Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 887: Chapter 30: Suspecting the Mynah (Part 2)

The wolf cub is very small, looking like it has just passed its first month. It has a pair of moist eyes, pathetically gazing at Zhao Yao. Its snow-white body, slightly trembling in Zhao Yao’s hands, looks miserably pitiful.

Zhao Yao was charmed by the poor, helpless, and weak wolf cub, held it in his arms, and soothingly patted its head.

The wolf cub obediently lay in Zhao Yao’s arms, quickly losing its fear. It liked the scent on Zhao Yao, which smelled nice, felt comfortable, and was reassuring.

Zhao Yao squatted down, reaching out to pinch General Hu’s right ear, speaking sternly, "Did you snatch this wolf cub or pick it up?"

"Picked up."

"Is it really picked up?" Zhao Yao was somewhat skeptical, "You didn’t snatch it?"

General Hu felt wronged by Zhao Yao’s suspicions: [Yao Yao, didn’t you instruct us not to snatch other animals’ cubs? How would we dare snatch a wolf cub? We really picked it up.]

Standing on Zhao Yao’s desk, Xiao Jin nodded repeatedly: [Yao Yao, we are very obedient and would never snatch other creatures’ cubs.]

Zhao Yao asked, "How did you pick it up, and where did you find it?"

General Hu gently explained: [We found it in the woods; it was the only cub when we saw it.]

Xiao Jin followed up with General Hu’s words: [We were afraid the cub might get separated from the mother wolf, so we specifically waited for the mother wolf to come find it. In the end, after waiting for half the day, no mother wolf came, and that’s when we brought it back.]

"Alright, I believe you." Zhao Yao heard the wolf cub whimpering, as if hungry, and called Tong Xi in.

Tong Xi, upon seeing General Hu, couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Cautiously, he walked past General Hu to Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao handed the wolf cub to him, instructing him to take the cub to find a sheep for milk.

Tong Xi was shocked by Zhao Yao’s request, incredulous, "Your Highness, this is a wolf, you want it to drink sheep’s milk?"

Zhao Yao glared at Tong Xi, irritated, "Is there any other milk for it to drink aside from sheep’s?"

"I fear the sheep might be scared to death by the wolf cub." Tong Xi, remembering a dog kept at the Prince Mansion, quickly said, "Your Highness, Da Huang can feed the wolf cub." Da Huang was a female dog; the wolf cub resembled dogs, Da Huang should not be afraid nor mind feeding the wolf cub milk.

"Then let Da Huang be the wolf cub’s mother."

As soon as Tong Xi stretched out his hand to take the wolf cub, he was bitten hard. Fortunately, the wolf cub’s milk teeth were not sharp, the bite wasn’t too painful, nor did it break the skin.

"Your Highness, it bit me!" He had clearly seen the wolf cub being very gentle in His Highness’s arms, how come it turned aggressive when in his hands?

"It’s a wolf, isn’t it normal for it to bite you?"

Tong Xi: "..." Valid point; he couldn’t argue.

"The wolf cub is hungry, hurry and take it to get milk."

Tong Xi dared not delay, hurriedly taking the wolf cub to find Da Huang.

After Tong Xi left, Zhao Yao said to Xiao Jin: "You go back to the capital."

Xiao Jin tilted its head, its little eyes filled with confusion: [Go back to the capital for what?]

"Help me investigate some matters." Zhao Yao harbored doubts about the deposed Crown Prince’s death, "When you return to the capital, first find Lingyun, ask about the deposed Crown Prince’s death. If Lingyun doesn’t know, then ask Little Qing beside Prince Jing. If Little Qing also doesn’t know, then go to the Royal Mansion and ask the other birds, they might know something."

Although Xiao Jin was a golden eagle, its intelligence was remarkably high. It understood everything Zhao Yao instructed.

[Then I might as well fly directly to the Royal Mansion to ask, then go ask Lingyun and Little Qing.]

"That works too, it’s up to you." Zhao Yao continued, "When you return, gather information about the capital affairs. Once you’ve gathered enough, have the pigeons fly back and inform me." Although pigeons were clever as well, they were too conspicuous. If they appeared at a certain minister’s house, they would definitely be caught; even if not caught, they’d be killed.

Zhao Yao raised many pigeons, some of which were left in the capital, specially kept by the Liang Family, while others traveled with him to Lingnan.

The corruption and clandestine activities of officials and chieftains in Lingnan’s prefectures were not only uncovered by spies but also overheard by some of the small animals Zhao Yao kept.

Xiao Jin flapped its wings saying: [Don’t worry, leave it to me.]

Zhao Yao reached out to pat Xiao Jin’s head and said with a smile, "I trust you when handling things."

Hearing Zhao Yao’s words, Xiao Jin felt immense pride.

Zhao Yao specifically reminded, "Oh, don’t let Mother Consort and Father Emperor find out you went back to the capital."

Xiao Jin confidently said: [I won’t let anyone discover me.]

Zhao Yao lightly patted Xiao Jin’s little head, "You can set off now."

[Then I’m off.] Xiao Jin didn’t hesitate, flapped its wings, and flew away, disappearing swiftly into the night.

General Hu looked at Zhao Yao with eager anticipation: [Yao Yao, what about me? Any task for me?]

Seeing General Hu’s eager expression, Zhao Yao patted its big head, "You don’t have any task."

Hearing this, General Hu was immediately displeased, angrily stomping its front paws.

[Why don’t I have a task?] It loved doing tasks the most.

"Now, there isn’t a suitable task for you." Zhao Yao coaxed, "When there’s a task fit for you, I’ll definitely let you undertake it."

General Hu huffed angrily.

"Alright, I’ll take you to freshen up, then allow you to sleep in bed with me tonight."

The originally upset General Hu instantly perked up upon hearing this, immediately standing up, rubbing its big, fluffy head against Zhao Yao’s legs.

[Yao Yao is the best.]

Seeing General Hu’s flattering manner, Zhao Yao chuckled, rubbing its big face.

"You smell strongly of blood, need a good wash." Usually, General Hu foraged in the woods for food on its own, not needing Zhao Yao to feed it especially.

Zhao Yao felt that since General Hu was a tiger, it shouldn’t be kept in captivity, needing its wildness preserved, so after arriving at Swamp Prefecture, he seldom fed it.

Only Zhao Yao was allowed to be close to General Hu, meaning only Zhao Yao, its master, could bathe it. After washing and drying its body, Zhao Yao felt his old waist nearly broke from fatigue.

Once clean, General Hu happily climbed onto Zhao Yao’s bed, unabashedly occupying more than half of it.

[Yao Yao, come up quickly, let’s sleep together.]

Zhao Yao shook his head with a laugh, then climbed into bed, sleeping next to General Hu.

General Hu lay on Zhao Yao’s chest, tightly hugging its owner with all four paws. Soon, it fell asleep.

While gently stroking General Hu’s head, Zhao Yao pondered the deposed Crown Prince’s death.

Compared to Prince Dai and Prince Jing, he deeply suspected it was Bawang. Only Bawang could secretly kill the whole family of his elder brother. Moreover, Bawang had motives to kill his elder brother.

He also suspected one person, Father Emperor!

Although it’s said that tigers don’t eat their cubs, this saying didn’t apply to Father Emperor. Sacrificing a son for the sake of the Great Zhou’s throne wasn’t a big deal.