Chapter 53: Investigating a Case is Not as Good as Going Shopping

The lingering sweetness of the kiss.

Even though kissing, deep kissing, and passionate embracing had long become second nature, Luo Yunyao was invariably left helpless and melting limply into Qin Jinghao’s arms in the end. Furthermore, as the grand general’s technique grew increasingly masterful, the minister of war found herself dissolving into an even more thorough state of jelly...

Just as Luo Yunyao was mentally mocking herself for being so hopelessly addicted to physical beauty that she was wasting away by the day, a sudden reminder of pressing matters struck her—true enough, she really was wasting away day by day, seeing as she was still sitting in a prison cell!

Luo Yunyao immediately tilted up her dainty little face, wearing a pitiful, tear-stained expression as she asked the grand general, "I am still the prime culprit behind the slaughter of the innocent..."

Qin Jinghao lowered his gaze to meet hers, well aware that Luo Yunyao did not need a response from him; she merely wanted to capture his attention.

True to form, maintaining her utterly wretched tone, Luo Yunyao continued, "Though we both know I didn't do this, and that it is most likely the work of the little Princess Yue Liuxi, the problem is... now that both human witnesses and physical evidence are all gathered against me, I have not a single breakthrough method. I can't think of how to respond to Yue Liuxi, nor how to prove my innocence. Are you certain you still...?"

Qin Jinghao blinked, his expression a mix of innocence and profound implication. Under Luo Yunyao's expectant gaze, he replied, "Oh, speaking of which, haven't we never been to the imperial capital's marketplace together?"

Luo Yunyao found herself unable to either exhale or inhale, feeling stifled to the point of profound misery.

She stared at Qin Jinghao in sheer disbelief. Those clear, aloof eyes reflected her own expression, which hovered somewhere between annoyance, speechlessness, and utter grievance.

Mimicking Qin Jinghao's fluttering eyelashes, Luo Yunyao asked, still unable to comprehend, "General Qin, are you being serious?"

Instead of answering, Qin Jinghao reached out to casually tidy her appearance, then pulled her into his embrace and stood up.

Luo Yunyao knew then that this man was entirely serious.

Yet... General Qin, how, oh how, could you be so utterly unreliable! While turning grief and anger into a shopping trip fits the logic of wooing a maiden, could you at least look at what kind of grief and anger this is? Going shopping now? Will we be browsing the streets of the netherworld on our way back, pray tell?

If Luo Yunyao's lips hadn't been twitching too violently to form coherent speech, what she just thought would not have remained an internal monologue—she would have pointed right at Qin Jinghao's nose and spoken it aloud.

She needed to shake this unreliable grand general, this unreliable intended husband, right back to his senses.

Before she could shake the unreliable grand general back to his senses, however, Minister of War Lord Luo shook *herself* awake. With a mixture of astonishment and tentative verification, she asked Qin Jinghao, "Do you mean for us to investigate this case ourselves?" Of course, the shopping trip mentioned by the grand general could not possibly be mere leisure. The moment Luo Yunyao thought of her own case and recalled the three maidservants, she understood.

Qin Jinghao intended to visit the families of those three maidservants, or rather, to investigate the environments in which they lived, questioning the people they knew about what had recently transpired in their lives.

Seeing that Qin Jinghao only smiled without answering, taking it as his tacit approval, Luo Yunyao let herself bubble over with excitement for a moment before sinking into gloom once more. "Are you certain our investigative capabilities can surpass Ouyang Jingxu, the most brilliant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review of Western Qin in three hundred years?" Although it was phrased as a doubt, Luo Yunyao's tone undeniably carried a hint of pride, a subtle urge to issue a challenge.

Qin Jinghao thought to himself that of course they could not possibly surpass Ouyang Jingxu.

In truth, Qin Jinghao simply wanted to take Luo Yunyao out to clear her mind. The grand general was not the least bit anxious about the case; after all, his longtime friend Ouyang Jingxu happened to be the illustrious and peerless Minister of the Court of Judicial Review of Western Qin. Dirty and exhausting labor like investigating a case was not something his maiden needed to involve herself in.

However, since Luo Yunyao insisted on investigating the case herself, accompanying her on this excursion did no harm. Besides, his only desire was to accompany her. Where they went mattered not; what mattered was *with whom* they went.

Qin Jinghao nodded, though whether that constituted an acknowledgment of Luo Yunyao's words remained unclear. Receiving that nod, Luo Yunyao cheered and leaped with joy.

Qin Jinghao watched her with doting eyes, choosing not to expose her.

Luo Yunyao's complexion had remained pale all day, not to mention the fact that she had genuinely wept in sorrow earlier. The romantic grand general had no intention of dampening her spirits.

The jubilant Minister of War suddenly froze, flopped back against Qin Jinghao's chest in dismay, and declared listlessly, "I am still a prisoner awaiting trial, after all. You should go investigate by yourself, Grand General." Then, after a moment's reflection and with palpable reluctance, she added, "You simply *must* investigate thoroughly." Once more emphasizing her core point, she concluded, "And most importantly, you must defeat that scoundrel Ouyang Jingxu!"

Qin Jinghao could understand to some extent why Luo Yunyao was so petty when it came to Ouyang Jingxu. After all, the grand and tumultuous tears Luo Yunyao had shed earlier were the tragic result of Ouyang Jingxu championing Yue Liuxi's cause. Yet Qin Jinghao could not quite fathom why Luo Yunyao was so obsessed with investigating the case herself.

Nevertheless, Qin Jinghao comforted her. "I can take you out. I've already spoken with Ouyang."

