When Xiao Jin left the Eastern Palace, the moon was already hanging high in the sky amidst the clouds. The wheelchair slowly moved forward, and faintly, she could hear the sound of night watchmen striking their clappers from outside the walls, echoing in the quiet night along with the dripping water from the eaves.
Chu Shao stood beside a pot of mint plants, bathed in the gentle and clear moonlight, which blurred her eyebrows and eyes.
"Where is Old Zhang?" Xiao Jin only saw Chu Shao alone, so she asked.
Chu Shao turned around and smiled in response, "I'm here waiting for you. I let Stewart Zhang go back first."
Xiao Jin nodded.
No words were needed. Chu Shao had already walked to Xiao Jin's side and took the wheelchair and the lantern from the palace maid's hands, heading towards the carriage. She was about to have the sedan chair lowered, but she was stopped by Xiao Jin's raised hand.
Chu Shao looked at Xiao Jin and saw the calm ink-like color in her eyes.
"We won't use the sedan chair tonight. Let's take a stroll for a while."
Although Chu Shao was somewhat surprised, she dismissed the attendants and coachmen and pushed Xiao Jin into the deep night.
The shops by the roadside had already closed, leaving only scattered lights in the taverns. Occasionally, a few night patrolling soldiers would see the attire of the Prince Yan, leaving their weapons in place and bowing as they passed by.
It wasn't until they walked through the entire street and entered a darker alley that the figures gradually disappeared.
Xiao Jin felt unfamiliar with this place and was about to ask Chu Shao where they were when she suddenly stopped in her tracks and walked ahead.
Turning around, with a pair of clear eyes like the moon, she stared at Xiao Jin, a faint smile lingering on her lips, elusive yet captivating.
It must be said that it was extremely enticing and mesmerizing.
Sitting in the wheelchair, Xiao Jin watched Chu Shao as she approached step by step, reaching her side, but she remained silent, never uttering a word.
Everything became heavy in silence, as if ink droplets slowly sinking into a well through bamboo pipes.
It wasn't until the candlelight flickered past that the lantern slipped from their hands, falling onto the cold and dark stone, igniting a bright flame.
The flames rose higher, accompanied by crackling sparks.
The wheelchair leaned against the cold wall, amidst the flickering fireworks, Chu Shao's lips touched Xiao Jin's neck.
A cool breeze entered their collars and cuffs, causing a slight shiver. The lips and skin absorbed warmth from each other, like two strands of wet silk, tightly pressed together.
Fingers wandered like brushes between life and paper, exhaling breaths filled with warmth.
The summer night was cooler than still water. Xiao Jin leaned back in the wheelchair, allowing Chu Shao to kiss her throat, indulging in this suffocating sensation with a hint of aggression. Then, in the flickering moments of the lingering firelight, she gently extinguished her breath.
She heard Chu Shao calling her name.
Calling her, Xiao Jin.
Still somewhat intoxicated by alcohol, Xiao Jin even felt confused. Did Chu Shao call out the name of the original owner or her own name?
After a moment, she called her in a gentle voice, "Your Highness."
Upon hearing this title, Xiao Jin instantly sobered up. Immediately after, she was overwhelmed by sudden restlessness.
She didn't particularly like this title because she wasn't the only one addressed as "Your Highness."
The flames grew higher, almost devouring the darkness.
For the first time, Xiao Jin pushed Chu Shao away. In the moment of the person's surprise, she rose from the wheelchair, held the other's chin, and covered those soft lips.
Unlike before, this kiss was filled with jealousy.
Their lips met, and the fragrance of the evening jasmine spread between their noses. Xiao Jin couldn't forget the annoying scent of mint that surrounded her body.
She felt herself on the verge of a helpless rage.
But Chu Shao was adept at adding fuel to the fire. She had been kissed to the point where she was almost breathless. After accepting the kiss, she even leaned in to kiss Xiao Jin's wrist, biting the finger that carried a faint scent of mint.
"Does Shao'er like this scent?" Xiao Jin almost gritted her teeth.
"Yes, Your Highness."
In fact, Chu Shao herself couldn't figure out why she was so infatuated with Xiao Jin's scent.
Expressionless, Xiao Jin said, "But there is also mint in the Eastern Palace."
As soon as these words came out, Chu Shao's actions came to a complete halt.
She thought of a certain possibility, lifted her head to gaze at Xiao Jin, and looked into those deep black eyes.
