After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"If they won't bother me after I return to the capital... then why should I go back?!"

Prince Xin's words echoed intensely in Qin Yuanyao's mind. Her pupils contracted, and she instantly understood Prince Xin's true meaning... After returning to the capital, seeing that there was no opportunity to make a move, the other party never made a move again and could only watch as His Highness ascended the throne.

This is certainly a good thing, but with the current clues, it is likely that the Embroidered Uniform Guard will find it difficult to continue the investigation, and this assassination case may become a completely unsolved mystery.

Qin Yuanyao cleared her thoughts, remained silent for a moment, then looked up and said softly, "Your Highness, rest assured, investigating cases is the duty of our Embroidered Uniform Guard. Your Highness need not put yourself in danger. Moreover, with the abilities of the Commander and the Grand Tutor, I'm sure they can..."

Zhu Cuiwei slowly shook her head, interrupting, "Human strength has its limits. You yourself just said that the other party is very experienced and has eliminated almost all the clues..."

"Whether you are the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Grand Tutor, with such scarce clues, it will be very difficult for you to truly unravel the mystery and uncover their true colors."

"Even if you find the slightest clue, the other side can cut off all sources at any time, leaving you with nothing to investigate... In all these years, how many unsolved cases has the Embroidered Uniform Guard been unable to solve?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yuanyao was speechless.

Zhu Cuiwei stood up and slowly walked to the stone pavilion railing, gazing at the distant place shrouded in golden light.

Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard claimed to monitor the entire country, it usually only monitored princes, nobles, and civil and military officials, and could not truly monitor everyone.

Even these civil and military officials were not allowed to be infiltrated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard because of their incompetence; rather, it was mainly to reassure the imperial family that they had to allow the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate their residences both openly and secretly.

The ruthlessness and meticulousness of this gang of thieves are extremely rare. Their calculated actions, taken with a premeditated intent, are beyond the reach of the unprepared Imperial Guards.

We must force them to take action again.

Only by forcing them to make another move can we truly expose their weaknesses.

Silence fell over the stone pavilion, with only the rustling of the wind and the swaying of the surrounding branches.

Qin Yuanyao's lips were dry, even showing signs of chapping. She couldn't help but lick them, and solemnly clasped her hands, saying, "Your Highness, this matter is of great importance. I can only report it truthfully and leave it to His Majesty to decide."

"It's alright."

With her back to the female commander, Zhu Cuiwei laughed and said, "There's only the principle of being a thief for a thousand days, not the principle of guarding against thieves for a thousand days... Besides—"

Her voice gradually turned cold, "These thieves succeeded on their first attempt, killing so many of my people..."

The woman's back view was graceful and upright.

She slowly turned around, and after a moment of silence, she still told Qin Yuanyao that it was Zi Yuan who stabbed her in the abdomen first that day.

Qin Yuanyao's pupils suddenly contracted, and a murderous aura burst forth from her body: "Your subordinates shall return to the capital immediately! Arrest all of Zi Yuan's family members! And investigate everyone who has had contact with Zi Yuan."

Zhu Cuiwei lowered her eyes for a moment, and when she looked up again, the reluctance in her eyes had disappeared. She calmly nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Commander Qin."

"I wouldn't dare!"

Qin Yuanyao bowed deeply. The female commander had her hair tied in a high ponytail, which now fell over her right shoulder.

After flicking her ponytail again, she quickly left.

Zhu Cuiwei rested in the pavilion for a while longer.

It wasn't until the old Jinyiwei officer came up to report that ten Jinyiwei officers, disguised as peddlers and merchants, had checked into Li Family Village... that Zhu Cuiwei got up and prepared to go down the mountain to go home.

In the morning, this group of Imperial Guards entered the village in a grand manner, one person on two horses, to search for people. Fortunately, most of the villagers had gone to the fields at that time.

Two Imperial Guards entered the Ning family's residence. Just then, he heard the noise and went out of the courtyard. Upon seeing the two Imperial Guards, before they could kneel down, he immediately ordered everyone to leave Li Family Village and meet at Yaoshan.

That's how we managed to avoid attracting too much attention.

Later, another Imperial Guard was sent to Li Baoxin to explain that they had been searching for a fugitive, but the fugitive had already been found in another village, so it was all a misunderstanding. Li Baoxin breathed a sigh of relief and said something like thanking the officials for informing him. He even took out ten taels of silver to treat the officials to drinks, but the Imperial Guard dared not accept it and quickly took his leave.

The sun gradually began to set in the west.

Zhu Cuiwei slowly descended the mountain, and the old steward Xu Qing also changed into a black outfit, dressed like an old steward, and followed behind Prince Xin.

