Oh, Ji Linxi, Ji Linxi—you have truly fallen completely because of this beautiful face!

The servant who had been secretly listening outside heard up to this point and quietly left. He went to report to Master Wang.

“The two noble guests from the capital asked Daoist Master Chu to read their fortunes and marriage prospects. Other than that, there was nothing else. The two noble guests seem to be very interested in fortune-telling.”

Master Wang, leaning back in his black ebony chair, opened his eyes. “It is good that they are interested. As long as they stay peaceful for these one or two days, this will pass.” After thinking for a moment, he instructed the butler beside him, “They will be leaving tomorrow or the day after. Arrange a farewell banquet for them. Make sure they remember the kindness of my Wang family when they leave. Perhaps this goodwill will even reach the Prime Minister.”

“Master is brilliant.” The butler pulled up his sleeve, stuck out his thumb, and showed a face full of admiration.

Yan Huai coughed lightly, signaling that the person listening outside had left. He had been obsessed with practicing martial arts since childhood; his ears were sharp and his eyes were clear. Within ten meters, any slight movement of the wind or grass could not escape his ears and eyes.

Hearing his signal, Chu Yu’s expression did not change. He wanted to pick up his tea to take a sip, but when his hand touched the teacup, it was already empty. Eunuch Chen was not by his side to serve, so no one had noticed this in time.

Just as Yan Huai was about to pour the tea, Ji Linxi stepped ahead of him, lifted the teapot, and poured water into the cup. Then, bending his waist, he said flatterially, “Young Master, please—”

Chu Yu lifted the teacup and said a word of thanks.

Seeing the beautiful young master bring the teacup to his lips and take a sip, Ji Linxi finally straightened his chest. He felt a hidden pleasure get satisfied, but following it was an even greater desire and lack of satisfaction.

“Master Daoist Xi…”

“I am here,” Ji Linxi replied immediately.

Chu Yu paused for a moment.

The teacup was placed lightly on the table, making a tiny clicking sound at the bottom. Under the dark light in the room, the young master, whose beauty could ruin kingdoms, tilted his chin up, revealing his snow-white neck. He looked at him with focused eyes, and his tone could even be called gentle: “When Heir Yan and I came here, we heard that this Wang mansion was haunted. Our hearts were very frightened, and we did not sleep well last night. Please tell me, is this Wang mansion really haunted?” The word “ghost” came out from the beautiful young master’s lips and tongue, bringing a cold, enchanting, and seductive aura for no reason, just like a beautiful demon revealing itself for a brief moment in the hazy night.

Ji Linxi, who was originally blinded by lust, instantly woke up in his mind.

He was not some foolish young Master Wang, nor was he Master Wang. What he was best at was capturing unusual information from tiny words and phrases.

His eyes moved slightly.

How did two noble young masters who had just arrived from the capital find out that the Wang family was haunted? If they heard it on the road, why didn’t they mention it in front of Master Wang, but chose to ask him when no one was around?

After some guessing, he feared that the beautiful young master’s purpose was not simply to rest for two days. Looking at the identity of the two, the wealth and glory of this Wang family seemed to be coming to an end very soon.

Ji Linxi fell into hesitation.

On one side was seven thousand taels of silver, and on the other side was the beautiful young master.

Master Wang’s side required the two noble guests to leave before continuing the ghost-expelling ritual. If he threw himself to the beautiful young master’s side, then without waiting for the ritual, the Wang family would suffer great bad luck. At that time, he probably wouldn’t get the seven thousand taels, and wouldn’t all the effort he made be burned to ashes?

This was seven thousand taels, not seven hundred taels, and definitely not seventy taels—

Just as he was hesitating, there came another call: “Master Daoist Xi?”

Ji Linxi looked up and saw the beautiful young master resting his chin on his hand, his eyebrows slightly frowning, looking at him with worry. His wide sleeves fell to his elbows, folding layer upon layer, and the exposed arms were shockingly white. “What is it, is it inconvenient to say?”

Ji Linxi’s eyes stared straight.

The beautiful young master appeared very understanding: “It matters not. If it is inconvenient to say, then let it be…”

Ji Linxi hardened his heart and gnawed his teeth: “It is convenient! How can it be inconvenient?!”

The reason he wanted those seven thousand taels was also to save up for a bridal gift to marry the beautiful young master, wasn’t it? If he had to throw it away… then throw it away! There would be opportunities to earn money again in the future. If he missed the chance to gain favor in front of the beautiful young master, he didn’t know if there would be a next time.

Ji Linxi, oh Ji Linxi.

You have truly fallen completely because of this beautiful face!

He spat a curse at himself in his heart, yet he could not change his lustful nature in his bones.

But changing his thoughts, he felt this was an excellent opportunity.

Since the beautiful young master asked him, he must also know what he did for the Wang family. The so-called fortune-telling was just an excuse to get information. In the beautiful young master’s heart, he, Ji Linxi, was definitely a liar without a doubt. Since this was the case, he might as well clearly act as a flattering, small person, confess everything cleanly, and work diligently for the beautiful young master. Perhaps there would even be a reward of money afterward.

This way, he could stay close to the beautiful young master to look at his beauty every day, take the silver and money belonging to the beautiful young master, and also gain a wave of good favor.

Was this not a triple-win with no losses?

If he took advantage of these two days to find out the beautiful young master’s residential address in the capital and understand his preferences perfectly clearly, then in the future when he goes to the capital, changes his appearance to make a name for himself, and uses his handsome face to have a “chance encounter” with the beautiful young master—relying on the understanding he gained this time, wouldn’t he quickly become a soulmate?

