Xiao Jin Yu gave a faint smile. "He won't wake up."
That was the bewitching drug of Shi Niang, the Pavilion Master of As Returning Pavilion.
"Can't be sure..." Chu Chu quickly scanned the room. Not seeing any rope, she spotted a fruit knife in the fruit plate on the nearby tea table. Grabbing it, she shoved it into Xiao Jin Yu's hand. "Take this, it'll be safer."
Xiao Jin Yu silently looked at the small knife less than a handspan long in his hand. For the first time in his life, he learned that someone actually expected him to kill with a fruit knife...
"Don't actually stab him though. You can't beat him, just scare him a bit will do."
Xiao Jin Yu's face darkened slightly. "Alright... you should go quickly."
On the way back to the city, Xiao Jin Yu and Jing Yi were discussing the case with officials from the Ministry of Justice in the front carriage, while Chu Chu sat alone in the rear carriage, her mind constantly turning over one question: to go home or not to go home.
When she left, she had promised her father that if she could enter Six Doors, she would send a letter back; if not, she would return home to continue learning skills from her father at Zheng County Magistrate's office.
She had originally decided to return home - her eldest brother had even promised to escort her all the way to her doorstep. But after personally witnessing how this Prince who oversaw all cases in the empire solved crimes and captured criminals, she didn't want to go back anymore.
This Prince was much more capable than Zheng County Magistrate. His methods for handling cases were extraordinary, and the cases he dealt with were all much bigger than those at the county office - almost as big as the cases handled by the Nine Great Arresters. If she could follow him in solving cases, within a few years she would surely gain the same level of insight as Seventh Uncle. Then she would definitely qualify to enter Six Doors!
But she had already clearly told the Prince she was leaving. People said that those like the Emperor and Prince were born to keep their word. Since the Prince had personally told her she could leave, would he still want her?
Chu Chu thought, the Prince had been quite good to her. If she explained properly, perhaps he might still agree.
Then she remembered: Steward Zhao had said the Prince was very stubborn, even the Emperor went along with him. Would begging him like this be useful? Maybe she should just go home.
But going home just like this felt somewhat unsatisfying...
Curled up in her seat, Chu Chu went back and forth with these thoughts until she eventually fell asleep without realizing when, sleeping so soundly that she didn't even know when the carriage stopped.
When she woke up, it was already dark. Just like before, the cushion was under her head and the blanket was covering her.
Rubbing her eyes, Chu Chu scrambled up and jumped out of the carriage, only to discover that the carriage was parked at the main gate of the Royal Mansion. Only her carriage remained - Xiao Jin Yu's carriage had long disappeared somewhere.
Seeing Chu Chu emerge from the carriage, the coachman breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, Miss Chu, you're finally awake... Hurry into the mansion! Steward Zhao has sent people to ask about you three times already!"
"Steward Zhao is looking for me... what for?"
Was he going to drive her away now?
"How would I know? I just know he's as anxious as if his tail was on fire. You'd better hurry!"
That probably meant it wasn't about driving her away. But for something so urgent, why didn't anyone wake her up!
"Thank you, uncle!"
Chu Chu thought Steward Zhao would be waiting for her at Six Strategies Yard and rushed straight there, but before she was halfway, Steward Zhao called out to her from behind, "Chu girl!""Steward Zhao!" Chu Chu stopped and turned, asking before she could even catch her breath, "You were looking for me... is something the matter?"
"It's not me looking for you," Steward Zhao waved his hand, leaning closer and speaking softly, "Don't make a sound when I tell you—it's the Emperor who wants to see you."
Chu Chu's eyes widened instantly, "The Emperor?!"
Steward Zhao nearly covered her mouth. After spending these past few days with his master, the Prince, this girl hadn't improved one bit. "Young lady, didn't I tell you not to shout? The Emperor is traveling incognito and doesn't want anyone to know."
Chu Chu quickly stuck out her tongue and mimicked Steward Zhao's hushed tone, "Why would the Emperor want to see me? Does he know me?"
"You've been instrumental in helping the Prince solve cases. The Prince mentioned you to the Emperor, and now the Emperor wants to reward you."
Chu Chu's eyes sparkled, "Really?!"
"No one would dare lie about such matters... Come with me. The Emperor and the Prince are both waiting for you in One Heart Garden."
"Alright!"
Along the way, Steward Zhao was bombarded with a barrage of questions from Chu Chu about the Emperor—most of which he had never even considered in his long life. By the time they entered One Heart Garden, he solemnly reminded her again: when she met the Emperor, she should answer only what was asked and avoid saying anything unnecessary.
Chu Chu had already rehearsed in her mind several times how to bow and speak. As soon as she entered the side hall of One Heart Garden, she knelt at the doorway with her head lowered, "Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years!"
A voice filled with laughter came from inside, "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
As Chu Chu stood up, she finally got a clear look at the Emperor seated facing the door. He was a young man with clear, handsome features and a tall, slender build, appearing to be around her age. Dressed like an ordinary nobleman one might see on the streets of the capital, he gazed at her with a smile, not at all resembling the emperors from operas.
In contrast, Xiao Jin Yu, though looking even more ill than before and utterly exhausted, without any energy, was still neatly dressed in his deep purple official robes and sitting upright, appearing even more imposing than the Emperor.
Noticing Chu Chu staring at them in a daze, the Emperor observed her with interest and said kindly with a smile, "Seventh Imperial Uncle has informed me of your assistance in the case. You played a crucial role in solving this major crime. Considering you are not an official yet served with such dedication, you deserve a reward."
Chu Chu's face flushed. She didn't know how Xiao Jin Yu had described her contributions to the Emperor, and she didn't feel her efforts were as significant as the Emperor made them sound. "I only examined a few corpses, I didn't do much..."
The Emperor smiled and looked at Xiao Jin Yu, "Seventh Imperial Uncle said that in homicide investigations, corpse examination is the most critical. Moreover, you didn't just examine the bodies—you also helped Seventh Imperial Uncle uncover several key pieces of evidence. Seventh Imperial Uncle, isn't that right?"
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