Chapter 350

Chapter 350: Using Hands Hearing Cui Lingrong's voice, everyone at the door was startled. Prince Rong in particular felt that Cui Lingrong sounded somewhat weak. Assuming she must have taken the medicine, he still shot Steward Lin a meaningful glance. Nanny Qiu's heart pounded even faster as she followed Steward Lin into the room. Seeing her mistress lying in bed, her thoughts raced. "Why does the noble lady look so listless?" Steward Lin searched the room but found no one. "I caught a chill from the wind on the road," Cui Lingrong said, coughing twice. "Steward Lin, as you can see, there are no thieves here. Please leave quickly. As for Prince Rong's matter, you'd best resolve it soon, lest blame fall on your heads." Steward Lin caught the mockery in Cui Lingrong's words and smiled sheepishly. "Please rest well. I'll have someone send hot water shortly. Sorry for the disturbance." Steward Lin withdrew. Nanny Qiu walked to the door and said crossly, "Prince Rong, since your jade pendant is so important, you'd better find it quickly. If it's truly lost and His Majesty blames you, that would be unfortunate." With that, Nanny Qiu slammed the door shut. Prince Rong's face turned ashen. Could it be that Cui Lingrong hadn't taken the medicine? How was that possible? Prince Rong turned to head toward Xie Yunting's quarters, only to see Xie Yunting strolling over from a distance with a swagger. "Xie Yunting, where did you go?" "To the latrine to take a shit. Where else would I go in the middle of the night?" Xie Yunting looked Prince Rong up and down. "The question is, what are you doing running over to our place in the dead of night?" Steward Lin explained that Prince Rong had lost his jade pendant. "Thieves? There are actually thieves? That's serious!" Though Xie Yunting's legs were still weak, his years of martial training kept him standing. "Steward Lin, the guards at Jing'an Hall aren't much good, are they? Letting someone steal right into the prince's room. Are the guards you keep all dead?" Steward Lin hung his head, not daring to speak. Prince Rong kept watching Xie Yunting, trying to spot any crack in his facade. "Xie Yunting, did you really go to the latrine?" Without another word, Xie Yunting kicked open his own door. "You suspect I stole your pendant? Fine, go search. But if you don't find anything, then I'm going to search your room. My money pouch is missing too—it contains a protective amulet gifted to me by His Majesty!" The door stood wide open. Prince Rong didn't move. But a clueless servant actually went in to look. Thinking he'd just go through the motions, he glanced around and came out with a sycophantic smile. "No one. There's no one in there. Your Highness, General Xie, shall we look elsewhere?" "Fine, let's go check Prince Rong's place!" The moment Xie Yunting saw Prince Rong, he understood everything—this old bastard had set a trap for him and Sister Cui! Without waiting for Prince Rong to speak, Xie Yunting grabbed a servant and strode off, racing all the way to Prince Rong's quarters. He wasn't known for a good temper. One hard kick and the door splintered apart. "Xie Yunting, what are you doing?" Prince Rong arrived, panting. By the time Steward Lin and the others got there, Xie Yunting was already ransacking the room, scattering things everywhere. Prince Rong charged in but was shoved aside by Xie Yunting. This was Xie Yunting's chance to find evidence in broad daylight. But he searched high and low without finding anything like medicine. Finally, under Prince Rong's pillow, he found his money pouch. The one he'd placed there earlier. "Oh, Prince Rong, how do you explain this?" Xie Yunting held it up for everyone to see. "Take a look, everyone—this is my money pouch, and it turned up under Prince Rong's pillow. Could it be you're crying thief to cover your own crime, when you actually came to harass Sister Cui in the middle of the night?" "Xie Yunting, I didn't do this! Why would I steal your money pouch?" Prince Rong tried to snatch it back, but Xie Yunting dodged. "And when did I ever harass Lady Cui? Don't talk nonsense!" Xie Yunting put on a frightened look. "Ah, so you don't like Sister Cui... then... could it be you're after me? Tsk tsk, I never would have guessed you were that kind of person!" At these words, everyone turned to look at Prince Rong. Come to think of it, Xie Yunting was indeed handsome. Back in Bianjing, some men with a taste for boys had tried to bother him, but Xie Yunting beat them soundly and hung them from the Xie family gate. After that, no man dared approach him. Now even Steward Lin and the others looked at Prince Rong with a measuring gaze. "Xie Yunting, you bastard, how could I possibly fancy you!" Prince Rong was nearly fuming, but he couldn't catch Xie Yunting. "This... this wasn't stolen by me!" He ground his teeth. Steward Lin stepped in to mediate. "Could it be that the thief stole it and deliberately framed someone?" Both Prince Rong and Xie Yunting knew exactly what had happened, but at this point, Prince Rong could only blame the thief. "It must be that despicable little thief!" "Oh? There really is a thief?" Xie Yunting drawled. "Prince Rong, if we don't find this thief at Jing'an Hall today, I will not let this go!" Daring to slip aphrodisiacs to him and Sister Cui—though he and Sister Cui... At the thought of what had just happened, Xie Yunting's body grew hot again. Sister Cui's skin was so smooth. At that moment, he had only a shred of rationality left, but he knew that once he truly crossed the line with Sister Cui, things between them would become difficult. But he was in too much pain, and Sister Cui was suffering as well. Xie Yunting admitted that he was no gentleman, so he took Cui Lingrong's hand and begged Sister Cui to help him with her hand. He would help Sister Cui in return. Xie Yunting pleaded and murmured over and over again. He felt no shame—on the contrary, he was thoroughly enjoying it. He had never known that a woman's hand could be so soft, completely free of calluses, so comfortable that he finished all too quickly. At that moment, Xie Yunting felt utterly embarrassed, having actually... "Xie Yunting, I told you, I didn't steal it!" Prince Rong pointed at the door. "Get out of here!" "You want me to leave? Fine, then let me see just what kind of thief is hiding in this Jing'an Hall." Xie Yunting seized this opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation. He had long heard that Jing'an Hall harbored all sorts of filth and corruption. Today, he would turn the place upside down and see how the people behind Jing'an Hall would react when they learned it was Prince Rong who ruined their plans!