When Ye Yu saw Ye Jiuge's look of deep contemplation, he thought that he had done something wrong. "Eldest Miss, what's the matter?"

"It's nothing important," Ye Jiuge snapped. Then, she collected her thoughts before speaking again: "By the way, I am giving you this bottle of Arteries and Veins Nourishment Pills."

Ye Yu had completed his task well this time, and this was his reward. Although they were only second-grade medicinal pills, these Arteries and Veins Nourishment Pills were much more effective than the third-grade ones currently on the market.

"You have my grat.i.tude, Eldest Miss," said Ye Yu, accepting the pills. He hesitated for a moment, then added sheepishly, "Actually, I just approached some thugs and asked them to spread around a few rumors. But I can't take credit for our enormous success. It seems that someone else is also secretly adding fuel to the fire. Do you need me to investigate?"

Ye Yu's injury had not fully recovered. He did not dare act impulsively—in case Ye Jiuge had another plan in mind.

"There is no need. I already know who is responsible." 

If Ye Jiuge guessed correctly, then Wan Ziyang and Bai Songling from the Justice Department were helping to spread the rumors. Since Ye Yu worked for her now, there was no harm in letting him know.

"Eldest Miss, do you also socialize with people from the Justice Department?" Ye Yu felt slightly uncomfortable. Since he was an a.s.sa.s.sin, he did not get along well with the authorities.

"Yes. Wan Ziyang and Bai Songling are both decent men. If the opportunity arises, I will introduce you." However, now is not the appropriate time.

"Oh." Ye Yu did not wish to become acquainted with anyone from the Justice Department, so he replied unenthusiastically. Then, he asked very carefully, "Eldest Miss, although the rumors are spreading like wildfire in public, the Empress may not pay them any heed. Do you need me to accompany you to the palace?"

"The Imperial Palace is not the sort of place you can just walk in and out of. You should set your mind on cultivation. Improving your abilities would be a sensible move." 

Ye Jiuge clapped Ye Yu's well-defined shoulder without any reservations. A mult.i.tude of experts worked for the imperial family. If a lowly a.s.sa.s.sin like Ye Yu were to enter the palace, as soon as they became aware of his presence, it was very likely that Ye Yu would be dead.

"Alright." 

Ye Yu could only focus on the tingling warmth on his skin where Ye Jiuge had brushed him earlier. It was so warm. He could not stop himself from blus.h.i.+ng. Worried that Ye Jiuge would notice that he was acting odd, he turned around and hid in the shadows.

"In the future…" 

Ye Jiuge was about to give Ye Yu a few words of encouragement. She hadn't expected him to vanish into thin air. She activated her Spiritual Eye and observed her surroundings carefully. There was no trace of Ye Yu.

F*ck, this brat is quite a character. How can he just walk away when he pleases?

It didn't occur to Ye Jiuge that her perverted hand might have scared him off. After grumbling for a while, she took a few bottles of Spiritual Revitalization Pills, which she had specially produced herself, and got ready to leave.

At that moment, Qing Mama carried almond milk into the room. When she saw that Ye Jiuge was leaving, she asked curiously, "Eldest Miss, where are you going?"

"I am planning to visit Lord Wan and Lord Bai. There were many problems in the household earlier, which I had to settle. All this time, I've not had a chance to visit them at their residence. At the end of the day, they were the ones who rescued Fourth Sister. We should show our appreciation," Ye Jiuge explained. Then, she raised the almond milk to her lips and chugged it down in one gulp.

"Eldest Miss, you are right. Since Lord Wan and Lord Bai saved Fourth Miss, we should definitely call on them and thank them. I have prepared some gifts to show our grat.i.tude on your behalf. When the palace sent us an imperial decree out of the blue, it slipped my mind," Qing Mama said.

