Hongye immediately understood the gravity of the situation and replied, "This servant will return to the city immediately."
After a moment's thought, Gu Qinlan said to Bixi, "You should go with her too. In the dead of night, you can look out for each other."
So the two of them immediately went to the village, took out their horses, and hurriedly rode away.
At this time, there were less than two hours until dawn, but Gu Qinlan was already wide awake.
She returned to her room, where Zheng Dinglian's presence still lingered.
Gu Qinlan's tears, which she had managed to hold back, welled up again.
She had never realized before that she could cry so easily.
She thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile, "Gu Qinlan, Gu Qinlan, when was it that you swore you would never fall for any man? Although you have lived two lives, you are ultimately no match for the emotions of mortals."
However, when she thought that the person who had moved her heart was Zheng Dinglian, she felt that being an ordinary person was not so bad.
She spent some time calming herself down, and finally, as dawn broke, she tidied herself up and returned to the capital with Cuiying and several guards from the estate.
As soon as I stepped into the house, Hongye rushed over to report.
"Madam, the Frostfall has already been bought by someone else. After making inquiries, I discovered that the buyer is not a regular customer of the brokerage."
In the bustling capital, if it weren't for the stewards of those prestigious mansions, almost everyone would know about him. Gu Qinlan frowned slightly and asked, "Have you found out anything about the buyer's true identity?"
Hongye gently shook her head and replied, "The people at Shentong Pawnshop are very tight-lipped. Even though I spent money, I couldn't get any information out of them."
Gu Qinlan's expression was slightly grave. She slowly said, "It seems that the other party's background is extraordinary. At least, within our household, it is difficult to compare with them."
She began to suspect that Shuangjiang might not have actually been bought, but rather secretly moved by a brokerage firm. This Shentong brokerage firm was very likely connected to a certain prince, and was an extension of his sphere of influence.
Upon hearing this, Hongye immediately set about investigating the matter. Just as she left, Fuyu quietly entered and reported to Gu Qinlan, "Madam, Aunt Lian and her husband have arrived in the capital."
Gu Qinlan's face immediately lit up with a smile: "How are they doing now?"
Fuyu replied with a smile, "The couple is currently waiting in the flower hall, preparing to pay their respects to you, Madam."
Gu Qinlan immediately stood up and walked towards the flower hall. As soon as she stepped into the flower hall, Jin Tianming led Aunt Lian to kneel down and bow to Gu Qinlan: "Greetings, Princess of Linchuan."
Gu Qinlan quickly stepped forward and helped the two up. She said gently, "Uncle Jin, Aunt Lian, why be so polite! There's no need for such formalities between us!"
The couple beamed with joy. Aunt Lian said, "This is all because we are happy for the county magistrate. The county magistrate may not know, but after the news of your investiture reached Jindu, every single person who had received your favor was overjoyed."
Gu Qinlan noticed that Aunt Lian seemed to have some difficulty walking, so she asked with concern, "Aunt Lian, what's wrong with your leg?"
Aunt Lian immediately showed indignation: "It's all because of those damned refugees. They climbed over the wall and tried to rob me, and I didn't stop them. But those bastards not only stole my things, but they also tried to damage my reputation. If it weren't for the fact that your Uncle Jin's attendant was skilled in martial arts and risked his life to save me, I would be dead by now."
Upon hearing this, Gu Qinlan felt a surge of anxiety. She had invited Jin Tianming and his wife to seek refuge at the Duan Prince's residence, but Jin Tianming was unwilling to abandon his family's business, and Aunt Lian did not want to cause Gu Qinlan any trouble, so they declined. She never imagined they would encounter such hardship.
The couple, having survived the ordeal, were filled with remorse. Had they listened to Gu Qinlan's advice, they might have escaped the disaster.
However, time cannot be turned back, and regret is useless. Although the two suffered a lot, fortunately, they did not suffer fatal injuries. It was just that Aunt Lian's leg was accidentally broken during the escape, and the refugee riots delayed her treatment, leaving her with a disability. Nevertheless, apart from a slight difficulty in walking, it did not have a significant impact on her life.
After hearing about their ordeal, Gu Qinlan couldn't help but sigh, "Those who survive a great calamity are bound to have good fortune in the future. Uncle Jin and Aunt Lian's good fortune is waiting for them."
Aunt Lian waved her hand magnanimously: "Being alive is the greatest fortune. County Princess, my husband and I have come here seeking refuge with you, we wonder if you would be willing to take us in?"
Gu Qinlan smiled and said, "That's exactly what I've been looking for. I've been worried about the lack of capable people under my command, and you two are exactly what I need."
Although Jin Tianming's main social network is based in Jindu, his intelligence and methods should not be underestimated. Given time, he will surely be able to quickly weave a new network of relationships in the capital.
Gu Qinlan first sent servants to arrange comfortable accommodations for Jin Tianming and his wife, then turned to Jin Tianming and asked, "What is the current situation in Jindu?"
Jin Tianming sighed deeply and said in a heavy tone, "The situation is worrying. This refugee riot has severely damaged the foundation of Jindu City. Those prominent families have suffered deaths and injuries, and almost every household has been destroyed. After the general led his troops to break through the city, the survivors fled to the capital. Now, only ordinary people remain in the city. The county magistrate knows that food is scarce and prices are soaring. They have no money and can hardly maintain even basic food and clothing. To put it bluntly, their situation is not much different from that of the refugees back then."
Aunt Lian snorted coldly, her tone revealing her dissatisfaction: "They brought it on themselves! The county princess generously donated a large amount of grain to aid them, and how did they repay the Prince Duan's mansion? If we had known they would turn around and bite us, we would have preferred to feed that grain to the dogs!"
"Their current hardship is the inevitable result of their ingratitude and repaying kindness with enmity!"
Aunt Lian harbored resentment towards the people of Jindu City because many of them had secretly colluded with the refugees during the city's siege, and even participated in the attack on Prince Duan's residence. Therefore, she felt no sympathy for their suffering.
Jin Tianming strongly agreed with this.
Gu Qinlan, however, had a different view. She believed that the people's behavior was simply a matter of human instinct. Under the pressure of survival, she wasn't sure if she could behave more noblely than them.
She did not claim to be a saint, but she knew all too well that in this world, morality and righteousness are often forgotten in order to survive.
Jin Tianming continued, "Not long ago, a group of strangers suddenly appeared in Jindu City. They opened several grain shops in the city and sold grain at high prices. The price of coarse grains has increased more than three times compared to before. They also implemented a purchase limit, with each person limited to one jin per day. As a result, there are always long queues in front of those grain shops."
Aunt Lian sighed and said worriedly, "It's only February now. In two more months, the price of grain will probably rise even more outrageously, which may cause even greater unrest."
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