The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 100

Song Jin rolled her eyes and released the steward, striding towards the study courtyard. The moment she let go, the dagger that had been pressed against the steward’s back swiftly slid down and into the sheath strapped to his calf, as if nothing had happened. As she released her grip, she walked briskly alongside Lu Zhan, her pace quick and purposeful.

Everyone else stood in shock, staring at the steward’s neck. Feeling the dagger disappear, the steward breathed a sigh of relief and instinctively tried to turn to see who had been behind him. Such high-level skills—he had to see for himself. However, just as he was about to turn, he met the astonished eyes of hundreds of onlookers, including his own Duke.

The steward… Why are they looking at me? Could the person behind me be doing something strange? His mouth twitched, and he turned to the Duke, “My Lord?”

The Duke… Five purple-red fingerprints were imprinted on the steward’s neck, as if a hand was still gripping it. How powerful was the Fourth Prince to leave such marks on the steward’s neck without breaking it, yet the steward could still breathe?

Taking a deep breath, the Duke said to the steward, “It’s fine. Let’s go.” He turned and walked into the study courtyard. The matter in the courtyard was the urgent issue.

The steward, utterly bewildered, felt a discomfort in his neck. He reached up to rub it, but the moment his fingers touched the skin, the pain was excruciating. Damn it! Are there needles in my neck? Why does it hurt so much! Gritting his teeth, the steward looked back for the master behind him. But there was no one. Only a wall stood behind him. Bearing the intense pain in his neck, the steward followed the Duke, full of suspicion. That master truly came and went without a trace. Damn it! My neck hurts!

The Crown Prince, watching the steward’s actions, frowned slightly. What was the steward looking for? Did he think there was someone behind him? A fleeting thought crossed the Crown Prince’s mind. Unfortunately, it was too fast to catch. But he felt that the fleeting thought was a piece of the truth. Ah, still not well-read enough. If he had read more, he wouldn’t let such thoughts slip away! With a sigh, the Crown Prince followed into the study courtyard.

The commoners, though eager to enter, knew their place and crowded at the gate, watching with longing eyes. Having the chance to witness an investigation in the Duke’s Estate was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

In the courtyard of the study, the Duke’s third son had been placed there early in the morning. The Duke had made it clear to him to temporarily take the blame, and the Duke would get him out later. A son trusts his father, especially when the father is powerful. The third son agreed without hesitation.

Seeing people enter, the third son knelt in the courtyard with a face full of genuine remorse. “Father, I’m sorry.” The Duke was taken aback, then his anger flared. He stepped forward and slapped his son. “You wretch, did you really do it? Why!”

The third son, slapped until he saw stars, blood trickling from his mouth, leaned to the side. “Father, I know I was wrong.” He turned to Song Jin and said, “Your Highness, I killed those people. I confess!”

The Crown Prince, ignoring the acting father and son, focused on an old pagoda tree in the courtyard. The Heavenly Hound, previously missing, now sat under the tree. Could the Duke’s gold be buried under that pagoda tree?

It was winter, the tree’s leaves had fallen, leaving only dry branches swaying in the north wind. Seeing Song Jin, the Heavenly Hound stood up, wagging its tail excitedly, and barked twice. As it barked, the Duke’s angry face stiffened. He turned, eyes full of killing intent. When did that dog get here! When he sent his son in, the dog wasn’t there. And why was it standing under that tree!

Thoughts raced through the Duke’s mind. Staring at the Heavenly Hound, the Duke stood silent for a long time before turning to Song Jin, “Your Highness, my son has confessed. Please deal with him fairly. I must go to the palace to report to the Emperor.” He appeared deeply pained.

Song Jin glanced at the Duked then smiled, “Why do you think the Heavenly Hound is there?”

The Duke’s eyelids twitched heavily. The steward, lacking the Duke’s composure, started trembling at the sight of the Heavenly Hound. Under that tree, there was…

As the Duke’s anxiety peaked, the Heavenly Hound ran to Song Jin. It bit her robe and pulled her towards the pagoda tree. Bending down, Song Jin petted its head, “Do you want me to go to the tree?” The Heavenly Hound nodded. Everyone…

Song Jin continued, “Did you find something new there?” The Heavenly Hound nodded again. Everyone…

Straightening up, Song Jin said, “Alright, let’s go see.” The Heavenly Hound released her robe and led the way.

The Crown Prince, observing, suddenly recalled something. The Heavenly Hound had always been proud and only obeyed the royal family. His father’s throne was usurped, so the dogs were merely slightly more sensitive to scent. But ever since the Fourth Prince met the Heavenly Hound in Yuzhou… Wait, no. In the first few days in Yuzhou, the Heavenly Hound had been aggressive towards the Fourth Prince. It was after encountering a young miss on the street that the dog suddenly changed allegiance.

So… The Heavenly Hound had always been intelligent, waiting for its true master. Now, it seemed that the girl inside the Fourth Prince’s body was the dog’s real master. A girl… The Crown Prince instantly thought of an imperial decree. To investigate all sixteen-year-old girls nationwide, including those who had died. He didn’t know his father’s reasoning but knew his father feared that girl. So, could the girl inside the Fourth Prince be the one his father was searching for?

Following the storyline of novels, such a girl would typically be the protagonist. Thus, she had to be. Looking at Shen Yue’s face, the Crown Prince’s expression changed. Not hostile, but more curious. He was increasingly intrigued by the protagonist-like girl from the novels.

While the Crown Prince’s curiosity grew, the Duke was terrified. Seeing the Heavenly Hound lead the Fourth Prince to the pagoda tree, the Duke rushed forward. “Your Highness, since the case is solved…” Song Jin didn’t turn back, “Who said it’s solved? Didn’t Qian Lai accuse you of illegal gold mining?”

Back to the gold mines. The Duke couldn’t follow the Fourth Prince’s erratic logic. Everything he said and did was unpredictable.