Yue Bei Yang moved his lips, about to speak, but found his mouth very dry, and his voice hoarse.
"How is the Princess recently..."
Just then, the old butler's voice came from outside.
"Princess, the General requests your presence!"
Xing Zhan's study.
Along the way, the old butler spoke a great deal to Qin Jiu Jiu. With Yue Bei Yang not present, the old butler became noticeably more talkative, his tone exactly as Xing Ru remembered.
The old butler pushed open the door. Qin Jiu Jiu walked in, and clearly saw the butler's lips tremble, as if an unexplainable emotion could not be voiced.
After she entered, the door was gently closed.
"Father!"
She looked at Xing Zhan, who was seated at his desk, handling official documents. He had changed into home attire, which lessened his usual oppressive aura.
Xing Zhan finally looked up at Qin Jiu Jiu.
His gaze flashed with sharpness, but quickly softened into benevolence. However, Qin Jiu Jiu had no way of knowing how much of this kindness was genuine.
"Ru'er." He rose and walked towards Qin Jiu Jiu, the oppressive aura suddenly pressing down on her.
"Ru'er, your complexion seems even better than before..." His words sounded somewhat odd, clearly implying something more.
"I've been taking good care of myself recently!" she deflected, pretending not to understand the undertone of Xing Zhan's words.
"I heard that your relationship with the Second Prince has been quite good lately?"
So this was Yue Bei Yang's plan!
This was Qin Jiu Jiu's first thought upon hearing Xing Zhan's words.
On the night of the state banquet, Yue Bei Yang was set up by a woman sent by the Grand Tutor, nearly losing his purity and reputation. If it weren't for her, who had not yet fully awakened, resolving the situation, that incident would not have ended so easily.
Yue Bei Yang was clearly an unfavored prince, yet the Grand Tutor and Xing Zhan had gone to great lengths to place women around him, which she found quite baffling!
"Are these words from the palace? Father, you mustn't believe such talk. The Second Prince, he..."
Qin Jiu Jiu feigned difficulty in speaking. She caught a glint of sharpness in Xing Zhan's eyes. Seeing her pause, he quickly asked, "He what?"
This man was clearly trying to pump his own daughter for information!
At this moment, Qin Jiu Jiu no longer needed to probe; she knew that Xing Zhan's affection for Xing Ru was not as genuine as it appeared. Especially considering the old butler's words just now, which further solidified this point.
"Miss, the General seems to have heard some rumors from the palace, which is why he found an excuse to summon you back. Miss, you must carefully consider and make your decisions!"
The old butler's expression was one of great tension, as if he were worried about something.
"The Second Prince, he, he doesn't like me. We haven't consummated our marriage yet!"
A flicker of shock crossed Xing Zhan's eyes, as if he couldn't quite believe it. But Qin Jiu Jiu immediately revealed her slender wrist. The cinnabar mole was still there, naturally proving her words.
Xing Zhan's expression changed, his brows furrowed tightly. He looked nothing like a benevolent figure.
This was not the reaction a father should have upon learning of his daughter's plight!
His expression was clearly one of annoyance stemming from the failure of his plan.
"Father..." Qin Jiu Jiu pretended to cry. Xing Zhan finally seemed to come to his senses and put on a different, feigned demeanor.
"Ru'er, you have suffered..."
Qin Jiu Jiu: "..."
Qin Jiu Jiu lowered her gaze, no longer looking at him.
"Ru'er, happiness is earned! Don't worry, Father will surely make your wishes come true!"
Hearing this, Qin Jiu Jiu found it jarring and ironic.
Did Xing Zhan truly know Xing Ru's wishes? He clearly didn't care at all!
A year ago, he had said the same thing to Xing Ru, "Ru'er, Father knows you admire the Second Prince. Don't worry, Father will surely grant your wish!"
But Xing Ru herself hadn't realized that marriage wasn't a one-person show. Only mutual affection could lead to longevity; otherwise, it was just courting suffering...
In the end, she had lost her life in that cold palace, stabbed to death by this father who spoke of loving her so dearly.
Qin Jiu Jiu looked at Xing Zhan, his eyes deep, with ambition burning within them.
"But, you must listen to Father..."
The sudden shift caught Qin Jiu Jiu off guard, but he quickly continued, "In this world, only Father loves you the most..."
Qin Jiu Jiu: Isn't this a very famous PUA tactic from the 21st century?
Qin Jiu Jiu nodded thoughtfully. Xing Zhan seemed satisfied and told her to return quickly, as the Second Prince was at the residence. If they, father and daughter, were to stay alone for too long, it might lead to gossip.
"Then, Father, your daughter shall take her leave..."
Qin Jiu Jiu left the study and, following the route she remembered, returned to her courtyard.
"Wu Han, have you found anything?"
Wu Han stood behind Yue Bei Yang, his head bowed.
At that moment, Yue Bei Yang was looking at an object in Xing Ru's room.
It was a sachet!
He had originally intended to search her room while Xing Ru was away, to see if he could find any useful clues.
This sachet was locked inside a wooden box.
The wooden box appeared very valuable, and it was locked. He had exerted great effort to open the lock, only to find a sachet inside.
A black sachet!
Wu Han looked at his master staring blankly at the sachet in his hand, and he also took a second look at the black sachet.
It was clearly an ordinary sachet! Why was his master staring at it for so long?
This sachet was clearly a man's item. Why would Xing Ru hide it and store it so preciously in a wooden box?
His mind suddenly recalled the indistinct term "Second Young Master Xie" that she had uttered that day!
He swallowed, his throat feeling dry.
"Master, your subordinate has investigated. The Princess has no birthmark. I also asked Miss A Dai, and she doesn't know if the Princess has ever drawn or carved anything on her neck..."
The sachet was clutched in his hand, crumpled.
"Can you be sure of its accuracy?"
Wu Han didn't know why Yue Bei Yang was being more verbose than usual, but he could only reply, "Yes!"
This undoubtedly confirmed Yue Bei Yang's suspicions. He had previously felt that Xing Ru's demeanor had changed drastically. Now, it seemed that after she took the sword for him that time, she had become like a different person!
So, it truly was a case of substitution!
But how had she managed to switch the person right under his nose? Even if her face could be altered through arcane arts, how had she deceived everyone?
Yue Bei Yang's brows were tightly furrowed, his hands clenched and unclenched, but he never let go of the sachet.
He looked at the object before him, his expression suddenly brightening.
Here was a ready-made item to test her with!