Kong Ren had visited the Regent's Mansion more than once. He even boasted that at times, he was more familiar with the Regent's Mansion than his own home.
For example, at the fork in the road ahead, the young servant would lead him onto the path on the right, and after walking a short distance, he would reach the regent's study.
"Lord Kong, you've taken the wrong path. It's the one on the left."
The slap in the face came so suddenly that Kong Ren hardly had time to react.
Did this mean the regent was unwilling to see him in the study?
What did this imply?
The study had always been a place where court officials stored confidential documents. Even the people in the mansion were not allowed to enter easily. If the host was willing to open the study to outsiders, it meant they were highly trusted.
But now, the Regent was no longer willing to meet him there.
The last glimmer of hope in his heart was constantly being shaken by this small action.
The regent didn't trust him!
In a daze, Kong Ren was led into the eastern wing. Without asking him to pay his respects, Shang Mozheng immediately ordered someone to offer him a seat and serve tea.
"I haven't seen you for a while, Lord Kong. You look much haggard."
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern," Kong Ren replied absent - mindedly.
Shang Mozheng didn't mind his distraction and continued, "No matter what has happened, Lord Kong, you should take care of your health. The Ministry of Rites is still waiting for you to return!"
His tone was the same as always, his face kind, and his words inadvertently revealing the aura of a superior.
Once upon a time, Minister Kong thought that the emperor of Daqi should be like this, rather than a naive child who knew nothing.
But now, just thinking that he was the real murderer of Jiao'er, Kong Ren could hardly contain his anger.
In Kong Ren's eyes, all of Shang Mozheng's words and deeds were now full of ulterior motives.
This was what happened when people were prejudiced against someone.
Biting back the grief and anger in his heart, Kong Ren forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your understanding. But I won't be able to rest easy until I find the murderer of Jiao'er."
"The murderer? Didn't Feng Wan already confess her guilt? I just don't know why the Supreme Court has been delaying her sentencing?"
Shang Mozheng showed a look of appropriate confusion, as if he were really an uninformed person.
"The Feng girl did confess, but I still think there's something fishy about it. She's just a teenage girl. How could she kidnap my Jiao'er without making a sound?"
The Kong family didn't know that Kong Jiao was missing until they found the young master wasn't in his room the next morning. Before that, the kidnapper didn't alert anyone.
"Even if she were a hidden martial arts master who could kidnap Jiao'er, why didn't she kill him right away? Why did she have to wait until the Summer Solstice?
Moreover, she could have just silently killed him instead of kidnapping him, leaving no trace behind."
At first glance, the case of Feng Wan kidnapping and killing Kong Jiao seemed to have solid motives and evidence, and she had even confessed. But upon closer inspection, there were full of loopholes.
This was also the reason why Lin Zihan had not been sentenced yet.
"Lord Kong, why are you telling me all this? I know nothing about this matter, and I don't understand what you're saying."
Holding the tea cup, Shang Mozheng took a sip.
"Your Highness is naturally uninformed. I'm just asking Your Highness for your advice."
Kong Ren continued to play along with him, but he had already made up his mind. After chatting aimlessly for a while, he chose to take his leave.
During this conversation, the Regent had hardly any flaws, but Kong Ren was sure that his son's death was definitely related to him. Feng Wan and even the Feng family might be the scapegoats Shang Mozheng had put forward.
After Kong Ren left, Shang Mozheng's face darkened.
This Minister Kong could no longer be kept.
"Yang Li, tell Yang Bai not to show up these days. Hide far away."
Yang Bai, whom the Regent was referring to, was the real person who had kidnapped Kong Jiao.
Hearing his voice, a man emerged from the corner, looking extremely pale.
"Your Highness, since that day when the deed was done, I've lost contact with Yang Bai."
"What did you say?" Shang Mozheng slapped the table and stood up. The white - bottomed blue - flowered tea cup fell to the ground. "Such an important matter! Why didn't you report it earlier?!"
"I'm guilty, Your Highness."
The man called Yang Li immediately knelt down to admit his mistake. "Yang Bai has always been like this. He's always out of contact. I thought it was the same this time, but I didn't expect..."
"Search! Send people out to search for him!"
Suppressing his anger, Shang Mozheng gritted his teeth. "No one must know of his existence, especially Shang Luoshu!"
"Found him! Your Highness, we've found him!"
In the Jing Prince's Mansion, Shang Luoshu was just thinking about whether to ask the emperor for an imperial edict for marriage when Chen Guang rushed into the main room with a beaming face.
"What did you find?"
"The real person who kidnapped Kong Jiao!"
Taking a sip of the cold tea served by his master, Chen Guang caught his breath and continued, "Following your order, our people have been looking for his whereabouts since that day.
Just now we received the news that our brothers found him in Hejiazhuang, twenty miles outside the capital."
"We also know his identity. His name is said to be Yang Bai."
With him, the mastermind behind this incident would finally be revealed.
The man suppressed his joy and asked, "How about Kong Ren?"
"Your Highness, don't worry. Our people have been keeping an eye on him. By now, he should have left the Regent's Mansion."
"Good." The progress of the matter was smoother than expected. The man clasped his fingers and thought for a moment. "Induce Kong Ren to go to Feng Wan tomorrow. I hope she won't disappoint me this time."
Hearing this, Chen Guang was stunned and secretly glanced at his master. "Your Highness, I think this matter can be handed over to the Fourth Miss."
"Sister Su, I really want to thank you this time, and thank your Lu family too."
Madam Mei wiped her tears while trying to kneel down. Frightened, Lu Yinxi quickly helped her up.
"Aunt Mei, you're being too polite. Young Master Feng collapsed right in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and he's your child. Of course, we couldn't just stand by and do nothing."
Seeing the girl's thoughtfulness, Madam Mei felt even more sad. She should have had such a considerate daughter too, but now, her daughter could only be locked up in that cold prison.
"If only my Wan'er were as sensible as you, Xi'er. I don't know how she's doing in prison?"
How could she be doing?
It must be worse than at home.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but grip Lu Yinxi's hand tightly, as if the girl in front of her was her own daughter.
Knowing that Madam Mei missed her daughter dearly, the girl didn't pull her hand away. She just said, "Aunt Mei, don't worry. I'm planning to visit Sister Wan'er today. Do you have any words for me to convey?"
With the guarantee from the Jing Prince, General Feng was at ease about his daughter's safety. So he wanted to teach her a lesson and ordered that no one in the mansion was allowed to visit her.
"Is what you said true?"
"Of course."
Meeting Madam Mei's hopeful gaze, Lu Yinxi smiled calmly.
She had been confined at home for some time, and she also wanted to go out for a walk.
Of course, it was mostly because of Shang Luoshu. It was rare for this man to ask something of her.
Everything was ready. The carriage slowly left the long street and headed in another direction.