A soulmate is someone who knows your heart. What would be difficult about holding small hands, playing chess, playing music, and drinking wine together?

Once the foundation of feelings is cultivated well, he would find an opportunity to make the raw rice cooked into a feast (create a done deal). After waking up, he would kneel on the ground to reveal his heart, showing extreme tenderness and consideration. Plus his accumulated bridal gifts, why would he worry about not marrying his “beautiful bride”?

Thinking like this, Ji Linxi felt suddenly enlightened. He immediately knelt on the ground, bowed toward the beautiful young master, showing a face like the clouds opening to see the moon: “Young Master, this Wang family indeed has a haunting affair!!!”

In an instant, he poured out everything he knew about what happened in the Wang family, exposing Master Wang until he had only a pair of underpants left, and then showed a face of righteous indignation.

“I pretended to be a ghost-expelling Daoist to sneak into the Wang family and teamed up with others, all for the purpose of collecting evidence of the Wang family flouting the law and committing crimes, to return a blue sky of fairness and justice to this Yongcheng area!” He spoke with great passion and righteous words, absolutely not mentioning that he really entered the Wang family to scam money. He was truly a hypocritical gentleman and a real scoundrel.

After Yan Huai finished listening, he could not even bother to disgust him: “This Wang family is truly bold and lawless! The iron law of the Long Dynasty states that those who violate women shall be punished with castration, and then their heads shall fall to the ground!” This law was set up precisely to terrify malicious small people. He did not expect that this young Master Wang, relying on the power of Prime Minister Wang, actually did not care about this law at all.

Ji Linxi followed and said, “Exactly! This Wang family is truly bold and lawless!”

He glanced at the beautiful young master, showing a bitter face: “It is only that the Magistrate of Yongcheng and the Prefect in charge of Jingzhou have to look at the Wang family’s face. We commoners can only use this kind of light-avoiding method to seek justice.”

By now, they had witness evidence, but they still lacked physical evidence.

Yan Huai said, “If…” He glanced at Ji Linxi who was kneeling on the ground, forcing himself to swallow the word “Prince” back down. “…If you reveal your identity, Master Wang will probably be scared out of his wits and dare not resist. Then just call the Magistrate to bring people to search. This Master Wang and Young Master Wang are not smart people; they must have left evidence of their crimes.”

Ji Linxi was stunned.

Reveal identity? Isn’t he the son of the Grand Preceptor? Does he still need to reveal his identity further? Could it be that the beautiful young master’s identity had another secret?

While he was thinking, the beautiful young master had already stood up.

“If we make a grand scene, it will be hard for me to give an explanation to my mother and father.”

“Then—”

Hearing this, Ji Linxi immediately took the opportunity to flatter him: “For things like collecting evidence, if it is inconvenient for the Young Master, just leave it to this small person. Master Wang has no guard against me, and I have people inside the mansion. Finding evidence is not a difficult matter.”

He raised his slightly handsome face which had a faint bruise on his forehead, but his pair of phoenix eyes flashed with an unusual light: “Whatever the Young Master wants this small person to do, this small person will do it. This small person has absolutely no second heart toward the Young Master.”

Looking at Ji Linxi’s expression, Yan Huai’s disgust surfaced again.

This person knew no hierarchy and had no shame. Moreover, he reminded him of those treacherous ministers in officialdom who all behaved with this kind of fake attitude, flattering superiors and pleasing them, which made people want to vomit.

But right now, His Highness indeed needed such a character.

He understood the Prince’s meaning. The Empress and His Majesty originally did not allow the Prince to leave the palace, believing that the Prince should sit firmly in the capital for safety and appropriateness. It was the Prince who cleverly used the excuse of his birthday to want to travel out of the palace. Only then did the Empress and His Majesty agree to let him leave, but they also claimed to the outside world that the Prince was recovering from an illness. Privateley, the Empress ordered him to protect the Prince, and His Majesty let Second Young Master Shen accompany and supervise him, and also sent about twenty imperial guards. Only then did they leave the palace.

If they grandly revealed the Prince’s identity at the Wang family to force a solution to this matter, the Empress would worry that the Prince would drift apart from Prime Minister Wang, and His Majesty would also suspect the Prince’s intentions for leaving the palace. Not only would it be harder for the Prince to leave the palace next time, but he would also have to endure His Majesty’s suspicion.

Right now, he himself could not leave the Prince for too long. This fake Daoist was indeed the best candidate to collect evidence.

However, even though he convinced himself like this…

Yan Huai still felt a wave of unspeakable annoyance and frustration.

A commoner who knew no manners should not be able to look at the Prince even once in his lifetime, let alone like right now, being able to hold the Prince’s leg… wait?

Yan Huai’s eyes suddenly went wide!

When did this person grab the Prince’s gold-and-jade precious leg!!

He was shaking all over with anger. He drew his sword and pointed it at Ji Linxi, saying, “Let go of your dog hands!”

Ji Linxi, who had crawled in front of the beautiful young master while talking and then naturally hugged his leg to show his loyalty, saw him draw the sword. He showed a terrified expression on his face, but he did not care in his heart.

Could this martial artist heir dare to kill him in front of the beautiful young master?

“Young Master, save me!” He pretended to be panicked and knelt to hide behind the beautiful young master. Because they were in the room, the outer cloak had been taken off. As he reached out to wrap around, he could feel the young master’s leg beneath the clothes, and he could smell the fragrance on the beautiful young master’s body.

Right now, Ji Linxi felt that throwing away those seven thousand taels was truly worth it. One must lose to gain; if he didn’t lose those seven thousand taels, how could he get to smell the beauty’s fragrance and hold the beauty’s leg?

It was simply intoxicating and made him reluctant to leave.