Lose My Heart to the Lovely Kitten Princess - Chapter 33
Chapter 33: Di Yushu
“Hmm?” responded Chu Yunshen.
Although Chu Yunshen placed the book on the table, he kept stroking the lion cat in his arms as he asked lazily, “Who masterminded it?”
“He said that a man with a black cloth covering his face ordered it, so he doesn’t know what he looks like. All he recalls is a jade pendant hanging from his chest. I already ordered the jade pendant to be drawn. Here, Your Highness!” said Xiaowu as he retrieved the drawing of the jade pendant from his chest.
Chu Yunshen glanced at the jade pendant’s drawing and continued, “What have you learned of it?”
“Jade pendants engraved with hornless dragons are very popular in the capital of late. All the youth from the rich families have one!” replied Xiaowu as he retrieved a jade pendant from his chest and handed it to Chu Yunshen, “I bought a similar one from a famous jade shop in the capital too.”
Chu Yunshen took the jade pendant from him and narrowed his dark eyes thoughtfully. Since it was top quality jade, only the young men from the most influential families could afford it.
“Master!”
Then Xiaowu looked around to check if the spies from the justice department were around before he continued reporting to Chu Yunshen, “The assassin also provided another piece of crucial information! He said the man who paid for his services was wheelchair-bound.”
“Wheelchair-bound?” asked Chu Yunshen as he stopped touching the jade. Then his eyes turned slightly darker.
Xiaowu continued in a low voice, “I investigated all the rich young men in the capital based on this clue and found the one who most likely had the motive to kill Miss Gu!”
Then Xiaowu straightened his back and peered outside the window and looked hesitant about speaking here.
Chu Yunshen figured out what was on his mind. He glanced at the roof, and a black silhouette flashed.
Then Chu Yunshen nodded for Xiaowu to continue.
Xiaowu continued knowing that a secret guard was guarding the room, “It’s Master Di Yushu, the son of the supervisor of the justice department, Di Yangze!”
Chu Yunshen suddenly looked at Xiaowu.
Then Xiaowu continued, “Master, Sir Di’s son is infamous in the capital for being a good-for-nothing. If not for his father, someone like him would never have become an official. He often abuses the power his father wields in the capital to bully others.”
Then Xiaowu suddenly raised his voice.
Chu Yunshen raised his head and glanced at him.
Xiaowu instantly lowered his voice and said, “I found out that he made some minor mistakes a few months ago and got suspended by Deputy Minister Gu. Instead of reflecting on his mistakes while he was suspended, Young Master Di frequented brothels. He ended up arguing with some other rich man’s son over the top courtesan and got into a brawl! Young Master Di fell from the second floor and hit himself on the table on the ground floor. Then he broke both his legs and even…” then Xiaowu paused as he spoke before he continued with a cough, “He even became sterile!”
Xiaowu looked at Prince Jing, who had lowered his head again to stroke the lion cat since he started reporting on Young Master Di’s evil deeds.
Prince Jing seemed disinterested in such gossip.
Xiaowu instantly got the drift and got to the point, “After Young Master Di got hurt, the deputy minister of agriculture, He Yuanbai, visited him. He claimed that Young Master Di often mentioned how he was going to teach Deputy Minister Gu a lesson and that he wouldn’t have ended up like this if he didn’t get suspended!”
“He Yuanbai?”
Chu Yunshen suddenly stopped stroking the cat. Then he looked up and asked Xiaowu, “Son of He Deyong, the Minister of Revenue?”
Chu Yunshen keenly remembered the year his mother suddenly died.
Wu suddenly attacked the Chu borders just as they were preparing his mother’s funeral in the palace.
The Emperor decreed for Prince Jing to head to the battlefield when he received an urgent letter about the war.
So Prince Jing swallowed the pain of losing his mother and went to the frontier to fight.
The Wu came more well prepared in comparison to the Chu troops. He led the troops and fought for days and had already requested for army provisions to be quickly supplied.
But the old geezer, He Deyong, kept delaying the provisions until he almost died on the battlefield.
Since Xiaowu noticed how interested Chu Yunshen seemed about He Yuanbai, he quickly continued, “Yes, Master! Although he is the son of the minister of revenue, he never depended on his father. He rose to his position as the deputy minister of agriculture on his own merit.”
At the mention of He Yuanbai, Xiaowu couldn’t help wanting to recommend the well-mannered gentleman to Chu Yunshen. If he could work for Prince Jing, it would be a real boon. Then he continued, “Your Highness, he’s waiting for you outside the residence now. He has something important to report to you.”
Xiaowu was unaware that Prince Jing almost died because of He Yuanbai. Back in the day, Prince Jing told Xiaowu to stay in the palace and help handle his mother’s funeral.
If Xiaowu knew that He Yuanbai had almost killed Prince Jing, all this good impression he had of him would certainly dissipate entirely.
Chu Yunshen lifted the lion cat’s injured paw before placing it carefully on the little fellow. Then he glanced calmly at Xiaowu and said, “Let’s go home.”
“Yes, Master!” replied Xiaowu promptly.
Chu Yunshen carried Cheng Xiaoxiao as he left the room. When the justice department secretary, Qin Cheng, spotted Chu Yunshen leaving, he immediately put down his work and came over to say, “Farewell, Your Highness!”
“Hmph!” sneered Xiaowu as he stood in front of Prince Jing and used his sword to block Qin Cheng’s eyes and said, “I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded about what you have seen, Sir Qin!”
Qin Cheng got up only after Prince Jing had left the justice department with the cat in his arms. Then he glared at Xiaowu before returning to his desk huffily.
