"The Empress Dowager's pawn could not have acted this quickly," Yun Shu said in a low voice.
Ruan Xi hummed, raising an eyebrow. "That's right, the speed is too much. If it were my people, capturing someone from the Prime Minister's mansion so silently in such a short time would be nearly impossible. It shows she's quite confident. This means she's not to be underestimated."
"Now Prime Minister Jiang has no choice but to admit it. The Prime Minister's eldest daughter is as good as ruined."
Yun Shu glanced at the sky outside. "It's almost dawn."
"Yes. See, I was afraid you'd be bullied. You heard the news in the middle of the night and didn't even sleep, rushing to see you. How was that? Am I a good friend!" Ruan Xi waited for praise.
"Yi Qing and the others have already left. Why haven't you?" Yun Shu asked.
Ruan Xi's eyes flickered. He didn't dare to meet Yun Shu's gaze, afraid of revealing his thoughts. He chuckled twice. "I can't bear to leave you. I've finally returned to the capital, and if I leave now, who knows when I'll be back. Besides, the situation in the capital is too chaotic now, with more and more troublesome people. If the Night King can't protect you, I can."
"I am enough to protect the Master," Jing Heng said coldly.
Ruan Xi rolled his eyes. "Can you compare to me? You only know how to kill. I can do more than just kill."
The two bickered, neither willing to back down.
Yun Shu's lips twitched. She was utterly speechless with them.
...
Regent's Estate.
Zhan Ming hadn't slept well for days.
He might as well not sleep at night and then sleep during the day.
Upon hearing the servant's report, he let out a sardonic cold laugh. "Prime Minister's eldest daughter? I seem to have met her before. I even wanted to marry her as my principal wife. I didn't expect her to be ruined like this."
If it had been a little earlier, someone else wouldn't have benefited.
Thinking of this, he asked, "Have you found out who manipulated this?"
It was undoubtedly a wedding dress for him, saving Jiang Luoxi.
Could someone be using this opportunity to strike a heavy blow against the Jiang family?
Who could it be?
Although Zhan Tianye was not a good person, he would never resort to such underhanded tactics to harm an innocent woman.
Then...
Could it be his nephew who had just returned to the capital?
"Find out who did this," Zhan Ming commanded in a deep voice.
The servant took the order and retreated.
Zhan Ming yawned, dark circles under his eyes. Despite yawning, he still had no sleep.
Still no sleep.
Suddenly, his chest churned.
He couldn't hold it in and spat out a large mouthful of blood with a 'pfft'.
He stared at the blood he had just spat out, his eyes turning sinister, like a viper in the dead of night, exuding a chilling aura.
He didn't need a doctor to tell him he was at death's door!
'Crackle!'
The teacup in his hand was crushed into powder.
"I will absolutely not die!"
He hadn't ascended the dragon throne yet, hadn't commanded the world, how could he die!
...
The next day, in the early morning, after the court session had concluded.
The Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Study.
The palace attendant reported the matter of the Jiang family one by one to Zhan Tianhong.
After hearing the attendant's report, Zhan Tianhong looked up. "Are you sure it was the Prime Minister's eldest daughter?"
No wonder Prime Minister Jiang was distracted in court today; such a major event had occurred!
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhan Tianhong was silent for a moment, then said, "Go to Mother's place and ask Miss Jiang to come see me."
"Yes."
...
The entrance of the Prime Minister's mansion was crowded with people.
Discussions erupted from all sides.
Even though the Prime Minister's mansion's doors were tightly shut, they could not block the gossip.
All along, in the hearts of the common people, the Madam and Miss of the Prime Minister's mansion were figures of great stature. However, yesterday's painting, combined with what they saw and heard last night, had completely shocked them.
Many people who had never seen the Prime Minister's eldest daughter now flocked to the scene, thinking that since they didn't see her last night, they might see her today.
However, these people who were eager to watch the drama had no idea that the Prime Minister's Madam had fainted from anger last night. The Prime Minister's eldest daughter, upon regaining consciousness and learning of her fate, had insisted on hanging herself. The usually composed Prime Minister Jiang had also suddenly lost his composure.
The Prime Minister's mansion was in chaos from top to bottom.
Not far away.
Yun Shu lowered the curtain of her carriage.
"Miss, the Prime Minister's mansion is in complete disarray now," Acha whispered.
"Indeed," Yun Shu nodded.
She looked at some of the commoners gathered in front of the Prime Minister's mansion.
Among them, several people were talking animatedly, their expressions no different from ordinary citizens. However, her gaze fell upon one of them's hands.
These hands did not look like those of common laborers; they resembled hands that had held swords for years.
She lowered her eyes and looked at a small pebble at her fingertip. She nudged it and threw it towards the person.
The man, who had been spouting gossip about the Prime Minister's eldest daughter, suddenly stiffened and reached behind him. Without even turning his head, his palm accurately caught the pebble.
Yun Shu's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
As expected, not ordinary civilians.
Such a swift reaction speed indicated extremely high martial arts skills, resembling someone who had long been involved in assassination.
She pursed her lips and thought, "Just who is Jiang Luoxi?"
"Miss, what's wrong?" Acha asked in confusion.
Yun Shu shook her head. "Nothing. Let's go." She was going to the Gu Mansion today to check on Gu Zhiruo's condition. She hadn't expected to gain something unexpected by stopping by the Prime Minister's mansion.
Half an hour earlier, Qiu Lu had already informed her of some news about Jiang Luoxi.
Jiang Luoxi's biological mother had died of illness when she was five or six years old. For about ten years, she had seemingly vanished. Prime Minister Jiang had never inquired about this daughter until more than two years ago when Jiang Luoxi appeared by the Empress Dowager's side and returned to the capital with her.
A child disappearing silently for several years, with a blank period during those times.
Yun Shu thought that she had overlooked some matters.
If those highly skilled individuals were Jiang Luoxi's people, or the people behind Jiang Luoxi, then what did she want to achieve? What did the people behind her want to achieve?
The capital was indeed in turmoil.
Shortly after Yun Shu's carriage left.
Another carriage arrived in front of the Prime Minister's mansion.
Looking at the chaos at the entrance of the Prime Minister's mansion, a pair of fair hands lifted the carriage curtain.
Revealing a somewhat pale face.
It was Jiang Luoxi.
She stared at the plaque of the Prime Minister's mansion and said in a low, expressionless voice, "Should I go and pay a visit? After all, that shameless Prime Minister's eldest daughter is nominally my sister. My heartless father must be heartbroken now. It would seem too unfeeling not to see her."
The coachman, hearing Jiang Luoxi's words, dared not reply.
He had been by her side for a long time and knew her methods better than anyone.
"You go knock on the door. I'll go and try to persuade Miss Jiang. It's just a loss of purity, not worth dying over. I can find her a good place to go," Jiang Luoxi said, then jumped off the carriage.