Chapter Five: The Devouring Mother Chapter Forty-Five: Seeking the Distant and Forsaking the Near

“We can’t be certain yet,” Jade Ice said, pacing a few steps back and forth. “Until we find the person, everything remains unknown.” She dusted off her hands. “Let’s go.”

“Go again? Where now?” The moment she heard they were heading out once more, Joyful immediately flopped onto the bed with a mournful face. She propped her hands on her aching waist, twisted her neck, stretched her legs, and clearly had no intention of moving again.

“If you want to stay, then stay. We’re leaving,” Jade Ice replied, and she and Chang Xiao turned and left together.

“I was just complaining!” Joyful sprang from the bed and dashed after them the moment she realized they’d left her behind.

As the sun set, the county office's main hall was cast in golden hues.

“So, you’re saying they didn’t go to that family’s birthday celebration?” The county magistrate turned in surprise to look at Head Constable Qin, who was reporting to him. “Then where did they go?”

“Hatter Mountain,” Qin replied honestly.

“What were they doing there?” The magistrate raised his brows, puzzled. The moment he’d received that family’s invitation, he’d immediately thought of Jade Ice. There were certain matters he, as an official, could not involve himself in openly. But Jade Ice, being a civilian, needn’t care about official formalities.

“I don’t know,” Qin admitted. Seeing the magistrate’s face darken, he hurried to add, “Those three are highly skilled in martial arts. I was afraid of being detected and causing unnecessary misunderstanding, so I didn’t dare get too close. But the words I overheard were ‘he,’ ‘here,’ and ‘kidnapping.’”

“Could she know who kidnapped her?” The magistrate frowned. “When you carried out the abduction, you didn’t let her notice anything, did you?”

“Rest assured, sir. I guarantee she was drugged and drowsy the whole way—she didn’t struggle at all.” At the mention of kidnapping Jade Ice, Qin thumped his chest in assurance.

“That’s good, that’s good!” The magistrate visibly relaxed, though his doubts returned. “If it wasn’t our kidnapping she was talking about, then who else was kidnapped?”

“I don’t know,” Qin shook his head. “When I saw them leave, they weren’t carrying anything, so there shouldn’t have been anyone inside. But I can’t be sure she didn’t discover something else. Even if she did, she’d probably only tell the crown prince.”

“You’re right,” the magistrate nodded in agreement. “That’s entirely possible.” Then he instructed, “Look into them again, but be careful not to let them notice.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll go at once.” Qin bowed and withdrew.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Qin had barely finished his bow when Joyful’s teasing voice floated in from the doorway.

“The magistrate is sending me to investigate that family’s affairs!” Caught red-handed, Qin could only answer awkwardly.

“There’s no need. We came precisely for that,” Jade Ice waved him off and turned to the magistrate. “I want to know: why are you investigating that family?”

“Because a case in the neighboring county is connected to them,” the magistrate said helplessly. “That’s why, when their invitation arrived, I sent you.”

Jade Ice’s gaze was unwavering. “You were afraid your status as an official would restrict you. I don’t know exactly what you’re investigating, but it must be something beyond your authority—something only someone with even higher standing can handle. Other than the Emperor, only the crown prince outranks you. That’s why you wanted us to go, isn’t it?”

“You’ve said it all—what’s left for me?” The magistrate let out a quiet sigh of relief; he’d feared they’d found out about the kidnapping. But it turned out their concern was with the case involving that family.

“Tell us about the case.” Jade Ice waited calmly. She was certain he would talk—not just because of his rank, but because the case itself was complicated.

“You might find it hard to believe, but the case happened on the same day you reported your own kidnapping,” the magistrate began carefully.

After Jade Ice left, it wasn’t long before envoys from the neighboring county arrived with a letter from their magistrate. A case had occurred there involving that family, and they hoped his help in investigating could remain secret. The reason for secrecy was both the unique status of the informant and the ambiguous identity of the key figure in the case.

He’d racked his brains for a plausible excuse to investigate when the invitation from that family arrived—and Jade Ice, confirmed to be the crown prince’s person, was the perfect choice.

“So that’s why you gave the invitation to me the night before?” Joyful’s anger flared. “You didn’t give it to Sister Ice because you feared she’d suspect something, so you gave it to me—because I’m easy to fool, right?”

