That day, Shao Shang did not return home. She sent Sang Guo back to the Cheng Residence to inform them that she would be staying overnight at the Everlasting Autumn Palace, telling her family not to worry. After all, all the bedding and necessities were readily available, and she had the ever-chattering Zhai Nanny for company. By candlelight at night, she sat at her desk and wrote down her doubts one by one on a smooth wooden tablet. Early the next morning, just after breakfast, the Crown Prince’s personal junior palace attendant came to fetch her, inviting her to the Eastern Palace.
Upon arriving at the Eastern Palace, Shao Shang saw the Crown Prince and Ling Buyi speaking quietly in the courtyard. Liang Qiuqi had a palace maid escort her to a side hall, whispering as they walked, "The Young Master said the steward of the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard has arrived, and he thought the Young Lady might wish to speak with him. Feel free to ask whatever you need. Later, the Young Master will take you out of the palace to investigate the case."
Shao Shang nodded and followed the palace maid into the side hall, where she found the Crown Princess weeping and complaining to a middle-aged official in brocade robes.
"...That damned little wretch Qu Lingjun! If she wants to die, she should do it alone—why drag His Highness the Crown Prince into it? Now the rumors are spreading like wildfire, and I can’t even show my face in public! A thousand cuts wouldn’t be enough to vent my hatred!"
Unable to bear it any longer, Shao Shang strode in and said loudly, "Two days apart, and the Crown Princess seems as well as ever?"
The Crown Princess had grown somewhat fearful of Shao Shang and shrank back at the sound of her voice. The robed man, however, blustered, "Who is this ill-mannered person? How dare you not kneel and bow before the Crown Princess?!"
Shao Shang gave the Crown Princess a perfunctory bow, then looked the man up and down. "You must be Sun Sheng, the Crown Princess’s cousin and steward of the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard?"
Sun Sheng eyed her with a lecherous gaze and said smugly, "Indeed! You’re quite a pretty little thing—"
"Cousin!" the Crown Princess interjected nervously. "Mind your manners!" Her cousin clearly hadn’t yet suffered at Cheng Shaoshang’s hands.
"Manners? The Crown Princess is always too kind and meek, which is why our Sun Family has been humiliated like this! The in-laws of the Crown Princess, yet all we’ve gotten are two empty titles—what a disgrace!" Sun Sheng fumed.
Shao Shang scoffed. "It’s a good thing your Sun Family wasn’t given any real official posts. If you can’t even manage a single secluded residence properly, imagine the disasters you’d cause if you were actually put in charge of governing! You’d bring harm to the common people and tarnish the Crown Prince’s reputation!"
"You little bitch, what did you just say?!" Sun Sheng’s face darkened.
"I said you’re courting disaster and still don’t know when to quit!"
The Crown Princess hurriedly intervened, "Though my cousin manages the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard, there are so many servants inside and out—it’s impossible to oversee everything. Those osmanthus trees shed many blossoms daily. Perhaps some lowly servant secretly gathered a handful—such things are hard to prevent."
Shao Shang sneered. "The courtyard isn’t overrun with osmanthus trees! As Zhai Nanny said, it was originally called the Zigui Courtyard. Only after seven or eight rare purple osmanthus trees grew by the eastern lakeside was it renamed. In truth, there’s only one place in the entire courtyard where those trees grow, and they’re tended to daily by dedicated staff. Fine, let’s say Lord Sun was merely careless. Now that the incident has occurred, may I ask if Lord Sun has identified who stole the osmanthus blossoms?"
Sun Sheng clenched his jaw. "It’s too soon—we haven’t found out yet."
"Have any servants in the courtyard suddenly come into wealth recently?"
"...There are too many servants. We haven’t had time to question them all yet.""The Purple Osmanthus Courtyard belongs to the imperial estates, and the servants within are governed like palace maids and eunuchs, rarely permitted to leave. In recent days, who has departed from the courtyard?" After stealing from Purple Osmanthus, they must have delivered the goods somewhere.
"...We don’t know yet."
"You don’t need to interrogate everyone one by one; just check the registry of entries and exits from the courtyard. How can you not know?!"
Sun Sheng, provoked to anger by the questioning, howled, "Stop pressing me like this! As the steward of Purple Osmanthus Courtyard, I know my duties. What does a brat like you understand? These matters require careful investigation—"
"I’m afraid there’s no time for that," Ling Buyi’s voice interjected as he and the Crown Prince entered the side hall one after the other.
