In the next two days, He Yan was waiting for news from Xu's Fu Wang. Unfortunately, maybe because Xu Zhiheng was also looking for Nanny Qin's whereabouts, Fu Wang's search did not go smoothly. At the same time, on the night when He Yan and Xiao Jue met Madam Fan, someone really sneaked into the prison, intending to silence them.

Due to Xiao Jue's reminder, Lord Liu increased the number of guards in the prison in advance. The assassin did not succeed, but the jailers failed to catch the assassin, and the masked assassin escaped. Despite this, Mrs. Fan was still crazy, and Lord Liu did not dare to torture her easily. The Fan family was still under investigation for the maid who wanted to commit suicide, and the case was at a stalemate.

On that day, He Yan was assassinated in the streets. After the city guards arrived, many people came to watch. He Yan revealed his identity, so it was impossible to keep it secret. The next day, everyone in Shuojing knew that Xiao Jue's fiancée, the Marquis of Wu'an, who was personally appointed by His Majesty, was assassinated in broad daylight. Fortunately, she was very skilled and escaped. For a while, fewer people in Shuojing went out at night, for fear of encountering bandits wandering outside.

Before everything is clarified, people in the capital will just think they are "bandits".

In the prince's mansion, beautiful maids were playing the zither and dancing.

Crown Prince Guangyan has been indulging himself in sensual pleasures for a long time. The Crown Princess was angry but could do nothing about it, so she focused all her attention on herself, hoping to give birth to a legitimate grandson so that the position of Crown Prince would be more secure. Unfortunately, the Crown Princess's belly was not good, and she had not been pregnant since she entered the Crown Prince's Mansion. Guangyan was dissatisfied with the Crown Princess and became more and more presumptuous. Now, no one in the entire mansion can discipline him.

The Crown Prince is hosting a banquet today and has invited Prime Minister Xu and Chu Zhao to attend.

"Ever since my father arranged the marriage, I haven't had the chance to congratulate Zi Lan." The prince looked at Chu Zhao and smiled, "This time Zi Lan has got what she wished for. It is a great thing that she is getting married to Prime Minister Xu. Congratulations." After saying that, he raised the wine cup in his hand towards Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao hurriedly picked up the wine cup in front of him and said he dared not drink. Then he drank the wine in the cup together with the prince.

"Now Xiao Huaijin has returned to Shuojing," Guangyan took a breath, "The envoy of Wutuo Kingdom will come to the capital soon. Xiao Huaijin will definitely do everything he can to prevent the establishment of a market in Wei. But most of the people in the court are our people now, so I am not worried." After a pause, a trace of cruelty flashed in the prince's eyes, "I am worried about the fourth brother. If Xiao Huaijin surrenders to the fourth brother..."

Although Guangshuo's connections in the court are not as extensive as Guangyan's, and Concubine Lan's family is not as powerful as Empress Zhang's, they have a natural advantage that the others don't have - the favor of Emperor Wenxuan.

Emperor Wenxuan favored Guangshuo, and several old and stinky hard stones in the court also secretly supported the fourth prince Guangshuo.

"The Fourth Prince is moderate and does not fight for anything. Your Highness does not need to worry." Xu Xiang said with a smile.

"That boy is useless, but..." The prince narrowed his eyes, "he always makes people feel annoyed."

Although the people in the court didn't say it explicitly, everyone knew that his talent and character were not as good as Guangshuo's. Even his own people thought so, even this old fox in front of him... The prince's eyes swept over Xu Xiang and he remembered another interesting thing.

"Zilan," the prince suddenly looked at Chu Zhao, "I heard that you have a maidservant who is beautiful and smart. Is that true?"

Chu Zhao heard this, and his heart felt like a basin of cold water poured over his head, slowly turning cold into ice. However, he did not show any emotion on his face, and replied respectfully, "It is true."

"With such a beauty, why do you never keep her by your side?" the prince asked with a smile, but there was no smile in his eyes.

