Bai Ruozhu had originally wanted to let their family have a good talk and catch up, but thinking that Prince Wen De might also have a problem, she could only interrupt them.

"If it’s convenient, I’d like to go see how Prince Wen De is doing. He might be under the control of a Poisonous Insect," Bai Ruozhu said.

The Emperor agreed immediately. "We’ll go see him now. It’s better to discover it sooner rather than later."

The Second Prince’s body was still not in good shape, so he was left behind to accompany Empress Yazi, while the Emperor and Otani led the way, taking everyone to Prince Wen De’s Bedchamber.

"Yuji greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty has returned safely—this is truly wonderful." A maidservant hurriedly saluted when she saw them. Bai Ruozhu remembered her; she was Wen De’s favored concubine.

"Where’s Wen De? I have urgent business with him, hurry and call him out." The Emperor’s attitude toward Yuji was extremely cold. He clearly knew Yuji’s status, and his daughter Princess Ya’an was about to marry Wen De. Faced with his son‑in‑law’s favored concubine, it was normal that he was displeased.

Yuji said respectfully, "In reply, after hearing that you’d gone missing, His Highness also went out to help search for you and has never returned."

Otani frowned. "We haven’t seen Prince Wen De at all."

Otani then questioned several guards in succession, but none of them had seen Prince Wen De.

"Has Prince Wen De behaved strangely in any way recently?" Bai Ruozhu suddenly asked.

Hearing her speak in Zhongyuan Language, Yuji immediately guessed her identity and quickly asked, "My lady, what kind of strange behavior do you mean?"

"For example, becoming irritable, or his habits becoming different from before," Bai Ruozhu said.

Yuji tilted her head and thought for a moment. That gesture was indeed winsome and charming; no wonder Prince Wen De doted on her especially.

"It seems like no." Yuji answered, then suddenly her expression changed, as though she had just thought of something.

"What did you think of?" The Emperor noticed the change in her expression and hurriedly pressed her.

Yuji’s face grew even uglier. How could she tell His Majesty that? Even if His Majesty believed it, she herself would be in serious trouble once it was said, wouldn’t she?

"Nothing, I really can’t recall anything," Yuji replied.

Bai Ruozhu, however, had an idea what Yuji wanted to say. That interaction and conversation between Yuji and Prince Wen De that day—she hadn’t seen all of it, but she knew it was definitely about Wen De and Shangzi.

"Your Majesty, it’s better to first send people to search for Prince Wen De," Bai Ruozhu suggested, successfully diverting the Emperor’s attention. Yuji knew she had helped her out of a tight spot and shot her a grateful glance.

The Emperor sighed. "Otani, arrange for people to look for him. You’ve all been busy for a long time; why not just rest in the Palace for now?"

Bai Ruozhu and the others agreed. It was already late at night again, and since they didn’t know if any new situation would arise, they really were too lazy to go back and forth anymore. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Once Bai Ruozhu and the others had settled down, she took Jiang Yichun’s hand and said, "You picked a fight with Akamatsu on purpose to divert everyone’s attention, didn’t you?"

Jiang Yichun smiled. "I know you’ve got everything under control, but if I can help, I still have to help you, otherwise I can’t be at ease."

"I’m not blaming you. You really did help me a lot. Otherwise, with Akamatsu and the others staring so fixedly, it would’ve been easy for people to spot the flaws." As Bai Ruozhu spoke, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. "This is your reward."

Jiang Yichun laughed and pulled her into his arms in one move. "You think you can brush me off with just that?"

Bai Ruozhu pushed against his chest. "No, I still want to go see that Yuji."

Jiang Yichun could only let her go. "I’ll go with you."

The two of them carefully avoided the guards in the Palace and quickly found Prince Wen De’s Bedchamber, where they discovered Yuji wiping away tears.

"Still haven’t found Prince Wen De?" Bai Ruozhu jumped into the Room, while Jiang Yichun stayed outside to keep watch for her.

Yuji was startled, but when she saw it was her, she let out a long breath of relief.

"Lord Bai, do you know something? I beg you, please save Prince Wen De!" Yuji said, her voice choked with sobs.

"I happened to run into them talking once, so I know about that matter." Bai Ruozhu didn’t say which time specifically, because that day they had entered the Palace in disguise and too many people had seen them.

Yuji wiped away her tears and continued, "I’ve been scared out of my wits. I shouldn’t have known any of that, but at the time I don’t know what came over me—I secretly followed Prince Wen De, and ended up overhearing him with Empress Shangzi..."

She paused, then went on, "I can’t tell His Majesty. That would only hurt Prince Wen De. That matter wasn’t his idea; they were both harmed by Empress Yazi."

"Aside from that, do you feel there’s anything else strange about him?" Bai Ruozhu asked.

"It’s exactly that," Yuji said firmly. "After he came back that day, he was intimate with me, and I couldn’t help asking him about it. But he didn’t remember anything at all, said he’d never gone to see Empress Shangzi. His expression didn’t look like he was faking it, and there’s nothing he’d be afraid to admit to me anyway."

"Prince Wen De is very likely under the control of a Poisonous Insect. If he comes back, pretend you don’t know anything and keep him steady. Then quietly send someone to notify us," Bai Ruozhu said.

"This..." Yuji hesitated. Wouldn’t this be the same as betraying Prince Wen De?

"If he really has been controlled by a Poisonous Insect, his body will only get worse and worse. If you’re truly loyal to him, you all the more shouldn’t just watch him be killed," Bai Ruozhu said solemnly.

Yuji’s face turned several shades paler in fright, but in the end her eyes grew resolute and she nodded. "Alright, I’ll listen to you, my lady."

Bai Ruozhu jumped out through the window, pulled Jiang Yichun back to their quarters, and the two of them basically confirmed that Prince Wen De really had been afflicted by a Poisonous Insect.

Now that Song Yi knew she could dispel Poisonous Insects, he had Prince Wen De hide first, so as not to have to waste another Poisonous Insect.

The two of them chatted for a bit after returning, then lay down to rest. They hadn’t slept for a whole day and night; even iron‑bodied men couldn’t hold out.

In the middle of the night, an extremely thin wisp of white smoke slipped into their Room. The two of them were sleeping soundly and didn’t notice the white smoke at all.

Not long after, a pitch‑black bug slowly crawled in through the window crack. It was fairly large, its body rather plump and fleshy, clearly a lot bigger than the window crack, yet it still managed to squeeze through the gap and easily enter the Room.

Bit by bit it approached Bai Ruozhu and the others, as if probing or on guard. Its movements were very slow, and it took half the day just to reach the bedside.

Suddenly, it turned into a streak of blinding light and shot toward Bai Ruozhu’s nostril. Its speed was so fast it was like it had become a different bug entirely, as if that fat, clumsy thing from just now hadn’t been it at all.

Just then, a white flash streaked past and smacked the fat Poisonous Insect flying to the floor.

Furball hovered in mid‑air, looking down on the fat Poisonous Insect as if it were nothing more than an ant.

Before the fat Poisonous Insect could do anything, Furball moved again, so fast that the fat Poisonous Insect had no way to dodge.