Chapter 212 Husband

Qingming lowered his head, nodded, and then continued, "However, the Regent is quite formidable. The young master has only been 'missing' for a short time, yet they... have already found the area around the Shen residence."

Her voice carried a hint of genuine admiration, "If we give them more time, I'm afraid... they really will find the secret chamber where our young master Zang was before."

Shen Qingci's lips curled up slightly involuntarily, but she remained silent.

Qingming lowered his voice again, his expression becoming somewhat solemn: "But I feel that this Regent... is a bit strange."

strangeness?

Shen Qingci looked at Qingming.

Qingming explained, "From the time we kidnapped the young master to the subsequent communication, we used... all the communication codes and information networks that the general gave us, which belonged exclusively to the Shen family."

“Unexpectedly,” her eyes were filled with confusion, “the Regent seems to be very familiar with our Shen family’s code words and information network.”

"He... found his way to the vicinity of the Shen family by following the coded messages and clues we left behind."

Shen Qingci was taken aback upon hearing this; this was indeed rather strange.

Her father would naturally not easily reveal the Shen family's secrets to Chu Jichen. But how did Chu Jichen find out?

Shen Qingci hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking, her voice carrying a hint of reassurance: "I understand about this matter. I will try to ask around, investigate, and find out the reason."

"Now that I have passed the test, you... will give me a way to contact you."

She is already surrounded by the secret guards arranged by Chu Jichen. It would be inappropriate to keep them around as well, as Chu Jichen would surely discover it.

Although she and Chu Jichen were husband and wife, they were... just husband and wife.

She must have her own power; she cannot reveal everything to Chu Jichen without reservation.

Qingming nodded, took out a white jade flute no longer than a finger from his sleeve, and handed it to her.

"Young Master, you only need to... blow this note a few times in a row, and we... will appear."

Shen Qingci took the flute and replied, "Okay, then I'll be going now."

"I am determined to reopen the Shen family's old case, and... it's already underway. If I need your help, I will contact you."

Shen Qingci was still wearing the ordinary man's skin mask on her face. After leaving the courtyard, she went straight to the villa that Chu Jichen had arranged for her.

Before they even arrived, Shen Qingci spotted Chu Jichen's carriage near the Shen residence.

Beside the carriage stood Yuanbao, pacing back and forth anxiously.

Shen Qingci walked over quickly.

The moment Yuanbao saw her, his eyes widened instantly, looking as if he had seen a ghost! Immediately, he gripped the dagger at his waist tightly and assumed a defensive stance!

Shen Qingci raised her eyebrows slightly, then called out to the carriage, "Husband."

The carriage curtain was immediately pulled open from the inside!

Chu Jichen sat in the carriage, his gaze fixed precisely on her face, and then he reached out his hand to her.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Qingci rushed onto the carriage and threw herself into Chu Jichen's arms.

Yuanbao's lips twitched uncontrollably. He muttered to himself, "What's wrong with Master? He dares to reach out to anyone who calls him 'husband'? What if... what if it's a fake?"

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Lan, who had appeared beside him at some unknown time, stuffed a large steamed bun into his mouth.

The carriage curtain was lowered, and Shen Qingci's lips curved into a smile, her voice tinged with a hint of mockery: "Yuanbao is right, why didn't you check carefully before reaching out? What if... I'm a fake?"

Chu Jichen's voice was low and hoarse, filled with an undeniable certainty: "I will not admit my mistake."

Shen Qingci's eyebrows curved slightly. Noticing that Chu Jichen was staring at her intently, she also looked down at him.

She was in a rather disheveled state.

Her body was stained with the blood she had vomited, and... with moss that had been wiped onto the cold well wall.

Shen Qingci explained, "In order to escape, I took poison and hid in a well, so... I look a bit disheveled."

Chu Jichen reached out and grasped her wrist, his slender fingers resting on her pulse.

Shen Qingci then remembered that Chu Jichen... should know how to take a simple pulse.

After the miscarriage, he took her pulse in the carriage and realized that although she had miscarried, it was not a recent miscarriage.

Shen Qingci quickly explained in a low voice, "I've already taken the antidote, so I'm fine."

Chu Jichen pursed his lips, his voice filled with undeniable sternness: "Although there's no serious injury, there is damage to the heart and lungs. Next time, don't do this so lightly."

Shen Qingci nodded, a hint of softness in his voice: "It happened suddenly, and we had no choice."

Chu Jichen gripped her hand tightly, his brows still furrowed.

“Even in this situation,” he looked at her, his deep phoenix eyes filled with lingering fear and disapproval, “you shouldn’t… so easily treat yourself so cruelly.”

“You just need to wait,” his voice was deep and firm, “I will definitely… save you.”

Shen Qingci believed it, of course.

After all, in just a short while, Chu Jichen had already found the vicinity of the Shen family. If given some more time, he would definitely be able to save her.

Shen Qingci nodded and agreed.

But then Qingming's words came to mind again, and her eyes flashed as she tentatively asked, "Your Highness... how did you know I was being held captive in the Shen family?"

Chu Jichen glanced at her with a deep gaze and explained in a calm voice, "I... mentioned this to you before. When I was young, I was sent to General Shen's army for training with my identity hidden. Therefore, I am quite familiar with the codes used by the Shen family to transmit messages."

"I... found my way here by using those coded messages."

Shen Qingci then recalled that when Chu Jichen proposed to her, she found it strange and did ask him about it.

Chu Jichen did indeed mention this matter.

But she just listened to it and didn't take it too seriously.

I felt that his back looked familiar when he stood up... Could it be because of that?

but……

She still harbored some doubts.

Qingming and his men are the secret agents carefully trained by their father, and the codes they use must be top secret. They are not something that ordinary Shen family soldiers could easily access.

Although Chu Jichen may not have lied, he certainly didn't tell the whole story.

At that time, in Shen's army, it was absolutely impossible for him to be just an ordinary soldier.

As Shen Qingci's mind raced, she heard Chu Jichen cough lightly, his voice becoming slightly hoarse: "What did Qingqing call me earlier? Could you call me again?"