112 Prosperous Fortune Catches the Mouse

“What do you mean? Have you found something more crucial?” The Crown Prince, trusting him without suspicion, reached out to take the wooden box. As soon as he opened it, he quickly pushed it away the next moment. “How disgusting! What on earth are you doing?”

Half a piece of straw paper, half dry and half wet. The dry part was stuck with a familiar golden substance; the wet part, even without looking closely, could be linked to the dry part by the knee’s intuition, right?

The Crown Prince’s furrowed brows were so tight they could crush a fly. He opened his mouth and shouted outside the door, “Luxi, wash your hands!”

Ping Shi, however, showed no sign of disgust and picked up the wooden box again. He then casually found a seat at a nearby table, placing the box right under his nose. He lifted a corner of the straw paper and examined it carefully. “This was retrieved from the toilet bucket emptied by the old steward on Guan Qinghuai’s orders.”

The Crown Prince washed his hands and sat far away. “You just returned? Why didn’t you come straight to see me?” He barely paid attention to what Ping Shi was saying—what use could straw paper be, especially used ones? Ugh, just thinking about it made him want to retch.

Ping Shi’s gaze turned sharp with reprimand. “How many times have I told you, from matters big or small, those who grasp the details will conquer the world. I’ve been away from Shengjing these days. Have you been paying attention at all?”

Ping Shi’s full name was Ji Ping Shi. He was the younger brother of the late Empress and the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle. It could be said that more than half of the Crown Prince’s power was painstakingly built up by Ji Ping Shi. Having secretly tutored the Crown Prince since childhood, Ji Ping Shi always treated him with the stern disappointment of an elder who despairs of the younger’s potential.

To Ping Shi, this was a habit; to the Crown Prince, it increasingly felt like a thorn lodged deep within his heart.

The Crown Prince clenched the armrest so tightly his fingers whitened. Luxi, still holding the basin without leaving, turned and walked toward Ping Shi. “Your Excellency, would you like to wash your hands?”

His silhouette blocked Ping Shi’s view of the Crown Prince, and by the time Ping Shi looked back, the Crown Prince had resumed the obedient and well-behaved demeanor ingrained in his memory.

“Uncle’s teachings have been noted by Yincheng.”

Ping Shi responded faintly and turned to Luxi, who had just blocked his view. He hadn’t forgotten the fleeting look of resentment on the Crown Prince’s face before the eunuch intervened.

“Kneel.”

Luxi obeyed without hesitation. The water in the basin he held remained perfectly still.

Ping Shi’s caution deepened. “Slap your own face.”

Luxi set down the basin and began striking himself.

The Crown Prince grew anxious. What difference was this from slapping one’s own face? “Uncle, what do you mean by this?”

Ping Shi ignored him and looked at Luxi. “Tell me, what do you think this means?”

As Luxi slapped himself, he said, “The masters are talking; Luxi should not forget his place and interrupt. Luxi deserves to be punished.”

The Crown Prince was speechless. This was the reason laid out openly, but all three knew the truth. Precisely because they all knew, he could say nothing. His uncle’s early return was a show of authority over him; if Luxi weren’t taking the punishment now, he would be the one suppressed.

Turning his gaze away from Luxi was the kindest thing he could do at this moment.

“Uncle, what secret does this straw paper hold that you value it so highly?” The best approach was to divert his uncle’s attention.

Ping Shi immediately understood his intent but had no time to argue. He placed the straw paper back into the wooden box, flicked his toe to nudge Luxi kneeling before him, and said, “Wash your hands”—which meant to stop the self-punishment.

Luxi hurriedly kowtowed in thanks, never daring to raise his head, and after attending to the masters’ handwashing, he withdrew.

Only then did Ping Shi look at the Crown Prince and say, “This straw paper was used by a woman who has just begun her menstruation.”

The Crown Prince almost called Luxi back to tend to him again. He had just touched that box. Soon to be emperor, and now tainted with a woman’s blood—was this not bad luck? Should he arrange for a few purification rituals? He…

“Clear out those useless thoughts in your head as soon as possible,” Ping Shi said sharply, not even allowing him to think. “You came from there, so what’s there to be superstitious about? How many times have I taught you—whether observing or acting, as long as it benefits you, who cares if it’s unlucky? If it truly bothers you, after the matter’s done, get rid of the people or things that brought you bad luck, bury them deep underground—that’s the spirit you should have!”

