"Oh, little monk, you're back..."
Xiao Xitian stomped her foot and hurried to catch up.
The brat was swamped with the江南漕运 (Jiangnan Cao Yun - grain transport) matters, and at this critical juncture, Xiao Xitian didn't want anyone to bother him.
In the study.
Xiao Jinheng was looking through documents, his expression somewhat cold...
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, your subordinate specifically interrogated Huang Fulin at the Censorate. He truly doesn't know who his master is. Can we think of another way?" Kong Xingzhuo asked tentatively.
When Huang Fulin was thrown into the Censorate, he was almost tortured to death...
If Xiao Jinheng hadn't returned to the capital in time, this corrupt official would have gone to see Yama long ago.
"Have all the nunneries around the capital been searched?" Xiao Jinheng frowned.
Since Huang Fulin's master always sent nuns to contact him, it meant that this master should be hiding in some nunnery...
Kong Xingzhuo nodded, sighing, "As per your instructions, they have all been searched, but... but there's no clue at all..."
Alas, His Highness shouldn't have volunteered and taken on these troublesome matters in the first place.
If the mastermind were to be provoked, it would inevitably be detrimental to the Crown Prince.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinheng narrowed his eyes slightly, "This person is quite good at hiding..."
Now they were in the open, and the enemy was in the dark. No matter what action they took, it would be disadvantageous to them.
"Commander Kong, later you go and call Xitian. I want to take her to Fajing Nunnery at Donggang to offer incense!" Xiao Jinheng said lightly.
Kong Xingzhuo: "???"
Why would His Highness go to that place for no reason?
It was in the wilderness, remote and dangerous. What if they encountered mountain bandits...
Before Kong Xingzhuo could persuade him, the study door was pushed open with a 'clang'.
The two turned to look and saw little Jiekong walking in with his hands behind his back, chest out and neck stiff...
Seeing this, Xiao Jinheng curled his lips, "You enter someone else's room without knocking?"
And he's a monk, with no regard for rules or etiquette.
"Whose room?" Little Jiekong pouted and spun around on the spot. "This is clearly Sister Xitian's home. You're just staying here temporarily at best, so what are you being so arrogant about?"
Hmph, if people didn't know better, they'd think this was the Xiao Manor, not the Yun Manor...
Xiao Jinheng's expression changed upon hearing this, "Little monk, I'm not in the mood to argue with you today. Get out!~"
The江南漕运 matters were suffocating him, so he was in a very bad mood.
Kong Xingzhuo stood there, rubbing his hands, and signaled little Jiekong to leave with his eyes...
But the latter acted as if he hadn't seen anything, walked straight up to Xiao Jinheng, put his hands on his hips, and said, "Xiao, do you know that Prime Minister Yang's tiger son came to bully Sister Xitian? When she needed help the most, where were you?"
That's right, the little monk came today to demand an explanation...
The thought of Yang Jingrui's arrogant behavior that day, wanting to hit Sister Xitian, made him feel a surge of fear.
If he hadn't been there, Sister Xitian would surely have been hurt.
Xiao Jinheng: "???"
How could he not have heard about such a big matter?
"Commander Kong, is this true?" Xiao Jinheng's face changed drastically, becoming as cold as ice.
If Yang Jingrui dared to come to their door to cause trouble, Xiao Jinheng would never let him off...
Kong Xingzhuo scratched his head, looking bewildered, "No, no, I haven't heard about it. Perhaps, perhaps Steward Li didn't mention it!~"
Steward Li was from ChuJiangTun after all, and Xiao Xitian was a girl from ChuJiangTun, so whatever happened in the manor, Steward Li would tell Xiao Xitian or ChuJiangTun...
"Xiao, what else do you have to say?"
Little Jiekong raised his chin, "You keep saying you want to protect Sister Xitian's safety. That day she was almost slapped by that Yang fellow, but you were nowhere to be found, not like a man at all. So, you are not allowed to pester Sister Xitian anymore..."
Having him protect her alone was enough.
Xiao Jinheng: "..."
Finally, you've caught me once, and you're going to cling to it, aren't you?
"I will seek justice for Xitian!~" Xiao Jinheng clenched his fists.
This Prime Minister Yang really doesn't learn his lesson, he can't even control his own son...
Little Jiekong snorted coldly, "How do you want to seek justice? Are you going to threaten them with your status as Crown Prince again? I say, Xiao, if you weren't the Crown Prince, what else could you do?"
Having to rely on this status to make up for everything is so boring...
Kong Xingzhuo was furious, "Little monk, if you dare to babble again, I'll discipline you!~"
In front of His Highness, how can you have no manners?
Calling the Crown Prince "Xiao" is a crime of disrespect...
"Okay, come and discipline me, I've been unhappy with you for a long time!~"
Little Jiekong rolled up his sleeves, got into a stance, and was ready to spar with Kong Xingzhuo.
Just then, Xiao Xitian ran in, panting, and seeing that the little monk was about to fight Brother Kong, she quickly shouted, "Jiekong, stop, don't be reckless..."
Alas, can't this little monk give her some peace of mind?
That brat too, ever since the little monk moved in, he's been targeting him all day.
The two of them fight every other day, making the entire Yun Manor restless...
"Tch, Kong, don't think you're older than me, but I'm not afraid of you!~"
Little Jiekong rolled his eyes, "Today, for Sister Xitian's sake, I'll let you off. Don't speak disrespectfully to me again in the future!"
Kong Xingzhuo: "..."
You're really a treasure.
Who was the one who spoke disrespectfully first and called the Crown Prince "Xiao"?
Xiao Jinheng stood up, walked around the desk to Xiao Xitian, and said with a serious expression, "Did Young Master Yang bully you?"
"It's okay, he's already been beaten away by the little monk..." Xiao Xitian pretended to be relaxed.
Xiao Jinheng breathed a sigh of relief and slowly lowered his gaze, "I'm sorry. If I had been there, he wouldn't have dared to come to our door to cause trouble!~"
After speaking, Xiao Jinheng instructed Kong Xingzhuo, "Commander Kong, go to the Prime Minister's mansion immediately and summon Prime Minister Yang!"
"Yes!~"
"You really don't need to..."
Xiao Xitian put her hand to her forehead and sighed, stopping Kong Xingzhuo, "Yang Jingrui has already been beaten badly. When Prime Minister Yang finds out, he will definitely discipline him!"
It's like a wild dog that likes to bite; if you hurt it once, it will never dare to bite you again.
"I will handle this properly, Xitian, don't worry..." Xiao Jinheng smiled faintly, then gave Kong Xingzhuo a look.
The latter grunted and left without looking back.
How dare you bully the little county princess, Yang Jingrui, you've picked the wrong person.