Jiang Suihuan took a few steps back, coughing lightly to mask her embarrassment. “I’m not one to believe in supernatural nonsense. Besides, with Your Highness’s remarkable abilities, seeking your help would surely be more effective than consulting a Taoist priest.”
Flattery never fails—Jiang Suihuan understood the importance of knowing how to butter people up.
Gu Jin straightened up with a faint, mocking smile. “Miss Jiang certainly has a silver tongue.”
“I hope Your Highness will forgive me. I truly adore that property,” Jiang Suihuan said, looking at him with pitiful eyes.
He suddenly understood. “So when you asked me for money earlier, it was to buy a house?”
“Yes.”
Gu Jin’s tone carried a hint of teasing. “Instead of living in the spacious Houfu, you want to purchase a haunted house to reside in. Miss Jiang is truly one of a kind.”
Jiang Suihuan sighed helplessly. “What can I do? My parents favor Jiang Meier, and I can’t stand her. Moving out to live alone is my only option.”
Gu Jin fell silent for a moment before saying abruptly, “That patch of missing scalp on Jiang Meier’s head—that was your doing.”
His tone held no doubt; he was clearly certain of it.
Jiang Suihuan’s eyes widened in shock. She had thought her plan was executed perfectly—how did Gu Jin find out?
“Why does Your Highness think it was me?”
“I saw you giving silver to the maid fanning her that day.”
“Ah!” Jiang Suihuan glanced around, unwilling to admit it. “It was so hot that day, I just asked the maid to fan more vigorously.”
To prevent further questioning from Gu Jin, she quickly changed the subject. “Speaking of which, I must thank Your Highness for standing up for me that day. Otherwise, I would have been wrongly accused.”
“No need for thanks. I simply cannot stand to see people falsely accused,” Gu Jin said, emphasizing the words “falsely accused.”
Jiang Suihuan lowered her head in embarrassment, rubbing her nose.
Seeing her like this, the corners of Gu Jin’s lips curved slightly, though his tone remained aloof. “I agree to help you investigate this haunted house. Once it’s resolved, our transaction will be complete. Do not come here again afterward.”
She exclaimed in surprise, “Your Highness will investigate personally?”
“Is that not allowed?”
“Of course it is.” Jiang Suihuan nodded rapidly. “After this, we’ll be even. I promise not to trouble you again.”
“Mm.” Gu Jin turned and walked toward his bedchamber. “I’m tired from handling official duties today. Come back tomorrow morning.”
“Cang Yi, see the guest out.”
In a flash of wind, a man in black appeared before Jiang Suihuan and said, “Miss Jiang, it’s getting late. Please return.”
This black-clad man wasn’t unattractive, but he had no distinguishing features—the kind who would blend into a crowd. Jiang Suihuan guessed he must be Gu Jin’s personal shadow guard.
Cang Yi escorted Jiang Suihuan out of the manor. When she turned to thank him, she found the main gate already closed.
So fast?
Jiang Suihuan suddenly felt as if she’d been dismissed.
The next day, after lunch, Jiang Suihuan changed into men’s clothing and returned to Bei Mo Prince Manor. A servant led her to the guest hall, where a maid served tea and pastries. “Young Master… Young Miss… Miss Jiang, His Highness is taking a short rest. Please wait a moment.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Suihuan sat in a chair, finished a cup of tea, and ate half a plate of pastries, but there was still no sign of Gu Jin.
She had deliberately not brought Ying Tao along to avoid causing trouble, but now she had no one to talk to and was utterly bored.
She rose and paced around the guest hall. Soon, a colored glass vessel placed in the corner caught her attention. This vessel was multicolored and contained a fist-sized pearl. When sunlight passed through it, it refracted into a rainbow, quite beautiful.
If she remembered correctly, she seemed to have seen this glass vessel at Zhenbao Pavilion.
Just as she picked up the vessel to examine it closely, Gu Jin emerged from behind the small door of the guest hall.
“This glass vessel is worth five hundred thousand taels. If it gets damaged, I’m afraid Miss Jiang won’t be able to afford a house anymore.”
Jiang Suihuan’s breath hitched. She carefully set down the vessel in her hands and said incredulously, “This thing is worth five hundred thousand taels? Prince, you must be joking with me.”
Gu Jin said lightly, “This is from the Western Regions, the only one of its kind in the entire world. What do you think?”
Jiang Suihuan gave a dry laugh and silently stepped farther away.
“Let’s go, take a look at the house you mentioned.” Gu Jin turned and walked away.
The two arrived at the entrance of the house from yesterday by carriage. Gu Jin said casually, “This house doesn’t look any different. Are you sure it’s a haunted house?”
“Certain.” After returning yesterday, Jiang Suihuan had felt uneasy and specifically asked Ying Tao to make inquiries. The results matched what Li Xueming had said.
“Let’s go in and take a look.”
Jiang Suihuan took out the key and unlocked the main gate. The two walked in side by side.
After walking around the house, Gu Jin said in a deep voice, “I haven’t found anything unusual in this house, at least not on the surface.”
“You said the entire family suffered from strange illnesses and none lived past fifty. That sounds very much like they were poisoned by some kind of toxin.”
He crouched down, picked up a small clump of soil, and rubbed it between his fingers. “For the whole family to fall ill, it must be related to something commonly found throughout the house that everyone would come into contact with.”
Jiang Suihuan was surprised. Gu Jin actually thought the same as she did. The reason she had asked Gu Jin for help was not only to locate the poison but also to find the perpetrator and bring them to justice.
She crouched down, imitating Gu Jin, scooped up a handful of soil, and carefully sniffed it. There was only a strong, fresh earthy scent. She shook her head and said, “The soil is fine.”
“You can tell by smelling it?” Gu Jin rarely showed a surprised expression.
“Of course.” Jiang Suihuan wrinkled her nose, looking quite proud. “My nose is very sensitive. I can identify any herb just by smelling it.”
“I almost forgot, you know medicine.” Gu Jin tossed the soil in his hand, clapped his hands, and stood up. “Since you’re so clever, you must have already guessed that this house has been poisoned. Why did you still ask for my help?”
Jiang Suihuan said matter-of-factly, “Naturally, it’s because you are intelligent, Prince. With your help, we can surely uncover the truth quickly and catch the culprit.”
Gu Jin gave her a faint glance. “I see.”
After checking the soil, the two went to the backyard. There was a large well in the backyard. Jiang Suihuan suspected the well had been poisoned, and Li Xueming’s family might have fallen ill from drinking the well water.
Gu Jin drew a bucket of water from the well. Jiang Suihuan examined it carefully and found the well water was also fine.
“Strange, where could the poison be?” Jiang Suihuan sat dejectedly on a wooden stool nearby. “Apart from soil and water, what else is something that everyone would come into contact with…”
Suddenly, a faint fragrance of orchids drifted into her nose. She sniffed deeply, “Strange, there are no orchids planted in this courtyard. Where is this orchid scent coming from?”
She searched for the source of the fragrance for a long time, finally discovering that the scent was actually coming from the wooden stool she had just been sitting on.
Seeing Jiang Suihuan staring at the wooden stool, Gu Jin reached out to pick it up for a closer look. But Jiang Suihuan suddenly shuddered and shouted sharply, “Don’t touch it!”