After Lüdou jumped down, Duoduo pulled her into a secluded corner.
She wasn’t sure whether Li Jin’s shop was being watched by the imperial guards.
Duoduo pricked up her ears and listened. Why did she feel that the place was far too quiet?
Although few customers visited the jade shop, the craftsmen would always be polishing something. At the very least, the shop assistants should have been talking.
But now, there was nothing.
Duoduo gave Lüdou a meaningful look. After glancing around, she picked up a stick as thick as an arm from the side.
Lüdou did the same.
Suddenly, Duoduo heard the faint sound of footsteps.
What was more, the person approaching was moving with extreme caution.
Duoduo gestured to Lüdou.
“You take the left. I’ll take the right!”
Lüdou nodded, tightened her grip on the wooden stick, and raised it high above her head.
Duoduo also readied herself.
Slowly, a figure appeared in their line of sight.
Quick as a flash, Lüdou swung her stick at the newcomer.
Duoduo followed close behind.
The sticks were just about to strike when Duoduo caught sight of the person’s face.
“Master!”
Li Jin had just poked his head out when he heard two gusts of wind coming straight at him.
He swiftly leaned backward and was about to counterattack when he heard Duoduo’s voice.
Li Jin hurriedly steadied himself and looked at Duoduo.
“Commandery Princess, Lüdou, what are you doing here?”
After speaking, Li Jin once again looked around carefully.
“Wait… did you two climb down from the roof?”
Moss from the eaves clung to Duoduo and Lüdou’s clothes and shoes.
When Duoduo saw Li Jin, she immediately relaxed. She set the wooden stick in her hand aside.
“Master, you guessed correctly!”
Thinking of the imperial guards who had just left, Li Jin felt an uneasy premonition.
“Come on, let’s go inside and talk.”
Li Jin sheathed his sword and led the way into the shop.
Once the three of them were seated inside, Li Jin poured them some tea.
“Have some water.”
“Thank you, Master,” Duoduo and Lüdou said before lifting their cups and taking a sip.
The weather was hot, and the two girls had not only crossed the rooftops but also had to be careful not to be discovered.
They were both hot and thirsty.
Only after they had drunk their tea and their lips were no longer so dry did Li Jin speak.
“Commandery Princess, has something happened?”
While Duoduo was drinking, Li Jin had already been thinking rapidly.
Something major must have happened. Otherwise, Duoduo would never have brought Lüdou to hide at his shop.
Could something have happened at the prince’s residence…?
The thought made his heart sink.
Still, he couldn’t be certain, because he had received no message from Xiao Yi.
“Master, have the imperial guards come to search the shop?”
Duoduo had already observed the surroundings when she arrived. The shop was neat and orderly; it didn’t look as though it had been searched.
Li Jin nodded. “They gave me some silver and took the watermelons away.”
Duoduo nodded, then explained what had happened.
“Xiao Yun’an and Xiao Yunming encountered assassins this morning.”
“They happened to flee into my shop.”
“Shitou and the others wanted to tie them up and help Father deal with Second Uncle.”
“Fortunately, they told me in advance.”
“Xiao Yun’an took Xiao Yunming and ran away halfway through. Then they disappeared.”
Duoduo explained the situation in just a few sentences.
Li Jin understood.
So the imperial guards were searching for Commandery Princess Anning and the heir.
“Then why didn’t you return to the prince’s residence?” Li Jin suddenly asked.
Duoduo was silent for a moment.
“Second Uncle has been handed such a perfect excuse. How could he not take advantage of it?”
After hearing this, Li Jin fell silent as well once his initial astonishment faded.
Prince Ling had always been suspicious and jealous by nature.
Li Jin had discussed this matter with Xiao Yi before.
Once Prince Ling ascended the throne, he would never allow the other princes to live.
Ever since they had traveled from Xianyang to the capital, Prince Ling had continually made small moves against them.
Now that he had also taken the position of Crown Prince, if he didn’t use this opportunity to strike, he wouldn’t be Prince Ling.
Prince Ling would probably use this incident to purge the entire capital.
With Xiao Yi guarding the Prince Pingyang’s residence, Li Jin wasn’t too worried.
The longer Li Jin spent with Xiao Yi, the more he felt that the man was far from simple.
His thoughts ran deep, and he was intensely guarded. He would never easily trust anyone.
Moreover, he was like a leopard lying in wait among the grass, making it impossible for anyone to tell when he might suddenly pounce.
Unfortunately, if Xiao Yi had not had his own reservations, the throne would have belonged to him. Prince Ling would never have had a chance.
Li Jin secretly shook his head.
Perhaps the time simply hadn’t come yet.
Perhaps the current Crown Prince was merely a target.
After all, the Emperor had never appointed a Crown Prince before.
Yet, during this extraordinary period, he had appointed Prince Ling as Crown Prince.
No matter how one looked at it, the decision seemed unusual.
Li Jin could think of this possibility, and Xiao Yi had made the same deduction.
As for Prince Ling, he had naturally guessed part of it as well.
But he wasn’t afraid!
Because what he wanted was a legitimate opportunity.
Regardless of whether his father truly intended to pass the throne to him, he was the Crown Prince now.
That meant the future emperor could only be him!
He would never allow anyone to use him as a stepping stone!
If Father wanted to use him, then Father would have to see whether he agreed!
With that thought, Prince Ling looked up at Consort Li.
“Mother, how has Father’s health been recently?”
“I’ve been so busy with official matters that I haven’t had time to attend to Father at his bedside.”
Consort Li looked at her son and shook her head slightly.
“Your father is still the same. The physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy are all useless!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll personally go there later and serve your father his medicine.”
A dark look entered Prince Ling’s eyes, along with a trace of impatience.
“Mother, what if I find a miracle doctor among the people and bring him into the palace to treat Father?”
“His birthday is fast approaching, and if he still hasn’t recovered by then, what are we going to do?”
When Consort Li saw the murderous intent in her son’s eyes, her heart jolted.
“My son, illness strikes like a landslide and leaves like a strand of silk. It can only be treated slowly.”
Consort Li quietly tried to persuade him.
Prince Ling ran a finger around the rim of his cup.
“Father is advanced in years. We can’t let this drag on.”
“If it continues, it could easily develop into a serious illness.”
“When that happens, it won’t be only Father who suffers. You will suffer as well.”
Hearing the warning hidden in her son’s words, Consort Li’s heart skipped a beat.
Although she had feelings for the Emperor and did not want him to die just like this, she also understood perfectly well that unless the Emperor died, her son might never have a chance to rise.
For the sake of her son’s future, she had no choice but to act.
“All right.”
“I’ll personally go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony later and sound out His Majesty.”
“Good medicine tastes bitter but cures the illness. Your father is probably avoiding the medicine because it’s too bitter and hasn’t been taking it properly.”
Hearing this, Prince Ling nodded in satisfaction.
