After dealing with Hongling, Zhao Yi swaggered out of the small courtyard.
His two guards saw their master and immediately followed him.
As he walked, Zhao Yi pondered.
Cuiyao's crisis was resolved, but his own trouble was far from over.
If he failed to produce a spy, he would be sent to the Imperial Clan Court to reflect for half a year.
What on earth was he to do?
Lost in thought, Zhao Yi returned to Xiaoyue Pavilion.
Just as he was planning to head home, he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye: the handyman who had served him wine and food earlier was passing through a hallway and casually dropped an object into the pot of a potted plant.
This covert action instantly activated Zhao Yi's secret agent instincts.
Zhao Yi stopped in his tracks, standing on the second-floor inner corridor to admire the singing and dancing on the first floor.
"Go, have someone bring a pot of wine over," Zhao Yi instructed the guard beside him.
Before long, the guard brought over a pot of wine.
Zhao Yi drank his wine while watching the singing and dancing performance downstairs, though his attention was actually focused on the potted plant.
After waiting about the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, a merchant dressed in foreign attire caught Zhao Yi's attention.
The foreigner stood by the potted plant, looked around, and taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he took the item hidden in the flowerpot.
As expected, something fishy was going on!
With a glimmer of satisfaction, Zhao Yi casually tossed his wine cup to the guard, then feigned a slight intoxication as he walked toward the foreigner.
As they brushed past each other, Zhao Yi deliberately bumped into the man.
The foreigner turned around and glared at Zhao Yi, then went on his way.
Zhao Yi pocketed the item he had lifted from the foreigner, signaled his guards, and left Xiaoyue Pavilion.
Back at Prince Qing's Estate, Zhao Yi washed up, dismissed everyone, and took out the item he had swiped from the foreigner.
The object was a short piece of bamboo joint, about half an inch long and as thick as a chopstick.
It was entirely unremarkable.
Yet Zhao Yi knew well that the more unremarkable something appeared, the better suited it was for concealment.
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Yi opened one end of the bamboo joint and looked inside. Sure enough, something was hidden within.
He carefully extracted the contents and discovered it was a rolled-up slip of paper.
Unfolding it, he found it was completely blank.
"Ha!" Zhao Yi grinned.
This little trick was hardly enough to stump him.
Zhao Yi picked up a clean brush, dipped it in a little water, and experimentally brushed a small section of the paper.
After a brief wait, characters began to appear on the surface.
Zhao Yi continued brushing with water until all five characters on the entire slip were fully revealed.
However, the characters were unfamiliar to Zhao Yi; they looked like foreign script.
That wasn't a major issue; he could simply ask someone about it tomorrow.
Putting away the paper, Zhao Yi's lips curved upward.
He might not be able to deliver a Beiyi spy, but fortunately, he had stumbled upon a completely different ring of spies.
Handing this group of spies over should be enough to redeem himself and atone for his faults, right?
...
The next day.
After the court session dismissed, the Yongzhao Emperor strolled into the Imperial Garden.
"Cao Yan, I've been thinking about something all night, and I still can't let it go." The Emperor stood under the eaves, his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.
Eunuch Cao bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, what is weighing on your mind?"
The Yongzhao Emperor turned to look at Eunuch Cao, his brows furrowed slightly. "Do you really think Number Eight killed Gao Yong by accident?"
Eunuch Cao's heart skipped a beat, and he asked with a puzzled tone, "Your Majesty, forgive this humble servant's denseness, what do you mean?"
A cold glint flashed in the Yongzhao Emperor's eyes. "I always feel Gao Yong's death was far too coincidental. If Number Eight did it on purpose, he must be trying to hide something."
"Your Majesty, are you overthinking this?" Eunuch Cao watched the Yongzhao Emperor's expression and spoke cautiously. "Given His Highness Prince Qing's temperament, for him to do such a thing—this servant feels it is entirely within reason."
"If he hadn't fought back, that is when this servant would find it strange."
"As for Gao Yong's death, this servant believes it was most likely an accident."
The Yongzhao Emperor narrowed his eyes. "An accident?"
Just then, a palace guard hurried over to the Yongzhao Emperor and knelt on one knee. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"Rise!"
The palace guard stood up, cupped his hands, and bowed. "Your Majesty, a report from outside the palace states that after leaving the palace yesterday, His Highness Prince Qing went to the Xuanying Bureau."
