"Is that so?" Fourth Master asked in surprise after hearing Lanqin's account.
"Based on Wuxiha's description, I sent people to search every corner of the Fu residence, but there were no outsiders there," Lanqin said.
"Have you let anyone know, especially what Ushiha said? If people know that Ushiha knows it, it will cause gossip," Fourth Master said.
"No, I sent people to search quietly without alerting anyone," Lanqin quickly replied.
"Hmm, who is it that dares to leave the manor? My Prince Yong's manor is like an empty place," said the Fourth Prince.
"I heard from Wuxiha that two guards in the manor sparred with him. Why don't we call them over and ask them?" Lanqin said.
The Fourth Prince nodded and then sent someone to summon the two guards who had gone out with Ushiha, Namin, and Bechuk that day for questioning.
Because the South Courtyard was the inner courtyard of the house, Lanqin followed Fourth Master to the front courtyard.
The two guards were summoned to the Fourth Prince's front yard, already terrified and uneasy. They never expected that the Prince would find out.
"Your Highness, this servant greets the Consort." The two servants knelt down in unison. They had failed to protect their master and deserved punishment. They felt they should have come to apologize, and thus they were filled with the expectation of being punished.
"You don't need to rush to apologize. Yesterday, you clearly described the appearance of that madman who dared to bully my Fourth Princess. I heard that neither of you were a match for him?" Fourth Master asked with his thick eyebrows raised.
The two servants then immediately described the appearance of the person they had encountered that day.
"Are they foreigners?" Lanqin asked.
“This servant noticed that the man’s clothes and appearance are unlike ours, and his eyes are dark blue,” one of the guards said.
Lanqin and Fourth Master exchanged a glance, their meaning clear: So they were foreigners.
However, all foreigners coming to Kyoto were recorded and filed. They had to register with the Qing Dynasty's Foreign Affairs Office when they entered the city.
“Your Highness, they have already done their best, so let them go. However, since they didn’t report it, fine them a month’s wages,” Lanqin said.
The two guards continued to kowtow, saying, "We are incompetent. We failed to protect the princess. Please punish us, Your Highness."
"Alright, you may all receive your punishment as the concubine instructed," the Fourth Prince said, waving his hand at them.
The two servants breathed a sigh of relief and were naturally grateful for Lanqin's magnanimity. They quickly went to receive their punishment.
"It seems we need to find this person properly. Despite bullying my Fourth Princess and even coming here today, he actually treated my mansion like a garden," the Fourth Prince said angrily.
"Hmm. Your Highness still needs to search discreetly. Could this person be here for Uxiha? We absolutely cannot let anyone know, otherwise it will damage Uxiha's reputation." Lanqin knew how infuriating the harsh treatment of women in this era was, but her daughter was born into this era and had to follow certain rules.
"Of course, I will have someone search for it secretly," Fourth Master said.
The two discussed Ushiha's marriage again, but in the end they still couldn't reach a consensus on what kind of husband's family to find for Ushiha.
Because the Fourth Master had been drinking, Lanqin asked Su Peisheng to help him get some rest, while she went to Lanxing Residence.
“Beichuke, tell your mother what exactly happened that day? How did your sister get into a conflict with someone?” Lanqin asked.
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