Chapter 50: A Bump and the Hot Potato

The morning dew accumulated more and more heavily, with water droplets rolling down the veins of the lotus leaves, ultimately rousing the sleeping flower buds.

The lotus blossoms began to open.

The shops in Yanjing gradually awoke as well.

However, Zhaixiang Tower on Zhuque Street went against the trend, with not a hint of activity inside the building. Everyone remained deep in slumber.

The lingering scent of wine and powder condensed in the corridors.

Mingled with the chill seeping from the morning dew, it diffused a decadent, cold allure in the air.

Zhuyu was already very familiar with Zhaixiang Tower. She slipped up to the east wing on the third floor and took a secret letter from her sleeve. Before she could even raise her hand to knock, the door opened from the inside.

“Did the Heir Apparent send you?” Dressed in thin silk robes, Xie Lanqin lowered her gaze to the secret letter in Zhuyu’s hand.

Zhuyu nodded and handed the secret letter to her. She had already completed the first task assigned by Zhao Huairen. Next, she still needed to make a trip to the outskirts. After giving Xie Lanqin a simple salute, Zhuyu turned to leave.

Clutching the envelope tightly, Xie Lanqin called out to her, “Wait.”

Zhuyu turned back to look at her.

“Is he really going to Yumu County personally?” Xie Lanqin’s beautiful eyes held worry as she frowned. “Yumu County borders Prince Gong’s fief. By meddling in the Vice Minister of War’s case this time, it’s hard to say whether the Hejia Princess won’t hold a grudge because of it…”

Zhuyu pursed her lips, conveying her stance with just a look: Doesn’t the Heir Apparent know all this?

Since she knew and still insisted on going,

There must be a reason she had to go.

All the words ultimately boiled down to four simple ones. Xie Lanqin pursed her lips and said, “Protect him well.”

Zhuyu nodded slightly.

Then, her figure vanished down the corridor.

…

The proprietress Zhang at the pharmacy didn’t pay much attention to Zhuyu at first, seeing her dressed plainly. But then she realized that everything Zhuyu selected—all the most expensive tonics in the shop.

“This donkey-hide gelatin and bird’s nest aren’t cheap,” Seeing her eye the wild ginseng next, Proprietress Zhang reminded her, “The wild ginseng is even pricier. Are you sure you want to buy it?”

Zhuyu nodded and took a gold ingot from her sleeve.

The gleaming gold stood on the counter.

Under the sunlight, it seemed even more dazzling than the sun in the sky.

As expected! Rich customers just weren’t talkative. Gold was the best pick-me-up. Proprietress Zhang’s eyes lit up as she packed the tonics for Zhuyu, boasting all the while, “These are all great for nourishing a pregnancy, miss. Rest assured, they’re all top-quality goods.”

Zhuyu’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she glanced around the pharmacy’s surroundings.

“What are you looking at, miss?” Proprietress Zhang pushed the packed tonics toward Zhuyu and handed over the change. “It’s just some tonics. No need to worry about anyone seeing…”

The beautiful woman’s face turned abruptly cold, and the air in the shop seemed to freeze. Her words caught in her throat. Proprietress Zhang swallowed and stammered, “In our line of work, we absolutely… won’t say anything we shouldn’t…”

Zhuyu gave her a cold glance.

She picked up the tonics and silver, then turned and left.

The moment Zhuyu stepped out of Zhangji Pharmacy, the letter that Zhao Huairen had Qin An deliver also successfully reached Meng Shu Ting’s hands.

Qin An said softly, “The Heir Apparent instructed me to bring back Minister Meng’s reply.”

Before hearing those words, Meng Shu Ting had no interest in the letter, assuming it was Zhao Huaijin’s apology for her words and actions in Xuanzheng Hall that day. But now—he felt something was off.

If it was just an apology,

Why would it require a reply?

Meng Shu Ting looked up at Qin An and frowned as he unfolded the letter. Moments later, incredulity flashed in his eyes.

