Forensic Imperial Concubine

"Did you mean the organization that would do anything you ask, for the right price?" asked Matthew, feeling uncertain. He hadn't
been aware that the Scarlet Devils had a stronghold in the River City as well.
"Yes." Pearce thought again for a moment before he added, "It's actually interesting that the Scarlet Devils has never taken any
serious action in the River City. But even if they did commit crimes here, they would leave no incriminating evidence. So this
organization didn't occur to me at first, since they've always been very low-key here in this city."
"Matthew, I heard that the Scarlet Devils is a self-governing gang from the world of martial artists. Could it possibly be connected
to the court?" Harper asked doubtfully. In general, people or organizations out there would not get involved in court business or
politics. On the other hand, if anyone from the court paid for an assassination, an organization like the Scarlet Devils would be
happy to carry out the job.
"I don't know yet," Matthew replied. Suddenly, he recalled that the Scarlet Devils sometimes did their assassinations with hidden
weapons like silver needles. "But still, there is reason to doubt that the Scarlet Devils was involved in this matter," he then added.
"You mean the murder might have been done by the Scarlet Devils?" Harper then realized that it would make sense for a group
like the Scarlet Devils to utilize such a subtle and sinister method of killing. Indeed, she herself often carried hidden weapons for
self-defense, but the assassins among the Scarlet Devils would find it useful to kill their targets by such a quiet method.
"Are you sure?" asked Pearce, his face going pale when he heard this.
"No, I'm not quite sure yet. I think I ought to pay the Scarlet Devils a visit." A cold smile found its way to the corners of Matthew's
mouth. "I hope that the Scarlet Devils is not involved in this. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to slaughter every last member of
that gang."
"What kind of organization is the Scarlet Devils, exactly?" Harper wondered out loud. She didn't have a clear idea of this
legendary organization.
"The Scarlet Devils is a band of assassins. For the right price, they could even kill the emperor for you," explained Pearce. "The
leader of the organization is called Marquis Scarlet, and he has six fierce killers, known as the Scarlet Killers, who take orders
directly from him. They are murderous devils, all of them."
"It's really an extraordinary gang. Their leader calls himself 'Marquis Scarlet, ' as if he were truly a marquis of the court," scoffed
Harper, unable to hold back her laughter. At her words, Matthew and Pearce both stared at her with rapt attention. It had never
occurred to them that the leader of the Scarlet Devils might be someone from the court!

"What's the reason for that look on your faces?" asked Harper, feeling disconcerted.
"You might be right! Marquis Scarlet may be an actual marquis from the court," said Matthew, with a glint in his eye. "There has
always been an extremely secretive power hiding in the court, which even I couldn't reveal. But I do sense its existence and its
influence, though I couldn't trace any evidence of it yet. Now, it appears that the force finally couldn't keep itself in the shadows
anymore."
"Your Highness." It was Fred, who had just come back. He greeted the others politely, and then turned to Matthew. "It turns out
that on the day you checked into the inn, Prince Jason packed up and hurried out of the River City."
Harper giggled when she heard this news. "Matthew, it seems that you're a truly ferocious man with a fearsome reputation. You
can not only scare wailing children into silence, but also frighten away the prince."
Matthew, however, said nothing. It seemed to him that he had discounted Jason long ago. If there were any other princes worthy
of consideration, Francis and Lucas were the only notable ones. Unfortunately for them, Lucas didn't have the support of his
mother's clan, and Francis had been weak for a long time. If they wanted to fight against Felix, they could only rely on Matthew.
"Your Highness, you must know that His Highness built his reputation a long ago! He can scare a prince away as easily as he
can blink. Once he even intimidated the emperor of the Great Jade Kingdom enough to force him to depose the crown prince
appointed by himself."
"The crown prince of the Great Jade Kingdom?" Harper murmured. A familiar face flashed in her mind. "What happened at that
time?"
"Those events had nothing to do with me," Matthew remarked stiffly.
"If you hadn't led the Black Flag Army to threaten the borders of the Great Jade Kingdom, and forced them to render an account,
their emperor would not have deposed his crown prince, Rolando, to mollify your anger," Pearce told Harper. He wasn't fond of
Matthew's sour and cold face, which seemed to say everyone owed him a great debt and must follow his orders, so he ignored
Matthew and told Harper how her husband's reputation was built.
"Rolando..." Harper repeated the name. She looked at Matthew and pondered the name as deeply as she could. Soon, the name
rang a bell. Could this Rolando actually be Chodak?
Matthew narrowed his eyes when he returned Harper's glance. That look contained his answer. Harper had guessed it, and
Chodak was indeed Rolando, the former crown prince of the Great Jade Kingdom. However, the truth was not that the emperor

of the Great Jade Kingdom deposed Rolando at the prompting of Matthew's army, but rather that there was already some
serious domestic turmoil in the Great Jade Kingdom at that time, and their emperor had a long-cherished plot to establish a new
crown prince. Quelling Matthew's anger was just a convenient excuse for what the emperor had already arranged.
"So, Your Highness, now you know what a demon he is. It can't be easy for you, being married to him, honestly." Then, as if to
further tease them, Pearce added, "I bet a man like him knows nothing about romance, does he?"
"Oh, Pearce, I can't compete with you on that score, I admit. Otherwise, how could that lady from the famous brothel love you so
much?" Matthew riposted.
"Who is she?" A voice came after Matthew's words. It was Pearce's wife, definitely. "Pearce, your explanation had better be a
good one!"
Matthew was chuckling to himself, and he strode out of the mansion with Harper, like a general who just won a battle. He was
rather pleased with his comeback.
Looking at his smug face, Harper shook her head. "You knew that I wouldn't believe him, but you still tried to stir up trouble
between the couple. I don't think that was a good idea. After all, they just lost their son. Their relationship probably needs
repairing now."
"Don't worry. They are overwhelmed by the recent loss of their son. Saying their thoughts out loud would help them all the better
to make peace," Matthew responded thoughtfully. "The most important thing for us to do now is discover the murderer."