Chu Shao was momentarily stunned, then as if encountering something extremely pleasurable, she began to smile, a smile that even had a hint of playfulness.
"Your Highness, this Princess one detests the Eastern Palace the most."
"How much do you detest it?"
"I detest it to the point of wanting the Eastern Palace to disappear, to make you never set foot in the Eastern Palace again."
Xiao Jin still seemed somewhat skeptical and pursed her lips slightly, "Then, do you like me?"
"This Princess one certainly likes Your Highness."
"How much do you like me?"
"I like you more than anything else." Chu Shao's voice was gentle and sweet, with a hint of tenderness. "Your Highness, you are my favorite person. I like you the most."
Xiao Jin thought to herself, hypocritical, too hypocritical.
Yet her gaze involuntarily softened, and though she already had a smile on her lips, she continued to act tough. "Well, maybe that's the case."
"Why does Your Highness say 'maybe that's the case'?" Chu Shao was puzzled.
"Because, Shao'er, you haven't told me why you like the scent of mint."
Chu Shao responded naturally, "I originally didn't like the smell of mint, but because it's on Your Highness, I'm willing to like it."
"Alright."
At this point, the restlessness in Xiao Jin's heart had completely dissipated.
It turned out that she had been overthinking things.
Unfortunately, Chu Shao had not forgotten everything that happened tonight. With a smile, she said, "However, when you and the Crown Prince were having a conversation in the inner hall, I noticed that the Eastern Palace does indeed have many pots of mint."
"So, the dozens of pots of mint in the courtyard of Your Highness, were they also a gift from the Crown Prince?"
Xiao Jin clarified firmly, "Those were gifts for the Prince Yan, not for me."
Chu Shao understood the implication in Xiao Jin's words and immediately smiled, "If they were meant for the Prince Yan, then it's fine. However, I am curious. What did the Crown Prince say to you tonight?"
Xiao Jin skipped the irrelevant parts and focused on the poisoning incident involving the original owner.
Chu Shao asked, "Do you want to ask Princess Zhao Yang about it?"
Xiao Jin nodded, "Of course, I want to ask her, but before that, I want to investigate someone."
"Who?"
Xiao Jin remembered the secret she had seen in the letter from Prince Shen, "Prince Shen's former concubine, Zhao Yanran."
"Why does Your Highness want to investigate this person?"
Xiao Jin explained the contents of the secret letter, "Because in the correspondence between Prince Shen and the Empress, there are vague references to the Crown Prince not being the biological son of Emperor Qi, but the son of Prince Shen and Concubine Zhao Yanran."
Chu Shao's smile remained unchanged as she softly said, "This letter from Prince Shen seems like something he wrote while intoxicated."
In truth, Xiao Jin also found it somewhat absurd. After all, Emperor Qi couldn't be considered foolish. How could he let someone else's son become the Crown Prince and even hand over the Blood Rain Pavilion to Xiao Yu?
Xiao Jin recalled another point and added, "But the Empress did not refute this in the letter. Instead, it seemed like she tacitly accepted it."
"Interesting."
Chu Shao chuckled and said, "However, since it's such a hidden matter, I'm afraid the traces from back then have already been wiped clean. If Your Highness wants to investigate, it might be quite challenging."
Xiao Jin nodded, "Indeed."
"So I plan to retrieve Zhao Yanran's files first and see if I can find any clues about the Crown Prince in them before considering other options."
"Files?" Chu Shao was a bit confused.
Xiao Jin realized that she had brought modern vocabulary into ancient times again and coughed, "It's similar to books or documents."
Chu Shao seemed to understand what Xiao Jin meant, "But the books are usually kept in the Lantai and controlled by the Chief of the Imperial Censorate."
Xiao Jin shook her head, "Not necessarily."
She clearly remembered that the male lead in the original work mentioned a person who secretly investigated the background of a minister.
"What do you mean?" Chu Shao asked.
Xiao Jin replied, "The books are not only stored in the Lantai, but also partly in the Ministry of Revenue. Xu Fanghai is currently the Deputy Minister of Revenue, so he can help us check."
....
Three days later.
Ye Juege pushed the door open and whispered to Xiao Jin, who was seated, "Your Highness, a confidential message has arrived from Xu Fanghai's side, inviting you to drink Erquan Yinhao tea together in the elegant chamber of the Yanyu Building tonight at the hour of the dog."
"..."
