"No." Meng Qi shook her head. "I was just terrified and ran without thinking. Luckily, I've been taking Wang Chenghai around the backyard since entering Hanyuan, so I'm very familiar with the situation in that kind of abandoned palace. It was also thanks to the prince's men who distracted those people in time that I was able to escape."
Hearing her say this, Song Chengze frowned and said, "Do you know how dangerous it is? Just let Wang Chenghai go by himself. If he feels it is inconvenient, just ask him to find another opportunity to tell you where it is." His tone was full of worry.
Meng Qi looked at Song Chengze, "Your Highness, don't you think it was a blessing that I went with you that night?" Without waiting for Song Chengze to reply, she continued, "Your Highness must also know that your meeting place has been exposed and the secret code has been discovered. If I hadn't gone with you that night, not only would those things have fallen into their hands, I'm afraid Wang Chenghai would have been discovered by them as well."
Song Chengze sighed, "I naturally thought of this, but now I think about it, I'm really scared. It's a good thing you ran away."
Meng Qi nodded, "Fortunately, everything is worth it. Has Your Highness seen those things?" Song Chengze nodded, "Is that what Your Highness wants to find?" Meng Qi continued to ask.
"It should be, but we don't know who those things belong to right now. Let's discuss the specific details when we return to the palace."
Meng Qi sighed. Just as she thought, Song Chengze and Lian Fei didn't know to whom those children's belongings belonged.
"Isn't Mother familiar with the name of the child listed there?"
Concubine Lian shook her head. "I've seen all those names, and I haven't heard any of them. Neither the prince nor the grandson of the emperor has any of them."
"Does Mother still remember that talented lady Zhuang?"
Concubine Lian said, "I've seen her before in the late Empress Dowager's palace. Back then, she was a female official in her service and very trusted by her. We were quite surprised to hear that she was being employed by the Emperor, as we had always assumed she would be the type to be released when she was young. Since then, even after she was named a Talented Lady by the Emperor, I haven't seen her again. The last I heard of her was that she was dead and two dead."
Concubine Lian took a sip of tea and continued, "I will find a way to investigate this Zhuang Cairen in detail in the palace. Those small clothes found in Lanxin Palace should be related to her. Although it has been a long time, the old people who served her should be able to find a few of them. You just wait for the news."
Song Chengze nodded, "Do you have anything else to say to Mother?"
Meng Qi thought for a moment and said, "Mother, among those who pursued me that day, the voice of the leader was very special."
"Oh?" Lian Fei said, "Tell me about it."
"His voice was very hoarse, either because he was born with the droopy voice or because his throat was injured. And when he gave orders to those two people, they called themselves his subordinates."
"Subordinate? So you are not a eunuch in the palace?" Song Chengze turned his head to look at Concubine Lian.
Concubine Lian turned the cup in her hand, her brows furrowed.
"Besides, he knew I was a woman. I was wearing eunuch's clothes that day and had a scarf covering my face."
Song Chengze was stunned for a moment, then nodded and glanced at Concubine Lian. "Mother, do Concubine Xiang and Concubine Xian have female officials who are skilled in martial arts?"
Concubine Lian nodded. "Generally, there are always some around the head of a palace. Besides the Empress, there are naturally quite a few. I know what you mean. First, we need to find out who is pursuing Meng, and then we can divert their attention."
"Yes, my son will send someone to find out tomorrow if there is anyone around who speaks with that voice."
Concubine Lian hummed, "Don't worry about those in the palace. After what happened to Zhong Da, he will definitely be more cautious. I just don't know how long they've been watching him."
"I don't think it will be too long. We were just..." Song Chengze seemed to have thought of something when he said this. After glancing at Meng Qi, he added, "After Zhongda reconfirms the location and method, please inform me again, mother."
Lian Fei nodded. "Is it okay that I had a stomachache last time?"
Meng Qi shook her head. "I had Yuan Dong go find Zhou Yu and ask his brother to prepare those medicines in advance. They won't harm your body."
Concubine Lian nodded with satisfaction. "How could you be so thoughtful as to bring in medicine like that?"
Meng Qi smiled and said, "It's better to be prepared. Any other target would be too big. Even if they want to test these ground medicinal powders, it would be difficult."
Concubine Lian patted Meng Qi's hand and said, "You two should go back and have a good rest for two days. If you think of anything, you two can discuss it. We can talk about it again on the next big day."
Meng Qi stood up and knelt in response.
After exiting Xining Gate, the carriage of Prince Rui's Mansion was parked there. Yuan Dong and Wang Chenghai stood beside the carriage, looking around anxiously.
Meng Qi looked at Song Chengze who came out with her, "If Your Highness has other matters, please go and take care of them."
Meng Qi thought, since he had just said so much, he should make arrangements as soon as possible, especially to find that person.
Song Chengze shook his head and said, "No hurry, I'll take you back first. I still have some things to discuss with Uncle Lu and the others tonight."
Meng Qi stopped thinking about it and looked at Yuan Dong coming over. She asked with a smile, "How many times did you check it again?"
"Three times. Both Eunuch Wang and I, the servant, looked three times, even the seams of the clothes."
Song Chengze didn't react at first, but when he saw the cloth bag in Wang Chenghai's arms, he understood and his face became gloomy.
"Let's go." Meng Qi stepped on the footstool and took Yuan Dong's hand to get into the carriage.
Yuan Dong was just about to lift her skirt to get on, but she saw Song Chengze wave his hand, lift up his robe and get on the carriage.
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