Su Pan’er turned around and walked back, recalling the special object ntioned by the Qin family as she went.
"According to Lord Su’s original statent, the object should be a strip, neither gold nor silver, thin as a cicada’s wing, with no apparent use. In order to create a substitute, my Qin family tried everything, and finally managed to produce a replacent which was handed over to Lord Su..."
That strip, neither gold nor silver, thin as a cicada’s wing, unexpectedly reminded Su Pan’er of the key she had found in the underground passage of the Qin Family’s ancestral hall!
That key, thin as a cicada’s wing and neither gold nor silver, that could open the underground passage!
Assuming Su Ke had indeed discovered sothing and then approached the Qin family to create a substitute to open the passage, then...
Su Pan’er slowly stopped walking as various thoughts surfaced in her mind.
She had once suspected that the material used for the key was platinum. But, upon close inspection, the hardness of that tal far exceeded that of platinum. Her body, naturally strong and enhanced by cultivating inner strength, had increased her strength many tis over, yet she still couldn’t bend that thin-as-a-cicada’s-wing key. It couldn’t be pure platinum, at least.
But for the Qin family to produce a substitute in such a short ti, its hardness and density would surely be compromised!
Delving deeper into this line of thought, the reason Ke’er approached the Qin family might be that he discovered sothing during his first visit to Deicide Mountain and then sought their help to craft that key. After crafting, surely he wouldn’t just sit idly; he must have ventured deeper, using that key.
A key lacking in hardness and density might cause problems, and perhaps that led to the disappearance of Su Ke and his party...
Su Pan’er suddenly laughed.
Then she quickly shook her head, surprised at how far her thoughts had wandered.
Even if they really were trapped, it would have nothing to do with this dock!
But where did this inexplicable feeling in her heart co from?
She continued walking slowly, casting additional glances at Shuanghekou as she passed.
The dock was as bustling as ever, trendously busy, almost rivaling the prominence of Yongze County, located dozens of miles away.
The teeming crowd moved around her, and Xiren, standing behind Su Pan’er, noticing her gaze falling on the barges, quickly tilted the paper umbrella she held forward slightly.
"Which powers seem to appear more often on this dock?" Su Pan’er suddenly asked.
Xiren was startled for a while, before she realized the Empress was speaking to her.
After pondering for a mont, she hurriedly explained in a soft voice.
"These barges, I heard, are controlled by the Ning Family. However, I’ve seen Ning’s people visiting the Clan Leader over the past two years. It seems the Clan Leader must have reached so agreents with the Ning Family. As for the specifics, your servant does not know. However, I’ve also seen people from the governnt office and from the Su and Lui Families here, so it seems they have also been active."
Su Pan’er looked back at Xiren.
Unexpectedly, residing in this remote place, she understood all the necessary details.
"Well, in that case, let’s visit the Lui Family again and see what they have to say."
Su Pan’er had no plans to inquire of the Qin family’s clan leader for the ti being.
The two turned and headed towards the Lui Family.
Suddenly, a surprised voice called out from beside them.
"Brother Ruan Qi!"
Zhang i, her face glowing with joy, rushed towards Su Pan’er. Realizing her own impulsiveness, she stopped not far from Su Pan’er and awkwardly tugged at her sleeve: "Brother Ruan Qi, why are you here? Why did you leave that day without saying goodbye? My... my brother has been looking everywhere for you, unable to find you. Where have you been these past few days?"
Trouble has co!
Su Pan’er’s thoughts shifted, and she imdiately stood still, turned around, saw it was Zhang Family’s Younger Sister, and smiled slightly as she greeted her with a fist salute.
"This person is..."
Her words left Zhang i stunned on the spot.
"Brother Ruan Qi, you, you... it’s only been two days, don’t you recognize anymore? I am the Zhang Family’s younger sister! Look closer, how could you forget ! You stayed at my ho a few days ago, and I even nded your clothes..."
Zhang i’s voice grew softer as she spoke, and a flush of red crept onto her face.
"Ruan Qi? This na sounds familiar, but I don’t think I know you, do I?"
Su Pan’er glanced at the person beside her.
Xiren understood the Empress’s intent imdiately.
"How presumptuous!"
Xiren stepped forward and pushed Zhang i away: "Where did this unruly girl co from? Didn’t you see the nobleman here, and yet you dare to pester him? Withdraw imdiately!"
Zhang i, initially fixated on Su Pan’er, turned pale when she heard Xiren speak and saw her dressed as a lady.
"Who are you? How co you are here... Ah! I rember now, you’re that, that..."
She pointed at the direction of the Qin Mansion, unable to complete her sentence for quite so ti.
Xiren, with a smug look, snorted coldly through his nose.
"Since you know who I am, how dare you pester here? What status do you hold? Withdraw quickly, and I will pretend this never happened! My master is not soone you can aspire for."
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Hearing Xiren’s harsh words, Su Pan’er quickly coughed a few tis.
Just a few words to send her away would suffice, but saying too much was indeed too much.
Although this young lady had fallen for soone she shouldn’t have, it did not justify humiliating her like this.
Seeing the Empress’s expression, Xiren understood that Her Majesty had grown soft-hearted. She couldn’t help but sigh in her heart; for won who cling to n just because they look a bit handso, if you don’t speak harshly, how can you drive them away? The Empress really knows how to give her tasks.
Indeed, Zhang i did not back off realizing the difficulty, but instead seed ready to make a bigger scene. She started yelling right away.
"What status do I have? I at least co from an honest family, not like so people, just a servant, yet still clinging to other n despite having a family and children, shalessly..."
This statent left Xiren’s face completely pale!
Wanting to retort but considering Su Pan’er’s feelings, she hesitated to speak.
"Young lady, please show so self-respect!"
Su Pan’er frowned, "People should know themselves; the young lady is yet to be married, it’s better to care about your image. Think carefully about what should and shouldn’t be said before you speak. To engage in a quarrel on the street..."
Her words made Zhang i stand there, pale-faced and at a loss.
"Let’s go."
Initially, that tall Zhang had extended a helping hand to her, a stranger, and she truly couldn’t bear to say too much to his sister, pulling Xiren to leave. Suddenly, a voice sounded nearby.
"Sister, what are you doing here?"
Zhang Tall, carrying a large sack, passed by and imdiately noticed his bewildered sister, promptly calling out to her.
Following his sister’s gaze, he turned his head and saw Su Pan’er.
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