Chapter 191 Hard Work
The old lady had just finished her lunch.
It was freezing cold outside, but warm and cozy inside. The old lady's eyelids felt heavy.
"Madam, please get some rest. You've gotten up earlier than usual today," the head maid, Chuncao, advised.
The old lady wanted to sigh upon hearing this.
She didn't get up early; it was just that the thought of Sixth Sister leaving made her uneasy, so she slept less.
"Does the old lady miss the sixth young lady?" Chuncao brought over a pillow and neatly spread a new pillowcase on it.
"It's not that I'm worried about her, it's that I'm afraid she'll cause trouble again."
"Please don't worry, Sixth Miss—"
Just then, a maidservant announced at the door, "Madam, the Sixth Miss has returned."
The old lady, who was about to lie down, sat up abruptly: "Back at this hour?"
Something's not right. Sixth Sister just left yesterday; she shouldn't be back in just one day.
“The Prince of Kang brought the Sixth Miss back.”
Upon hearing this, the old lady's heart calmed down: "Alright, stop guessing. You're just causing trouble again."
After quickly tidying up, the old lady met Qiu Heng and Ling Yun.
Upon seeing the old lady, Ling Yun immediately apologized: "Aheng went to soak in the hot spring, but unexpectedly she was kidnapped by villains disguised as maids of the Prince's mansion. It was all due to the negligence of the Prince's mansion..."
The old lady's head was buzzing. She looked at Qiu Heng and asked, "Have you been taken hostage again?"
Qiu Heng gave an awkward smile: "I really didn't expect to encounter something like this..."
The old lady twitched her lips sharply.
I really didn't expect anything. That time when I went to the Taoist temple with Prince Ling and the others, we were kidnapped by spies!
"Young Master Ling—" The old lady paused, then looked at Ling Yun.
It's him again?
Ling Yun instantly understood the old lady's meaning, and his face flushed: "It's all my fault for not taking good care of Aheng."
The old lady, not wanting to accuse anyone, asked, "Why did the villain take Heng hostage?"
Ling Yun glanced at Qiu Heng and said truthfully, "The villain wanted to call Xue Han over to negotiate terms."
"And what about Xue Han?" The old lady's expression was priceless.
“The villains wanted to save the Northern Qi spies, and Aheng was innocently dragged into it. It was all because we were not careful enough, so please don’t blame Aheng, Madam.”
Qiu Heng raised her eyebrows slightly.
Brother Ling doesn't seem to care much about Xue Han's life or death. Are the two of them really that bad off?
"Your Highness is too kind. No one could have imagined such a thing would happen. It's no one's fault. It's too kind of Your Highness to personally escort Aheng back..." The old lady said politely, then served tea to see the guest out.
As soon as Ling Yun left, the old lady's face darkened.
"grandmother--"
"Don't call me grandmother, I can't bear it." The old lady took a deep breath. "What promise did you make before we went to the western suburbs?"
That brat wanted to swear an oath, but thankfully she stopped her.
"Grandmother, this was purely an accident; no one could have predicted it," Qiu Heng said, sounding somewhat aggrieved.
She simply wanted to relax by soaking in a hot spring and take care of her flare-up.
"I've figured it out. Only staying home will keep things quiet. From today onwards, you'd better stay home and not go out again before the Lunar New Year."
"Okay." The girl, who could climb over the wall at any time, readily agreed. "I promise I won't go out, Grandma, please don't be angry."
The old lady couldn't stand the word "guarantee": "Don't make any guarantees. I get nervous when I hear your guarantees."
"Then... shall my granddaughter swear an oath?"
The old lady pointed to the door: "Go back to your Lengxiang Residence!"
Qiu Heng was sent back to Lengxiang Residence, much to Fangzhou's delight.
"The girl is back so soon."
"There was a slight mishap, so I came back early."
Following behind Fangzhou, Granny Yu stumbled and almost fell.
A minor accident? How minor an accident?
