Chapter 317: How Could One Stand Idly By

"Zhao, the Guard Commander, asked if you were feeling better and wanted to invite you to go to the prison yourself."

Everyone was startled by the words: Shen Wanjin is dead?

"Go."

Without delay, the party rushed to the City Guard Camp's prison.

Zhao Tieshan had already been waiting at the gate, his face full of guilt; he stepped forward and bowed, "I, the junior officer, have erred. Please, Nine Prince, Third Young Master, punish me!"

Xiao Ningxun helped him to his feet: "How did Shen Wanjin die? Take us to see."

Xiao Er scooped Tuan Tuan up in his arms.

Zhao Tieshan led the way, saying, "This morning, after breakfast he bled from all seven orifices and died. The guard watching him vanished; I have already sent people to look for him, but there is no word yet."

Arriving at a cell door, Xiao Ningxun turned back: "Xiao Er, keep Tuan Tuan waiting outside while we go in."

"Yes!" Xiao Er replied, "Miss, it's dirty inside, we won't go in."

"Mm!" Tuan Tuan nodded obediently.

The others entered the cell.

They saw Shen Wanjin lying on his back on the floor, dry straw scattered everywhere in the cell, clearly the result of rolling on the ground before death.

He was bleeding from all seven orifices, his eyes wide open, his death scene terrifying.

Xiao Ran felt a sudden jolt; the poisoned‑death description he often read matched this appearance, yet seeing it with his own eyes still gave him a start.

Zhao Tieshan brought over an object, saying, "After he died, he was still clutching this tightly in his hand."

Xiao Ningxun's complexion changed dramatically at a glance.

He carefully took the item from Zhao Tieshan's hand, examined it closely, then rushed out of the cell and approached Tuan Tuan.

"Tuan Tuan, are you still wearing the wolf fang Jifeng gave you?"

"I am!" Tuan Tuan pulled a chain from her collar, "Third Brother, look."

Xiao Ningxun spread his palm.

"Huh, Third Brother, you also have one? It's exactly the same as the one Uncle Jifeng gave me!"

"That's not right," Tuan Tuan took the one from Xiao Ningxun, placed the two together, "Mine points this way, Third Brother's points that way."

Xiao Ran leaned in: "Indeed, they're identical except the curvature points opposite."

Lu Qi glanced and said, "They're a pair. The wolf fangs are symmetrical—a left canine and a right canine; they're so similar they seem to be from the same wolf."

Zhao Tieshan also stepped out: "When Shen Wanjin arrived here, he was stripped clean and given prison clothes. If he had this on him at the time, I could not have known."

"Therefore, I suspect someone slipped this into his hand."

Lu Qi shook his head: "Not necessarily; it could be that the guard who poisoned him, watching him die, had the fang ripped off Shen Wanjin's body in his frantic struggle."

"A person's strength at the moment of death is far beyond ordinary."

Zhao Tieshan was startled: "Makes sense; this is iron evidence of that person silencing the victim."

Xiao Ningxun pondered briefly, returned the fang, and said, "Zhao, the Guard Commander, you must find that guard and interrogate him thoroughly. We'll head back now."

"Understood."

The group left the prison and went straight back to the inn.

Just as they stepped into the main hall, they saw a woman standing alone by the counter; hearing the movement, she turned around.

She appeared about twenty years old, with fine features, travel‑worn, pale complexion, two dark‑blue bruises under her eyes, and a gaunt look.

She scanned the crowd, her gaze landing on Tuan Tuan in Xiao Er's arms; her eyes lit up, and she hurried forward: "Tuan Tuan, I finally found you."

Tuan Tuan tilted her head, looking closely at her: "Sister, you're so beautiful! But I've never seen you before."

The woman looked at her, a slight smile curving her lips.

When she spoke again, her voice was childlike, like a seven‑ or eight‑year‑old: "I'm Qing Qing, Tuan Tuan."

Tuan Tuan's eyes widened instantly: "Qing Qing? Is that you?"

She slipped from Xiao Er's arms onto the floor, grabbed her hand and said, "Qing Qing! Why have you come?"

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Er exchanged a glance, wondering why Qing Qing was not in Xilu but had come to Lie Guo.

Xiao Ran widened his eyes, scrutinizing Qing Qing from head to toe: "What technique is this?"

Lu Qi, well‑read, was not particularly surprised.

Qing Qing looked at Xiao Ningxun, her voice returning to that of a woman: "Sir Xiao, may we retire to a guest room for a chat?"

Xiao Ningxun nodded: "Please."

The party walked into the guest room.

Qing Qing sat down and drank three cups of tea in succession, apparently quenching her thirst.

She said slowly: "I have come to ask you and Tuan Tuan to go to Xilu and rescue the Second Prince."

Xiao Ran frowned: "The Second Prince of Xilu?"

Tuan Tuan looked puzzled: "Who is he?"

"The Second Prince is Jifeng."

