Chapter 3: It's Time for the Prince to Take His Medicine

"Ask what?" Du Wan glanced sideways.

Mu Si'an asked, "It’s just that I’m a little curious, how did you end up here all by yourself?"

Du Wan: "...I’d like to know that too."

"It’s fine if you don’t want to say." Mu Si'an felt she didn't want to talk about it. "It’s just that your family thinks you’ve met with some misfortune. There’s also a rumor about you that has spread all over the capital..."

Du Wan’s eyes widened. "What kind of rumor?"

She had a bad feeling about this. How could she fix it?

Sure enough, Mu Si'an looked like he was hesitating to speak.

Under Du Wan’s oppressive gaze, his eyes darted around, and he whispered, "Some people say you’ve taken a fancy to Xie Qi?"

"Who is Xie Qi?"

"Xie Zhang."

"...Oh." So, the male lead!

Du Wan shot him a sidelong glance. "Who said I took a fancy to him? He’s no good."

"Eh? Did Xie Qi offend you?" This didn't match the rumors at all.

"None of your business." Du Wan rolled her eyes.

Soon, she straightened her expression and said at the right moment, "Lend me a few men."

"What for?"

"To put on a show."

"This... you’ll have to ask the Heir." Mu Si'an smiled with schadenfreude.

Du Wan glared at him and shoved the empty, large bowl into his hands.

Getting into that room wasn't easy.

There were guards stationed outside the door.

Only after reporting was she allowed to enter.

Facing Pei Hao, who didn't look very pleased, Du Wan didn't beat around the bush. "Lend me a few men."

"What do you need men for?" Pei Hao hadn't wanted to pay her any mind, but upon hearing this, he felt he couldn't ignore her.

Du Wan squinted at him. "I’m not borrowing them to do anything bad."

"You have to at least tell me what you need them for."

"I was bullied, and my jade token was stolen. Do you know why I didn't save you? Because last month I... saved an ingrate who not only stole my money and food but also caused a death." Some scars lasted a lifetime; Du Wan’s eyes turned red, and she didn't want to bring it up again.

"...?"

Pei Hao’s cold, clear face flickered slightly.

Du Wan pursed her small lips and asked in a somewhat unpleasant tone, "Are you going to lend them to me or not? I did help you a little bit this time, so consider lending me the men as repaying that favor."

"Is that true?"

It was just lending a few men, and it would repay her favor; Pei Hao couldn't refuse.

Du Wan nodded. "True."

Pei Hao agreed: "Go ask Si'an and tell him I gave the go-ahead."

"Fine."

Du Wan turned and walked out.

Mu Si'an lent her a few men quite readily and even specifically had Hu San go along.

They headed straight for the only dilapidated temple outside the county.

Ever since she guessed who had stolen the jade token, Du Wan had been wanting to get it back.

Of course, only wanting to!

For a young girl to go up against a group of desperate people, it was almost impossible for her to win. If she rushed to find them, she might end up being silenced. Therefore, no matter how much she wanted the token back, she had to force herself to be patient.

Unexpectedly, they arrived at the temple only to find it empty.

According to the plot in the book, the people should have been at the temple.

Could it be that they committed murder and fled?

The group returned empty-handed.

Seeing Du Wan looking like a wilted eggplant, Mu Si'an asked, "Miss Du, did things not go smoothly?"

"Didn't find them."

Du Wan glanced at him listlessly.

Hu San, standing nearby, explained the situation to Mu Si'an.

Mu Si'an smiled and offered an idea, "This isn't a big deal; a group of people moving wouldn't be quiet."

"Are you going to help me investigate?" Du Wan’s large eyes sparkled.

Mu Si'an said with ill intent, "This requires you to go talk to the Heir first."

"..." Du Wan felt depressed.

She had already repaid the favor when she borrowed the men.

Now he wanted her to beg him again?

Du Wan’s eyes darted around, and she immediately puffed out her small chest. "I’ll go."

"Then I’ll go to the kitchen to prepare the medicine." Mu Si'an deliberately raised his voice.

Du Wan had only taken a few steps when she heard Mu Si'an’s words. Her little feet instantly pivoted, and she scurried over to him, her little face filled with a brilliant smile. "Big brother, such a small task as preparing medicine, let me do it."

"No, no, how can that be? You are the eldest Miss Du, a golden-bodied young lady; you shouldn't be doing heavy labor."

"It’s just preparing medicine, it doesn't count as heavy labor."

"Better not."

"It's fine, it's fine, I'll do it, I'll do it..."

Du Wan saw his smug little look and really wanted to spit in his face.

She prepared the medicine and delivered it to Pei Hao’s room.

Pei Hao was half-reclined on the couch, flipping through a scroll. Seeing Du Wan enter, he didn't even lift his eyelids.

Du Wan coughed lightly. "Heir, it’s time to take your medicine."

Pei Hao asked, "Why are you the one bringing it?"

"Oh, you know, I’m trying to curry favor with you because I have a request." Du Wan was very blunt.

Pei Hao didn't know what to say for a moment.

However, he didn't take the medicine from her.

Seeing that he wouldn't take the medicine, Du Wan placed the bowl on the small table by the bed. "Those people who bullied me weren't found; I don't know where they moved to."

"Want me to help you find them?"

"The Heir's brain is truly sharp; you guessed it right away."

"..." Pei Hao just glanced at her coldly. He didn't want to chat with her; seeing her made his eyes ache. He directly called for Mu Si'an and told him to handle the matter.

Immediately after, Du Wan was kicked out of the room by Pei Hao. Another instance of him not wanting to see her!

Damn it!

Did he think this young lady wanted to see him?

Du Wan wanted to explode, but... she had to endure it.

If you want someone to do something for you, you have to act like it.

Before long, she saw Hu San bringing the medicine from the kitchen again. As for the medicine she had brought in earlier, it was brought out exactly as it had been brought in, not a drop missing.

Heh!

He was really on guard!

When Du Wan saw Mu Si'an again, she didn't look at him with any kindness. This guy could have helped her investigate himself, but he insisted on making her go to Pei Hao!

What was the meaning of this?

Was he trying to make things difficult for her?

However, Mu Si'an’s efficiency was top-notch.

The next day, he found out.

He heard that Qin Yuyu and the others had gone to a small village in the mountains to settle down.

Upon receiving the news, Du Wan set off immediately.

Hu San and the others followed as usual.

...

In the small courtyard in the county.

Mu Si'an was puzzled. "The eldest Miss seems very anxious."

Pei Hao’s hand, which was turning the pages, paused. "She was probably bullied quite badly and is in a hurry to get her revenge."

"Haha."

Mu Si'an chuckled. "It’s hard to imagine what a young girl looks like when she’s been bullied badly. Should I arrange for someone to look into it?"

Pei Hao was thoughtful and put down the book. "I heard she saved someone, and it led to a murder case. Have someone inquire around here first."

Hearing this, Mu Si'an restrained his smile. "If a life was lost, it’s not a small matter."

He called over an attendant and gave a few instructions.

The attendant returned to report in less than a quarter of an hour.

The reason was that this matter was no secret at all; everyone living in the alley knew about it. Half a month ago, the young girl, kind and naive, not knowing the dangers of the world, saved a woman who had fainted and brought her home. Unexpectedly, she had invited a wolf into her house. Not only was her home robbed, but the old woman who took care of her was also killed.

No one knew who the murderer was.

Surprisingly, the young girl seemed to know...