Chapter 36 Identity

After hearing this, Zhong Min did not dare to speak rashly. Although she did not know who the master the man in black was referring to, she was now completely certain that the real Li Jin'er was actually a spy planted in Prince Mu's mansion.

Seeing that Zhong Min didn't say anything, the man assumed that Zhong Min was upset because he was scolded, so he softened his tone and said, "You've been performing well so far, but don't make any mistakes at this critical moment. Otherwise, the consequences will be something we can't afford."

Zhong Min was slightly surprised, not quite understanding why the man's tone suddenly changed. After thinking for a moment, he tried to reply, "Yes, I understand."

"I understand." The man didn't suspect anything and continued, "By the way, why did you help King Mu escape last time? If King Liang could kill him, it would be much easier to deal with King Liang than King Mu. If he were really dead, the higher-ups wouldn't have to hesitate and weigh the pros and cons."

"I wasn't helping him, I was just saving myself." Seeing this, Zhong Min explained truthfully, "If I hadn't done this, he wouldn't necessarily die, but I would definitely lose my life."

"Forget it, I'll explain this to the higher-ups on your behalf. During this time, you must keep a close eye on him. Report any unusual movements immediately. The old place isn't safe anymore. If you need any information in the future, just hide it between the trunks of the third magnolia tree in the palace's back garden."

The man in black continued, "Eunuch Wu has secretly summoned me to return to the capital immediately. Perhaps there's something important going on. For the next two weeks, just keep an eye on him. Everything else can be discussed after I return. Be very careful and don't betray your master's trust!"

Perhaps worried that it wouldn't be a good place to stay for long, the man finished his instructions and, without waiting for Zhong Min's response, turned and left. Before Zhong Min could even see how the door silently opened and closed, the man in black disappeared. If it weren't for the ringing of the bell, reminding her of the reality of what had just happened, she would have thought it was just a dream.

She stood there for a while, until she was sure that there was no one outside. Then she let out a long sigh and sat down. What happened just now replayed in her mind like a movie, especially every sentence and every word said by the man, which echoed in her ears over and over again.

Master, Eunuch Wu, returning to the capital… one key word after another quickly connected, and Zhong Min's mind suddenly became clear. If she guessed correctly, Li Jin'er's true identity must be a spy sent by the court to Prince Mu's mansion, specifically responsible for monitoring Xiao Mingzheng's every move.

This mysterious man in black should be Li Jiner's superior, responsible for transmitting intelligence. Eunuch Wu is naturally the highest commander in charge of this matter. Of course, the biggest boss behind the scenes is undoubtedly the emperor.

Considering what Mr. Li had said earlier, it seems Prince Mu's achievements surpassed his own, making him a thorn in the emperor's side. Removing him would be a difficult task, but it's not so simple. After all, Prince Mu commands a large military force and guards the northwest gateway, so without solid evidence, no one dared to touch him openly. This is why the court has specifically sent people to monitor him, presumably to eliminate him if they detect any sign of rebellion.

It is obvious that the assassins tonight were not sent by the court, but another group, perhaps King Liang, or someone else. In short, it seems that Xiao Mingzheng has a lot of enemies, and there are many people who want him dead.

After figuring this out, Zhong Min naturally had less time to consider Xiao Mingzheng's predicament, because the most troublesome person right now wasn't Xiao Mingzheng, but herself. She hadn't expected to be reborn into such a troubled identity, and inadvertently be dragged into such a mess. If she wasn't careful, she was afraid that both sides would suffer.

It seemed that her escape plan had to be accelerated. The sooner she left this troubled place, the better. Yes, the sooner the better! Zhong Min secretly clenched her fists, wishing she could leave here immediately.

The next morning, Xiao Mingzheng did not come to the study. Zhong Min guessed that he must be recuperating from his injuries and was afraid that he would not come over for the next few days. Therefore, he took advantage of the fact that Mr. Li was not paying attention and went out of Mo Garden to investigate and collect information without worry.

When she returned, she unexpectedly found Old Man Li waiting for her downstairs. Seeing her leisurely approach, he frowned and asked, "Where have you been? Although the prince has allowed you to enter and leave Mo Garden freely, you must not delay your work no matter what."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Min immediately raised the plum blossoms in his hand and said, "Uncle Li, I went to pick some plum blossoms and wanted to put them in the prince's study..."

Fortunately, I was prepared early on, so I felt confident and not at all humble.

"The prince doesn't like these." Old Man Li snatched the plum blossom from Zhong Min's hand and said, "Go to the study and do what you should do."

"Is the prince here? I thought he needed to rest well for the next two days and wouldn't come." Zhong Min smiled sheepishly at Mr. Li. "I'm sorry, Mr. Li, please don't blame me. I'll go up right away."

Seeing this, Mr. Li didn't say anything else, turned around and left. Li You breathed a sigh of relief, looked up at the second floor, and then had to go upstairs.

As soon as I entered the study, I saw Xiao Mingzheng checking some letters. It seemed that he was only slightly injured, and it was impossible to tell where he was hurt. He looked like nothing had happened.

Zhong Min quietly placed the brewed tea next to the desk, thinking to himself how incompetent those assassins were. It was not easy for them to come here. At least let Xiao Mingzheng hide in bed for a few days.

"What have you been doing?" Xiao Mingzheng looked up at Zhong Min and said without showing any emotion, "It's been so long, and you still don't have the responsibilities of a maid."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Min realized she had neglected her duty, so she quickly explained, "Your Highness, I just went to the back garden and picked a few plum blossoms. I want to place them in the study to add some fragrance and vitality. This will soothe your eyes when you're tired of reading, and it will also improve your mood."

After hearing Zhong Min's words, Xiao Mingzheng glanced at her again, as if to confirm whether he had seen correctly, and then continued to ask: "Where are the flowers?"

Zhong Min lowered her head slightly and replied truthfully with a hint of regret, "Uncle Li said you didn't like these and took the flowers away."

In fact, those plum blossoms were really beautiful. Zhong Min felt it was a pity. She had originally planned to put them in her room, but she didn't expect that they were taken away by Mr. Li. She didn't know whether he threw them away or disposed of them in some other way.

Seeing that Xiao Mingzheng didn't say anything else and just stared at her suspiciously, Zhong Min had no choice but to continue, "This servant didn't mean to delay my work. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Come and help me with the ink." Xiao Mingzheng didn't ask any more questions when he saw this. He just told Zhong Min to help with the ink, and he began to review the pile of letters on the desk.

"Yes!" Zhong Min secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over to help Yan Mo. It seemed that he had barely passed.

Xiao Mingzheng stopped talking and just went on with his own business, looking very focused. Zhong Min secretly watched him for a long time but couldn't figure out where he was injured.

Could it be that Mr. Li's information was wrong? He clearly said last night that Xiao Mingzheng had suffered minor injuries, but how come it looks like not a single hair was missing?

"What are you looking at?" Xiao Mingzheng suddenly stopped and glanced at Zhong Min without warning. His voice sounded very cold.