“You chaotic devil!” the Prince of Qin cursed, “Quickly apologize to the Prince of Pingding!”

But Xin Wen simply couldn’t speak. Even with trembling fingertips, he didn’t dare to touch Bai Jiu. Being held so clumsily, his face grew paler and paler with anger.

“Apologize for what?” Bai Jiu smiled. “The heir is obedient, a rare breed in the capital.” With that, he released his hand, watching Xin Wen slide to the ground. “Prince of Qin, with such an obedient son, be sure not to disappoint His Majesty’s intentions.”

The Prince of Qin repeatedly agreed.

On the way back, Xin Yi wanted to say thanks, but as soon as Bai Jiu got into the carriage, he rubbed his temple and told him, “I’ll rest for a bit.” Then, he rested his head on Xin Yi’s lap and closed his eyes, feigning sleep. Xin Yi lightened his breathing, seeing Bai Jiu facing him, with a hint of ruthlessness still lingering between his brows.

As the carriage began to sway forward, Bai Jiu suddenly accurately grasped Xin Yi’s hand, lightly pinching his fingertips, and placed his fingers on his own temple. Xin Yi’s dimples subtly swirled, his fingertips moved gently, and his earlobes burned. Bai Jiu’s expression gradually relaxed with his movements. As Xin Yi continued to rub, he realized his dimples were showing. Fortunately, Bai Jiu had his eyes closed. He wanted to hide it, but truly couldn’t hold back, so he just let himself smile foolishly in silence.

While he was smiling, Bai Jiu said, “What are you laughing about?”

Xin Yi softly hummed, saying, “I feel comfortable.”

“So easily coaxed.” Bai Jiu half-opened his narrow eyes, looking at him, and said, “Xin Wen used to be the little tyrant of the capital, but now he’s not the only heir in the capital, so he’s not anything valuable anymore. Since they call you the Little King of Hell, you don’t need to be too polite to people.”

“Then I naturally won’t be polite.” Xin Yi moved the corner of his lips as he said this. “I’m just afraid I’ll always be making trouble for you to clean up, Lord.”

Bai Jiu rolled over to face inward and said, “It’s nothing. Just strut around as you please.”

Xin Yi’s hand paused slightly, then he gradually broke into a smile. However, the smile faded from his eyes, leaving a slight dimness. He changed the topic, saying, “The matter with Registrar He, I’m afraid, has still caused you trouble, Lord.”

“This wasn’t premeditated; it was mostly spontaneous.” Bai Jiu paused. “You don’t need to worry too much.”

Xin Yi had something on his mind. Neither of them spoke much further, and they swayed all the way back to the manor.

When bathing and undressing that evening, Xin Yi neatly folded his robe. When he turned over the inside of the collar, he saw “Jingyuan” lightly embroidered on it. He concentrated for a long time, but couldn’t recall where he had heard these two characters, so he gave up and rested.

The next day, as Xin Yi just woke up, he heard faint whimpering of a puppy in the courtyard. He went to the door to look. Old Qu was feeding a small, black puppy. The little fellow was very energetic and immediately ran to his feet, frolicking, when he appeared. Xin Yi, surprised and delighted, squatted down, patted the little one’s head, and asked, “Old Qu, do you also like raising dogs?”

Old Qu just smiled and said, “This is not raised by this old servant; this is for Young Master.”

With that, Xin Yi understood who had given it to him. He picked up the puppy and asked, “Has Lord given it a name yet?”

“Just waiting for Young Master to name it.”

Xin Yi held the dog and played with it for a while, then said, “Then let’s call him… Chichi.” He first laughed for a bit, then said, “Later, with Chiye, he’ll be magnificent when we go hunting.”

Old Qu also smiled. As the two were chatting, Bai Jiu, clad in a dark-edged silk gown, came into view from that side. Old Qu stepped back. Xin Yi’s dimples deepened, and he said first, “Good morning, Lord.”

Bai Jiu grunted and reached out. Xin Yi thought he wanted to pet the dog, so he presented the little one in his arms. Unexpectedly, the Lord’s hand went past the puppy and landed directly on his cheek, saying, “It looks much better; apply some more medicine today.” Xin Yi was still a bit stunned as Bai Jiu withdrew his hand and entered the house, “Serve breakfast.”

Old Qu responded as usual and went to tidy up, leaving only Xin Yi with burning ear tips by the door. After washing their hands, the two had breakfast on the divan. Bai Jiu served him rice porridge. Xin Yi thanked him, but after eating for a while, he still didn’t know why Bai Jiu had come so early today. He could only let his thoughts wander randomly. Suddenly, he remembered the two characters “Jingyuan” on the collar of his robe last night. He looked up at Bai Jiu, who was focused on eating with downcast eyes, then gently coughed and softly probed, “Jingyuan?”