“May I ask how this official should reply to the Heir Apparent?”

No matter what, he couldn’t push his own son out to take the blame. Having fallen into Prince Gong’s Faction’s trap, Meng Shu Ting had thought he would suffer heavy losses this time. But if Zhao Huaijin’s plan worked, he would indeed need to view this Duke Rui Heir Apparent in a new light.

“Go back and tell your Heir Apparent that if she can pull it off, this official will remember this favor in the future.”

“Yes.” Qin An cupped her hands in salute. “This official takes her leave.”

After she left, Meng Shu Ting unfolded the letter again, his eyes filled with both doubt and curiosity: Zhao Huaijin had actually written that she could clear Zhe’er’s suspicion without mentioning Brocade Embroidered Tower at all.

They had calculated the time Zhe’er left in advance, and the Hejia Princess still held witnesses. Clearing the suspicion—wasn’t an easy task.

If Zhao Huaijin could truly accomplish this,

Helping her extricate herself from this mess would be a simple matter for him.

–

Stepping into Dali Temple at the noon hour marked by the clapper, Qin An touched her stomach. She was starving, her vision nearly going black.

She clenched her fist tightly.

Pulling herself together, she headed toward the duty office.

But before she could even enter the courtyard, from a good distance away, she heard voices arguing.

“Are you going to investigate this case or not?” The Hejia Princess loomed over Zhao Huairen, her tone full of accusation.

The files on the desk piled up like mountains.

Faced with her public reprimand, Zhao Huairen remained composed.

“Pretending to be deaf and dumb? This princess is asking you a question!”

“The duty office is where Dali Temple handles cases. Per the Great Yong Code of Law, without an imperial decree, the princess shouldn’t barge in.” Zhao Huairen said calmly.

The Hejia Princess sneered, “Is the Heir Apparent using the law to pressure me?”

“If in the princess’s eyes, abiding by the law counts as pressure,” Zhao Huairen’s dark lashes trembled slightly as she raised her gaze to her, “Then Dali Temple’s duty is to ‘pressure people’ with the Great Yong Code of Law.”

“You!”

The Hejia Princess pointed at her nose, her eyes nearly spitting fire. She felt she had trusted the wrong person, actually hoping this one would help her seek justice.

“If there’s nothing else, please leave, Princess.” Zhao Huairen withdrew her gaze and picked up the half-read file from before, continuing her review.

In the past two days, she had discussed it with Prince Gong. The evidence in hand was insufficient. Without Zhao Huaijin’s help, she had no way to bring Meng Caizhe to justice. Given the current situation, the best option was to cling to the Meng Family using Song Juan Hua’s testimony, forcing them to confess Brocade Embroidered Tower’s misdeeds before the emperor.

This would blunt the Crown Prince Party’s edge.

But the killer of her husband would not receive true punishment.

Wasn’t Zhao Huaijin the reembodied Lord Qingtian who solved cases like a god? With her status, even offending the Meng Family… she probably wouldn’t face serious consequences.

How many nobles of Yanjing had she offended for cases?

She had even dared to investigate Imperial Uncle Yan. This time—why was she unwilling to step in?

“What benefits did the Meng Family promise you?” Her chest heaving, the Hejia Princess snatched the file from Zhao Huairen’s hand and said coldly, “No matter what they offered, as long as you help me, I, Liu Jiayu, can give you double.”

“Please mind your words, Princess.” Zhao Huairen straightened her lips, her gaze falling on the file in her hand. “The file you’re holding concerns military defenses. Privately reading Dali Temple files is a grave offense.”

The file in her hand instantly became a hot potato.

Frustration and discontent piled up. Liu Jiayu angrily raised her arm.

“What crappy file? If you have the guts, go impeach me before His Majesty!” With that, she hatefully hurled the file.

The Hejia Princess’s fiery temper.

Was known throughout Yanjing; almost no one was unaware.

