The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 44 Where did you get your jade pendant?

When Jiang Jinshuang finished washing up and came to the main hall, Si Ning and Lu Xiao were already sitting there.

Seeing her approach, Lu Xiao stood up from his seat and bowed slightly to Jiang Jinshuang: "Greetings, Your Highness."

Jiang Jinshuang smiled slightly and sat down in the main seat: "Young Master Lu... Su Xiu, is there something you need from me?"

Si Ning also knew about Lu Xiao's situation, but for safety's sake, Jiang Jinshuang still called him "Su Xiu".

Lu Xiao pursed his lips slightly: "I heard yesterday that Your Highness went to the palace and must have met His Highness the Crown Prince."

“I did see my brother, what’s wrong?” Jiang Jinshuang asked, puzzled.

Lu Xiao took a deep breath and said calmly, "Has Your Highness ever heard of the Weisheng Pavilion?"

Jiang Jinshuang paused, then nodded slightly: "I've heard of it, the number one pavilion in the martial arts world that controls intelligence and assassins."

Heaven knows seven parts, and the subtle influence accounts for three.

It is said that Weisheng Pavilion has the most comprehensive and meticulous intelligence network in the world. If you want to know something, you can get clues by paying an equivalent price.

Similarly, Weisheng Pavilion employs countless top assassins who can kill anyone for a price.

Lu Xiao said seriously, "I found the Pavilion Master of Weisheng Pavilion a few days ago and bought some intelligence from him."

"The intelligence report says that the whereabouts of the general's tiger tally from back then are inextricably linked to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Jiang Jinshuang narrowed her eyes, her knuckles rhythmically tapping the table as she pondered Lu Xiao's words.

Si Ning glanced at Lu Xiao, then lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and remained silent.

"So, Young Master Su Xiu came today to ask if I've discovered anything?"

Lu Xiao nodded: "Your Highness and the Crown Prince have known each other for a long time. If there are any changes in him, Your Highness should be the most able to notice them."

Jiang Jinshuang recalled for a moment: "I'm sorry, Young Master Su, as far as I know, my brother has not revealed anything about the Tiger Tally."

"Moreover, it seems that my brother has always believed that the Tiger Tally is in my possession."

Lu Xiao frowned and remained silent for a moment.

Jiang Jinshuang took a deep breath and curled her lips into a smile: "Young Master Su Xiu said that you can trade with Weisheng Pavilion?"

Lu Xiao nodded: "Yes."

“That’s a coincidence,” Jiang Jinshuang’s smile deepened. “Then I’ll trouble Young Master Su Xiu to make the arrangements for me. I also want to make a deal with the Pavilion Master of Weisheng Pavilion.”

Lu Xiao paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I'll go prepare. I'll contact Your Highness again later."

"Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Su."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Lu Xiao got up to say goodbye.

Jiang Jinshuang watched Lu Xiao's departing figure, then turned and sat back down in the main seat.

Si Ning smiled and pushed the freshly brewed tea next to Jiang Jinshuang: "This young master Su Xiu has something to hide from you."

Jiang Jinshuang took the tea and drank a sip: "Yan Jue told me the same thing."

"Does Your Highness still trust him so much?"

“He is the deputy general by the side of Prince Ruiyang. Even if he is hiding something from me, I trust the prince’s judgment.”

Si Ning nodded, but then said, "I just saw the jade pendant on Young Master Su Xiu's waist."

Jiang Jinshuang nodded: "It was a promise I gave him."

Si Ning was incredibly clever; with just a few words, he guessed the gist of it.

He nodded slightly and then asked about other things: "Speaking of Yan Jue, why haven't I seen him much since I came to the capital?"

Jiang Jinshuang smiled helplessly: "You're throwing a tantrum at me."

"Hmm?" Si Ning's tone rose slightly, her face showing confusion.

She explained, "The palace is heavily guarded. I didn't let him come into the palace with me when we went to the banquet, and he was unhappy about it."

