...I won't let you destroy my brother's life the way you destroyed mine, HuaMuTan!
Prince Li decided to return to the pavilion. However, before he could take another step, he noticed Uncle Tong hurrying towards him.
The old steward approached and respectfully reported,
"Young Master, Minister Hua has arrived. He wishes to meet Young Madam HuaMuTan."
Minister Hua?!
Prince Li's expression immediately turned serious. He glanced towards the pavilion before making his decision.
"I'll meet him first. Uncle Tong, you may inform HuaMuTan later."
"Yes, Young Master."
Prince Li walked past Uncle Tong. However, the moment the old steward caught a whiff of something, he couldn't help coughing discreetly.
"Uhm... Young Master, I think it would be better if you freshened up before meeting the guest..."
Prince Li stopped.
Only then did he realize that his clothes still carried a strong smell of alcohol from the previous night's drinking.
With an awkward expression, he quickly changed his instructions.
"I... I'll change my clothes first. Let Minister Hua wait for a little while. And remember to inform HuaMuTan after I've met Minister Hua."
"Yes, Young Master."
Prince Li hurried towards his room, leaving Uncle Tong behind with a helpless sigh.
A Memory from the Past
Every time TanTan played the guzheng, fragments of HuaMuTan's memories seemed to emerge.
Today was no different.
As soon as her fingers touched the strings and she began playing, familiar yet unfamiliar scenes flashed through her mind.
It began on her wedding night.
She could feel the heartbreak HuaMuTan had experienced when she discovered that Prince Li had chosen to spend the night in his study rather than share their wedding bed.
The memory shifted.
This time, she saw HuaMuTan confiding in Minister Hua about her unhappy marriage. The man had listened to her complaints and eventually given her a drug intended for Prince Li.
Unfortunately, that plan had been discovered by Prince Li.
Another memory suddenly appeared.
It was inside the palace.
HuaMuTan had been looking for Minister Hua, intending to complain about the drug he had given her.
However, by coincidence, she discovered him in a room with a beautiful woman.
The two seemed unusually intimate.
Minister Hua was embracing the woman while they discussed something privately.
HuaMuTan could only see the woman's back, but somehow, she instinctively knew that she shouldn't have witnessed such a scene.
Just as she was about to retreat, someone noticed her presence.
"Who's there?!"
The woman's sharp voice rang out.
And then...
The memory abruptly stopped.
More fragmented images flashed through TanTan's mind, but none of them remained long enough for her to understand what she had just witnessed.
She continued playing the guzheng, trying to make sense of those memories.
What was that about? Who was that woman with Uncle Hua?
Unfortunately, she couldn't find the answer.
Minister Hua's Visit
Meanwhile, in the guest room, Minister Hua was standing near the doorway, gazing outside.
He seemed to be enjoying the distant sound of the guzheng.
The familiar melody brought back memories from his younger days, when he had taught Princess LiShuiXian, HuaMuTan's mother, to play the instrument.
He could still remember those days clearly.
A faint smile appeared on his face, accompanied by a sense of longing.
Princess... How I miss you.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, Minister Hua."
Prince Li's voice suddenly brought him back to reality.
Prince Li entered the room accompanied by Uncle Tong.
Minister Hua immediately turned around and greeted him politely.
"Not at all. Please forgive this old man for intruding so early in the morning, Prince Li."
Prince Li looked at him sharply.
"May I know what brings you here to see my wife, Minister Hua?"
"Well... I have something I'd like to discuss with Young Lady HuaMuTan."
Minister Hua offered a somewhat regretful smile.
However, his expression only made Prince Li feel more uncomfortable.
Prince Li gestured for Uncle Tong to leave before taking his seat rather heavily.
"Then let's wait for her to come."
A brief silence filled the room.
The sound of the guzheng could still be heard from the garden.
"It seems Young Lady has been practising very hard for the Queen Grandmother's birthday banquet."
Minister Hua glanced towards Prince Li.
"I heard that the performance will be played by Young Lady together with you, Prince Li?"
Prince Li returned his smile, although his eyes remained cold.
"Don't worry about us, Minister Hua. We'll be well prepared for the performance."
"I certainly hope so. I'm sure Prince Li and Young Lady will deliver a magnificent performance that will please the Queen Grandmother."
The sound of the guzheng finally stopped.
It seemed Uncle Tong had already informed TanTan about Minister Hua's arrival.
Uncle Hua? What a coincidence! I was just having some strange memories about him, and now I have a chance to meet him in person.
TanTan excused herself from Prince FengEr.
"San Wang Ge, would you like to come with me?"
"It's alright, MuTan Mei. I think I'll stay here for a little while."
He smiled.
It was quite obvious that Prince FengEr didn't particularly want to meet Minister Hua.
TanTan couldn't help wondering.
Hmm... Do these two princes have some kind of grudge against Uncle Hua?
