Chapter 162 - Jiang Ying Yue (58)

The days in the capital kept weirder and weirder. At least the imperial family was.

Many people were thinking that it should be time to pass the throne because the current emperor seemed to be old and even a bit senile. Putting aside the funny dumping event last reward ceremony, there was also the fact that he couldn't even properly control a man in his house arrest.

The reason for this was that Rui Wang kept on sneaking out of his house even though he was supposed to stay there for three years without ever stepping out. The other ridiculous thing was that it seemed this arrogant guy had suffered a very serious blow that all he did all day was parade his beautiful veiled wife in public.

One time though, one foolish maid accidentally pulled Rui Wang Fei's veil away and revealed a monstrous appearance that could bring both a.d.u.l.ts and kids into tears. The frog face could just burn one's eyes. The woman also couldn't speak, and couldn't move her hands, simply a cripple. But the most damnable thing was how Rui Wang loved this frog woman so much, as if she was a one-in-a-millennium beauty.

'Finish! The prince has turned completely crazy!' This was everyone thought when they heard of the story.

Now they knew what happens if one flew so high but failed to ascend the heavens. The fall was just too painful. Worse, even brain-damaging...

"The Marshal's heart is so cold. Although it's his own daughter that got besmirched by the masses, he kept silence and did not even visit Rui Wang Residence once. Once he gave up on something, he would completely cut himself off from it."

Jiang Ying Yue's eyes flashed with a mocking glint as she said this. She really hated that selfish man who viewed even his immediate family nothing more than grass in a field, inconsequential, and could be cut off anytime he wished. In this lifetime, one of her greatest regrets was her recognizing that cruel person as his father for five years.

Mood dampened, she lowered the curtains of her sedan. Xiao Lu who was by her side saw that her miss was no longer interested in the scenery and noisiness outside so she peeked out of the carriage through the small window and instructed the driver to get going.

Half an hour later, when her sedan entered the street where her home was located, she found so many people and uniformed guards and officials standing outside the Chen Wang Residence. For a while the noisy and messy sight caused a frown to appear on her face.

"Xiao Lu, find out for me what happened to His Highness' home."

The maid nodded and then walked out.

A minute later, she returned with panic written all over her face. "Y-Young Miss! This is bad! They are all searching His Highness' estate because His Highness is reported for stealing something from the royalty!"

Jiang Ying Yue immediately became anxious and hurriedly asked after grabbing her maid's hand, "Who reported and what is stolen?"

"It's the Marshal! And he said the prince is harboring malicious ambitions against the imperial clan and stole the dragon robe!" Explained the frightened maid. Jiang Ying Yue hurriedly stepped down from the carriage and walked towards the crowd.

Behind her, Xiao Lu grabbed her hand and helped clear the path. In between gritted teeth, she whispered, "Young Miss, this servant doesn't believe the prince would do something as outrageous as that. It's known that the prince is from the neutral faction and has grown attached to the Southern region, why would he covet the throne? His Highness must be being framed!"

Jiang Ying Yue nodded, "Xiao Lu, those with sound minds know. But don't speak lest people hear you. Where is His Highness by the way? Is he alright?"

...

The man whose whereabouts the villainess just inquired was currently sitting bored outside his courtyard, watching as the Marshal lose his cool.

Meanwhile, the Marshal had veins popping from his red-faced because Chen Wang's whole house had already been searched twice yet there was still no desired result. Forget about seeing a dragon embroidered robe, they couldn't even find one with a serpent or caterpillar stitched on it! Did his daughter deceive him? When did Jiang Rou Li become so useless?

"Marshal, This Prince has been magnanimous already to let you search three times. Once this is over, may This Prince trouble you to spare your men the trouble of finding what is not here? They all looked so tired. This Prince is the one whose heart is breeding on their behalf and is blaming himself for inheriting such a large estate. Tch. Tch. Had it been a smaller one, your men would have finished a dozen inspections already."

Jiang Li taunted the other man, happy that the enemy was having short breaths and lack of air due to anger. He was this bored. Because he had been asked to sit for more than two hours already, basking under the sun, sometimes yawning due to the comfortable and gentle breeze.

Surrounding him were his own people looking as relaxed and bored as their master. Jiang Li bet if these people had some playing dice or cards, they would be already on their tenth game.

The Marshal ignored him and only talked to his subordinates, commanding them once again to leave no stone unturned.

Around this time, Mao He came to his side, reporting, "Your Highness, Lady Ping'An's carriage is outside and is asking for Your Highness' situation."

The villainess' title seemed to have pricked some of the old dude's nerves. Jiang Li watched the raging man calmed down a bit, looking at the storied loft in front but seemingly attentive to their side.

The prince-general snickered. "Go to her and tell her everything's fine. It's just her 'father' making a fool out of himself."

Mao Hong was stumped for words since he never expected his master to courageously say that in the presence of the Marshal.

'...Gotta leave before the storm.'

True to Mao Hong's prediction, the Grand Marshal's temper flared up and engaged in a fierce word battle against Chen Wang. However, due to being agitated by the lack of results from the search operation, he was easily provoked and thus ended up embarrassing himself before his subordinates. The old man just wanted a duel between the two of them, but the decree is to only inspect and not do anything anymore without a warrant or valid reason.

'Why is the dragon robe not where it should be?' The cold-faced bear asked himself, not aware that even though Jiang Rou Li was capable, she had no spies inside the prince-general's estate. Her master guards too were no match against the people from this military household.

Chen Wang Residence had always been famous for being one of the tightly guarded places in the whole capital. Without the master of the house willfully allowing people entrance, there would be no way for people to sneak in, and even if they successfully managed to, Xun He and Mao Hong would immediately find out.

The two assistants were after all, not just errand boys, Jiang Li treasured them for having perceptions that could extend for kilometers. They were sensitive to the changes in the wind and other elements in the world.

In the last life, they were with Lu Ling at the border so when the framing happened, with Lu Ling's brilliance at the battlefield the reason for the targeting, since those two were not around, Rui Wang Fei successfully managed to frame them of treason. However, with them back to the capital this time, how could petty schemes succeed?

Time passed and the man left in dismay, frustrated.

Jiang Li commanded his guards to disperse the people congregating before his estate. His people were very competent and loyal so they took upon themselves to explain to every bystander there. The Marshal was accusing the Chen Wang Residence but couldn't produce any proof.

Chen Wang was simply blameless because he was the epitome of loyalty in the whole Zhao Dynasty.

...

"His Highness is the most loyal official in all of Zhao Empire?" Jiang Ying Yue looked heavenward and then giggled.

Her maid who sighed in relief when the soldiers from the main house came out to speak with the masses replied to her, "Young Miss. It's true our main house is very faithful to the empire. After all, it's a rule passed down by the first Chen Wang to the rest of the members of the clan. It's not surprising that they came out with nothing because the clan is truly clean and only wants to retain what they have now while wholeheartedly devoting themselves to the dynasty."

"Xiao Lu. I didn't say a thing. But here you are already defending His Highness. This poor miss' heart is wounded and dying of jealousy." Jiang Ying Yue teased.

But when she heard that the people around her were no longer inventing charges and rumors against Chen Wang in their heads, she couldn't deny the relief and happiness she felt.

Proudness was in her heart. She was proud that even though His Highness was sometimes truly a puzzle hard to piece out, he still had many redeeming qualities, being extremely loyal and sensible on top of the list.

With her mind at ease, she only glanced once at the tall and imposing gate of the Chen Wang Residence and then grabbed onto Xiao Lu's arm to go back to her own home.

...