Wei Yuan, carrying his medicine box, hurried towards the posthouse under the cover of night.
He carefully examined Hui An’s condition. Apart from some obvious ligature marks on her neck, she was otherwise unharmed.
“Here is some ointment. Apply it to the marks three times a day. Within two days, the scars will disappear.” Wei Yuan took out a tube of toothpaste from his medicine box and handed it to Hui An. Hui An thanked him and accepted it. Wei Yuan then gave a few more instructions to the maidservant before closing his medicine box and heading to the imperial palace to report.
The Grand Court Minister was summoned to the palace overnight. With Luan Wencheng missing, Wang Yuyi, the renowned constable of the Grand Court, was the only one available. The task of investigating the assassin’s identity fell to him once more.
Another posthouse, another assassination!
Wang Yuyi frowned. The assassin was dead, and the identity of the person who killed the assassin was unknown. The capital appeared calm on the surface, but beneath it, currents were churning. He had some leads on the previous assassination case. However, now, Da Li and their Lin Yuan had reached an agreement, ceding twelve cities in exchange for hard-won stability. At this juncture, even if Da Li had spies in Lin Yuan, they would never dare to act rashly, let alone assassinate an insignificant princess.
The Emperor was furious and ordered the Grand Court to investigate thoroughly. But both the assassin’s identity and the identity of the person who killed the assassin were like searching for a needle in a haystack, with no leads whatsoever. Wang Yuyi decided to question Princess Hui An about the details of the assassination after she woke up the next day.
Early the next morning, as the maidservant was setting out breakfast, Liu Zizheng strode in and stood outside the door. He said to Hui An, who was about to eat, “Princess, Constable Wang Yuyi from the Grand Court is seeking an audience outside.”
The Grand Court?
“Let him in!”
“Bring another pair of chopsticks and a bowl.”
The first sentence was for Liu Zizheng, and the latter was an instruction to the maidservant beside her.
Since Bao Lan’s death, only the maidservants who served her daily remained by Hui An’s side. She had not kept the maidservants brought by Yu Chengxuan, nor had she chosen a personal maidservant from those who served her. It wasn't that she lacked confidantes, but she feared her confidantes would be endangered in the capital. She had sent someone to Yuzhen County in advance to wait.
Now, she didn’t demand that the maidservants by her side be particularly loyal or adept. They would suffice.
“Yes!”
The maidservant responded and went to fetch another set of chopsticks and a bowl. As she returned, she happened to enter the room just before Wang Yuyi.
“Princess, peace be upon you!”
Wang Yuyi bowed and stood by the table, his gaze falling on the ligature marks on her neck. Hui An paid no attention to Wang Yuyi’s scrutiny. Instead, she smiled at him, “I’ve long heard that Wang Yuyi, the divine constable of the Grand Court, is a devoted worker who forgets to eat and sleep once he has a case. At this hour, Lord Wang has likely not had his meal yet. If you don’t mind, would you care to sit down and join me?”
Wang Yuyi did not stand on ceremony. He gathered his robe and sat down imposingly opposite Hui An. The maidservant placed the chopsticks and bowl before him.
“Then I shall gratefully accept your invitation!”
“Lord Wang, there is no need to be formal!”
Hui An smiled faintly.
They ate their meal in silence until Hui An put down her chopsticks and took the tea from the maidservant to clear her throat. Only then did Wang Yuyi speak, “Princess, could you please tell me in detail about the circumstances of your assassination yesterday?”
As she was serving herself food earlier, Wang Yuyi had noticed the ligature marks on her wrist. Although the marks were not as prominent as those on her neck, they still appeared somewhat striking against her fair skin.
Hui An recalled the events of the previous night and described in detail how she had been strangled and bound at the wrists and ankles by silk threads that were arranged on the eaves and pillars.
“You mean the assassin did not enter the room?”
The ability to control silk threads without entering the room was not a technique of any established martial arts sect. It was more akin to the street magicians who performed tricks.
However, magicians used illusions, and they couldn’t achieve such a feat. If there was collusion from within and without… Wang Yuyi’s gaze fell upon the maidservants beside Hui An.
But these maidservants were chosen from the palace. If they were indeed the problem, wouldn’t this matter have come full circle, returning to the one in the palace?
But what had happened this time?
Wang Yuyi’s brow furrowed. If before, he could clearly guess the Emperor’s intentions, then now, he couldn’t guess them at all. However, he did not rigidly stick to his thoughts. The idea that the true culprit was the current Emperor only flitted through his mind before being completely dismissed.
It wouldn’t be the Emperor!
There was no need!
If the Emperor truly wanted her dead, he could have made a move when she and Nan Yu Jin were heading to Yuzhen County. There was no need to kill her at this critical juncture.
The maidservant looked at him, utterly bewildered, but she was neither flustered nor guilty. The assassination incident last night had nothing to do with her, no matter how it was investigated.
“Does the princess have anyone in mind she suspects?”
Wang Yuyi pondered for a moment and then asked tentatively.
Hui An shook her head, “No!”
“And do you know who the person who killed the assassin was?”
Hui An continued to shake her head, “I don’t know!”
“Wasn’t it your bodyguard?”
Hui An smiled, “Although I was born into royalty, I am, in the end, merely a princess sent for a political marriage. Why would they waste such resources on me? Don’t you think so, sir?”
Wang Yuyi did not respond to her self-deprecation, only saying, “You are a symbol of peace between two nations, worthy of the full protection of both.”
The smile on Hui An’s face was no longer distant or perfunctory. Instead, it held a trace of sincerity, “Thank you for your comfort, sir.”
“I know very little about the assassination attempt last night. As for the person who protected me yesterday, I actually have a guess. To be frank, if you hadn’t come, I would have gone to investigate myself long ago.”
“May I know where the princess intends to go?”
“The Regent’s Mansion!”
“Is it His Highness the Prince?”
“No, it’s the Princess Consort!”
Wang Yuyi pondered for a moment and then suddenly requested, “Princess, may I accompany you?”
Hui An was slightly startled. Wasn’t this person afraid of death?
She shook her head and refused, “I’m sorry.”
“If I were to agree to let you accompany me, then I would be an ungrateful fool.”
When Wang Yuyi said this, he had not expected Hui An to agree, but he had hoped for it. Hearing this, he said no more.
Hui An pretended not to see his hidden intentions. Wang Yuyi got up to take his leave, and after walking out of the posthouse, he hid in a secluded corner at the street turn.
Hui An got into the carriage, which then proceeded to the Regent’s Mansion.
The servants at the mansion seemed to have anticipated her visit, as they led her in without asking for confirmation.
“You’re here, sit down!”
As Hui An entered, Nan Shiying was drinking tea. Seeing her arrive, she gestured to the seat beside her and invited her to sit and talk. As soon as she was seated, someone announced from outside the door, “My lady, Constable Wang Yuyi from the Grand Court is seeking an audience.”
Nan Shiying glanced at Hui An. Hui An recounted the events of the morning to Nan Shiying in full.
Nan Shiying chuckled.
She had originally intended to let Ji Hong continue to bear the blame. Now that this person had come knocking, she would graciously clear Ji Hong’s name!
I am too soft-hearted!