Ch 141: Evidence

Meng Tingyue’s gaze fell gently upon the bed, softly locking onto Erquan, catching the subtle tremor of his eyelashes. She softly said, “This Palace knows you are awake.”

Erquan, upon hearing this, pretended to have just awakened, slowly opening his eyes.

Erquan, upon hearing this, slowly opened his eyes, as if just waking from a deep sleep, with a touch of deliberately created astonishment.

He rolled off the bed, knelt on the ground and said, “Servant greets Crown Princess.”

Meng Tingyue did not delve into his little “deception,” but simply smiled faintly, gently stroking the subtle wrinkles at the edge of her skirt, her movements elegant and composed.

“Do you know who wanted to kill you?”

Erquan’s expression remained as calm as water, as if he had long since put life and death aside. “If this servant is not mistaken, it should be the doing of Zheng Steward.”

Meng Tingyue nodded slightly. “Your guess is correct. It was indeed him. But what evidence did you find that forced him to act so hastily?”

Erquan said, “This servant did find some clues. Initially, it was uncertain whether they were related to the bizarre fire at the Chen Family, but now it seems…”

At this point, Erquan’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. Then he slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze sincere as he looked at Meng Tingyue. “This servant is willing to present all this evidence to the Crown Princess without reservation.”

His answer was clean and concise, without any hesitation, saving Meng Tingyue a lot of trouble.

Meng Tingyue lightly opened her lips, making a solemn promise. “This Palace will naturally give the Chen Family a satisfactory answer. After this matter is settled, you can leave the Crown Prince’s Mansion and return to your ordinary life.”

“That crucial object is currently in the hands of a Miss Shi Xiaoyue in the North Garden. In addition, I also learned that there is another woman named Qiao Lige in the North Garden who has a close relationship with Zheng Steward in the mansion. There may be an unknown secret between them. The Crown Princess might be able to find clues from her, and the Crown Princess can also start from her.”

Returning from the simple farmhouse to the bustling Jingdu, Meng Tingyue did not pause, proceeding directly to the West Garden.

“Tingyue, you’re finally here.” A gentle voice came from inside the room. Old Master Xiao, peering through the window frame, saw Meng Tingyue approaching the courtyard with joyful eyes.

“Maternal Grandfather, where is Uncle?” Meng Tingyue did not see Xiao Huaifeng after entering the room, so she asked softly.

“He’s just gone to the city to inspect the shops,” Old Master Xiao answered with a smile, while pulling Meng Tingyue’s hand and leading her to sit at the table.

Then, he turned and walked towards a simple small cabinet, seemingly searching for something precious.

Soon, Old Master Xiao reappeared before Meng Tingyue, holding a small, exquisite box tightly in his arms. He carefully placed the box on the table and gently pushed it towards Meng Tingyue.

“Maternal Grandfather, what is this?” Meng Tingyue looked curiously at the box, her face full of curiosity.

“Open it and see,” Old Master Xiao said mysteriously.

Meng Tingyue gently lifted the ancient box lid with her fingertips, and a touch of ink color gently entered her eyes. It was a delicate handkerchief, its embroidery simple yet elegant.

A look of incomprehension flashed across her eyes. She looked at Old Master Xiao, who was elderly but sharp-eyed, and softly asked, “Maternal Grandfather, what is this handkerchief?”

Old Master Xiao slowly spoke, his voice carrying the weight of years. “When you were young, there was once a time when you disappeared for several days without reason. After you were found, a sudden fever followed… you’ve probably forgotten this incident.”

Meng Tingyue nodded gently. “Qin Mama once told me.”

Seeing this, Old Master Xiao’s words became even more profound. “Did she mention the jade pendant you were wearing that day?”

Meng Tingyue unconsciously reached out and gently touched her chest, slowly saying, “Qin Mama said that the jade pendant was a gift from my mother when I was young, from a traveling monk we met. Unfortunately, it broke, and now only half remains with me.”

Old Master Xiao’s gaze was profound as he slowly said, “Since your return from your disappearance, you have been holding this handkerchief embroidered with intricate patterns, and that half of the jade pendant was carefully tucked inside the handkerchief.”

“We all speculated that during your disappearance, you may have been helped by a noble person. That noble person may have taken the other half of your jade pendant as a token, and this handkerchief is probably something left behind by that noble person.”

“We once sent people to investigate the owner of this handkerchief, hoping to thank them, but to no avail.”

Meng Tingyue listened very attentively.

Old Master Xiao sighed lightly. “Originally, we planned to bury this past deep in our hearts, so as not to disturb your peaceful life. However, after much consideration, we still felt that we should be frank with you.”

“You are now in a prominent position. If you can use the power of the Crown Prince’s Mansion to search for the owner of this handkerchief, it should not be difficult. This kindness, our Xiao Family will remember it in our hearts and will do our utmost to repay it.”

Meng Tingyue did not know there was such a source, and after hearing this, she slowly nodded, her eyes serious. “Maternal Grandfather is right. A life-saving grace is as deep as a mountain. I must find this person and reward them handsomely.”

Her gaze fell on the handkerchief in the box. The handkerchief was delicate in texture, embroidered with intricate cloud and water patterns. Every stitch and every line revealed superb craftsmanship, obviously from a master’s hand, certainly something that only the families of high-ranking officials and nobles could possess.

It would be enough to focus the search on high-ranking officials and nobles within Great Zhou.

Seeing her seriousness, Old Master Xiao showed a trace of relief in his eyes. “It’s good that you can think this way.”

Meng Tingyue asked, “Maternal Grandfather, do you know where I disappeared? Jincheng?”

Old Master Xiao shook his head. “Your mother took you to Hengcheng to play, and you disappeared on the way to Hengcheng.”