Everyone hurriedly bowed to the Crown Prince. Sun Sheng, looking guilty, forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, regarding this matter..."
The Crown Prince’s face was stern, unwilling to acknowledge him. Sun Sheng turned to his cousin for help, but the Crown Princess appeared awkward.
Ling Buyi turned to Shao Shang and asked, "Have you finished questioning him?"
Shao Shang looked disdainful. "This Lord Sun knows nothing when asked, yet his official airs are quite impressive."
Ling Buyi nodded and called out, "Guards, seize Sun Sheng. Liang Qiuqi, escort him personally."
The cousins Sun were both shocked. Sun Sheng was dumbstruck with fear, while the Crown Princess trembled and said, "You... what are you doing? Even if my cousin neglected his duties in managing the courtyard servants, his crime doesn’t warrant this..."
Ling Buyi had no patience for explanations. He stepped forward, grabbed Sun Sheng by the collar, and said coolly, "For the Crown Princess’s information, Purple Osmanthus is a minor matter. But what about the Crown Prince’s jade cicada? The Crown Prince hadn’t seen Qu Lingjun in a long time and adjusted his attire before meeting her. At that time, His Highness clearly remembers the jade cicada was still securely fastened to his waist."
"Perhaps it was lost on the return journey! Riding a horse often causes accessories to fall!" the Crown Princess argued desperately.
Ling Buyi glanced at the guilty-looking Sun Sheng and sneered. "After meeting Qu Lingjun, the Crown Prince was unsettled and remained seated in the courtyard for a long time before returning to the Eastern Palace by carriage instead of horseback. The courtyard, the carriage, the palace road, the Eastern Palace—the jade cicada could only have been lost in one of these four places... Crown Princess, where do you think it was lost?"
"If someone intended to frame the Crown Prince, they would have planned ahead. The carriage and palace road were unpredictable accidents. As for the Eastern Palace, after the seal incident last time, it wouldn’t be so easy to tamper with... So it must have been the courtyard!" Shao Shang tilted her head.
Sun Sheng’s face turned deathly pale as he pleaded loudly, "Your Highness, it wasn’t me, truly not me... Someone must have sneaked into the courtyard! Crown Princess, beg His Highness for mercy on my behalf!"
"The truth will come out once we question him," Ling Buyi said dismissively before tossing Sun Sheng out of the corridor.
Liang Qiuqi, already waiting outside with guards, swiftly apprehended and bound him, stuffing a rag into Sun Sheng’s mouth.
Inside the hall, the Crown Princess trembled in fear at the sight. She knelt before the Crown Prince, kowtowing repeatedly until her forehead bled, weeping, "I beg Your Highness to see the truth. I am foolish, ignorant, and jealous, but my devotion to you is as clear as the heavens. How could my cousin ever conspire against you? There must be some misunderstanding—I implore you to investigate!"
The Crown Prince seemed reluctant but hardened his voice. "If Sun Sheng is truly innocent, he will return unharmed. Zisheng won’t wrong him deliberately."Shao Shang noticed a hint of kind-hearted mockery in Ling Buyi's gaze towards the Crown Prince, as if he was helplessly amused by how easily the Crown Prince softened—just a few kowtows and tears were enough.
The Crown Prince gently pushed the Crown Princess aside and turned to say, "Due to my negligence, a great calamity has been sown. I must trouble you now."
Shao Shang suddenly felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders and solemnly pledged, "Your Highness, rest assured. I will spare no effort to restore your innocence!"
The Crown Prince paused, then chuckled. "Good, good. I believe in you..."
Noticing the odd expression on the Crown Prince's face, Shao Shang glanced back at Ling Buyi standing behind her and realized, "Your Highness, you were speaking to Lord Ling just now!" She had misread the situation—how embarrassing.
Unable to bear stating it outright, the Crown Prince turned away, his shoulders trembling slightly with suppressed laughter.
Ling Buyi had been lowering his head to stifle a laugh, but when he looked up, his expression bloomed like mountain flowers, brightening the world around him. He pulled the pouting girl closer, and together they took their leave from the Crown Prince. As they walked along the palace path, he asked her, "Where shall we investigate first?"
Shao Shang pursed her lips and muttered, "Why ask me? You're the one His Highness trusts. I'm just an afterthought."
Ling Buyi's eyes brimmed with amusement, though his face remained serious. "Regardless of whether others believe in you or notice your efforts, you should always approach every task with diligence. That is the true way of the world."
