Song Tangxue tapped her teacup with her finger and said with a smile, "Thank you for the information, sir, but I already knew. I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer."
I've been busy dealing with the Song family's affairs these past few days, so I haven't had a chance to ask Uncle Kui about the progress of the saltpeter.
Xie Qianzhong raised an eyebrow slightly, picked up his teacup and swirled it around, a playful glint in his eyes: "Is that so?"
Song Tangxue frowned: "Lord Xie, do you not believe me?"
As she spoke, Song Tangxue moved closer to Xie Qianzhong, the two of them only inches apart, so close that she could count Xie Qianzhong's eyelashes.
The next second, the carriage jolted, and Song Tangxue lost her support and fell forward.
In a flash, their lips touched another soft surface, and the faint aroma of tea wafted between their breaths.
A warm sensation spread from her lips, gradually enveloping her entire body. Song Tangxue's eyelids trembled slightly, and she raised her eyes to gaze at Xie Qianzhong.
A burning sensation rose from his heart, Xie Qianzhong's eyes widened slightly, and he pushed Song Tangxue away, his breath slightly unsteady: "Miss Song, you are the Crown Princess, please have some self-respect."
Her hands, resting on her knees, quietly clenched into fists.
Song Tangxue smiled nonchalantly, her face flushed, the light seemingly falling into his eyes: "The Crown Prince already has Song Tangli, following him would only bring me trouble, why not let me follow you, sir?"
Xie Qianzhong took a deep breath, startled by this bold statement, and stared at Song Tangxue: "Do you know what you're saying?"
Song Tangxue nodded indifferently: "I know, I want to follow the adults."
Xie Qianzhong's hands were clenched tightly, but his face showed no emotion: "This matter must not be mentioned again in the future. If someone with ulterior motives hears about it, you will be in big trouble."
"Which sentence?" Song Tangxue's gaze was fixed on him: "Is it that you dislike the Crown Prince or... want to follow the Lord?"
Xie Qianzhong looked away, his face darkening: "Every single word you say, do you know that every single word you say is enough to cost you your head?"
His tone was full of warning, but the turmoil in his heart was no less than boiling water.
For a moment, the noise outside went silent in his mind, and the world fell into silence.
"Stop the carriage." Xie Qianzhong called for the carriage to stop, and the carriage turned into a secluded alley. Song Tangxue looked at his cold face but was not afraid at all.
She was certain that the man was interested in her, so she felt no fear.
Because every word he uttered was out of concern for her, but he didn't say that it was impossible or unacceptable; he was simply worried that she would be implicated as a result.
Song Tangxue's gaze made Xie Qianzhong's expression grow even colder: "Crown Princess?"
Song Tangxue smiled and raised her hand, gently touching Xie Qianzhong's face. It was soft, delicate, and warm, not at all like the coldness his face showed.
Then, taking advantage of Xie Qianzhong's momentary daze, he got off the carriage.
Xie Qianzhong watched quietly as the light that had flooded into the carriage receded completely as the curtains closed, and the heat throughout his body slowly subsided, leaving only the cheek that had been touched by the girl.
It felt like a little sun had grown on it, warm and cozy. Xie Qianzhong reached out and touched it, his voice steady: "Let's go."
Song Tangxue turned her head away from the shop and headed towards the south of the city. She had asked Uncle Kui to go to the courtyard in the south of the city yesterday, and he should have arrived today.
Haitang glanced at the shops in the distance, somewhat puzzled: "Miss, aren't we going to check the shops?"
The sunlight illuminated Song Tangxue's eyes, but it couldn't melt the frost in them: "No rush, let them run wild for a few more days."
"The higher you climb, the harder you fall."
Song Tangxue planned to let those people go for a while, so that they would have the illusion that she was still the weak and easily bullied young lady.
Next time they check the accounts, won't they uncover even more loopholes?
If you're going to pull it up, you have to pull it up by the roots.
Haitang seemed to understand, but she firmly believed that everything her mistress did was right, especially her mistress who had changed so much recently.
Inside the mansion in the south of the city, Uncle Kui walked around the house and said with some satisfaction, "This mansion of the young lady is good, spacious and bright, much better than the small courtyard in the Song family."
Song Tangxue smiled faintly: "Uncle Kui, don't worry, things will only get better from now on!"
Uncle Kui's eyes welled up with tears: "As long as Miss is well, I'm fine."
In his previous life, to avoid suspicion from the Song family, he and the people left behind by his maternal grandmother were not very close. Seeing Uncle Kui wiping away tears now, he felt bad too.
"By the way, Miss, there's been a lead on what you asked me to do."
Song Tangxue led Uncle Kui to a quiet house. Uncle Kui carefully surveyed the surroundings and sent the servants and maids away at a distance: "We need to thoroughly check the people around the young lady to avoid any trouble."
Song Tangxue nodded. There wasn't time to investigate here yet, but she would find out everything when she had time.
"The person who bought the saltpeter was a rogue soldier, and his area of operation was near the black market in the south of the city." Uncle Kui's information was quite comprehensive.
"It's not far from here. Do you know who it is?" Song Tangxue's residence is located in the south of the city, not far from the main road of the capital.
Uncle Kui shook his head: "We couldn't find out this person's identity."
A glint flashed in Song Tangxue's eyes; she wanted to see which kind of monsters and demons wanted to harm her.
"Tonight, I'll go to the black market with you." Song Tangxue wanted to catch the murderer herself, find the scoundrel, and then catch the mastermind behind it all.
Only then can I do my own thing with peace of mind, especially since it's an agreement I made with that person.
“No, Miss. Your status is too high; it’s not convenient for you to go to the black market.” Uncle Kui frowned, disagreeing with Song Tangxue taking such a risk.
"Don't worry, I'll change my clothes then. It's settled then. We'll meet at the back gate of the mansion later." Song Tangxue said impatiently and went out.
Uncle Kui sighed. The young lady was just as stubborn as the old lady.
The setting sun cast its golden rays upon the roof tiles, enveloping the earth and elongating the shadows of busy people.
Uncle Kui stood anxiously under the big tree by the door. With a creak, the door opened, and Song Tangxue came out against the light.
A black robe wrapped around his slender waist, and his jet-black hair was styled in a men's updo with a wooden hairpin, making him appear even taller.
Uncle Kui looked at Song Tangxue, who was dressed in men's clothing and looked completely different, and said, "Miss, why do I feel like you've grown taller?"
Song Tangxue smiled slightly and lifted her robe: "I put some insoles in my shoes to make me look more like a man, and I also stuffed pieces of cloth around my waist."
Sure enough, upon closer inspection, her slender waist had become noticeably thicker and more robust. Uncle Kui twitched his lips and said, "The young lady is truly remarkable."
Song Tangxue put a bamboo hat over her face, the thin veil obscuring her features and making her difficult to see clearly: "Let's go."
The black market in the south of the city was hidden away and needed to be led in by a guide. Once they entered the main street, at least half of the people on the street were hiding their identities, which put Song Tangxue at ease.
The most important thing now is to find that scoundrel.
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