“We didn’t actually find anything,” Bai Lixin smiled, “It was just my intuition. Despite the rumors that the prince came here to seek immortality, I always felt there was more to it.”
After all, he was an expert in palace intrigues. If he couldn’t see through this, it would be a bug shame.
In general, what they did was like dancing with a giant blade before Guan Gong.
*Guan Gong (aso known as Guan Yu) was a great military general. I gave a brief summary some few chapters back (don’t remember which though“If he were truly seeking immortality, he should often visit the Qingcheng Sect. However, the prince is obsessed with music and antiques, and rarely goes there. There’s no record of his cultivation, and he showed no signs of seeking immortality.”
“The former proprietress of the gambling den in Qingcheng Town first went to the capital after leaving here. Since I discovered Xiao Cui’s case had other secrets, I asked Zhang Biao to catch up with them. I had the gambling den proprietress investigate the details of the prince’s arrival in Qingcheng Town. Two days ago, we received her letter, stating that the prince’s arrival was not for seeking immortality, but because he was demoted. However, this demotion was not publicly announced, so only the privileged in the capital knew.”
The princess: “So, you suspected the prince’s mansion early on, but unable to find clues, you used a trick to lure the snake out of its hole? You wanted to see who among us would reveal ourselves?”
“Very clever, indeed.” The princess chuckled bitterly, “I thought our hardships were over, and the emperor finally forgave us. It turns out it was just a pipe dream, hahaha, hahaha.”
“For the crime of plotting to seize the throne, the emperor is already benevolent to have sent you here instead of killing your entire family. For such unforgivable sins, how could he let you go back? Isn’t this wishful thinking?”
The princess supported her maid up and said, “Hahaha, excellent. The tiger has fallen flat and is bullied by dogs.”
Amidst the emotional roller coaster, she couldn’t help but feel like she was in a trance.
Then she heard the young man across from her continue, “So, we actually have a long time to investigate slowly and find out who the real murderer is, Princess.”
The commotion in the courtyard woke up the prince’s mansion from its slumber.
Thinking their home was being robbed, the prince and his son hurriedly arrived with people.
Suddenly, the previously silent backyard was filled with people.
The prince, still in his nightclothes, was shocked when he saw what was in the bamboo grove, “What, what is going on?!”
The crown prince following the prince was also shocked, staring blankly at his mother as if she were a stranger.
The maid beside them opened her mouth, wanting to explain what happened earlier, but the princess pulled her back, “Enough, Zhuzhu, there’s no need to say more. Since they have resorted to this method, they must have already made up their mind to find out the truth.”
The princess’s gaze slowly swept over the prince and the Crown Prince and she closed her eyes in despair, “Yes, I killed them all.”
As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar among the people in the courtyard.
The prince and crown prince looked at the woman in front of them with disbelief, as if trying to understand why this usually gentle woman would commit such a heinous crime.
The maid cried out, “Madam!”
The princess smiled bitterly, “Yes, I am not a good person. I am just a jealous woman. His Majesty promised me a lifetime together, emulating Nuwa and Fuxi. But since I had Shen’er, His Majesty changed.”
“He had others, not just one. He only refrained from bringing them home due to the previous promise, but he indulged outside.”
“I knew it all along, I just endured silently.”
“Moreover, he broke his promise and married a woman he believed to be his true love.”
“In the past, he told me that I was his true love. In this life, it’s only me, and we will grow old together.”
The prince widened his eyes, “You mad woman!”
“Yes, I am a mad woman!” The princess shouted at the prince, “The night he married that woman, I went mad. I really wanted to kill that woman, to kill every woman close to him.”
“The arrival of that woman made His Majesty settle down, no longer seeking other women outside, and his heart forever stayed with that woman. Later, that woman’s child was born, a boy, a little prince.”
“That little prince was this big.” The princess laughed a bit maniacally, gesturing with her hand, “When I went to congratulate, I overheard you whispering, saying you wanted this child to inherit your title, inherit everything from you.”
