Off to hunt for treasure!

When Cheng Yunmeng first heard the little girl's thoughts, the sense of injustice nearly drowned her.

She and her son lived in such deep water and scorching fire every day that they had already grown accustomed to it. Yet now, someone like this had suddenly appeared.

Someone who knew every wrong she had suffered, who puffed out her tiny chest and vowed solemnly to seek justice for her. Cheng Yunmeng could no longer hold herself together.

Even though this person was so small and frail...

Cheng Yunmeng's tears burst forth again, instantly blurring her vision.

But when she heard what followed, she suddenly choked and coughed.

Harboring an assassin??!

Who on earth had such nerve? Hiding someone in her courtyard was bad enough, but an assassin?!

If anyone discovered him afterward, who would believe that she, the mistress of this courtyard, had not known an assassin was hiding here?!

Cheng Yunmeng looked at Jiang Yingcheng in terror, hoping to hear her thoughts take a turn and reveal that this was only a joke. Instead, all she saw was the little girl's furious face.

[How awful! This assassin is the same one who tried to kill Father last month! This palace maid is just as awful as he is!]

Her entire body went limp, and she collapsed into the arms of Jiang Xingran, who had hurried over.

It was over...

This time, it really was all over...

Eunuch Changshun was also utterly shocked.

There had indeed been an assassination attempt in the palace last month. Emperor Mingze had personally driven a sword through the assassin's abdomen, and everyone had thought his death certain. After several days of fruitless searching, important military intelligence had arrived at the palace, and the matter had been temporarily set aside.

Who would have imagined that today, he would learn from the little princess's thoughts that the assassin was not only alive, but had been hidden in this courtyard by a palace maid?

Had that maid grown tired of living?

[Huh?]

Cheng Yunmeng abruptly raised her head.

[This assassin is badly wounded and really weak right now, so he'll be easy to deal with?] Jiang Yingcheng's eyes shone with eager anticipation. [Where is he, where is he? Where's that bounty-er, where's that assassin now?]

In a moment of haste, Jiang Yingcheng let her true intentions slip.

If she caught that assassin, Father would surely reward her with lots and lots of things!

A light of hope suddenly flared in Cheng Yunmeng's eyes.

If she caught the assassin before anyone else did, could that count as making amends through meritorious service?

Eunuch Changshun's eyes lit up as well.

At that moment, their thoughts were remarkably alike-

The credit for capturing the assassin/protecting the little princess...

Was mine!

Both rallied their spirits, ready to rush out the instant Jiang Yingcheng revealed the exact location.

Still kneeling on the floor, Zuilan looked utterly bewildered.

Why had everyone stopped talking?

Were they just letting her off like this??

Jiang Yingcheng, who was still waiting for 007 to find the location, noticed it too.

[Oh no, I forgot to fake-cry!]

Jiang Yingcheng began wailing again.

Eunuch Changshun: "..."

Cheng Yunmeng: "..."

Zuilan: "..."

For a moment, the atmosphere grew rather awkward.

"A servant like this dares disrespect her mistress." Eunuch Changshun gave a light cough, deciding Zuilan's fate with a single sentence. "Drag her out and beat her to death."

He was anxious to learn the assassin's whereabouts and did not want to waste too much time on this.

Buzz.

A tremendous roar filled Zuilan's ears. For a moment, she could not believe what she had heard.

Instinct moved faster than reason, forcing her to respond. "This servant-this servant did not push the little princess! Please judge fairly, Eunuch!"

There was not so much as a red mark on the little princess's forehead. How could they claim she had pushed her?!

Zuilan's muddled mind could never have imagined that, apart from the Seventh Prince, Jiang Xingran, everyone in this room had already been won over by that crafty, cunning little dumpling. Their ability to lie through their teeth was every bit as good as Consort Lan's, who had first falsely accused her.

As Eunuch Changshun gently patted her back, Jiang Yingcheng's large eyes darted over his shoulder toward Zuilan, gleaming with a mockery called "delighting in someone else's misfortune."

[Hehehe, who's going to believe you~]

[Who~ would~ believe~ you~]

That sarcastic tone nearly made Eunuch Changshun break character. He could not help feeling grateful that his back was currently turned to the palace maid named Zuilan.

Zuilan caught Jiang Yingcheng's look, but could not muster even a trace of anger.

Her heart was already filled with terror.

Eunuch Changshun's behavior made it clear that he meant to vent the little princess's anger for her. He did not care in the slightest whether Zuilan had actually laid hands on her.

Once she realized this, she immediately changed tactics and began kowtowing to Jiang Yingcheng, her forehead striking the floor with repeated thuds.

As she kowtowed, she pleaded, "Your Highness, this servant was foolish just now! This servant will surely mend her wicked ways! Please, spare this servant just this once!"

Her voice was shrill and trembling, utterly unlike her earlier imperious manner.

Jiang Yingcheng stared at her for a while, then abruptly buried her face in Eunuch Changshun's chest. Out of sight, out of mind.

[Hmph, I'm not listening!]

[Give her another chance, and she'll start putting Auntie Yunmeng through the whole package of abuse and false accusations!]

[But... isn't beating her to death a little cruel?]

Eunuch Changshun's heart softened, then filled with a little worry.

It was good that Her Little Highness had a soft heart, but in this imperial harem, being softhearted could-

[How about poisoned wine instead?]

Eunuch Changshun: "..."

The words lodged in his throat, neither rising nor falling, nearly choking the breath out of him.

Once the little girl's feigned agitation had settled, Changshun slowly stood and expressionlessly instructed his attendants to drag the woman farther away.

He made no mention whatsoever of beating her to death.

But everyone present understood what that meant.

A quick-witted young eunuch trotted forward, getting there first and twisting Zuilan's arm behind her back. He was just about to apply more force to keep her from struggling free when her body went limp and she collapsed to the floor.

She had actually fainted from fright.

The eunuchs who spent years at Emperor Mingze's side tended to have little sympathy to spare. Seeing her collapse, another stepped out of the crowd. Each seized one of Zuilan's arms, and they dragged her straight out.

Once peace returned to the room, Eunuch Changshun and Cheng Yunmeng both looked at Jiang Yingcheng with sparkling eyes.

The troublesome maid had been dragged away. Could they go look for the bounty-no, the assassin now?

At the center of everyone's attention, Jiang Yingcheng remained completely unaware that she had become the focus. She was frowning as she haggled with 007.

[This map is way too simple! Can't you make it a little more detailed?]

The map 007 had given her contained only two bright red dots and nothing else whatsoever. She had studied it for ages without figuring out which direction she should go.

007 felt helpless, but knew that her mental maturity was only that of a child. It merely said calmly, [I'll tell you how to get there.]

Only then did Jiang Yingcheng break into a broad grin again.

[Off to hunt for treasure!]