Before going to sleep, Song Xizhi instructed Siqin to send someone to secretly follow Zhao Qianlan's whereabouts.
Then they sent a group of people to stake out the abandoned houses in the back mountains to see if any suspicious people were lingering there.
Upon hearing this, Siqin was taken aback at first, then her face turned bitter: "Master, you only have one subordinate, while I have no subordinates at all, there is no one to command."
Song Xizhi's eye twitched suddenly, and he realized that Siqin was just a figurehead.
She was also a lone commander.
The fact that the mistress and servant were so strapped for cash made them seem rather pitiful.
Seeing that Song Xizhi didn't speak, Siqin thought for a moment and then said, "How about I contact Commander Qing Tong and ask him to dispatch his men? If I set off now, I can make a round trip at full speed and the men should arrive by tomorrow afternoon."
After considering for a moment, Song Xizhi shook his head and said, "You've had a long night, so get some rest tonight."
She discovered a very serious problem.
Whether it was investigating the background of the Prince of Qi or having Qing Tong dispatch guards to follow Zhao Qianlan, she could only do so through He Jingyan's connections.
Even the zither player was sent by He Jingyan.
She had no people of her own, nor her own intelligence network, which meant that she had absolutely no secrets from He Jingyan.
Song Xizhi was thinking when he suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed intently on Siqin: "Siqin, I'll give you a disciple, do you want one?"
Siqin was taken aback at first, then nodded, her eyes filled with joy: "Your subordinate will do her utmost."
After a whole night of tossing and turning, Song Xizhi was exhausted. Once she returned to her courtyard and changed into clean nightgown, she fell asleep immediately.
The next day, at the appointed midnight, Song Xizhi looked at the night outside, quickly changed into black clothes, tucked a few white porcelain bottles into his chest, and then secretly went out with Siqin.
Tonight was not as thrilling as yesterday. The bamboo forest was quiet, and you could occasionally hear the rustling of bamboo leaves.
When the two arrived at the agreed location, they saw that familiar figure already waiting there.
He was still wearing that mask, holding his sword in one hand, his tall body leaning against the bamboo.
The bright moonlight shone through the swaying bamboo leaves, illuminating the hem of his sapphire blue robe. A gentle breeze blew by, causing the hem to flutter, making him look both languid and noble.
That familiar feeling resurfaced in Song Xizhi's heart once again.
The man reacted quickly, hearing the footsteps from afar and seeing who was coming. He used his lightness skill to arrive at Song Xizhi's side in no time.
Where are we going?
Song Xizhi continued walking forward, observing the surrounding environment as he went, without exchanging pleasantries: "Go to the abandoned courtyard behind the bamboo forest, which used to be the old courtyard where pilgrims lived."
The man walked beside her, his long legs deliberately slowing his pace.
He wasn't curious about what Song Xizhi said, but simply said, "That courtyard is very large; there are dozens of rooms just for the pilgrims to stay in."
Upon hearing this, Song Xizhi recalled A-Lian's description from that day and carefully considered it, saying, "The courtyard we're looking for is rather damp, with moss growing all over the ground, and it's probably near a water source."
"It is also relatively secluded and remote, with few people around. It may even be a torture chamber. If someone is kidnapped here and their hands are tied, even if the victim shouts loudly, no one will be able to hear them."
Her judgment was based on two evidences: first, the mud and moss under Zhao Qianlan's feet; and second, the marks on her hands that indicated she was bound and her strange walking posture.
Based on this, it can be inferred that Zhao Qianlan may have been abused.
Song Xizhi thought for a moment, then looked up expectantly at the man, his eyes burning with desire: "Does the righteous man know where such a place is?"
As expected, when their eyes met, the man nodded, his voice softening: "There is such a place."
As he spoke, he casually said "excuse me," then grabbed Song Xizhi's waist with one hand, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and used his light-footed skill to fly into the air with her.
The sudden feeling of weightlessness made Song Xizhi dazed. When she came to her senses, she found that her field of vision had become wider and wider, and the dense bamboo forest was at her feet.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, so large it seemed almost within reach. The biting wind and the man's burning body heat enveloped her, and it seemed as if only the two of them remained in the world, everything like a dream.
In the stillness of the moonlit night, the steady beating of a man's heart stands out all the more.
Listening to the familiar heartbeat, Song Xizhi slowly rested her head on his chest, wrapped her arms around his lean waist, and felt a sense of peace she had never known before.
Feelings don't lie, and neither does your heartbeat.
Song Xizhi could hear that heartbeat every night.
"Husband, why did you hide this from me?"
A woman's confused whispers filled the quiet air.
The man's movements faltered slightly, and even his heart skipped a beat.
But the man did not answer; instead, Song Xizhi was met with the sound of flowing water.
When she looked up following the sound of the water, she saw a towering waterfall, which was silvery in the moonlight. The water cascaded down, splashing as it hit the rocks.
The rocks were covered with a thick layer of moss.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, Song Xizhi's legs went weak. After a moment, the man's hand quickly withdrew from her waist.
Strange and distant.
Song Xizhi glanced at him silently, then looked away and surveyed the surrounding scenery.
Next to the waterfall were two courtyards, their doors and windows tightly shut, dark and deserted.
In front of the courtyard gate, there is a huge ancient tree. The place is remote and close to a water source. The emerald green moss is like a road, climbing all the way up to the courtyard wall.
The place looked deserted for a long time, but it wasn't very dirty. The fallen leaves had been swept to the doorway, leaving a clean path.
Song Xizhi's eyes lit up: "It looks like there are signs of human activity here. This looks like the place."
Ignoring the man behind her, she entered the courtyard with its gate tightly closed.
She wasn't dragged around too fast along the way, which means Zhao Qianlan came here voluntarily. A strange smell wafted from the wooden door of Song Xizhi's house.
She paused slightly, then stepped into the bedroom. What came into view was not the cold and shabby interrogation room that Song Xizhi had imagined.
On the contrary, it was a neat and clean room.
The man then moved behind Song Xizhi, surveyed the surroundings, touched the dust on the square table behind him, and said softly:
“Someone has been here within the last three days.”
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