Chapter 184: Why Are You Wiping? (2)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Facing Dongfang Liren’s question, Ye Jingtang only replied with a smile, “It’s just a reference book for handling cases. I don’t know anything about investigating cases, so I’m learning.”
Dongfang Liren nodded in understanding, but she still wanted to see what Ye Jingtang was reading to learn how to solve cases. She raised her hand. “Let me take a look. If you have any questions, 1 will clear up your doubts.”
Ye Jingtang didn’t refuse and gestured to the approaching carriage. “Your Highness, please get in the carriage first. I do have some questions that I want to ask for advice on.”
Hearing this, Dongfang Liren didn’t say anything else. She stepped onto the large carriage and sat inside. She took some snacks for the bird and let it eat by itself.
Ye Jingtang boarded the carriage and sat on the small couch beside the window. He took out an old book from under his clothes at the chest, covered the name with his hand, flipped directly to the page about digging the tunnel, and pointed at the words on it. “The person who died last time was a junior official from the Ministry of Works. He was tortured and interrogated, so I wanted to find books related to architecture to read. I read in this book that there’s an oil that can dissolve stone. Does the government have such a thing?”
It was inconvenient for Dongfang Liren to lean her head forward, so she got up and sat beside Ye Jingtang shoulder to shoulder. She carefully examined the small words on the paper. It was written in detail about digging a tunnel. The terminology was very professional, but it looked like a novel, and the protagonist was even the heir of a vassal prince from the previous dynasty…
Dongfang Liren was a little confused, but she still replied, “You mean dissolving oil? There is. This item studied by craftsmen in the previous dynasty can make most stone materials brittle after soaking for a day or two.”
“Become like charcoal dregs that shatter when stepped on?”
“That’s right. Although the effect is slow, if it’s used secretly to deal with city walls, prisons, bridges, and so on, it has a miraculous effect. It’s strictly prohibited by the Imperial Court. There was a case last year where a bandit destroyed the foundation of a pagoda, causing the seven-story pagoda to collapse and crush more than thirty people…”
When Ye Jingtang heard this, he immediately had a hypothesis in his heart. There were traces of corrosion on the stone bricks outside the observation tower of the Prince of Wu’s mansion. There was a high chance that dissolving oil had dripped accidentally while being transported.
The Prince of Wu’s heir was studying a book on digging tunnels and had obtained dissolving oil. His goal must be to secretly destroy a certain building…
Dongfang Liren saw that Ye Jingtang was deep in thought, so she wanted to take this novel she had never read and take a closer look.
But Ye Jingtang knew how Dumdum would react when she saw the words ‘The Secret History of the Romantic Empress’. He flipped his wrist and kept the book in his arms with a serious expression. “1 have some ideas about the previous case. Would Your Highness like to hear them?”
?
When Dongfang Liren saw Ye Jingtang suddenly put on such a serious expression, she pushed back the hand about to grab the book and sat upright. “What ideas do you have?”
“I feel that the reason the murderer tortured the junior official from the Ministry of Works is that he has his eyes on a special building.”
“The government can see it, but they don’t know what the bandits are targeting. Xu Bailin’s martial arts skills aren’t low, so the person who can invite him definitely has a powerful background. If it’s someone from the Green Bandits, the target is most likely me and Her Majesty. Her Majesty is in the palace and has countless secret guards, so it’s useless to find a map of the palace. 1 also have many guards at my side, so assassinating me on the road isn’t any easier than entering the prince’s estate.”
Ye Jingtang shook his head. “It might not be for an assassination. 1 happened to see books related to digging tunnels today. I’m guessing that the murderer might have dug tunnels in the dark somewhere and wants to destroy a key place through dissolving oil.”
Dongfang Liren felt that this train of thought was a little jumpy. She thought about it carefully and said, “Digging a tunnel into the palace takes too much work. It’s very difficult to hide it from people’s eyes and ears, and there’s nothing the bandits can do once they’re inside. In other places, it seems that only prison breaks can use this method…”
Prison break?Ye Jingtang felt that this was very likely and asked, “Are there any particularly important people in prison?”
Dongfang Liren shrugged slightly. “Those who can be imprisoned in the capital are not simple people. The more important they are, the tighter the defense. Before confirming the murderer’s target, it’s hard to say which place to guard. I’ve already stepped up my guard after the murder on Bamboo Street.”
Ye Jingtang thought for a moment and said. “Think of everything in the worst way. If a certain vassal prince is secretly plotting rebellion and wants to break someone out of prison, who does Your Highness think he will break out?” ipn
Dongfang Liren blinked and looked at Ye Jingtang seriously. “Ye Jingtang, did you find out something?”
Ye Jingtang had indeed found out something, but there was no witness or physical evidence. If he said it, it would expose his background of the ‘black stocking thigh’. He could only say, “I’m just guessing based on my intuition. Think of the worst. If Your Highness feels that my words are unfounded, I’ll investigate again and find concrete clues as soon as possible.”
