Chapter 317 Arresting People
Not long after Xiahou Yin left, Lady Li came in.
She brought in all the clothes that had dried outside. Due to limited conditions in the military camp, the clothes could not be scented. After they dried, she could only straighten and fold them and put them in chests to prevent them from being eaten by insects.
As Madam Li folded clothes, she noticed the little girl on the bed quietly watching her movements, and smiled naturally.
"Is the princess thirsty? Or should she wash her hands?" she asked as she deftly tidied up her clothes, which were neatly folded in no time.
Qi Yuxuan shook her head, "I just watched Li Niangzi for a while because she was so organized and efficient."
Lady Li immediately laughed and said, "I've been doing this for years. The princess is pampered and her maids probably never lift a finger. They probably don't need to rush around like this on a normal day."
Qi Yuxuan looked at her and shook her head: "No, Madam Li, I wasn't born a princess. When I was little, I did a lot of heavy work at home. Every day I cleaned, cooked, took care of my younger brother, and even had to secretly learn embroidery in my spare time. I lived a life worse than girls from ordinary families."
Lady Li clearly didn't believe it: "How could that be? Isn't the Princess the daughter of the Eldest Princess? Why would the Princess need to do those things herself?!"
Seeing her questioning, Qi Yuxuan didn't explain, but instead said, "I think the way Madam Li folds clothes is different from that in the capital. Is this the way it is in Kuncheng?"
The other person was taken aback. He glanced at the trunk where the clothes had been folded and put away, and thought to himself that he should not have given anything away. Every household has a different way of folding clothes, so this is nothing unusual and not worth mentioning.
"Princess, I don't know about that. I just fold the paper as I'm used to it, so I don't care about the methods in the capital or Kuncheng. I just do it as quickly as possible."
She smiled and brushed it off. Seeing Qi Yuxuan nod knowingly, not seeming to have any doubts, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
I thought this princess was young and about to be sent for a political marriage, so she must not be valued much. I imagined she must be a timid, quiet, and obedient girl with low self-esteem. I didn't expect her to be so sharp-eyed.
Night falls.
The nights in Kunming are more humid than in Beijing. Even though it is autumn now and the cold wind is rising, the damp chill feels like it can seep into your bones, making you feel extremely uncomfortable.
Qi Yuxuan couldn't fall asleep.
If her guess was correct, Lady Li would definitely take action tonight. Even if she didn't go herself, with a spy following her closely by her bedside, she wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.
Qi Yuxuan closed her eyes to rest, not knowing how much time had passed, when she heard a rustling sound from the bedding.
Her bed was covered by a bed curtain, so she couldn't see the outside world, but the calmer her mind was, the more she could hear the sounds outside, the very faint, barely perceptible footsteps.
If she is already fast asleep, she definitely won't hear it.
Sure enough, Madam Li went out.
With the outcome confirmed as predicted, Qi Yuxuan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, slowly settled down.
Even at night, teams of five or ten men patrol the military camp from time to time to prevent any potential problems.
As soon as Lady Li stepped out of the tent, she met the gazes of the two soldiers guarding the entrance.
She bent slightly, clutching her stomach, pointed to the bathroom next to her, and explained, "Thank you both for your hard work. I don't know if I ate something bad last night, but my stomach has been hurting terribly in the middle of the night."
The soldiers exchanged glances, raised their chins, and gestured for her to hurry up.
There was also a chamber pot in the tent, but that was only for noblemen and masters. This Lady Li was a woman that General Xiahou had found in the inner city to serve the princess. She was just like them, a rough person, so how could she use it?
Madam Li quickly thanked her and then walked unsteadily toward the tent that had been specially set up as a clean room.
There weren't many guard basins in the camp, and tonight was a cloudy night with no moonlight. Using the few scattered lights, Li Niangzi climbed out of the window behind the washroom.
She had changed her clothes; she wore a black coat and a black mask, hiding in the night. You couldn't see her unless you looked closely.
As soon as she left the clean room, Madam Li headed straight for the granary to the east.
Qi Yuxuan didn't know when she had fallen asleep. When she woke up, it was already bright daylight. She lifted the bed curtains and found the room empty. She knew that things had gone smoothly last night.
Just then, a spirited voice came from outside the tent; it was Xiahou Yin:
"Princess, are you awake? I have urgent news to report!"
Judging from his excited tone, Qi Yuxuan knew that everything went smoothly last night, and she was genuinely happy as well. "Wait a moment, I'll be done soon."
She dressed herself, put on her shoes and socks, rinsed her mouth briefly, tied her hair up, and then took the initiative to lift the curtain and go out.
Upon seeing her, Xiahou Yin couldn't contain his excitement and began to tell her about what happened last night.
"We kept watch there until late at night, thinking she wouldn't come. But just as we were about to leave, she sneaked over, dressed in black. If I didn't have sharp eyes and ears, I would have noticed something was wrong immediately..."
"Later, when she realized she had been exposed, she tried to commit suicide, but we quickly dislocated her jaw. She's now being held in custody and interrogated by that traitor!"
Xiahou Yin looked rather unwell, probably having had a sleepless night. His eyes were dark and swollen, and there were also some freckles on his chin. But he was in good spirits and spoke like a healthy and upright young poplar, his eyes full of enthusiasm.
"Luckily, she didn't succeed. We've already fed those things to the rats we caught. But guess what happened, Princess?"
"The rat died less than an hour after it ate it. You can imagine that if the soldiers had eaten it, they would have been in grave danger as well!"
Speaking of this, Xiahou Yin still felt lingering fear, both worried and extremely relieved:
"This incident was all thanks to the princess. She noticed that something was wrong with Lady Li and told us to take precautions early on."
"By the way, General Duan and my father both wish to meet the Princess to express their gratitude in person. I wonder if the Princess is available at this time?"
Actually, they should have met a few days ago, but military officers are not like civil officials. They are used to being rough and bold, and they were afraid that meeting this delicate young lady would frighten her.
They also thought that Princess Chang Le was going to marry a foreign ruler, and they were no longer related to her, so they would not have any further contact with her. Therefore, they did not meet.
Qi Yuxuan naturally agreed and followed Xiahou Yin to the commander's tent.
This is both Duan Wei's bedroom where he rests and the place where he discusses tactics with his generals, so it looks much larger than the other tents.
When Qi Yuxuan arrived, there was a heated argument inside, with a group of grown men shouting so loudly it almost lifted the roof off.
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