"But what if the Lin Family’s young lady doesn’t come out? Wouldn’t our plan be impossible to carry out?"

At this moment, Mrs. Gao suddenly asked.

Then she felt that this matter seemed somewhat unreliable?

The old steward showed a mouthful of yellow teeth, chuckled twice, and said, "How about the Lin Family’s young lady not coming out? Or coming out? If we claim that it’s the Lin Family’s young lady, then it’s the Lin Family’s young lady. Who dares question it?"

The old madam pondered for a moment, nodding slightly, "I seem to understand your meaning, you’re suggesting we use an imposter, and then directly attach the identity of the Lin Family’s young lady?"

"Yes, old madam, insightful!"

The old steward nodded and smiled, then exchanged a glance with Old Master Gao, with the meaning already evident.

"Although these methods are vicious, ultimately it was the Lin Family who first played the ruthless move, so the blame cannot be on us, the Gao Family! Fine, the matter is decided like this!"

"Wait a minute!"

Just as Old Master Gao was about to make the decision, a crisp voice suddenly rang out.

The third young lady walked in, first saluted the group, and then said, "Father, the Lin Family is shameless and unethical, we must not imitate them, otherwise how are we different from them?"

The old steward frowned, "But third young lady, currently there is no better method."

"Yes, daughter, besides, it was their fault first. Why can they act recklessly and we cannot retaliate? That’s not fair!"

Being Mrs. Gao’s daughter, the third young lady was much loved, and her audacity did not cause offense.

The third young lady said, "First, we cannot be sure it was the Lin Family’s doing. Second, even if confirmed, there should be other better ways to resolve this."

"This..."

This first point left Mrs. Gao rather embarrassed.

Indeed, everything so far was merely their own speculation.

"Alright, give your daughter some time, and she will come up with a solution!"

The third young lady said earnestly.

"Well... alright, girl, don’t pressure yourself!"

"Hmm!"

...

These days, Qi Jingyu was also busy, having heard rumors about the Gao Mansion, his face turned cold. As the Crown Prince, he seldom mingled with the common folk, yet now he knew of the poor atmosphere here and wanted to do something about it.

Perhaps this is the flaw?

Qi Jingyu shook his head and smiled softly.

This matter, he always felt, was not that simple. Or perhaps someone was obstructing them from finding some clues?

He arrived at the government office; the man from before was taken away by the government office people and guarded in the prison.

Well, this government office...

"I want to see the little rascal who was previously imprisoned!"

Qi Jingyu came to the prison outside the government office, speaking to a Prison Chief.

The Prison Chief looked at him with disapproval: "To see the prisoners in the cell requires the master’s seal, do you have it?"

The seal is essentially a stamp from the government office, exquisitely precious. Anyone entering or leaving any part of the government office needs this seal, but how many people can actually obtain it?

This Prison Chief was obviously making things difficult for Qi Jingyu.

Qi Jingyu frowned, could this Prison Chief actually be preventing him from investigating the truth? Then he must have someone backing him!

As long as he follows up on this Prison Chief, it will be enough!

Qi Jingyu gave a half-smiling expression, then turned away: "Then I’ll go find the master to get the seal!"

"Haha, go ahead!"

The Prison Chief, looking forty-ish and somewhat balding, grinned, showing a mouthful of buckteeth, laughing very gleefully. Qi Jingyu knew he was being mocked!

"Idiot, the master’s seal from the government office isn’t so easily attainable, you won’t even get to see him!"

These words from the Prison Chief, barely disguised disdain for Qi Jingyu, he continued to nap.

As Qi Jingyu walked out, ahead, a new figure appeared.

It was a gracefully moving silhouette, looking extremely familiar.

Qi Jingyu was stunned.

Why was it her?

Why had she come over?

Qi Jingyu never imagined he would encounter the Gao Mansion’s third young lady here, the very girl who stirred a little movement in his heart!

As they passed each other, they turned back simultaneously.

The third young lady, Gao Mingyue, looked at him, surprised, "You..."

Strangely, she felt this person was familiar? As if she had seen him somewhere before?

Recalling carefully, oh yes, it was that day at the Chenghuang Temple entrance, when she and her sisters were harassed, this man was present!

Logically, she should have viewed Qi Jingyu as a bad person, yet subconsciously, he didn’t seem to be one.

"Why are you here?"

She took the initiative to ask; soon after, she regretted asking, as he was merely a stranger. Their encounter had been brief, why he was here held no relevance to her?

Gao Mingyue turned away, not wanting to dwell on it further; she wanted to carefully interrogate that small-time thug in the prison.

She thought he wouldn’t respond to her, yet to her surprise, he did: "Investigating a case!"

"What case are you investigating?"

Gao Mingyue appeared puzzled.

Human nature naturally carries a curiosity for new and strange things, so upon hearing a case was being investigated, she wanted to know what case it was?

"Someone used despicable means to bully innocent young women, I couldn’t stand by, so I came to investigate."

Qi Jingyu spoke sincerely, his youthful face even showing a trace of indignation.

Could such earnestness in feelings be genuine?

Gao Mingyue found herself in a daze for a moment, then murmured, "You...are helping us?"

Qi Jingyu remained silent but his sharp eye contact conveyed an affirmation!

"Why help us? We only met by chance."

"Chance encounters are fate, I feel I can’t allow such malicious forces to victimize people, thus, I must help you!"

Gao Mingyue, seeing his earnest demeanor, grinned brightly: "Thank you!"

This expression of gratitude was heartfelt.

During a time when the Gao Family’s many daughters faced a storm of ill repute, having someone lend a hand, even if just a small help, was like offering charcoal in snow.

This friendship, she accepted.

She smiled at Qi Jingyu and then turned to find the Prison Chief, Qi Jingyu abruptly said, "He won’t let you in!"

Gao Mingyue paused, "Why?"

"Because he might be colluding with those people!"

Gao Mingyue froze, a chill surged from her feet to her heart, if the Prison Chief wouldn’t let her enter, wouldn’t that indicate the government office had joined forces with the Xie Family?

If true, the matter was grave.

"Actually...we can use that Prison Chief to trace the source!"

"Huh?"

Gao Mingyue was slightly confused, unsure why Qi Jingyu proposed this?

"If this Prison Chief is indeed under their employ, tonight he might go to meet his superiors, we could follow him!"

"Alright!"

Thus, Qi Jingyu and Gao Mingyue began to stake out nearby, waiting for the individual to seek his hidden director’s aide.

Indeed, as Qi Jingyu predicted, that evening, the Prison Chief prattled away and departed towards a destination.

"Where is he headed?"

Qi Jingyu was unfamiliar with Jiangzhou, so he didn’t know where the Prison Chief intended to go, turning to the girl beside him for answers.

"Riyue lake, he’s headed to Riyue lake. Oh, I remember, the Riyue lake is hosting a poetry tea gathering tonight, do you think he is going to meet..."

"Then that’s likely. The real mastermind might be over at Riyue lake, let’s go, follow him!"

"Hmm!"

Qi Jingyu was skilled in martial arts, with respectable Qinggong skills, partly taught by Shi Qin, and partly by Li Qingmu. Thus, they paused at intervals, occasionally using Qinggong to track for a while.

In a blink of an eye, they arrived at Riyue lake.

Sure enough, a tea gathering was being held here, aboard an artistic boat, surrounded by people, several wealthy families’ daughters and sons congregating, engaging in various chatter.