Yuwen Tao was nearly forty, with thick brows, bright eyes, and an imposing bearing. He spoke directly and with a strong, resonant voice. The Third Prince could not understand how Grand Tutor Mu, an elegant and talented scholar, had become close friends with someone who looked so much like a martial man.
Still, Yuwen Tao’s straightforward manner reminded the Third Prince faintly of Mu Xueshi, who also rushed headlong into everything and rarely concealed what he felt.
Noticing the slight smile near the Third Prince’s eyes, Yuwen Tao could not help asking, “Has Your Highness thought of some clue? In my view, Young Master Xue is not a cruel man. He has always been quiet and solitary, but he has followed the rules since childhood. He usually keeps to himself and rarely quarrels with anyone.”
The Third Prince showed no expression. Yuwen Tao spoke at length, but aside from the brief instant when the prince thought of Mu Xueshi and his gaze softened, he remained cold throughout, making Yuwen Tao more agitated the longer he talked.
“Using Mu Xueshi’s temperament alone to clear him of suspicion seems rather weak, does it not?” the Third Prince said deliberately.
Yuwen Tao sighed heavily at that, clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles creaked.
“I think it was Wu Cai! That man has a strange temper and often torments innocent servants. Everyone in the manor resents him. Only Brother Mu ever protected him. And now, before Brother Mu’s bones are even cold, he is already running around chasing pleasure. A man like that deserves a thousand cuts.”
With that, Yuwen Tao slammed a hand down on the table with a loud bang.
The Third Prince glanced at him and said as though he had barely listened, “Everyone in the manor knows that Mu Xueshi argued with the Grand Tutor before the incident. And when the Grand Tutor died, someone saw Mu Xueshi in his room. Even if he did not commit the murder himself, standing by while a man died would still be a crime.”
Yuwen Tao’s face flushed red as he argued hoarsely, “But the only person who claimed to see him was Wu Cai! We cannot rely on Wu Cai’s word alone…”
Before he could finish, a servant suddenly reported from outside that something had happened to Mu Xueshi.
At those words, the Third Prince’s legendary composure failed him. He sprang to his feet, and by the time Yuwen Tao looked toward the door, the prince was already gone.
When the Third Prince reached the study and saw what was happening, he immediately relaxed and made no move to intervene.
Mu Xueshi was currently sitting astride Wu Cai and pounding his fists against the man’s chest. His eyes burned with fury, lips pressed tight and teeth clenched as though the two shared some deep hatred.
Wu Cai was more than a pretty face. Though he looked delicate, he moved far more nimbly. Mu Xueshi’s body was weak to begin with, and before long Wu Cai reversed their positions and landed a punch on Mu Xueshi’s face, drawing a miserable cry from him.
Wu Cai was the one who stopped first. The moment he did, Mu Xueshi assumed he had become afraid and started swinging his fists wildly at him again.
Only when Wu Cai began acting strangely did Mu Xueshi turn his head and see the Third Prince standing there with a dark expression.
Mu Xueshi froze. After thinking quickly, he put on an aggrieved, innocent look and limped over to the Third Prince. Grabbing the prince’s arm, he complained, “Have someone teach him a lesson! Use the same board you used on me last time. He even dared hit someone who belongs to you!”
The moment the words left his mouth, a heavy slap landed on Mu Xueshi’s backside. The Third Prince’s palm was no gentler than the board, and Mu Xueshi nearly jumped off the ground.
“Why are you hitting me?” Mu Xueshi protested. “He’s an outsider! I’m your own person! Why are you taking his side?”
Mu Xueshi deliberately puffed himself up and breathed angrily. When the Third Prince still did not react, he gritted his teeth. “I see through you now! So this is how you treat me! Hmph! Hmph!”
A cold glint flashed in the Third Prince’s eyes. The moment Mu Xueshi saw it, he hurriedly changed his tone and gave an awkward laugh. “Actually, it’s nothing. I was only teasing you. I knew you wouldn’t really ignore me.”
Then Mu Xueshi pointed at Wu Cai and stubbornly continued his complaint. “He was the one who started trouble with me!”
Wu Cai showed no fear as he answered, “I did not deliberately cause trouble for the young master. Today, the moment he arrived, he broke a glass lantern and two small jade hanging vases in the main hall, all of which the late master treasured. He tasted every dish prepared in the kitchen for the master’s memorial, threw the long-handled carved gold-and-jade wine ladle into the grass and broke it in two, and completely disrupted the snow-array maze map the master kept in the rear chamber, ruining the formation and making it difficult to restore. And that is not all. Just now in the study, I caught the young master secretly slipping a book into his sleeve to take out of the manor. May I ask what exactly the young master intends?”