The daughter of the emperor was reborn and was spoiled by the sickly prince.

Gu Mingzhao's cold expression finally changed slightly. His eyes became complicated and he asked, "Do you know what you are talking about?"

In this dynasty, when a woman gave a man a jade pendant, it usually meant a token of love.

If this jade pendant were presented as evidence, his relationship with Liao Qinglan would probably become a topic of conversation among the public.

Rumors are enough to overwhelm an unmarried woman.

Liao Qinglan had never thought of this.

She said, "I know, but Ruyan refuses to testify for you, so we can only start with physical evidence."

Gu Mingzhao was silent for a moment, then said, "After I came back that day, the jade pendant disappeared."

Liao Qinglan was shocked when she heard this and asked hurriedly, "How could this happen? Think carefully about where it might be placed?"

Gu Mingzhao replied calmly: "It wasn't mine in the first place, I just threw it away and it disappeared."

Liao Qinglan thought for a moment and said, "If it disappeared after I went back, it must still be in your yard. I'll go back and look for it."

Before she finished her words, she turned around and hurriedly left the cell.

After Liao Qinglan left, Qing Feng, who had been hiding in the darkness, appeared like a ghost.

He picked up the medicine bottle on the ground, uncorked it and smelled it, then said, "Your Highness, this is indeed the best powder. I will help you apply the medicine right away."

Gu Mingzhao shook his head and indicated that it was not necessary.

Qingfeng didn't know, but he always knew in his heart that what Liao Qinglan gave him were always the best things.

I don't know what she wants to get from him by making such selfless efforts.

He didn't want to think about Liao Qinglan any more, so he changed the subject and asked, "What did you want to say just now? What else did you find?"

Qing Feng put away the medicine bottle and said, "That's what I wanted to report. When I was investigating, I found that Miss Liao from the Prime Minister's Mansion had also been tracking down clues. The jade pendant was an unexpected gain. I will sneak into the Prime Minister's Mansion and retrieve the jade pendant."

Gu Mingzhao remained silent.

He took out an exquisite lotus jade pendant from his sleeve.

The jade is smooth and the lotus is lifelike. It is exactly the piece that Liao Qinglan gave him.

Through the faint moonlight, you can see that the words "Qinglan" are indeed carved into a hollow shape on the back of the jade pendant.

Seeing this, Qing Feng showed a happy expression: "Great, with this jade pendant, we have all the evidence, and we can clear His Highness's grievances."

However, after Gu Mingzhao finished checking it, he put the jade pendant away again and said calmly: "I don't plan to use this as evidence."

Qing Feng asked in confusion: "Why?"

Gu Mingzhao was silent for a while, then said, "I don't want to get too involved with her."

He himself couldn't explain why, but his intuition told him that getting close to Liao Qinglan seemed to be a very dangerous thing.

Perhaps it was because the matter was too complicated. Whenever he thought about it, he felt like it was a tangled mess that he couldn't untie.

He instinctively wanted to protect himself and deliberately distanced himself from Liao Qinglan.

Just like he could have concealed his true thoughts all along and bided his time in the Prime Minister's Mansion.

But in order to stay away from Liao Qinglan, he chose to reveal all his scars so that Liao Qinglan would give up.

Although Qing Feng did not understand Gu Mingzhao's concerns, he still said loyally: "I obey your orders, Your Highness. If you have other plans, please let me know."

"Go and look for other witnesses. Start with the people around Li Jin and the illegitimate son of Duke Zheng. Be careful not to alert the enemy."

Qing Feng accepted the order and was about to turn around and leave when he suddenly heard a slight noise behind him.

Gu Mingzhao and Qing Feng both looked towards the place where the sound came from with vigilance.

Liao Qinglan had returned at some point and was now standing there, looking at them with a pale face and horror.

"I... I just wanted to ask... how you are eating in prison..." Liao Qinglan's voice trembled, obviously trying to hide her panic.

There was a bag of snacks at her feet, which she had been hiding in her arms, wanting to give to Gu Mingzhao.

I was in a hurry just now and forgot about it for a moment. When I remembered it, I turned back. I didn't expect to run into him and Qingfeng having a secret conversation.

She had met Qing Feng in her previous life.

This is Gu Mingzhao's sharpest sword and also his secret weapon that he has always kept hidden.

When Gu Mingzhao first came to power, assassins were often sent by various forces to assassinate him.

Every time she felt that the situation was critical, Qing Feng would appear mysteriously and help her deal with all those who had bad intentions.

Once he finishes the dirty work, he disappears without a trace, as if he had never appeared.

If she had not always been by Gu Mingzhao's side, she probably would not have known about such a person.

Every time she saw Qing Feng, he was killing someone.

That cold and ruthless look still scares her to this day.

Gu Mingzhao once warned her that she was the only living person who had seen Qingfeng, so she should be careful with her words and actions and not say anything that should not be said.

Unexpectedly, Qingfeng was by Gu Mingzhao's side so early.

She discovered Gu Mingzhao's secret and subconsciously wanted to escape.

Qing Feng moved and blocked her way like a ghost.

A sharp sword was silently placed on her neck. As long as Gu Mingzhao gave the order, he would take Liao Qinglan's life immediately.

The sword's blade was icy cold, carrying with it the breath of death, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

All I could hear was my own heartbeat thundering in my chest.

It was the first time she was so close to death, and she swallowed nervously.

Liao Qinglan looked at Gu Mingzhao helplessly. Her almond-shaped eyes were pure and innocent, and seemed to be able to speak, as if assuring Gu Mingzhao that she would never reveal his secret.

Gu Mingzhao looked at the snacks at her feet with mixed feelings.

After a while, he said, "Qingfeng, let her go."

Qing Feng hesitated a little, but still obeyed Gu Mingzhao's order and took back the sword from Liao Qinglan's neck.

As the sword was withdrawn, Liao Qinglan breathed a sigh of relief, and, holding on to her weak legs, she staggered out of the cell.

Qing Feng stood aside, silent.

Gu Mingzhao's decision was very dangerous and he did not agree with it.

"Your Highness, I will send someone to keep an eye on her secretly and won't give her the chance to talk nonsense." Qing Feng couldn't help but suggest.

"No need." Gu Mingzhao said without thinking.

After saying this, he was stunned.

In his subconscious, he already believed in Liao Qinglan.

He believed that Liao Qinglan would not do anything bad to him, so he immediately rejected Qingfeng's suggestion.

Unconsciously, he had become so defenseless towards her.

"Your Highness, if she follows the clues to find out your identity, it will not be a good thing for you!"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Gu Mingzhao said.