Your Highness, please stop chasing me.

Mu Xue felt exhausted, but still said, "Now, everyone in Yu Nan City knows that I am mentally challenged, incompetent in both literature and martial arts, and penniless. The Mu family has been controlled by a concubine for many years. Even if no one says it outright, it is an open secret. If the scars are unusual, then it proves that I have nothing to do with it."

Without waiting for Shen Ji to ask, Mu Xue continued, "First, I can't write, so it's impossible for me to think of writing a letter to threaten Jiang Xirou. Second, I've just recovered from my mental illness, and my body is still healing, so I don't have the martial arts skills to take action. Third, no one in the Mu family listens to me, and the people around me are either old or young, so none of them have the ability to do it. Fourth, and most importantly, I have no money. Even if I wanted to hire an assassin, I don't have the means."

At this point, Mu Xue paused, waiting for Shen Ji's reaction.

Shen Ji slapped his thigh and laughed, "That's right, that's right. You're absolutely right. Leave this to me, I'll definitely handle it perfectly for you."

Seeing that he understood, Mu Xue smiled and said, "Then thank you in advance, Young Marquis."

Shen Ji waved his hand dismissively and said, "Don't be so polite. You're Mu Lao Er's sister, it's only right that I help you. Besides, we're business partners now, I can't just stand by and watch you die."

Mu Xue: Thank you.

"I'll go back and make the arrangements right away. Wait for my news at the manor." After Shen Ji finished speaking, he knocked on the carriage wall. The coachman drove the carriage to the entrance of an alley and stopped. Shen Ji then flashed out of the carriage and disappeared.

The coachman had already driven away when Muxue arrived at the yamen gate. He was Aunt An's man and had received a message from her that Muxue did not believe she could leave the yamen.

Mu Xue thought to herself, "Enduring isn't enough; I must develop my own people as soon as possible."

"Fifth Miss, I'll escort you back to your residence." The coachman was one of Shen Ji's men.

"Thank you for your trouble." Mu Xue closed her eyes to rest.

Shen Ji returned to Dongfang and found Ye Shangyuan, whereupon he vividly recounted what had just happened. When he mentioned Mu Xue's analysis, Ye Shangyuan nodded repeatedly.

I remember when we first met at Meishiju, Ye Shangyuan didn't have a good impression of Mu Xue. The capital was full of noble ladies, but she had none of the poise and manners that a noble lady should have.

After their last meeting, he felt that she should be like that—free, easygoing, and unrestrained.

Ye Shangyuan pondered for a moment: "Ye Yi, go investigate."

"Yes." A dark figure flew onto the roof and disappeared.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I didn't expect you to care so much about Mu Xiaowu's affairs, little Yuanyuan," Shen Ji teased.

Ye Shangyuan ignored him, walked to the table, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote a letter. Shen Ji curiously followed and came over to read it.

"Oh my, even our ruthless regent has his gentle moments," Shen Ji said with a chuckle.

Shen Ji was quite surprised. He never expected that Ye Shangyuan would write a letter so rarely, just to deliver a message from Mu Xue to someone in the palace.

The letter contained only one sentence: "Fifth Miss of the Mu Family, protect."

This means having someone secretly protect Mu Xue and ensure her safety.

Ye Shangyuan ignored him, blew on the ink to dry it, handed it to Shen Ji, picked up the teacup and said, "The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has toiled for my Xiyu Kingdom for half their lives. Now General Mu and the eldest son are guarding the border, enduring wind and rain. Asheng has not returned for three years because of my health. Now his own sister was plotted against and almost lost her life. How can I stand idly by?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Ji also put away his smile and said seriously, "The Mu family only has one legitimate daughter, Mu Xue, and a concubine is in charge. This matter is clearly someone trying to cut off the Mu family's main branch. But to ruin Mu Xiaowu's reputation, isn't that a bit too vicious for a little girl?"

Ye Shangyuan was silent for a moment, then glanced at Shen Ji: "Over the years, haven't you and I seen enough of this kind of thing?"

Perhaps, Mu Xue has always been foolish, which may not be a bad thing for her.

Shen Ji also fell silent.

This might not be common among ordinary people, but it probably happens every day in the backyards of wealthy families.

Ye Shangyuan patted Shen Ji on the shoulder and said, "Protect her before General Mu returns. At least when Mu Sheng comes back, he has to see her alive."

Shen Jiyi choked.

Mu Xue: Hehe, thank you so much.

This man is clueless about romance, case closed.

With the secret help of Ye Shangyuan and Shen Ji, the cause of Jiang Xirou's death was quickly determined in just one night.

The official notice stated that Jiang Xirou was killed by a martial arts assassin, and that the assassin had no connection with the fifth young lady of the Mu family.

That's enough. The rest is no longer Mu Xue's concern.

In the prefect's backyard, Chen Li was in a state of utter distress.

He was feeling troubled by Shen Ji's sudden appearance.

Although Shen Ji does not hold an official position, the fact that he is addressed as "Young Marquis" shows his high status in the Dingbei Marquis's mansion.

Chen Li cursed Wang Minghong in his heart. Everyone knew Shen Ji's name; he was known as the number one playboy in the capital.

With Shen Ji involved, it seems the job of Prince Jing's heir is going to be difficult.

Just as Chen Li was racking his brains for a solution, Mo Shijie arrived under the cover of night.

In Chen Li's residence, in the study.

"Lord Chen, you didn't handle this matter well," he said with a hint of threat. Remembering his father's words, he continued, "However, it's not entirely your fault. Who would have thought that Shen Ji would have the leisure to come to Yu Nan City, and that he would just happen to run into him?"

"Yes, yes, it's good that Your Highness doesn't blame me. I never expected that Miss Mu would be able to befriend someone like the young marquis." Chen Li wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Who could that idiot know? She's only getting this far thanks to her second brother, Mu Sheng. He and Shen Ji were students at Lishan Academy back then, so they have some connection," Mo Shijie said dismissively.

Outsiders say that Prince Jing's heir is gentle and refined, but those who are close to him know that it is just a persona he has created.

Seeing that Chen Li's attitude was good, he nodded in satisfaction: "Since Mu Xue escaped this time, we can't ruin her reputation through this incident. Let's plan this further."

Seeing that Mo Shijie did not hold a grudge against him, Chen Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Remembering Jiang Xirou who was still in the morgue, he asked, "Young Master, what should we do about the Jiang family?"

Mo Shijie glared at Chen Li, walked to a chair and sat down, saying, "Do I need to teach you something so trivial? This Baifu Tea House has been in disrepair for years, so it's normal for accidents to happen."

Chen Li suddenly realized, and he smiled obsequiously, "Your Highness, don't worry. This time there will definitely be no mistakes."

The next day, Mu Xue got up early, got ready, and took Su Su to Dongfang. However, Wu Ying said that Ye Shangyuan and Shen Jitian had left the city before dawn. Mu Xue had no choice but to return disappointed, as she had originally planned to thank them in person.

On the way back, I heard that Baifu Tea House had caught fire last night.

The fire was so large that it affected the surrounding residents, and it took the government and the fire department most of the night to put it out.

I heard that Boss Jiang was unable to escape and was found dead inside the house after being crushed by a falling roof beam.

Mu Xue could only sigh when she heard this. Based on her understanding of Mo Shijie, Boss Jiang could not possibly be alive; only the dead can keep their mouths shut.