Xiaowu was just pushing his weight around!
How dare a mere guard speak to Qin Cheng with such a tone!
“I’m busy! Don’t tell me about little things like Prince Jing leaving work early!” scolded Di Yangze angrily as he slammed the table at Qin Cheng.
Despite Qin Cheng’s resentment, he didn’t dare to utter a word. He could only bow nonstop as he said, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
After leaving the office of the supervisor of the justice department, Qin Cheng spat angrily at the old geezer!
He deserved to have no offspring!
Di Yangze gave Qin Cheng a new assignment out of the blue without paying him a dime and kept scolding him nonstop!
Chu Yunshen’s horse carriage drove slowly on the road. When the horses clopped on the road, it sounded like rain pattering on shiny white marble. The golden sun rays cast a long shadow of the exquisite horse carriage onto the ground.
Chu Yunshen lowered his head to look at the lion cat, which was fast asleep in his arms. She had been behaving oddly of late. Other than eating and sleeping, she hadn’t played much with the baby bird even.
Cheng Xiaoxiao seemed unhappy.
He should ask Mu Bai about when he came to change her dressing.
When Chu Yunshen’s horse carriage arrived at his residence, a well-dressed, handsome man was already waiting at the entrance. After Chu Yunshen got off the carriage with Cheng Xiaoxiao in his arms, the man instantly stepped forward to kneel and pay his respects, “I, the deputy minister of agriculture, He Yuanbai, pays my respects to Your Highness!”
Chu Yunshen glanced and said, “Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!” said He Yuanbai as he bowed and thanked Chu Yunshen before standing. Then he stood next to Chu Yunshen with a slight bow.
Xiaowu looked at He Yuanbai and thought in his heart that rich young men as well-mannered as he was getting to be quite the rarity in the capital.
Rich young men often abused their fathers’ influence and idled around all the time. They made so much trouble day in day out that their fathers’ hair turned white in fury.
Yet this young man got promoted to the position of the deputy minister of agriculture and became fourth grade official based on his own merit at such a young age without the help of his father He Deyong, who was the minister of revenue!
Shortly after returning home, Chu Yunshen carried Cheng Xiaoxiao to Mu Bai’s room. When Chu Yunshen heard He Yuanbai trailing behind him, he said without turning back, “Xiaowu.”
Xiaowu instantly understood what Chu Yunshen wanted. Then he reached out to stop He Yuanbai and said, “Young Master He, this way, please!”
He Yuanbai watched from behind as Chu Yunshen walked off with the cat. Then he turned to say to Xiaowu with a smile, “I heard that Prince Jing goes everywhere with the cat. Now I can see with my own eyes that it’s true.”
Since Xiaowu liked He Yuanbai, he explained enthusiastically, “His Highness has taken the little fellow to get her bandage changed. Please follow me to the study and wait, Young Master He.”
“Oh, really?” said He Yuanbai as he turned and smiled, “I didn’t think His Highness would adore cats so much. I happen to have just gotten my hands on a rare breed cat. Since I’m bad at cat rearing, I’ll get it sent over to the residence this today.”
Xiaowu was stunned. Another rare breed cat?
If there were another cat that was as intelligent as the lion cat, then wouldn’t Xiaowu completely lose favor with Prince Jing?
At the thought of that, Xiaowu quickly waved his hands and said, “No no! His Highness only likes that little fellow. He likes her so much that he dismissed all the beauties from the residence.”
Xiaowu brought He Yuanbai to the study as they chatted. Then he opened the door and said, “Young Master He, please wait here.”
“Thank you!” replied He Yuanbai as he nodded and entered the room. He saw the half-read ‘How To Make Your Cat Like You’ lying on the desk and continued as his lips curved into a smile, “His Highness certainly likes that cat.”
He Yuanbai naturally spotted the book on the table and got He Yuanbai’s drift. Then the two looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
Chu Yunshen walked in with Cheng Xiaoxiao in his arms.
Xiaowu and He Yuanbai walked over immediately and greeted, “Your Highness.”
“Mhm.”
Chu Yunshen strode over to the main seat and sat down before glancing down below.
Then he carried the lion cat with one hand while he smoothened her fur with another and asked with a sinister smile on his face, “I heard Sir He has something to tell me.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” said He Yuanbai as he bowed, “I heard that Your Highness is busy working on the case relating to Deputy Minister Gu’s daughter and know something that might help crack the case.”
“Is that so? What?”
Chu Yunshen raised his head to look at the refined and handsome youth standing beneath him.
He Yuanbai wore a translucent robe with outlines of white clouds embroidered onto it over a silvery-white lining, which was held together by a matching white belt with silver borders.
He Yuanbai calmly stood there.
If it were the first time Chu Yunshen encountered him, Chu Yunshen would get deceived by his appearance.
Sadly, He Yuanbai could con anyone but Chu Yunshen.
There was a banquet in the palace when Chu Yunshen was 14 years old, and He Yuanbai attended it as well.
He Yuanbai was around when Chu Yunshen’s 8th little brother pushed him into the water.
Chu Yunshen could never forget the grin on He Yuanbai’s face when he looked at him imploringly for help.
When the eunuchs arrived to save Chu Yunshen, He Yuanbai promptly put on a look of helplessness as though he had suffered a major shock.
He Yuanbai kept shouting, “Prince Jing kept wanting to play by the water. There was nothing Prince Qing, and I could do to stop him.”
He Yuanbai’s child-like voice seemed to ring vaguely in Chu Yunshen’s ears.
At that time, Chu Yunshen wondered how anyone could lie through his teeth so shamelessly?
Chu Yunshen looked at He Yuanbai coldly.