Gao Yuexing’s attention was drawn to Li Fuyou, and Li Fuxiang’s gaze also followed closely.
In the early years, when Consort Xu would bring food to him at the Xiaonan Pavilion, the small, sharp hole in the wall would cut her hands over time, leaving countless shallow scars. Feeling heartache for his mother, Li Fuyou began to replace her hands with his small fists whenever passing things through the hole.
Li Fuxiang wasn’t talkative, and Li Fuyou wasn’t enthusiastic either. Their strongest bond was sitting opposite each other in silence, occasionally exchanging smiles and sharing small snacks.
Li Fuxiang cherished this peer companion. After Gao Yuexing left the palace, there were only three students left in Wenhua Hall. Li Fuyou, as always, remained inattentive, often getting his hands smacked by the grand tutor but never crying out in pain.
Gao Yuexing couldn’t forget the first time they met when he handed her a soft, white candy ball. She had said, “When you’re better, let’s fly kites together.”
Li Fuyou nodded. Beneath his clothes, his thigh was wrapped in thick bandages, and he couldn’t walk. Every movement tore his wound and brought searing pain.
She wondered if the people who went up the mountain yesterday to find the Jackal had returned. Observing his complexion, she thought he should be fine now.
At this moment, Zheng Yan spoke up: “I heard you were bitten by a Jackal. I’ve been bitten by my uncle’s hunting dog before—hurt like hell. My family has a great medicinal powder for wounds. Apply it, and in a few days, you’ll be jumping around again. I’ll ask my dad to prepare some when I get home and bring it to you tonight.”
Li Fuyou nodded with a smile, “Alright, thank you.”
Li Fuxiang set aside the Jiangdong Travels he was so fond of, sat in Consort Xu’s tent with Li Fuyou, and peeled creamy yellow chestnuts, placing them one by one into his palm.
Consort Xu overheard the children talking outside. She lifted the curtain, came out, and gave everyone a handful of fruit, then affectionately patted her son’s head.
Gao Yuexing saw it clearly. Tears streamed down Consort Xu’s face, soaking her handkerchief.
That evening, Zheng Yan went home and asked his father for the medicine. When Zheng Yunji learned the reason, he said nothing and handed over the medicine he carried with him. At the time, Zheng Qianye was also present. After Zheng Yan happily ran out with the medicine, the father and son exchanged glances. Zheng Yunji sighed, “That child might not make it.”
Zheng Qianye, being meticulous, thought deeply: “Why would Jackals appear near the Xiaoshan Traveling Palace?”
Zheng Yunji, being simple-minded, thought plainly: “Exactly, why would Jackals appear near the traveling palace?”
Zheng Qianye: “The Fifth Prince is just an inconspicuous prince, not particularly favored by the emperor. Why would anyone target him?”
Zheng Yunji: “Exactly, why target him… Wait, what?!” He suddenly realized, “Dad, what did you just say? The Fifth Prince was harmed on purpose?!”
Zheng Qianye hushed him: “It’s just a guess, but I’m almost certain. The capital is full of filth.”
Zheng Yunji was dumbfounded. “Then… who would harm the Fifth Prince? Didn’t they leave any traces?”
Zheng Qianye picked at his foot and said, “Didn’t you notice Xi Heng came by this afternoon? The emperor knows what’s going on. He’ll investigate. It’s just a pity for that child—born under an unlucky star.”
That day, Gao Yuexing and Li Fuxiang stayed in Consort Xu’s tent until very late. They watched as Li Fuyou finished applying his medicine and lay down to rest. Consort Xu then drove them out to sleep. Late at night, the emperor also visited. He had never truly doted on this child before, but in recent days, he had held him close, whispering gently, making promises, and bestowing many rewards.
Gao Yuexing and Li Fuxiang left under the night dew. On their way, they saw many Jinyiwei dressed in Feiyu robes.
So many Jinyiwei had been summoned by the emperor on short notice.
Gao Yuexing recognized a familiar figure.
The Jinyiwei Commander, Xi Heng.
