After seeing the jade pendant in the portrait, Jing Xunchè frowned. Wasn't this the very jade pendant that Yuán Yǔhán always wore? But there was no way he could be involved in this.
"What else did he say?" Jing Xunchè asked seriously, looking straight at Yuán Yěruì.
"Oh, he also said that the man had a scar running from his wrist to his fingertip on his right hand," Yuán Yěruì replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Jing Xunchè racked his brain, trying to recall anyone with such a scar on their hand. Finally, his suspicion landed on one person—Prince Wén, who had already left for the Snow Feather Kingdom.
"Are you sure the man had a scar on his hand?" Jing Xunchè asked Li Dàniú.
"I'm sure. He accidentally showed it. I was looking down at the time, and I just caught a glimpse. I didn't say a word because all I cared about was the money. But after he showed his hand, he quickly hid it back and gave me a special look, threatening me not to say a word, either explicitly or implicitly."
Jing Xunchè was now certain that Prince Wén was behind this. As for the jade pendant, it must have been taken from Yuán Yǔhán by Prince Wén in order to frame him. As for his motive, it was probably because he had his eye on that position. It seemed that Prince Wén was causing trouble in the Snow Feather Kingdom.
Jing Xunchè took a look at the situation in the prison cell but said nothing and walked out. This man had already told everything he knew, and there was no more use for him. What happened next was none of his business.
Yuán Yěruì looked at Li Dàniú on the torture device and sneered maliciously. He took a step forward under Li Dàniú's trembling gaze.
"What... what are you going to do? I've... I've already told you everything I know."
Then, the soldiers outside the prison heard a blood-curdling scream. They all shivered involuntarily, thinking silently that this child was definitely not as gentle as he seemed. There was a little devil living inside him.
In the capital city, Yuán Yǔhán also received a letter from Jing Xunchè. He was relieved to learn that it wasn't a plague. As for the rest, with Mù Fēngqié around, he had full confidence in Mù Fēngqié's medical skills. He felt that there was no poison in the world that Mù Fēngqié couldn't cure.
However, his face darkened when he read the latter part of the letter. It seemed that Prince Wén was really a silent dog that bites. He had been quietly doing big things here.
"How are the people we sent?" Yuán Yǔhán asked the guard beside him.
When Prince Wén left for the Snow Feather Kingdom, they had already secretly sent people in. They were well-hidden and had not been discovered. Usually, they would not be used.
"Everything is going smoothly. The spy reported that Prince Wén has secretly stripped the Snow Feather Kingdom's queen of her power. Now he has sole control of the power and has secretly contacted the King of the Grasslands."
The guard reported everything that had happened there one by one. Yuán Yǔhán didn't say anything, but from his constant tapping on the table, it was clear that he was deep in thought.
"Your Highness, the things for the full - moon banquet are ready. Please take a look," the steward said as he brought the items to Yuán Yǔhán's study.
Yuán Yǔhán's train of thought was suddenly interrupted, but he didn't say anything. He frowned and then took the list from the steward. Looking at the items on the list, he was very satisfied.
However, he frowned when he saw the mention of daughter's wine. "Why is there so little daughter's wine buried? When my daughter gets married in the future, how can there be only this much? Go and bury more for me! My daughter must have the best. Bury ninety - nine jars for me!"
Yuán Yǔhán waved his hand boldly and directly changed the number on the list. The steward looked at Yuán Yǔhán, wanting to say something but then holding his tongue. Originally, he wanted to say that there was no need for so much, but then he thought of the way the prince usually treated the little princess and silently swallowed his words.
Whether they could finish the wine or not was not his concern as the steward. After making up his mind, the steward took the list and went to make the changes. There was still time, so he had to hurry.
A few days later, the gates of the Regent's Mansion were wide open. It was the full - moon banquet for the little masters, so all the court officials and their families had been invited.
For a moment, the Regent's Mansion was bustling with activity. Everyone was smiling and offering their blessings. But whether these people were truly there to offer their blessings was another question. Yuán Yǔhán didn't really care about them anyway.
Come if you want, and stay away if you don't. He wasn't forcing anyone. But if someone came and caused trouble on his territory, that would be a different story.
Before long, the emperor sent an oral decree. Due to his busy schedule, he couldn't attend in person, so he sent gifts and bestowed a special privilege on the Regent's Mansion. The couple could name the children themselves, and the two children were directly conferred the titles of heir and princess.
This was something no one had expected. They could all see that although the emperor was polite to the regent on the surface, he still guarded against him secretly and even wanted to get rid of him from time to time.
"Your subject thanks the emperor. May the emperor live long and prosper," Yuán Yǔhán said. To him, it didn't really matter who named the children. But if he got to name them himself, he would have to think carefully about what name to give his precious daughter.
After seeing off the messenger from the palace, Yuán Yǔhán immediately started the banquet. When the banquet was halfway through, Yuán Yǔhán sent someone to bring out the two children. Now the two children had grown a bit and were no longer as wrinkled as when they were first born.
The two children's little faces looked very much like Yuán Yǔhán's, but their eyes were exactly the same as the regent's wife's. People could only say that they were truly a family, looking so much alike.
For a moment, all the unmarried women looked at the regent's wife beside the regent with envy. They wished they could push her away and take her place. But they couldn't, because the regent treated his wife like the apple of his eye. Anyone who offended her would surely end up badly.
So no one dared to make a move and could only watch helplessly.
However, there was always someone who was not afraid of death and was eager to court disaster. And here was one right now.
"Your Highness, now that the princess has given birth to children, is it time for Your Highness to take concubines?" A court official stood up. He had a granddaughter of the right age at home. If the prince was willing, he could send her into the mansion.
"Hmm? What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly," Yuán Yǔhán said expressionlessly, looking at the official who had stood up.