, Juege’s memory had always been good. She answered smoothly: “Chu Shao, Emperor of Yao’s ninth daughter, birth mother was Consort Rong.”
“After Consort Rong passed away, she was raised by Empress Ning for a year. When the Imperial Preceptor returned to court, she was handed over to the Imperial Preceptor to raise.”
The first chapter of the original novel began with the female lead marrying the second male lead. As for Chu Shao’s background, it occupied very little space.
But based on what Juege had uncovered, Chu Shao’s character breakdown was likely connected to the Imperial Preceptor and the Empress of Yao.
Xiao Jin was listening with interest when Juege stopped speaking, seemingly with nothing more to add.
She asked, puzzled: “That’s all you found?”
Juege pondered a moment, looking troubled. “At the time, this subordinate originally intended to report all the intelligence gathered. But you simply asked whether Chu Shao was truly the number one beauty of Great Yao. After receiving an answer, you asked no more.”
“Because there was no chance to say it, this subordinate thought the Prince didn’t care, so I didn’t deliberately remember the latter half of the information.”
Unable to grasp the original self’s thinking, Xiao Jin asked again: “Did the intelligence network collect this information?”
“The manor’s intelligence organization is primarily distributed in Yan Territory. Every day it collects immense amounts of information and secrets. As for this kind of… this kind of trivial old intelligence, I’m afraid it can’t be found now.”
Xiao Jin’s headache worsened. “So you’re saying, this Prince investigated Chu Shao just to confirm whether her title as the number one beauty was well-deserved?”
Juege hadn’t expected Xiao Jin to directly break through this layer. She couldn’t help coughing and offered an excuse: “Perhaps the Prince had no such thoughts. It was just idle curiosity, casually looking into Chu Shao.”
Such words did not convince Xiao Jin in the slightest.
However, the urgent matter was still to move the original self’s power from Yan Territory to the capital. That way, future actions would be much more convenient.
Xiao Jin briefly asked Juege some questions.
Then she discovered that before going on campaign, the original self seemed to have deliberately transferred all her power to Yan Territory.
So much so that experts like Juege had also been dispatched elsewhere. Those left in the capital were just insignificant guards.
Juege explained: “Ye Suyu, Ming Xun, and Bai Zhu should have been ordered by the Prince to remain in Yan Territory. The same applies to the rest of the garrison troops, which is why they never entered the capital. Now, if you wish to recall them, it’s just a matter of giving the order.”
These words carried great momentum.
It had the cinematic feel of one signal arrow summoning a thousand troops.
Yet Xiao Jin, hearing these names, honestly found no memorable impression.
She also couldn’t act completely ignorant. So she said flatly: “Transfer half of the visible personnel first, but keep the hidden forces in Yan Territory for now. Don’t reveal all your trump cards at once. Leave some backup and suspense—that’s more interesting.”
Juege clasped her fist in salute. “Yes.”
Though Xiao Jin still couldn’t estimate exactly how many deployable people the original self had, listening to Juege’s description, she felt handling the Fourth Prince would be more than enough.
Xiao Jin had originally just wanted to slack off—do her tasks, extend her lifespan, and go home after a year.
She hadn’t expected that in this ancient world, so many people wanted the original self dead.
Princess Zhaoyang and the Crown Prince faction had too many followers—they couldn’t be moved for now. So she could only… pick the weakest one and strike.
Since the Fourth Prince didn’t know his place and insisted on repeatedly crossing her red line, she might as well grant his wish and start with him.
Only, behind the second male lead seemed to stand Noble Consort Mu and Zhaoyang.
Setting aside whether Xiao Shuang truly wanted to support Xiao Yi, Chancellor Mu’s power alone wasn’t small—not something that could be toppled in a day or two.
Thinking this far, Xiao Jin opened the box and looked at the fragrance pills inside. She said flatly: “The men in black who tried to assassinate this Prince had very high martial arts skills. They didn’t seem like Xiao Yi’s subordinates—more likely people given to him by Aunt Zhaoyang. Though this Prince knows this, without concrete evidence, this case must still be investigated.”
Juege thought to herself that intelligence gathering had always been Ye Suyu’s responsibility.
