TRBDM -Chapter 175 Lying Through One’s Teeth

Two simple words — yet they were the heaviest words Jiang Yuelin had ever heard.

He was so excited he felt like a foolish young boy, restless one moment and steady as a rock the next.

He was secretly glad one of his arms was injured. Otherwise, he would not have been able to resist pulling Xie Wanrou into an embrace.

But he couldn’t do that. He had not yet formally gone to her home to propose. Acting so intimately now would be disrespectful to her.

He mustn’t frighten her. What if she regretted it?

Even though Jiang Yuelin had received Xie Wanrou’s promise, he still felt insecure.

Until the engagement was officially settled, there was always the risk that someone might snatch her away.

Inside, he was caught in a fierce internal battle, yet none of it showed on his face.

Meanwhile, after saying the word “willing,” Xie Wanrou’s cheeks flushed crimson, even her fair neck tinged with pink.

One lowered her head shyly; the other’s gaze clung to her, utterly unwilling to look away.

Jiang Yuelin’s stare was impossible to ignore. Under such an intense gaze, Xie Wanrou felt as though she were being roasted alive.

She suddenly stood up. “You go ahead and finish your work. I’ll put the soup jar back in the carriage.”

“You’re leaving?” Jiang Yuelin, still lost in his anxious thoughts, panicked the moment he saw her rise.

She quickly explained, “No, I’m not leaving. I’ll come back in a moment.”

Only then did he relax. “I’ll wait for you.”

Later, after returning to the carriage, Xie Wanrou took quite some time to calm her racing heart.

Just as she was about to go back inside, Jiang Yuelin suddenly received a summons from Princess Zhao Lingchen.

“Wanrou, return to the Marquis’s residence first. I need to investigate a case.”

Xie Wanrou nodded immediately. “Go ahead. Be careful with your arm — don’t let it get bumped.”

“Don’t worry.” Jiang Yuelin cast her two lingering looks before turning and mounting his horse.

At the Princess’s residence.

The Third Prince, Zhao Jingyan, was seated in the place of honor, leisurely sipping tea.

Jiang Yuelin stepped forward and bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness, Third Prince.”

Among Zhao Kuang’s children, the one most like him was first Princess Zhao Lingchen, and second Zhao Jingyan.

Zhao Jingyan had a fiery temper, authoritarian and intolerant of contradiction.

Aside from Zhao Lingchen, who could suppress him, no one in the capital dared not yield when facing him.

“Lord Jiang,” Zhao Jingyan raised a brow, his posture arrogant and his eyes filled with disdain. “I heard you’ve found the culprit behind the poisoning.”

“Yes, Your Highness. We have.”

“Zhao Jingrui did it?”

“Yes. The evidence is conclusive.”

Zhao Jingyan slapped the armrest and leaned back lazily. “Oh? In that case, bring the evidence. Let me see it.”

At that moment, Zhao Lingchen walked in from outside. “The evidence is with me. Third Brother, what exactly would you like to see?”

Seeing her, Zhao Jingyan straightened from his slouched posture. “Elder Sister, you’re awake.”

Zhao Lingchen suffered from insomnia; her schedule differed from others. Everyone in the palace knew this.

When Zhao Jingyan arrived earlier at the Princess’s residence, he had been told only, “Her Highness is still asleep,” and then left cooling his heels in the main hall.

The servants attended him cautiously, terrified of provoking his temper.

“Third Brother, what wind brings you here?”

Zhao Lingchen had a severe case of waking irritability. Her face was dark, even more unpleasant than Zhao Jingyan’s after being kept waiting.

“Elder Sister, I’m merely concerned about the poisoning. If someone dares to poison Qingfeng Hall today, tomorrow they might poison Yangshuo Hall. If this person isn’t eliminated, the palace will never know peace.”

Zhao Lingchen propped her head on her hand, listening to him lie through his teeth.

Zhao Jingyan feared no poisoning. Yangshuo Hall alone had ten professional food tasters. Only if all of them died would it be his turn to be poisoned.

He had come today because Zhao Jingrui had been captured, and he feared Zhao Jingrui might reveal things he shouldn’t.

For years, Zhao Jingrui had belonged to the Third Prince’s faction and had handled many matters for him.

Those matters could only be buried deep — not a single word must slip out.

“Oh?” Zhao Lingchen sneered. “Third Brother, could it be that the culprit is you?”

Zhao Jingyan’s face changed instantly. “Elder Sister, what do you mean by that?”

“Zhao Jingrui claims he acted under your orders to poison Tenth Brother.”

“Nonsense! Zhao Jingrui committed a crime himself and now dares to drag me down with him? How bold!”

Zhao Jingyan shot to his feet. “Bring him here. I will question him personally!”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. Zhao Jingrui is gravely injured and in critical condition. The imperial physicians are still treating him.”

Zhao Jingrui carried too many secrets. Zhao Lingchen would never hand him over so easily.

That said, she wasn’t lying — Zhao Jingrui was indeed still unconscious.

After being repeatedly stonewalled, Zhao Jingyan’s breathing grew heavy with suppressed fury.

He wanted to kill someone.

But this was the Princess’s residence. He could not act recklessly.

Forcing down his anger, he unwillingly sat back down. “Elder Sister, do not believe Zhao Jingrui’s one-sided accusation. This matter has nothing to do with me.”

He had already lowered his stance, yet Zhao Lingchen offered him no way out. “Whether it’s one-sided or not, he has accused you. That makes you a suspect.”

“You—!”

Zhao Jingyan nearly crushed the armrest in his grip.

“Lord Jiang, do you also believe Zhao Jingrui’s words?”

Jiang Yuelin answered honestly, “I half-believe and half-doubt them. Yesterday, Fifth Prince did not provide a detailed account of the events, so there are still uncertainties.”

Uncertain — but that did not make Zhao Jingyan innocent. On the contrary, his suspicion was considerable.

Zhao Jingyan had not expected that instead of gathering information, he would walk straight into their trap.

“Fine. In that case, I will visit the Court of Judicial Review and see for myself how this case is being handled.”

He had long disliked the Court of Judicial Review. Mentioning its Chief Justice now was merely a way to show Jiang Yuelin his displeasure.

But the upright and impartial Jiang Yuelin showed no fear. “This humble official will accompany Your Highness.”