"Oh, oh! Oh...!" Su Qi quickly crawled out of the bedding.
"Mother! Help! There's a flea!"
Su Qi rushed to Su Zimo's side, shaking the iron railing.
"I told you, didn't I? With so much rat droppings, how could there not be fleas?"
Su Qi hopped and jumped around. Who would have thought that the fearless Su Qi would be afraid of a flea smaller than a sesame seed?
"Now you know fear, huh? Tell me, what did you do last night?"
Su Qi was taken aback. "Mother, people go out for a reason, you know? But don't worry, Qi'er and my brother didn't do anything wrong."
Su Qi didn't forget to bring his brother into the conversation. He glanced back at his brother, who had a gloomy expression. As long as he brought his brother into the discussion, his mother's anger would most likely dissipate.
"Mother," Su Li stepped forward.
Looking at Jun Shaochen, then at Su Zimo.
"Young Manor Lord, you don't have to worry about me. Speak your mind."
Jun Shaochen sensed Su Li's concerns.
Su Li nodded and said, "Princess Yuerong wasn't killed by me. To be precise, no one saw how Princess Yuerong died. When I lifted the curtain, the maid rushed out with people."
"Young Manor Lord, I believe you and your brother are innocent. Could you please provide more details about what happened last night?"
Jun Shaochen furrowed his brow. Based on his understanding of Yuerong, she had a weak body. She never left the palace or her own sleeping quarters. She wouldn't even attend the usual palace banquets.
"Crown Prince, that's a case with no evidence. Even if we describe it in detail, we won't be able to catch the culprit. From the moment they reached the princess until they killed the guards and the princess, it only took a moment, and it was pitch dark. All we saw was a black shadow flying by. Besides, my brother and I had just arrived when we landed on the rooftop. The guards and the sedan carriers were already dead. The person who killed Princess Yuerong was most likely the black-robed man who appeared last. He had extremely high cultivation. The princess had never left the sedan, yet her life was taken away." Su Qi pouted and looked pitifully at Su Zimo. He wanted to go home.
"The black-robed man?" Su Zimo furrowed her brow. "Li'er, if you see him again, would you recognize him?"
Su Zimo asked.
"Mother, Li'er would definitely recognize him."
Su Li was confident. He had always had an excellent memory.
"Oh, by the way, Mother, when I landed, a red dragonfly flew out of the sedan."
"A red dragonfly?" Mu Yunxuan's eyes flickered with doubt.
"Shaochen, it seems that Princess Yuerong's death was premeditated," Mu Yunxuan said calmly.
"And Qi'er and Li'er happened to get involved. It might be something they didn't anticipate," Su Zimo thought of this possibility. The person they wanted to kill might have been only Princess Yuerong.
"Now that Li'er and Qi'er are involved, they will definitely find a way to frame them," Mu Yunxuan said with a somber tone. Who would want to kill Yuerong, a princess who lived a secluded life and never left the palace?
Originally, Jun Shaochen thought of the Empress, but he quickly reconsidered. Yuerong was her own daughter. Even if she had a poisonous nature, she wouldn't harm her own daughter, right?
"That black-robed person will definitely take action soon. But now that this matter has caused a commotion, it will be difficult for them to remain idle. Crown Prince, could you release some information questioning the cause of Princess Yuerong's death? You don't have to say much, just cast doubt on it."
"Is that what Manor Lord suggests...?"
"Crown Prince, why don't we go and see if Han Wu has arrived? The body will also provide us with many answers."
Su Zimo didn't believe that she couldn't find any clues. In her previous life, she loved to read detective novels and watch crime-solving TV dramas. There was even a period when she was deeply obsessed with the young Judge Bao.
"That's a good idea!" Jun Shaochen nodded.
"Mother, what about Qi'er and my brother?"
Su Qi looked at Su Zimo with a pitiful expression.
"Stay awake and behave in the dungeon!" Su Zimo shouted coldly.
"Hmph! Wicked mother!" Su Qi rolled his eyes, knowing that his mother would say that.
"Daddy!" Su Qi pouted, looking pitifully at Mu Yunxuan. "Daddy, look at the red dots on Qi'er's tender little buttocks. They itch and feel uncomfortable."
Su Qi looked all sad and pitiful.
"Calling grandpa won't help. Until the case is investigated thoroughly, both of you will stay put in this dungeon."
Su Zimo knew Mu Yunxuan would soften his stance, so she preempted him.
"Momo...!"
"Shut up!" Su Zimo glared at Mu Yunxuan, knowing he would give in.
Su Qi could tell from his father's expression that it was hopeless!
"Daddy, when did you become so timid?" Su Qi said seemingly absentmindedly.