There was no reaction from the other side; not even an eyelid twitched. Xin Yi silently lowered his head and drank his porridge. After about half a moment, he heard the other side slowly say, “What is it?”

Xin Yi, instead, smiled and said, “Jing, reverence. Yuan, depth. Jingyuan, Jingyuan, reverent and profound, what a well-chosen name.”

Bai Jiu handed him the peeled white egg in his hand, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and smiled with downcast eyes. “You’ve interpreted it well, but it wasn’t my master’s original intention.” He placed the handkerchief aside and said faintly, “Jing, caution. Yuan, silence. To act cautiously and speak little. It means for me to be humble and silent, loyal to the sovereign and a good minister.”

A slight silence fell over the table.

Xin Yi didn’t know who Bai Jiu’s master was, and there was no such talk in the capital. If Bai Jiu hadn’t brought it up now, he wouldn’t have known that Bai Jiu also had a master. But the four words ‘act cautiously and speak little’ didn’t sound like a master’s blessing, but rather a severe warning.

“Even so…” Xin Yi, holding the egg he had peeled for him, took a bite and said, “I actually prefer ‘reverent and profound’. You know it’s calling for you, Lord, and I like how it sounds.”

Bai Jiu said, “Oh,” and then, “Say it so I can hear.”

“Jingyuan.” The person opposite seemed not to have heard. Xin Yi thought his voice was too low, so he slightly raised his tone and called out again, “Jingyuan.”

Bai Jiu blew on his tea and asked, “How does it sound when you say it?”

“Hmm… it’s quite good.”

“Then call me that.”

Xin Yi was startled and immediately said, “That might not be appropriate, Lord and—”

Bai Jiu put down his teacup, looked at him, and repeated, “Just call me that.”

Xin Yi was speechless, his face flushed again under Bai Jiu’s gaze. As he buried his head in his food, his chest felt a little tight. He thought to himself, ‘Calling him that… calling him that is quite nice too.’

However, the matter with Registrar He from last night was still unresolved. Xie Jingsheng went to the Court of Judicial Review early this morning. As his horse arrived at the gate, he saw He Anchang alighting from his carriage. Xie Jingsheng twirled his horsewhip once, turning his horse’s head to face He Anchang.

“You sobered up quite fast, didn’t you?” Xie Jingsheng smiled from horseback, raising his chin at He Anchang. “Do you still recognize who I am?”

He Anchang was in proper official attire today, every button meticulous, though his face was paler than usual. Hearing this, he merely gave Xie Jingsheng a cool glance and began to walk inside.

“Hey.” Xie Jingsheng cracked his horsewhip, and the horse leisurely stepped to block He Anchang’s path. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Your skill at turning your back on people is quite impressive. Truly, a single dream shattered, and past affections are gone – remarkable.”

He Anchang’s gaze settled on his face. He said indifferently, “Since you know that, why persist? The past is gone; I regret nothing.”

Xie Jingsheng laughed aloud at his words. “You’re good, you’re very good. I didn’t realize, He Anchang, that you could speak such heartless and unfeeling words so naturally.” He leaned down from his horse, lightly blew towards He Anchang’s brows in a frivolous manner, and said, “Too bad the past lover was as beautiful as a painting. Heartless as I may be, I still possess charm.” Without waiting for He Anchang to reply, he dismounted, tossed the reins to someone waiting nearby, and stepped through the gate, turning back to say, “Please, Lord He.”

He Anchang’s expression was cold, and he followed without a word.

The two were led to the main hall, where Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Zuo Kai was already waiting on the steps. This man was over forty, with a truly full forehead and a square jaw. His eyes were like a tiger’s, emanating authority without anger when he looked at people, stern by nature.

Xie Jingsheng first cupped his hands and smiled, “Lord Zuo, I trust you’ve been well.” Zuo Kai merely gave him a cold snort, turning to He Anchang with considerably more politeness. Xie Jingsheng shrugged indifferently, pretending not to notice. He had been snorted at by Zuo Kai plenty of times in the capital before, and now that he was a regional official, he cared even less.

He Anchang was also very polite. As both he and Zuo Kai were upright and serious individuals, they admired each other’s conduct, and working together on a case now would naturally not go poorly.

Zuo Kai was not one for pleasantries and got straight to the point, first leading the two to the morgue to examine the body. After seeing the corpse, He Anchang asked, “Has a coroner examined the body?”

Zuo Kai shook his head at the question, merely saying, “After all, he was a fifth-rank registrar, and the He family doesn’t wish for the body to be handled by a coroner.”