Xiao Jin rubbed her temples, "Why is Xu Fanghai still fixated on Erquan Yinhao tea?"
Ye Juege smiled, "It seems that the phrase 'spring breeze brings warmth into Erquan Yinhao tea' written by Prince Yan made a deep impression on Mr. Xu Fanghai, and he couldn't forget it."
Xiao Jin fell silent.
How could she make these people understand that it was a poem written by Wang Anshi, not her?
Setting that aside, why do all the characters in this book like to meet at the brothel? Is it really reasonable for a disabled person like her, who can't even walk, to suddenly become interested in visiting a brothel?What's the difference between that and self-inflicted humiliation?However, it turned out that Xiao Jin's worries were completely unnecessary.
No one found it strange that the Prince Yan, a cripple, would visit a brothel because she had never done anything normal in her entire life.
Moreover, they didn't even have a chance to witness this scene.
Xu Fanghai had already taken care of everything, and with Bai Zheng as the proprietor of the Yanyu Building, no one in the capital would know about Xiao Jin's whereabouts if she didn't want them to.
At this moment, Xiao Jin sat on the high tower, frowning as she finished reading the books presented by Xu Fanghai.
"Is this all?"
Xu Fanghai realized that something was wrong and reminded in a low voice, "Your Highness, I informed you as soon as I received the books and didn't dare to look at their contents."
Xiao Jin glanced at Xu Fanghai and understood that he had taken a great risk using his private authority to investigate Zhao Yanran for her. It was natural for him not to read the books at this time and try to stay out of it.
However, she still picked up the paper with only a few lines of writing, "Minister Xu, have you ever seen anyone's book that only contains their birth and death years?"
Xu Fanghai was taken aback but reluctantly took the book and examined it carefully.
As he looked, he also became dumbfounded.
Because it was indeed concise, almost as if this person had never existed in this world.
However, Xiao Jin discovered something suspicious from this concise book.
The month of Zhao Yanran's death was unknown, but the year of her death happened to be the same year the Crown Prince was born. It indicated that the words written by Prince Shen in the letter were probably somewhat credible.
Xiao Jin asked, "Zhao Yanran's surname is Zhao, which Zhao family is it?"
Although Xu Fanghai hadn't seen the book, he had witnessed the incident of the Zhao family's assets being confiscated back then, so he knew a bit about it, "I speculate that it's probably the Zhao family in Lin'an that had a good relationship with the Lu family."
"Oh? Minister Xu is quite familiar with the Zhao family's affairs?" Xiao Jin was somewhat surprised, feeling as if she had stumbled upon something by chance.
Xu Fanghai hurriedly said, "I've only seen a few lines in this book, and I think it might have been erased by someone, so I thought of the Zhao family in Lin'an."
"The Zhao family was once a wealthy and influential clan, maintaining a close relationship with the Lu family. They had a concubine named Chen and gave birth to the Second Prince. However, during the purge of the court by Princess Zhao Yang, when Prime Minister Lu died, the Zhao family..."
Xu Fanghai didn't finish his sentence, but Xiao Jin already understood why he dared not look at the book. It turned out to be the same Zhao family that was massacred by Princess Zhao Yang in the past. No wonder Xu Fanghai didn't dare to look at it. He probably feared knowing too much and being silenced by her.
In this way, Xiao Jin couldn't determine whether Zhao Yanran's records were erased by the Empress or by Xiao Shuang. With the clues about to be cut off, she suddenly thought of another entry point, "Since both Consort Chen and Zhao Yanran have passed away, are there any surviving relatives of the Zhao family?"
Xu Fanghai seemed to know something and hesitated on his face. "Your Highness, actually... When I participated in the imperial examinations years ago, the chief examiner was a man named Zhao Yan, who happened to be my mentor. One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father, I..."
Xiao Jin instantly understood. So it turns out that the original owner's cruel character had deeply influenced others.
Xu Fanghai thought that she had specifically investigated Zhao Yanran to settle old scores and exterminate all members of the Zhao family. Now Xiao Jin had to clear her name, "Minister Xu, there's no need for further explanation. I have no intention of exterminating the Zhao family."
Xu Fanghai's palms were sweaty, clearly not fully believing her and suspecting that Xiao Jin had ulterior motives in asking him to investigate the Zhao family.
Seeing this situation, Xiao Jin felt speechless and had to resort to a vow that any ancient person would believe in. "If I harbor murderous intent towards the Zhao clan, may I be struck by thunder and condemned to eternal hell."