Shao Shang nodded slowly, a faint smile appearing. "Alright. I know you're just humoring me, but you're right. This is how one should conduct themselves."
"Not angry anymore? Then where shall we go first?"
"There's no order—I just want to go to Liang Manor. No matter how things change, the crux lies there!"
"Excellent. I thought the same."
...
The atmosphere in Liang Manor today was markedly different from the day before.
If yesterday the manor had been abuzz with gossip and bewildered excitement, today it was shrouded in gloom, even carrying a faint air of desolation. Upon entering, they split into two groups: Ling Buyi gracefully went to find the Governor of Liangzhou, while Shao Shang, as usual, headed first to see Qu Lingjun. Little did she know she would witness quite the spectacle.
Qu Lingjun's courtyard had originally been planted with various Cloud Plants and Mist Grasses, but now they had all been uprooted, leaving behind a broad, stone-paved clearing. A group of sturdy servants stood solemnly, some holding clubs, others ropes, while seven or eight people were pressed to the ground, being soundly beaten with paddles. Shao Shang noticed their mouths weren't gagged, as if their screams were meant to be heard by someone.
Yuan Shen stood beneath the corridor, his sapphire-blue brocade cloak fluttering in the wind. Tall and poised, he exuded an air of effortless elegance.
Shao Shang blinked. "What are you doing here?" This was the inner residence, after all.
Yuan Shen smiled at her. "My mother is visiting today."
Liang Qiu Fei, who had been assigned by Ling Buyi to accompany Shao Shang, stepped forward with a cold expression and clasped his hands. "This humble officer greets Young Master Yuan." Without waiting for Shao Shang and Yuan Shen to exchange more than a few pleasantries, he urged, "Female lord, time waits for no one. You should hurry inside to question Madam Qu."
Shao Shang thought this reasonable and gave Yuan Shen a quick nod before slipping off her shoes and ascending the steps into the inner chamber.
The scene inside was quite intriguing—like a living play unfolding before her.At the head of the room sat a plainly dressed woman in her forties. Though strikingly beautiful, her expression was desolate, exuding an air of weariness as if she cared little for anything in this world. Her hair was pinned with a translucent white jade hairpin, her ears adorned with a pair of white jade pendants, and her left wrist bore a white jade bracelet with a fretwork pattern. Yet, at her waist hung an incongruously vivid string of vermilion glass beads—this must be Madam Liang. When the servant announced Shao Shang’s name, she glanced at the girl a few times with keen interest.
Qu Lingjun knelt beside Madam Liang, looking even thinner than the day before, her gaunt frame reduced to little more than bones. Her trusted maid, You Tong, stood by her side.
Below them sat a middle-aged woman with a fierce expression, glaring venomously at the two. If not for the two sturdy maids restraining her, she would have lunged at Qu Lingjun in an instant.
Aunt Liang, pinned down and unable to move, spat through gritted teeth, "I am your stepmother! How dare you treat me with such disrespect!"
Madam Liang replied coldly, "...I never approved of Father marrying you. Your lowly background was the least of it—you are narrow-minded, shallow, and utterly self-serving. You’ve never understood the meaning of considering the bigger picture, only your own petty gains. And now, you’ve dragged the Crown Prince into this mess, disregarding the lives and futures of the entire clan. Do you really think any elder in this family would still stand by you? Stop dreaming."
Aunt Liang snarled, "So I should just watch my son die in vain while this whore walks free?!" Her gaze at Qu Lingjun was filled with a hatred that seemed ready to devour her alive.
"The truth of the case is still unclear. We cannot act rashly."
"Nonsense! All of you, with your high-born airs, have always looked down on us! But Liang Shang was the future head of the Liang family, and I am your father’s widow—"
"Which is precisely why Father should never have married you. In this world, the Liang family comes first, and Liang Shang second. Without the Liang name, what was he truly worth? Let me make this clear: no matter how this ends, your days as the honored widow are over. You will be confined and 'tended to in your illness.'"
Madam Liang’s tone was icy, dismissing Aunt Liang as if flicking a cricket into a jar. With that, she ordered the servants to gag the woman, unwilling to witness her terrified reaction, and turned to Qu Lingjun.
"I thought you were clever. How did a perfectly good marriage come to this? When Liang Shang beat you, were you truly so powerless to speak or act? Your father and brothers would never have abandoned you. Had you raised the issue sooner, things wouldn’t have reached this point."
