Chapter 96: Spicy Pot (Part 22)
Somehow, the words "seeking revenge"—normally so grim and chilling—sounded from Jing Yi's mouth as casual as suggesting a round of mahjong with Xiao Zhao Ye. By the time Leng Yue processed this, she found herself alone in the room.
The unheated chamber felt bitterly cold, and Leng Yue felt a sudden sting in her nose.
She'd always assumed Jing Yi was the one prone to foolishness, but now she fully understood: he simply couldn't be bothered to be clever. Around someone like her—so gullible she'd believe even fabricated stories from plays—such dazzling intelligence was utterly wasted.
Defeated, Leng Yue lowered her head and gently stroked her belly, sighing softly. "Do you think... your father won't want me anymore now that I'm this foolish?"
Before the words faded, a faint but distinct twinge of pain flashed through her lower abdomen—so fleeting it felt like the little one inside had whispered "Mm-hmm" in agreement.
"You even agree...! Fool or not, I'm still your mother. Stay put and behave!"
Convinced she'd reached a level of foolishness where silence was golden, Leng Yue chose to vault directly over the wall into the Crown Prince Manor.
She roughly remembered the manor's layout. The wall she'd scaled led to a small garden, and since the entire estate was maintaining the pretense of a gravely ill master, it should be deserted—provided the Crown Princess wasn't hosting another snow-viewing party. Quiet enough that her soft landing would go unnoticed.
Thus, when Leng Yue leaped onto the wall, she was utterly confident—so much so that she didn't glance down before jumping. Mid-descent, she spotted a figure lying face-down in the snow below, stirring slightly. The person's stark white robes blended perfectly with the snow, making them nearly invisible at first glance.
Startled, Leng Yue twisted mid-air, barely avoiding landing on the person's backside.
Who would be lying face-down in the Crown Prince Manor's garden snow...?
After steadying herself, Leng Yue cautiously peered at the figure's sideways-turned face and nearly gasped aloud. "Third... Official Jing?"
Yes—the third Jing brother, Jing Qian. But he wore no official robes and carried none of his usual bureaucratic demeanor.
Recognizing Leng Yue, Jing Qian remained motionless on the ground, gritting his teeth as he wheezed weakly, "Could you... help me up, Constable Leng?"
Leng Yue hurriedly bent to assist him, supporting him as he leaned against a nearby tree. Watching him stand stiffly while grimacing and rubbing his sore back and legs, she couldn't help asking, "What happened, Official Jing?"
"Fell..."
Only then did Leng Yue notice the grappling hook secured to the wall she'd just scaled, its rope swaying gently in the breeze.
The Jing family were genuine civil officials—aside from Jing Yi, the entire household was so refined none could even climb trees. In Leng Yue's memory, the wildest she'd ever seen Jing Qian was during the Mid-Autumn Festival when he chased a chicken around the yard with a kitchen knife.
So even with the climbing gear right before her eyes, Leng Yue still found it hard to believe."Did you... fall off the wall?"
Jing Qian turned his head with some difficulty, shooting a resentful glance toward the top of the wall, and incidentally casting an equally resentful look at the perfectly fine Leng Yue. "When you climbed over, didn't you notice how slippery the layer of ice on the wall was..."
"..."
Leng Yue suddenly felt the heavy mood of being frustrated by her own foolishness inexplicably lighten.
After all, he just returned from Goryeo—his temperament really is unique...
"Lord Jing, is it because the Crown Prince refused to see you that you..." Leng Yue hesitated, replacing the phrase "a cornered dog will leap over a wall" that came to mind with "resorted to such a desperate measure."
Jing Qian, rubbing his nearly fractured waist, gritted his teeth and said, "Same as you—I came to discuss something with the Crown Prince and didn’t want outsiders to know..."
Leng Yue was momentarily stunned by the words "same as you," but seeing that most of Jing Qian’s attention seemed focused on his nearly shattered bones, she assumed it was just an offhand remark and said, "Then let me assist you over, Lord Jing."
At this, Jing Qian immediately shook his head and waved his hands. "You go on ahead, I can manage by myself..."
Leng Yue smiled gracefully. "We both came by climbing the wall—why stand on ceremony, Lord Jing?"
"I’m not being polite with you..." Jing Qian looked at Leng Yue’s flawless smiling face and couldn’t help but frown. "It’s just that this trip to Goryeo left me with a bit of a problem—whenever I see you, I get hungry."
"...Hungry?"
"Wang Tuo carved some kind of Food-Delivery Goddess of Mercy out of scrap wood on the way back to Goryeo, and it looks exactly like you... The Goryeo people all fell for it, every household made statues based on that model and worshipped it. Even I had to bow before meals there..." After recounting this with clear resentment, Jing Qian added, staring at Leng Yue’s face, "So whenever I see you, I feel like it’s time to eat."
"Then this humble officer will take my leave first..."
"Mm."
It wasn’t until after Leng Yue had finished relaying all of Jing Yi’s speculations about Xiao Zhao Ye to the Crown Prince that a guard came to report: Jing Qian, the Director of the Ministry of Rites, requested an audience.
Seeing the Crown Prince frown in surprise, Leng Yue hurriedly spoke up for Jing Qian. "Your Highness, Lord Jing also entered by climbing the wall, just like I did. He must have something urgent to discuss."
Whether it was the words "climbing the wall" or "urgent" that piqued the Crown Prince’s curiosity, his eyes lit up instantly, and he crisply said, "Invite him in."
When Jing Qian hobbled in, leaning against the wall, Leng Yue suddenly remembered the issue with her face and quickly clasped her hands. "Your Highness and Lord Jing have matters to discuss—this humble officer will withdraw."