The others suddenly realized that Jifeng was indeed the prince of Xilu! No wonder he could serve as envoy to Lie Guo and Da Xia! That status was certainly sufficient.

Xiao Ningxun asked, "Then why does Jifeng never disclose his identity? A prince's diplomatic mission differs greatly from that of an ordinary envoy."

Qing Qing sighed lightly: "He is naturally idle and cares little about his status. If he traveled as a prince, he would be heavily regarded and could no longer slip out to drink at will."

Xiao Ningxun was startled, then a slight smile curved his lips; Jifeng's temperament was indeed like that.

Qing Qing continued: "The Great Khan is advanced in age, and these years he is often ill; the struggle for the throne is raging."

"Although the Second Prince cares little, wanting to live freely like an eagle over the steppe, his martial skill is great and he spends endless time drinking and chatting with many generals, forging close ties."

"Thus he has become a thorn in the Great Prince's side."

"Tuan Tuan, do you still remember Jituan Tongshi?"

Tuan Tuan nodded: "Remember! That was Uncle Jifeng and mine!"

Qing Qing gave a bitter laugh: "This Jifeng's unified market was originally a good thing benefiting the country and the people, and after Jifeng returned, he also gained great praise from the Great Khan because of it."

But not long ago, the Eldest Prince used this as a pretext to raise objections, falsely informing the Great Khan that he was secretly communicating with treacherous merchants of Lie State, establishing workshops on the border, secretly manufacturing weapons, intending to rebel.

"Ah?" Tuan Tuan exclaimed, "The Eldest Prince? Isn't he Uncle Jifeng's brother? Why would he harm him?"

Qing Qing rubbed her little head: "They were originally half-brothers sharing the same father; when they were young, their relationship was indeed good, inseparable, always together horseback riding and archery."

But as they grew older, their ambitions grew too; that supreme position, although Jifeng didn't take it to heart, he was blocking someone else's path.

Xiao Ningxun suddenly recalled, his father had mentioned to him that the Ministry of War had once found at the border: "Could it be that workshop? Inside there are components of a repeating crossbow's tail?"

Qing Qing nodded: "Right. That workshop, Jifeng was completely unaware."

But no matter what means the Eldest Prince used, the artisans captured there all insisted, under oath, that they were acting on the Second Prince's orders, manufacturing weapons of Lie State.

Thus, it became solid evidence with both human and material proof.

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Er exchanged a glance, inevitably recalling that night when they parted with Jifeng in Da Xia, he had drunk wine and said, "Although the steppe is vast, it also has its worries."

And also that line: "No matter how great the affair, it's nothing more than a jug of wine and a blade; if one is truly unhappy, well, I'll just up and leave!"

So this is his worry.

It seems he hasn't managed to just leave yet, so the other side struck first.

"The Great Khan ordered that Jifeng be placed under house arrest, and all his close aides be transferred away."

"The Eldest Prince moreover took the opportunity to publicize this matter far and wide."

"Nowadays, even the officials and commoners of Xilu regard him as a disgraceful colluder with foreign bandits, and the Second Prince cannot defend himself despite a hundred mouths."

"He told me to leave, saying that if I stayed longer, I would surely face danger to my life."

"But my life was saved by him; without him, I would not exist. Therefore, no matter what, I must clear his name."

She looked at Tuan Tuan: "After he was placed under house arrest, I no longer knew whom I could trust, so I thought of you."

"Tuan Tuan, I've seen your abilities, and I'm acquainted with him, so I rushed to Jingcheng of Lie State and went straight to the Ning Prince's Mansion."

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: "Did you see my father? Is he especially imposing? How is my father? And my mother—how is she?"

Qing Qing chuckled: "Yes, Prince Ning is indeed imposing; he's doing well, his complexion is rosy—rest assured."

"But I went in male attire, so I didn't see the Princess Consort."

"Oh." Tuan Tuan lowered his little head, longing for his father and mother!

Xiao Ningxun asked again: "What did my father say?"

Qing Qing replied: "I told them about rescuing people together with Tuan Tuan in Da Xia, didn't mention anything else, only said I was visiting a friend."

"Prince Ning thanked me, told me you had come to Jiangzhou, so I rushed here again."

"I went from inn to inn, hoping to get lucky. Finally today I met you."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Tuan Tuan looked up at Xiao Ningxun: "Third Brother, let's go rescue Uncle Jifeng! He helped me; he's a good person! He shouldn't be locked up!"

After a moment's thought, Xiao Ningxun said: "Jifeng is open-hearted, he's Tuan Tuan's close friend; now that he's in trouble, how can we stand by and do nothing?"

"Moreover, the eagle feathers on the arrow tail and the adhesive craftsmanship are unique to the steppe. If this isn't investigated, even Feng Zhou couldn't be rescued."

"Shen Wanjin's death is clearly also related to Xilu," he made up his mind, looking at Qing Qing, "All right, tomorrow morning we'll go with you to Xilu."