When Xi Heng saw them, his eyebrows raised with a dramatic flair, but his expression, as if ablaze, made the gesture seem like impatient provocation. He turned and walked toward them, saying, “Halt, Your Highness, Miss Gao.”
The two children stopped in unison.
Xi Heng said, “What a coincidence. I was just about to visit you. I heard that you happened to encounter the injured Fifth Prince halfway up the mountain.”
Gao Yuexing replied, “Yes.”
Xi Heng turned to Li Fuxiang. “I have a few questions. Could I trouble you both to step aside for a private word?”
The Jinyiwei had come to investigate the matter concerning the Fifth Prince, and Xi Heng was undoubtedly here to inquire about the events of that night. The carriage driver from that night, Ding Wenfu, was also brought in, and they all gathered in Xi Heng’s tent. Xi Heng served the two children each a warm bowl of milk, while he and Ding Wenfu warmed up wine.
Xi Heng asked, “Where did you find the Fifth Prince?”
Ding Wenfu replied, “Not far from the traveling palace, about ten li away.”
Xi Heng: “I heard the Crown Prince was nearby at the time?”
Ding Wenfu: “Yes.” He repeated the statement made by the Crown Prince, Li Fuqian, from that night.
Xi Heng nodded.
Ding Wenfu watched him closely and said, “Upon reflection later, I realized there were some suspicious points.”
Xi Heng: “Please elaborate.”
Ding Wenfu: “The distance from the mountain base to the traveling palace is about twenty li. The Fifth Prince only had one servant with him, no carriage, no horse. Are we to believe he climbed the mountain on foot? That’s the first point. Secondly, when the Crown Prince heard the news at the mountain base, he hurried over—yet he neither rode a horse nor took a carriage, relying solely on his legs to cover the ten li of mountain road? That’s the second point.” After speaking, he clarified, “I don’t mean to cast doubt on the Crown Prince, but there are indeed inconsistencies.”
Xi Heng: “I understand your concerns. Naturally, I thought of these points as well. Before coming here, I already met with the Crown Prince, and he explained the circumstances.”
Ding Wenfu: “What did he say?”
Xi Heng: “He said he lent his horse to the servant who returned to the camp to report the incident. At the time, he was alone and could only climb the mountain on foot.”
Ding Wenfu pondered briefly. “That explanation seems plausible.”
Xi Heng: “However, there is one critical point I believe is best addressed by asking you.”
Ding Wenfu: “Please proceed.”
Xi Heng: “After clarifying the sequence of events, I calculated the timing. The Crown Prince, being a scholar, would need at least half an hour to walk ten li of mountain road at his fastest pace. Reportedly, he encountered the messenger servant at the mountain base, so we must also account for the servant’s time descending the mountain, which would take at least another half hour. Therefore, by the time the Crown Prince actually reached the Fifth Prince, the Fifth Prince would have been injured for about an hour and a half.”
Ding Wenfu immediately grasped the implication. “You’re asking whether the state of the Fifth Prince’s wounds matched the timeline of being injured for that duration?”
Xi Heng clapped his hands lightly. “Exactly. In our line of work, injuries and bleeding are commonplace. Based on your experience, did the Fifth Prince’s injuries appear to have been sustained an hour and a half prior?”
Ding Wenfu furrowed his brows, recalling the details, but couldn’t provide an answer after a long silence.
Xi Heng: “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice?”
Ding Wenfu admitted with a sigh, “I’m ashamed to say, I truly didn’t notice.”
Xi Heng wore an utterly exasperated expression. “So, I’ve just wasted all this time with you for nothing?” His gaze swept over to the stove. “And there are two pots of wine left.”
Ding Wenfu, looking disgruntled, set down his wine. “I’m just a rough man, not as meticulous as you Jinyiwei. At the time, I thought it was nothing more than an accident…”
Gao Yuexing had just finished sipping her bowl of milk. Setting it down, she interjected at the right moment, “It’s been less than an hour and a half.”
