The next night.

The rain that night was particularly heavy, as if it was going to drown the entire world in an endless curtain of water.

Wu Qing replanned his travel route to avoid becoming a drowned rat in the raging wind and rain.

When she finally arrived at the agreed location, Zhu Hanfei and Ruan Yue had been waiting there for a long time.

The two seemed to sense something and turned around to look at Wu Qing who was approaching.

Wu Qing tried her best to avoid the rain, but the corners of her clothes were still affected. She shook her nightgown gently, trying to shake off the water droplets.

Zhu Hanfei frowned slightly and asked with concern: "It's raining so hard, why didn't you hold an umbrella?"

Wu Qing wiped the water drops from his forehead and said, "If I hold an umbrella, I will inevitably attract attention when I walk, and I am afraid my whereabouts will be exposed."

"Go back and drink a cup of ginger tea to warm your body so you don't catch a cold." Zhu Hanfei said with concern.

Wu Qing said: "Let's not talk about me, you are the ones who need to get rid of the cold more."

"Room 13 is remote and not windproof, and even with the charcoal burning at night it's not particularly warm. I thought I'd bring you a few hand warmers."

As she spoke, she took out a cloth bag from her bosom, which contained three small and exquisite hand warmers.

The hand warmer is not inlaid with gold or silver, it is simple and low-key, so there is no need to worry about overstepping the boundaries.

The furnace body is made of red copper, which is smooth and round, and feels smooth and warm to the touch.

Wu Qing distributed hand warmers, "Everyone gets one, Miss Li'er, you keep one. This one is slightly reddish in color, please help me bring it to Miss Zhu."

Zhu Hanfei agreed immediately: "No problem."

She took the two hand warmers without changing her expression, one in each hand, and her face soon turned rosy.

She rubbed the reddish hand warmer repeatedly, as if she really liked the color.

Ruan Yue was a little envious: "..."

Miss Li'er and Zhu Hanfei are the same person, doesn't this mean that -

Damn it! Doesn’t this woman have two hand warmers to use at night?

Ruan Yue silently took his hand warmer.

The continuous warmth spread from the stove to her hands, then along her limbs to her internal organs, dispelling the chill of the rainy winter night.

It was so comfortable. Ruan Yue's face gradually relaxed in this warmth.

Miss Jinxiu is such a good person.

With servants like this, the legendary noble lady Ji must be a good person.

The three of them stood in the corridor where the rain was pouring down, looking into the distance, waiting for Xing'er's return.

Ruan Yue was a little worried: "It's raining so hard...will Xing'er really come?"

Zhu Hanfei nodded and said confidently, "Definitely."

"Tomorrow is the day for the moral assessment. If you fail, the deal will naturally fall through. Xing'er will not let go of this opportunity."

Ruan Yue suggested another possibility, "But they can also choose to come to me tomorrow morning before I go out."

Wu Qing shook his head: "There are twice as many guards during the day as at night. It is almost impossible to get here without attracting attention."

Wu Qing has rich practical experience in bypassing guards.

Zhu Hanfei: "Did you find any clues last night?"

Wu Qing nodded: "Well, I roughly guessed who is targeting us...our nobles."

Zhu Hanfei's eyes lit up, "Do you have a plan?"

Wu Qing raised his chin and said confidently, "It's covered."

Zhu Hanfei smiled and said, "Okay, I look forward to your performance."

The conversation between the two was brief and clear, but Ruan Yue was confused.

Ruan Yue couldn't help but interrupt: "What do you mean? Stop playing dumb. If Xing'er asks me about it later, how should I answer? I don't have the seven hundred taels of silver on me. What if I get caught?"

Wu Qing comforted her: "It's okay, you just play a role of modeling and trick people into coming here."

Ruan Yue paused for a moment and asked, "...What is the meaning of 'the role of shape'?"

"Jinxiu is praising your beauty." said Zhu Hanfei.

Ruan Yue didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "...Thank you?"

Suddenly, Wu Qing raised his eyebrows and turned off the palace lantern.

"They are coming, two of them."

"One is Xing'er, and the other... seems to be a eunuch."

Wu Qing closed his eyes and carefully sensed the sound of footsteps mixed in with the noisy rain outside.

The newcomer was probably the eunuch who met Xing'er at the side door of Kunning Palace last night.

"It's so dark, Miss Jinxiu, please don't turn off all the lights..."

When Ruan Yue turned around to complain, Wu Qing had already dragged Zhu Hanfei away.

She scratched her face and had to stand there, waiting for Xing'er to arrive.

Xing'er didn't have as good skills as Wu Qing. She was wrapped in a wet hat, and when she stepped into the corridor, water droplets splashed on the bluestone slabs.

The eunuch following behind her was equally embarrassed.

The eunuch had a slightly hunched body and looked to be in his thirties, which was still young among the eunuchs in the palace.

But there were two very deep nasolabial lines on his face, and there were a few strands of silver in his braids, making him look serious and old-fashioned.

Xing Er took a step aside, bowed and said respectfully, "Eunuch Xiang, this is the Miss Ruan I was talking about."

Eunuch Xiang responded.

He narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "Miss Ruan, do you really want to buy all the files in our nobleman's hands?"

Ruan Yue maintains his domineering personality and looks down on others:

"This eunuch is really a joke. If I wasn't here to buy the files, why would I come here on such a rainy night? Do you think I was just out of boredom and came out for a walk to digest my food?"

She pretended to be calm, but glanced in the direction of Wu Qing and the others, feeling anxious.

Hurry up, sisters!

She is penniless, how will this drama end?

In the dark corridor, no one mentioned turning on the lights.

Neither side wants their whereabouts to be exposed.

Eunuch Xiang said: "I understand Miss Ruan's sincerity. Our noble said that seven hundred taels is an acceptable amount. But..."

"But what?" Ruan Yue asked.

Eunuch Xiang smiled slightly, and there was something elusive in that smile: "Your Excellency heard that Miss Ruan's mother's surname was Liu, and he was very respectful and wanted to make friends with your mother. But I wonder which member of the Liu family your mother is?"

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Ruan Yue's face.

Her mother's surname was indeed Liu, but she was not from the Liu family. She belonged to a branch that had long been separated. She did not have much contact with the Liu family on weekdays...

How should she answer this?

Ruan Yue: "You also know my mother's name?"

Eunuch Xiang: "Of course I dare not, but since you have asked me, I am just delivering the message."

Ruan Yue: "You are not your nobleman, so I won't tell you."

The smile on Eunuch Xiang's face froze: "..."

Ruan Yue's repeated refusal only aroused Eunuch Xiang's suspicion.

Eunuch Xiang asked suspiciously, "I am a little confused by your reluctance. Is it that you don't want to say it, or... can't say it?"

Seeing that there was doubt in Eunuch Xiang's words, Ruan Yue was so frightened that she froze.

She almost screamed.

Zhu Hanfei, Jinxiu, what on earth are you two doing? ! Hurry up!

[Miss Ruan, don't panic. Your strength is coming. ]

At this moment, Wu Qing finally dealt with the pills in his hand.

She rushed out from the shadows nearby and kicked Xing'er and Eunuch Xiang on the back.

The two were caught off guard, cried out in pain, and lost their balance in an instant.

While the two were screaming in pain, Wu Qing quickly put two black pills into their mouths, then pinched their chins and forced them to swallow them.

Wu Qing: "This medicine is called Assam, and it contains tea poison and milk poison. Once you get addicted, you will never be able to quit."

Wu Qing: "Midnight snack, you're welcome."