The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 95

Could it be that the Fourth Prince really could calculate something?

Suspicion arose in the Duke’s heart, but he mostly didn’t believe it.

After years in office, his intuition told him that Qian Lai’s disappearance was the work of the Fourth Prince, and as for the jar of silver, it was also his doing.

Although he didn’t know exactly how the Fourth Prince managed it, he couldn’t quite grasp the Fourth Prince’s abilities. But he was certain of one thing: that dog must be the Fourth Prince’s accomplice.

Other than that, he couldn’t think of anything else.

After all, it couldn’t really be ghosts, right?

There were no such things as ghosts!

While the Duke pondered, Song Jin spoke again, “Duke, think carefully. Who in your mansion fits the description? Who has significant authority and a servant over fifty who is utterly loyal?”

The Crown Prince squinted his eyes.

“Utterly loyal,” he thought. What a fitting term.

Many storybooks use this term too.

Smiling slightly, the Crown Prince glanced at the Duke.

The Duke appeared deep in thought. After a moment, he gritted his teeth in anger and ordered a servant nearby, “Go bring Uncle Zhong from the Third Young Master’s quarters.”

After the servant left, Song Jin looked at the Duke with a half-smile. “Uncle Zhong? Utterly loyal, I presume?”

The Duke couldn’t grasp the Fourth Prince’s meaning, so he just nodded with a stern face.

Song Jin raised an eyebrow. “What an interesting name. I bet this Uncle Zhong might even commit suicide to protect his master.”

The Crown Prince, observing Song Jin’s subtle expressions, thought of the countless storybooks he had read over the years.

Storybooks are generally divided into those for male and female audiences, but regardless of the target audience, the facial expressions of the female protagonist, especially the subtle ones, are always described in detail.

Rubbing his chin, the Crown Prince suddenly realized he might have found a living storybook.

Tsk~

Interesting.

The Duke, upon hearing Song Jin’s words, had a flash of darkness in his eyes but remained silent.

The Fourth Prince was right.

He had indeed planned to have Uncle Zhong killed, making it look like a suicide out of fear of punishment.

This Fourth Prince was really…

Had he always underestimated him?

Once this matter was over, he would certainly reveal the Fourth Prince’s sinister side to the Emperor.

The Emperor would never tolerate the Fourth Prince acting this way.

While the Duke’s thoughts were in turmoil, the servant he had sent to summon Uncle Zhong came back in a panic, “Duke, it’s terrible! As soon as Uncle Zhong heard the news, he ran and jumped into a well to commit suicide. The servants pulled him out, but he’s already dead.”

The Duke looked shocked and furious.

“It really is that wretched Third Young Master!”

Turning to look at Song Jin, who was already striding out, he began to speak, but Song Jin cut him off, “Where is this Uncle Zhong? I want to see. It seems he really is connected to the case.”

The flower garden was merely her way of gaining entry.

When Lu Zhan told her about the secret of the flower garden in the east courtyard of the Duke’s Estate, she had planned to use it as a means to get in.

She just didn’t expect it to go so smoothly.

Yuan Bao really was a good dog!

And it seemed she and the dog truly had a mutual understanding.

When she had left Yuan Bao in the Duke’s study, she had initially intended for him to keep the Duke occupied and prevent him from disrupting the court.

Then, she had a sudden idea to have Yuan Bao throw out the corpses.

This thought flashed through her mind for just a moment, and she hadn’t expected that moment to include Yuan Bao’s response: okay.

She had been stunned in the Duke’s study at the time.

She initially thought it was her imagination, but when she glanced at Yuan Bao, the dog had given her a serious nod.

Song Jin…

They say Yuan Bao is a Heavenly Hound, capable of communication.

Could she be the one Yuan Bao is communicating with?

As Song Jin lifted her foot to leave, no servant led the way.

The servants were looking at the Duke for instructions.

The Duke looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince lazily stood up, tapping his folded fan against his other palm. “I’ll go take a look too.”

The Duke immediately said, “This way, Your Highness. I’m ashamed to trouble you with such matters in my mansion.”

The Crown Prince smiled slightly, glanced at the Duke, and walked ahead.

That glance made the Duke feel a chill.

The Crown Prince and he had always been on good terms. Though the Crown Prince had never explicitly stated it, the Duke had repeatedly expressed his willingness to support him.

The Crown Prince had never directly responded, but he should understand his intentions, right?

Sighing, the Duke followed the Crown Prince.

The Duke’s Estate was enormous, taking a full quarter of an hour to walk from the east courtyard to the well where Uncle Zhong had committed suicide.

During that time, the Crown Prince noticed the absence of the Heavenly Hound.

Where had the Heavenly Hound gone?

Frowning, the Crown Prince asked the Duke, “How were the corpses in your mansion thrown over the courtyard wall?”

The Duke, looking grim, replied, “It was the Heavenly Hound.”

As soon as he said this, a flash of realization hit him.

As an investigator, the Fourth Prince hadn’t inquired about how the corpses were removed.

Either the Fourth Prince was a fool, or he knew all along that it was the Heavenly Hound.

Clearly, it was the latter.

All his previous suspicions were confirmed in that moment.

The Crown Prince watched the figure ahead for a moment before asking, “And where is the Heavenly Hound now?”

The Duke opened his mouth but couldn’t answer.

Yes, where was the Heavenly Hound?

Where had it gone?

All his attention had been on the Fourth Prince, the corpses, and the public anger outside. Only now, with the Crown Prince’s reminder, did he realize the Heavenly Hound was missing.

Seeing the Duke’s expression, the Crown Prince found it amusing.

Better than a storybook!

As they spoke, a steward rushed over from outside, “Your Highness, Duke, it’s terrible! The commoners have beaten the Capital Magistrate badly.”

Hearing this, the Duke looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince’s expression didn’t change. Without even batting an eye, he walked towards the Fourth Prince.

It was as if he hadn’t heard.

The Duke couldn’t decipher the Crown Prince’s intentions.

The steward asked, “Duke, how should we handle this?”

The Duke thought for a moment, “Have a physician see the Capital Magistrate. As for how to handle it… let’s wait and see.”

He wanted to wait for the Crown Prince’s guidance.

The steward obeyed and left.

By now, Song Jin was already at the well, looking down at the body of Uncle Zhong, “Who did he serve?”

The Crown Prince, standing next to Song Jin, replied, “He served the Third Young Master of the Duke’s Estate.”

Then the Crown Prince turned his head, leaned close to the Fourth Prince’s ear, and whispered, “Are you so sure the gold is in this courtyard?”

Song Jin shivered and took a step to the side.

This Crown Prince…

Was he crazy!

But the Crown Prince had guessed that she was here for the gold.

After giving the Crown Prince a wary glance to make sure he wouldn’t come any closer, Song Jin ignored his question and asked the Duke, “So this was the Third Young Master’s servant? Where did he live?”