Just as the two of them were about to leave, Mu Xueshi suddenly stopped in his tracks. He seemed to have spotted something, and his mouth drooped as though he were about to burst into tears.
“What is it?” the Third Prince asked with some concern.
Mu Xueshi pointed toward a patch of grass in the distance and said with a mournful expression, “H-He’s here again.”
Before the Third Prince could react, a small figure came running toward them. He paused briefly when he saw the Third Prince, but the moment he spotted Mu Xueshi, he charged over excitedly.
“Uncle Mu! Uncle Mu!”
So excited that he practically exploded with joy, Su Ying launched himself onto Mu Xueshi’s waist like a koala.
Mu Xueshi set him down and patted his head, forcing a smile as he said, “Su Ying, Uncle has important business to take care of today. I can’t play with you. Why don’t you go back and find your father?”
Su Ying shook his head firmly. Blinking his large eyes, he said, “I won’t cause trouble for Uncle.”
Like hell you won’t! Mu Xueshi thought to himself. Of course, he couldn’t let that show on his face and still had to maintain the image of a kind and approachable elder.
“But Uncle is going to look at corpses today. Do you know what corpses are? Dead people. Dead people smell awful, and there are flies everywhere. You’ll be stunk to death.”
“Su Ying isn’t afraid. Hehe…” Su Ying giggled as he went to hug Mu Xueshi’s leg again.
Mu Xueshi silently wiped away a cold sweat. Then he remembered there was someone else standing nearby. Surely Su Ying listened to what the Third Prince said, right? With that thought, he turned a pleading look toward the Third Prince, only to discover that the man’s expression had become terrible, as though he had transformed into a completely different person.
“Su Ying.”
Hearing his name called, Su Ying immediately turned around. The moment he looked up and saw who it was, his little arms slowly loosened their grip on Mu Xueshi.
“Leave this place,” the Third Prince said coldly.
Before Su Ying could respond, Mu Xueshi hurriedly interjected, “Don’t talk to him like that. He’s still a child, and he’s so adorable…”
“If you like him so much, you can leave with him.”
Hearing the icy tone in the Third Prince’s voice, Mu Xueshi pouted and muttered unhappily, “If you want to drive me away, just say it. The more you tell me to leave, the less I’ll leave. I’m not giving up this wonderful place to some skinny little enchantress…”
Two crystal-clear tears immediately rolled down Su Ying’s cheeks.
Turning around, Su Ying silently walked away. His tiny body swayed from side to side, looking pitiful beyond words.
Unable to bear it, Mu Xueshi hurried over and picked him up.
As he comforted the child, he said to the Third Prince, “Let him come with us. At least consider all the intelligence he provided you. Besides, with you around, Su Ying won’t dare cause any trouble.”
Wiping his tears with his tiny hands, Su Ying sniffled and promised, “Third Imperial Uncle, Su Ying won’t cause trouble.”
The Third Prince still stood there with a dark expression, neither agreeing nor refusing.
Mu Xueshi set Su Ying down and walked over. Stopping beside the Third Prince, he leaned forward with a determined and utterly selfless expression and planted a loud kiss on the man’s cheek.
“Haha! You didn’t refuse me, so that means you agreed.”
Making a face at the Third Prince, Mu Xueshi took Su Ying’s hand and started walking ahead.
The faint fragrance left behind by Mu Xueshi lingered on the Third Prince’s cheek. Breathing it in felt like a medicine for the heart, softening something inside him and making it impossible to say no.
When they arrived at the mortuary of Linhan Palace, a wave of cold air rushed toward them. Mu Xueshi shivered involuntarily.
Su Ying shrank his neck as well and said to Mu Xueshi, “Uncle, Su Ying is cold.”
Shivering himself, Mu Xueshi scooped Su Ying into his arms and replied through chattering teeth, “Su Ying, don’t be afraid. Uncle is here to protect you.”
“Why would Su Ying be afraid?”
Mu Xueshi froze for a moment at the question. Then he laughed awkwardly and glanced at the Third Prince, who had already walked inside.
Why didn’t he wait for me?
Just as Mu Xueshi was about to step inside, he suddenly saw the Third Prince pull back the cloth covering one of the corpses. His heartbeat instantly accelerated. His feet seemed nailed to the floor, unable to move another step.
“Uncle, why aren’t you going in?” Su Ying tilted his head and looked at him.
Swallowing hard, Mu Xueshi forced a smile. “Uncle is worried you’ll be scared.”
“Su Ying definitely won’t be scared.” Raising his little chin proudly, Su Ying patted his chest.
Mu Xueshi felt as though his legs had frozen solid. Every step left them weak and trembling. After taking only a single step, he had already broken out in a cold sweat.
“Well… Uncle thinks you’ll definitely be scared. Why don’t I take you back first?”
Immediately puffing out his cheeks, Su Ying protested, “Su Ying obviously isn’t afraid! Uncle is lying! You just don’t want to bring Su Ying with you!”
“Alright, alright.” Seeing that Su Ying was about to burst into tears again, Mu Xueshi hurriedly soothed him. “How about this? To keep Su Ying warm, and to keep Uncle warm too—and of course your Third Imperial Uncle as well—Uncle needs to go back and get some extra clothes. You stay here and wait for Uncle. Uncle will be right back…”
Watching Mu Xueshi’s desperate attempt to flee, the Third Prince suddenly barked out an order.
“Mu Xueshi.”
Mu Xueshi turned around and forced out a sheepish laugh before shuffling inside.
“So you’re not cold after all? I thought you were cold. I was just going back to get some clothes for you.”
“If you’re afraid even to look at a corpse, how are you supposed to investigate cases in the future?” the Third Prince said, his tone carrying a trace of reprimand.
“I’m not afraid. I’m just cold.” Mu Xueshi rubbed his arms.
Pulling Mu Xueshi to his side, the Third Prince took hold of his hand and discovered that it was drenched in sweat.
Embarrassed, Mu Xueshi lowered his head and said nothing more. Yet after being held by the Third Prince, he quickly stopped feeling cold.
When Su Ying saw the two of them holding hands, and remembered that his own father wasn’t around, jealousy immediately flared up. He ran over and grabbed Mu Xueshi’s other hand.
The Third Prince lifted another cloth, revealing two nearly identical corpses.
“Waaaah!” Su Ying suddenly cried out.
Mu Xueshi instantly crouched down and, with trembling lips, comforted him. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Uncle is here.”
“Su Ying isn’t scared… isn’t scared… Uncle… Uncle is squeezing Su Ying’s hand too hard! Waaaah…”
Startled, Mu Xueshi quickly released Su Ying’s hand and discovered red marks already pressed into the child’s skin.
Futile Devices Scans 
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