Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince-Chapter 61 - Naturally, the blame is shifted back

He really didn’t know how to address this strange man.

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When Qi Yu brought the man back in the afternoon and mentioned that he would stay at the Prince Residence, it had given him quite a shock.

But without Qi Yu saying more, he did not dare to ask further.

Qi Yu took a sip of tea and spoke indifferently, “Just call him Young Master Song.”

“Yes.”

While they were talking, someone suddenly walked in from outside.

Li Mingjue took the cloth that the maid handed over and wiped his hands, frowning at the untouched dishes on the table, he said, “Take away these dishes and make them again.”

Qi Yu knew at once that he had misunderstood and quickly waved her hands, “That’s not necessary.”

Li Mingjue turned to Li Bo at his side, “What’s going on?”

Li Bo smiled, “No rush, Prince, the Princess was waiting for you to dine together.”

The tips of Li Mingjue’s fingers holding the cloth paused, his heart that was chilled by the cold wind was once again suffused with a touch of warmth.

He sat down with a softened expression and said, “The dishes are all cold, let’s have them removed and ask the kitchen to warm a few dishes for us.”

“Yes.” Li Bo gave a look to the maids standing nearby, signaling them to withdraw outside the door and not disturb the Prince and Princess.

For a moment, only two silent figures remained in the room.

“From now on, you don’t need to wait if it’s too late,” Li Mingjue coughed lightly, breaking the faintly awkward atmosphere.

Qi Yu placed her now empty teacup down, responding with a soft “Hmm,” her tone revealing no emotion.

She was actually a bit puzzled, not knowing why she had suddenly lost her appetite that evening amidst a table full of delicacies.

It seemed that without someone accompanying her, the food lost its flavor.

But she had always dined alone before, so when did she develop this habit?

Li Mingjue, seeing her silent and head low, thought she was still upset about him coming back late.

He thus said warmly, “I will come back earlier from now on.”

Qi Yu looked up at him, “Prince, you needn’t…”

But Li Mingjue interrupted her, his expression serious as he looked at her, “When the Prince promises something, he follows through.”

The rest of her words stuck in her throat, and with a sip of tea, Qi Yu swallowed them back down.

After a long pause, she answered, “Alright.”

Although she was big-hearted, she wasn’t unappreciative.

If someone was willing to put her at the forefront of their mind and respond to every word she said with utmost seriousness, naturally, she would accept.

Whether it could be done was another matter, but such a sentiment was already precious.

In the backyard, after having his dinner, Song Ling read in his room.

In those five years at Heifeng Village, he had not dared touch a book.

Those bandits were not easy to get along with; upon seeing something as rare as a book, they’d tear it to shreds and then set it on fire.

Now that he was residing in Prince Qiu Residence, he could finally hold up those ancient strategy books he couldn’t put down with righteousness and pride.

The candlelight flickered, casting a shadowy figure.

Suddenly, a noise came from outside the door; someone was walking towards it, stepping on the gravel in the courtyard.

Song Ling’s expression changed.

He got up, walked behind the door, and leaned against the door bolt, asking with a hint of caution, “Who is it?”

The comer let out a light chuckle, stretching their words in a frivolous tone, “Officer Song, it’s me.”

Song Ling hurriedly opened the door and was slightly taken aback when he saw Qi Yu dressed in black.

“Princess?”

Then, seeing the person standing behind Qi Yu, he quickly took a step back, cupped his hands together, and said, “Prince.”

Li Mingjue pulled Qi Yu to his side and said to Song Ling, “Come to the study.”

Song Ling followed in confusion, wondering what they were doing in the study in the middle of the night.

Upon entering the study, Li Bo had already sent someone with a hot pot of tea and several cups.

Qi Yu poured herself a cup and then poured one for Song Ling, standing there with a stiff posture.

Song Ling took it with a trembling hand, and upon looking up, sure enough, he saw Li Mingjue shooting him a sharp glance.

The hand trembled more, nearly spilling the tea.

Was the Prince really that jealous?

Qi Yu remained blissfully unaware, found a seat, then gestured with her chin toward Li Mingjue, “You talk.”

A hint of helplessness flashed through Li Mingjue’s eyes.

This ungrateful girl, always ordering him around, not even willing to pour him a cup of tea.

He gave her a plaintive look, silently poured himself a cup of tea, and then began, “Just now, Cailin reported that Heifeng has been found.”

Song Ling’s complexion grew solemn, then heard Qi Yu say, “He is now at Prince An Residence.”

“Why didn’t the Prince arrest him?” Song Ling didn’t quite understand.

If they caught Heifeng, wouldn’t they be able to force him to confess about Li Ming’an?

Li Mingjue didn’t speak as bluntly as he’d done with Cailin, saying only, “For now, letting him go is more valuable than catching him.”

Song Ling fell silent, his mind, long removed from the affairs of the court, finally made the connection.

He wasn’t Cailin, who needed everything broken down and simplified to understand.

“The Prince means to say that letting Heifeng escape intentionally is to make him and Prince An fight each other.”

“Correct.” Li Mingjue nodded slightly, “Heifeng in our hands is a chess piece, we can torture him for information, but Li Ming’an can also kill him without anyone being the wiser.”

Qi Yu continued, “But if he returns to Prince An Residence safe and sound, then he becomes a bomb.”

She didn’t care if the two men understood the word ‘bomb,’ as long as the message was conveyed.

“But once Heifeng is back at Prince An Residence, couldn’t Prince An just kill him?” Song Ling asked.

Li Mingjue’s lips curved slightly, “Heifeng has plenty of leverage over him, how would he dare?”

Song Ling finally understood.

Indeed, Heifeng and Li Ming’an had colluded for many years; they were both enemies and allies.

If Heifeng dared to seek out Li Ming’an, it was because he knew he wouldn’t be killed so easily.

“How does the Prince plan to handle the issue with the Official Silver?” Song Ling asked with a grave expression, a bitter taste rising in his throat.

For the past five years, he lived in agony; the moment he closed his eyes, he saw the faces of over a hundred wrongfully killed people.

Yet he couldn’t die before avenging this great injustice; otherwise, he would have no face to meet those colleagues who died senselessly because of him.

Knowing his distress, Qi Yu deliberately adopted a flippant demeanor, her tone playful, “Naturally, it’s to throw the hot potato back at them.”