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Eunuch Kang Ning became anxious over the past two days, and despite not being able to pry any news from the little eunuch under Eunuch Ho Sheng's command, he decided not to pursue the matter further, indicating that the situation had passed.
However, his disciple Yu Lihuai couldn't have died in vain.
Whether it was the Fourth Prince or that Commandery Princess from Xingqing Hall, he naturally couldn't investigate the matter openly.
Eunuch Kang Ning thought of someone—Mage Huo Yi.
Regarding Mage Huo Yi, some in Nanzheng State revered him as almost divine, like the Empress, for whom Mage Huo Yi's words held even more sway than the Sovereign's. Eunuch Kang Ning had personally witnessed Mage Huo Yi's proficiency in the Mystical Arts and could not help but believe in his abilities.
Of course, Mage Huo Yi would not deign to concern himself with him. Even as the Chief Eunuch of the Bushou Palace, Kang Ning was nothing in the eyes of Mage Huo Yi. However, Eunuch Kang Ning was no pushover; to plant his own spies in the Empress's Palace, he had gone to great lengths to bribe a disciple of Mage Huo Yi. Although this disciple was not favored, he possessed a skill unmatched by others.
That night, Eunuch Kang Ning met the Disciple of Chang Zhen in a secluded offering hall within the Dharma Temple. The Dharma Temple was a special construction on the west side of the Imperial Palace built by the Empress to accommodate Mage Huo Yi's prolonged stay for prayer on behalf of the Sovereign. The temple was modeled after the Xiongji Hall within the Imperial Palace. Every grass and tree, every brick and tile had a story, consecrated with a Divine Monarch brought from Six Auspicious He Lake over the course of a thousand li.
Eunuch Kang Ning usually did not wish to deal with these people, but having experienced their capabilities, he knew that the disciple he had bribed excelled in "searching."
"Disciple of Chang Zhen, apart from you, there is no one else who can help me with this matter," Eunuch Kang Ning confessed, fearing the eerie place the most. Entering the offering hall felt like stepping into a water-filled vat, with dampness assaulting him from all directions, enough to make one shiver. Thus, Kang Ning cut to the chase, recounting his own disciple's disappearance.
"Eunuch Kang Ning, this matter is not difficult. I need an object your disciple frequently used, along with his name and birth date. Let me conduct a ritual, and if your disciple is within these palace grounds, we will know shortly," said the Disciple of Chang Zhen, unfazed by Kang Ning's fearful demeanor. It was normal for people to fear them, and Kang Ning had treated him relatively well.
"I have brought it, brought it. Do you think it's sufficient? Please, I entreat you," Kang Ning said as he handed over the item. This was not his first time making such a request.
The Disciple of Chang Zhen took it and frowned slightly as his finger touched the green jade pendant. Although he was in his twenties, he looked no older than thirteen or fourteen—handsome, with long, slender phoenix eyes that almost seemed to take flight out of this mundane world. As those eyes closed and then opened again, he spoke.
"Eunuch Kang Ning, your disciple is already dead."
Kang Ning's breath halted. He had anticipated this result and slowly nodded in acknowledgment.
The Disciple of Chang Zhen closed his eyes again. In the darkness, Kang Ning could only see the youth's slender, elegant fingers clutching the jade pendant, and it seemed as if some invisible essence was slowly solidifying. His own breathing became more and more labored as the air seemed to freeze for an instant. Then, as the youth opened his eyes, everything returned to normal.
"Eunuch Kang Ning, please restrain your grief. Your disciple has been dead for several days, and the last wisp of his soul was in a dry well. The location is not far but somewhat secluded. It is a dry well in the southeastern part of the palace, likely the result of someone's underhanded scheme," the Disciple of Chang Zhen returned the jade pendant and related items. Without time to grieve, Kang Ning waited for the people to leave before heading towards the Bushou Palace.