Fangzhou didn't ask any more questions, and took Qiuheng's arm as they walked inside: "It's good that you're back, Miss. Let's have hot pot tonight."
"OK."
Granny Yu stared at the two figures as they walked away, finding it hard to understand.
Fangzhou didn't even ask what accident had happened?
At Qiansong Hall, the old lady was wide awake and instructed, "Tell the servants to stop the sixth young lady if she goes out."
At least let her have a peaceful year.
The old nanny who went to instruct the servants returned with new news: "Madam, the Prince Kang's mansion has sent gifts to comfort the Sixth Miss."
Not long after, people from the Marquis of Changchun's residence also arrived, bringing many things: "These are for the Sixth Miss to calm her nerves."
The old lady looked at the pile of gifts, her feelings complicated.
When others encounter trouble, it's a problem, but Liu Yatou makes money as soon as she gets into trouble?
No wonder that girl never learns her lesson...
The old lady sighed: "Take inventory and send it to Lengxiang Residence."
Just then, a maid came in to report: "Madam, someone from the Prince of Fu's residence has come to deliver something to the Sixth Miss."
Old lady: ?
Unlike Qiu Heng, who was enjoying a peaceful and fruitless day and receiving a pile of gifts, Xue Han listened to the screams of the tortured man with a blank expression.
"Stop hitting me, I'll confess..."
Xue Han raised his hand, and the whip stopped lashing.
“I…I am the ninth son of the Prince of Chen…”
Prince Chen?
Xue Han's expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat.
Prince Chen was the younger brother of Prince Qi and held a high position of power in Northern Qi.
Even if Chen Wang's son is not highly regarded, he is still much more valuable than an ordinary spy.
"Given your extraordinary status, why have you come to Great Xia?"
The young man looked regretful: "I wanted to hone my skills and learn more about the Great Xia Dynasty."
I thought I could easily earn some credit and make a name for myself, but who would have thought I would end up in this situation.
"It seems the torture was too lenient before; you almost got away with it." Xue Han stared intently at the young man. "You came to the capital of Great Xia, probably not just to persuade Fang Yuanzhi, right? Where have you been hiding in the capital all these years?"
"I really don't know—"
"Hit again."
After another round of torture, the young man, barely able to speak, uttered a place: "Swallow Alley..."
Xue Han immediately led his men to Yanzi Hutong, but the house was empty and there was no one in sight.
Too late.
Considering the spies who escaped from the western suburbs, Xue Han wasn't surprised by the outcome. He ordered, "Search the entire city and carefully question the surrounding neighborhoods for any clues."
Upon discovering such a serious matter, Xue Han made arrangements and immediately went to the palace to report.
"What? One of the three spies who delivered gifts to Fang Yuanzhi is the son of the Prince of Chen of Northern Qi?" Emperor Jingping was both surprised and suspicious. "How did you find out?"
The case was closed, but there was still a new discovery.
Yesterday, Princess Suiyun accompanied Princess Kang to the hot springs in the western suburbs—
"Wait a minute." Emperor Jingping interrupted Xue Han, his face showing displeasure. "I asked you about the Northern Qi spy, why are you mentioning Princess Suiyun?"
I almost didn't realize that Princess Suiyun was actually Miss Qiu Liu.
Xue Han replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty, it was because of Princess Suiyun that we were able to find out."
Emperor Jingping was very curious: "Tell me in detail."
"...The spy kidnapped Princess Suiyun and summoned me. I helped Princess Suiyun escape, but I didn't expect the spy to have accomplices...I became suspicious of the three Qi men and rushed back to interrogate them, whereupon I learned the spy's identity. Unfortunately, the hiding place he gave me was already deserted..."
After listening, Emperor Jingping nodded: "It's good that you found these things. Continue the investigation."
"I obey the decree."
Emperor Jingping then instructed his eunuchs: "Send some silks, gold and silver to the Yongqing Earl's residence to comfort Princess Suiyun."
The unlucky girl did work hard, so she deserves some recognition.
(End of this chapter)
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