Proud Feather

Chapter 141 Entrustment
After laughing, Chu Ling looked at him seriously and asked, "Xiao Jiu, can I trust you?"

Chu Xiaojiu blinked, still not understanding her meaning: "Princess, up to today, I haven't ruined anything for you, have I? Why can't you trust me?"

Chu Ling thought for a moment and then smiled: "You're right."

At first, Chu Xiaojiu just stumbled into this scheme by chance, but time and time again, he proved himself trustworthy through his actions. He didn't have many ulterior motives, nor did he ever express loyalty, but he did enough.

So she said, "There's something I need to do, but I don't have anyone suitable to do it. Can you help me?"

Chu Xiaojiu didn't agree immediately, but asked first, "Is it difficult? Can I do it?"

Chu Ling thought for a moment: "It's a bit difficult, and it might even be a little dangerous, so you need to think it through."

Her words piqued Chu Xiaojiu's interest even more. She raised her head and said, "I am the grandson of Prince Kang, a legitimate member of the imperial family. Even if I were to arrive at the Funing Palace, His Majesty would not kill me at will. What danger could there be in the capital?"

Chu Ling replied, "That's hard to say. My elder brother is the Crown Prince, and he was still targeted with underhanded tactics."

That makes sense...

"Will you die?"

"It's not that serious," Chu Ling said. "If you can get Yang Yu to help you, you should be able to save your life."

Chu Xiaojiu was relieved and patted her chest, saying, "Since the princess says so, then I will do my duty without hesitation!"

"You have no idea what's going on!"

Chu Xiaojiu said nonchalantly, "As long as she doesn't die, I trust the princess."

Chu Ling felt a faint sense of emotion. Although this young man was a playboy, his heart was purer than many others.

She exhaled, beckoned Chu Xiaojiu closer, and whispered, "I hope you can help me find that pleasure boat and sneak in..."

Chu Xiaojiu's eyes lit up as she listened, and she even became a little excited: "How exciting! Just like in the storybooks!"

Chu Ling smiled and warned, "This matter is very important to me, so you can't just treat it as a joke."

Chu Xiaojiu nodded repeatedly: "I know, I know. Just like Xianle Tower, it's a place to find clues."

“Yes. So you must ask Yang Yu for help. First, he is known for his talent and can be used as bait. Second, with him around, your safety will be guaranteed. Otherwise, I don’t feel comfortable letting you go on the risk alone.”

"Don't worry, Princess!" Chu Xiaojiu rubbed her hands together eagerly. "I'll do my job well. If anything goes wrong, run away as fast as you can. Saving my life is the most important thing."

Chu Ling smiled. This was also what she liked about Chu Xiao Jiu: she was pragmatic and didn't stubbornly cling to the past.

……

On the pleasure boat, the playboys sighed and complained.

"Can't you even hire one courtesan? We'd appreciate it if you could send just one!"

"There's nothing I can do. I'm not good at writing poetry. Although I have a good family background, these courtesans are too proud to admit it!"

"It's a bit embarrassing! We've already invited several other ships..."

"Isn't that right? If Ninth Brother were here, maybe it would have worked, but unfortunately he's gone!"

Thinking of Chu Xiaojiu, the playboys peeked out to look.

"Where is the princess's boat? When will Ninth Brother be released?"

Unfortunately, the ship from before was nowhere to be seen.

Just as they were lamenting, someone suddenly saw a small boat rapidly approaching, and standing on it was Chu Xiaojiu.

"Ninth Brother! Ninth Brother is back!" the playboys cheered.

Chu Xiaojiu was taken back by a small boat, and the playboys surrounded him, asking him all at once what the princess wanted to do with him.

Before Chu Xiaojiu could answer, another small boat sailed over, carrying two beautiful women. The boatman called out, "Gentlemen, Miss Pan'er and Miss Xixi have arrived and are willing to perform a dance for you."

