Huh? The Tyrant Cries After My Inner Thoughts Were Exposed!-Chapter 183: Why Does Miaoqing Want the Jade Pendant?

Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Why Does Miaoqing Want the Jade Pendant?

On the day Liu Miaoying returned to the Capital City, the Chief Secretary hurriedly left the palace to return home. Seeing his daughter intact before him, his eyes reddened.

Liu Miaoying also had reddened eyes and choked up, "It’s my unfilialness that worried Father."

Having gone to Xu State, there were several times she thought she might not make it back to the Capital City.

First, she encountered bandits, then she went to care for those diseased victims and got a few fevers herself, barely making it through.

She always knew life outside was not as prosperous as the Capital City, with many people not having enough to eat or wear. Having experienced it firsthand, she realized her previous thoughts were mere fantasies; reality was far more brutal than she imagined.

The Chief Secretary wiped his tears, "It’s good to have you back. You’ve lost weight. You should rest at home for a few days and recover; don’t catch any illness."

Liu Miaoying couldn’t help but laugh through tears, "Father is the one who lost weight, and your hair has turned quite white."

"Do I look old?"

"Not old."

Father and daughter laughed, making the nearby steward feel at ease as well.

While the young lady was away for more than half a year, the master couldn’t eat or sleep well, fell ill twice, and even had to call in the Imperial Physician.

Now things were better. Tonight he had to order the kitchen to prepare a few extra dishes.

As he thought of asking if he should have the kitchen boil some soup, the father and daughter had already gone to the study to discuss matters, unlike any ordinary family.

...

Liu Miaoying recounted some experiences in Xu State, mentioning how during the time she hid, she didn’t dare leave even her room until the government office posted announcements and news spread, only then did she dare to come out.

Speaking of Su Juan inflating grain prices, the Chief Secretary laughed, "It’s spread throughout the court and the public. The Prefect of Xu State sends a report every five days, and His Majesty grew tired of it, so then you were urgently summoned back to the Capital."

He actually knew, to some extent, that the Prefect of Xu State sent these reports because he worried that families in the Capital were concerned about the two young ladies in Xu State. Therefore, these reports were frequently sent, and His Majesty understood this intention and read them to the ministers.

After all, when news came from Xu State that his daughter was missing, he fainted. Later, when the Su Family found her and informed him first, it eased his heart a little.

Liu Miaoying laughed, "No wonder, Prefect Zeng originally wanted us to stay in Xu State for the New Year."

Her gaze fell on the table, yet she didn’t see the painting she had seen in the study back then. While in Xu State, she recalled the patterns in the painting, which resembled the Jade Pendant Lin Xizhi had given to Su Juan at a family banquet back then.

She knew her father would never place something useless in the study.

"Father, I saw a painting on your desk earlier, it seemed to have some special pattern. What exactly was it?"

The Chief Secretary was slightly taken aback, a painting?

He chuckled, "It’s something a friend of mine entrusted me to help find, why do you ask so suddenly?"

Liu Miaoying found it strange, how could something her father’s friend was looking for be in Su Juan’s hands?

"I think I’ve seen the pattern on that painting."

Hearing this, the Chief Secretary was shocked, he stood up abruptly from his chair, "You’ve seen it!"

"Miaoying, have you really seen it!? Where did you see it?"

Seeing his intense reaction, Liu Miaoying was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "It was a couple of years ago during a family banquet, then Lin Xizhi gave Su Juan a Jade Pendant. I saw it at that time and thought it was of good quality and quite unique. I have some impression of it."

When I saw it in the study, I couldn’t recall exactly, only feeling vaguely familiar, until in Xu State I saw Su Juan, and it came back to me.

"Su Juan?" The Chief Secretary looked bewildered, how could it be with her?

"Tell me, what does that Jade Pendant look like... no, no, you should draw it now."

He hurriedly sat his daughter down, placing the stationery before her, asking her to draw.

Liu Miaoying thought hard for a long time and finally drew a vague outline and pattern, "It’s been too long, I only saw it once, I can only draw a rough sketch."

The Chief Secretary took the drawing and examined it carefully. Although there were some discrepancies in the pattern, it generally matched the half that the Emperor held. He grew so excited he could barely speak clearly, "Yes, yes! This is it!"

He paced back and forth with the paper in hand, trying to figure out why the Jade Pendant was in Su Juan’s possession... how it related to the Princess?

He suddenly remembered, isn’t Su Juan residing in the Duke Mansion? Duke Ping treats Su Juan so attentively... could there actually be some connection?

But if so, why wouldn’t Duke Ping report it to His Majesty? Could he be concealing something?

He had to see the Jade Pendant himself to confirm whether it was the other half.

Seeing her father’s reaction, Liu Miaoying was puzzled, "Father, is this something very important?"

The Chief Secretary looked at his daughter. If he wanted to see the Jade Pendant from Su Juan, he could only send his daughter.

Thinking of this, he took her hand, his expression serious, "Father has a task of great importance for you, and there must be no mistakes."

Liu Miaoying nodded slightly, "Please tell me, Father."

"A friend of mine is investigating a very important matter and this Jade Pendant is the only clue. So, you must be cautious, Father wants you to see if you can find a way to get the Jade Pendant from Su Juan without alarming anyone."

The Chief Secretary put it gently, avoiding the word "steal," but he believed his daughter would understand, just take a look at the Jade Pendant and return it after.

After all, nothing is yet certain, and no one must be alerted, especially not Su Juan, or that old fox Duke Ping.

He even now suspected Duke Ping of deliberately hiding something.

Liu Miaoying agreed without hesitation, "When does Father wish to see the Jade Pendant?"

The Chief Secretary’s heart was pounding with excitement, the clue to the long-searched-for person was now before him. He calmed his racing heart to appear normal, "If it can be seen tomorrow, it would be best."

Liu Miaoying nodded, "Very well. After seeing His Majesty tomorrow, I will head to the Duke Mansion and find a way to borrow the Jade Pendant to show you."

The Chief Secretary smiled, "Good."

His daughter’s reliability was reassuring—saying "borrow" instead of "steal" was much more presentable, trustworthy!

...

The next day, upon entering the palace to meet the Old Emperor, they discussed the merits of the journey to Xu State.

Su Juan was promoted to Fourth Rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Liu Miaoying was appointed Junior Minister of the Agriculture Office, and everyone else received generous rewards. The families of those who died in service received condolences and comfort. After the New Year, the decree drafted by the Secretariat would be issued and they would assume their positions. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Upon leaving the Imperial City, Su Juan was holding an umbrella and hadn’t gone far when Liu Miaoying caught up with quick steps. With a serious face, she said to Su Juan, "Ah Juan, there’s something I want to discuss with you."

Su Juan blinked, "What is it?"

Liu Miaoying held Su Juan’s hand, "I remember you have a half-shaped Jade Pendant, the one Miss Lin returned to you. May I borrow it for a couple of days?"

With sincerity on her face, Su Juan internally sounded the alarm, her gaze suspicious yet wary, [What does Miaoying want with the Jade Pendant?]

Liu Miaoying was also puzzled, "?"

Ah Juan’s reaction... why was it so strange as well?