She quickly retrieved the presents: a box of Four Happiness Pastries, a pot of peach blossom wine, and a jar of Yuqian Longjing Tea. Although the items were not expensive, they were very well thought-out. When combined with Ye Jiuge's Spiritual Revitalization Pills, they made a fitting gift. Considering that the situation surrounding Ye Ruyi's return was being kept under wraps, it would be inappropriate for Ye Jiuge to attract attention by visiting their residence to thank them. She kept a low profile and headed to their residence in a horse carriage.

When Bai Songling saw that Ye Jiuge had arrived, he was delighted. He spoke, grinning, "You didn't need to bring presents with you."

"It's nothing valuable," replied Ye Jiuge, entering the residence. When she noticed that Wan Ziyang was not around, she asked, "Where is Brother Wan?"

"There was news of a few homicide cases in Heyang County. He suspects that the Su Clan is involved. He rushed there a few days ago to investigate." After Bai Songling welcomed Ye Jiuge and sat down, he poured her a cup of hot tea.

"I heard that, lately, Su Junqing has been lying low. Even when Su Yufeng was sent to the ancestral shrine, he did not send anyone to plead for her." 

Ye Jiuge had a feeling that, after being hit, Su Junqing was simply afraid and behaving like a coward. Still, the man was ruthless when it came to dealing with others. Not only that, he was very astute. It was going to be difficult to take him down.

"That's right. It's almost time for the Su Clan's Old Master to return from his spiritual retreat. It's likely that he does not want any trouble at this crucial moment. By the way, why did the Empress summon you to the palace?" Bai Songling asked.

At first, he had wanted to follow Wan Ziyang to Heyang County. But after he heard about this, he had stayed behind.

"What else? It's because she wanted to a.s.sert her dominance over me and vent her anger," Ye Jiuge replied, unfazed by the Empress.

"The Empress is an extremely devious woman. Whenever she wants to accomplish something, she lays a foundation for her schemes and slowly works her way to success. In the past, she's tolerated obstacles for an extended time—for instance, when the Imperial n.o.ble Consort's position in the limelight was unrivaled. You should never underestimate her." When Bai Songling saw Ye Jiuge's unperturbed expression, he could not help but advise her.

"Based on what you've said, could it be that, when the Imperial n.o.ble Consort pa.s.sed away from illness, there was actually another story?" Ye Jiuge's eyes brightened as she asked in a lowered voice. Listening to gossip was her favorite. 

Wait a minute—the Imperial n.o.ble Consort's last name is Bai. Can she be related to Bai Songling? No, it's unlikely. 

The Bai Clan was an aristocratic family. It would be impossible for a member of their younger generation to be allowed to work as a coroner for the Justice Department. Regardless of how exceptionally he could perform the role, this kind of work would only bring shame to his clan.

"How could there be any inside story? You should not make such reckless a.s.sumptions to avoid transgressions," Bai Songling said without emotion, lowering his eyes.

Although he tried his best to conceal the expression on his face, Ye Jiuge could still feel the turmoil in his heart. It seemed that he was similar to Wan Ziyang. Both of them had secret pasts. However, it was apparent that Bai Songling was unwilling to tell her his secrets. Ye Jiuge could understand why he was reluctant. After all, they had not been acquainted long, so they had not yet reached that level of intimacy. Nor did she dare tell them about Ye Yu.

Ye Jiuge smiled and dropped the topic. She switched subjects, saying, "After two days, I will go to the palace. Brother Bai, do you have any advice for me?"

"After you enter the palace, you should keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. The Dongling Prince will arrive for an audience with the Emperor. If the Empress is really malevolent toward you, you can ask someone to seek help from the Dongling Prince. He has always admired Great Master Yun's character, so he will definitely lend you a helping hand." Then, Bai Songling wrote a person's name on a piece of rice paper and pa.s.sed it to Ye Jiuge. He said, "Regardless of what has happened, you can find her at the Jinxiu Palace."

Ye Jiuge glanced at the slip of paper. The name of a palace maid was written on it: Hongxiu.

Ye Jiuge discerned a hunch in her heart once more. Bai Songling was definitely related to the Bai Clan. Otherwise, he would not have told her to reach out to the Dongling Prince for help.