However, she didn't have time to ask him about it.
She followed Uncle Tong towards the guest room. Before leaving, she also asked XiaoRue to accompany FangFang back to her room, as the little girl was beginning to look sleepy.
When TanTan arrived at the guest room, she immediately sensed the cold atmosphere inside.
Minister Hua noticed her and greeted her with a gentle smile.
"Young Lady... Please forgive this old man for disturbing you."
Perhaps because of the memories she had just experienced, TanTan couldn't help feeling a little cautious around him.
She glanced briefly at Prince Li, whose expression clearly showed his displeasure.
"Ah... It's alright, Uncle Hua. May I know what brings you here?"
She walked towards the chairs and gestured for Minister Hua to sit.
"Now that my wife is here, please tell us what you wanted to discuss, Minister Hua."
Prince Li's voice wasn't so much a question as a command.
TanTan was slightly surprised by his tone.
Minister Hua answered slowly and carefully.
"Actually, Prince Li... I would like to speak with Young Lady alone for a little while."
Prince Li immediately became displeased.
What does this old man want to discuss with HuaMuTan privately? Is he planning something? There's no way I'm leaving them alone this time.
He suddenly turned towards TanTan and gave her a faint smirk.
"There's no need for secrets between husband and wife, right, wifey?"
TanTan narrowed her eyes at him.
This Prince must be dying to know why Uncle Hua came here. Well, perhaps it's better for him to hear everything too. I don't want another misunderstanding later.
"That's right, Uncle Hua. You can speak freely in front of both of us."
Minister Hua glanced at TanTan before finally nodding.
"Very well. I came here regarding the birthday present for the Queen Grandmother."
"Present?"
Both TanTan and Prince Li asked at almost the same time.
Minister Hua looked towards TanTan and sighed gently.
"Perhaps Young Lady no longer remembers, but before you lost your memories, you once asked me to help find a special present for the Queen Grandmother."
"Is that so? I... I don't remember."
"That's alright, Young Lady. As you requested, I arranged for a special statue made of luminous jade, carved in the shape of flowers, as a gift for the Queen Grandmother."
He paused briefly.
"The statue has now been completed and is ready for delivery."
TanTan noticed that he seemed hesitant to continue.
"Is there a problem, Uncle Hua?"
"Well, not exactly a problem. It's simply that the present is extremely valuable. I would prefer to have it kept here first so Young Lady can see it before it's sent to the palace. Therefore, I came to ask for your opinion."
TanTan didn't see any problem with his suggestion.
It's just a statue, right? Besides, I'm curious to see what it looks like.
However, she glanced towards Prince Li and noticed his suspicious expression.
"Well, I don't have any objections. But regarding keeping the statue here, what do you think, Prince Li?"
Prince Li was slightly surprised that TanTan had asked for his opinion.
Why does Minister Hua want to send the statue here instead of directly to the palace? Is there really no other reason?
He thought for a moment.
Well, as long as the statue is kept here, I can inspect it myself.
"It's entirely up to you, wifey."
He smiled at her.
TanTan felt slightly annoyed.
I asked for his opinion, but he simply throws the decision back to me!
"Alright, then. If Prince Li has no objections, please send the statue here so I can have a look at it, Uncle Hua."
Minister Hua smiled.
"Very well. I'll arrange for it to be delivered soon. However, I would like to ask for Prince Li's assistance regarding the transportation."
"And what would that be?"
Prince Li narrowed his eyes again.
"Because the jade statue is currently outside the city, and I understand that Prince Li has recently tightened security along the borders, every item entering the city must undergo an inspection."
Minister Hua paused before continuing.
"However, the statue is extremely precious, and I would prefer not to have too many people see it. Therefore, I was hoping to obtain special permission for it to pass through the border without the usual examination."
"Special permission?"
Prince Li narrowed his eyes even further.
"No. But I can offer you something better. I'll assign my own men to guard the delivery of the statue."
He hoped that by personally supervising the transportation, he might discover something suspicious behind Minister Hua's request.
Minister Hua didn't seem to object.
"That's wonderful. I'm very grateful for your assistance, Prince Li."
TanTan glanced at Prince Li in confusion.
Why is he suddenly being so helpful?
"Now that everything is settled, is there anything else?"
Prince Li looked at Minister Hua sharply.
"No, there is nothing else..."
Before Minister Hua could finish, ManQi suddenly entered the room.
He appeared to have an urgent report. Seeing TanTan and Minister Hua inside, he paused briefly to greet them.
"Greetings, Minister Hua. Greetings, Young Madam."
However, he seemed hesitant to speak.
"What is it, ManQi?"
Prince Li asked directly.
ManQi approached him and whispered,
"Master, the thief we captured has been found dead. He was poisoned this morning."
Prince Li's expression changed immediately.
Minister Hua noticed the sudden change and decided it was time for him to leave.
