A Change of Plans

Jiang Zhizhou's voice was calm. "By the time we arrived, she was already dead. And that wasn't all. Had we been even a moment later, you would probably be sleeping beneath the earth forever too."

Although Murong Qian had already suspected that those people would show neither her nor Xiao Cui any mercy, she had never imagined they could be so cruel.

Had Jiang Zhizhou and the others not arrived in time, she would have suffocated alive beneath the soil.

"You still haven't told me how you ended up following them there."

Murong Qian was merely a sheltered young lady. How had she become entangled with those people?

At the thought of one possibility, a cold gleam surfaced in Jiang Zhizhou's eyes.

Yang Qing had repeatedly instructed them not to involve Murong Qian in their plans. What, then, was going on here?

"I... I only wanted to help Qing."

As she spoke, Murong Qian told Jiang Zhizhou how she had happened to discover that Fu Bonian was not staying at the guest residence and had also sought out Matchmaker Zhai.

Jiang Zhizhou listened without a word. Only when she finished did he ask, "And just because of that, you took Xiao Cui and followed them out into the wilderness?"

"Yes. That was precisely why I thought Fu Bonian must have some secret he couldn't let anyone know. If I uncovered it, perhaps I could help Qing from the shadows."

Facing Jiang Zhizhou's stern expression, Murong Qian knew that this time, her good intentions had only made a mess of things.

"Fu Bonian has served as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review for so many years and enjoys the emperor's deep trust. Naturally, he has abilities that set him apart."

Jiang Zhizhou's voice was very low, but he could hardly