【Not bad, not bad. They actually came back to report it instead of pocketing some for themselves. If it were me, I’d definitely have taken a couple of gold bars. With so many, no one would notice if a couple went missing.】
【Speaking of which, these two secret guards are really handsome! They must be 180cm tall, with broad shoulders and narrow waists, standing tall and straight, with strikingly red lips. If they were in modern times, they’d definitely be male models. If they did some borderline content, hehe…】 Ji Yingying thought of cross-dressing men, their waists, their hands—she couldn’t help but want to personally remove their disguises.
“Ahem… Since it’s been discovered, arrange for people to excavate it. I will report to His Majesty.”
Ji Yingying was interrupted, and the mention of the Emperor gave her the illusion that the world was descending into chaos.
【I really don’t know if I should remind the Crown Prince to be cautious of the Second Prince and the Third Prince.】
【Better to let things take their natural course. I’m afraid I can’t come up with a convincing lie, and if I end up getting beheaded, what then? Even if the world falls into chaos, it won’t reach my family. My father said that if times get bad, he’ll take us into seclusion in the mountains to live a simple life…】
【No, I really don’t want to live a hard life, but I can’t come up with a good lie.】
Ning Qingran felt helpless. He wanted to say: You can, as long as you speak, he will believe you.
But Ji Yingying didn’t utter a single lie and instead steered the conversation toward the silver mine.
【I wonder if the Crown Prince will reward me with some gold. If he does, should I keep it to generate more wealth or use it to make gold jewelry? If he gives me a bit more, I’ll make four pieces—one for my mother, one for me, and one for each of my future sisters-in-law. Hehe!】
【If he rewards me with more beautiful things, like jade or silver, I’ll be overjoyed, even happier than sitting on the wall.】
“You may withdraw!”
“Yes.”
After the two left, Liu Yuanpan came forward with a bowl.
【Oh no, the medicine has been poisoned! Should I warn the Crown Prince?】
Just this one sentence nearly made Liu Yuanpan drop the bowl, while Ning Qingran had already furrowed his brows.
Who was Liu Yuanpan working for?
“I did not poison it,” Liu Yuanpan didn’t dare to speak loudly and instead leaned close to Ning Qingran, whispering.
Ning Qingran glanced at him, took the medicine bowl, and placed it on the table. He then looked at Ji Yingying: “Third Miss Ji, is this the medicine you prescribed?”
“It is the medicine I prescribed, but it has been poisoned.”
She could only say this much!
【I can’t say any more. If I do, I’m afraid I’ll be suspected. People in ancient times are inherently suspicious, and I’m timid. I’m scared…】
You’re timid? I think you’re the boldest person in this world. Hurry up and tell us who poisoned it!
【The maid in the residence is going to die. How did people find out that the Crown Prince is staying at my home? If the Second Prince and Third Prince’s men come to kill us, my whole family will be doomed. No, I must ask my mother to drive this maid away. She can’t be allowed to harm my entire family.】
“What?” Ning Qingran suddenly slammed the table and raised his voice, startling Ji Yingying so much that the fruit she was secretly about to eat fell to the ground with a loud thud. She was so shocked that her mouth formed a perfect “O,” and she didn’t dare to move.
【Oh my, you scared me to death, you dog Crown Prince! There are only three people here. What are you so angry about? Besides, this poison won’t kill you—it’ll just trigger the effects of the Thousand-Day Powder. Why scare me out of my wits? Ah, my fruit, it’s gone! Wuwu…】
Ji Cailiang at the door was also frightened. After just two days of not keeping an eye on his little ancestor, she had stirred up such a huge mess. His life was surely nearing its end!
“Greetings, Crown Prince. My daughter… my daughter… ah!” Ji Cailiang was at a complete loss.
[Why is Dad here? His cold sweat problem is acting up again. I really don’t know how he managed to pass the imperial exams. Whenever he meets strangers, he breaks out in cold sweat. What if he meets an even higher official someday? Wouldn’t he be scared to death?]
Oh, my child! Your father developed this problem because of you. Please behave yourself!
“Magistrate Ji, rise. It’s alright.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Ji Cailiang immediately stood up and moved to Ji Yingying’s side, asking, “Child, tell me, who poisoned the Crown Prince? Tell your father, and I’ll arrest them.”
“Ah…?”
[Is his old problem acting up again? Oh, my dear mother! Quick, bring the medicine! Someone bring my father the little whip and the little rope, or I won’t be able to control this father of mine!]
Ji Cailiang’s face turned red with embarrassment. He was too ashamed to face anyone. What kind of daughter would criticize her own father like this?
“Speak quickly!” Ji Cailiang urged.
“Alright then…”
[Don’t blame me. I’m going to lie now, ahhh…]
“I accidentally saw a woman named Xiaohe. She was the one who poisoned him.”
[This Xiaohe works in the kitchen, responsible for cleaning. Last night, her family was kidnapped, and she was threatened to poison the Crown Prince. Hmm~ She’s an informant for the Second Prince. Logically, he shouldn’t have found out so soon that Ning Qingran, the Crown Prince, is here. Who leaked the information?]
[Oh ho, it was Fangmen. The night before last, Fangmen stole the money Zhang Guihua hid in the chicken coop next door and went out to drink at a brothel. He got drunk and accidentally spilled the news about the Crown Prince being here to a courtesan. The courtesan then told others.]
[That’s how the Second Prince’s informant found out. They planned to take the opportunity to kill the Crown Prince and frame the Third Prince. Oh dear, it’s useless. If the Crown Prince were so easy to kill, he would have been done in by them eight hundred years ago.]
[What a pity. Fangmen was killed by the courtesan arranged for him because he accidentally let it slip. But Fangmen was lucky too—before he died, he actually slept with such a beautiful courtesan. Oh my, and they played so wildly…]
[Hehe, I really want to see it. And licking… nailed it! Haha… I wonder how they did it. I want to see, I want to…] Before she could finish her internal monologue, her father bumped into her.
Ji Yingying then looked at the three of them and saw their faces were as red as monkey bottoms.
[What’s going on?]
What else could it be? You, a young girl who hasn’t even come of age, actually… such absurdity! It’s utterly disgraceful, utterly disgraceful!
“Magistrate Ji, you must pay more attention to your daughter’s upbringing.”
“I know, Your Highness, but I am powerless. My daughter has not only driven away all the matrons in Xinhe County but also scared off any tutor who dared to teach her.”
“Dad… your daughter is perfectly fine, isn’t that right, Crown Prince? You even asked me to solve the case.”
She had no idea why the conversation had suddenly shifted to her education.
[Hmph… This lady has undergone nine years of compulsory education and completed both high school and university. How could I possibly drive anyone away? Besides, why are we suddenly talking about this? If you want this lady to study, hmph, unless pigs fly.]
“County Magistrate Ji, I’ll leave the matter of apprehending the poisoner to you.” Ning Qingran didn’t wish to speak against his conscience, so he simply changed the subject. After all, he had never encountered someone so… shameless!
“Yes, I shall go arrest the culprit immediately and will surely capture the mastermind behind this.” Just as Ji Cailiang was about to withdraw, he suddenly remembered he had come to see the Crown Prince for a reason. He hastily added, “Your Highness, Prefect Liu has gone missing. His wife has come to seek my help.”