Chapter 14: Investigation and resolution

Li Imperial Palace

"Why isn't the police here yet? What's taking him so long?" Emperor Li Jun asked questionably.

"Don't be so impatient, your majesty! Sorry for my tardiness!" Ying Jie said greeting the emperor.

" It's you?" the emperor shouted surprisingly.

"Why are you so surprised to see me, your majesty?" Ying Jie asked the emperor questionably.

"Why are you here? Did she come too?" the emperor answered the question with another question.

"By she, are you referring to Ying Yue?" Ying Jie asked the emperor questionably.

Ying Jie could see how tensed the emperor got after his sister's name was mentioned by him.

" Why do you look so tense, your majesty? Relax! She's not with me today! She won't beat you up!" Ying Jie said comically.

"I was surprised last time, but this won't happen again. I'm waiting for someone. He should be here any minute now. If you're done here, you may take your leave!" the emperor replied frustrated.

"Are you waiting for a police officer perhaps?" Ying Jie asked the emperor questionably.

"How did you guess? Are you a magician?" the emperor asked Ying Jie in stupefaction.

" I wish I was, then my sister wouldn't have to suffer as this" Ying Jie replied sadly.

"You have a sister?" the emperor asked questionably.

"You're slow aren't you? Are you indeed an emperor? You haven't figured it out yet? Ying Jie asked the emperor in a questionable tone.

"What should I have figured out?" the emperor asked confusingly.

" I'm the officer you've been waiting for! Do you understand now?" Ying Jie said comically.

" You don't mean------?" the emperor finally understood what was going on.

"It took you long enough to understand such a simple thing! I'm Police Detective Ying Jie from the MPS Police Station" Ying Jie replied.

"You're an officer? It can't be? Then, Ying Yue is-------------" the emperor reacted shockingly.

" That's correct! Ying Yue is my beloved little sister!" Ying Jie replied.

At that announcement, the emperor was petrified. He remembered yesterday's events and understood why Ying Yue reacted to the officer's call. How couldn't he notice such a simple thing? It was obvious and clear as water, was the emperor thinking along the lines.

" I have no intention of collaborating with you. Send another officer over!" the emperor said regaining his composure.

" Stop acting like a child! I didn't come here of my own accord, believe me. I'm here to conduct an investigation and I won't leave before I do so. You better cooperate with me if you ever want to see your son again" Ying Jie said angrily.

" Are you threatening me?" the emperor asked angrily.

"I'm not threatening anyone here. In contrast, I'm saving your life. If something were to happen to the Crown Prince, Li Wei because of your stubbornness, my sister will enter into a terminal phase that even I, her brother won't be able to prevent the consequences. Yesterday, my sister beat you up, only using five percent of her initial strength. Try guessing what it'll be like if she were to use all her strength on you. You would surely die before you even got the chance to see your son again" Ying Jie said informatively.

" Fine! I'll collaborate with you just this one time" the emperor replied.

"Let's begin! I would like you to gather all the people living in this palace" Ying Jie said in a serious tone.

" What for?" the emperor asked.

" It's part of the investigation process!" Ying Jie replied.

A few minutes later

" I've gathered all of you here for interrogation. All of you will introduce yourselves and tell me what relationship you share with the victim, Prince Li Wei. Who's going first?" Ying Jie asked questionably.

"I'll go first! I'm Princess Li Mei, Emperor Li Jun younger sister, Empress Dowager daughter, and Prince Li Wei aunt" the princess spoke out.

" I'm Empress Dowager, Emperor Li Jun, and Princess Li Mei mother, and Prince Li Wei grandmother" the empress goes second.

"I'm the Emperor of the Li Kingdom, Li Jun, Princess Li Mei elder brother, Empress Dowager son, and Prince Li Wei father," the emperor said sadly.

" I'm the advisor of his majesty, Dong Cong. My job is to be of assistance to his majesty" Advisor Dong Cong said informatively.

"I'm the imperial concubine of his majesty. I'm named Chu Hua" Concubine Chu Hua said in irritation.

" I'm the imperial concubine of his majesty, Lucy Garden," Concubine Lucy Garden said politely.

"I'm the imperial concubine of his majesty. My name is Ah Lam" Concubine Ah Lam said politely.

" I'm the imperial maid of the Li Kingdom. Martha Song is my name" Martha Song said politely.

" Do any of you have any conflicts with Prince Li Wei?" Ying Jie asked questionably.

" I was very hard on my son these past five years. I never tried to understand him and what he has been going through. I didn't see him, not even once. I don't even know what he looks like after five years. I didn't want to bear the memories of my past, so I rejected him. I've committed a terrible sin. Even God won't be able to forgive me for the mistake I've made. I'm a horrible person!" said the emperor sadly.

" Don't be so hard on yourself! Everyone has bad moments and unbearable pain inside their hearts. Thanks for collaborating with me, your majesty! I'll be going now!" Ying Jie said, ready to leave the imperial palace.

" What about Wei? What's going to happen to him?" Princess Li Mei asked questionably.

"We're going to take care of it. Nothing will happen to him. We'll find him! We'll keep you informed of the investigation. Trust us!"Ying Jie said to the princess.

"Thank you! We're counting on you!" Emperor Li Jun said thankfully.

