The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 184

The Crown Prince smiled gently, “I’m willing.”

Song Jin retorted, “If you want to fool around with men, find a proper man who’s into that! Stop tormenting me!”

She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. “Life is already hard enough. Why are you making it worse for me?”

The Crown Prince, still smiling, said, “Because no one else is you.”

Song Jin was speechless. A man who had read too many romantic novels could spout sweet words effortlessly, and she couldn’t outtalk him. Saying more would only disgust herself further.

Taking a deep breath, Song Jin tried to regain her composure. “Tell me, why do you want me involved in this case that the Capital Magistrate is investigating?”

The Crown Prince smiled, “Because my role is to read books, not to get involved in such matters. But since we are a team, what I can’t do, you should handle. That’s what it means to be of one mind.”

Song Jin was annoyed. “Can you at least use a serious expression when discussing serious matters?”

The Crown Prince smirked. “Is this not serious enough? I only look down my nose at others.”

Song Jin sighed. The Crown Prince sighed indulgently, “Three years ago, I looked into that case. It was suddenly stopped not because the culprit fled but because the culprit died.”

This sudden shift in the topic took Song Jin by surprise. Ignoring the Crown Prince’s indulgent gaze that made her want to punch him, she asked, “What about now?”

The Crown Prince shook his head. “It’s still unclear. I can’t get directly involved in this case. If I do, it will alert the culprit.”

Song Jin suddenly understood. “So, the culprit died because you got involved, and they sensed it?”

The Crown Prince nodded. “Yes, the case was wicked. The culprit targeted children aged eight to twelve, and the bodies were never found. I had someone investigate it secretly.”

“What did you find?”

“We found the culprit, but just as I planned to question her, she died.”

“How did she die?”

The Crown Prince shook his head. “There was no warning.”

“Were your people guarding her at the time?”

The Crown Prince nodded. “Yes, my people were outside. As soon as I got the news, I rushed over, but she was already dead.”

Song Jin thought for a moment. “Couldn’t your people have taken her away? Was she a man or a woman?”

The Crown Prince replied, “A woman in her thirties, a maid from the Second Prince’s residence.”

Song Jin was shocked. “The Second Prince?”

The Crown Prince nodded, frowning. “Yes, but I believe it has nothing to do with him. However, since she was from his household, I couldn’t just take her away. So, I had to go to her house. She happened to be on leave.”

Song Jin thought of Cui Liang, the maid who had died in the woods. Cui Liang had also been on leave when she was found dead. The Fourth Prince and the Second Prince were both involved, and the maids from their residences were linked to the case. This was too much of a coincidence.

“So, you want me to work with Zhao Jide to investigate? Aren’t you afraid of alerting the culprit?”

The Crown Prince hesitated and then smiled. “I want to see if your involvement will make them feel threatened.”

Song Jin realized that this was to gauge the mastermind’s true threat level. This felt disheartening.

“What about the Emperor? Won’t he have concerns?”

The Crown Prince smiled. “Don’t worry about that. If I want you to investigate, Father Emperor will approve.”

After a pause, the Crown Prince suddenly asked, “Did you kill Master Deqing?”

Caught off guard by the change in topic, Song Jin felt like this was an interrogation tactic. However, she didn’t want to hide anything from the Crown Prince. “He used the Thousand Mechanism Poison on the late Empress.”

The Crown Prince looked at her strangely. Song Jin raised an eyebrow. “What, you don’t believe me?”

The Crown Prince smiled. “Why call her Late Empress? Just call her Mother when no one else is around.”

Song Jin replied, “The Emperor is your father, right?”

The Crown Prince nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

“My parents were killed by your father. Don’t you feel conflicted discussing this with me?”

The Crown Prince shook his head solemnly. “Not at all.”

He then lightly tapped her head. “Because you’re here.”

Song Jin was furious. “Are you crazy?”

She was exasperated by the Crown Prince’s unyielding, carefree attitude.

The Crown Prince squinted his eyes and replied, “Yes, I have lovesickness. Do you have a cure?”

Song Jin wanted to kick him out. He was intolerable.

At that moment, Wang Liu announced that Zhao Jide had arrived. Zhao Jide entered the room, and the Heavenly Hound leapt from his arms and pounced on Song Jin, nearly overwhelming her with affection.

As she tried to fend off the dog, laughing, she asked, “Why did Minister Zhao bring the dog here?”

Zhao Jide, exhausted, slumped into a chair, not caring that he was in the Crown Prince’s residence. “I carried it all the way from the palace. I’m exhausted.”

Song Jin was taken aback. The Crown Prince was puzzled. “Why did you carry it?”

Zhao Jide slumped in the chair, “Do you think I wanted to? It talked to me! It told me to carry it!”

The Crown Prince was stunned. He had always wanted the Heavenly Hound to talk to him but to no avail. Now, Zhao Jide had heard it.

The Crown Prince looked at Zhao Jide enviously. Zhao Jide was confused.

The Crown Prince turned to the Heavenly Hound, “Can you say something to me too?”

The Heavenly Hound turned its back on the Crown Prince, ignoring him. The Crown Prince felt dejected and left, feeling hurt.

Song Jin finally sighed in relief. Despite the Crown Prince’s odd departure, at least he was gone. She couldn’t stand his overbearing affection.

After the Crown Prince left, Zhao Jide straightened up and respectfully addressed Song Jin, “Your Highness.”

Song Jin knew it was all an act. “You’ve brought the Heavenly Hound out as instructed. What’s the next step?”

Song Jin knew Zhao Jide had always been close to her father, Song Dingzhong, in Yuzhou. It was logical for him to side with the Fourth Prince, given their connection.

However, Zhao Jide’s attitude towards the Fourth Prince…

Song Jin rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Have you been in contact with Song Dingzhong recently?”

Zhao Jide’s heart skipped a beat. He had received a letter from Song Dingzhong two days ago. How did the Fourth Prince know?

Suspicious, Zhao Jide shook his head. “No, Song Dingzhong lost his son and daughter-in-law recently. After the funeral, he left Yuzhou. I don’t know where he is now.”