Now with Ye Suyu not in the capital, if the Prince wanted to investigate, she would naturally give it her all.
But the capital was full of dangers, and the Prince had been poisoned. If she left, who would protect the Prince?
Juege rose and bowed to Xiao Jin. “Prince, the investigation can be postponed for now. It won’t be too late when Ye Suyu returns to the capital in a few days. Now, what this subordinate worries about most is still your safety.”
Seeing Xiao Jin didn’t answer, Juege grew anxious, worried her words had hit a sore spot.
She bit her lip, maintaining the bowing posture.
For Xiao Jin’s safety, even knowing this might displease her, she could only do this.
Xiao Jin had indeed frowned.
But she frowned not because of Juege, but because when she casually opened the box containing Spring Mountain Void, she noticed one of the fragrance pills seemed larger than the others.
This box of Spring Mountain Void had been sent by Bai Zheng a few days ago—reportedly one had been given to every noble in the imperial palace.
Counting, this was the manor’s second box.
But ever since that dream, Xiao Jin no longer burned Spring Mountain Void, so she had never opened this box.
Now noticing something strange, she took out that notably larger pill. Seeing nothing unusual on the surface, she pinched it open.
Juege heard the sound and looked up to find a slip of paper now in Xiao Jin’s hand.
She watched in amazement as Xiao Jin unfolded the paper, seemingly not understanding how Xiao Jin had known a white paper was hidden inside.
To be honest, Xiao Jin was also curious.
Why was Bai Zheng’s thinking so bizarre, to think of hiding a note inside a fragrance pill?
If it weren’t for her familiarity with the various hiding-place tropes in web novels, anyone else holding this would have turned the note to incense ash long ago.
Juege watched Xiao Jin narrow her eyes and study the characters on the paper for a long time—the coldness between her brows like frost that wouldn’t melt under the eaves.
She knew the Prince had always been cautious and sharp. She must be weighing the truth of the contents now.
In reality, Xiao Jin was just trying to make out traditional characters.
After reading the short line many times, she smiled at Juege and said: “It can’t be postponed.”
“The person hiding in the shadows has already slaughtered the death warriors’ families clean. The only surviving family is that swordsman who appeared at Misty Rain Pavilion that day.”
After reading, Xiao Jin tossed the paper into the incense burner and watched it burn to ash.
“Bai Zheng’s methods aren’t simple. That day she deceived this Prince, claiming she found nothing. But in truth, she followed the swordsman to his residence and secretly placed spies to watch them.”
“Now Bai Zheng tells this Prince that the mastermind will move against this family in two days. Tell me, should this Prince believe her?”
Juege thought for a moment and said cautiously: “Prince, but… Miss Bai’s father is Minister Bai.”
The next sentence remained unspoken, for everyone knew Minister Bai was part of the Crown Prince faction.
Xiao Jin said flatly: “That’s precisely why this Prince believes her.”
Juege was stunned.
Xiao Jin continued: “This Prince believes Bai Zheng will oppose Minister Bai. After all, she has never listened to Minister Bai.”
“Moreover, if the mastermind wants the death warriors’ families to all conveniently die, then this Prince will ensure their families live instead.”
Having reached this point, Juege knew no matter how she tried to persuade, it would ultimately be futile.
Still, if she went to rescue the death warriors’ families, with some garrison troops stationed at Prince Yan’s Manor, she could be somewhat less worried about Xiao Jin’s safety.
Juege was about to accept the order, but unexpectedly, Xiao Jin, looking at the ashes in the incense burner, said thoughtfully: “Xinyang… it seems tomorrow I need to find an excuse to go to Xinyang with the Princess Consort.”
She froze.
Wait, the Prince was going to Xinyang to save people. And with the Princess Consort?
Juege almost thought she’d misheard.
But Xiao Jin rubbed her temples and muttered to herself: “In that case, tomorrow we’ll definitely have to wake up early.”
As if for Xiao Jin, waking early was harder than saving people.
“Juege, this Prince will rest now. Tomorrow, investigate who Misty Rain Pavilion recently sold Spring Mountain Void to, and also… look into the origins of this person named Shen Lang.”
Juege stood completely dumbfounded, not knowing which question to answer first.
She seriously suspected she had hallucinated twice.
