Chapter 589: Chapter 588: 588: Going with the Flow

In fact, the moment the man took out the small gong, Jiang Ning began to doubt his identity.

His figure, his gait, the tone of his speech, all seemed familiar to her.

The one who would come to Mu Jian’s house at midnight must have been someone with a close relationship to him.

As for friend or foe, she would test him and find out.

Li Hongyuan coldly snorted, released her, and straightened his clothes, “You deliberately fell.”

“I was really scared by you,” Jiang Ning said with a giggle, “as for falling, it was just a natural outcome. If you were on my side, you would definitely have caught me.”

“What if I were your enemy? Would you not be afraid of breaking both legs again?”

“No,” Jiang Ning lifted her chin towards Gucheng, “with Gucheng here, he would catch me.”

Li Hongyuan glanced at the silent Gucheng and said lightly, “You seem to trust him completely.”

“I always have absolute trust in those around me,” Jiang Ning said intentionally or unintentionally, “Isn’t Your Highness the same to those around you?”

“Trust those who serve me.”

“Is it?” Jiang Ning laughed and looked around, “Then, what are you here for? Instead of sleeping the night away in the East Palace, the noble Crown Prince comes all the way to my subordinate’s home, could it be to help the poor?”

Li Hongyuan’s expression was unchanging, “I should be the one asking you that. Jiang Ning, shouldn’t you have returned to the palace with the child in the evening? Instead, you come to my subordinate’s house at this moment. I am afraid no one would believe you are not a thief.”

“Did my father not ask for leave for me?”

“What leave? Do you think the East Palace is your workplace?”

“Alright, I don’t want to argue with you.” Jiang Ning shook off his hand, “Li Hongyuan, why don’t we have a candid conversation instead of guessing each other’s intentions; aren’t you tired?”

“Fine. Speak.” Li Hongyuan folded his arms, making a gesture of attentive listening.

Jiang Ning thought for a moment, took a letter out of her bosom, and handed it to him, “Look at this first.”

Li Hongyuan took the letter, glanced at it, and his expression didn’t change.

“You should recognize whose handwriting this is.”

“Of course.”

Li Hongyuan and Mu Jian had grown up together, they had known each other for ten years, so how could he not recognize Mu Jian’s handwriting?

Jiang Ning handed another letter to him, “Now look at this one.”

Li Hongyuan took it and glanced at it again.

It was obvious that these were letters written to two different people, as the tone was completely different.

The age of the letter paper was also different.

Jiang Ning said, “The first letter was found in Denghua, a palace maid from Concubine Jin’s side. As for the second letter, it was a letter I had coaxed Mu Jian into writing.”

Li Hongyuan said lightly, “If you wanted to know whether it was his handwriting or not, why not just ask me directly?”

Jiang Ning laughed, “Naturally, it’s because you don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. How would I know if it wasn’t you who instructed Mu Jian to seduce the palace maids by Concubine Jin’s side and poison her?”

“Do you think I would poison my own birth mother?”

“It doesn’t seem to be you now,” Jiang Ning smiled, “I like to work with evidence, and acting on emotions is not advisable. Since Concubine Jin passed away, Your Highness the Crown Prince has been investigating, but besides imprisoning me in the East Palace, you don’t seem to have done anything else. Can I ask Your Highness, what have you found out?”

Li Hongyuan stared at her for a moment and slowly said, “I found out that Mu Jian has had contact with the Jiang Family.”