Chapter 136: If It So Pleases You

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The Eighth Prince looked at Situ lying on the bed, turning to leave when he'd confirmed the extent of Situ's injuries. He followed the head steward to the antechamber to meet with the Assistant Generals who were waiting for him. Feng Luodi let out a breath in relief and stepped out from behind the screen. She took one last look at Situ before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Feng Luodi strolled around aimlessly, but her heart was too heavy to enjoy any of the sights. She was about to leave the residence but thought that it was best to bid farewell to the head steward, and waited for him by the antechamber. The head steward had just led the prince into the antechamber and turned to see Feng Luodi by the door.

He bowed gratefully. "Are you leaving so soon, Miss Feng?"

Feng Luodi forced a smile. "I can't be of any help here."

"That's not true at all." The head steward smiled. "I understand that you're worried about the injuries of the Duke. You can feel free to come anytime you want to check on him; I'll leave a note with the attendants."

Feng Luodi did not reject his offer and bowed at the head steward before turning to leave.

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Meanwhile, the Eighth Prince looked worriedly at the Assistant Generals. "I am deeply saddened to hear of the plight that has befallen the General. I have duties that I have to tend to, but please believe me when I say that I bear the same anxious feelings as all of you. All I want to do right now is to catch the assassin."

One of the Assistant Generals bowed. "We understand, your Highness. We'll like to do our best to provide any assistance we can." He turned to an attendant. "Bring it here."

The attendant soon returned with a tray in his hands and brought it to the Eighth Prince.

The prince looked at the broken arrow on the tray, confused. "Is this the arrow used by the assassin?"

The Assistant General nodded. "This is just one of them. Please be careful when you inspect the arrow, your Highness; it is laced with poison."

"I understand." The Eighth Prince nodded, inspecting the arrow carefully. However, he could not discern anything out of the ordinary and decided to keep it for further investigation. "I shall keep this for now; it'll definitely be of help in the investigation."

He turned to Assistant General. "May I enquire about the details of the assassination that had happened that day?"

The Assistant Generals quickly answered his question.

When the Eighth Prince had finally left the antechamber, a particularly rough looking Assistant General snorted. "The Eighth Prince is merely putting on a show for us. He should've come much earlier if he was indeed worried about the General, but he'd only managed to come now."

Another man spoke up. "Be mindful of your words. I know that you're worried about the General, but even the walls have ears in the capital."

The first man snorted again and folded his arms across his chest. The group of Assistant Generals huddled together, engaged in discussion.

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A day later, in the Jiang residence.

"Master, the Heir has arrived."

Jiang Moyin's hand tightened around the bamboo slat unconsciously. It was a while before he spoke again, his voice hoarse. "I understand. I'll be at the antechamber shortly."

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