Han Qingyi told Jiang Qingqing about what he had done in Tianqi five years ago, the causes and consequences, from a completely new perspective.

During those years, Han Qiming helped her to hook up with the powerful Prince Xiao. She first pushed Jiang Qingqing into the water, and later assigned her maid to go to the outskirts of Beijing to chat up people in the military camp.

Jiang Qingqing knew all this.

She sat in the main seat, looking indifferently at Han Qingyi in front of her.

"How did you get the maid out of the palace?"

Jiang Qingqing didn't care how Han Qiming assigned her. What she wanted to know more was whether there was really a traitor in the palace.

Han Qingyi pursed her lips, took a sip of the tea at hand to moisten her throat, and then continued: "Han Qiming himself said at the beginning that as long as I am willing to send my only confidant out of the palace, if it succeeds, I will have another person to rely on in the capital."

"Although I don't know how Han Qiming could have sent someone out, my maid once told me that when she left the palace, she saw the maids from Chuxiu Palace helping her."

This news was like a landmine, exploding right next to Jiang Qingqing's ears.

Xiao Linting, who was standing next to her, quickly noticed Jiang Qingqing's surprise.

She had been planning for a long time, thinking that maybe Han Qiming bribed the people in the palace with money, or maybe he found a loophole in Tianqi and sent the person away.

No matter how much he planned, he never expected that people from Chuxiu Palace would be involved in this matter.

Zhao Family...

Jiang Qingqing's eyes gradually became darker.

Han Qingyi could see that Jiang Qingqing's thoughts were wandering, so she paused slightly and didn't continue speaking.

Jiang Qingqing roughly sorted out her shock and continued to learn from Han Qingyi about what Han Qiming had done that year.

As soon as the news about Chuxiu Palace came out, many things that happened afterwards more or less involved Concubine Zhao.

As it was late at night and the dew was heavy, Jiang Qingqing asked Han Qingyi to stay overnight in Huaning Palace. When the palace maid came to lead Han Qingyi downstairs to rest.

Jiang Qingqing sat in the main seat. She looked at Han Qingyi's lonely figure and said meaningfully, "Princess Li, I will check and confirm whether what you said to me today is true or false. Even if you confess these things, what you did back then cannot be erased. I will still hate you where I should hate you."

Han Qingyi paused slightly, and she turned around to look at the girl in the hall and the tall sword-wielding guard beside the girl.

She pursed her lips, said nothing, turned around and followed the maid out of the palace.

After Han Qingyi left, Jiang Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief, leaned back in her chair, and let out a deep breath.

Xiao Linting took a small stool and sat next to Jiang Qingqing, and said in a deep voice: "What are you going to do, Your Highness?"

Jiang Qingqing lowered her eyes and thought for a while. After a while, she slowly spoke: "Noble Concubine Zhao usually behaves the most indifferent to the world in the palace, including the marginalized Second Prince. I always thought that the competitor hidden deepest is the smiling tiger Empress Xu."

The girl's slightly lowered voice carried a hint of helplessness and determination to make new plans.

"I'm half-believing and half-doubting Han Qingyi's words. Who knows if she'll be cunning? The safest way right now is to do our best to investigate the Zhao family. I'm afraid we won't be able to find anything five years ago. Let's start with the suspicious people around Concubine Zhao."

After Jiang Qingqing quickly determined her plan, she raised her eyes to look at the man in front of her with ordinary facial features but eyes as deep as the sea.

"Your Highness is very smart. I believe in your arrangements." Xiao Linting raised his hand and rubbed Jiang Qingqing's head out of habit.

It was just like five years ago when Xiao Linting encouraged Jiang Qingqing to study.

This warm atmosphere lasted no longer than half a cup of tea, and Xiao Linting said in a deep voice: "I secretly returned to Beijing this time for your highness's birthday banquet. I originally thought that I would not be able to make it in time for your highness's birthday, so I asked Nafu to send a birthday gift."

"I have accompanied His Highness in the most important birthday gift, and I am already very satisfied," Xiao Linting's eyes were bright enough to make people feel suffocated, "Now time is running out, and there is still a finale to the border affairs that requires my intervention."

The previous sentence was still very heartwarming. Jiang Qingqing looked at Xiao Linting's affectionate eyes. She was dissatisfied with what you said. She almost thought that Xiao Linting was going to start saying something important.

She was unexpectedly at a loss for a moment.

But then, when Jiang Qingqing heard Xiao Linting say that he was about to leave Kyoto, the uneasiness in her heart instantly disappeared completely.

"When will the emperor's uncle leave? I will send him out of the capital." Jiang Qingqing quickly calmed herself down.

Xiao Linting said in a deep voice: "Your Highness' birthday banquet is coming soon. The gates of Kyoto are strictly checked. It is not easy for me to leave the city. The original plan was to start from Qi Town."

Speaking of Qi Town, Xiao Linting's smile deepened. "On my way here, I saw the current appearance of Qi Town. It is completely different from the small village back then. It can be seen that Your Highness has put a lot of effort into building it. The cooperation between Your Highness and I was indeed successful."

Xiao Linting affirmed Jiang Qingqing's efforts, without even a trace of prejudice that a girl shouldn't be so smart.

Jiang Qingqing's pair of round eyes were looking at Xiao Linting brightly at this moment.

This was the first time she heard the thing that made her happiest at her birthday party today!

The two then chatted for a few more words about Han Qingyi's decision to defect and related precautions, and it was already late at night.

Jiang Qingqing knew that Xiao Linting would probably leave tonight. Seeing the man in front of her leaving, Jiang Qingqing suddenly felt a real reluctance to let him go.

When she sent him away five years ago, she didn't have such a strong feeling.

So, she stretched out her little hand and grasped Xiao Linting's sleeve. Although she didn't say anything, her eyes were full of emotions of wanting to say something but stopping herself.

The smile on Xiao Linting's lips gradually deepened, and there was obvious doting in his eyes.

"I will be back with good news soon, Your Highness, don't worry."

"I'll wait for you in Beijing."

"I will certainly do that."

Xiao Linting rubbed Jiang Qingqing's little head for the last time. When he was about to stand up, the girl in front of him leaned forward, and he subconsciously spread out his hands.

His arms were filled with soft jade.

Feeling the soft touch, he subconsciously put his arms around her and held her in his arms.

This was the most abrupt and unexpected decision Jiang Qingqing had made today. There was no reason for it, she just wanted to hug someone.

Listening to the strong heartbeat in the other person's chest, Jiang Qingqing pursed her lips in a rare shy manner.

Xiao Linting placed his big palm on the back of her head and rubbed her into his arms a little.

Jiang Qingqing heard a deafening, low and hoarse voice.

"I won't be late."