But Huo Mingxian neither feared him nor left.
The two stubbornly stared at each other.
“Big brother, it’s alright. Wait for me downstairs. I’ll be down shortly,” Huo Ningyu gently patted her brother’s arm.
If Yu Zheng were truly provoked, it wouldn’t be ideal if he simply knocked someone out and threw them downstairs.
The Imperial City Guard showed no mercy and recognized no one.
Even imperial princes would be struck without hesitation if they interfered with official duties.
Seeing his sister completely unafraid and even reassuring him with her eyes, Huo Mingxian had no choice but to suppress his worries and go down to the main hall.
Huo Ningyu entered the private room.
“Greetings, Lord Zhao.” She gave a slight curtsy.
“Sit.” A single cold word.
Huo Ningyu gracefully took the seat opposite him.
She poured herself a cup of tea, lifted it, and took a small sip.
“When will you fulfill your promise?” Zhao Bingyu’s eyes behind the mask scanned her figure.
She appeared no different from other sheltered young ladies.
Yet she had boldly sought his help.
Now watching her leisurely pour tea for herself without the slightest fear of him…
These behaviors had successfully captured his interest.
“Lord Zhao, today is the tenth day of the eighth month. In five days it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival.
At such a time, do you think His Majesty would be pleased to hear about a shocking case? What would the various families in the capital think?
Therefore, I believe it would be better to wait a few more days.
To thank you for your assistance on two occasions, I voluntarily offer to join the investigation and guide you. However, there’s one condition – you must guarantee my safety. I haven’t lived long enough yet.” Huo Ningyu smiled.
“Are you certain you can truly help this official solve this case?” Zhao Bingyu leaned back, his lazy demeanor suggesting indifference to Huo Ningyu’s words.
He still couldn’t understand how Huo Ningyu had learned about the Putuo Temple case.
That day, she had whispered in his ear: “Lord Zhao, I know the truth about the Putuo Temple case. If you help me successfully terminate the engagement, I will assist you in solving it.”
He had been investigating that case for six months without any progress.
Moreover, people were still disappearing – no trace of them alive, no bodies found.
Just two days ago, another nun had gone missing.
“Set your heart at ease, my lord. I guarantee the truth will be revealed to the world,” Huo Ningyu assured.
As she finished speaking, the smile on her face gradually faded.
That case… Zhao Bingyu had investigated continuously, yet it remained unsolved even at the time of her death.
The perpetrators had been too covert. Only three months after her death did the case finally come to light, shocking the entire court.
She had witnessed the entire process.
One of her close friends had also died there.
Fortunately, none of that had happened yet.
She would definitely save her.
This was also one reason she had chosen this information for her transaction with Zhao Bingyu.
“Remember your words. Otherwise, you know what will happen without me spelling it out. No one in this world dares deceive this official.” Zhao Bingyu’s warning was as cold as ice.
“Yes.” Huo Ningyu responded solemnly.
Zhao Bingyu waved his hand.
Huo Ningyu rose and left.
Yu Zheng entered.
“Boss, can Da Xiao Jie of the Huo Family really help us?” He sounded skeptical.
“This official must be bewitched to believe her.” Zhao Bingyu hadn’t been able to figure out what was wrong with himself these past few days.
That day, in this very teahouse, the Emperor had given him leave to relax.
Then he noticed the carriages of the Huo and Xie families heading in the same direction. Out of curiosity, he had followed personally.
Yet the young lady of the Huo Family had dared to seek his help, offering such compelling bait.
A case that had shown no progress for half a year, yet a young woman from an inner chamber knew about it.
This was a highly suspicious point.
“How is the investigation into Miss Huo going?” Zhao Bingyu asked calmly.
“Boss, we’ve looked into it thoroughly. There’s nothing unusual. She has a cheerful, naive, lively, and active personality. She liked to protect the adopted daughter her family took in, but ended up being betrayed when that girl secretly seduced Xie Zhengyang.”