"He originally wanted to use the power of the Xuanying Bureau to capture spies, but because Your Majesty did not permit it, he left in a huff."
"Last night, His Highness Prince Qing went to Xiaoyue Pavilion."
"This morning, he gathered the estate guards and sent them to stake out medical clinics and pharmacies."
"What kind of place is Xiaoyue Pavilion?" The Yongzhao Emperor frowned.
The palace guard awkwardly replied, "Xiaoyue Pavilion... is a brothel."
"Scoundrel!" the Yongzhao Emperor cursed, flying into a rage. "I just gave him a task, and he pays it no mind whatsoever, yet he still has the leisure to visit a brothel!"
"I had thought that even if he failed to catch any spies this time, as long as he put in an honest effort, I could deal with him leniently!"
"Who would have thought... What a wayward son!"
"If he fails to catch any spies this time, I will severely punish him without leniency!"
"Your Majesty, calm your anger!" Eunuch Cao hastily soothed him. "His Highness Prince Qing has always been this way; you mustn't let it damage your health."
"Of all my sons, even if not every one of them is outstanding, none of the others are as ignorant and dissolute as him, wasting their potential on frivolous pursuits!"
The Yongzhao Emperor remained deeply resentful. "How did I ever father such a worthless wretch?"
"Your Majesty, a dragon has nine sons, and each is different. There is no need to worry yourself too much; your imperial health is paramount." Eunuch Cao offered a smiling word of comfort.
The Yongzhao Emperor let out a helpless sigh.
Just a moment ago, he had been suspecting that Number Eight was hiding something, but now he only felt he had been overthinking.
If this wayward son truly had other ambitions, it wouldn't disgrace his status as an imperial prince.
Yet Number Eight's mind was not on such matters at all.
How utterly disappointing!
As he was thinking this, a young man wearing a grayish-blue imperial dragon robe approached the Yongzhao Emperor from behind and paid his respects, saying, "Your son greets Royal Father!"
The Yongzhao Emperor turned around and broke into a smile. "Number Nine, why are you here?"
A clear expression of anger lingered on the handsome face of the Ninth Prince, Zhao Qi. He spoke up, "Royal Father, this son has heard that you intend to betroth Duke of Dingguo's daughter, Pei Yiqiu, to the Eighth Imperial Brother. Is this true?"
The Yongzhao Emperor's smile faded slightly as he gave a slight nod. "Indeed, it is true."
"Royal Father!" The Ninth Prince furrowed his brow, looking aggrieved. "This son has previously requested on multiple occasions that you bestow Pei Yiqiu upon me in marriage. Why have you instead betrothed her to the Eighth Imperial Brother?"
"This son finds it truly difficult to accept!"
"This son dares to implore Royal Father to retract your command!"
"Audacious!" The Yongzhao Emperor rebuked him indifferently before continuing, "A ruler does not break his word. Since I have already given my verbal promise, how can I change it at will?"
"Furthermore, Pei Yiqiu and your Eighth Imperial Brother are mutually affectionate."
"I am fulfilling a happy union, so what is wrong with that?"
"Royal Father, this son does not believe it. Pei Yiqiu could never possibly like the Eighth Imperial Brother!" The Ninth Prince's tone was resolute.
"Oh?" The Yongzhao Emperor suddenly grew interested. "Why are you so certain?"
The Ninth Prince reined in his expression and declared loudly, "This son previously witnessed with his own eyes that the Eighth Imperial Brother is despised by Pei Yiqiu. It is impossible for her to have mutual affections with him."
The Yongzhao Emperor tightened his brow. "Are you implying that Duke Xiang is lying to me?"
"Royal Father, this son feels that this matter may simply be Duke Xiang acting on his own accord." The Ninth Prince bowed with cupped hands toward the Yongzhao Emperor. "If you wish for this son to give up, I earnestly request that Royal Father summon Pei Yiqiu and let her speak the truth herself!"
The Yongzhao Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, brows furrowed in deep thought.
After a short while, the Yongzhao Emperor pursed his lips and looked at the Ninth Prince. "I hear that the Pei family's daughter has only just regained consciousness and has not yet recovered. Let us discuss this matter another time."
"Royal Father!"
"Enough! I will consider this matter!"