Xiao Jin's oath was coherent, indicating her experience.
However, it terrified Xu Fanghai, who quickly stood up from his chair and knelt down, "I believe in Your Highness's words. Please don't make such a solemn vow..." X
iao Jin felt a headache when someone kneeled in front of her and started missing Chu Shao, who wouldn't kneel without reason.
She raised her hand to help Xu Fanghai up and said calmly, "Minister Xu, there's no need to panic. I have no intention of harming the Zhao family. I only wish to investigate an old matter. If you know anything, please speak freely."
Seeing that Xiao Jin had already made the vow, Xu Fanghai had no reason to continue hiding anything. "All adult males of the Zhao family were beheaded, and the females were exiled to the border. Only Miss Zhao Four was taken in by a young lady from an official's family and allowed to stay in the capital."
Xiao Jin furrowed her brows slightly, "Which family's young lady took in Miss Four?"
Xu Fanghai extended his hand but pointed to the same location.
Xiao Jin understood.
It was Bai Zheng
....
Bai Zheng was sitting in the elegant chamber on the top floor of the Yanyu Building, counting the endless wealth at her disposal.
After settling the accounts, she swayed her water-red wide sleeves and gave instructions on various matters, "This fragrance is what Lord Zhou requested. Lord Zhou prefers a light scent, so handle it with caution."
"What is it? Turns out it's for that mysterious lord who conceals his name. What kind of melody does he want to hear?"
"Oh, so it's that melody. Not to mention Chang Xiangsi, even if it's the long-lost Guangling San, which costs a lot of money, I can play it for him..."
The girls burst into laughter, all saying that Miss Bai must have been a coin in her past life and now she's completely obsessed with money in this life.
Suddenly, another person came in and whispered a few words in Bai Zheng's ear.
As she listened, Bai Zheng's expression visibly changed, like a theatrical mask changing its expression.
The girls secretly thought it wasn't good.
Then they saw Bai Zheng become so happy that she threw the account book in her hand, laughing and falling onto the couch.
The pearl hairpin in her hair trembled under the light of the candles. "What? You say Prince Yan has come to the Yanyu Building to find me, specifically named me, and the Princess is not with her?"
Bai Qian, the second young miss of the Bai family, stopped moving the abacus and said expressionlessly to Bai Zheng, "Sister, why are you so happy? Don't you suspect that Prince Yan is actually..."
At this point, Bai Qian also became somewhat confused and couldn't remember what she wanted to say.
However, Bai Zheng had already taken out a bronze mirror and began to draw her eyebrows.
At the same time, she thought happily that she didn't care about the identity of Prince Yan, whether she was a human or a ghost, male or female. She only knew that she really liked Xiao Jin, even after understanding that Xiao Jin would never be with her, she still hoped to see Xiao Jin.
What kind of emotion was this?
Bai Zheng couldn't quite comprehend it, but she knew it was a wonderful habit that made her feel very satisfied.
But when Bai Zheng finally saw Xiao Jin, she became particularly reserved and restrained, pretending to be surprised as she smiled, "Are you saying that you're looking for Miss Zhao Four in our building?"
"Yes." Xiao Jin nodded.
Bai Zheng thought that Xiao Jin wanted to settle old scores and immediately said, "But Miss Zhao Four is a performer in our building who only entertains, she doesn't entertain guests."
"..."
Xiao Jin said, "I have no such intention."
Bai Zheng frowned and asked tentatively, "Then why did you come here to find Miss Zhao Four?"
Frustrated by the vicious image set by the original owner, Xiao Jin had to go through the process of making a solemn vow once again. Then she said to Bai Zheng, "I have no ill intentions towards Miss Zhao Four, but I want to investigate a past event."
Unexpectedly, Bai Zheng didn't buy into the whole solemn vow act and raised her eyebrows, saying with a smile, "Your Highness, even if you have no ill intentions towards Miss Zhao Four, it doesn't mean that she has no ill intentions towards you."
It was another unexpected response that caught Xiao Jin off guard. Although it sounded absurd, Xiao Jin had to admit that Bai Zheng was right.
The original owner had a close relationship with Xiao Shuang, so it would be reasonable for Miss Zhao Four to hate her because of Xiao Shuang.