The crown prince’s face turned pale as he stood there in shock.
“I am your legitimate wife!” The princess’s voice suddenly became hysterical, “Shen’er is your legitimate son. Yet, you want this bastard to inherit your title! You are crazy, you are a lunatic! I will never allow anyone to take away what my son deserves.”
The prince’s face turned dark. He looked around and suddenly thought of something. His eyes suddenly widened, “Is it possible that you were responsible for the death of Concubine Shu’s son?”
“Yes, it was me!” The princess burst into laughter. “I hated her, I hated her child. So, I threw her child into the water. I stood by the lake, watching that child slowly sink, I watched his limbs and head disappear before my eyes. Hahaha.”
The prince trembled with anger, “I was just joking at that time. I made it clear you are the rightful wife. Besides, when I mentioned it, Concubine Shu declined. She said she didn’t want to fight for anything, she just wanted her child to grow up healthy.”
“Do you think I’d believe that? How many sincere words have you said in a joking tone?!” The princess widened her eyes. “Concubine Shu, that scheming woman, don’t think I don’t know. She was just pretending to be weak. If you asked like that, of course, she’d answer that way. Because her child was still young, unable to bear the pressure of such great fortune. But when he grows up, can she still not bear it? She had to first say she won’t fight, won’t grab, but human nature is inherently selfish. Do you think she wouldn’t fight or grab when her child grows up?!”
“Unexpectedly, Concubine Shu directly went insane with her son’s death, it was like killing two birds with one stone.” The princess took a deep breath, her emotions gradually calming. She glanced at the crown prince, then shifted her gaze back to the prince. “After, you couldn’t bear the pain of losing a child, and were unwilling to visit Concubine Shu, so you sought solace with me.”
At this point, the princess suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly. “You see, Your Majesty, you’re always like this. Rather than being your wife, I seem more like your mother. When you want happiness, you go out to find those women. You enjoy romantic moments with them. But once you suffer some harm, you come to me for comfort. You give all the best to those women, but all the pain falls on me.”
“I thought, as long as I have another child, you will be consoled and won’t be sad about a child’s premature death. But Shen’er grew up, my daughter was born, and you became even more wild.”
“You can play around, but you shouldn’t touch everyone.”
“The servants hook up with each other, and the women in the brothels sleep with everyone. It’s so dirty.”
“I can only clean up this garbage over and over again.” The princess pointed at the mess on the ground and the four corpses. “Your Majesty, look, this is the garbage I cleaned up for you.”
The prince looked gloomy.
The surrounding servants all lowered their heads in fear, no one dared to lift their heads.
These things were not something they should be hearing. Now that they had heard them, there was more waiting for them.
“Shen’er, my Shen’er,” the princess looked at the pale young man with teary eyes, “you are seventeen this year, a towering young man. Mother feels sorry for you, but mother was wrong. Listen to your father’s words in the future. No matter how bad mother is, you are destined to be your father’s legitimate child. Your father will surely treat you well, Shen’er, mother is sorry.”
After saying this, the princess suddenly turned around and rushed towards the wall on the edge of the bamboo grove.
A gasp came from the crowd.
Just as the princess was about to hit the wall, a figure blocked her way, and a hand chop knocked her unconscious.
When the princess started speaking resolutely, Bai Lixin had already guessed that she intended to commit suicide out of guilt, so he had prepared for it in advance. He intercepted her the moment she rushed out.
He handed the unconscious princess to Zhang Biao, bowed to the prince, and said calmly, “Your Majesty, since the princess has publicly admitted her guilt, according to our country’s law, we need to take her back and investigate carefully. Please understand.”
The prince’s face looked unpleasant. He sneered, “Master Bai Lixin, I seem to have brought a wolf into my house. Just to find a good teacher for my son, I actually brought you in. You have the audacity. Even if it were an ordinary family, you can’t barge into private residences. Even if I have no real power now, I am still the lord! This is still the prince’s Mansion!”
