Zhang Lie continued questioning the ninth prince. "Why did you seem so upset on your way back here? Isn't it a good thing that you're establishing a relationship with the crown prince?"

"Master, you know what happened in court?"

Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I was right in the palace—what do you think?"

In his mind, the ninth prince praised his master for being so skilled at stealth that he could eavesdrop on the court's affairs without being caught.

He took a deep breath and replied, "I wanted to take down the Wang clan or to damage my third brother's standing somehow, but in the end, I was unable to accomplish anything. I saw Wang Jian try to kill me with my own eyes, and I even possessed the murder weapon—but...