Why? Of course, if she was seen by the prince, Ying Xiang would not be able to stay in the Chu family. With the character of the prince Guangyan, he would always take any beautiful woman to his house. Ying Xiang's appearance would only bring her trouble.

"This girl is not very skillful, and because she is too beautiful, it is inconvenient to keep her with me, so I have asked her to stay in my house and do some rough work like sweeping and dusting."

The prince laughed loudly upon hearing this, "Zilan, you are really wasting a gift from heaven. You are such a person who doesn't know how to cherish women. If you marry Pingting in the future, you must change your ways, otherwise Prime Minister Xu will be unhappy."

Xu Jingfu just sat aside, drinking tea with a smile on his face, seemingly not hearing the sharp meaning in the prince's words.

Chu Zhao looked somewhat at a loss.

"It would be a waste of talent to keep her in your house, so why not give her to me?" The prince said casually, "I am in need of such a clever girl, and the East Palace can afford to feed one more person. What do you think?"

Chu Zhao was stunned and looked up at Guangyan.

I don't know when the piano music in the hall stopped, and the dancing maids quietly retreated. In the silence, the air was stagnant like sticky blood, blowing over with a nauseating feeling of suffocation.

The young man looked handsome, but perhaps because of his excessive indulgence in sex, his eyes were dark and dark, and when he looked at people, he always looked a bit sinister and manic. Even though he had a smile on his face, when he stared at me, there was a bit of contempt in his eyes.

That is disdain from the heart, the contempt that the superior has for an ant.

"Why?" The prince asked jokingly, "Zilan, are you reluctant to part with it?"

Xu Jingfu just looked at the teacup in front of him without saying anything.

Chu Zhao stood up, walked in front of the prince, and bowed, "How dare Zilan? It is a blessing for Yingxiang to be chosen by His Highness to serve His Highness. But this girl is clumsy and I am afraid of offending His Highness. Since His Highness has chosen her, I will send someone to bring Yingxiang here as soon as I return to the palace."

His respectful attitude obviously pleased the prince. After Chu Zhao knelt for a while, the prince stood up and helped him up. He smiled with satisfaction and said, "Why do you need to be polite? You are someone close to me. After you send her to the palace, I will take good care of her."

Chu Zhao expressed his loyalty again, which made the prince very happy, and then he returned to his seat and sat down.

There were fine wine and delicious food on the long table. He was drinking with chopsticks in his hand, looking normal. He didn't seem to be affected by this incident at all. But when he stopped drinking, his eyes fell on Xu Jingfu beside him.

The old man had a kind and benevolent face, and seemed somewhat open-minded. He looked over with a smile, just like the gentle smile of his mentor when he bowed at the corner of his robe.

Chu Zhao also smiled back at Xu Jingfu and raised his glass to congratulate him. But if you look carefully, you can find that his other hand is placed under the table, with his fingertips embedded in the palm of his hand, and a bloodstain of not too deep or too shallow is overflowing.

…

When we returned to the Chu family, it was already very late.

As soon as he entered the mansion, the smile on Chu Zhao's face disappeared completely. He was used to smiling in a gentle manner, even when facing the servants of the Chu family. But today, it seemed that he couldn't stand it. As soon as he entered the mansion, his face looked so ugly that it seemed like water was about to drip out. The servants didn't even dare to approach him.

Everyone in the Chu family knew that the fourth son was extraordinary. When he was first sent back to the mansion, everyone thought that the fourth son would not live long. A bastard born from a concubine and a prostitute would never be tolerated by Mrs. Chu. Before Chu Zhao met Xu Jingfu when he was young, he also had a difficult time. Although Chu Linfeng protected him, Chu Linfeng was not a father who cared about his son. In the corners that Chu Linfeng could not see, Chu Zhao was often bullied and beaten.

But this child was very patient, and he endured until good luck came. Prime Minister Xu Jingfu picked him, and soon he became Prime Minister Xu's favorite student.

After that, Chu Zhao kept rising all the way. Gradually, Mrs. Chu could no longer touch him. Chu Linfeng obeyed his son's words, but Chu Zhao never changed his temperament because of this. He treated the servants of the Chu family with gentleness from beginning to end, as always. Over time, many of Mrs. Chu's people also secretly took refuge in Chu Zhao.