Before the Crown Prince could speak, Jing Qian interjected, "Constable Leng, please stay..."
Leng Yue was taken aback, and so was the Crown Prince. Regardless of the circumstances, interrupting one’s superior was not something a member of the Jing family would typically do—not even if they had injured their head, let alone their waist or leg.
After cutting in, Jing Qian composed himself as properly as possible, approached the Crown Prince, and bowed with clasped hands.
"Your subject, Jing Qian, Commander of the Imperial City Investigation Bureau, pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Commander of the Imperial City Investigation Bureau...
By the time Leng Yue processed what this unfamiliar official title implied, the Crown Prince had already steadied himself from the thunderous shock, narrowing his eyes slightly as he fixed his gaze on the still-humble Jing Qian.
"Lord Jing, what is the meaning of this?"Jing Qian did not raise his head, still cupping his hands respectfully. Apart from his uneven breathing due to enduring pain, he remained composed as he said, "Your Highness, I wish to discuss a matter with you. If you find it inappropriate, you may simply have Constable Leng execute me with her sword. I have already handed over all affairs of the Imperial City Investigation Bureau to my successor, so you need not worry."
Leng Yue, who had just regained her composure, was once again utterly stunned by Jing Qian's words.
The Crown Prince genuinely seemed to consider Jing Qian's proposal. He turned to glance at Leng Yue, causing her heart to flutter with panic.
Never mind whether her sword was within reach—even if she were holding an unsheathed blade at that very moment, she couldn't imagine thrusting it into Jing Qian's body.
To take a life over such a matter... whether it was Jing Qian or even a mere monkey, Leng Yue couldn't bring herself to do it.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince only glanced at her before calmly returning his unwavering gaze to Jing Qian. He asked in a measured tone, "Commander Jing, have you made up your mind to resign from your position as Chief?"
The role of Chief of the Imperial City Investigation Bureau was one of utmost secrecy. Yet Jing Qian had openly revealed everything before a Crown Prince whose future accession was uncertain and a mere constable from the Ministry of Justice without any official rank. This was no different from openly abandoning his duties.
Jing Qian did not hesitate, replying candidly, "Yes."
The Crown Prince asked again in the same even tone, "Is it because of Shenxiu?"
Jing Qian, still bowing with cupped hands and lowered head, answered frankly, "Yes."
Leng Yue was completely bewildered, but the Crown Prince appeared to have grasped something, nodding slightly. "I can acknowledge that Shenxiu has passed into Nirvana, and I can allow you to disappear by your own means, just as Shenxiu did. However, you must tell me one thing."
"One thing is acceptable. More than that is not."
Leng Yue stared in astonishment at Jing Qian, who was always so meticulous with his words. How important must Shenxiu be to him, to drive him to bargain with the Crown Prince?
The Crown Prince did not take issue with his tone. Upon hearing his agreement, he immediately asked, "Where is Prince An now?"
Leng Yue was sharply taken aback, and even Jing Qian was so stunned that he lifted his head. Leng Yue was certain that this time, they were both shocked for the same reason.
If only one question could be asked of the head of the Imperial City Investigation Bureau, given the current circumstances, this would absolutely not be the one to ask...
Jing Qian hesitated for a moment, unusually countering with a question, "Does Your Highness not wish to know what that token is?"
The Crown Prince shook his head. "That can wait."
If even the Crown Prince was in no hurry about this, then no one else needed to be.
"According to noon reports, Prince An was incognito in Bingzhou handling a case. Three nights ago, he was ambushed and nailed inside a decaying coffin by a coroner's assistant. He was rescued only at Chen hour this morning by the Guanzhong bandit Tang Yan. His condition remains unknown."
After listening in shock, Leng Yue suddenly realized something. Forgetting the Crown Prince's presence, she blurted out, "You knew all along that His Highness was harmed—even when and by whom—and you just stood by without rescuing him?!"
Jing Qian met Leng Yue's fiery gaze calmly and resolutely replied, "The Imperial City Investigation Bureau is only responsible for investigating and reporting as ordered. Decision-making is the prerogative of our superiors. We have no authority to act on our own initiative, or it would be tantamount to treason..."Jing Qian spoke, then turned his gaze to the Crown Prince. "The Late Emperor decreed that Prince An must report his whereabouts three times a day after leaving the capital. Now that the Late Emperor has passed away and the new sovereign has yet to ascend the throne, we can only accumulate these messages in urgency. Prince An's whereabouts are merely one among thousands of accumulated reports."
The Crown Prince slightly furrowed his brow.
Jing Qian's words made Leng Yue's emotions abruptly complex, while the Crown Prince's mind grew clearer. All these words combined conveyed one single meaning.
A kingdom cannot be without a ruler for even a day.
Since the Late Emperor's passing, many had conveyed this to him through various means, yet no one had phrased it as sharply and piercingly as Jing Qian did.
"I understand," the Crown Prince nodded gently and said in a deep voice, "Thank you, Lord Jing."
With these words from the Crown Prince, Jing Qian said no more. He bent both knees, knelt down properly, supported himself with his hands on the ground, and slowly arched his still-aching back, performing a steady, resounding kowtow to the Crown Prince. After rising, he only cast a deep glance at Leng Yue before retreating without looking back.
As Jing Qian withdrew, he still walked with a limp, yet somehow Leng Yue felt his steps were remarkably light—so light it seemed he would soar away on clouds once out of their sight, never to return in this lifetime, the next, or forever.
"Constable Leng," the Crown Prince's calm voice called Leng Yue's spirit back, "I have some matters to arrange. I must trouble you to make a trip to Prince An's residence."
"Yes."
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