Dongfang Liren felt that Ye Jingtang’s intuition was very accurate. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, but suspecting a vassal prince for no reason might shake the foundation of the country. She thought for a moment and said, “1 will pay close attention to this matter. Without concrete evidence, I don’t dare to say such things.”
Ye Jingtang nodded. “Understood.”
Dongfang Liren thought for a moment and looked out of the carriage. Then she approached Ye Jingtang and whispered, “If a vassal prince wants to break someone out of prison, his target can only be the eldest son of the emperor…”
What Dongfang Liren said was very serious. In order to prevent the highly skilled guards outside the carriage from hearing it, she spoke very softly and almost touched the side of Ye Jingtang’s face.
Ye Jingtang caught the keyword and looked surprised. He turned around, but his cheek felt a warm, moist, and delicate sensation…
!!
His words came to an abrupt halt.
The two people sitting side by side froze on the spot at the same time.
Dongfang Liren’s eyes widened as she looked at the man in front of her in disbelief.
Ye Jingtang’s eyes also widened a little. His first reaction was to press the saber at his waist to prevent Dumdum from cutting him. Then he retreated a little to the side, covered his cheek, and looked at Dumdum’s red lips.
Their eyes met!
The silver-haired, fat-headed dragon in front of Dongfang Liren gradually bulged up. Her face was as red as blood, and her dignified and cold eyes actually filled with some mist. Her appearance was similar to when he had suddenly seen her cleanly.
Ye Jingtang wanted to pretend that nothing had happened and continue discussing the issue of the deposed emperor. But seeing that Dumdum was about to erupt, he knew that she obviously wouldn’t let the matter go. He thought for a moment and explained, “Uhh… 1 was worried about the case and was careless…”
“How dare you!” Dongfang Liren restrained herself for a long time before she recovered from the indescribable impact. She gritted her teeth and reached out to grab the hilt of Ye Jingtang’s saber.
Ye Jingtang protected his saber. “It was really an accident. Your Highness, please calm down.”
Dongfang Liren’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. Seeing that Ye Jingtang still dared to protect the saber, she said coldly, “Let go of it! When you sneaked into the Bright Yang Pool and did such a heinous thing, I didn’t blame you for it. I’ve already done my best to be benevolent. But this time, you still dare to be impudent?! So what if it was an accident? Is manslaughter not a crime?”
Ye Jingtang looked at the red cheeks in front of him and comforted her gently. “I’m investigating the case to pay off my debt. This is much less serious than last time…”
Less serious?Dongfang Liren had been seen naked last time, but at least she hadn’t been touched. This time, he openly let her take the initiative to kiss him. How could this be called less serious?
Dongfang Liren gritted her teeth. Unable to snatch the saber, she raised her finger.
Tap, tap-
Ye Jingtang’s chest was tapped twice. He felt that his meridians were a little blocked, but there was not much difference. He looked at the fierce-looking Dumdum doubtfully. The meaning in his eyes was probably: You’re so angry that you’re even pressing acupoints crookedly…
?
Seeing that Ye Jingtang didn’t lie down, Dongfang Liren was a little surprised. She raised her hand and prepared to tap him twice more.
But how could Ye Jingtang fall for it a second time? He grabbed Dongfang Liren’s wrist. “Alright, alright. 1’11 add another debt. I’ll definitely think of a way to solve the Bamboo Street case and make meritorious contributions to absolve my crimes, okay?”
Dongfang Liren’s face was frighteningly red. She looked at her wrist being held by the man with a cold gaze!
Ye Jingtang let go of his hand and sat a little farther away. He raised his right hand slightly, but his left hand was still protecting the saber at his waist.
Dongfang Liren glared at Ye Jingtang. Her breathing was uneven, but in the end, she didn’t pounce on Ye Jingtang and beat him up. She gritted her teeth silently, picked up a handkerchief from the side of the couch, and wiped her red lips resentfully.
Ye Jingtang secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He also wanted to wipe his face with a handkerchief, but Dumdum became furious. She turned around and glared at him. “Why are you wiping? Do you disdain me?”
Ye Jingtang paused and said innocently, “There’s rouge on my face. If I go out and someone sees me, won’t 1 besmirch Your Highness’s innocence?”
Dongfang Liren took a closer look and indeed found a red lipstick mark on Ye Jingtang’s face. The fat-headed dragon in front of her puffed up a little more. She waved his sleeve and pointed outside. “Get out!”
Ye Jingtang held the handkerchief and asked, “Should 1 wipe it or not? Alright… I understand. I’ll get out.”
Ye Jingtang quickly wiped the lipstick mark on his face and got out of the carriage.
Dongfang Liren clenched her hands tightly under her sleeves.. The scene in the Bright Yang Pool that she didn’t dare to recall was triggered by this sudden touch, and she felt restless…