Neither Bai Lixin nor Zhang Biao showed any expression on their faces. Bai Lixin clasped his hands, “For the crime of trespassing, we will accept the punishment in the future. But each thing has its own place. We need to take the people and evidence with us. If the prince obstructs, according to our country’s law, we can only offend.”
Prince: “I am a prince and she is the princess! Our case should not be tried by you!”
Bai Lixin: “We worked hard to report this matter to the imperial court early this morning. I think an imperial envoy will come from the capital soon.” He paused, “Well… this time it is true, and we will hand over the case file by then. The princess will be handed over with it, please rest assured, Your Majesty.”
The prince was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, but he had no choice but to wave his sleeves angrily: “Get out, get out of here!”
But Bai Lixin didn’t leave, instead, he looked at the crown prince, “Young Master, do you have anything you want to say to the princess? We can convey it for you.”
The crown prince, with a pale face, shook his head, “You can go, I want some time alone.”
Bai Lixin: “I have a teacher-student relationship with you. After your mother wakes up, I can arrange for you to see her. I will tell you everything at that time.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes reddened, his voice choked, “Go, just go!”
Bai Lixin and Zhang Biao exchanged glances, then retraced their steps after extracting the bodies and other items from the scene.
Because she was a princess, they used a carriage to transport her back to the yamen.
Fearing she might attempt suicide upon waking, the cell holding the princess had guards continuously monitoring for twelve hours.
The next day, when the county magistrate learned of the situation, he exploded in anger. He roared so hard it shook the yamen.
“Are you two trying to infuriate me?! Look at what you’ve done! You’ve actually detained the princess?!”
“She’s a princess, so what if she killed a few people? Dying at the hands of the princess is their good fortune!”
Bai Lixin retorted expressionlessly, “Do you want this ‘good fortune’? Think about it.”
The county magistrate choked, “!!!”
Infuriating!
He thought he had hired help, but it seemed he had invited a Buddha, one specifically to send him to an early grave.
“Don’t use sophistry with me. I’ll ask you straightforwardly, what do you plan to do now that you’ve detained the princess? Let me tell you, I won’t handle this case. Find someone else to do it!”
“Oh, and you Zhang Biao, ever since Bai Lixin came, you’ve been quite adept at finding wolves. First, you sent your own younger brother in, and now you’ve sent the princess. Do you still want to send me in too?”
Zhang Biao mumbled, “If you commit murder, you should go in too.”
The county magistrate stiffened, “Go, go, go, all of you get out! I don’t want to see your faces. Don’t appear in front of me today! You’re driving me crazy.”
His face was now red. He rubbed his temples, staggering to sit on a chair.
Bai Lixin and Zhang Biao exchanged glances and left.
Not long after leaving the county magistrate’s study, a constable came to report that the princess had awakened.
As soon as she woke up, she wanted to commit suicide by biting her tongue and attempted to run into walls. Considering her status, the guards didn’t dare to act too rudely, and struggled to control her erratic movements.
Zhang Biao: “Stuff a cloth in her mouth and tie her up! She’s a princess, but she’s also a person and a murderer who killed several people. Since the prince is liable for the law like commoners, there’s no need to act like this. Take her away.”
“Wait,” Bai Lixin stopped the constable, “Go to the prince’s mansion and inform the Crown Prince that his mother has awakened and asked he come and see her.”
Zhang Biao was surprised, “Are you really letting them meet? I always thought Master was upright and unwavering. I didn’t expect you to consider the old affection.”
Bai Lixin smiled faintly, “One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father. The crown prince is a filial son; he must have a lot to say to his mother. Since I can help, I will.”
“I’m not a heartless person.”
“Just like when you encountered problems back then, didn’t I console you slowly by your side? Now, according to County Magistrate Lin, we both look like scheming accomplices.”
Zhang Biao laughed heartily, “County Magistrate Lin probably never dreamed that you would be this kind of person.”