Even a fool would know how to choose a master who is more promising, gentle and considerate.

But today, Chu Zhao's upbringing and good temper seemed to have reached the limit.

As soon as he walked into his own courtyard, he saw a familiar lantern swaying at the door from a distance. Chu Zhao walked in, and Ying Xiang came forward to greet him: "Fourth Young Master."

He entered the house without saying a word.

Perhaps his expression today was too abnormal. Ying Xiang was startled for a moment, then followed him in, stood beside Chu Zhao, and asked softly, "Fourth Young Master, what happened?"

Chu Zhao raised his eyes and looked at the woman in front of him.

Ying Xiang was very beautiful, graceful and charming, like a picture. Standing here, her face was more beautiful than a flower. With such a face, she was qualified to enter the palace. In the Chu family, if it were not for the maids around him who were inconvenient to take action, I am afraid Chu Linfeng would have made Ying Xiang his twentieth concubine long ago.

It is hard to imagine how Yingxiang's parents, who are just ordinary looking, could have given birth to such a charming and beautiful face like Yingxiang.

The first time Chu Zhao saw Ying Xiang was in front of a brothel. Ying Xiang's father, a gambler, was holding her wrist and negotiating with the brothel's madam in a bargaining tone whether his daughter could be sold for a little more money. Ying Xiang's mother, a pregnant woman, just stood aside and cried silently, not daring to say anything.

Chu Zhao was only nine years old at the time, and had just followed Xu Jingfu for a short time. Mrs. Chu no longer dared to bully him openly. Ying Xiang looked about the same age as him, and her clothes were very shabby, but her skin was very white. Even though she was not dressed up, her eyebrows and eyes showed that she was a beauty. Her expression was always very calm, not crying or making a fuss, standing in the same place, when Chu Zhao stopped on the opposite street to look at her, the girl looked up at him.

Although she had no expression on her face, one could see through her eyes her deep sorrow and despair. It was as if she had surrendered to her fate, powerless to resist.

For a moment, Chu Zhao thought of Ye Runmei.

He ordered his servant to buy Ying Xiang with two pieces of silver, and went back to tell Chu Linfeng that he needed a personal maid. Chu Linfeng thought Chu Zhao had other intentions. He was a romantic man, and he was not only not annoyed by his son's behavior, but also admired it very much. From then on, Ying Xiang stayed with Chu Zhao.

In recent years, Ying Xiang has been quiet and submissive, which is completely different from her charming and glamorous appearance. She is getting more and more beautiful, and Chu Zhao knows in his heart that beauty will bring disaster, and the days he can protect Ying Xiang are very limited.

Perhaps Ying Xiang noticed the pity in his eyes. She was stunned for a moment, then pursed her lips and asked, "Fourth Master, does this matter have anything to do with me?"

"I went to the prince's mansion today," Chu Zhao said, "and the prince knows you."

The room was silent for a moment.

After a while, Ying Xiang said calmly: "I understand."

Her answer was submissive and gentle, just like the moment when she was about to be sold by her biological father outside the brothel. She accepted her fate naturally, as if she had expected it all along.

Chu Zhao moved his lips and finally uttered two words, "Sorry."

Ying Xiang smiled instead. She walked to the table and poured tea for Chu Zhao as usual. The tea was simmered on the stove in advance, so that when Chu Zhao came back, he would drink hot tea. In such a cold day, he needed to drink something hot to warm his stomach. She handed the teacup to Chu Zhao and said softly, "I have been with the Fourth Young Master for so long, and I am already satisfied. When I am not around in the future, the Fourth Young Master, remember to take good care of yourself."

Chu Zhao took the tea and said nothing.

Ying Xiang knelt down.

"For so many years, I have been cared for by you, young master. Ying Xiang has no way to repay you. Before I leave, I will kowtow to you." She kowtowed three times to Chu Zhao gently, and each kowtow seemed to weigh more than a thousand gold.