He Anchang frowned, but then saw Xie Jingsheng raising his hand and moving it along the corpse’s neck, so he couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”

Xie Jingsheng merely clasped his five fingers around Registrar He’s neck, comparing them, and said, “The Capital Guards previously stated that this person was strangled semi-conscious and then forced under water to drown. I’m just curious, if we only look at the strangulation marks, how can it be determined that he was forcibly held down to drown? An ordinary person doing this would likely press down on the back of the head, not the neck.”

“If the incident happened suddenly, it’s expected for the culprit to act rashly.” Zuo Kai paced nearby, saying, “But he was merely a registrar of the Imperial Clan Court, handling established matters like imperial lineage and succession. What kind of ability would provoke someone to act during an imperial banquet?”

“That’s why it should have been a sudden incident.” He Anchang mused, “During an imperial banquet, the Capital Guards’ security and patrols are stricter than usual. If there had been long-standing resentment, this wouldn’t be the time to act. Moreover,” he paused here, coincidentally meeting Xie Jingsheng’s gaze, and said expressionlessly, “The moment this case emerged, it seemed intended to shift blame.”

Last night, the emperor’s demeanor was clear for all to see. If not for the Left Faction and Bai Jiu’s insistence on a thorough investigation, Xin Yi would not have escaped being scapegoated. If this case was neither the doing of the Left Faction nor Bai Jiu’s faction, then the intent behind the incident becomes intriguing. It is precisely because this case aimed to find a scapegoat that it was more unsettling. Zhang Taiyan and Bai Jiu were currently in a strong stalemate. The biggest reason they didn’t want to turn against each other over this matter and fight was the fear that someone behind the scenes was fanning the flames, hoping to benefit from their conflict. No one wanted to bear this dirty water, which is why he and Xie Jingsheng had to participate in this case simultaneously, to prove the innocence of their respective sides and to supervise each other’s methods.

“Although Lord He speaks reasonably,” Xie Jingsheng smiled, rubbing the tip of his nose, “I have a different perspective.”

Though Zuo Kai disliked Xie Jingsheng’s dissolute and ruthless character, he would never let that prevent him from expressing his views on a case. Even without a friendly face, he said, “Please share your insights, Lord Xie.”

Xie Jingsheng chuckled, repeatedly saying, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.” “If someone were to take a desperate risk, specifically choosing this sensitive and crucial time to commit the crime, it’s not impossible. Although this person was merely a Registrar, he frequently moved within the palace, encountering many imperial nobles. Moreover, all the various royal lineages of our Great Lan must pass through his hands for enfeoffment and succession, right? If I were a member of the imperial clan and he caught me with some unspeakable secret, I would go to great lengths to ensure this person never spoke again. As for the Imperial Clan Court, with the Imperial Clan Court Director and other officials assisting, even if a Registrar dies, it wouldn’t cause a major stir. But ultimately, he was an official, and there’s always someone easily manipulated into being a scapegoat, making it easier to wash one’s hands and get away.”

Zuo Kai stopped, his brows furrowed. “That’s not wrong. While we can’t definitively conclude it was the work of an imperial relative based on this, it at least clears anyone below fifth rank.”

“I wonder if there are any sealed case scrolls in the Court of Judicial Review that Registrar He handled during his lifetime? We ought to investigate and review them,” He Anchang said.

Zuo Kai immediately said, “Please, both of you. The scrolls have been placed in the inner hall.”

He Anchang went through the scrolls one by one. Xie Jingsheng, however, didn’t go with him, instead finding a casual excuse to disappear. Zuo Kai snorted again when he saw him about to leave, but Xie Jingsheng left without an explanation.

Although these scrolls were not lengthy treatises, their advantage lay in their numerous and intricate details. He Anchang immersed himself in the inner hall without rest until evening, finally pulling aside a few scrolls and writing a few characters on paper with his brush. Only when the candle burning beside him flickered out did he stop.

When Xie Jingsheng returned, it was still dark. He entered the inner hall, carrying a few scroll paintings. Before he even sat down, he saw He Anchang asleep, slumped over the desk.

The scrolls were neatly stacked, but the man was sleeping with a confused expression.

Xie Jingsheng leaned over and watched for a while, then suddenly smiled, a wicked smirk on his lips. He picked up the brush He Anchang had put down, dipped it in ink, and sketched for a while on that jade-like face, finally drawing a half-blooming hibiscus at the corner of his eye. But while others painted it ‘emerging from clear water without stain,’ this one was born from the corner of the eye, a true seductress. As Xie Jingsheng finished, he lightly tapped He Anchang’s brow with his finger, then flipped to sit on the desk, resting his knees, and stared at it, finding his drawing better the more he looked.

The more he looked, the more he felt.

‘Something’s not right with this He Anchang.’

‘Cool and almost demonic, yet the more I look, the more charming and seductive he becomes!’