“No, no,” the magistrate waved his hands frantically, “Miss, you misunderstand! I was almost about to arrest Miss Jade by mistake, remember? I didn’t dare ask her in person, for fear she’d be angry.”

“So you came to me?” Joyful’s temper reignited as she advanced on the magistrate.

The magistrate glanced at Jade Ice for help.

“Enough,” Jade Ice said softly. “We’re drifting off-topic. Let’s return to the case.”

“Hmph,” Joyful grumbled, retreating. “Let’s see if you dare do that again.”

“I won’t, I won’t!” the magistrate yielded quickly.

“Enough, Joyful,” Jade Ice comforted her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. “We still have a case to unravel. Such little grievances aren’t worth fussing over.”

“Hmph, I’ll listen to Sister Ice and let you off for now,” Joyful threatened, waving her sword at the magistrate, then stuck her tongue out playfully at Chang Xiao.

Chang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh at her antics.

Jade Ice ignored their exchange and addressed the magistrate. “Go on.”

“The day you filed your report, just after you left, the constables from Jun County arrived with a letter from their magistrate. The young prince disappeared in their county!”

“Which young prince?” Joyful’s curiosity was always insatiable.

“The crown prince’s eldest son.”

“The crown prince has a child?” Jade Ice’s brows shot up in astonishment. Zhang Huai’s standing in her heart plummeted.

“They say it’s an illegitimate child, and we were warned not to speak of it,” the magistrate answered nervously, then relaxed. “But since you’re from the crown prince’s household and investigating the case, it’s fine to tell you.”

“An illegitimate child?” Joyful’s voice nearly floated away. She exchanged a shocked look with Chang Xiao. They had met the crown prince before—after Jade Ice’s disappearance and their run-in with assassins, it was the crown prince who had saved them. Such a young, courteous man, and yet he had an illegitimate child?

“You didn’t know?” The magistrate was taken aback by their reaction.

“Enough about that,” Jade Ice cut him off. “Where’s the letter?”

“Here, see for yourself.” He turned, picked a letter off the desk, and handed it to her.

Jade Ice accepted it, scrutinizing the magistrate before unfolding the letter:

Dear Brother Qiu,

Though we have not met in some time, I hope you are well.

I am in difficulty and seek your aid. The crown prince’s son vanished this morning in our county. Our investigation points to that family in your jurisdiction. Please use this opportunity to look into them and ascertain the child’s safety.

This is a confidential matter—do not let word spread.

Given the gravity of the situation, I dare not act alone. I await your report so we may discuss the next steps together.

Your brother, Han

“So that’s how it is.” Jade Ice refolded the letter and returned it to the magistrate. “How far have you gotten in your investigation?”

“The eldest son of that family took the child,” the magistrate explained. “After reading the letter, I had them watched. We discovered a servant who frequently left the household for long periods. Following him, we found a heavily guarded, dilapidated courtyard where, by the sounds, a mother and child were being held. Later, the family’s eldest son was seen entering, but my men didn’t dare get close for fear of alerting them. When we returned with reinforcements, everything had vanished.”

He stopped there; clearly, the investigation had reached a dead end.

“Let’s go,” said Jade Ice, realizing there were no more leads here. Since the Butterfly case had reached a standstill, they might as well take a breather elsewhere.

“Where to?” Joyful was always the one to ask, while Chang Xiao simply followed Jade Ice without question.

“Jun County.”

“Why go so far when there’s a closer lead?” the magistrate asked.

“What would we say to that family?” Jade Ice paused at the door. “Should we tell them, ‘We’re here to investigate you?’ Or perhaps, ‘Hand over the young prince you’re hiding’?”

The magistrate fell silent. Despite their status as the crown prince’s people, if anything happened, he could hardly bear responsibility.

Thus, as soon as the three women stepped out, they encountered two familiar faces:

Late Autumn and Ming Xia.

“Miss Jade, we have orders to protect you on your journey. Please don’t refuse—our lord only has your best interests in mind,” said Ming Xia, leading two horses. Late Autumn also stood by with two more, nodding earnestly.

“Protect us?” Before Jade Ice could answer, Joyful squeezed in front of the two. “Just the two of you?” She sized them up and down. “I’d say we’ll see who ends up protecting whom!”

“Don’t underestimate us!” Late Autumn protested, indignant at her tone. “Our skills are among the best at the yamen!”