Yanran pouted, looking somewhat defeated.
You noticed too?
She thought she was so observant, but it turned out she couldn't hide it from Cui Xiaoqiu.
Sigh, she's surrounded by smart people, how much pressure must she be under?
"That woman knew martial arts, and so did the man," Cui Xiaoqiu said. "Moreover, the woman was forced to leave."
The fact that the woman was actually playing along with the man's act suggests there's definitely something going on between them.
So Cui Xiaoqiu sent someone to follow them.
Yanran rubbed her hands together eagerly. "I want to go and see too!"
"We can't go," Cui Xiaoqiu said. "What if they're in cahoots and deliberately trying to lure you in?"
"Those many guards aren't just for show."
"Yanran," Cui Xiaoqiu said seriously, "The bodyguards are there to protect you from danger, not for you to risk your life for."
Yanran: She's right, Cui Xiaoqiu will be the most talkative "son" in the future.
Back at the manor, she told Tang Zhuyun about it.
Xiu'er asked, "Could there be another spy among us?"
Ren Yingying: "Why does it give me a Mr. & Mrs. Smith vibe?"
A smile on his face, a curse in his heart, and his hand pulling the trigger.
"What shit?" Yanran asked with genuine interest.
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Ren Yingying: "Children shouldn't interrupt adults. Go ask Wu Zhenhai, isn't he the one who specializes in catching spies?"
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
The maidservant reported, "Your Highness, Lord Wu has arrived. He's outside the courtyard now and says he has some confidential matters to report to you."
Ren Yingying cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow at Mingzhu.
Clearly, his true intention was not what he seemed.
Mingzhu remained calm.
Tang Zhuyun agreed.
Wu Zhenhai, naturally unable to enter, reported the matter from the corridor.
"... The man actually ran away with the woman; by the time they realized it, it was too late."
To escape from under the noses of the Prince of Jin's Residence's secret guards, one must be no ordinary person.
"Our investigation revealed that the woman, Lady Yu, comes from a family that runs a security escort agency and has been in the border town for three years; the man's origins are unknown, only that his surname is Zhao Ertai, and that he married into the family a year ago..."
Ren Yingying winked at Tang Zhuyun: "Tsk tsk, this is an old acquaintance."
Ertai, you've been abandoned by Princess Saiya, so you have no choice but to marry into her family?
Tang Zhuyun: "Don't interrupt!"
They act like they actually know something.
Due to the limited time available, Wu Zhenhai could only uncover this much information.
He came to apologize, since he was indeed in charge of this area.
Tang Zhuyun knew, however, that Wu Zhenhai couldn't be blamed; with so many spies, how could they all be wiped out?
Wu Zhenhai said he would continue the investigation, then glanced at Mingzhu before lowering his eyes and saying, "Since Your Highness left the border town, demons and monsters have come out to roam. Be very careful when you go out in the future."
After saying this, he bowed and took his leave.
Ren Yingying began a brainstorming session.
"Was that woman an accomplice or was she coerced? She's found a husband who's married into the family, and he's quite good-looking. I wish I had that kind of luck too..."
"I think you're trying to invite trouble," Tang Zhuyun said irritably.
Ren Yingying: "Can't you say something nice?"
Tang Zhuyun said that Qu Nian was right there, eyeing them covetously, so what was he doing daydreaming?
"Yanran, come here." Ren Yingying beckoned with her finger. "Didn't you say that man was handsome? Come on, tell me more details, and I'll draw him!"
Seeing Tang Zhuyun's helpless expression, she retorted defiantly, "I wanted to help catch the spies, what's with that look? Who do you think you are!"
Ren Yingying led Yanran inside, and after two hours of painting and revising, they actually managed to paint portraits of the two of them.
"Except for the eyes, which aren't quite captured, everything else is quite similar," Yanran said.
Ren Yingying was smug.
Tang Zhuyun had the portrait sent out, but even though Wu Zhenhai led a thorough search and unexpectedly uncovered more than a dozen spies, they still couldn't find any trace of the couple.
Tang Zhuyun was quite philosophical about it. "If we can't find it, so be it. We'll just be more vigilant."
Autumn had arrived, and she was helping to prepare new medicinal herbs.
She had given up hope of getting anything from the Emperor and would no longer send medicine.
She should use that time and energy to properly manage the soldiers struggling amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood on the front lines.
The main courtyard of the Prince's Mansion was filled with samples of various medicinal herbs, and Tang Zhuyun insisted on inspecting them personally before she could feel at ease.
The autumn sky was clear and crisp, without a single cloud in sight.
Three little ones were crawling around on a wool blanket under the grape trellis, while Xiu'er stood by with a bamboo pole to keep them from crawling to the ground.
Of course, the main targets for defense are Wuji and Guagua.
Wuxian is the kind of person who would absolutely refuse to cross the line, no matter how much you ask him to.
Wuji and Guagua stumbled as they learned to walk, while Wuxian sat to the side, intently counting beads.
Mingzhu took the ledger and reported the quantity of medicinal herbs prepared to Tang Zhuyun, item by item, and recorded what she said.
The young maidservant came in from outside, but stood by the screen wall and dared not go any further, glancing timidly at Xiu'er.
Xiu'er: "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not a tiger."
The maidservant then looked at Mingzhu.
"Looking for me?" Mingzhu's demeanor had softened considerably, and she rarely showed her sharp edges anymore.
The young maidservant then timidly said, "It was Lord Wu. He insisted on seeing you and gave this to me..."
She stretched out her hand, and in her palm was a handful of silver melon seeds.
Xiu'er: "Wow, you're really generous. Next time there's something like this, let me have it."
Mingzhu said, "Go tell him I don't have time."
The little maid, who looked only seven or eight years old, asked, "Then, then this silver..."
"Why not take it? Give it to your mother when you get back," Xiu'er said.
The little maidservant immediately smiled.
After a while, the little maid returned, this time with both hands covered in silver coins.
He gave too much!
Xiu'er: "I must say, Wu Zhenhai is quite the actor."
How much did you carry with you?
Should we all go and try our luck?
Ren Yingying said, "Could something urgent have happened? Mingzhu, I'll go with you to take a look!"
Mingzhu also had this worry, after all, she was currently in her sister-in-law's courtyard, Wu Zhenhai dared to do this.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Then go and take a look."
Okay, I'll be right back.
Mingzhu and Ren Yingying went out together.
Wu Zhenhai was somewhat surprised to see Ren Yingying, but he quickly said, "Princess Consort, when I came in, I saw the Prince taking Dog Meat out."
Ren Yingying: "Hehe, a diversionary tactic?"
Wu Zhenhai forced himself to remain calm.
"Alright, you've succeeded." Ren Yingying lifted her skirt and ran outside. "I have to go see him; I can't let him harm my son."
As soon as Ren Yingying ran away, Wu Zhenhai immediately reached out to pull Mingzhu.
Mingzhu struggled. "Wu Zhenhai!"
"I have something extremely urgent, it's a matter of life and death, please help me! There are so many people coming and going here, it's not convenient to talk."
There is nothing between us that cannot be said to others.
"Mingzhu, I know I wronged you in the past, but I have tried my best to make up for it. So this time I have encountered great difficulties. Can you help me?" Wu Zhenhai asked in a very humble manner.