Luo Yunyao looked up, a flicker of surprise in her eyes before they immediately dimmed. "That's only Ouyang Jingxu's consent, not the Emperor's." Lowering her head, she muttered softly, "Besides, what if others see you together with me, a murderer who slaughters the innocent?"

Because Luo Yunyao had buried her face back in his chest, Qin Jinghao only caught about half of her words before they faded against his collar, leaving him unable to offer a definitive judgment on her concerns. Adopting a serious tone, he stated his own solution: "Disguise is merely a matter of art; it is hardly a difficult feat."

His words stirred a thousand ripples. Restless once more, Luo Yunyao propped herself up from Qin Jinghao's embrace, staring at him with unadulterated astonishment and delight. For someone who had grown up reading martial arts novels and had finally transmigrated only to find herself trapped in the bureaucratic world, witnessing something as revered in fiction as the art of disguise naturally filled her with boundless joy.

Unaware of her inner musings and assuming she was merely thrilled at the prospect of getting out and investigating the case, Qin Jinghao let his warm palm rest affectionately atop Luo Yunyao's head.

Yet she voiced her lingering doubts. "But Yue Liuxi pays such close attention to you; surely she monitors the people around you as well? If an unfamiliar face suddenly pops up, someone as clever as Yue Liuxi will likely guess it's me the moment she sees them. By then, not only will I have added the crime of fleeing from justice to my charges, but Ouyang Jingxu will be guilty of abusing public office for private ties, and you won't escape with a clean slate either."

Qin Jinghao hardly knew whether to praise her meticulous thinking or scold her for being overly hesitant. Ultimately, governed by his principle of infinite indulgence toward his maiden, the grand general comforted her, "Disguise can conceal the roots." Seeing Luo Yunyao's hope rekindled—flickering like a red candle buffeted by the wind yet stubbornly brimming with life—he felt a mixture of fondness, helplessness, and above all, profound amusement.

In that clear, jade-like, breeze-and-moon tone of his, Qin Jinghao continued, his voice low and resonant, "Besides, with people tailing me to report back to Yue Liuxi, do you truly believe such a thing could happen right under my nose?"

Pearls and jade lined the doorways, and silks filled the chambers. Treasures met the eye on all sides, and the crowds brushed shoulders in an endless stream.

The grand general's estimation of the Minister of War proved entirely correct. Before stepping out, she had spoken with absolute solemnity about investigating cases and defeating Ouyang Jingxu, but the moment Luo Yunyao actually emerged, she fluttered about like a colorful butterfly, stopping to browse this trinket and examine that toy, casting all her previous declarations completely to the winds.

Adhering to the principle of taking his maiden out for her very first leisure stroll, the grand general patiently waited for her even though Luo Yunyao spent half a day lingering at nearly every stall. From time to time, he even discussed the wares with her, and ultimately went so far as to instruct that everything Luo Yunyao had touched or played with be purchased and brought back.

Discovering this extravagant, tycoon-like mindset of the grand general—and his intention to carry it out to the very end—Luo Yunyao was left speechless. Biting down on the candied hawthorn in her mouth, she asked him, "You're so absurdly wealthy; did you embezzle the funds from when you investigated those corrupt officials? I've told you time and again! The money belongs to the disaster victims! To the disaster victims!"

Adhering to his customary aloof demeanor, the grand general did not answer her; he merely cast a light, breezy, sideways glance at her.

Naturally, Luo Yunyao knew that while anyone else in the world might engage in embezzlement, Qin Jinghao was the single exception. Realizing the weakness of her own argument, the minister of war hurriedly attempted damage control. "Look at you, buying so much useless junk. Isn't this sheer prodigality?"

*Oh, my...* Just who was the prodigal here? Luo Yunyao felt herself sliding further and further down the path of unreasonable nagging, wishing momentarily that she could just dig a hole and bury herself. Still, she struggled on with her explanation, "I was just looking! Playing around with them for a moment doesn't mean I actually like them. Besides, even if I liked them, it doesn't mean I actually need them."

Qin Jinghao set down the items he had been preparing to purchase and glanced at Luo Yunyao. Since she had kept her eyes fixed on him the entire time, that half-smiling gaze of his naturally landed straight upon her heart, causing Luo Yunyao's pulse to skip a beat and miss a breath.

It was impossible for anyone to look more handsome, more utterly bewitching!

With that astonishingly handsome, bewitching, jade-like, and aloof noble gentleman's voice, he slowly uttered, "Should I perhaps praise my wife for being truly thrifty and virtuous?"

This remark caught Luo Yunyao completely off guard, nearly causing her to drop her candied hawthorn. With great difficulty, she steadied her racing emotions, pondering how she could so easily fall victim to Qin Jinghao's teasing. Feigning a mysterious and alluring demeanor, she leaned in close to Qin Jinghao, extended the tip of her tongue to lightly lick the candied fruit, and replied, "With a wife like me, husband, what more could you possibly ask for?"

Just as Qin Jinghao was about to lecture her on always taking shortcuts with sweet words instead of putting her heart into it, Luo Yunyao thrust the candied hawthorn straight toward his lips.

Qin Jinghao had never been fond of sweets. Gazing at the object before him, thickly coated in a hardened layer of sugar that made the red date beneath look all the more crystalline and translucent—somewhat resembling the red lips of the person before him.

Perhaps the taste might not be entirely unpleasant, after all? Enticed by the thought of trying it, the grand general lowered his head and bit off the red date.

...

For the remainder of the outing, the grand general did not speak another word to Luo Yunyao.

Luo Yunyao nibbled on her candied hawthorn with a grieved expression. "You never told me you disliked sweet things!"

When Qin Jinghao's typically calm, jade-like visage betrayed a flicker of displeasure, she timidly added, "Well... it was a bit sour, too. But you never told me you disliked sour things either!"