Ji Youzhi was utterly shocked upon hearing this.
"The next day, he beca the young master of the Minister’s Mansion?"
He repeated the question, and Ah Da Niu nodded.
"Yes, the very next day!"
"Are you sure?"
Ji Youzhi pressed on once more.
"I’m certain. That night, the fire at the Prince’s Mansion was enormous. There were many people fighting the fire, including nearby residents, governnt officials, and even the local patrol."
"But after the fire was out, everyone was utterly exhausted. Old Chu and I, being drifters, went to the Temple for charity porridge, so we headed there."
"At the temple, we had a hearty al and slept inside until the afternoon when we woke up with growling stomachs. So we went into the city to beg and reached the Ping’an Pharmacy. From afar, we saw a few people mysteriously holding a child getting into a carriage."
"You’re not telling that child was the heir of the Prince’s Mansion, are you?"
After Ji Youzhi heard this and saw he fell silent, he urged further.
"Yes!"
"Even though they were very cautious and wrapped the child tightly, when the wind blew, the cloak covering the child exposed a corner, and I saw half of his face!
That child was the heir of the Prince’s Mansion, knocked out and taken away from the fire scene!"
Ji Youzhi: "How can you be sure that child was the heir of the Prince’s Mansion?"
"I recognized him; he was a kind-hearted child from the Prince’s Mansion who had once given food!"
"I recognized him at a glance. Later, I discreetly followed the carriage, not daring to get too close, but at one point, soone got out, and coincidentally, I knew that person!"
"Who got out of the carriage?" Ji Youzhi hurriedly asked.
"It was soone I never would have expected!"
"Who?"
"Minister Lu!"
Ji Youzhi’s eyes widened sharply, "Are you certain it was Minister Lu?"
The day after the Prince’s Mansion caught fire, the child appeared in Minister Lu’s ho.
No, there’s more to this, sothing devised long ago, and now also a new intrigue!"
"I’m sure. We beggars rely mainly on our sharp eyes. Minister Lu is a good person. We often go to beg at the mansion, and if there are leftover als, the cooklady would intentionally save so for us.
Occasionally, we would even encounter Minister Lu on his way ho from the office. Seeing us cold and hungry, he would give us a few pieces of silver to get a decent al!"
Ji Youzhi knew that Minister Lu had a good reputation at the court.
"Continue!"
"In the past, we saw Minister Lu as kind and gentle, a great and good man.
But that early spring afternoon twelve years ago, after seeing Minister Lu step out of the vehicle, he made feel afraid."
"What happened that day?" Ji Youzhi asked calmly.
Ah Da Niu slowly lifted his head, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
But that confusion lasted only a fleeting mont.
Very quickly, the confusion disappeared.
Ah Da Niu continued to speak softly.
"The mont Minister Lu stepped out of the carriage, I saw a terrifying expression on his face, sothing that chilled to the bone."
Ji Youzhi: "What did Minister Lu do after getting off?"
"He stepped off in front of Zhiwei Restaurant, personally buying an almond-flavored pastry. At that ti, I heard Xiao Er say, ’The almond-flavored pastries are children’s favorite, they sell out fast. If you co later, there might be none left.’ He then smiled happily and lovingly, saying, ’This is my son’s favorite flavor too.’"
Ji Youzhi listened carefully and caught the useful information.
"Is that why, later on, when the governnt officials found you, you didn’t tell the truth?"
"Yes, and no. What truly terrified was when I discreetly followed a bit more to confirm my suspicions and discovered his coachman."
"Coachman?"
Ji Youzhi recalled a barely noticeable person who was very quiet.
He couldn’t rember much else.
"Yes, the coachman. On the hand of the one who knocked out the heir before the fire, there was a scar identical to the one on Minister Lu’s coachman’s hand!"
"Scar?"
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