“—” The Imperial Preceptor immediately let go, her face flushing crimson. She glanced at the smugly grinning figure before quickly averting her gaze and hurriedly walking ahead.
“Most of the day has already passed. You’d better hurry.”
Wen Ningwan stood with her hands behind her back, smiling as she watched the flustered Imperial Preceptor rush away. Miao Shiyi reached out, pinched the air, and then released it with a mischievous grin. “I didn’t even get to touch her.”
Wen Ningwan shot her a sidelong glance. “Since when did you become so improper?”
“Learned it all from you, Young Master,” Miao Shiyi replied with a laugh, extending a hand to support her.
“No need. Go help me with something instead.” Wen Ningwan beckoned Miao Shiyi closer and whispered a few words in her ear. Though puzzled, Miao Shiyi complied and left to carry out the task.
By the time Wen Ningwan limped back to the Dali Temple, the room was already buzzing with a lively atmosphere. Her colleagues reluctantly forced smiles as they offered birthday wishes.
“Happy Birthday!”
Wen Ningwan immediately noticed the figure in the corner who looked like she wanted to strangle her Yuwen Shu, the bodyguard of the Yan Kingdom’s prince.
She hurried forward, raising her voice cheerfully. “Well, if it isn’t Guard Shu! Where’s your prince? Did he send you here because he’s afraid of danger?”
The crowd exchanged confused glances. Rumors had been circulating that the deceased prince of Yan was merely a decoy. Now that his bodyguard had appeared here, could it be true?
Yuwen Shu forced a stiff smile. “Happy Birthday, Young Master Wen!”
“Happy, happy! Let’s talk inside.” Wen Ningwan quickly pulled Yuwen Shu into the room.
“You Ran, you too!”
You Ran had initially tried to stay out of it, deliberately turning her back, but Wen Ningwan called her out. Reluctantly, she forced a smile and followed them in.
Liu Jiaojiao dismissed the other colleagues from the Dali Temple with a few words and also entered the room.
Wen Ningwan leaned lazily against the wall, exuding the air of a rogue.
Liu Jiaojiao glanced at the two stern-faced individuals beside her and broke into a nervous sweat. “Young Master, what exactly are you doing?”
Yuwen Shu shot Wen Ningwan a look of utter disdain. She believed the Emperor had assigned this frivolous person to investigate the case as a blatant disregard for the Yan Kingdom.
“My butt hurts,” Wen Ningwan declared with a straight face.
“Pfft!” Liu Jiaojiao was caught off guard but quickly composed herself, carrying two jars of wine over and sitting down.
You Ran’s lips twitched into a faint smirk, but she immediately schooled her expression when she noticed the icy glare from the person across from her.
Yuwen Shu snapped, “Young Master Wen, I warn you, if your method fails and you can’t find the murderer, I will personally charge you with gross disrespect toward my prince!”
“If I don’t solve this in three days, I’ll be dead anyway!” Wen Ningwan rolled her eyes.
“You!”
Liu Jiaojiao quickly intercepted the fuming Yuwen Shu, handing her a bowl of wine. “Guard Shu, Guard Shu, don’t worry. Trust our Young Master.”
Yuwen Shu snatched the bowl impatiently and downed it in one gulp. “Fine, I’ll trust you for now and play along with your act. But if you don’t find the real culprit in three days, I’ll kill you myself as an offering to my prince!”
“Relax. As long as you all follow my lead, I’ll crack the case.” Wen Ningwan eagerly took a full bowl of wine from Liu Jiaojiao.
You Ran gave her a sidelong glance. Liu Jiaojiao quickly poured her a drink and teased, “Guard You, are you planning to challenge our Young Master to another drinking contest today?”
“Didn’t you already lose once?” Yuwen Shu sneered at You Ran.
“You lost to someone as frail as the Young Master? And you still dare call yourself the ‘Drinking Immortal of the Capital’?”
“You! Yuwen Shu, I’m only tolerating you because you’re a guest from afar. Don’t push your luck!”
“What? Want to fight? Let’s take it outside!” Yuwen Shu started to rise from her seat.
Wen Ningwan pressed her down with one hand, then asked with a grin, “She really calls herself the ‘Drunken Immortal of the Capital’?”
“You didn’t know?” Yuwen Shu stared at her in disbelief. Had this woman really challenged someone to a drinking contest without even knowing their reputation? Could someone so reckless really handle investigations?
Wen Ningwan shook her head. “I only knew she was good at drinking, but I didn’t know she was this full of herself.”
“Alright, alright, I admit defeat!” You Ran raised her cup with both hands.
“I’ll toast to both of you, happy now?”
Wen Ningwan smirked triumphantly and patted Yuwen Shu’s shoulder. “She’s my underling now, so no need to hold a grudge. Come on, let’s drink.”
She then glanced at Liu Jiaojiao. “You too, Registrar Liu.”
“My Lord, I still have duties. I’ll pour the wine for the three of you.” Liu Jiaojiao was worried about Miao Shiyi if there were any new developments in the case, she needed to stay sober.