Qu Lingjun’s face was deathly pale, her spirit broken. "At first, I wanted to end the marriage, but Liang Shang threatened to spread rumors that I had an illicit affair with the Crown Prince. Back then, I was young and easily frightened. After having children, I realized he was bluffing and tried again to leave. But he cruelly said that even if I could go, the children would stay behind—and who knew how long they’d survive... So I hesitated once more.""Moreover, the Liang and Qu families were once at odds like fire and water, and it took great effort to reconcile. How could I ruin this hard-won peace for my own sake? But what could I do? Life had to go on. So, I secretly sought out several highly skilled martial maids to accompany me constantly. After that, Liang Shang didn’t dare lay hands on me as often. In truth, only the first few years were truly unbearable, with no one to turn to. Later, whenever Liang Shang struck me, I made sure the martial maids struck him back. If you don’t believe me, have the coroner examine him—Liang Shang bore injuries too."
"These past few years, Liang Shang had quieted down considerably. But after coming to the Capital City, he reverted to his old ways. However, I am no longer the same person who would endure it. A few days ago, I confided everything to the Governor. Though my cousin was deeply troubled, he still promised me that if I divorced Liang Shang, I could take our two children and entrust them to a kind and virtuous aunt in the clan to raise. So, why would I kill Liang Shang? I already had a way out!"
By the last sentence, Qu Lingjun’s voice trembled with emotion.
Shao Shang sighed inwardly. No wonder it was said that even the wisest judge couldn’t settle family disputes. Yesterday, when she learned Qu Lingjun had endured years of domestic violence, she had felt a tinge of disdain, thinking only weak and incompetent women would tolerate such things—that Qu Lingjun was no exception. Now, she realized every family had its own struggles.
Madam Liang also remained silent for a long while. She turned to Shao Shang and said, "Since you are here under the orders of the Everlasting Autumn Palace, ask whatever you wish."
Shao Shang nodded, straightened her posture, and began her questioning.
"Who exactly delivered the meal to the study at noon?"
"It was You Tong. She wore my fur cloak so the household wouldn’t know I had gone out."
"But when Young Master Liang saw You Tong, wouldn’t he recognize her?"
"If he knew, so be it. I’ve already torn all pretenses with him. Some things are better left unspoken."
"So, the bookshelf really was toppled by Young Master Liang?"
"Alas, when he saw You Tong, he immediately realized I had gone out and flew into a rage, knocking over the bookshelf. But at the time, he was engrossed in his engraving and unwilling to interrupt his work. He only vowed to settle the score with me when I returned."
Shao Shang shook her head, sighing silently—this case was truly convoluted. The suspicious details she had deduced yesterday turned out to be entirely accurate.
"And that book chest—can you confirm what was inside?"
"I understand what you’re implying, Miss Cheng. Liang Shang was a man of no talent or virtue, obsessed only with engraving and metalwork. Those books were prepared by me long ago and kept aside precisely to temper his anger when needed. But the book chest carried into the study the day before yesterday—I can confirm it contained nothing but books. It was certainly not swapped with a corpse."
"How can you be so certain?" Shao Shang found this odd.
Qu Lingjun’s face flushed with embarrassment. She steadied herself and replied firmly, "That day, on my way back to the city from the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard, I encountered an old man selling ancient texts and bought a scroll on impulse. Upon returning home, I had the book chest from my courtyard brought over. On the lakeside path leading to the study, I personally opened the chest and placed the last scroll inside. From then on, the servants carried the chest beside me without ever leaving my sight. As for why there was blood under the oilcloth—I truly do not know..."Shao Shang frowned in deep thought. Since the book chest had been placed in Qu Lingjun's courtyard for a long time, it was natural that someone could have tampered with it under the oilcloth without her or her maids noticing.
Suddenly recalling something, she asked curiously, "But that day in the study, I saw only a few scrolls inside the chest."
Qu Lingjun's face showed hidden pain as she replied hoarsely, "...Liang Shang and I were husband and wife in name only, not even as close as casual acquaintances. That day in the study, I didn't want to interact with him. After saying a few words that he ignored, I thought he was in one of his moods and couldn't be bothered with him either. So I opened the chest myself and began placing the bamboo scrolls one by one on the outermost shelf. Halfway through, I realized there was still no response, which struck me as odd. When I walked around the shelf and screen, I saw Liang Shang leaning against the west wall with a knife in his body. I collapsed in fright and called for help."
Shao Shang was speechless at this bizarre coincidence.
