The Ming Dynasty's henchmen, working from nine to five

Chapter 20 I am enough

Princess Jing'an's eyes widened in surprise, and she suddenly fell silent.

The Prince's mansion was attacked at night, but no one paid attention. The Ministry of Justice treated him with disrespect and humiliation, but no one cared.

Even though she didn't say it, she was very upset inside.

Now, even if she was unwilling, she had to admit that the Jing'an Prince's Mansion had indeed fallen into disrepair.

She was filled with grievances, sadness, and fear, which had been bottled up inside her.

Now, she heard Shen Lang confidently tell her, "Don't be afraid, I'll take care of it."

She felt a lump in her throat and her eyes reddened slightly.

"Hmph, what's it to you?"

Princess Jing'an sniffed softly and turned her head away:

"Although I am ignorant of court affairs, I am familiar with the usual practices of your Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Every time the three judicial departments held a joint trial, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would stand by and watch coldly, under the guise of supervising the emperor."

"The power to handle cases has always been in the hands of the Ministry of Justice."

"Lu Bing only respects the imperial authority and never gets involved in court disputes. He would never clash with the Ministry of Justice."

"Otherwise, if you are labeled as 'fighting for power' and lose the Emperor's favor, your Embroidered Uniform Guard will never be as glorious again."

Shen Lang exclaimed in surprise, "The Princess Consort lives a secluded life in her chambers, yet she has such a profound understanding of the political situation at court! I admire her!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Jing'an felt slightly uncomfortable. She quickly glanced around and, finding that Princess Changning was not present, proudly puffed out her chest.

"Of course!"

"I haven't lived in Kyoto for nothing all these years!"

Shen Lang cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness's foresight and wisdom have greatly benefited me."

"Good that you understand."

Princess Jing'an pursed her red lips and sighed softly:

"It's wonderful that you have this intention."

"Just don't try to coax me with sweet words anymore."

"I never lie, so how could I possibly deceive the Princess?"

"Are you still going to handle this case?"

Princess Jing'an was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head: "You should give up. Given the way the Embroidered Uniform Guard operates, there is absolutely no way they would interfere in this matter."

Shen Lang smiled and said, "I only represent myself and have nothing to do with the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Princess Jing'an frowned: "Don't joke. This case involves infighting among powerful officials in the court, and I've heard it even involves ghosts. How can you investigate it alone?"

"We just need to guard the Prince's residence; the rest..."

"Please rest assured, Your Highness."

Shen Lang said gently, "I have never made a mistake in handling cases since I started."

"I am enough."

Princess Jing'an stared at him blankly, but suddenly fell silent.

Shen Lang continued, "As long as the flower thief remains at large, the Prince's mansion will never have peace."

"Although I do not know why there are so many people coveting the Prince's mansion, I can foresee that this is only the beginning, and the situation will get even worse in the future."

Princess Jing'an looked worried and shook her head repeatedly: "No, no matter what, you are a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. How can you get involved in this mess?"

"This matter involves a lot of people, and you can't escape the connection, so you should just let it go."

"You are so young, I cannot jeopardize your future."

Shen Lang said, "The longer this matter drags on, the more dangerous your situation will become, and that of the princess will be."

"We cannot place our hopes on the Ministry of Justice; we must rely on ourselves."

"Now that I have accepted the task of guarding the Prince's Palace, I will certainly protect you."

"I cannot afford to make mistakes in my duties; this is the principle by which I conduct myself."

"Your Highness need not worry, I have my own plans."

Are you sure everything will be alright?

"Your subordinate confirms."

"Since that's the case..."

Princess Jing'an frowned slightly, struggled for a moment, then suddenly gritted her teeth:

"Then go ahead and do it!"

"From this moment forward, you have complete control over the people and money within the Prince's mansion!"

"You're right, you can't rely on others; you can only rely on yourself!"

Shen Lang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture: "This subordinate will never betray the Princess's trust."

Princess Jing'an flicked her sleeve, stepping forward with a waft of fragrance. She looked up at him intently and solemnly said:

"Whether this matter succeeds or fails, I will always remember your kindness."

"Remember, be very careful. If things become unworkable, stop immediately. Don't put yourself in danger!"

Shen Lang nodded and replied, "Understood."

Princess Jing'an felt both guilty and moved, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and she sighed softly.

"Although I don't have any great abilities, I still have the resources of the Prince's mansion."

"Just tell me if you need anything."

Shen Lang thought for a moment and said, "There is indeed something I would like to discuss with the Princess."

"I intend to go to the crime scene to investigate. I may not be able to stay at the Prince's residence for an extended period of time. I hope Your Highness will grant my request."

Princess Jing'an simply said, "Go ahead, but remember to bring plenty of guards!"

Shen Lang nodded and said, "There's one more thing."

"This subordinate wishes to pay a visit to Lord Xu Jingde and speak with him in person. Does Your Highness have any ideas on this?"

"That Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial?"

"Exactly."

Princess Jing'an frowned and said, "I remember that his only daughter was the victim in this case. Her body is still in the mansion and has not yet been buried."

"It's said that he hasn't even gone to court these past few days and has been staying at home all day. If you want to see him, it might be difficult."

"Let me think about it..."

Princess Jing'an pondered for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up:

"A close friend of mine has some connection with his wife; perhaps we can start from there."

"I will go to her place now to discuss it and give you an answer as soon as possible."

Shen Lang nodded and said, "Then I will trouble Your Highness."

It must be said that although Princess Jing'an is timid and can turn into a rabbit spirit when frightened, she is not at all hesitant when faced with a serious matter.

Princess Jing'an gave the order!

The entire palace was mobilized instantly.

After giving her instructions, she led two teams of guards and hurriedly left.

Shen Lang wasn't too worried about her safety; even assassins wouldn't dare to make a move in broad daylight.

This is Kyoto after all; if the emperor is angered, no one can withstand a thorough investigation.

......

"Unfold the palace for me!"

LV15 Criminal Investigation Team, Activated!

A wisp of gray mist suddenly rose in Shen Lang's eyes!

The entire palace shrank and transformed into a holographic model that appeared before his eyes.

After a routine inspection, nothing unusual was found, and the guards remained at their posts.

The Prince's mansion was as solid as a rock.

With the gray mist in his eyes dissipating, Shen Lang felt a little relieved. He passed through the middle gate and arrived at the outer courtyard's administration office.

"Manager Li, let's talk over here."

Li Zhong put down the account book and followed Shen Lang outside.

"How long has Steward Li been at the Prince's residence?"

Li Zhong was taken aback, then pondered and said, "Thirty or forty years?"

"This old servant can't remember either. Why does Lord Shen ask this?"

Shen Lang cut to the chase: "Does the Prince's Mansion have any old grudges with the Ministry of Justice?"

"You want to ask about what happened this morning, right?"

Li Zhong suddenly realized, and then a hint of anger rose between his brows:

"Not only do they not resent it, but they are also grateful!"

"When Wang Yuanlang first entered officialdom, he came to Yujing alone with his seriously ill mother. The prince, moved by his filial piety, provided him with financial assistance!"

"Now he's turned his back on us and publicly humiliated the Prince's Mansion!"

"This is utterly shameless and they don't deserve to be called human!"