"You...!" Su Zimo glanced at her son from head to toe, understanding his meaning.
Mu Yunxuan shrugged his shoulders, trying not to laugh out loud.
"Hehe!" Jun Shaochen couldn't help but laugh.
Upon hearing that, a bright light flashed in Su Qi's eyes, and he came up with a plan.
"Great! Daddy, mommy, why don't you leave first? Qi'er has something important to discuss with Crown Prince."
Su Qi didn't believe that he couldn't charm his way out of this dungeon. Even if he was in a prison cell, he wanted to be as comfortable as he was at home.
"What trick are you up to now?"
Su Zimo frowned and asked.
"Mom, I told you it's a secret. I can only tell Crown Prince. Mom and Dad, please leave!"
Su Qi waved his hand impatiently.
"Your Majesty, Miss Su, why don't you wait outside for me for a while?"
Jun Shaochen smiled as he looked at Su Zimo and Mu Yunxuan. It turned out that even they had a son who was hard to handle at times.
"Hmph!" Su Zimo snorted coldly. This little cunning brat was up to something again, but she still turned around and walked outside.
Mu Yunxuan glanced at the mischievous Su Qi, then at Su Li, and followed Su Zimo out.
"Young Master Su, can you speak now?"
Su Li knew what his brother wanted to say, but he wasn't interested in listening at the moment. He resumed his role as a straw on the ground.
"Hehe!" Su Qi smirked cunningly and asked, "Your Highness, do you think Aunt Zinin is good?"
"Well!" Jun Shaochen was momentarily caught off guard, and Su Zinin's shy face flashed in his mind. "She's beautiful and gentle."
Jun Shaochen couldn't help but answer honestly.
"Beautiful and gentle, not bad. Our Aunt Zinin is not only gentle but also kind-hearted. It's just a pity! Aunt Zinin is leaving with Grandfather and Grandmother to Li Xia Kingdom."
Su Qi shook his head with feigned regret.
Upon hearing this, Jun Shaochen inexplicably felt a pang of pain in his heart.
"Is she really leaving?" Jun Shaochen couldn't help but ask.
"Well!" Su Qi nodded.
His big eyes darted around before he continued, "Does Your Highness like our Aunt Zinin? Yesterday evening, you escorted Aunt Zinin back to Mingyue Villa, right?"
"So, this is the theme, right?" Seeing Aunt Zinin's expression, Su Qi knew that even he liked Crown Prince.
Suddenly, Jun Shaochen was stunned. Liked? How had he not thought of that before? He realized that he actually liked Su Zinin in various ways...?
"Young Master..." Su Li called out.
"Your Highness, my aunt is a good girl. If you agree to Qi'er's request, I will tell you a secret."
Seeing that the fish was biting the bait, Su Qi knew it was time to reel in.
"What request?" Jun Shaochen asked without hesitation. He desperately wanted to know what that secret was.
"Hehe!" Su Qi chuckled triumphantly. "This request is quite simple for you, Your Highness. It's just to give the two of us a cleaner cell with a proper bed and good food."
"Huh!"
Jun Shaochen was at a loss for words. After all that talk, Su Qi's request turned out to be that.
But for him, this request was indeed quite simple.
This was the reason he sent Su Zimo and Mu Yunxuan away. If Su Zimo found out, would she give Su Qi a beating?
"Alright! I'll have someone prepare it for you shortly."
"Wow! It's no wonder you're the future Crown Prince of Haoyue Empire. You truly have a kind heart."
Su Qi smiled, squinting his eyes. If his mother didn't help, he had his own ways, too.
"What about the secret you mentioned earlier?"
Jun Shaochen asked nervously.
Su Qi grinned mischievously. If he revealed that so-called secret, would the Crown Prince vomit?
Su Qi tilted his head, looking at Jun Shaochen's expectant eyes. His smile instantly diminished, and he said seriously, "Your Highness, the secret is that Aunt Zinin likes you."
"What?" Jun Shaochen exclaimed, his heart pounding fiercely.
Su Zinin liked him. Su Zinin liked him. Somehow, hearing such a secret made him extraordinarily happy.
"Are you sure?" Jun Shaochen asked again, his handsome face slightly flushed.
Su Qi slyly looked around. Yes, he was absolutely sure. Lately, he had been daydreaming, especially since yesterday when he came back. Based on Su Qi's experience, Aunt Zinin had feelings for someone, and it didn't take much guessing to know who that person was.
"Your Highness, I told you because I'm certain. Judging by your expression, it seems like you also like our Aunt Zinin, right?"
Su Qi feigned surprise, as if the Crown Prince was the slow-to-warm-up type and hadn't noticed his own feelings. In that case, Su Qi would be the hero.