Han Ci led the elite soldiers of the Imperial Guard and escorted ng Qianqian and her companions back to the Governor Mansion.
Wu Ge’er had been pacing by the gate all night and finally let out a long breath of relief upon seeing ng Qianqian, Ban Xia, and Tan’er.
"Miss! Ban Xia! Tan’er! Are you all alright? Oh yes, Qing Shuang and the cousin Miss..."
He was halfway through his words when Bai Yuwei lifted the curtain.
Qing Shuang had also woken up, though still a little dazed, she calmly stepped down from the carriage.
Xun Qi’s drug was potent enough to knock out more than ten n for three days and nights straight, yet Qing Shuang had rely slept for half a night.
Truly exceptional constitution.
Han Ci’s Imperial Guard surrounded the Governor Mansion tightly, fully prepared for any potential threat.
ng Qianqian didn’t decline Han Ci’s goodwill.
She didn’t believe the Pri Minister’s Mansion would be brazen enough to carry out an assassination, but she had her reasons for going along with this arrangent.
ng Qianqian instructed the kitchen to prepare lamb soup to warm the brothers’ bodies and handed out silver ingots, one for each soldier.
The Imperial Guards rejoiced.
The Great Zhou had been plagued by years of war; the state treasury was depleted, and the court had failed to issue salaries on multiple occasions. Ever since Han Ci took charge of the Imperial Guard, their salaries had never been overdue.
Exceptional performance was even rewarded with bonuses.
Nowadays, in the Capital City, who didn’t know that being part of the Imperial Guard was a lucrative position? Everyone was scrambling to join.
Years ago, when they separated from the Imperial Guard and ford their own faction, they endured countless sneers. Now, they could proudly hold their heads high.
The Jinyi Guard had been funded by Lu Yuan in the past, and now the Pri Minister provided for them, so they were never short of silver.
But the Imperial Guard had always been the Emperor’s army, and the Emperor was poor!
Han Ci addressed his n, "Stay sharp. Guard diligently tonight. If a single fly dares to sneak in—"
The Deputy General vowed, "General Han, rest assured. Forget a fly, even a single leaf falling into this courtyard, we’ll dig it out imdiately!"
Han Ci nodded.
Main Courtyard.
Nanny Li, Nanny Wan, Nanny Hu, and Madam Du had stayed up all night.
They were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
Especially Nanny Li, who was consud by guilt.
If she hadn’t relented, Bao Shu wouldn’t have faced such misfortune.
"Nanny."
ng Qianqian carried Bao Shu into the courtyard.
Nanny Li stepped down from the stairs in a rush, but the rain-soaked ground was slippery, and she stumbled. Fortunately, Nanny Wan quickly caught her.
Nanny Wan exclaid, "My dear sister, please be careful! Falling at your age could lead to serious trouble!"
Nanny Li’s eyes were red and puffy as she looked at ng Qianqian and then at Bao Shu in her arms. "Miss..."
ng Qianqian spoke softly, "Nanny, it’s alright now."
Nanny Li was overco with anguish: "It’s my fault... All my fault!"
Tan’er remarked, "It’s the villains who are wicked!"
ng Qianqian nodded, "Nanny, you don’t have to bla yourself."
Xun Qi’s plan deceived not only Nanny Li; no one in the courtyard had noticed the impostor’s flaws.
The sche Xun Qi laid out matched her typical behavioral patterns, which convinced Nanny Li without hesitation.
It had to be said that for Xun Qi to be adopted as the Pri Minister’s foster son, he did indeed possess true talent.
Madam Du wiped her tears and said with great relief, "Miss, I’ve cooked chicken soup, braised pork, and prepared glutinous rice balls. I’ll go boil them now!"
Chicken soup was ng Qianqian’s favorite, braised pork was Tan’er’s favorite, and while glutinous rice balls were a bit scratchy for Bao Shu, she loved the filling and the sweet osmanthus soup they were cooked in.
ng Qianqian turned and said, "Little sister, co eat a bowl too."
Bai Yuwei’s stomach growled audibly.
Madam Du and the nannies exchanged peculiar glances as they eyed Bai Yuwei.
Everyone knew Bai Yuwei and the Miss didn’t get along. Was the Miss attempting to play so new trick? Wasn’t she afraid the cousin Miss would snap back with sarcasm?
Bai Yuwei pursed her lips but didn’t move.
Nanny Wan’s gaze flickered between ng Qianqian and Bai Yuwei before she quickly made a decision, stepping forward to take Bai Yuwei’s wrist.