Xi Heng and Ding Wenfu were both stunned. Four pairs of eyes immediately shot toward her. “What did you just say?”
Facing their stares, Gao Yuexing’s expression remained calm. “I said the Fifth Prince’s injury occurred less than an hour and a half ago—probably even less than half an hour.”
Xi Heng sensed something intriguing and pressed further, “How do you know?”
In her previous life, Gao Yuexing had studied medicine extensively. Encountering such a situation, she instinctively paid close attention to the Fifth Prince’s injury.
She explained, “For a slash wound, if it’s shallow, it only breaks the skin and bleeds. If it’s deep, it severs tendons, and the blood flows uncontrollably.” 1The phrase is derived from Orthodox Manual of Surgery (Waike Zhengzong), Ming Dynasty, by Chen Shigong, Chapter 59 on Slash Wounds: “A slash wound is caused by a blade. Some may be cut by iron edges. Shallow wounds merely break the skin and bleed, while deeper wounds sever tendons, causing uncontrollable bleeding.”Gao Yuexing gestured to the outer side of her thigh. “His injury was in this area and didn’t reach the tendons or bones, so the blood loss wasn’t rapid. When we
carried the Fifth Prince into the carriage, the bleeding hadn’t completely stopped, nor were there any signs of dried or coagulated blood.”
The more Gao Yuexing spoke, the more alarmed she felt.
Ding Wenfu muttered, “Now that you mention it, I do recall something like that.”
Xi Heng kicked him. “Thanks for your hindsight. Get lost.” He then turned to Gao Yuexing with a benevolent smile. “Anything else you noticed? Tell me in detail.”
Gao Yuexing replied, “That’s all.”
Xi Heng pressed, “Really, nothing else?”
Gao Yuexing nodded firmly. “Really.”
Xi Heng looked slightly regretful but said, “That’s fine. It’s enough. You’ve already helped me a great deal. Thank you.”
Ding Wenfu commented, “If we go by the timing of the Fifth Prince’s injury, it likely occurred while the Crown Prince was climbing the mountain. But…”
But the Fifth Prince’s servant had gone down the mountain to report the incident an hour and a half earlier.
Xi Heng said bluntly, “Someone’s lying.” He summoned a subordinate into the tent and ordered the servant who had been with the Fifth Prince to be arrested and interrogated immediately, without needing imperial permission. Stretching lazily, he stood up and said, “Deputy Commander Ding, I’ll have to trouble you to escort the young lords. I’m too busy—I still need to catch the Jackal.”
Ding Wenfu asked, “Still haven’t caught it?”
Xi Heng replied, “Nope. The tracks left by the Jackal at the scene are a mess. Following them, it seems to have run deep into the forest behind the mountain. Haven’t seen a trace of it yet. The Fifth Prince’s injury couldn’t be delayed, so I’ll have to go up the mountain myself.”
The two children had already stood up, preparing to leave with Ding Wenfu.
Suddenly, Gao Yuexing felt someone pulling her hair. Although the grip wasn’t strong, it tugged on a small lock, making her scalp ache and messing up the little bun she had tied.
If it had been anyone else, they’d probably have been punched. But since it was Li Fuxiang, Gao Yuexing let it slide. “Why are you pulling my hair?”
Li Fuxiang whispered softly into her ear, “No traces.”
He had intended for only Gao Yuexing to hear.
But that single sentence was heard by more than just her.
Inside the tent, the two martial artists had exceptionally keen hearing.
Xi Heng immediately turned around. “No traces? What do you mean by no traces?”
Li Fuxiang looked at him innocently, then fell silent again.
Instinctively, Xi Heng stepped forward. His habit of using force during investigations kicked in, and he moved to grab the boy for a proper interrogation.
Only Gao Yuexing understood what Li Fuxiang meant right away. She swiftly stretched out her arms, the white snow and red plum patterns on her pipa sleeves cascading down, blocking Xi Heng in front of her. Tilting her face upward, she declared, “What our young lord means is that when we passed by that night, there were no traces left by the Jackal at the scene.”