How could Qin Wan be at ease? Xiao Luzi had been with Xie Qing for many years and was the most useful and trusted person around him. He wouldn't do something like this without a clear beginning or an end.
Qin Wan was worried and kept going all the way to Yongzhou.
From a distance, Yongzhou looked peaceful, without any signs of war. Qin Wan felt relieved and sent a message to Prince Yong's mansion, saying that the crown prince was patrolling the border and asking Prince Yong to come out to greet him.
The flags were fluttering, and Qin Wan, wearing the prince's uniform, did not look petite because she was a woman. On the contrary, her imposing aura made her look even more majestic and upright.
Princess Yong led her men outside the city and saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wearing a veiled hat. She was slightly startled and quickly stepped forward to kowtow and greet him: "Your Highness, your Highness, is here to see you."
Qin Wan glanced at Princess Yong and said calmly, "Where is Prince Yong?"
"Prince Yong went somewhere else and didn't come back soon. I hope the Crown Prince will forgive him." Princess Yong replied.
Qin Wan then raised her hand and called out, "Get up."
Princess Yong stood up with the help of her maid and looked at Qin Wan and said, "I wonder if the Crown Prince has a place to stay? If you don't mind, please stay at the Yong Palace for a while."
"Okay." Qin Wan gestured to Princess Yong to lead the way, lightly stepped on the horse's belly, and headed into the city.
The people in the border area, far away from the capital, have seen the princess and Prince Yong, but have never seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Now, upon hearing that the prince had arrived, they all lined the roadside to watch, pointing and talking:
"This prince is so imposing."
"Why are you wearing a hat? Are people from the capital too ashamed to be seen?"
"What nonsense are you talking about! Are you trying to kill yourself?"
Qin Wan looked over in the direction of the discussion and raised her hand to greet the person who was speaking.
The man squatted down instantly, covering his head and muttering "You can't see me" and "You can't see me". It was not until the team walked away and the people around him dispersed that he tentatively raised his head and looked left and right. When he saw that there was no one around him, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the ground. After a long while, he finally had the strength to get up and slapped himself: "I told you not to talk nonsense! Ouch..."
Qin Wan entered Prince Yong's mansion. Only Tao Yao, Qin Yan and Qin Chan, two sisters, and Master Du and a few others were with her in the hall.
Qin Wan took off her veil as she entered the main hall and looked at Princess Yong calmly, "Where on earth did Prince Yong go?"
Princess Yong was stunned for a moment when she saw Qin Wan's expression, before she replied, "Prince Yong is not in Yongzhou Prefecture, and I haven't seen him for many years."
Qin Wan looked at her with a half-smile and asked, "Do you think I believe you when you say that?"
The reason why she didn't ask Xiao Luzi but asked about Prince Yong's whereabouts first was that she wanted to see whether Princess Yong would tell the truth.
Indeed, there wasn't a single word of truth coming out of his mouth.
Princess Yong was slightly startled. The Crown Prince before her looked young, but he was not easy to deceive. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Please, Crown Prince, please dismiss your attendants."
Qin Wan glanced at Master Du, who had retreated with Tao Yao and the others, but he didn't go far. He was just looking at the hall from the yard, but he couldn't hear what they were saying.
Princess Yong also signaled everyone around her to go out. All the doors and windows on all sides were opened, so that everyone could see clearly inside and outside, and the possibility of eavesdropping was eliminated.
At this moment, Princess Yong approached Qin Wan, sized her up, and asked, "You're not the Crown Prince. Who are you, then? Why should I listen to you tell me the whereabouts of the Crown Prince? If you were just trying to get some free food and drinks, I could have pretended you were the Crown Prince and allowed you to wander around Yongzhou Prefecture. But you're trying to use this opportunity to find out the whereabouts of the Crown Prince. That's wishful thinking!"
Qin Wan was a little curious: "You have never seen the prince, how do you know I am not the prince?"
Princess Yong took a step back and said cautiously, "Although I have never met the Crown Prince, I know that he is definitely not a woman."
"You asked me to send my attendants away again. It seems that you have guessed who I am. Otherwise, if you thought I was a bad person, why would you send my own people away as well?" Qin Wan was certain that Princess Yong had already made some guesses.
Princess Yong nodded and said, "A few days ago, the Crown Prince's personal eunuch came to report the news and asked for help. We had some suspicions at the time. Now that His Majesty is seriously ill and the Crown Prince is acting as Regent, the court must be inseparable from the Crown Prince. Therefore, the only ones leaving the capital can be those closest to him."
"However, wars are raging everywhere around the border passes. At Bianyu Pass, there have already been three major battles and countless smaller skirmishes. We're still okay in Yongzhou City, but several important towns in the northwest are also being harassed by people from the Western Regions."
"I was also surprised when I received the news that the Crown Prince had arrived outside Yongzhou City. But when I saw Prince Du, I knew that although the person before me was not the Crown Prince, she was definitely someone close to him. After some deductions in my mind, I guessed that you are the Crown Princess?"
Qin Wan was surprised: "How did you guess that?"
Princess Yong bowed again and said, "Your humble servant pays respects to the Crown Princess."
Qin Wan didn't make any more jokes this time. She raised her hand and smiled, "There's no need for you to be so polite, auntie. I'm just curious how you guessed it. Also, auntie, you've actually met Prince Du? Why didn't he tell me?"
Princess Yong stood up and sat down, saying with a smile, "Everyone knows that the Crown Princess is from the Xuanwu Marquis's mansion. Marquis Qin's reputation is well-known. Moreover, Prince Yong praised Marquis Qin highly, saying that the Qin family's children have been practicing martial arts and studying military tactics since childhood."
"Those who are good at martial arts but not so good at studying will be sent to the army or escort agencies. Those who are good at martial arts and studying will be trained as military officers. Prince Yong has long heard of the talent of the Crown Princess. So when I saw that the so-called Crown Prince was actually a woman, I guessed that it must be the Crown Princess. Apart from the Crown Princess, no one else can patrol the border in the Crown Prince's place."
"As for Prince Du, he grew up in the capital, and I've never met him. However, we met once when Duke Du was at Bianyu Pass. Prince Du and Duke Du look very similar."
Qin Wan smiled and said, "I've often heard my grandfather praise the Imperial Uncle and the Imperial Aunt, saying they're a perfect match, both talented and beautiful, and incredibly intelligent. Seeing them today, I can see they're truly worthy of their reputation. However, the war outside is urgent, so we won't waste any more time talking. Could you please tell me, aunt, where exactly are the Imperial Uncle and Xiao Luzi? Why hasn't anyone returned to report?"
Princess Yong sighed, stood up and bowed, saying, "This matter is my negligence. When Xiao Luzi arrived, Prince Yong had just received a letter from the Qiang Tribe's eldest prince asking for help and was heading for the Qiang tribe. Xiao Luzi chased after him without stopping. I only arranged for someone to lead him, but forgot to find someone to deliver the letter."
Qin Wan said thoughtfully, "Xiao Luzi has always been cautious. He didn't have time to arrange for someone to deliver the letter. If he had arranged for someone to deliver the letter after entering the Qiang Tribe... I'm afraid it would have been intercepted by the Qiang Tribe's Third Prince's men."
Princess Yong verified Qin Wan's identity and said nothing more. She pulled out a military token from her bosom and handed it to Qin Wan. "This was given to me by Prince Yong before he left. He said that if Bian Yuguan or Shenyang Prefecture came asking for help, we could just send troops there. Now that the Crown Princess has arrived, I can hand over the military token directly."
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