Chapter 23 Beast Fighting
After opening the account book and finding Wu Yuanqing's name, Ji Changqing's guess about Feng Qingsui's identity couldn't help but waver.
Wu Yuanqing was the adopted father of a girl named Cuique, who was the same age as Feng Sui. In the third year after her adoption, Cuique died of smallpox.
The account book included the coroner's autopsy record of Cuiqiao, but Ji Changqing had been a local official and knew how much manipulation could be done in an autopsy, so he would not take the record as fact.
"Tomorrow, go check on Wu Yuanqing and the child he adopted."
He ordered Shi An.
Shi An nodded: "Okay."
When he returned home after court the next day, Shi An told him what he had learned. At the end, he added, "Wu Yuanqing and his family of three left the city early this morning with all their belongings. Their whereabouts are unknown."
Ji Changqing: “…”
Very quick hands and feet.
As soon as he started the investigation, Feng Qingsui transferred the relevant persons away.
Is she Cuiqiao or Feng Sui?
Thinking of the records in the medical books that delphinium tastes bitter, is cold in nature, is highly poisonous, and can kill insects, as well as Doctor Xun of Ping'an Hall who died in unclear circumstances, Ji Changqing felt that this name was quite suitable for her.
Feng Qingsui, who had just entered the courtyard where the Crown Prince's wife lived in the Rongchang Marquis' Mansion, suddenly felt a chill.
He couldn't help but pause.
Who is teasing her behind her back?
Wuhua suddenly tugged at her sleeve, waited for her to look, and pointed forward.
Two men, one tall and one short, were walking towards the corridor in front. The tall one was Han Ruixuan, the son of Marquis Rongchang, and the short one... she recognized that it was Cuique, so she turned around and walked towards the pavilion on the right with Wuhua.
There was a circle of bamboo planted around the pavilion, so dense that it covered their figures completely.
As the two passed by, Cuiqiao said coquettishly, "Master, if you lose this time, please find the one I told you about."
Han Ruixuan clicked his tongue: "How do you talk like that?"
"I heard from you that the new fighting slave is very powerful and has won several games in a row. I am worried about General Changsheng."
"Why do you think the Ever-Victorious General is called the Ever-Victorious General? It's never lost!"
"Okay, I was worrying too much."
"Don't worry about it, just watch carefully later."
…
After the two of them left the courtyard, Feng Qingsui gave Wuhua a look, and Wuhua nodded and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
Feng Qingsui went to see Wei alone.
"My maid suddenly had a stomachache, so I asked her to go back."
She said to Wei.
Wei didn't care at all, she was busy looking in the mirror.
"Look at my chin. Isn't the outline much clearer?"
Feng Qingsui nodded: "I had a double chin before, but now it's gone completely. My face looks much smaller."
Wei was happy for a moment, then sighed again: "No matter how small she is, she still has a round face. It can't compare to other people's oval faces at all."
"There's no need for the peony to compete with other flowers for beauty," Feng Qingsui consoled him. "Your face is meant to be the first wife."
Wei became happy again: "You are good at praising people."
Feng Qingsui took the opportunity to ask, "Just now, when I entered the courtyard, I saw the prince and a thin man leaving the courtyard. I was so scared that I quickly hid. Isn't this the inner courtyard? How can other men come in and out?"
Wei's round face suddenly turned into a long face.
"How could a man come in and out!" she said gloomily, "It was that little bitch who dressed up as a man. This isn't the first time. On the old lady's birthday, she also dressed up as a servant and followed the man around. She has no manners at all!"
I see.
Feng Qingsui lowered his eyelashes.
On the day of the birthday banquet, Cuique was dressed as a man and followed the Prince of Rongchang.
"No wonder you have a headache." Feng Qingsui smiled slightly, "She is really too favored."
"She's a monster!"
Wei cursed a few times, and then showed a hint of pride.
"Fortunately, I knew she was a vixen the first time I met her, so I put a sterilizing drug in the contraceptive soup I gave her. No matter how charming she is, she can't cause any trouble without having children."
Feng Qingsui: “…”
No wonder Han Ruixuan has so many women in his backyard but no children.
Wei suddenly thought of something and leaned closer, asking, "Are you really planning to stay with Ji Changfeng forever?"
Feng Qingsui nodded slightly.
"You don't even have a child, how hard it must be," Wei sighed. "It would be best to adopt one from the clan. That way, you'll have someone around you when you're old, and at least have some popularity... By the way, has Prime Minister Ji's marriage been arranged?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Qingsui knew that she had ideas about Ji Changqing's marriage.
"Not yet."
"It's time to settle it."
While taking a walk later, Wei talked to Feng Qingsui about her group of sisters-in-law, especially Miss Han San.
"...My third sister and the current Crown Princess are known as the two beauties of the capital. Both are stunningly beautiful, well-educated, and proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. My third sister is the leader of the largest women's poetry society in the capital. She is determined to find a man of great talent, but she is still unengaged even at her prime."
"It seems that the talented men in the capital are not worthy of the Third Miss."
Feng Qingsui chuckled.
"That's right!" Wei agreed. "She looks down on those who rely on their ancestors' influence, and she also looks down on those who hold low official positions. She wants to be powerful and influential at a young age, and look like Pan An. How many people like this are there in Xi State?"
Feng Qingsui: What a coincidence, they have one in the Ji Mansion.
She didn't respond to Wei's words, but only said: "With a background like the Third Miss, she should be chosen carefully."
Wei looked at her deeply.
"When the Nine-Lotus Lanterns in Third Sister's courtyard bloom, I'll take you there for tea. The flowers have several colors: purple, pink, and green. They are incredibly beautiful. They were presented as tribute to the Empress from Hexi, and the Empress gave them to her. You can't see them anywhere else."
Feng Qingsui said hello.
She drove back to Ji's house by herself.
Wuhua was already waiting at Polangxuan.
"They went to Paiyun Tower."
Wuhua said with a stern face.
"There's an underground arena there. Prince Han is a frequent visitor there. They have gambling games, where people fight dogs. Whoever's dog bites the person to death wins."
"Did Prince Han win just now?"
"No. The person who came on stage today is a young man from a foreign race. He seems to have been bought from across the border. He might be a Xirong. He killed all the dogs in return."
Feng Qingsui couldn't help but think of what Cuiqiao said to Han Ruixuan, that if he lost, he should go find the one she said, and the image of the big black dog flashed through his mind.
The big black dog once bit Delphinium. Given Delphinium's vengeful nature, she would never let the big black dog go.
When she saw the big black dog safe and sound at the orphanage, she thought Delphinium had forgotten it.
Waiting here.
Then he said to Wuhua, "Go over there and keep an eye on the big black dog. If anyone comes to catch it, stop them."
"How long?"
"Let's keep an eye on it for five or six days first."
"What about you?"
"There are other maids in Polangxuan. If we go out, Ji Changqing's people will follow us."
Ji Changqing: ? ? Is this how I let you use my secret guards?
Wuhua did as she was told.
The next day, when Feng Qingsui was about to take the maid from the Ji Mansion out, Wuhua hurried back.
"The big black dog was taken away!"
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