"Huh?" The playboys were stunned. Two courtesans had come together? Before they could react, a small boat approached from the side, carrying women from another pleasure boat.

"Miss Zhenzhen has arrived and wishes to discuss the art of the zither with you all!"

Before long, the third ship arrived.

"Miss Cai'er has arrived..."

Next was the fourth one: "Miss Yan Yan..."

Soon, their pleasure boat was surrounded by smaller boats, where a group of beautiful courtesans, each with their own unique charm, gathered together. Their melodious voices filled the air, creating a breathtaking scene that drew envious and jealous glances from the surrounding pleasure boats.

When have spoiled brats ever enjoyed such treatment? They felt as if they were walking on clouds, momentarily oblivious to the world around them.

Upon seeing Chu Xiaojiu again, someone's spirit stirred, and they gave a thumbs up: "Brother Jiu, amazing!"

Chu Xiaojiu was also confused, but he quickly figured out the reason, laughed, and enjoyed everyone's praise: "It's nothing, as long as everyone has fun."

Watching this scene from afar, Chu Ling smiled and drank a cup of wine, keeping his achievements and fame hidden.

A moment later, Qingcha came to report: "Princess, Mr. Jiang has arrived."

Chu Ling turned her head and watched Jiang Shijun get off the small boat and enter the painted boat.

“Princess.” He bowed.

Chu Ling nodded: "No need for formalities outside, please sit down!"

"Thank you, Princess." Compared to Chu Xiaojiu, Jiang Shijun was more careful, only picking a spot on the side, and getting a third of his buttocks hit.

Chu Ling looked around. The water was vast and misty, and there were no other boats. She sighed and said, "Second Brother made a good choice. Discussing business on a pleasure boat means we don't have to worry about being discovered."

After saying that, she asked directly, "Is there a result?"

"Your Highness, we've found it." Jiang Shijun pulled out several sheets of paper from his sleeve. "Based on Ge Dahai's confession, we found a clinic. The owner's surname is Niu, and his father-in-law is from the Imperial Medical Academy..."

Chu Ling took the paper, read it carefully, and nodded: "It's connected."

“Yes,” Jiang Shijun said. “This Physician Huang has close ties with the Prince Xin’s residence. It’s likely that those medicinal herbs were delivered to the Prince Xin’s residence through this route.”

Chu Ling handed the paper back: "Did you tell Lord Gao?"

"Not yet," Jiang Shijun said. "Lord Gao is being watched by many eyes right now, and I'm afraid I might alert him."

That's true. Gao Mian had clearly sided with her before, and now that the case is closed, the Prince Xin's Mansion naturally sees him as a thorn in their side.

Chu Ling pondered for a moment: "The evidence is not enough. I need to make a definitive judgment."

Jiang Shijun hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Chu Ling could tell: "Sir, do you have something to say?"

Jiang Shijun nodded and said sincerely, "Princess, there's something I've always been confused about. You should know who doesn't want us to continue the investigation. Even if we find evidence, it's useless if it's not acknowledged."

After the case was closed, Jiang Shijun remained pessimistic. Having risen from the bottom, he knew how dark the world could be.

"I know that you are a pure-hearted person who wants to present the evidence and point out the real culprit in a fair and square manner. Even now, you are still trying to continue the clues. However, many things are unreasonable, especially in the struggle for power. If you win, you have the right to speak. If you lose, you can only swallow your grievances, no matter how great they are."

He spoke tactfully, but Chu Ling understood.

In short, her father wasn't on her side, so even if she had all the evidence, she couldn't win. He didn't want to waste his efforts.

Chu Ling pondered for a moment, then finally smiled slightly: "I understand what you're saying, sir. But please believe me, I have my reasons for doing this."

　Happy holidays everyone! The biopsy results weren't good, so I need to prepare for surgery. I'll take this time to adjust and see if I can accumulate some manuscripts; I don't want to stop updating. Also, I hope I can write a highlight scene before the surgery to end this frustrating period.

　　(End of this chapter)