“Her daily life is no different from that of any other young lady from a noble family. The Huo Family hired a female tutor to teach both of them reading, writing, embroidery, playing the zither, and chess. However, Miss Huo didn’t learn as well as Miss Jiang.” Yu Zheng had been investigating Huo Ningyu’s background these past few days.
“Then how did she know about Xie Zhengyang’s secret rendezvous with Miss Jiang at the western city courtyard that day?”
Zhao Bingyu wasn’t originally interested in such trivial matters, but Huo Ningyu’s peculiar behavior had piqued his curiosity.
“Strangely enough, that day Miss Huo suddenly seemed to have an epiphany. She urgently brought Minister Huo and his wife to catch them in the act, with no one having provided her any information.” After investigating for several days, Yu Zheng couldn’t figure this out either.
“Could she have foresight of the future?” Zhao Bingyu expressed dissatisfaction with this answer.
Yu Zheng had no response.
“Continue to keep an eye on her. Report anything significant promptly.”
“Yes.”
The siblings who had just left the inn began wandering the streets aimlessly.
Having been away from home for two years, Huo Mingxian walked along Xuanwu Street again. Some shops had changed owners, but the established stores still had customers streaming in like clouds.
“Big brother, I want some sweet jujube cake.” Huo Ningyu had caught the scent from afar.
It was indeed a time-honored pastry shop, with many customers gathered at the entrance buying treats.
“Alright, I’ll go queue up.” Huo Mingxian never refused her requests.
But as soon as he walked away, three people—a mistress and her two servants—emerged from the shop next to where Huo Ningyu was standing.
The one leading them was none other than Chen Fangli, who had just broken off her engagement with Huo Mingxian that morning.
She wore a lilac-colored crane-patterned kesi jacket, paired with a silver-red tassel-trimmed long skirt.
Her appearance exuded overwhelming wealth and status.
“Oh, so you’re not afraid to go out right after breaking off the engagement?” Huo Ningyu’s tongue was sharp as she raised an eyebrow disdainfully.
Having long protected Jiang Ning, her sharp tongue had never taken a loss.
And after being reborn, she was even less likely to suffer any disadvantage.
“Hmph, Huo Ningyu, you actually have the nerve to show your face outside.”
“You’ve been carrying on with Young Master Xie for a year. Even though you were engaged at the time, no respectable daughter would dare behave like this. You’ve completely shamed all the noble young ladies of Jing Cheng.”
“If I were you, I’d immediately find a well to jump into and end it all—death would be cleaner.”
Chen Fangli wasn’t about to be outdone.
Fortunately, the engagement was broken off. If she had actually married into that family, having such a sister-in-law would disgust her just thinking about it.
The Huo Family’s reputation had been praised too highly, making her think they were a decent family. Yet they raised such a shameless daughter. She wondered how Minister Huo even managed to hold his official position.
“Chen Fangli, you believe every rumor you hear. Has your brain been swapped out for a pig’s?” Huo Ningyu cast aside the refinement expected of a noble young lady, saying whatever was most cutting.
Remembering this woman’s merciless nature in her previous life, she genuinely wanted to kill her.
That nephew was her own flesh and blood. To save herself, she was even willing to abandon her child.
They say marry a chicken and follow the chicken, sharing both honor and disgrace.
Just because she was the granddaughter of the Emperor’s teacher, she abandoned her child to save her own life.
If she had begged her grandfather back then to protect a child not even two years old, how could it have been impossible?
Selfish woman.
“Huo Ningyu, how dare you, the daughter of a mere second-rank official, show me such disrespect?” Chen Fangli was fuming.
“Ha, isn’t your father a fifth-rank official?” Huo Ningyu sneered.
Once the Imperial Tutor dies, let’s see what she’ll have left to be so arrogant about.
“You… Xian Yue, Fu Shu, teach this universally despised, shameless woman a proper lesson for me!” Unable to win the argument, Chen Fangli was so enraged she ordered her servants to attack Huo Ningyu right on the street.