Chapter 494 Reward
Lin Yuesha was so shocked that she couldn't speak. After a long while, she finally found her voice and said, "You suspect... suspect that it was Young Master Yu who did it?"
Yes, the suspicion previously focused on the Yu family and Lord Yu, but the hairpin that Young Master Yu lost has brought new progress to the case of the missing pregnant woman.
"Your Highness, it might not be Young Master Yu, could it?"
Judging Yu Gongzi as the murderer based solely on the hairpins and jewelry might be a bit hasty. Yu Gongzi was so fond of women's attire, and he would wash up and wear hairpins and other jewelry when he was alone in his bedroom at night. So, it's possible that the murderer sold the hairpins and jewelry, and they just happened to end up in Yu Gongzi's hands.
“If it were someone else, it wouldn’t matter, but the Yu family wouldn’t be unaware that this was made in the palace.”
After a moment of contemplation, the Prince of Luo concluded that it was highly unlikely. Lord Yu had been frequently seen within the palace and had received numerous rewards. Moreover, items made within the palace bore a special mark; how could Young Master Yu not recognize them?
This argument is flawed and doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
"Lin girl, we owe this case a lot to you."
Once we choose a direction, catching the real culprit is only a matter of time. Even if the murderer isn't Young Master Yu, he must be closely connected to him.
"Tell me, what reward do you want?"
The Prince of Luo handed the hairpin to the maid beside him and sent someone to the old princess to confirm it. He then turned to Lin Yuesha and asked.
"Any reward will do?"
Lin Yuesha was filled with excitement. She wanted so much, but right now, her top priority was to buy a small courtyard house in the inner city.
If possible, she would like to buy it at a reasonable price. However, Lin Yuesha cannot afford a three-courtyard house that costs 100,000 taels of silver.
"house?"
Luo Wang looked at Lin Yuesha and asked, "Are you from the inner city?"
"Yes, the residence in the inner city. I didn't help much, so I dare not ask for a reward. Buying it with silver will suffice."
Lin Yuesha was very self-aware; she had only given a hairpin, but she hadn't expected such a coincidence.
"I have indeed thought of a residence in the inner city."
The Prince of Luo looked at Xu Da and asked, "Is your neighbor's house vacant?"
"Yes, it just became available last month."
That house belonged to the previous deputy commander of the Five Cities Military Command. When he reached retirement age and returned to his hometown, the house was left vacant and had not yet been dealt with.
"The three-courtyard house isn't far from where you live now. How about you become neighbors with Lord Xu?"
Luo Wang asked Lin Yuesha, who was overjoyed. She thought it would be great to have such a place, but she was afraid she couldn't afford it.
Just as Prince Luo was about to speak, a maidservant at the door announced, "Your Highness, the Old Princess Consort has arrived."
The old princess? Lin Yuesha immediately stood up in fright. Fang Mama and Bai Cha had been waiting outside and hadn't let her in. Now, facing the old princess, Lin Yuesha was a little intimidated.
“Cousin, the old princess is a kind person, you don’t need to be so scared.”
Seeing Lin Yuesha trembling, Xu Da felt a pang of conscience and offered her a word of comfort.
After waiting for a while, the old princess entered the room with the help of two old nannies.
The old princess looked quite old, but even in her amiable manner, she exuded royal dignity. She told everyone not to stand on ceremony and pushed the hairpin in front of Prince Luo, saying, "Cheng Yu, indeed..."
It was a gift she gave to her niece from her maternal family, that's for sure.
"Don't worry, this case will be settled soon."
Luo Wang was certain that since he knew the hairpin had once been in Zi Cheng's possession, he would follow this lead and catch the real culprit soon.
The old princess nodded, and the old nanny beside her said to Xu Da, "Lord Xu, you are so kind. Recently, because of this matter, our old lady has lost her appetite. The cakes you sent are quite delicious, and she ate several pieces."
Lin Yuesha glanced at Xu Da. Were these the cakes she made?
"You're too kind. This is what I should do. If Your Highness wishes to bestow a reward, please be careful not to give it to the wrong person. The cakes were made by Miss Lin."
Unexpectedly, Xu Da did not claim credit, but instead pushed Lin Yuesha forward.
"Yeah?"
Upon hearing this, the old princess said gently to Lin Yuesha, "Miss Lin, please look up."
Finally, the old princess asked again, "He's a handsome man, is he married?"
"In response to your question, not yet."
Lin Yuesha clenched her fists, extremely nervous. However, remembering Fang Mama's teachings, she tried to relax, took deep breaths, and made sure she didn't appear petty.
“Your Highness, you may not know this, but Miss Lin is a filial daughter. She got to know the Prince because she came to the capital to seek medical treatment for her father.”
Xu Da recounted how Lin Yuesha had gone to the Qiuyue Troupe to play the role of a corpse in order to infiltrate the Yu family, and the old princess immediately looked at Lin Yuesha with new respect.
This girl is kind, filial, and honest; she's a good person. If she weren't so young, I would have liked to set her up with someone for my son.
Forget about social class; she doesn't care about it at all. In the entire Great Qi, is there anyone of higher social standing than her own family?
"Lin girl, come to my house and keep this old man company after the case is solved."
Lin Yuesha was so excited that she didn't know what to say, as she never expected to catch the eye of such a distinguished person.
Before returning to the Lin residence, the more trump cards she accumulated, the safer she would be, and neither Qin Shi nor Lin Yue'e would dare to do anything to her.
"Let's get back to the main point. You want a three-courtyard house, and I can help you with that."
Luo Wang remembered that the mansion was purchased from an official of the Ministry of Revenue, and the three-courtyard mansion only cost 30,000 taels of silver.
"Your Highness, can it be bought for 30,000 taels of silver?"
Lin Yuesha trembled again; both Prince Luo and Xu Da were her benefactors.
"Of course, it's possible if I can intercede, but..."
When the Prince of Luo saw the little girl cheering and jumping for joy, he was also infected by her emotions, but he valued his reputation and could not so easily speak up for her.
"This matter concerns Young Master Yu and is of great importance. There is nothing we can do to help you."
Last time, Lin Yuesha helped Luo Wang, and although she didn't play a significant role, she performed quite well.
"Your Highness, please feel free to make any requests you may have, and I will certainly comply."
Lin Yuesha roughly understood what Prince Luo meant. A three-courtyard mansion worth 30,000 taels of silver—how rare! And in such a prime location within the inner city. Unless you have a stroke of luck, you wouldn't even get a pie falling from the sky.
Haunted houses may be much cheaper, but their eerie atmosphere can negatively impact the family's fortune.
Being Xu Da's neighbor would be different; one could frequently cultivate a relationship with him and obtain benefits for oneself.
"Alright, go back and pack your things. Make sure you wear men's clothing when you go out."
The Prince of Luo had a new idea and sent Lin Yuesha back to his residence.
As Lin Yuesha left the Prince's mansion, she ran into Qin Nanyan again.
"It's you again?"
Qin Nanyan came for several days in a row, but she didn't even catch a glimpse of the Prince of Luo. She still persisted, but unexpectedly, she ran into this country bumpkin again.
What exactly is this country bumpkin's identity, and how did he end up in the Prince's mansion?
Qin Nanyan was full of questions, but after encountering Lin Yuesha twice, she dared not underestimate her again.
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