"It seems you have something urgent to attend to. I won't trouble you any longer. Please excuse me."
He politely prepared to take his leave.
Before responding to Minister Hua, Prince Li quickly considered the situation and whispered an order to ManQi.
"I'm going to the prison. ManQi, I want you to stay here and keep an eye on them."
"Yes, Master."
ManQi acknowledged his order.
Prince Li then informed Uncle Tong, who was still nearby, that he needed to visit the prison.
Turning towards Minister Hua, he said,
"I'm sorry, Minister Hua, but I must leave immediately. ManQi will accompany you on your way out."
"Allow me to walk Uncle Hua out as well."
TanTan offered politely.
After all, Minister Hua was her elder. Regardless of her strange memories, she still wanted to show him the proper respect.
Prince Li looked at her suspiciously but didn't say anything.
He simply glanced at ManQi before leaving the room with Uncle Tong in a hurry.
"Please, this way, Minister Hua."
ManQi led the way.
TanTan and Minister Hua followed him.
A Teacher from the Past
During their walk, Minister Hua deliberately slowed his pace. He turned towards TanTan and politely asked about her condition.
He seemed genuinely concerned that she still hadn't recovered her memories.
"I heard you playing the guzheng earlier. It reminded me of your mother, Young Lady. She was also very talented at playing that instrument."
"Really?"
TanTan immediately became interested.
"Well, you can trust my words. I was the one who taught Princess LiShuiXian, your mother, how to play the guzheng. In fact, I also taught you when you were younger."
"Really?"
TanTan widened her eyes.
So Uncle Hua is the closest relative to HuaMuTan... Is that why she was so attached to him?
"It means you're my teacher, Uncle Hua. Please forgive me for being so rude. I don't even remember that you taught me."
TanTan bowed slightly to express her regret.
"That's alright, Young Lady. It's not your fault that you've forgotten so many things."
"Then... may I ask you to watch me practise the guzheng sometime? I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some advice."
"Of course! It would be my pleasure, Young Lady. Unfortunately, I still have some matters to attend to today. Perhaps I can visit you tomorrow and listen to your playing."
"Thank you, Uncle Hua. I also hope you can tell me more about my mother next time. Who knows? Perhaps hearing more about her might help me recover some of my memories."
Minister Hua smiled gently.
"Of course, Young Lady. I'll be happy to tell you everything I can remember."
A Suspicious Death
Meanwhile, as Prince Li reached the front entrance of the mansion, he encountered Prince FengEr.
Prince FengEr looked surprised to see his younger brother in such a hurry.
"What happened, Wei Di? Why are you rushing?"
"If you want to know, San Wang Ge, come with me. I'll explain everything on the way."
Prince FengEr immediately guessed that something urgent had happened, and it was probably connected to their investigation into the illegal weapons.
"Alright. I'll come with you."
Without wasting any more time, both princes mounted their horses and headed towards the prison.
Not long afterwards, TanTan and Minister Hua also reached the front entrance of the Li Mansion.
"Well, it's time for me to leave."
"Farewell, Uncle Hua."
TanTan greeted him politely.
ManQi helped guide Minister Hua towards his carriage.
However, before getting inside, Minister Hua suddenly turned around and looked at TanTan carefully.
There was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"I sincerely hope you can live happily with Prince Li, Young Lady. Is... everything really alright between you two?"
TanTan looked at him in confusion.
"I'm... perfectly fine, Uncle Hua. Thank you for your concern."
"Please, don't hesitate to ask for my help whenever you need it."
"I will, Uncle Hua."
TanTan answered politely.
Minister Hua finally stepped into his carriage and departed.
After watching him leave, TanTan turned towards ManQi.
She couldn't help asking about the urgent report he had brought earlier.
"ManQi, what was the news you reported to Prince Li just now?"
ManQi was slightly surprised by the direct question, so he answered briefly.
"There was a small problem at the prison, Young Madam."
"Hmm... A small problem?"
TanTan clearly didn't believe that such a minor matter could make Prince Li leave in such a hurry.
"ManQi, is it related to the illegal weapons case?"
She paused before adding,
"Just tell me. I'm also involved in this investigation, so I think I have the right to know."
ManQi hesitated for a moment.
However, he remembered that Prince Li had instructed him to observe HuaMuTan, not to conceal information from her.
After considering it briefly, he decided to tell her about the captured thief and his suspicious death.
TanTan immediately began thinking.
So the prisoner has been poisoned inside the prison?
Her thoughts quickly followed the same direction Prince Li had probably considered.
There must be a mole among the prison guards!
The enemy's influence must be much stronger than I thought. They can even reach government institutions and eliminate someone who has already been captured.
She couldn't help comparing the situation with the modern world.
Just like having corrupt police officers in the modern era...
TanTan shook her head inwardly.
It seems the bureaucratic system in this era is just as rotten as the one in the future...