Upon hearing this, Si Ning couldn't help but smile: "His Highness himself said that he wanted Yan Jue to accompany and protect him. Now that he can't enter the palace to be his personal bodyguard, he's naturally unhappy."

Jiang Jinshuang rested her chin on her hand and sighed, "Ah, you're right."

The cup of tea was used up.

She stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where is Your Highness going?" "To fool people."

……

As Lu Xiao walked out of the princess's residence and onto the streets of Chang'an, he encountered Pei Du.

The man was coming out of a jewelry store when the two met unexpectedly.

Lu Xiao smiled and bowed slightly to the man: "Su Xiu greets the Grand Secretary."

The man had a cold expression, and his figure was elegant and graceful in the spring sunshine. Today he was wearing a snow-white robe, like a jade sculpture.

A distant and indifferent gaze swept across his face, and for some reason landed on his waist.

The jade pendant at her waist is in the shape of a pair of phoenixes. The two phoenixes are flapping their wings as if about to take flight, and they are also circling each other around the necklace, which is very lifelike.

Lu Xiao straightened up, noticing the man's gaze, and smiled, "Sir, what's wrong?"

"Where did you get the jade pendant at your waist?" The man's voice was cold and indifferent, aloof and detached.

Following the man's gaze, Lu Xiao glanced at the jade pendant at his waist.

As if recalling some fond memory, he smiled gently: "This was a gift from His Highness to me."

"Your Highness said that I have no relatives or friends in the capital and no real connections. This jade pendant is as if Your Highness were here in person, so I can keep it with me."

Lu Xiao naturally couldn't reveal his deal with Jiang Jinshuang, so he made up a lie.

The man said nothing.

A gentle breeze lifted the hem of his robe, revealing two or three beautiful red plum blossoms embroidered on his snow-white robe, so lifelike they seemed to grow out of the fabric.

"Since you have nothing else to do, I will take my leave now."

With that, Lu Xiao took two steps back, preparing to leave.

Before he could even lift his foot, a heavy jade pendant was thrown into his hand.

Lu Xiao looked closely.

—It is the Grand Secretary's token.

The man's voice remained cold and distant, his emotions unreadable.

"I'll switch with you."
-
After passing through the main hall and courtyard of the princess's residence, Jiang Jinshuang arrived at the east side hall.

This place is rarely visited and is very secluded.

A pear tree was planted in the courtyard, which had been there since the establishment of the princess's residence.

White petals drifted in the wind, carpeting the ground in white.

As Jiang Jinshuang passed through the arched doorway, she heard the sound of swords whistling through the air.

Yan Jue was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.

He held a broken sword, seven-tenths broken, in his hand, his killing intent palpable.

Under the sunlight, the man was dressed in a black robe as dark as ink, his sword flashing, his figure as agile as a dragon in flight.

Suddenly, he stepped on the flying flowers in the air, spun around, and a dazzling rainbow light swept over his body, even picking up the surrounding fallen flowers and making them fly together.

Jiang Jinshuang looked around and picked up a bunch of pear blossoms at her feet.

She twirled a flower branch into a sword shape, easily breaking through the barrier of petals, and stabbed at the man!

The man turned around abruptly, his broken sword colliding with the flower branch, making a "crackling" sound.

His expression was indifferent and calm. He spun the sword hilt half a turn from his hand, deflecting her flower branch, and the hilt landed in his other hand!
The pear blossoms on the branch fell to the ground as the sword hilt shook the branch.

Jiang Jinshuang took a few steps back, looking at the fallen petals on the ground with a regretful expression: "My pear blossoms..."

Yan Jue sheathed his sword.

Without the sword wind, the petals that had been fluttering around him fell down like butterflies.

Petals fell on his shoulders and sword sheath, and also on Jiang Jinshuang's hair.

Upon seeing this, Yan Jue's handsome brows furrowed slightly.

He said nothing, took a few steps forward, and reached out to pluck the flower petals from her head.

(End of this chapter)