Chapter 404: Not Worthy of Her
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Lo Pingsha asked carefully.
“Your Highness, do you want to go home and talk to the Princess Consort? Perhaps there’s a misunderstanding. The Princess Consort has such deep feelings for you that she won’t do anything to let you down.”
Xiao Juan lowered his eyes and remained silent.
Everyone thought that she was loyal to him. Even he thought so in the past.
But now he recognized the reality.
She had no romantic feelings for him at all.
Since she didn’t like him, it wasn’t impossible for her to find another man.
Xiao Juan silently told himself that she had the right to pursue happiness. He should not shackle her, but the uncomfortable feeling in his heart became stronger and stronger.
He tried his best to suppress the urge to rush home and ask Niaoniao about it. “I still have things to do. I can’t go back for the time being.”
Lo Pingsha wanted to say something else, but Xiao Juan changed the topic.
“Although the corruption case from ten years ago has been solved, the suspect is dead, and the one million taels of dirty money is missing.
Now that we had finally found a clue, the emperor is taking it very seriously and ordered us to capture the suspect.
“Pass down the order to divide the Eagle Guards in the Justice Department into two teams.
A group of people went to the various city gates to guard and investigate suspicious people.
“The other team will search every house in the city. They definitely won’t let go of any clues!”
Seeing that he had made up his mind, Lo Pingsha could only sigh. “I’ll do it now.”
After everyone went out, only Xiao Juan was left in the room. He finally did not have to pretend anymore and his expression became extremely gloomy.
The moment he thought that she might be intimate with another man, the violent emotions in his heart kept surging.
He really wanted to rush out now and find the man called Ye Yin and cut him into pieces!
But logic told him not to.
Even if Niaoniao liked other men, he could not interfere with her choice.
He should set her free. He should be happy that she had found happiness. Two opposing extreme emotions kept tugging at his heart, making his mental state worse and worse.
He even felt self-loathing.
It was her freedom to like whoever she liked. What right did he have to point fingers at her?
Someone like him, who had grown up in the dark, was only worthy of staying in a dark corner.
It was normal for her not to like him.
If it were him, he wouldn’t like a bad person like him, who was infamous, unromantic, and had blood on his hands.
He was not worthy of her.
Inside Mirror House with closed doors and windows, the light was dim and nothing could be seen clearly.
Xiao Juan sat quietly behind the desk and did not move for a long time, like a lifeless sculpture.
When the sun was about to set, there was suddenly a knock on the door of Mirror House. Meng Xizhou’s voice came through the door.
“Your Highness, are you there? I have something to report.”
After a long time, Xiao Juan replied.
“Come in.”
The door was pushed open, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone in. The originally dark house suddenly became much brighter.
Meng Xizhou bowed before speaking.
“I’ve already followed your instructions and brought people to search the city door to door for the suspect. Although we haven’t found the target yet, we brought back someone.”
Xiao Juan asked calmly, “Who is it?”
“A performer in the Sky Oriole Garden called Ye Yin.”
Xiao Juan slowly looked up and asked as if to confirm, “Ye Yin?”
Meng Xizhou deliberately lowered his voice and explained.
“I’ve already heard about the Princess Consort and Ye Yin.”
“The Princess Consort is deeply loyal to you and will not change her mind easily.”
“That actor called Ye Ying must have seduced the Princess Consort!”
“Coincidentally, I found out about the Heavenly Oriole Garden today and happened to see Ye Yin, so I brought him back.”
“Do you want to take the opportunity to teach him a lesson?”
“It’s also to let him know that the Princess Consort is not someone an actor like him can think about.”
Xiao Juan’s expression immediately darkened as he reprimanded.
“Nonsense! I ordered you to search the entire city to capture the suspect, not to use your official position for personal gain!”
Niaoniao had no feelings for him to begin with. If she found out that he had abused his power to vent his personal anger, she would definitely look down on him even more. She might even leave him in anger.
No! He could not let Niaoniao leave him.
Meng Xizhou was shocked by Duke Lang’s cold gaze and hurriedly apologized.
“I know my mistake. I’ll let him go now.”
With that, he turned to leave.
Xiao Juan suddenly stopped him.
“Wait a minute.”
Meng Xizhou could only stand obediently. “Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?”
Xiao Juan was silent for a long time before asking the question that was suppressed in his heart.
“What did he look like?”
Meng Xizhou said without hesitation, “He’s greasy and weak. He’s far inferior to you!”
Xiao Juan’s heart dimmed. Unfortunately, Niaoniao did not think so.
Meng Xizhou could tell that he was actually quite curious about Ye Yin, so he advised softly.
“In any case, we’ve already captured him. Why don’t you take this opportunity to take a look with your own eyes?”
Xiao Juan was tempted.
He was really curious. He wanted to know what type of man could make Niaoniao’s heart flutter.
“Take me there to take a look.”
Meng Xizhou immediately replied, “Yes!”
They entered the cell and quickly saw the rumored Ye Yin.
This person looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. He was slender and had very fair skin. His eyebrows had been carefully repaired and he looked more exquisite than ordinary men.
Originally, he had planned to go on stage to perform, but as soon as he changed his clothes and before he could put on his makeup, he was caught by the Eagle Guards.
At this moment, he was wearing heavy costume. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with fear and uneasiness.
When he saw Xiao Juan and Meng Xizhou appear, he knelt down without a word.
“Please forgive me.”
“I’m a commoner and a serious actor. I make hard-earned money by singing opera and had never done anything bad.”
“I’m innocent!”
Xiao Juan lowered his eyes and looked down at him.
Such an actor who knelt down for mercy at the drop of a hat could actually obtain Niaoniao’s liking.
Why?
How was he inferior to this actor?
Xiao Juan even prayed maliciously, wishing that Niaoniao could be here and see this scene with her own eyes.
Meng Xizhou deliberately frightened him.
“Everyone who comes here feels very innocent, but as long as they’re interrogated, they quickly become less innocent.”
Ye Ying was frightened and trembled.
He had heard that the methods of interrogating criminals in the Justice Department could be said to be extremely cruel.
Even if he survived the interrogation, he would be skinned alive.
It was hard to say if the Heavenly Oriole Garden would still want him in the future.
His life had just begun. He didn’t want it to be ruined.
Ye Yin kowtowed hard. “Please be magnanimous and not torture me.. I’ll tell you everything!”