This made sense. The Crown Prince finally faced the wooden box on the table squarely. “Guan Qinghuai imprisoned the abbot Fang Rulai of Fahua Temple, who entered the mansion under Guan Shiyin’s identity. Given the current situation of the Guan family, if Guan Qinghuai ordered the old steward to empty the toilet bucket, and the straw paper inside was used by a woman, it is almost certain that this was the toilet used by Fang Rulai.”

Ping Shi showed the first approving smile since his return. “Hmm, your mind hasn’t been corrupted by that little sorcerer! Continue.”

Though inwardly dissatisfied, the Crown Prince had learned to conceal it. “Generally speaking, few in Yaotian Kingdom would ignore the bad luck of a woman’s blood to act, especially not like you, Uncle. So Guan Qinghuai’s move must have a purpose. As for what that purpose is, Uncle, I cannot guess.”

Ping Shi straightened his belly and leaned back in the chair, feeling quite pleased with Yincheng’s flattery. “You lack experience; naturally, you cannot predict every move of the enemy. At times like this, we consider it from another angle. You can think of this as Guan Qinghuai searching for something. Or from another perspective, perhaps Fang Rulai is using Guan Qinghuai’s hand to send a message outward.”

The Crown Prince suddenly understood. “Yes, for Fang Rulai, who is imprisoned, Guan Qinghuai is hardly a benevolent captor. How could she not be trying to find a way to escape?”

“Therefore, we will keep someone watching every move in the Guan residence. We will surely find a chance to benefit from this.” Ping Shi recalled the report from the imperial guards. “I heard Daichuan hurried back to the palace today. That means a major discovery was made?”

Hearing this, the Crown Prince felt conflicted. His imperial guards were telling his uncle everything. This was not good for him. Yet when he spoke, he remained the obedient nephew who answered every question. “Daichuan returned today confirming that the young monk does indeed possess a special ‘listening ear’ ability.”

“Oh? Tell me the details.”

The Crown Prince recounted the conversation between Daichuan and Guan Yihe word for word to Ping Shi.

After listening, Ping Shi narrowed his eyes dangerously. “It seems the clues I found in Pingcheng were true.”

“Then are the Shibi Lian siblings still useful?” The Crown Prince’s eyes flashed with killing intent. “They were kept to verify Fang Rulai’s abilities. Now that has been confirmed elsewhere, to prevent Uncle’s true identity from leaking, it’s best to eliminate them.”

Ping Shi nodded. “Where are they?”

“One is in the Guan residence, the other with the Second Prince.”

“Good. Tonight, keep the Guan residence under close watch. At dawn, find a way to deal with the sister there. Of course, it must not be in vain. It’s best if the murderer can be pinned on Guan Qinghuai. This way, you can openly and legitimately crush the Guan residence in the name of the authorities.”

This was the sweetest sentence the Crown Prince heard all evening. “Yes, crush the Guan residence!” Once the Guan family was destroyed, the Second Prince would lose financial backing and become a toothless tiger, no longer a threat. Then, with Fang Rulai—a far more useful strategist—on his side, he could… Inwardly, Yincheng told himself, when that time came, he would be the ruler of the nation. Anyone who dared look down on him, regardless of rank, he would bury them deep underground. Uncle, you cannot blame me then; after all, this is what you taught me.

They exchanged updates on their respective information, and Ping Shi flicked his sleeve, leaving without so much as a farewell. He leapt out the window and disappeared into the night.

In the opposite direction, a shadow moved stealthily under cover of darkness. Like a rat, it twisted and turned, slipping past the guards’ sightlines, evading patrols inside the Guan residence, and finally slipped into a dug tunnel.

The tunnel’s end was a latrine.

Emerging from the latrine and stepping out the main door, the rat finally saw the mother rat he had longed for day and night.

“Mother—” he pounced forward.

A yellow figure swiftly retaliated, baring its teeth. “Woof!”

Wangcai, the faithful dog who hadn’t seen its master for a long time.

Caught in the act was none other than Guan Shiyin.

—End of side note—

Dear (Stinky Egg haha), thank you for the flowers and encouragement. Much appreciated~ Granny bows~