Just as Xiao Jin was lost in thought, someone suddenly walked out from behind the screen, calmly saying, "Miss Bai, you don't have to hide it from her. I have always been insignificant, surviving until today is already a stroke of luck."
Bai Zheng was slightly stunned, seeming surprised to see the woman appearing here. She moved her lips as if she wanted to say something, but it was already too late, so she just looked at the woman and let out a gentle sigh.
Xiao Jin knew that the woman in white was most likely Zhao Wanqing, the fourth Miss Zhao from the Zhao family, who was taken in by Bai Zheng and used the name Luo Yue, finding refuge in the Yanyu Building.
As she made this guess, she saw the woman slightly bow, showing the demeanor of a noble lady, and greeted him. "I am Zhao Wanqing, I greet Her Royal Highness, Prince Yan."
"If the Prince Yan has old debts to settle, please direct them at me alone, it has nothing to do with Miss Bai or anyone else. If you want to kill or punish, I will comply with your wishes."
....
"Are you here for that matter?"
Zhao Wanqing frowned, clearly not expecting Xiao Jin to come here to investigate past events instead of trying to kill her.
After dismissing the people around them, Xiao Jin could now speak freely, "I am here for the events of the past. Zhao Yanran is your third sister, and you should know the details."
Zhao Wanqing looked at Xiao Jin, who was sitting in a wheelchair, and a slightly mocking smile appeared on her lips. "Your Highness, Prince Yan, I understand the purpose of your visit now."
"Royal struggles have always been like this. You are simply trying to find clues from me, hoping to catch hold of the Crown Prince's weakness so that you can ascend the throne smoothly. But why should I tell you?"
Xiao Jin, meeting Zhao Wanqing's gaze, didn't even bother to explain that she had no interest in the throne.
She lightly touched the jade ring on her finger and spoke calmly, "But I am certain that you will tell me."
"May I ask, Your Highness, where does your certainty come from?"
"It's because you appeared, and now you stand before me."
Zhao Wanqing shook her head, "The reason why this humble woman appeared before you is only because I didn't want to burden Sister Bai and the other girls in the building."
"But I don't think so."
Xiao Jin and Zhao Wanqing locked eyes, a smile forming at the corners of their lips, but there was no laughter in their eyes.
"When Bai Zheng learned that I was coming here, you probably already knew, right? If you were really afraid of implicating others, you could have just packed up and left without a trace. If you did that, I would have no way of finding you, let alone catching you. But you showed up, and without notifying Bai Zheng in advance, which means you must have other motives."
Zhao Wanqing remained silent.
After a long silence, a faint smile appeared on her beautiful face, like a white orchid. "Your Highness, Prince Yan is truly intelligent. If you can guess it right, I will tell you everything I know."
Xiao Jin thought to herself, how am I supposed to guess that?
But she understood that if she couldn't guess it, Zhao Wanqing might not reveal the truth.
Since the other party didn't mention a limited number of guesses, Xiao Jin decided to test the waters and made an outrageous guess, "Do you want to kill me?"
Zhao Wanqing: "..."
Why did she feel that the Prince Yan's mind was sometimes clear and sometimes muddled?
Xiao Jin smiled faintly, "I was just talking nonsense. The maid searched you before you entered, and you didn't have any weapons on you. Moreover, I have my people outside the door, so how would you dare to assassinate me? Furthermore, if something were to happen to me at Yanyu Building, it would undoubtedly bring trouble to Miss Bai and the other girls. Miss Zhao is a person who values relationships, how could you bear to involve your sisters in danger?"
Zhao Wanqing lowered her eyelashes, knowing that Xiao Jin was reminding her not to entertain thoughts of assassination, otherwise it would implicate Yanyu Building.
So, the hairpin on her bun was deliberately not discovered by the search ordered by Xiao Jin, it was left for her.
After a long silence, Zhao Wanqing took off the hairpin and placed it on a distant table, "I understand."
And through Zhao Wanqing's actions, Xiao Jin could roughly guess what her true intentions were.
"You are loyal and righteous. In theory, you should not appear before me and bring trouble to me. But you showed up, took off the hairpin, and gave up the opportunity to assassinate me, all for the sake of avenging your sister, Concubine Chen."
"This shows that your relationship with Concubine Chen is not close, and most likely the same goes for the Zhao family."
"Excluding the above information, the only possibility is that you still care about the sisterly bond from the past and want to avenge Zhao Yanran."
Zhao Wanqing's expression finally changed, "You know about my sister?"
