Chapter 82: Chapter 82: This Handwriting, It’s Clearly...

Of course, Ming Lingyi saw no issue with Li Yan’s handling of the situation. She only felt a pang in her heart to think that someone so young had to deal with the old foxes of the imperial court.

"So our Little Huachao has already become this capable," Ming Lingyi said, her eyes filled with tenderness as she stroked Li Yan’s slightly chubby cheek.

He was only a five-year-old boy. She couldn’t imagine how much he must have gone through to remain so calm while handling such matters, to become her pillar of support.

When Li Yan heard that his mother had no intention of blaming him, a huge smile instantly spread across his face.

"It was nothing, really. Father-Emperor says I still need to work harder," Li Yan said with a serious expression.

His tutor had told him that one must be modest. He wanted to leave the best possible impression on his mother.

Little did he know, those words earned his Father-Emperor another black mark in Ming Lingyi’s book.

Ming Lingyi mentally rolled her eyes at Li Yun. ’My Huazhao is already so obedient, sensible, and capable. How could Li Yun tell such a young child to keep trying harder? Can’t he just praise the boy a little?’

Ming Lingyi said, "You’re already amazing right now. Really. Huachao is the most amazing baby in the world."

Since Li Yun wouldn’t praise him, Ming Lingyi decided she would shower him with compliments.

Just a moment ago, this was the same Crown Prince who had been so poised and at ease before Duke Jing. But now, his cool, stern little face suddenly flushed bright red, even the tips of his ears turning pink. He looked unbearably shy.

Baby.

’His mother called him baby.’

’No one had ever called him that before.’

Li Yan’s heart felt like a pot of boiling water, bubbling and burbling nonstop. The scalding steam seemed to burn his chest, and a certain spot over his heart felt impossibly hot.

But he didn’t want this searing heat to fade.

Xiao Chun and Shi Mingyue couldn’t get close to their young miss. The Crown Prince was surrounded by guards from the Eastern Palace.

But at this moment, Xiao Chun was completely stunned.

She certainly hadn’t forgotten the Little Bun from the Imperial College who had visited their shop and been so clingy with her young miss.

She had even wondered back then when the Imperial College had started admitting such little kids.

Now, hearing the crowd shout "Crown Prince," Xiao Chun suddenly remembered something. She seemed to recall hearing street gossip that the current Emperor, not wanting the Crown Prince to be lonely and isolated in the Eastern Palace, had not only built a Crown Prince Mansion outside the palace after his studies began but had even sent him to the Imperial College to study. This way, he could meet classmates and make friends.

How could Xiao Chun not be shocked?

Her young miss seemed to have a very good relationship with the Crown Prince!

This... this news was going to take some time for her to process.

The men from Jingzhao Mansion arrived quickly. When Gongsun Liangce heard that the Crown Prince had appeared near Leyou Garden and had been the target of an assassination, he nearly fell off his horse as he was mounting it to leave.

Now, seeing that the Crown Prince was unharmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Gongsun Liangce was quite surprised to see Ming Lingyi beside the Crown Prince.

"Miss Ming, you’re here as well," Gongsun Liangce said, turning to Ming Lingyi after greeting the Crown Prince.

He had a very favorable impression of the owner of Ming’s Restaurant. Leaving aside Miss Ming’s excellent culinary skills, she had also stepped up to help her neighbors several times.

Although she was just a young woman, in Gongsun Liangce’s eyes, a young lady like her was extremely impressive.

Ming Lingyi hadn’t expected the ever-busy Lord Governor to even remember her. Although the Lord Governor enjoyed patronizing her restaurant, Ming Lingyi was usually in the back kitchen, while Xiao Chun and Shi Mingyue handled the front.

"Lord Gongsun," Ming Lingyi said with a curtsy.

"The second young miss of Duke Jing was causing trouble for Boss Ming, and I happened to witness it," Li Yan spoke up. He explained why Ming Lingyi was there and clarified to Gongsun Liangce that she was the victim. "Lord Gongsun has always been upright and impartial. I trust you will not cover up any injustice in Shangjing City."

Li Yan knew that even if you gave Zhao Shu a thousand nerve, she would never dare to try and assassinate him.

The charge of assassination would certainly not stick, but the charge of committing assault in public had to be confirmed.

If she had the audacity to attack and injure someone, she should be prepared to be punished by Dayan Law.

Gongsun Liangce understood the implication behind the Little Crown Prince’s words. His expression grew solemn, and he respectfully cupped his hands. "Please rest assured, Your Highness. This humble servant will certainly see that justice is done regarding this injustice in Shangjing City."

"Very good." Li Yan nodded. "I trust that Lord Gongsun will enforce the law impartially."

He briefly recounted how Zhao Shu had threatened and harmed Ming Lingyi, giving Gongsun Liangce a clear picture, then added, "The common folk who came to the area near Qinglong Temple today also heard what happened. If Lord Gongsun has any doubts, you are free to question them."

Although Gongsun Liangce wanted to believe the Crown Prince, he was handling official business and couldn’t rely solely on His Highness’s testimony. Soon, Gongsun Liangce’s men had collected statements from the eyewitnesses.

It was now an open-and-shut case that the second young miss of Duke Jing Mansion had used her status to bully and injure another without cause.

Regardless of whether the charge of "assassinating the Crown Prince" would hold, she was to be taken to jail to await interrogation.

Normally, at a time like this, it would be best for the victim to return to the government office as well to close the case as quickly as possible. But Gongsun Liangce glanced at the Crown Prince standing beside Ming Lingyi and got the sense that His Highness had no intention of letting her go.

Gongsun Liangce couldn’t help but offer a reminder.

Li Yan thought for a moment. "We can discuss this matter tomorrow. Miss Ming has had a fright today and needs a day to rest. What do you think, Lord Gongsun?"

What could Gongsun Liangce say? He could understand, though. After all, Miss Ming was just a young lady who had only recently come of age. It was understandable that she would be frightened after suddenly experiencing such an unfortunate incident.

Just as the thought ’The Crown Prince is truly considerate’ crossed Gongsun Liangce’s mind, a few clues suddenly and unexpectedly clicked into place.

On the way back, Gongsun Liangce’s mind was reeling with shock.

He had originally thought the Crown Prince’s meeting with Miss Ming today was a mere coincidence. But if they were just strangers who had met by chance, wasn’t the Little Prince’s protectiveness a bit too obvious?

But if it wasn’t a chance encounter...

Gongsun Liangce suddenly recalled that just as he was about to turn away, he had seen the sign for Ming’s Restaurant. It was flapping loudly in the spring breeze, and the calligraphy on it was in plain view.

Some time ago, while touring Shangjing City in disguise, he had been drawn in by the sign for Ming’s Restaurant and had entered the small, unassuming eatery.

To his surprise, the food at the little eatery was unexpectedly delicious, and the young lady who ran the shop had excellent handwriting that struck him as somewhat familiar.

At the time, however, Gongsun Liangce couldn’t quite place why the young lady’s calligraphy felt so familiar.

Now, seeing the Crown Prince standing together with Ming Lingyi, a rather shocking idea suddenly surfaced in his mind.

He was all too familiar with Emperor Jing’an’s written comments.

This handwriting was clearly...