ng Qianqian found a patch of forest and tied her horse securely.
"Tan’er, you stay here and wait for . I’ll follow and take a look."
"I want to go with you, older sister."
ng Qianqian gently touched her temple. "Shangguan Ling isn’t soone to be trifled with. The two of us together would draw too much attention, making it easier to get caught. Besides, anyone he’s treating this cautiously must not be just an ordinary person. We need to be extrely careful."
Tan’er pouted and hesitated for a mont. "Fine."
ng Qianqian smiled faintly. "What a good, obedient child."
Tan’er said, "N, co back quickly, okay?"
ng Qianqian nodded. "I promise you, just half an hour. Whether I find anything or not, I’ll return to the forest to find you."
After pausing and thinking of sothing, she added, "If you encounter any danger, run back to the city imdiately. Don’t wait for ."
Although Tan’er was reluctant to leave ng Qianqian behind, she responded softly, "Got it."
ng Qianqian patted her head again before quietly slipping out of the forest, hiding herself in a bush opposite the relay station.
She waited and waited. Just as she thought nothing would happen today, a faint vibration ca from the ground.
She pressed her ear to the ground and heard the sound of horse hooves and rolling carriage wheels.
They’re here!
ng Qianqian held her breath and lowered her body even further.
After about ten seconds, a small group with horses and carriages approached. There were only around thirty people and a single carriage.
What surprised ng Qianqian, however, was that they were all dressed in Miaojiang attire.
Shangguan Ling’s reaction was more respectful than she had anticipated. He personally stepped forward to lift the curtain of the carriage for them.
The first to alight was a man in his twenties, handso and elegant, with a dignified deanor and a noble air.
Following him was a petite and charming young girl.
The girl called the man "Brother."
For so reason, ng Qianqian felt that the girl’s appearance was vaguely familiar, as if she had seen her sowhere before.
Shangguan Ling had his back to ng Qianqian, so she couldn’t see his expression. However, for just a fleeting mont, she sensed a slight stiffness in his posture.
But it was indeed only for a mont.
If it weren’t for her prolonged familiarity with Shangguan Ling, she probably wouldn’t have noticed his subtle change at all.
It seed that the people he had been waiting for weren’t this pair of siblings.
"Who are you? Why are you waiting for us here?"
The girl asked boldly and gracefully.
At this mont, the man she had called "Brother" stepped forward a few paces, revealing the Silver Moon Scimitar hanging from his waist.
ng Qianqian was drawn to the scimitar and instinctively took a closer look.
Shangguan Ling cupped his hands and replied, "I am Shangguan Ling, sent by the Pri Minister to greet honored guests."
The girl raised her eyebrows and said, "Brother, didn’t I tell you? We haven’t even reached the Capital City, and people are already lining up to curry favor!"
The man responded warmly and elegantly, "My little sister was just joking. Please don’t take it to heart, Lord Shangguan."
Shangguan Ling quickly replied, "I wouldn’t dare."
ng Qianqian grew even more puzzled. For soone of Shangguan Ling’s rank as Commander of the Imperial Guard to lower himself like this, just who were these people?
Then the man explained to Shangguan Ling in a gentle tone, "My grandfather encountered a minor issue along the way, delaying his journey. He asked and my younger sister to enter the city first."
With the scorching weather, Shangguan Ling invited the pair into a private room at the relay station to talk.
The Jinyi Guard surrounded the relay station on all sides, prepared for any eventualities.
ng Qianqian furrowed her brows and decided not to alert them unnecessarily for now.
"Sister!"
When Tan’er saw ng Qianqian return, she imdiately tossed aside the dogtail grass she had been chewing on for half an hour. "Did you see them?"
ng Qianqian nodded. "They’re Miaojiang people."
Tan’er wrinkled her small brow. "Miaojiang again?"
ng Qianqian resolved to inform Lu Yuan as soon as they returned. "It’s late. Let’s go pay our respects at the grave."
The two retraced their path.
Opposite the first relay station they had passed, there was only one mountain, though a small peak lay about a hundred zhang to the east.
ng Qianqian decided to give it a try, and to her surprise, she really did find it.
"The Purple Bamboo Forest, an unmarked grave. This is the right one."
It had been neglected for too long; the grave was overgrown with weeds. ng Qianqian cleared them away and, together with Tan’er, burned spirit money, offered incense, and kowtowed as juniors to honor the deceased.
By the ti they returned to the Capital City, night had already fallen.
Tan’er was completely exhausted, slumped over her horse with her tongue hanging out, her eyes rolling back, exhaling heavily.
ng Qianqian couldn’t help but laugh. "There’s a shop up ahead that serves good lamb soup."
Tan’er instantly perked up, sitting upright and full of energy.
ng Qianqian handed the stable boy ten copper coins to feed the horses.
As soon as they sat down, they heard a startled exclamation from behind them. "Little Yin Hu, it’s you again? Are you following us?"
Tan’er whirled around, hands on her hips. "N this chicken, how could N follow N!"
Ji Li frowned. "Don’t call a chicken!"
Tan’er: "Chicken chicken chicken, chicken chicken chicken, chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken!"
Ji Li: "...!!"
Amused, ng Qianqian smirked. Taking Tan’er’s hand, she approached and sat down at the sa table as Si Snake and Ji Li.
She sat across from Si Snake, while Tan’er faced Ji Li.
"Mind if we join you?"
She asked.
Si Snake said, "As you please."
Ji Li complained, "I do mind!"
ng Qianqian glanced at the plain buns on the table. "I’ll pay."
Ji Li imdiately shouted, "Waiter, five more bowls of lamb soup!"
Tan’er and Ji Li buried themselves in their food.
Si Snake’s eating was refined, clearly soone who had never been forced to fight for his als.
"You’ve got sothing on your mind?"
Si Snake suddenly inquired.
"Hm?"
ng Qianqian was caught off guard.
A voice from her mory flashed—Yin Hu had told her, "Si Snake’s eyes see through everything. Never lie in front of him."
Si Snake said, "If you don’t want to talk, just pretend I didn’t ask."
After so thought, ng Qianqian decided it was no major secret. She substituted her tailing them with the pretense of running into them by chance.
A small adjustnt was simple—she rely moved the grave’s location a bit farther away.
After listening, Si Snake paused, then asked, "Was it the Silver Moon Scimitar with seven inlaid gemstones on the sheath?"
ng Qianqian was startled. "That’s right. Have you seen it?"
Si Snake replied, "When looking for Chen Long, I passed through Miaojiang once and had the honor of seeing it. It’s the Miao King’s family heirloom, and only the Miao King and his heirs are eligible to wield it. He must be the Miaojiang Young Master, the Miao King’s grandson."
ng Qianqian drew a sharp breath.
She had suspected that the people whom Pri Minister Xun was courting were significant, but she had not guessed they would be this prominent.
After the Chu Family’s downfall, border garrison command had gradually fallen into Pri Minister Xun’s hands. Coupled with court influence already under his control, if he also succeeded in allying with the Miao King, they might truly stand no chance.
"The Miao King?" Tan’er cradled her bowl and tilted her head. "He only has a daughter, right? When did he get a grandson?"
Ji Li clicked his tongue. "And what do you know about Miaojiang business?"
Tan’er huffed, "I just know!"
Si Snake calmly explained, "The Miao King indeed only has one biological daughter. But it’s said that his son was adopted, and the Miaojiang Young Master is his adopted grandson."
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