The Little Princess Was a Living Blessing!

Jiang Yanchuan summoned the two of them straight inside.

Under the gazes of a crowd harboring all sorts of thoughts, Jiang Yingcheng looked dispirited. Even when she reached Jiang Yanchuan, she barely managed to tug up the corners of her lips and greet him weakly.

She sounded like a kitten mewing.

Jiang Yanchuan chuckled, unbothered, and lifted her onto the cushioned chair he had prepared long before, casually pushing the pastries toward her as well.

Several quick-witted ministers exchanged glances, each drawing his own conclusions.

This was where officials of the second rank and above continued discussing affairs with Emperor Mingze after court adjourned. It might not have been the most solemn, austere place, but Emperor Mingze had certainly never eaten so much as half a pastry here.

It seemed this little princess, who had suddenly begun receiving his favor, truly held an extraordinary place in his heart.

Even without this incident, they could have gleaned as much from Emperor Mingze specifically discussing candidates for the little princess's tutor with them here.

Jiang Yanchuan cast a brooding glance at Jiang Yingcheng, who was mechanically stuffing sweets into her mouth.

He had intended to hear what that "System Bro" thought of these senior ministers, but the little one seemed to have suffered too great a blow. Her inner voice kept circling back to how she could make him discover Weng Zizhen's true identity.

He waited a long time without seeing the little one recover, so he could only wave a hand, indicating that the ministers could leave.

After the ministers withdrew, Lu Yao, commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was summoned into the hall.

The moment he entered, Jiang Yingcheng, sitting beside Emperor Mingze, caught his attention. He nearly forgot to salute the emperor and committed a breach of etiquette before the throne.

But he could hardly be blamed.

He, too, was among the people the little princess had just diagnosed as "sick" along the way.

In all his decades of life, he had never even heard of being able to hear someone else's thoughts. Now it had actually happened to him, and the whole world seemed to have become far more fantastical in an instant.

Lu Yao gathered his courage and stole a glance at the young emperor behind the desk.

Before he entered, the eunuch at the door had repeatedly urged him to play things by ear once he was inside.

He sucked in a breath as though nursing a toothache.

Since they had gone to the trouble of warning him to play things by ear, why couldn't they have told him a little more outright?

He had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do!

Jiang Yanchuan took in all of Lu Yao's reactions. Only after seeing that he had finally more or less digested his astonishment did he speak. "How is the investigation into Weng Zizhen that I previously assigned you progressing?"

Lu Yao: "..."

His heartbeat, which had only just settled, shot straight back up to its peak.

Hadn't he been ordered yesterday to investigate the private household affairs of court ministers?

When had he been assigned to investigate the top scholar?

While Lu Yao hesitated, unsure how to answer, a distinctly delighted, childish voice suddenly rang out in his ears.

[Aaaah! Has Father already discovered that Weng Zizhen is the Northern Frontier's second prince in disguise?]

Lu Yao: "..."

Lu Yao: "??!!!"

What was that?

Weng Zizhen was the Northern Frontier's second prince in disguise??

For a moment, he could not tell which shocked him more: being able to hear the little princess's thoughts, or the Northern Frontier's second prince assuming the identity of the newly crowned top scholar.

Lu Yao abruptly raised his head and looked dazedly at the supreme sovereign seated above him. In that instant, he gained an entirely new understanding of the words "play things by ear."

His heart pounded wildly, and countless conjectures instantly surged through his mind.

Were the unusual tasks Emperor Mingze had assigned him over the past two days connected to the little princess's thoughts?

Those tasks had all ultimately proved to concern genuine matters. Did that mean today's thought about Weng Zizhen was also true?

Lu Yao swallowed and bowed, replying tentatively, "Your Majesty, I... I suspect that Weng Zizhen is actually Su Hongzhen, the Northern Frontier's second prince, in disguise. However, I have yet to find conclusive evidence."

That should be the right thing to say, shouldn't it?

Lu Yao carefully raised his head, hoping to peek at Emperor Mingze's expression, only to meet his gaze directly.

He froze, then hurriedly lowered his head again, his heart tossed up and down with anxiety.

But...

In that fleeting glance, he had actually caught a look of satisfaction on the emperor's perpetually icy face.

Lu Yao felt he had won this gamble!

[Huh? Why do they still need evidence?]

[Can't they just kill him rather than risk letting him escape, even if they get the wrong man?]

The little princess's inner voice was full of distress. Lu Yao thought miserably, What kind of tyrant's declaration is that...?

Although Emperor Mingze did not enjoy a good reputation among the various nations, he was actually an extremely reasonable man.

Although he alone decided what counted as reason...

[Oh, oh, oh!]

Lu Yao perked up.

[Before entering the capital, Weng Zizhen reported that someone had stopped him on the road and robbed him. His clothes were in tatters then, and the birthmark on his chest was exposed. Lots of people saw it?]

[In that case, if they just investigate Weng Zizhen's hometown and find those eyewitnesses, wouldn't that prove the current one is a fake?]

[But how am I supposed to tell them?]

Lu Yao suddenly declared loudly, "However! I intend to send men to Weng Zizhen's hometown, Kangyang County, to make inquiries and see whether they can uncover any relevant clues."

Although the human-skin masks of the day could almost pass for the real thing, surely this second prince of the Northern Frontier would not paint an extra birthmark onto his chest every single day?!

If this, too, could be verified...

Lu Yao looked at Jiang Yingcheng with sparkling eyes.

I wonder whether the little princess would be interested in joining the Embroidered Uniform Guard family?

She likes little cakes, does she?

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had more information than anyone. They could list all the best little cake shops in the capital as readily as counting their own family treasures!

Lu Yao rubbed his hands in anticipation, already imagining countless glorious scenes of promotions and pay raises.

These thoughts were far too useful!

The little princess was a living blessing!

"Granted." Jiang Yanchuan suddenly spoke, interrupting Lu Yao's train of thought.

Lu Yao suppressed his excitement, saluted, and withdrew from the hall.

The moment he stepped outside, he met more than a dozen pairs of eyes all turning toward him in unison.

Their faces wore identical expressions of bewilderment, just as his had before he entered.

A suspicion suddenly formed in Lu Yao's mind.

These officials were probably all able to hear the little princess's thoughts.

Having momentarily failed to control their expressions, they had been noticed by guards lying in wait in the shadows and brought here together to await Emperor Mingze's summons.

Because this location was so sensitive, even with countless questions in their hearts, they dared not ask outright. They could only sweep their knowledge-hungry gazes over Lu Yao again and again.

Lu Yao puffed out his chest, his face brimming with smug satisfaction now that he knew the full story.

Hey, fellows.

There's a whole new world in there.