After she bowed her head for the last time, she leaned over for a long time without getting up.

Chu Zhao did not stop her. After a long time, Ying Xiang stood up again. She bowed to Chu Zhao and said, "Well, I will go back to my room to pack my belongings. Take care, young master."

That’s all, I’m going to go out.

"Ying Xiang." Chu Zhao called her name.

Ying Xiang stopped, turned around, and suddenly a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes. That hope was very secret, but in the night, it was brighter than the stars.

Chu Zhao avoided her gaze, as if he couldn't bear to look at her any longer. After a moment's silence, he uttered two words.

"Take care of yourself."

…

He Yan didn't know about these things in the Chu family.

These days, all her attention was focused on the Xu family. Money makes the world go round, and with the help of money, Fuwang finally found Qin Ma's whereabouts a few days earlier than he had said he would in eight or nine days.

When He Yan got the news and went to a teahouse near Xu's house, Fu Wang came up to him with a smile on his face, as if he had done something proud and couldn't wait to ask for a reward.

Seeing him like this, He Yan knew that he must have made a big gain, and he was delighted, so he asked, "Have you found out where he is?"

"My lord," Fuwang was very good at handling things. He didn't mention the outcome of the matter first, but just talked about the hard work and dangers of his investigation these days, and then said, "I am risking my life to do this for you. You can't help but feel distressed."

He Yan smiled and put the last silver coin in her sleeve on the table. At this point, she was completely broke. But in front of Fu Wang, she still had to pretend.

"Brother, if you do things for me, I will definitely benefit from you. This money is just a small amount. If you can do more things for me in the future, the money will never be spent."

Fuwang's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he felt relieved. He was afraid that after this deal, the mysterious man would disappear. Money came so easily, so he naturally wanted to do a long-term business. This man meant that there were other things for him to do, and Fuwang was a little happy.

"I have already found out the whereabouts of Nanny Qin for you. Nanny Qin had a lover who used to live in Niu's Manor outside the city. But I also found out that since Nanny Qin ran away to find her lover, they no longer live in Niu's Manor. The lover's surname is Niu, and she was originally a blacksmith. Niu has a relative who lives in a barren mountain more than ten miles away from Niu's Manor. The mountain is so big that it is not easy to find someone. But since they live in the mountains, they always have to exchange food, cloth and oil. On the tenth day of every month, Niu would go down the mountain to the nearby market to buy food. He also does some work for others. On the day he goes to buy food, he will also sell the cast ironware in a blacksmith shop called 'Changmao Iron Shop'."

"If you want to find Madam Qin, you can go to the Changmao Iron Shop first. When Niu the Ironsmith comes down the mountain on the tenth day of the lunar month, you can find him. Only Niu the Ironsmith knows where Madam Qin is." Fuwang smiled cunningly, "As for how to get Niu the Ironsmith to talk, it depends on what you plan to do."

"Are the news you said true?" He Yan asked.

"It's absolutely true. How could I dare to lie to you, sir?" Fuwang said hurriedly, "But now the master is also asking people to find out the whereabouts of Nanny Qin. I went through many channels to find this place, but the master may not be unable to find it. If you are in a hurry, you'd better hurry to that iron shop. If the master gets there first..."

It wasn't that he was really kind-hearted and was concerned about the mysterious man in front of him. He was just afraid that the mysterious man would not be able to find Nanny Qin and would disappear, and he would not have the money he earned so easily to spend in the future.

He Yan was also a little excited. She had come to Xu's house originally just to find evidence, and had never thought that she would find a live person. But now Fu Wang had inquired so carefully, which was really a pleasant surprise.

"You did a great job on this."

After receiving the compliment, Fuwang was overjoyed, as if he was looking at a stream of silver flowing towards him. He said, "It is my honor to work for you, sir. If you have anything else to do, please tell me. I am not good at other things, but I am diligent. It would be great if I could help you."

It would have been better if she hadn't said it. As soon as she said this, He Yan actually remembered another thing. She hesitated for a while before asking, "Do you know if there's anything wrong with your current grandmother Xu?"

