3634

Chapter 3634: 4.1234 Defeat

Inside the carriage heading to Changle Street, Qiao Mu sat with a placid expression.

Cai Xiu gracefully poured her a cup of tea and cautiously called out, "Crown Princess..."

Qiao Mu instinctively took the teacup, her fingers gently tracing the patterns on the rim, her eyes devoid of warmth as she looked at the pedestrians outside the window.

She had lost!

In truth, from the moment she instructed Aoye to search Shi Huixin's courtyard for the so-called evidence, she had set up a trap to lure the snake out of its hole.

During her conversation with Shi Huixin, she deliberately led everyone to believe that the image jade talisman she presented only contained half of the dialogue.

Aoye and Mu Xingchen's reactions were also incredibly swift; both immediately played along with her words, leading everyone to think that "Shi Huixin had left evidence."

Subsequently, she deliberately ordered Aoye to search Shi Huixin's courtyard, where the so-called letter was found.

This "evidence" was, of course, prepared by Aoye himself.

Therefore, the evidence pointing to Zhufeng Court meant that if the person hiding in the shadows harbored any suspicion, they would undoubtedly come to investigate at all costs.

The person Qiao Mu intended to lure out was originally the First Madam, Mu Qingya.

She had distrusted this woman from the very beginning.

On one hand, Qiao Mu had left people to go to Zhufeng Court to catch anyone who dared to come to the courtyard to snoop for information.

On the other hand, she directly took people into the First Madam's Gilded Jade Court, announcing a full search of the entire compound.

What was she looking for?

Naturally, she was looking for any hidden talisman arrays in Mu Qingya's courtyard that could observe the entire Mu family.

The moment she stepped into the Mu family, Qiao Mu felt as if she was being monitored, completely uneasy.

The result...

Her people found no arrays in the Gilded Jade Court.

She even unintentionally saved Mu Qingya's life.

And Elder Qing, whom they had captured on the other side, was utterly useless; he even self-destructed and injured her people.

This encounter with Heavenly Fortune could be said to have ended in complete failure for Crown Princess Qiao Qiao.

Not only was the lead on Shi Huixin cut off, but she might have also alerted the enemy.

With Elder Qing of Heavenly Fortune self-destructing, the matter was effectively over.

Qiao Mu raised a hand and pressed her slightly aching forehead, murmuring, "Could it be that my initial direction of investigation was completely wrong?"

"Crown Princess," Cai Xiu gently called to her.

Qiao Mu nodded and stepped down from the carriage, looking up at the high palace gates of the Jichen Hall.

Not far away, another carriage approached. Accompanying it were the long-unseen Prince Jianping and his son.

"Crown Princess!" Old Prince Jianping's face twitched involuntarily when he spotted the young girl from afar.

Tch, he wondered if he had developed a psychological shadow. Every time he saw this little Crown Princess, he felt uneasy, as if something important was about to happen.

Qiao Mu glanced at him coolly, then turned and walked towards the steps of Jichen Hall.

A young attendant in green clothes, accompanying the carriage, frowned slightly and grumbled unhappily, "Seeing the Imperial Advisor's carriage, and not even bowing. This Crown Princess is just like the Crown Prince; extremely arrogant and rude."

Prince Jianping's Heir, upon seeing this, quickly whispered, "Don't say anything."

Was this attendant an idiot?

Even he now quickly detoured whenever he saw the Crown Princess.

How would he dare to provoke this fierce girl again?

The Imperial Advisor, in a white robe with his dark hair loosely falling to his waist, slowly stepped down from his carriage.

His eyes, full of wisdom, briefly observed Qiao Mu.