Chapter 9

Ever since Prince Jing, Li Jin, solved the case, he hadn’t mentioned the meal expenses he’d promised to cover. It didn’t matter to him—but it mattered a great deal to Jin Shu.

Debt collectors had already blocked the entrance to her old home. She’d only managed to pack a few essentials before taking Jin Rong to stay at Liu Cheng’an’s residence temporarily. At the moment, she was completely penniless. Even her food and drink these past few days had been provided out of Madam Liu’s generosity. She watched the two men before her chatting away about the case, not mentioning money at all. Growing anxious, she tugged at her sleeve and frowned.

“The case is solved, and I’ll soon be on my way,” Li Jin said, glancing at Jin Shu with a smile as he gently blew the foam off his tea.

“Your Highness, we’re grateful for your help—without you, we couldn’t have solved it so quickly,” Liu Cheng’an chimed in.

Seeing that even Liu Cheng’an wasn’t going to bring up the money, Jin Shu couldn’t hold back. “Your Highness, you’re leaving so soon?”

Li Jin raised an eyebrow. “Should I not?”

“Wouldn’t you… stay a few more days to enjoy the scenery?” Jin Shu asked, conflicted, debating whether to speak up.

Li Jin saw through her little scheme and feigned ignorance. “No need. I spent half a day sightseeing and found a corpse. If I stay longer, I fear Lord Liu won’t be able to handle it.”

“Oh, Your Highness, what a thing to say! Dingzhou has plenty of beautiful places to visit,” Liu Cheng’an added.

The two of them were clearly dodging the topic. Jin Shu finally stepped forward and said bluntly, “Your Highness, you’re going back on your word.”

Liu Cheng’an froze, heart racing, and glanced nervously at Li Jin, whose smile had faded slightly.

“Oh? What makes you say that, Master Jin?” Li Jin asked, looking directly at her.

“Your Highness clearly said that if the case was solved, you’d pay for the meal. Did you not?”

“I did.”

“Then Your Highness is going back on your word…” Jin Shu stopped herself from saying “scoundrel” aloud, swallowing the words as she met his gaze.

“I have a younger brother to support. He’s starting school next month, and the teacher is already asking for tuition.”

“Now the debt collectors have taken my family home. Forget tuition—I’m living off Lord Liu’s generosity just to eat.”

“If Your Highness is true to your word, then please settle the bill so I can redeem my home and pay for my brother’s schooling.”

The room fell silent.

Liu Cheng’an’s heart pounded. He glanced at Li Jin, terrified Jin Shu had just poked the tiger.

But Li Jin remained calm, sipping his tea slowly.

“I did say that once the culprit was caught, I’d pay for the meal,” he said with a chuckle, setting down his cup. Jin Shu’s expression shifted from surprise to joy. Then came the cold splash: “But I never said I’d pay it all at once.”

Jin Shu’s face froze. “If Your Highness doesn’t pay in full, how will I get my house back? How will Rong’er go to school?”

The study was filled with the scent of incense, and peach blossoms bloomed in the courtyard.

Li Jin nodded knowingly, annoyingly smug. He flicked open his fan and said seriously, “Don’t worry, Master Jin. Hear me out.” He smiled and laid out the “main course” he’d been preparing for days.

“I believe Jin Rong is gifted. Staying in a small place like Dingzhou might hold him back. Why not send him to a private academy in the capital?”

Knowing how much she cared for her brother, Li Jin dangled the bait. Then, before she could respond, he added, “And with your talent, Master Jin, staying in Dingzhou is a waste. Why not come to the capital and apprentice under a senior coroner?”

The moment “Six Gates” was mentioned, Liu Cheng’an panicked more than Jin Shu. “No! That won’t do…”

Joining the Six Gates meant verifying one’s identity. If Jin Shu’s gender was exposed, both their lives would be at risk. Before he could finish, Li Jin snapped his fan shut and tapped Liu Cheng’an’s hand. “It’s just to study.”

He raised an eyebrow and said mockingly, “With that bean sprout frame, you’d only slow us down. Who’d want you?”

“Ah?” Liu Cheng’an turned to Jin Shu, stunned.

Li Jin smiled at her. “If you accept, the meal cost will be folded into your monthly salary—paid in installments. If not…”

She waited, but he never finished the sentence. Fine. If she refused, she’d have to figure it out herself.

Jin Shu clenched her teeth, mentally rolling her eyes to the heavens. She hadn’t expected this spoiled prince to offer installment payments.

Seeing her hesitation, Li Jin twirled his fan and added, “There’s a special division within the Six Gates. Members are handpicked by me and exempt from standard vetting.” He watched her closely. “If you agree, you’ll answer only to me. Without my command or written order, no one can force you to work. You can refuse anything you don’t want to do.”

The offer was tempting. Jin Shu frowned and glanced at Liu Cheng’an, whose face was full of worry. She was grateful for his help over the years, but it had become increasingly risky for the Liu family. If she accepted Li Jin’s protection and remained cautious, even if her identity was exposed one day, she could shield the Liu family from harm.

As if reading her thoughts, Liu Cheng’an sighed deeply. He knew this was the last thing he could do for his late friend. But he didn’t expect Jin Shu’s response: “If Your Highness insists on installments, fine. But if this money were in a bank, I’d be charging six percent monthly interest.”

Liu Cheng’an was stunned.

Li Jin was stunned.

Even Zhou Zheng, silent until now, widened his eyes.

Across all of Great Wei, no one else would dare negotiate terms like this with the prince.

“Well… Your Highness didn’t clarify the payment terms. That’s misleading. And with capital prices so high, I have no contacts, no place to stay, and need to buy everything from scratch. Without seven percent interest, it’s not feasible.”

The study fell into an eerie silence. In all his years, Li Jin had never met someone who haggled like this. After a long pause, he pursed his lips and nodded, impressed. “Eight percent. I’ll pay you eight percent monthly. Deal?”