"Oh my, cousin Miss, you’re soaking wet! Hurry inside, have so hot soup first. It’s the osmanthus filling you love..."
Bai Yuwei was led into the courtyard by Nanny Wan.
ng Qianqian curved her lips slightly into a smile.
Nanny Li gawked incredulously, "Miss, what’s... what’s happening here?"
She was referring to Bai Yuwei’s attitude.
Bai Yuwei, that troubleso relative, had always made life difficult for ng Qianqian. If she could, she would dispute her way to the heavens.
Tonight, Bai Yuwei had gone looking for Bao Shu supposedly under ng Qianqian’s threat.
Bai Yuwei should be infuriated with ng Qianqian.
If ng Qianqian invited her to join the al, Bai Yuwei should have disdainfully scoffed, "Who needs your fake kindness?"
If Nanny Wan tried to pull her along, Bai Yuwei should have shaken her off and cursed, "How dare you—a lowly servant—touch ? Believe , I’ll chop off your hand!"
ng Qianqian replied, "Well, maybe the little sister had a change of heart. Perhaps she finally recognized that I am the most exceptional sister-in-law under the heavens."
A voice ca from inside the house: "ng Qianqian! Don’t forget your promise to ! Dare to renege, and I’ll chop down your courtyard with a blade!"
ng Qianqian’s expression didn’t change: "She’s saying, ’Sister-in-law, thank you.’"
Everyone: "..."
After changing into dry clothes, everyone enjoyed steaming hot midnight snacks.
Bao Shu fell asleep halfway through the al, nestled in ng Qianqian’s arms.
Nanny Li softly asked, "Shall I carry her back to the Tinglan Courtyard?"
ng Qianqian wiped the little one’s face and said, "Let her sleep here. Nanny Li, you should get so rest too."
"Understood."
Nanny Li kept watch outside for a while longer but eventually returned to her own room when she couldn’t stay awake any longer.
ng Qianqian placed the little one onto a soft bed.
Oddly enough, though Bao Shu was asleep, one of her hands seed to act with its own will, clutching tightly onto her small pouch.
"She’s been holding onto it the entire journey back, during dinner, and even now while asleep. What’s inside?"
ng Qianqian gently nudged at the little one’s hand.
"Let Mother take a look, alright?"
She spoke softly as she coaxed.
Even while dreaming, Bao Shu seed to hear her, and slowly relaxed her plump little fingers.
Bao Shu’s small pouch, crafted by Yun Xiyao, seemingly modest in size, was surprisingly capacious.
ng Qianqian first pulled out a silver note.
Then another, and another...
A thick stack.
And it didn’t stop there.
ng Qianqian next retrieved a key and... a parchnt map.
ng Qianqian was completely dumbfounded.
Had the little one taken a detour to commit robbery during her abduction?
ng Qianqian took a deep breath to steady herself and sternly said, "This is a bad habit. You shouldn’t take things that don’t belong to you."
"Once this child wakes, we must properly educate her."
"Now, how many silver notes are here?"
ng Qianqian leaned over the bed and earnestly began counting the silver notes.
-
Over the following days, the Pri Minister’s Mansion remained completely silent.
However, the heavy guard presence around the Governor Mansion due to the Imperial Guard attracted the curious stares of many passersby.
When asked, the answer was simply: the Governor Mansion’s esteed Miss encountered an assassin.
As for the assassin’s identity, the Imperial Guard offered no details.
Bai Yuwei curiously asked, "Why not just proclaim it was the Pri Minister’s Mansion?"
ng Qianqian, while brushing dirt off herbs, responded, "It’s not yet ti."
Bai Yuwei rolled her eyes, unable to comprehend further. Switching topics, she said, "You haven’t forgotten what you promised , have you?"
ng Qianqian replied, "Of course not. I signed a written agreent, didn’t I?"
Bai Yuwei’s spirit lifted, "Good. Keep that in mind. Starting now, you must do as I say. My first demand: right now, imdiately, hand over the Golden Silkworm Gu to !"
ng Qianqian smiled faintly, "I’m sorry, little sister, that’s sothing I cannot do."
"Didn’t you promise to do whatever I said once the little one was rescued?"
"I did."
"Then why—"
"I promised to heed little sister’s wishes, but I never said I’d do so imdiately. Feel free to check the agreent for clarification; it’s all written there."
Bai Yuwei imdiately pulled out the written agreent, only to find a tiny line of barely visible text at the signature—’Effective a hundred years later.’
Bai Yuwei exploded, "ng—Qian—Qian—!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)