"Your explanation makes sense, madam, but Lord Ji's account—no, not just Lord Ji—others claim you dragged Liang Shang's body from the chest, propped it against the wall, then moved some scrolls from the study into the chest as cover." Although Liang Shang's study didn't have many books, there were enough bamboo scrolls to fill a chest.
The maid You Tong suddenly interjected, "When the female lord opened the chest by the lake, several servants saw there was definitely no one inside."
Shao Shang sighed. "Those servants were brought from your maiden home, weren't they? If they helped move the body, hiding this would be trivial. No one would believe them if they spoke up."
You Tong froze momentarily before throwing herself to the ground, weeping bitterly. "That day I said I should take the blame for the murder, but the female lord absolutely refused!"
Qu Lingjun stroked her loyal maid's hair and sighed. "Silly You Tong, we grew up together. Whether you killed him or I did makes no difference—I'd still be guilty of ordering my maid to murder my husband, and you'd be lost too."
You Tong continued sobbing uncontrollably.
Shao Shang said, "May I see the fur cloak You Tong wore that day? It would be best if I could examine all the clothes she had on."
Qu Lingjun agreed and had the still-sniffling You Tong lead Shao Shang to the back.
Unlike the other maids, You Tong didn't share their quarters but slept in a partitioned room behind her mistress's bedchamber for easier access.
While waiting in Qu Lingjun's inner chamber, Shao Shang looked around and spotted something strangely familiar, which stirred her thoughts.
Soon, You Tong returned with the clothes from that day and Qu Lingjun's fur cloak. After carefully inspecting them and finding no bloodstains or suspicious traces, Shao Shang gave up.
Next, Shao Shang planned to visit the study where the crime occurred. To her surprise, Yuan Shen, who had been standing in the corridor, heard this and followed with an amused smile.
"Your mother is so serious and unsmiling. Why are you always grinning?" Shao Shang remarked.
Yuan Shen maintained his smile. "In families, we complement each other. Since my mother doesn't smile or talk much, I do more of both."
"Why are you following me?"
"We do share some history. I'll accompany you so you won't be afraid."
"Afraid?! Back in Hua County, I've seen hundreds of corpses! Ha! Afraid? I don't even know how to write the word!"Yuan Shen stopped in his tracks, casually snapped off a twig, and held it out before Shao Shang: "Write these two characters for me to see? Use the script from the ritual texts—none of that low-ranking officials' handwriting."
Shao Shang glared at him for a long moment before finally bursting into laughter herself: "...I really don't know how to write them!"
The Empress had never imposed strict academic demands on her, prioritizing understanding principles above all else.
The girl's laughter was as radiant as flowers, free-spirited and lively. Though it was winter, Yuan Shen felt as if a small warm stove had been tucked into his chest.
—Liang Qiu Fei, following behind the pair, rolled his eyes so hard it seemed more infuriating than being cuckolded. Yet Yuan Shen was of noble status and quick with his words, leaving Liang Qiu Fei momentarily at a loss for a retort.
"You're as annoying as ever, always poking at people's weaknesses!" Shao Shang planted her hands on her hips and glared, though she couldn't suppress her laughter.
Yuan Shen seemed to thrive on the scolding, laughing heartily.
"Stop laughing! There's been a death at Liang Manor, you know! Laughing like this is just asking for trouble! Quit it—even if you're Madam Liang's son, you might get ambushed!" Shao Shang nervously glanced around.
Yuan Shen gradually stopped laughing, then bowed deeply in apology. "Lady Shao Shang, I sincerely apologize for my earlier words." Rising, he smiled gently at the young woman. "I know you possess extraordinary courage and determination. My earlier remarks were indeed inappropriate."
Seeing his sincerity, Shao Shang smiled faintly. "Let's consider this matter settled. I won't dwell on such trivialities. Actually, I understand your intentions—you wish to share the burdens of Governor Liangzhou and your mother. Let us proceed together then."
Liang Qiu Fei, witnessing this exchange, felt his blood boil with suppressed anger until he could bear it no longer. He whispered brief instructions to the guard behind him. The guard glanced at the perfectly matched young couple walking ahead and instantly understood, swiftly departing to carry out his orders.
Meanwhile, in a secluded inner chamber, Ling Buyi was engaged in an intense private discussion with Liang Wuji.
"...Governor, take your time to consider carefully. I'm in no hurry."
"If you're not in a hurry, then why pressure me like this?" Liang Wuji retorted coldly.
"Governor Liang, do you truly believe the Crown Prince is the anxious party here? Far from it. The one who should be most concerned right now is you—it's about the entire Liang family's standing in His Majesty's eyes."
