Qi Wang’s voice was cold and sinister. Even the ever-steady Eunuch Xu couldn’t help but shudder, stealing a glance at the prince’s expression. “Your Highness, he’s only been gone ten days. I’m afraid… he hasn’t arrived yet.”
Traveling from the capital to Jiangxi would take over twenty days even at a fast pace.
But Qi Wang didn’t care. He flung both the carving knife and the wooden figurine in his hand to the ground. The name “Qi Yuan” etched on the back of the doll glinted under the light.
Suppressing his rage, he said through gritted teeth, “I don’t want to hear excuses! Tell him to hurry up!”
What’s so great about Qi Yuan?
That wretched woman!
He would make sure she watched the Xie family die, piece by piece.
In the previous life, that wh*re had stayed by his side for years, hiding her identity, just because he had killed the Xie family. Then she struck at the height of his triumph, nearly ending him.
This life? He would let her witness it all over again—the Xie family dying once more, helplessly.
So what if she could kill? She only killed people one by one.
But he—he could wipe out entire families. Clan by clan.
That was the power and privilege of royalty. What could she do about it?
She’d die just the same.
Eunuch Xu quickly bowed and soothed him. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. Xu Tongzhou has always been reliable. With your command, he wouldn’t dare slack.”
Qi Wang grunted, stood up, and narrowed his eyes. “Make the arrangements. I want to see Qi Zhen.”
See Qi Zhen?
Eunuch Xu didn’t understand the sudden request, but seeing the Wangye’s thunderous expression, he didn’t dare ask. He bowed and hurried out.
Just then, Jinbao entered, head bowed, and whispered, “Your Highness, the Baotong Bank has already been surrounded by the Embroidered Guards…”
Baotong had been lending at usurious rates. If people defaulted, they were driven to sell their sons and daughters. The scandal had become massive.
Previously, no one dared impeach them. But now that Zhan Changshi had been arrested, the censors jumped on the opportunity, and the uproar around Baotong was deafening.
With a loud clang, Qi Wang hurled the solid gold paperweight on his desk. “OUT! All of you, get out!”
Jinbao, pale with fear, turned to flee—but Qi Wang bellowed, “GET BACK IN HERE!”
Jinbao scrambled back, dropped to his knees, and lay prostrate, not daring to breathe.
Qi Wang’s voice was calm now. “How long has the Changshi been in custody?”
Jinbao whispered, “Your Highness, it’s been a full day and night.”
Silence fell over the room.
Then Qi Wang lightly said, “That’s long enough. Make sure he suffers less from here on out. Let him pass peacefully.”
Zhan Changshi knew too much—Baotong was just the tip of the iceberg.
Now that he’d fallen into Xiao Yunting’s hands, there was no escape. If he started talking, who knew what secrets might spill?
The message was clear: silence him.
Jinbao nodded in understanding. “Your Highness is right. The Changshi’s health has always been poor. How could he endure torture? What a pity.”
Qi Wang waved a hand.
Jinbao exhaled in relief, dabbed the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, and left. Outside, he saw Eunuch Xu and hurried over, whispering, “Master…”
He made a slicing motion across his neck.
Eunuch Xu looked startled.
This Zhan fellow had always been a trusted aide. Eunuch Xu had assumed he’d be spared.
But since Wangye had decided, there was nothing more to say. He nodded.
“Then go. Make it clean.”
At that moment, Qi Yuan was also waiting for someone at a teahouse.
Baizhi poured tea and asked softly, “Miss, will His Highness really come?”
Qi Yuan had sent Shunzi to notify Liujin—a prearranged method of communication.
But after that ugly parting a few days ago, Baizhi worried. His Highness had clearly been the one on the losing end. And her lady had been pretty harsh. Would he really show up?
Yet the answer came swiftly—before long, Xiao Yunting arrived.
When Baizhi saw him, she let out a silent breath of relief. Thankfully, His Highness didn’t seem petty—he even looked composed and generous.
Xiao Yunting had a slight smile as he gazed at Qi Yuan. He was genuinely pleased, though he wasn’t sure why.
He had been trying to figure out how to appease this sharp, sensitive girl—yet she had reached out to him first.
He couldn’t help but feel delighted. Cheerfully, he asked, “So, what does Miss Qi want from me?”
“To offer you a favor,” Qi Yuan replied with a smile, looking nothing like the furious person from two nights ago.
Her mood seemed entirely reset. Cheerily, she said, “Your Highness, Zhan Changshi is dead. You might want to visit the Yihong Courtyard outside the city and ask for a girl named Hong Xiao. You may find an unexpected lead there.”
The smile froze on Xiao Yunting’s face.
He turned the message over in his mind, then pressed his lips together. “Where did this come from? Miss Qi, I just came from the Dali Temple. This claim sounds completely baseless.”
Qi Yuan replied calmly, lifting her teacup. “Not all baseless rumors are without cause, Your Highness. I hold grudges, and truthfully, Zhan Changshi didn’t have to die. But I decided—it was better that he did.”
Xiao Yunting was stunned.
What did she mean by that? “He didn’t have to die”?
Was she serious? Did she know he would die?
He couldn’t ignore it. He called, “Babao!”
Babao quickly entered and bowed to Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan gave a polite nod in return.
Xiao Yunting kept his eyes on her, his expression unreadable. “Go to the Dali Temple. See what’s become of Zhan Changshi.”
What could have become of him?
Babao didn’t understand, but seeing His Highness’s seriousness, he obeyed at once and left.
Xiao Yunting inhaled deeply. “What’s really going on, Miss Qi?”
Qi Yuan gave a chilling smile. “Nothing much. Qi Wang wanted Zhan Changshi dead to silence him. The man was filth anyway. The sooner he died, the better. I didn’t stop it. That’s all.”
She looked him in the eye and added, coldly, “You could also say—he died by my hand.”
