Xiao Tianmu said, "Until you've met the emperor of Great Yong, nothing is certain. I heard Princess Anping didn't leave with you?"
Hu Xiaotian said, "She insisted on staying at Qichen Palace. I'd thought she was willing to stand with us through thick and thin."
Xiao Tianmu asked, "Can she be trusted?" By "she," he naturally meant Zijuan.
Hu Xiaotian sighed. "I never took her seriously before. I always thought she was just a palace maid looking to betray her mistress. But now it seems this little maid is anything but simple."
Xiao Tianmu said, "Have you considered that she might be the greatest hidden danger of all? If anything goes wrong with her, all your plans and efforts will be washed down the river."
Hu Xiaotian said, "She was an unforeseen complication. I truly never expected her to survive."
Xiao Tianmu said, "If she's merely trying to seize the chance to fly up to a lofty branch and become a prince's consort, someone above the common herd, that would be manageable. What worries me is that she might have some other purpose."
Zhou Mo, who had been listening all along, interjected, "Now that you mention it, I also think that Zijuan is no ordinary woman. The way she carries herself, she seems more genuine than the real princess."
Xiao Tianmu rose and slowly paced a couple of steps before saying firmly, "I think you should leave the Yong Capital before this is exposed. Just say Great Yong failed to show you proper courtesy, and you couldn't swallow the insult, so you left."
Hu Xiaotian said, "His Majesty ordered us to stay until after we've attended the wedding ceremony. If we leave now, we'll still be punished when we return. Besides, Zijuan wouldn't let us leave either."
Xiao Tianmu said,