Chapter 238: Of course there is!

Consort Yun!

Gongsun Yue jerked his head up, and the blood in his whole body almost solidified.

The man took out a simple yet elegant pearl hairpin from his bosom, presented it with both hands, and said: 'This is a token from Consort Yun; she is safe and sound, and she inquires about the young prince's condition, deeply concerned.'

Gongsun Yue sprang to his feet, walked over, and took the hairpin; tears burst forth—this was his mother consort's! It was her favorite!

Yu Jinzhong! You lied to me! Mother Consort isn't seriously ill at all! You just want to use me, to force me to strike against Prince Ning!

No! I can't kill Prince Ning! Absolutely not!

Tuan Tuan treats me this way—how could I kill her father?

He glanced back at Tuan Tuan, wiped away his tears, walked up to Xiao Yuanhang, and knelt with a thud: 'Thank you, Prince Ning! For letting me learn of Mother Consort's condition!'

Having said that, he knocked his head loudly against the ground.

Xiao Yuanhang hurriedly bent down to help him up, and Gongsun Yue, seizing the moment, pretended to accidentally bump the soup bowl on the table,

"Clang—!"

The soup bowl fell to the ground, soup splashed out, and soaked Xiao Yuanhang's lapel.

Gongsun Yue's voice trembled: 'Yes, sorry! Your Highness! I, I didn't mean to...'

Tuan Tuan immediately shielded him: 'Xiao Yueyue, what are you afraid of? My father wouldn't get angry over a bowl of soup, right? Right, Dad?'

Xiao Yuanhang thought Gongsun Yue was just flustered from hearing news of his mother consort, and smiled faintly: 'It's fine, it's just a piece of clothing.'

Cheng Ru'an soothed gently: 'Hurry and sit down, this child is simply overjoyed from surprise. This is happy news; one should be pleased.'

Tuan Tuan tilted her head: 'Xiao Yueyue, I had Uncle Wang inquire about your mother consort's news—why do you thank my father but not me?'

Gongsun Yue stared, mouth slightly open, not knowing how to explain.

Just now he had hurriedly knocked over the soup bowl, but hadn't thought of this.

Cheng Ru'an laughed: 'Tuan Tuan, Uncle Wang is your father's close friend—what's wrong with him thanking your father?'

Upon hearing that, Gongsun Yue let out a breath of relief.

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment: 'That's right too!'

She looked at Gongsun Yue's rice bowl: 'Oh dear, Xiao Yueyue, why are you eating so little? Come over and keep eating!'

Only then did Gongsun Yue walk back to the table and sit down.

Tuan Tuan kept piling vegetables into his bowl: 'Are you happy now? Eat a bit more!'

Gongsun Yue looked at her, nodded vigorously, and shoved food into his mouth in big mouthfuls; his heart finally settled back into his stomach.

Two days later, Xiao Er asked Tuan Tuan: 'Miss, those boxes are still placed on the teahouse counter—should we put them away?'

Upon hearing that, Tuan Tuan grabbed his hand: 'Come on, Uncle Er, Xiao Yueyue, let's go check out the teahouse!'

The three arrived at Fuyun Teahouse and went up to a private room on the third floor.

It was Gongsun Yue's first visit; he thought everything was wonderful, his eyes dazzled by the bustle: 'Tuan Tuan, this place is really nice, so lively!'

'Yes, I like it too. Xiao Yueyue, come sit here.'

Tuan Tuan disliked staying cooped up inside, so she sat by the railing on the third floor, and Gongsun Yue sat close beside her: 'It's better than being indoors; you can see more clearly.'

Xiao Er, helpless, also came out from the room and stood behind them.

'Tuan Tuan, why is there a pile of boxes stacked on the stage?'

Tuan Tuan gave a proud smile: 'These are the villains' boxes! I put them here to scare those villains.'

Gongsun Yue stared at the boxes: 'I've never seen so many boxes piled together.'

Tuan Tuan said: 'This is the second time! Last time, I saw that many boxes stacked together in another villains' cave.'

Xiao Er smiled upon hearing that, recalling the time Tuan Tuan had an owl lead the way to find the treasure cave of the Defending the State Marquis's manor.

Tuan Tuan looked at the pile of boxes below: 'It really does resemble that.'

Xiao Er's heart stirred; memories gradually surfaced—this pile of boxes really does resemble those in the cave, could it be?

'Miss! I'll go check!' he said, and then rushed down.

Tuan Tuan gave him a puzzled look as he ran up to the stage in three strides made two, walked several circles around the boxes, and felt each one with his hands.

At that moment, the storyteller wasn't present, and several tea-drinking customers stared agape at Xiao Er's strange behavior.

Xiao Er came down from the stage and returned to the third floor.

He wore an excited expression: 'Miss! You are truly blessed!'

Tuan Tuan frowned: 'What's wrong with me?'

'Just now I heard you mention the boxes in the cave; the more I looked, the more familiar they seemed!'

'That day I moved so many things with my brothers, bumping into those boxes countless times. Just now I examined and touched them carefully—indeed, these boxes are almost identical to those in the cave!'

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: 'Uncle Er, do you mean we've found the villains who gave money to the Tianji Pavilion?'

Xiao Er nodded: 'That's one way to put it.'

Tuan Tuan quickly stood up, took Gongsun Yue's hand: 'Xiao Yueyue, let's come play another day—I have important business to attend to!'

Gongsun Yue asked: 'What important business?'

Tuan Tuan shook her little head: 'An imperial order to investigate a case!'

Gongsun Yue: '……'

The Emperor of Lie Kingdom had Tuan Tuan investigate a case?

Returning to the Prince's Mansion, Gongsun Yue went back to his Lin Feng Ju, while Tuan Tuan and Xiao Er entered the study.

'Father!' Tuan Tuan flung herself into her father's arms.

'Ah, what a lovely daughter!' Xiao Yuanhang held her and seated her on his lap.

'Father, Uncle Er knows who gave the money to the Tianji Pavilion!'

'Oh?' Xiao Yuanhang looked at Xiao Er with a puzzled expression.

Xiao Er recounted what had just happened.

"So that's how it is—it's actually the Wei family, the State-protecting Marquis?"

He nodded slightly: "That makes sense—Wei Zhengqiu is notoriously greedy for money; last time we ransacked his house clean, so he must be desperate to seize silver everywhere."

"Therefore, the Netherworld Peak sought him out—for wealth moves hearts."

Xiao Er asked: "Prince, could Marquis Wei possibly be the leader of the Netherworld Peak?"

Xiao Yuanhang shook his head: "A greedy person cannot achieve great things; the Netherworld Peak's aims are certainly not money. He lacks the scheming—he couldn't be it."

Tuan Tuan wrapped their arms around their father's neck: "Father, let's hurry and catch him!"

"Tuan Tuan, I haven't had a chance to tell you yet—the person we captured that night said it was Chen Hao who ordered them to set the fire."

Tuan Tuan's eyes widened: "Chen Hao? Impossible, Father! Chen Hao isn't a bad guy!"

Xiao Yuanhang stroked the little cowlick on his daughter's head: "I don't believe it either—even if the Chen Prince disregards his eldest son, he wouldn't do something that would implicate the whole family. That's why they're still being interrogated rigorously, and here you are."

Xiao Er said: "But Prince, the chest in the cave is already gone; now we only have those in the teahouse—we have no evidence."

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his daughter: "Tuan Tuan, if I were to confront Wei Zhengqiu face to face, could you make him tell the truth?"

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "Of course!"