The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 103

As the secret passage continued to expand, the situation below gradually became clear. Damn it. It was all gold! There were polished pieces, unpolished pieces directly from the mines, even some still covered in dirt. The passage kept expanding, forcing everyone in the courtyard to stand against the walls.

The commoners craned their necks, gasping in amazement at what they saw. The Crown Prince stood beside Song Jin, staring at the nearly full courtyard of gold. He clenched his fist, his expression unreadable.

“Fourth Brother, you really have a knack for finding things. You’ve actually uncovered the gold.” His eyes briefly darkened, then a gleam of schadenfreude appeared. “In order to investigate the Duke’s illegal gold mining, the Yuzhou Magistrate, Zhao Jide, even brought his entire family to the capital. His close friendship with the current Minister of Justice from years ago almost got discovered by Father.”

Song Jin didn’t understand why the Crown Prince was telling her this. She just felt uncomfortable with the Crown Prince standing so close. After all that had happened, whenever the Crown Prince stood close, she felt uneasy. She turned slightly, not speaking.

The Crown Prince continued in a low voice, “Do you know? Father originally intended for the Minister of Justice and Zhao Jide to handle this case together. If they knew you found the gold using this method….” He paused, looking at Song Jin with a hint of a smile.

Song Jin still couldn’t understand the Crown Prince’s point. However, the emphasis on “this method” sent a shiver down her spine. What does he mean by “this method”? Recognizing gold by smell? Did the Crown Prince notice something? Song Jin dared not think further. This Crown Prince was too terrifying. She even suspected he knew she wasn’t Shen Yue.

Fortunately, as the secret passage stopped expanding, the Duchess emerged, supported by Xu Xin. She curtsied to the Crown Prince and Song Jin, her expression calm. “Your Highnesses, it is true that the Duke has been illegally mining gold.”

Song Jin… Hearing this from the Duchess felt strange.

“My third son is indeed guilty of the heinous crimes he committed. Your Highnesses, he is at your disposal. The law is above all; the Duke will not act with favoritism. As for the matter of the gold…”

The Duchess paused and glanced at the Duke. The Duke, pale and standing to the side, instinctively walked over when she looked at him.

The Duchess continued, “Regarding the gold, the Duked I will personally go to the palace to confess to His Majesty. This was not your case to handle, Your Highness. It’s best if you don’t intervene. Not every action guarantees great merit, and not every matter can be influenced by your involvement.”

Song Jin… This lady of the house had more presence than the Duke himself.

She had to say something. Standing tall, Song Jin smiled at the Crown Prince. “Brother, you were with me throughout this case. What do you think?”

The Crown Prince lazily tapped his folding fan. “I’m just a bystander. No need to ask my opinion. Do what you think is right, Fourth Brother.”

Song Jin… Damn you. If I go to the palace, don’t you dare follow! Silently glaring at the Crown Prince, Song Jin smiled at the Duchess. “Duchess, you misunderstand. I was investigating the case of the Duke’s third son, but Qian Lai’s accusations of illegal gold mining came up during the investigation. Since he mentioned it in court, how can I ignore it?”

The Duchess looked surprised. The Fourth Prince, usually so timid, seemed very different today.

Xu Xin, standing behind her mother, whispered, “Brother Yue, listen to my mother. She won’t harm you.” Her cheeks turned red. Addressing a prince so intimately was quite bold.

Song Jin ignored Xu Xin. The Duke, however, pulled Xu Xin aside, glaring at her. Xu Xin was intended for the Crown Prince, though now the Duke’s attitude was strange and he had murderous intent towards the Crown Prince. Still, leaving a line was prudent. Xu Xin’s beauty was meant to ensnare the Crown Prince. If she lost that use… The Duke looked displeased at Xu Xin.

Xu Xin knew her father intended to marry her to the Crown Prince, but her heart belonged to the Fourth Prince. With her mother’s support, Xu Xin ignored the Duke, addressing Song Jin. “Brother Yue, my brother’s case is for you to handle. His Majesty will reward you, but don’t get involved with the gold case.” She spoke softly, so the commoners outside couldn’t hear. But the Crown Prince could.

Amused, he looked at Shen Yue’s face, “Since she’s calling you ‘Brother Yue,’ why not go easy on her?”

Song Jin rolled her eyes at the Crown Prince, then turned to the Duchess. “Since the gold was found under my watch, I must go to the palace. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to my father.” Turning, she instructed Lu Zhan, “Detain the Duke’s third son. Have the coroner from the Capital Magistrate’s office examine the bodies, identify the families, and we’ll discuss compensation with the Duke.”

She glanced at the Duchess. The Duchess smiled calmly, neither angry nor surprised.

“Of course, compensation is necessary. The Duke must make amends for the heinous acts of our son.” Turning to the commoners, she declared, “The Duke’s Estate will do everything to compensate the victims’ families. Once kinship is confirmed, each family will receive a hundred taels of silver as a token of our regret.”

Hearing this, the commoners were in disbelief. A hundred taels per person!

The Duchess continued, “Additionally, we will fund the construction of a school for the victims’ families. All expenses will be covered by the Duke’s Estate. Our private tutors will teach there. Is this acceptable?”

Song Jin observed the Duchess. She’s quite a character. This move directly appeased the anger of the scholars.