Xiao Jin was still contemplating whether knowing the name and birth and death years counted as knowing.
Zhao Wanqing murmured, "No, even if you accessed my sister's records, her past has long been erased by the Empress. You shouldn't know that she is my sister."
"No need to know, I can roughly guess."
Xiao Jin said lightly, "If Zhao Yanran was the highly regarded legitimate daughter of the Zhao family, how could she marry Prince Shen as a concubine? So, I speculate that she should be a illegitimate daughter of the family."
"And if you were the legitimate daughter of the Zhao family, appearing frequently at banquets and poetry gatherings, then the young masters and misses from prominent families would surely know you, and Bai Zheng naturally wouldn't be able to keep you hidden at Yanyu Building."
"Thus, both you and Zhao Yanran should be the disregarded illegitimate daughters of the Zhao family, perhaps even blood sisters. That's why you would give up the opportunity to kill me for the sake of avenging Zhao Yanran."
Zhao Wanqing remained silent, and after a while, she spoke slowly, "You've guessed everything correctly. Now there's only one final point left."
"How can you avenge my sister?"
Xiao Jin paused and replied, "If nothing unexpected happened, your sister was probably wrongfully killed, and the person who killed her must have had a motive. So, making the person who killed her fail in their plot would be the best revenge."
Zhao Wanqing chuckled softly, "Yes, it's time to let the real culprit's wish fail... Your Highness, it seems that you came prepared, and you know far more than I imagined."
Xiao Jin shook her head, "No, I only know that your sister died in the same year as the Crown Prince's birth."
"The Crown Prince?"
Zhao Wanqing sneered repeatedly, "A child born to a venomous woman is bound to be utterly ruthless. How can he be fit to be the Crown Prince?"
Xiao Jin was slightly surprised. If Zhao Wanqing said that the birth mother of the Crown Prince was a venomous woman, then the Crown Prince was... not Zhao Yanran's son, but the biological son of the Empress?
Following that, Zhao Wanqing recounted a past event.
In the capital, there were two prominent families, one surnamed Lu and the other surnamed Zhao. The two families had a deep bond and were close friends.
Although Miss Zhao San and Miss Zhao Four were born into prestigious families, they were often bullied by the legitimate sons and daughters of the family due to their illegitimate status. They were also reluctant to speak to them.
But Miss Lu Wanchen, the legitimate daughter of the Lu family, was different. She always had a smile on her face and treated the Zhao sisters very well. Nine out of ten times, she would mention Miss Zhao San and Miss Zhao Four in her conversations.
Lu Wanchen liked to secretly drink alcohol behind her family's back. When she was drunk, she loved to talk about all sorts of things, saying some inappropriate and playful words, "I won't marry in the future. I'll hide in a bamboo grove and live as a recluse. Let the three of us sisters have a happy life together."
At this point, Xiao Jin asked, "What happened afterward?"
Zhao Wanqing's voice was cold, "Later, Lu Wanchen entered the imperial harem and became the Empress. And my sister, Zhao Yanran, married into the Prince Shen's residence and became a concubine."
"Lu Wanchen and my sister became pregnant in the same month, and they exchanged handkerchiefs. Lu Wanchen used the excuse of loneliness in the palace and invited my sister to accompany her."
Xiao Jin was momentarily speechless.
Indeed, she didn't expect that Lu Wanchen, who wanted to hide in a bamboo grove and become a recluse, would turn out to be the Empress of Qi Country.
She felt that it was difficult to connect these two individuals.
Zhao Wanqing continued, "My sister and the Empress nurtured their pregnancies together in the palace, recited poetry, and painted. They even went into labor on the same day."
"But on that day, my sister died. She died in the Changle Palace, and even the child couldn't be saved. The Empress mourned and cried, claiming that my sister died due to a difficult childbirth."
Xiao Jin found it too suspicious, "Do you believe it?"
Zhao Wanqing said coldly, "At first, I believed it, but later, when both the Lu and Zhao families suffered a disastrous event and Prince Shen continued to support the Crown Prince's faction, I realized the truth."
"A weak and incompetent man like Prince Shen, who feared Princess Zhao Yang all his life, would never openly stand against the Crown Prince and side with him."
Xiao Jin thought of a possibility, "Are you saying... Prince Shen believed that the Crown Prince was his son, so he took the risk?"
"Yes."
"How did Prince Shen come to believe that the Crown Prince was his son?"