The moment she raised her arm, Zhao Huairen was prepared. She slightly lifted her forearm and easily blocked the thrown file— at most, a minor bump.

The slightly hard edge knocked against the woman’s face.

The file dropped to the ground with a crisp “clack.”

A faint, almost imperceptible curve lifted at the corner of her lips. Yan Yiqing bent down to pick up the file and looked at the fuming Liu Jiayu. “The princess has quite the temper.”

The view before her was blocked by Yan Yiqing’s back.

Zhao Huairen’s fingertips on the desk edge shrank slightly, her expression somewhat unnatural.

“Why are you here?” The Hejia Princess frowned and asked.

Yan Yiqing didn’t answer her question immediately. Instead, she turned around, properly placed the file on the corner of the desk, and only then looked at her. “What kind of talk is that? Isn’t it stranger for the princess to show up at Dali Temple?”

“I’m here to investigate the case.”

“The princess has entered Dali Temple too? What position did His Majesty assign the princess?”

The Hejia Princess clenched her fists, squeezing the words through gritted teeth. “I’m here to seek justice for my late husband. What do you mean by this?”

“Nothing at all.” Yan Yiqing’s gaze was sincere. She stepped aside and looked at Zhao Huairen seated behind her. “See, I’m here to check on my husband too.”

She wasn’t sure if it was an illusion or not.

But Yan Yiqing seemed to deliberately draw out the words “my husband,” making them sticky and sweet.

After Yan Yiqing appeared in the duty office, Zhao Huairen’s complexion was even worse than when the Hejia Princess had questioned her earlier. Even her brows twisted unnaturally into a knot.

“These things can’t be rushed; cases must follow procedure.” Yan Yiqing spouted a few official platitudes, then soothed, “His Majesty has already issued a clear decree. The Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple will certainly do their utmost to catch the real culprit.”

The Hejia Princess sneered. “I’m afraid some people don’t want the real culprit caught.”

“You’re overthinking it, Princess. How could anyone not want the real culprit caught?” Yan Yiqing followed her gaze to Zhao Huairen seated behind the desk and drawled leisurely, “Husband~ You definitely want the real culprit caught, right?”

“Of course.” Zhao Huairen met her gaze.

“Handling cases always requires evidence,” Seeming to forget that the “real culprit” she mentioned was herself, Yan Yiqing spoke with conviction. “But heaven’s net is vast and sparse—nothing slips through. Once we have the evidence, we can tear the real culprit to shreds.”

Tear to shreds.

How could she say such a thing so casually?

Catching the fleeting displeasure in the woman’s eyes, a trace of sweetness bubbled in Yan Yiqing’s heart. She turned to the Hejia Princess. “See, Princess? How serious the Heir Apparent is.”

Liu Jiayu didn’t engage with Yan Yiqing. She flicked her sleeves and left, casting her a meaningful glance as she turned.

In response, Yan Yiqing blinked innocently.

Seeing the Hejia Princess emerge, Qin An, waiting outside the door, quietly breathed a sigh of relief. But soon, that breath caught in her throat again.

Young Master Yan hadn’t come out yet—

Would she quarrel with the Heir Apparent again?

Someone clutched her slightly swollen, reddened forehead and said softly, “It hurts so much.”

“Serves you right.”

What was going on?!

Didn’t she usually fall for this the most?

Realizing it was useless, Yan Yiqing lost interest in the act. She dropped her hand and frowned at her. “I got injured protecting you, after all. Even if you’re not distressed, you could at least say thank you.”

“I don’t need it.”

Just four simple words.

Like barbs, they easily ignited Yan Yiqing’s temper.

Zhao Huairen took a purple-tipped brush from the brush holder, dipped it in ink, and began to write. “Besides, the injury ploy is the most foolish last resort.”

The little cat who had been bristling moments ago changed her expression instantly upon hearing this.

“You feel sorry for me?”