“We didn’t actually find anything,” Bai Lixin smiled, “It was just my intuition. Despite the rumors that the prince came here to seek immortality, I always felt there was more to it.”
After all, he was an expert in palace intrigues. If he couldn’t see through this, it would be a bug shame.
In general, what they did was like dancing with a giant blade before Guan Gong.
*Guan Gong (aso known as Guan Yu) was a great military general. I gave a brief summary some few chapters back (don’t remember which though“If he were truly seeking immortality, he should often visit the Qingcheng Sect. However, the prince is obsessed with music and antiques, and rarely goes there. There’s no record of his cultivation, and he showed no signs of seeking immortality.”
“The former proprietress of the gambling den in Qingcheng Town first went to the capital after leaving here. Since I discovered Xiao Cui’s case had other secrets, I asked Zhang Biao to catch up with them. I had the gambling den proprietress investigate the details of the prince’s arrival in Qingcheng Town. Two days ago, we received her letter, stating that the prince’s arrival was not for seeking immortality, but because he was demoted. However, this demotion was not publicly announced, so only the privileged in the capital knew.”
The princess: “So, you suspected the prince’s mansion early on, but unable to find clues, you used a trick to lure the snake out of its hole? You wanted to see who among us would reveal ourselves?”
“Very clever, indeed.” The princess chuckled bitterly, “I thought our hardships were over, and the emperor finally forgave us. It turns out it was just a pipe dream, hahaha, hahaha.”
“For the crime of plotting to seize the throne, the emperor is already benevolent to have sent you here instead of killing your entire family. For such unforgivable sins, how could he let you go back? Isn’t this wishful thinking?”
The princess supported her maid up and said, “Hahaha, excellent. The tiger has fallen flat and is bullied by dogs.”
Amidst the emotional roller coaster, she couldn’t help but feel like she was in a trance.
Then she heard the young man across from her continue, “So, we actually have a long time to investigate slowly and find out who the real murderer is, Princess.”
The commotion in the courtyard woke up the prince’s mansion from its slumber.
Thinking their home was being robbed, the prince and his son hurriedly arrived with people.
Suddenly, the previously silent backyard was filled with people.
The prince, still in his nightclothes, was shocked when he saw what was in the bamboo grove, “What, what is going on?!”
The crown prince following the prince was also shocked, staring blankly at his mother as if she were a stranger.
The maid beside them opened her mouth, wanting to explain what happened earlier, but the princess pulled her back, “Enough, Zhuzhu, there’s no need to say more. Since they have resorted to this method, they must have already made up their mind to find out the truth.”
The princess’s gaze slowly swept over the prince and the Crown Prince and she closed her eyes in despair, “Yes, I killed them all.”
As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar among the people in the courtyard.
The prince and crown prince looked at the woman in front of them with disbelief, as if trying to understand why this usually gentle woman would commit such a heinous crime.
The maid cried out, “Madam!”
The princess smiled bitterly, “Yes, I am not a good person. I am just a jealous woman. His Majesty promised me a lifetime together, emulating Nuwa and Fuxi. But since I had Shen’er, His Majesty changed.”
“He had others, not just one. He only refrained from bringing them home due to the previous promise, but he indulged outside.”
“I knew it all along, I just endured silently.”
“Moreover, he broke his promise and married a woman he believed to be his true love.”
“In the past, he told me that I was his true love. In this life, it’s only me, and we will grow old together.”
The prince widened his eyes, “You mad woman!”
“Yes, I am a mad woman!” The princess shouted at the prince, “The night he married that woman, I went mad. I really wanted to kill that woman, to kill every woman close to him.”
“The arrival of that woman made His Majesty settle down, no longer seeking other women outside, and his heart forever stayed with that woman. Later, that woman’s child was born, a boy, a little prince.”
“That little prince was this big.” The princess laughed a bit maniacally, gesturing with her hand, “When I went to congratulate, I overheard you whispering, saying you wanted this child to inherit your title, inherit everything from you.”