Zhao Wanqing replied, "On the day my sister and the Empress gave birth together, there is only one possibility. The Empress told Prince Shen that the stillborn child was hers, and the Crown Prince was the child my sister gave birth to in a difficult delivery. That's how she gained the support of Prince Shen's residence."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin felt that certain things made sense.
No wonder Prince Shen was also involved in the plan to eliminate the Princess Zhao Yang's faction back then. He believed that the Crown Prince was his son, so he dared to secretly cooperate with the Empress and carry out the assassination.
However, Xiao Jin made a reasonable conjecture, "But what if the Crown Prince is indeed your sister's child?"
"It's impossible. When the Crown Prince was parading in the carriage, I caught a glimpse of his face from a distance. There was no resemblance to my sister in his eyebrows and eyes, let alone Prince Shen."
Xiao Jin agreed with this point. The Crown Prince looked so much like the Emperor Qi that it wouldn't make sense if he wasn't his biological son.
"So, you believe that the Empress killed your sister and deceived Prince Shen?"
Zhao Wanqing nodded, "Yes. Otherwise, why would Prince Shen later turn against the Empress and seek refuge with Princess Zhao Yang?"
"It must be after the Crown Prince grew up that he realized he didn't resemble him, and understood that he had been played by the Empress. However, he was trapped by the Empress, who had evidence against him, and could only swallow his anger and find another protector."
Xiao Jin admired Zhao Wanqing's reasoning ability. With very little information, she was able to deduce these conclusions, which was quite impressive.
Although there were many subjective speculations, based on the information they currently had, it should be roughly accurate.
However, Xiao Jin still wanted to ask something, "But if, according to what you said, the Crown Prince is not Prince Shen's son, then revealing all of this wouldn't be of much use."
"If the Crown Prince is not your sister's child, you won't be able to overthrow him and the Empress, or seek revenge for your sister."
Zhao Wanqing said calmly, "Your Highness, please rest assured. If you help me kill the Empress, I will openly admit my identity as the daughter of a criminal and firmly declare the illegitimacy of the Crown Prince's bloodline, preventing him from sitting securely on the throne."
"But the Empress has already been permanently confined to the Changle Palace. Without an imperial decree, no one is allowed to enter the palace to visit her."
Zhao Wanqing looked slightly stunned, "Why?"
"Because the Empress offended the Emperor and caused him to fall seriously ill."
Xiao Jin continued, "Furthermore, her secrets were exposed by Princess Zhao Yang, including the plot to assassinate the two princesses and her plan to kill me. As a result, she has fallen into disgrace and has no chance of turning things around."
Zhao Wanqing hesitated for a moment and asked, "The Crown Prince is the Empress's son. Hasn't anyone tried to plead for her?"
"No," Xiao Jin shook her head.
It was impossible to plead on her behalf. Considering the family he grew up in, it was unlikely that the Crown Prince had much affection for the Empress.
Seeing that revenge had not even begun, and yet the great revenge had already been avenged, Zhao Wanqing felt somewhat lost.
After a moment, Zhao Wanqing took out a long box from a drawer in the room and handed it to Xiao Jin, saying, "Since Lu Wanchen has already paid the price, I kindly ask the Prince Yan to deliver this to her on behalf of this humble woman."
"Afterward, if there is anywhere this humble woman can be of service to you, I will die a thousand deaths to fulfill your request."
Although Xiao Jin felt that Zhao Wanqing's words alone were not enough to threaten the Crown Prince, he still accepted the box.
Weighing it in her hands, Xiao Jin felt that something was off, "What is inside this box?"
Zhao Wanqing said softly, "It's just an unsent scroll."
Xiao Jin still felt that the weight was not right, but considering that the Zhao family was ultimately implicated by the Lu family, leading to their tragic fate, she didn't say anything further.
What was more important was that the people of the Zhao family were killed by Xiao Shuang. By helping Zhao Wanqing deliver something, she could also make some amends for Xiao Shuang's sins.
Although Xiao Jin understood that Xiao Shuang had committed countless murders and didn't need anyone's help for repentance and redemption, she still wanted to do something for her.
Just as Xiao Jin was preparing to leave, there was a sudden knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice, "Your Highness, there is a distinguished guest at the residence looking for you."
Xiao Jin wasn't in a hurry to ask who it was; instead, she first asked the owner of the voice, "Bai Zhu, why is it you?"