"Grandma?" Fuwang was stunned, and felt that the person in front of him was even more unfathomable. Previously, he said that Aunt He was his past lover, so could it be that this Grandma Xu also had some unclear relationship with him? If so, wouldn't his eldest master's head be in a dark cloud? For a moment, Fuwang felt very sympathetic to Xu Zhiheng.

He Yan didn't know that the boy's mind had already gone astray, so he just asked, "Don't you know about Grandma Xu's situation?"

"I am just a gatekeeper," Fuwang said with a smile, "The maids and old women are serving in the grandma's yard, and there are very few servants. If you really want to inquire, I can run errands for you, but..."

"But what?" He Yan asked.

Not long after he ran into Madam He and He Xinying at Yuhua Temple that day, she encountered an assassin. After thinking about it, He Yan felt that it was all related to He Rufei. Although He Xinying knew nothing, given He Rufei's cautiousness, he might not let her go. Although he had not been with this sister for a long time, He Yan did not want her to get into trouble.

"But the eldest lady seems to be tired these days and has hardly gone out. When the lady went out, she didn't take her with her." Fuwang said.

He Yan's heart tightened.

It wouldn't have been a big deal if Mrs. Xu didn't take He Xinying with her when she went out, but it happened after she went to Yuhua Temple... It really makes people guess that He Xinying was under house arrest by the Xu family.

"Fuwang," He Yan looked at the person in front of him, "I want you to do one more thing for me. Keep an eye on Grandma Xu. If anything happens to Grandma Xu, or if there is any problem, please go to the teahouse and find the guy with pockmarks on his face and let him know."

Although Fuwang was confused, he still nodded and said, "Okay."

After explaining the matter, the two of them left separately. He Yan left first, and Fu Wang left later. When Fu Wang left, he did not notice that there was a figure hiding behind the pillar in front of a silk shop on the opposite corner of the street. He waited until the figure disappeared before he came out.

It was a woman in black.

…

At night, the door of the Xiao family's study was opened and someone came in from outside.

Xiao Jue hung the sword back on the wall, took off his outer garment, and just as he turned around, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The person who came in was a figure dressed in black.

Xiao Jue didn't look at her. He walked to the table. There was a pile of letters on the table. He picked up a few and flipped through them.

Luanying said, "The matter that Young Master asked me to investigate has already been solved."

The young man was taking out a piece of letter paper. Hearing this, he did not look up, but just asked, "How is it?"

Luanying was a little hesitant.

Xiao Jue paused what he was doing and glanced at her.

It was this one look that made Luanying make up his mind, and he whispered, "I have been waiting at the door of the Xu family for three days, and today I met Miss He."

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"Miss He and the gatekeeper of the Xu family sat in a nearby teahouse for half an hour before leaving. I asked the waiter of the teahouse and found out that they had met several times before."

Xiao Jue threw the letter in his hand on the table, sat down on the chair, looked at her and said calmly: "What did you find out?"

"The gatekeeper is called Fuwang. He has become much richer recently, so he went to the Xu family to look for a woman called Qin Ma. Qin Ma was the wet nurse of Xu Zhiheng's favorite concubine He Wanru, but after He Wanru died of illness, Qin Ma disappeared."

"I guess that Miss He gave Fuwang a sum of money and asked Fuwang to find out the whereabouts of Nanny Qin. But the strange thing is that Xu Zhiheng, the eldest master of the Xu family, is also looking for Nanny Qin everywhere now."

After Luanying finished speaking, she did not dare to look at Xiao Jue's expression. He Yan actually had an unclear relationship with the Xu family behind her back. For Xiao Jue, this was definitely not good news. A woman with many secrets always makes people suspicious.

"This person named Nanny Qin seems to be very important." The young man played with the paper weight in his hand. In the shadow of the oil lamp, it was unclear what his expression was.

"Have you found out where Nanny Qin is?"

Luanying nodded: "I found it."

－－－－－－－A side note－－－－－－－

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