"It's my job as an officer to help those in need. I'm not doing any favors to you, your majesty! See you soon!" Ying Jie said walking away.

"Officer Ying Jie, wait up!" Concubine Ah Lam called out to Ying Jie.

Ying Jie stopped in his steps hearing the young woman's call, waiting for her to catch up to him.

" Concubine Ah Lam, am I right?" Ying Jie asked the concubine.

" You remembered my name!" Concubine Ah Lam said happily.

" Do you need something, Concubine Ah Lam?" Ying Jie asked the concubine questionably.

" Bring Prince Wei back home safe and sound!" the concubine said begging.

"Does Ying Yue know how deeper you love Prince Li Wei?" Ying Jie suddenly asked the concubine.

"I'm concerned about his majesty! I don't want him to be in any kind of pain" the concubine replied concerned.

"Do you always hide your feelings like this?" Ying Jie asked Concubine Ah Lam in a questionable tone.

Ying Household

At home, Ying Yue phoned her big brother who was still at work.

"Hello, brother! Do you happen to have some clues on Wei's whereabouts?" I asked my brother questionably.

...

" I went to the Li Imperial Kingdom and came back to the police station just now" Ying Jie replied from the other phone line.

"Why did you go there?" I suddenly asked my brother.

" I went there for a police investigation," Ying Jie replied.

" Police Investigation? You mean------------?" I asked understanding everything.

"That's right! I'll be the one taking on, Prince Li Wei's case" Ying Jie replied.

"That's good news! How did it go?" I asked in a questionable tone.

"At first, the emperor didn't want to cooperate with the investigation, but the lesson you gave him yesterday made him change his mind. I have you to thank for that" Ying Jie replied comically.

"What information did you gather?" I asked him.

" Not much! The only thing I can tell you is that Emperor Li Jun regrets his actions towards his son. He took the blame for what happened to him" Ying Jie replied.

" Do you have some pictures of him?" I suddenly asked.

" Pictures of Emperor Li Jun?" Ying Jie asked surprisingly.

...

" Not him! Who would want to have pictures of him? I'm talking about Prince Wei". I replied.

"Oh, I see! Sorry! I don't have any pictures of Prince Li Wei as I forgot to ask" Ying Jie said.

" It's okay! I'll go there and gather some pictures" I responded.

" You don't have to! I can go back and get them" Ying Jie said over the phone.

" I don't have anything to do today, so let me do it!" I said with insistence.

"If you insist, I'll let you do it. Promise me something!" Ying Jie said.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't fight with anyone in the Imperial Palace?" Ying Jie said with an ordering tone.

...

" By anyone, you mean that stupid emperor, am I right?" I asked in a questionable tone.

"Promise me!" Ying Jie said with insistence.

" Don't worry! I won't fight anyone in the Imperial Palace" I said in a reassuring tone.

" Promise me!" Ying Jie said, still not convinced.

" I promise!" I said in a reassuring tone.

MPS Police Station

" You were talking to your sister just now, right?" Inquired Officer Lui Xiang.

" Yes, I was talking to her". He responded.

" Sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you talk about a promise".

" My sister is heading to the Imperial Kingdom and I was afraid she'll beat up someone again like last time". The officer opened up to his colleague and best friend.

" Beat up someone! What exactly do you mean by that?" Officer Xu Lifang inquired confusingly.

" As you already know, my sister is working as a nanny in the Li Imperial Kingdom. When she happened to know about Prince Li Wei's disappearance, she beat up the emperor pretty badly. I'm sure he must still be feeling the after-effects".

" How could she beat up the emperor without any proof?" Officer Xu Lifang inquired suddenly.

" She had proof! It was a letter written by Prince Li Wei himself".

" I see your concern!"

...

" Why did she go there this time?" He inquired.

" She went there to gather some pictures of Prince Li Wei". He responded anxiously.

" I can go there if you're so worried and check on her".

" There's no need for that! I trust her! She won't break her promise to me!" Said Ying Jie confidently.

Li Imperial Palace

"Why are you here?" Emperor Li Jun suddenly asked me.

" Don't be afraid, brat! I'm not here for you today, so relax" I replied.

" What are you here for?" the emperor asked questionably.

" I'm here to retrieve some pictures. In other words, I'm here to retrieve some pictures of Wei. Do you understand?" I asked him annoyedly.

" I don't have any pictures," the emperor replied.

" Why am I not even surprised to hear that? You're a disappointment as a father! What do you even know about your son?" I asked the emperor angrily.

"Ying Yue, I have what you came here for?" Princess Li Mei appeared out of nowhere.

"Wei pictures? I finally have them. I'll take my leave!" I said walking away.

"Are you alright, brother?" the princess asked her brother.

" I'm fine!" the emperor replied.

Li Imperial Exit

"Ying Yue, wait up!" Concubine Ah Lam called out to me from a distance.

" Concubine Ah Lam, Good morning!" I greeted her respectfully.

"Good morning to you too, Ying Yue!" Concubine Ah Lam greeted me back.

" I haven't thanked you for what you've done for me. It's thanks to you that I finally decided to return to the Imperial Palace" I said to Concubine Ah Lam.

" If you want to thank me, then do me a favor" Concubine Ah Lam suddenly said.

" What kind of favor?" I asked her in a questionable tone.

"Take on Li Wei's case!" She replied.