Outside the door, Bai Zhu's voice sounded somewhat bitter, "In response to Your Highness's question, it was because the Princess said I ran fast, so she sent me to deliver the message."
Xiao Jin couldn't help but laugh, thinking that when it came to lightness techniques, who could be faster than Chu Shao?
However, the next sentence from Bai Zhu sounded even more bitter, "But because the person who came to find you also ran very fast, she followed along."
Xiao Jin was a bit confused, "Followed along? Who followed along?"
Before she could finish speaking, a voice with a smile came from outside, "Your Highness, I, Tang Ling, on behalf of Princess Zhao Yang, have come to deliver a message."
....
The room was filled with the faint fragrance of spring mountains, drifting and dispersing like white silk.
Amidst the swirling smoke, Tang Ling finished tasting the new tea in he cup and smiled as he said to Xiao Jin, "Princess Zhao Yang knows what you're investigating, so she tells you that there's no need for you to continue."
Xiao Jin's tone remained unchanged, "It seems that no matter what I do, Princess Zhao Yang knows."
"At this critical moment, Princess Zhao Yang naturally cares more about your actions and safety. She also said that if you want something, you can just ask her for it directly, without going through any trouble asking others."
Xiao Jin rubbed her forehead, feeling that the original owner of her body's unruly character was probably related to her parents' excessive doting.
Since Tang Ling said so, Xiao Jin decided to be honest."So, does Princess Zhao Yang know who poisoned me?"
Tang Ling pondered for a moment and looked at Xiao Jin with a gaze that contained an indescribable smile, "Princess Zhao Yang didn't know before, but she knows now."
Xiao Jin felt that Tang Ling's gaze was a bit strange, but she couldn't figure out what exactly was strange about it for a moment.
After a moment, Tang Ling had already returned to her usual demeanor, smiling and saying, "Princess Zhao Yang asked me to tell you that if you go to Changle Palace and ask the Empress, you might find out something."
Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow, "Commander Tang, the Empress is currently under house arrest. Without an imperial decree, no one is allowed to enter or leave Changle Palace."
Tang Ling smiled and, as if performing a magic trick, pulled out an imperial decree from her sleeve.
"Your Highness, this is a decree from Princess Zhao Yang. With this, you can enter Changle Palace."
"..."
Xiao Jin took the imperial decree from Tang Ling's hand, feeling a sensation as if Emperor Qi hadn't died yet but had already died.
Unfolding the decree, which was personally written by Xiao Shuang, Xiao Jin felt that the timing of this decree was perfect.
She was just worried about how to deliver the scroll to the Empress, and Tang Ling showed up at hee doorstep.
Xiao Jin immediately prepared to enter the palace.
However, after pushing the wheelchair for several steps, she realized that Tang Ling was still sitting on the chair, showing no intention of following. "Commander Tang, aren't you coming with me?"
Tang Ling was listening to the girl downstairs playing the pipa.
It wasn't until Xiao Jin asked that she came back to his senses and smiled, "Your Highness, I really like listening to this piece of music, so I won't accompany you to the palace."
Xiao Jin was somewhat puzzled.
As Xiao Shuang's spy, Tang Ling surprisingly didn't want to track her movements in real-time and instead sat in the Yanyu Building, enjoying the music?
Moreover, the girl downstairs was playing a piece called "On the Frontier," which was not passionate enough and not emotionally stirring enough.
It couldn't be considered very exquisite.
Ye Juege stood beside Xiao Jin and explained in a low voice, "Your Highness, Commander Tang's birth mother is a woman from a foreign land, and this pipa piece depicts the customs of the frontier."
Xiao Jin nodded. No wonder she was puzzled before.
Tang Ling's eye color was different from that of other characters in the original work because she was actually from elsewhere. It was estimated that Tang Ling was probably reminiscing about her homeland, so Xiao Jin left with Ye Juege and Bai Zhu ahead.
Therefore, they naturally didn't notice that Tang Ling was sitting in the elegant pavilion, humming several verses to the tune played by the girl downstairs.
Then he spoke to Zhao Wanqing, who was hiding behind the folding screen, "Miss Luo Yue, I hope all is well with you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator's note: Ugh... Now we have an idea why there are rumors about the Empress and Prince Shen having an affair. Sigh... Who cares about them? I'm focused on Xiao Jin and Chu Shao. 😆
TO BE CONTINUE...