The southeast corner lay in the direction of Xingqing Hall, and both the captured hostage from another state and the Commandery Princess who had recently grown close to the Fourth Prince resided in that direction. Kang Ning felt that things were not as simple as he first thought. Although seemingly clueless about several intertwined events, he knew he needed to be cautious before taking action.
...
Within the Crown Prince's Mansion, Zheng Congyuan listened to the reports from Qi Jin.
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"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince found Qishun Building and made a scene outside for quite some time. The Commandery Princess had no choice but to let him in. In the past few days, he went there three or four times in total," Qi Jin said somewhat guiltily, knowing very well about the situation since the news from Qishun Building was reported to him in meticulous detail every day.
"How many times exactly?" Zheng Congyuan asked, his voice deepening a few notches. In just four or five days, he had visited three or four times—almost every day. No wonder there had been no news at all these past few days.
"Roughly five or six times—" Qi Ling moved forward as if to attack someone, but Qi Jin quickly spoke up, "Six times. He went twice on the second and third days, and also, the Commandery Princess rescued someone. That person is still in Qishun Building now."
Zheng Congyuan looked up, feeling that it was time to properly discipline his subordinates.
"Princess Chao Ren is Fifth Uncle's only offspring. Do you think you can take responsibility if something happens?"
Qi Jin immediately knelt down with a thump. The Crown Prince had always been very gentle with them and never reprimanded them unless they made very big mistakes.
"Your Highness, I've already sent someone to watch over them; there won't be any trouble," Qi Jin said right away.
Qi Ling was somewhat anxious. Qi Ling and Qi Zhu were responsible for the daily necessities of the Crown Prince in the inner courtyard and followed him closely in his comings and goings. Whereas Qi Jin and Qi Yu, being in the outer courtyard, had a bit more freedom. This was obviously a decision made by Qi Jin alone.
"There won't be trouble? What kind of person is the hostage from Nanmen State that was rescued? Have you investigated? Could someone who has made enemies with Bushou Palace be a good-for-nothing?" Zheng Congyuan asked gravely. Nian Ru had never left the compound; all she had seen was her Qishun Building and the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Besides, to keep a man in her own palace...
Zheng Congyuan immediately rose to his feet and strode towards the exit, with Qi Ling quickly following him.
Qi Jin felt wronged. He had done it all for the Crown Prince. It was because the Crown Prince had saved the Commandery Princess that she clung to him. But as the days passed, he thought the intimacy between them was becoming a bit excessive. Even if they were cousins, the Crown Prince, being gentle-natured, naturally couldn't bear to make the Commandery Princess sad. However, the Commandery Princess had grown up and reached the age where men and women should avoid intimacy.
And with each day that passed, what if one day the Empress discovered this? That over the past two years, the Commandery Princess had often been seen at the Crown Prince's Mansion—then all four of them would lose their heads.
"Aren't you coming along—" Qi Ling doubled back to pick up Qi Jin, who was still on the ground. So, he thought he had grown clever enough to make decisions on his own, as if the matters of the Crown Prince were his to decide.
"You're leaving?" Zheng Nianru raised an eyebrow, looking at Nanmen Yu who was hobbling but determined to leave.
How had she not realized before that this Nanmen Yu had always been capable of turning his back on her?
"I... will cause you trouble," Nanmen Yu lowered his head, his voice muffled. That Zheng Haoyuan was no good person, yet she was so intimate with him, intimate to the point of lying together on the same couch. Thinking of that, he felt as if thorns were growing all over his body, "You saved me, and I will definitely repay you."
Repay her? Better not, considering last lifetime you repaid her harshly enough. The war lasted three years, completely plundering all the silver from her imperial treasury, only calling off the battle on the condition that she went to the front lines. What could she do with a knife or a sword? Or perhaps a dance would really settle the war?
"Fine, if you want to leave, naturally, no one will stop you. But about that repayment, we're better off settling it now. I have a bad memory," she replied.