The old man had a thin and ordinary face, with a wisp of white beard under his chin.

"Manager Xu."

Zhu Cui smiled and said, "At that time, you can tell Ning Nan that you are the steward sent by Master Zhu to Li Family Village to take care of Miss Zhu, and stay at Li Sanjin's house at the east end of the village."

"Understood, Miss Cui." The old man was very understanding.

The two have already discussed it.

On one hand, they sent the Imperial Guards to investigate the true identity of "Zhu Qingmian".

Zhu Qingmian has an air of nobility between her brows, and she carries silver beads that seem to be from the Northern Dynasty, which are quite valuable... Let's see if a wealthy family in Nanjing or the surrounding area has lost their young lady.

On the other hand, since Black Tiger Stronghold has mistaken Miss Qingmian for Prince Xin, then let's play along and lure them into a trap.

"A well-known opera troupe will be moving into Lijia Village tomorrow. There will be about twenty people, all of whom are skilled and have impeccable reputations," the old man said, bowing.

Zhu Cuiwei nodded and said, "Okay."

After descending Yaoshan Mountain and crossing the stone slab bridge, the farmers of Lijia Village, having finished their farm work, lead their oxen and carry their loads home.

Smoke was already rising from every corner of the village.

As Zhu Cuiwei led Xu Qing back to the Ning family courtyard, a sudden commotion and hurried footsteps sounded behind them.

"Wow! Ningwa's struck it rich!"

"It's out! It's out!"

"A horse-drawn carriage! Look, it's a big horse-drawn carriage... Brother Ning came back in a big horse-drawn carriage!"

Zhu Cuiwei paused in her steps.

Old Xu hunched over and paused.

He saw that Prince Xin seemed to want to turn around, but after a moment's hesitation, Prince Xin continued walking forward.

Upon entering the Ning family courtyard, Xinwang smiled and said to him, "Manager Xu, please go sit in the main room first. I'm going to cook... We'll be having goose tonight."

Xu Qing's expression was complicated as he whispered, "Miss Cui..."

"I'll cook," Zhu Cuiwei said calmly.

Xu Qing tucked his hands into his sleeves and lowered his head: "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Cui."

...

...

"We've made it to lunchtime!" Ning Nan said with some relief as he sat in the carriage.

The three carriages returned unharmed.

"Ningwa, you're back!"

"What is this?"

"What's on the carriage?"

The adults greeted him, their eyes revealing a gossipy look.

A group of snotty-nosed children from the village skipped and hopped behind the carriage, pretending not to care as they peered out and asked what was on the carriage.

Ning Nan smiled at them and said, "It's food."

He took out an exquisite box from the carriage, and as soon as he opened it, the fragrant and crispy Dongtang (a type of sweet candy) was exposed to the group of little brats.

The aroma of oil and sugar wafted through the air.

"Want some?" He picked up a piece of candy and shook it.

"think!"

"think!"

The children nodded.

Ning Nan grinned and said, "Call me Dad."

"father!"

"father!"

Ning Nan: "..."

Snacks were distributed along the way, and the carriage became lighter and lighter... The children wanted the snacks in the box, and sucked their fingers after eating them, while the adults wanted the exquisite box in his hand.

"You know your stuff! The box is worth quite a bit of money too!" Uncle Fu chuckled.

Ning Nan smiled. There were too many snacks to eat and they wouldn't last long anyway, so it was better to hear the child call out "Dad" a few times.

When they arrived at Erlai's house by the bridge, they brought down a large stack of pastry boxes and asked Erlai to distribute them to Sanzhuang, Lixing, and the others, about three boxes each. They also sent three boxes to Miss Zhu.

Erlaizi looked at him with a constipated expression, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know how to start.

"What's wrong?" Ning Nan frowned.

"Big brother, you have to treat us!" That's what he finally managed to say.

Ning Nan shrugged: "I'm just inviting you!"

Without saying a word, Er Laizi picked up three boxes of pastries and ran off, heading in the direction of Miss Zhu.

At this moment, a wisp of smoke rose from the Ning family's house on the north slope of the village.

When they returned to the Ning family courtyard in three carriages, they sniffed around and, sure enough, smelled a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen.

"Rice wine duck?" Ning Nan frowned. It smelled of alcohol, but something seemed off; the taste didn't quite match.

I peeked out.

Hey! Cui Cui is cooking.

"What's wrong? The food's burnt again?" He walked into the kitchen, fanning away the cooking fumes. "Something about the smell doesn't seem right."

Upon hearing this, Cui Cui, whose eyes were already watering from the cooking fumes, turned her cold, sharp eyes toward the man standing at the door.

She wiped her red, teary eyes, which had been choked by the choking.

"Bring me the plates!" Chef Cui said coldly.