Just after lunch, a eunuch hurried into the hall and leaned close to Changshun's ear to whisper something.
Then Changshun leaned over to Jiang Yanchuan in the same fashion and whispered a few words.
Jiang Yingcheng had sharp ears, but she only caught scattered words like "Embroidered Uniform Guard," "uncovered," and "report."
Next, after exchanging a glance with her beautiful imperial father, Eunuch Changshun approached her with a beaming smile.
"Your Little Highness, shall this servant take you out for a stroll to help your digestion?"
Jiang Yingcheng kept stealing glances at her beautiful imperial father, feeling a little hesitant.
She wanted to stay by Imperial Father’s side a little longer.
But she also knew Imperial Father had state affairs to attend to, so she obediently held out her hand to Eunuch Changshun and left the courtyard with him.
Lu Yao hurried into the hall and reported his findings to Emperor Mingze in a strained voice.
"Your Majesty, this subject has discovered that Lord Liu Zhengqing..."
Evidence of his crimes spilled from Lu Yao's lips, one charge after another. The man was so brazen that even selling offices and titles was merely one of his less conspicuous offenses.
Lu Yao nervously raised his head, expecting to see the emperor fly into a rage. Instead, the man on the couch had his head propped on one hand and was leaning against the table in what could only be called a relaxed pose. Even the corners of his lips were slightly raised in a faint smile.
A violent shudder ran through Lu Yao.
That was even scarier!
The young commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard emerged from Xianyang Palace in a daze, having traded one report for three freshly minted assignments:
Investigate whether Hu Hongyuan, acting vice minister of personnel, had been banished to his study last night because he had no money to buy his wife a bracelet;
Investigate whether Pu Yuanzhou, acting vice minister of rites, was keeping an Outer Courtesan in Spring Fragrance Lane;
Investigate whether Court Justice Zheng Zhixin had visited the pleasure quarter yesterday.
What did any of this have to do with anything?!
Since when had Emperor Mingze started taking an interest in his subjects' private lives?!
Lu Yao heard the rumble of heavy objects collapsing in his ears. It was the final, mournful cry of his shattered worldview.
Meanwhile, Eunuch Changshun took Jiang Yingcheng on a leisurely stroll to help her digest her lunch, eventually arriving at a somewhat desolate little courtyard.
Just then, a cold wind rose, carrying a faint snatch of a woman's sorrowful, wavering sobs.
Jiang Yingcheng shivered violently.
"Uncle Changshun, we've already walked such a long way," Jiang Yingcheng said plaintively.
She had indeed eaten a little too much at lunch, but the food in her imperial father's palace was so plentiful! In neither of her two lives had she ever seen thaaat many dishes laid out on one table. She had only tried a bite of each, and her belly had already grown hard as a rock.
But they had been walking for so long that she had almost digested everything she had eaten for lunch. She didn't want to go any farther.
"Oh dear, this head of mine!" Changshun pretended to come to his senses and looked around, exclaiming in surprise, "We've wandered all the way here without my noticing!"
His baited-hook performance soon reeled Jiang Yingcheng in.
Little Fish Jiang asked curiously, "Where are we?"
Eunuch Changshun looked conflicted, as though he did not wish to tell Jiang Yingcheng much.
But having bitten the hook, Jiang Yingcheng had no intention of wriggling free so easily. She pulled a little sweet Jiang Yanchuan had prepared for her from the front of her robes, trying to bribe Eunuch Changshun. "Uncle Changshun, you can have this~"
Unable to watch any longer, 007 suddenly spoke up: [The finest hunters often appear in the guise of prey.]
Jiang Yingcheng was baffled. [What?]
007: *[...]*
007 said helplessly, [This is the courtyard where the Seventh Prince’s Imperial Consort lives.]
Jiang Yingcheng froze, then abruptly looked up. Sure enough, she spotted the large words "Fragrant Pavilion" on the black plaque above the gate.
She murmured inwardly, [So this is where Seventh Brother and his Imperial Consort live?]
Her gaze moved downward to the wooden gate, which already showed signs of decay.
The surroundings here were much worse than those at Bamboo Cloud Pavilion, where she and her Imperial Consort lived. At least their place still looked fit for people to live in.
Hearing the dejection in the little princess's thoughts, Eunuch Changshun teasingly snatched the sweet she was clutching to bribe him, cleared his throat, and explained, "This is the Fragrant Pavilion, where Consort Lan resides."
The Seventh Prince’s Imperial Consort had originally been an ordinary palace maid in Xianyang Palace. She had taken advantage of Emperor Mingze’s drunkenness to climb into his dragon bed, then given birth to a prince, leaving him no choice but to grant her the rank of Zhaorong after the birth.
But for that very reason, both mother and son suffered relentless bullying from the other consorts and princes.
Even the servants in their courtyard frequently neglected their duties in caring for them.
After hearing 007's summary of the background, Jiang Yingcheng blinked twice, slowly as a sloth. [Oh...]
For the ten-thousandth time, 007 silently complained about the Heavenly Dao forcibly lowering everyone's intelligence, turning what should have been an easy mission into something so complicated.
Seeing that Jiang Yingcheng still hadn't caught on, 007 prompted her: [This is a good opportunity. I think you should sneak inside and take a look.]
After a brief pause, it added with extra emphasis, [By yourself. Go in alone.]
Jiang Yingcheng finally snapped out of her daze. [Okay.]
She raised her head and gazed up at Eunuch Changshun with innocent, almond-shaped eyes. "Uncle Changshun, shall we play hide-and-seek?"
Having successfully landed his catch, Eunuch Changshun chuckled inwardly and played along. "Of course. Would Your Little Highness like to seek or hide?"
Seeing her scheme succeed so easily, Jiang Yingcheng clenched her chubby little hands into fists and said excitedly, "Seek!"
She had thought it all through. Consort Lan was Imperial Father’s consort, after all, so they certainly wouldn’t enter her courtyard casually to hide. Once they were hidden, they wouldn’t come out readily before she found them, either. That would leave her plenty of time to sneak inside and exchange a few words with Seventh Brother’s Imperial Consort.
To catch the bandits, first capture their king. Once Seventh Brother’s Imperial Consort liked her, Seventh Brother would gradually come to like her too!
She really was a master planner!
007: wearily lit a cigarette.
It had a nagging feeling that this mission was destined to be hellishly difficult.
Eunuch Changshun readily agreed. While Jiang Yingcheng leaned against the wall and counted, the accompanying palace servants scattered into the distance, each finding cover from which to secretly observe the little princess.
Under dozens of watchful gazes, Jiang Yingcheng slowly turned around and looked about like a thief. Seeing no sign of the servants, she covered her mouth and giggled.
[System Bro, System Bro, look!] Jiang Yingcheng looked smug. [I, Jiang Yingcheng, am smart!]
007: [...Just go inside, genius.]
At that, Jiang Yingcheng wasted no more time. She gently pushed open the gate to the Fragrant Pavilion and slipped furtively inside.
There wasn't a single eunuch or palace maid in sight in the courtyard. Only faint sounds drifted out from the main room.
It was the same sobbing she had heard earlier.
A thick layer of goose bumps rose on Jiang Yingcheng's arms. [Waaah, System Bro, could this place be haunted...?]
Before 007 could answer, the sobbing inside abruptly stopped, followed by the sound of something heavy falling to the floor.
The sound was muffled, as though someone had collapsed.
Jiang Yingcheng froze, then forgot all about her earlier fear and raced over on her short little legs.
Before you continue