The crown prince’s face turned pale as he stood there in shock.
“I am your legitimate wife!” The princess’s voice suddenly became hysterical, “Shen’er is your legitimate son. Yet, you want this bastard to inherit your title! You are crazy, you are a lunatic! I will never allow anyone to take away what my son deserves.”
The prince’s face turned dark. He looked around and suddenly thought of something. His eyes suddenly widened, “Is it possible that you were responsible for the death of Concubine Shu’s son?”
“Yes, it was me!” The princess burst into laughter. “I hated her, I hated her child. So, I threw her child into the water. I stood by the lake, watching that child slowly sink, I watched his limbs and head disappear before my eyes. Hahaha.”
The prince trembled with anger, “I was just joking at that time. I made it clear you are the rightful wife. Besides, when I mentioned it, Concubine Shu declined. She said she didn’t want to fight for anything, she just wanted her child to grow up healthy.”
“Do you think I’d believe that? How many sincere words have you said in a joking tone?!” The princess widened her eyes. “Concubine Shu, that scheming woman, don’t think I don’t know. She was just pretending to be weak. If you asked like that, of course, she’d answer that way. Because her child was still young, unable to bear the pressure of such great fortune. But when he grows up, can she still not bear it? She had to first say she won’t fight, won’t grab, but human nature is inherently selfish. Do you think she wouldn’t fight or grab when her child grows up?!”
“Unexpectedly, Concubine Shu directly went insane with her son’s death, it was like killing two birds with one stone.” The princess took a deep breath, her emotions gradually calming. She glanced at the crown prince, then shifted her gaze back to the prince. “After, you couldn’t bear the pain of losing a child, and were unwilling to visit Concubine Shu, so you sought solace with me.”
At this point, the princess suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly. “You see, Your Majesty, you’re always like this. Rather than being your wife, I seem more like your mother. When you want happiness, you go out to find those women. You enjoy romantic moments with them. But once you suffer some harm, you come to me for comfort. You give all the best to those women, but all the pain falls on me.”
“I thought, as long as I have another child, you will be consoled and won’t be sad about a child’s premature death. But Shen’er grew up, my daughter was born, and you became even more wild.”
“You can play around, but you shouldn’t touch everyone.”
“The servants hook up with each other, and the women in the brothels sleep with everyone. It’s so dirty.”
“I can only clean up this garbage over and over again.” The princess pointed at the mess on the ground and the four corpses. “Your Majesty, look, this is the garbage I cleaned up for you.”
The prince looked gloomy.
The surrounding servants all lowered their heads in fear, no one dared to lift their heads.
These things were not something they should be hearing. Now that they had heard them, there was more waiting for them.
“Shen’er, my Shen’er,” the princess looked at the pale young man with teary eyes, “you are seventeen this year, a towering young man. Mother feels sorry for you, but mother was wrong. Listen to your father’s words in the future. No matter how bad mother is, you are destined to be your father’s legitimate child. Your father will surely treat you well, Shen’er, mother is sorry.”
After saying this, the princess suddenly turned around and rushed towards the wall on the edge of the bamboo grove.
A gasp came from the crowd.
Just as the princess was about to hit the wall, a figure blocked her way, and a hand chop knocked her unconscious.
When the princess started speaking resolutely, Bai Lixin had already guessed that she intended to commit suicide out of guilt, so he had prepared for it in advance. He intercepted her the moment she rushed out.
He handed the unconscious princess to Zhang Biao, bowed to the prince, and said calmly, “Your Majesty, since the princess has publicly admitted her guilt, according to our country’s law, we need to take her back and investigate carefully. Please understand.”
The prince’s face looked unpleasant. He sneered, “Master Bai Lixin, I seem to have brought a wolf into my house. Just to find a good teacher for my son, I actually brought you in. You have the audacity. Even if it were an ordinary family, you can’t barge into private residences. Even if I have no real power now, I am still the lord! This is still the prince’s Mansion!”
