Not too long after, Lingxi was seen entering the garden.
"Your highness seems to be enjoying some quiet time. Am I intruding?" she asked standing before him.
He Yu smiled and stood up, "how can that be?"
He lightly tapped on the chair next to him gesturing for her to sit. She walked up to him and He Yu set the chair backwards for her to sit down.
"Your highness seems quite fond of tea", Lingxi commented.
He Yu smiled as he served her tea, "try it"
Lingxi looked up at him for a minute. He Yu leaned a bit closer to her face with a mischievous smile on his face.
"If your highness keeps on staring at me like that, the tea would get cold."
Lingxi blinked and slightly scoffed, "shameless", she said as she accepted the tea He Yu had already held up while staring at her.
He Yu sat down, "I learnt it from your highness".
Lingxi who was taking a sip of the tea paused with cup on her lips for a second. She took a sip and set it down.
She turned to face him, "your highness is a quick learner then"
He Yu, with the same smile, placed his elbow on the table and supported his head with his hand.
"I like the real you much better", he said.
Lingxi smiled back but with a gleam, "then, your highness, get ready", she said before adding, "good tea, not bad", as she took another sip of the tea.
"Cute"
[Weizhong Teahouse]
"Could there be a reason Your Highness is searching for this medicine?" Xu Yicheng asked.
"Recently we discovered that some pharmacies are hoarding banned drugs..." He Rui was saying but the three remained calm.
Liu ying however, noticed the subtle finger movement in Lin Yaotang.
".....so we've come here to investigate", He Rui continued.
"Could it be that the Prime Minister's case is related to this poison?"
Xu Yicheng hit the nail on the head with a face full of innocent curiosity that one couldn't tell if it was fake or genuine.
"Master Xu is truly smarter than expected. The rumors seems true", He Rui said.
"I don't know about being smart but I'm indeed knowledgeable. So much has happened in Wei City. If I can't connect such simple dots, the title of the youngest business prodigy would be a joke. Wouldn't you agree, Master Lin?"
Lin Yaotang who was quiet all through the conversation was not impressed when he heard his name.
"Master Xu has inherited his father's skills", he said but Liu ying noticed he answered abruptly, too fast for someone who appeared to be calm.
"What is Master Lin's view on this matter?" Liu Ying asked.
"Selling banned drugs is a big but common crime but it should be difficult to acquire", Lin Yaotang answered.
"So it's common? If so, does Master Lin know where we can find them?"
There was a long pause on the table.
Xu Yicheng was still fanning himself slowly, Fang Jinghe was more attentive with a different look on his face while Lin Yaotang's fist tightened for a second.
"I've been in business for years and have encountered tricksters. If they can sell fake medicines, selling banned drugs shouldn't be a problem, should it?" he said.
He stood up, "Your Highness, I have work to do. I won't disturb you any further", he bowed.
He Rui gave a slight nod of the head and he walked away.
Fang Jinghe did not hesitate and also followed, "your highness, I also have work to do. Thanks for the invitation", he bowed before leaving.
Xu Yicheng slowly stood up after taking a sip of the tea.
"Since the others have left, I won't impose on you further", he bowed and turned to leave but stopped a few steps away, "your highness, good luck", he said and disappeared out of sight.
A short moment of silence passed through.
"Who do you think is guilty?" He Rui asked.
Liu ying thought for a while, "Fang Jinghe is proud and boastful but when he heard of the poison, he shifted attention from himself and remained silent all through the conversation. Lin Yaotang is more cautious and speaks less but he had a subtle visible reaction when the poison was mentioned. Xu Yicheng..." she paused for a minute, "...as for Xu Yicheng, he is either simple minded or extremely calculative", Liu ying summarized.
"Exactly my thought, if I am right, they are may all be guilty but as for the one who is responsible for the selling of the poison, I can't tell"
He Rui was deep in thought when the sound of munching interrupted him. Liu ying was helping herself to the nuts on the table.
"What are you doing?" he asked looking surprised.
"I'll leave the thinking to your Highness", she said as she ate, "it's disrespectful to waste food"
He Rui couldn't be bothered with her and went back to thinking.
Just as Liu ying finished eating and was drinking her wine, someone from the prefecture rushed in, "Your Highness, Miss Liu, we have found the banned drugs"
[Deputy Magistrate's Residence]
The long stare went on for a long time and Lv Chi broke it, "Lord Shen, thank you for your time", he said standing up, "we'll be leaving now"
Shen Cheng'an nodded. Lv Chi gave a short bow and turned to leave but saw Lu Qian still sitting. He gave a signal for him to leave.
Lu Qian stood up and looked up at Shen Cheng'an one more time, "we will meet again"
"I'll be waiting", Shen Cheng'an replied with a smile and he watched their backs as they left.
[Wei Prefecture]
The atmosphere was neither lively nor tense. Six carts filled with different bottles were seen on the floor. He Rui and Liu ying walked in accompanied by the personnel who had informed them.
"What's going on?" He Rui asked.
The prefect, Prefect Wen rushed up to He Rui to deliver the news, "Your highness, we received news that the major pharmacies were hoarding banned medicines and we were ordered to conduct a search immediately"
"Who ordered it?"
"It was....." he lowered his voice just enough for He Rui and Liu ying to hear, "it was the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Mo Xiuyan"
He Rui raised an eyebrow. That was not a good sign.
"How did Lord Commander Mo get involved in this?" Liu ying asked in a low voice full of surprise.
"I don't know, we just got ordered", Prefect Wen was also terrified.
He Rui, though not afraid of Mo Xiuyan, was cautious because Mo Xiuyan stepping in was an indirect way of saying he was failing in his duty. However he had to hide his dissatisfaction or insecurity rather.
"These were all found in the search?" he asked.
"Yes"
"These were all obtained from the three pharmacies?" Liu ying asked as she bent down to inspect a bottle.
"Actually, they were found in the Hall of Hundred Herbs and Hall of Everlasting Harmony only", Prefect Wen corrected.
Liu ying was a bit surprised, "what about the Hall of Benevolent Healing?"
"It was found clean"
Liu ying looked up at He Rui to show her suspicion but He Rui's mind was on Mo Xiuyan.
Although Mo Xiuyan was not a prince, he was responsible for the safety of the palace. The case of the prime minister was a suspicious one affecting the capital which Mo Xiuyan ought to Investigate but Minister Liu had put in good word for him and with the help of his mother and the emperor's approval, had gotten the case. Mo Xiuyan stepping in to help did not make him happy at all.
"Have Fang Jinghe and Lin Yaotang been arrested yet?" he asked.
"They are being watched closely. We are waiting on your orders", prefect Wen said.
"Arrest them", He Rui ordered and was about leaving when Liu ying stopped him.
"What about Xu Yicheng? I feel we should still investigate him. How could only him escape? It sounds very suspicious", she said but unfortunately He Rui's mood was not very bright.
"The poison was not found in his pharmacy. On what grounds do you want me to investigate him?" he said with his voice slightly harsh, slightly raised and left.
Liu ying was not expecting that. Although he tried his best to be polite, the change in his tone was unmistakable.
"I didn't say anything wrong, why is he picking on me again?"