Unraveling Schemes

The cold and ruthless demeanour of Bai Jue was back on display as he walked purposefully to his working chamber, his mind sharp and calculating. He needed to address the incident regarding Liu Jin Yan immediately. First, he dispatched Chang Er to find out her whereabouts, knowing that for a professional scout like Chang Er, it would be a piece of cake.

"Chang Er, I want you to locate Liu Jin Yan and report back to me as soon as possible," Bai Jue ordered, his voice firm and commanding.

Chang Er bowed and left swiftly, understanding the urgency of the task. Meanwhile, Bai Jue turned to Da Yi. "You need to send a letter to my Queen Mother and the Queen Dowager. Inform them that Yang Mi was cooking for me during the lunch break. Then, go to the senior maids overseeing the selection and tell them that Yang Mi was in the crown prince's palace just after the second selection round. Make sure they understand she had no time to communicate with anyone regarding Miss Liu's disappearance."

Da Yi nodded and hurried to carry out his orders. He knew the importance of clearing Yang Mi's name, especially when Gu Wan Niang was already pointing fingers at her.

In the selection hall, Gu Wan Niang was fuming with anger. "Yang Mi must be behind this! She should be disqualified!" she shouted, her voice filled with venom.

The senior maid looked sceptical. "There is no evidence of wrongdoing. The tests were completed fairly and are unrelated to the disappearance."

Just then, Da Yi arrived, holding the shield of the crown prince's palace. "Yang Mi was with the crown prince right after the second selection round. She had no opportunity to be involved in Miss Liu's disappearance."

Gu Wan Niang's face turned red with rage, but she could not refute the evidence presented by Da Yi, the head eunuch of the crown prince. The senior maids nodded in agreement, and the matter seemed to settle.

It wasn't long before a message from Chang Er arrived via a dove. Bai Jue read it quickly, his expression darkening. Liu Jin Yan was beyond saving; she had already fallen into the abyss, having lost her identity as an aristocratic lady and become one of the prostitutes in Chu Yan's brothel.

"This Chu Yan is more involved with the Gu family than I initially thought," Bai Jue muttered to himself. He instructed Chang Er to continue monitoring Chu Yan and report back any suspicious activities. "Pei Yuan," Bai Jue called, turning to his loyal guard, "investigate Chu Yan's family business and report back to me. I want every detail."

Pei Yuan bowed and left to fulfil his duty. Bai Jue was determined to dismantle Chu Yan's operations and ensure that the Gu family would not benefit from their corrupt activities.

Meanwhile, in the crown prince's kitchen, Yang Mi was happily cooking some dessert with Tan Qi's help. Despite the chaos outside, she appeared relaxed and content.

"My lady, are you not worried about what's happening?" Tan Qi asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.

Yang Mi smiled softly. "Someone is working for me to solve the problem. Why should I worry?" She added the final touches to her dish just as Bai Jue entered the kitchen and hugged her from behind.

"Have you finished working?" Yang Mi asked, turning around to look at his handsome face, which made her heart flutter.

Bai Jue nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Yes, I've finished for now. What have you been making?"

Yang Mi giggled. "A little something sweet. Would you like to try?" She offered him a taste, and they enjoyed a moment of peace and intimacy, reminiscing about their time together.

In the Liu family mansion, chaos reigned as Minister Liu dealt with the sudden disappearance of his daughter. Bai Jue, aware of the turmoil, sent one of his men with a secret letter informing Minister Liu of Liu Jin Yan's location. It wasn't long before Minister Liu arrived at the brothel, his heart sinking at the sight before him.

He found Liu Jin Yan, dressed in revealing clothes, almost bare, on top of a man. She was beyond salvage. When her father's servants and bodyguards pulled her away, she struggled, thinking they wanted to sleep with her. The drugs had given her Stockholm syndrome, affecting her sanity.

"Get her wrapped in a blanket and bring her back to the mansion," Minister Liu ordered, his voice heavy with sorrow. She had to be knocked out before they could transport her, and the sight of his daughter in such a state gave him a throbbing headache. He knew that to save the family's honor, she would have to become a nun.

The next morning, Minister Liu submitted his resignation to the emperor, citing deteriorating health. His true intention was to live in the mountains to focus on his daughter's recovery, away from the scandal that now plagued their family.

Chu Yan, oblivious to the fact that he was now a target of Bai Jue, collected his payment from Gu Wan Niang. Chang Er had discovered the new drug affecting Liu Jin Yan, and Bai Jue had a plan to give Chu Yan a taste of his own medicine.

Chang Er managed to slip the drug into Chu Yan's wine, which he drank while waiting for Gu Wan Niang. As soon as Gu Wan Niang entered the VIP room, Chu Yan, under the influence of the drug, shoved the wine into her mouth as well. The potent aphrodisiac made them wild for each other, losing track of time and their surroundings.

Bai Jue seized this opportunity. He sent a secret letter to Minister Gu and the Queen Dowager, exposing Chu Yan and Gu Wan Niang's scandalous behavior. The Queen Dowager, furious over the disrespect shown to her grandniece, sent someone to investigate.

The scene they uncovered was damning. Minister Gu, sweating coldly, scolded his daughter, who was caught naked on top of Chu Yan. "You have disgraced us all, Wan Niang! How could you be so reckless?"

Wan Niang, sobbing, tried to defend herself. "Father, I... I didn't mean for this to happen."

Minister Gu's headache pounded as he faced the reality of their downfall. The witness from the Queen Dowager's palace ensured that there would be no covering up this scandal.

Back at the crown prince's palace, Bai Jue received the report of the successful sting operation. He turned to Yang Mi, who was by his side. "It's done. Chu Yan and Gu Wan Niang's schemes are exposed. They won't trouble us anymore."

Yang Mi smiled, relief washing over her. "Thank you, Bai Jue. I knew I could trust you."

Bai Jue took her hands in his, looking deeply into her eyes. "I will always protect you, Yang Mi. No matter what."