Liang Wuji sat silently, head bowed with hands clasped.
Ling Buyi sat upright at the desk, his voice clear and measured: "This murder case appears convoluted—the sealed study, the fur-lined book chest, the Jade Cicada and purple osmanthus... When pieced together, they point to one conclusion: that Lady Qu committed adultery with the Crown Prince, murdered Liang Shang, then attempted to cover her crimes. And this is precisely what the schemer wants people to believe."
Liang Wuji massaged his temples. "How could this be? Lady Qu has remained in Hedong since her marriage, never setting foot in the Capital City, and besides—"
"Exactly. You know Lady Qu couldn't have killed Liang Shang because she'd already secured her freedom. I know the Crown Prince couldn't have killed Liang Shang because he hasn't seen Lady Qu in ten years. But outsiders don't know these facts." Ling Buyi countered.
Liang Wuji slumped in defeat.
Ling Buyi continued, "Public opinion is formidable. As these rumors spread, the Crown Prince's reputation will be ruined—achieving exactly what the schemer intends."
With bitter sarcasm, Liang Wuji said, "I initially thought Lady Qu had implicated the Crown Prince. Now I see it's the Crown Prince who has dragged the Liang family into this. The schemer went to such lengths—how could they target merely a helpless woman? Their true aim was the Eastern Palace all along! Our Liang family suffers this tragic scandal, and now, Zisheng, you come to pressure me further?"
"The Liang family isn't entirely blameless," Ling Buyi said calmly. "Doesn't Liang Shang bear your family name?"
Liang Wuji looked puzzled.
Ling Buyi explained, "Had Liang Shang been upright in character and treated Lady Qu with proper marital affection and respect, this scheme might not have succeeded. But he chose to behave like a beast! Many already knew of their marital discord. Now with the truth exposed, everyone knows of Lady Qu's suffering and Liang Shang's despicable nature. Thus the frame-up appears all the more credible."
Angered, Liang Wuji said darkly, "So it's all the Liang family's fault! Lord Ling argues most persuasively."
"Your family's new bride, your family's son, your family's residence, your family's study and academy students... If these aren't Liang family matters, then are they mine?"
Liang Wuji was left speechless with fury.Ling Buyi continued, "Governor, there's no need to direct your anger at me. I omitted something earlier—not only do I know the Crown Prince couldn't have killed Liang Shang, but His Majesty is also well aware of it. Though the Crown Prince may act imprudently at times, if the Liang family's affairs were to drag him into such a scandalous quagmire, what do you think His Majesty would make of it?"
Liang Wuji shuddered, his fury dissipating as fear surged within him. He replied earnestly, "May I ask, Zisheng, how should the Liang family resolve this matter?"
Just as Ling Buyi was about to answer, his guard suddenly requested an audience from outside. Upon permission, the guard approached and whispered a few words into Ling Buyi's ear. His expression shifted slightly.
Liang Wuji grew curious. This handsome nobleman before him had been composed and unflappable moments ago, handling their conversation with seasoned ease. What could have happened to unsettle him so?
Ling Buyi frowned, then suddenly smiled at Liang Wuji. "Governor Liang, while we converse freely here, your Liang clansmen are still arguing and making a commotion outside. In my opinion, it would be best to rein them in somewhat. Otherwise, if word spreads, wouldn't it only add fuel to the fire?"
Liang Wuji was taken aback, not quite understanding how his relatives making noise within their own estate could relate to the Crown Prince. However, not wishing to complicate matters further, he acquiesced readily. "You're right, Zisheng. I'll have someone go and calm them down—"
"No need to trouble yourself, Governor," Ling Buyi interjected. "The Liang clansmen are currently torn between fearing their family's reputation is ruined and worrying about implicating the Crown Prince. Ordinary persuasion won't work on them. Why not send Young Master Yuan Shen instead? I think he'd be perfect for the task. As half a Liang himself, with his profound learning, esteemed reputation, and eloquent tongue, he's sure to soothe the Liang relatives."
Liang Wuji: "..."
"Thank you for your concern for the Liang family, Zisheng," the Governor said, though his worldly experience left him somewhat bewildered at the moment.
Ling Buyi replied with utmost politeness, "You're most welcome."
Author's Note:
After estimating, if I were to write out the entire case, it'd take about 15,000-16,000 words. It's just too exhausting—I can't finish it all at once, so I'll have to split it into two parts.
Will continue updating tomorrow—must wrap up this case!
Ah, I'm exhausted!
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