Neither Bai Lixin nor Zhang Biao showed any expression on their faces. Bai Lixin clasped his hands, “For the crime of trespassing, we will accept the punishment in the future. But each thing has its own place. We need to take the people and evidence with us. If the prince obstructs, according to our country’s law, we can only offend.”
Prince: “I am a prince and she is the princess! Our case should not be tried by you!”
Bai Lixin: “We worked hard to report this matter to the imperial court early this morning. I think an imperial envoy will come from the capital soon.” He paused, “Well… this time it is true, and we will hand over the case file by then. The princess will be handed over with it, please rest assured, Your Majesty.”
The prince was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, but he had no choice but to wave his sleeves angrily: “Get out, get out of here!”
But Bai Lixin didn’t leave, instead, he looked at the crown prince, “Young Master, do you have anything you want to say to the princess? We can convey it for you.”
The crown prince, with a pale face, shook his head, “You can go, I want some time alone.”
Bai Lixin: “I have a teacher-student relationship with you. After your mother wakes up, I can arrange for you to see her. I will tell you everything at that time.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes reddened, his voice choked, “Go, just go!”
Bai Lixin and Zhang Biao exchanged glances, then retraced their steps after extracting the bodies and other items from the scene.
Because she was a princess, they used a carriage to transport her back to the yamen.
Fearing she might attempt suicide upon waking, the cell holding the princess had guards continuously monitoring for twelve hours.
The next day, when the county magistrate learned of the situation, he exploded in anger. He roared so hard it shook the yamen.
“Are you two trying to infuriate me?! Look at what you’ve done! You’ve actually detained the princess?!”
“She’s a princess, so what if she killed a few people? Dying at the hands of the princess is their good fortune!”
Bai Lixin retorted expressionlessly, “Do you want this ‘good fortune’? Think about it.”
The county magistrate choked, “!!!”
Infuriating!
He thought he had hired help, but it seemed he had invited a Buddha, one specifically to send him to an early grave.
“Don’t use sophistry with me. I’ll ask you straightforwardly, what do you plan to do now that you’ve detained the princess? Let me tell you, I won’t handle this case. Find someone else to do it!”
“Oh, and you Zhang Biao, ever since Bai Lixin came, you’ve been quite adept at finding wolves. First, you sent your own younger brother in, and now you’ve sent the princess. Do you still want to send me in too?”
Zhang Biao mumbled, “If you commit murder, you should go in too.”
The county magistrate stiffened, “Go, go, go, all of you get out! I don’t want to see your faces. Don’t appear in front of me today! You’re driving me crazy.”
His face was now red. He rubbed his temples, staggering to sit on a chair.
Bai Lixin and Zhang Biao exchanged glances and left.
Not long after leaving the county magistrate’s study, a constable came to report that the princess had awakened.
As soon as she woke up, she wanted to commit suicide by biting her tongue and attempted to run into walls. Considering her status, the guards didn’t dare to act too rudely, and struggled to control her erratic movements.
Zhang Biao: “Stuff a cloth in her mouth and tie her up! She’s a princess, but she’s also a person and a murderer who killed several people. Since the prince is liable for the law like commoners, there’s no need to act like this. Take her away.”
“Wait,” Bai Lixin stopped the constable, “Go to the prince’s mansion and inform the Crown Prince that his mother has awakened and asked he come and see her.”
Zhang Biao was surprised, “Are you really letting them meet? I always thought Master was upright and unwavering. I didn’t expect you to consider the old affection.”
Bai Lixin smiled faintly, “One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father. The crown prince is a filial son; he must have a lot to say to his mother. Since I can help, I will.”
“I’m not a heartless person.”
“Just like when you encountered problems back then, didn’t I console you slowly by your side? Now, according to County Magistrate Lin, we both look like scheming accomplices.”
Zhang Biao laughed heartily, “County Magistrate Lin probably never dreamed that you would be this kind of person.”