“Relax, what could possibly happen? Drink!” Wen Ningwan shoved the cup right to her lips.
You Ran chimed in, “Go on, drink! If anything happens, Chief Wen will take the blame.”
“Exactly!” Wen Ningwan, already tipsy after just one cup, boasted recklessly.
Liu Jiaojiao clenched her teeth and opened her mouth, letting Wen Ningwan force the wine down her throat. She gulped it down in one go.
Instantly, her face turned bright red. Wen Ningwan gaped at her as if seeing a ghost. “One cup and you’re already done?”
“N-no!” Liu Jiaojiao slammed the cup down and poured herself another drink, only to immediately collapse face-first onto the table.
You Ran burst into laughter. “Registrar Liu, always so composed, yet she’s a one-cup wonder?”
Yuwen Shu sneered. “No wonder a mere guard like you dares to call herself the Drunken Immortal of the Capital.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Want to settle this?” You Ran, having spent years in the military barracks, instantly flared up with competitive spirit.
Yuwen Shu was no pushover either. The Yuwen clan of Yan was a prestigious family, and when the Grand Preceptor led troops into battle, they had frequent dealings with the Yuwen. Thus, Yuwen Shu harbored no goodwill toward You Ran, who hailed from the Grand Preceptor’s household.
So, Yuwen Shu grabbed a wine jar. “If you lose, you’ll bow and scrape every time you see me, and admit that the Grand Preceptor’s household is inferior to the Yuwen clan.”
“Ha! And if you lose?” You Ran glared at her, teeth clenched. She could tolerate insults about her drinking, but slandering the Grand Preceptor’s household was unacceptable!
“If I lose, no matter the outcome, I’ll never blame your country for the Crown Prince’s death.”
Wen Ningwan froze, then immediately pulled You Ran back, staring at Yuwen Shu in disbelief. “Guard Yuwen, you know You Ran already lost to me, yet you still challenge her? Picking on the weak is this the noble spirit of the Yuwen clan’s rivalry with the Grand Preceptor’s household?”
Yuwen Shu faltered for a moment, then smirked. “Does Chief Wen want to take her place and compete with me?”
“No. You should be competing with me.” Wen Ningwan grinned as she poured another cup.
“Dare to?”
“Same stakes!” Yuwen Shu raised her cup, brimming with confidence. The people of Yan feasted on meat and drank freely, their tolerance was cultivated from childhood. Of course she was confident.
“Deal!” Wen Ningwan matched her confidence.
You Ran nudged her: “Why are you taking my place?”
“I’m your boss!”
“Yeah, hic! Boss, hehe” Liu Jiaojiao, drunk and sprawled over the table, chimed in.
You Ran wiped his brow in exasperation, watching helplessly as the two clinked glasses and drank, while he quietly sipped his own wine.
The next day, the sky was overcast. The State Preceptor sat at her desk when You Qi arrived in a hurry, handing over a case file.
“It’s just as the file states. She was born into a merchant family in Shangjun, came to the capital alone to take the imperial exams, and entered the court as an official. She has no close friends in the capital, the only ones who could be considered acquaintances are her personal clerk, Miao Shiyi, and the registrar, Liu Jiaojiao.”
The State Preceptor flipped through the file casually, reading line by line. It indeed matched You Qi’s report.
“Nothing else was uncovered?”
“There is.” A rare flicker of disbelief crossed You Qi’s usually indifferent face.
“That merchant family in Shangjun isn’t just any merchant family, it’s the renowned Wen clan. Wen Shaoqing is the eldest daughter of the family head, Wen Rushi.”
The State Preceptor looked up, surprised. “Are you certain?”
“Positive. I’ve already sent someone to verify, it’s true.”
The State Preceptor paused, her expression thoughtful. “Wen Rushi is one of the wealthiest in the land. Which noble household in the capital doesn’t wear fabrics produced by her family? Which home isn’t furnished with her family’s wares? Without the Wen family, life itself would lose much of its luster.”
“However,”
“However, what?” You Qi asked.
She felt that someone of Wen Ningwan’s status couldn’t possibly have been planted to approach the State Preceptor. Yet the State Preceptor was unusually fixated on her despite being the one who initiated contact, she now suspected Wen of ulterior motives.
“Born into such wealth, why would she take an interest in shoddy roadside pottery? And why would she rush to reclaim the two hundred taels I gave to the vendor?”
“Most merchants hate waste, don’t they?”
The State Preceptor shook her head. She still didn’t believe Wen Ningwan fit the profile of a wealthy merchant’s daughter. “Dig deeper into her family background. See if they’ve had any dealings with suspicious figures.”
“Yes!”
“By the way, tomorrow marks the three-day deadline. Has Wen Shaoqing uncovered anything?”
You Qi snorted, her face full of disdain. “Yesterday was her birthday. She threw a big celebration, then ended up drinking with Yuwen Shu even wagering using the State Preceptor’s residence as a bet. Now she’s dead drunk.”
The State Preceptor arched a brow, her expression cool. “Wagering what?”