Upon meeting Shopkeeper Zhong, Qin Yining immediately had him send a secret message by carrier pigeon to the Great Yan capital, to be delivered to trusted people remaining in the capital.

As for the letter’s contents, she leaned close to Shopkeeper Zhong and whispered a few sentences in his ear.

After listening, Shopkeeper Zhong stared in shock: “Master, doing this could bring fatal disaster upon you! You don’t know that Great Zhou people there…”

Qin Yining slightly raised her hand, stopping Shopkeeper Zhong’s unfinished words.

She smiled reassuringly at him: “Shopkeeper, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. Just do as I’ve told you—use the carrier pigeons, the faster the better.”

Shopkeeper Zhong had originally been somewhat anxious, but seeing Qin Yining so confident, he hesitated no more and nodded solemnly: “Rest assured, I’ll handle it as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you for your trouble. A life hangs in the balance—you must be extremely careful.”

“Yes.”

Qin Yining didn’t delay Shopkeeper Zhong. After giving clear instructions, she alighted from the carriage.

Shopkeeper Zhong immediately ordered his men to whip the horses and hurry away from the Qin residence.

Qin Yining returned to her room with her maids.

Just as she reached the door, she saw Cao Yuqing standing with her hands behind her back, frowning as she waited, seeming to come with unfriendly intentions.

Qin Yining had known she would come and smiled slightly: “You’ve come. Please enter for some tea?”

“Fine.” Cao Yuqing greatly admired her composure, and combined with that face so similar to Qin Huaiyuan’s in his youth, much of her inner resentment dissipated upon seeing Qin Yining.

The two entered and sat on embroidered cushions with soft padding beside the Eight Immortals table. Bingtang and the others served tea and refreshments before withdrawing.

Cao Yuqing was a straightforward person and immediately got straight to the point: “Why did you have all the secret agents memorize such absurd things? Those events never happened at all!”

“Of course I know those things never happened.” Qin Yining smiled: “These are all things I temporarily made up to save Jingzhe and their lives. Lady Cao, surely you’re not unaware of the stakes involved? I heard the Emperor has arranged another group to go to the Great Yan Dynasty searching for the treasure left by the Great Yan Grand Emperor.”

Cao Yuqing frowned: “Indeed, this is true. That treasure is no small amount. With Great Zhou’s treasury now empty and in desperate need of money, the Emperor naturally cares about this silver. But what does this have to do with the secret agents?”

“You should know—if the Emperor’s search for the treasure’s whereabouts proves fruitless, what methods might he think of in desperation?”

Cao Yuqing fell into contemplation for a moment.

Yes. If that silver couldn’t be found, Li Qitian would naturally want to question those closest to the Grand Emperor.

Yuchi Yan was now in the capital, under the Emperor’s control. He had probably been thoroughly investigated already and naturally hadn’t revealed the treasure’s location.

The existence of the silver-masked secret agents was no secret at all. Qin Huaiyuan’s recruitment of these agents had never been concealed.

If Li Qitian became desperate, he would naturally come to question the secret agents.

The silver-masked secret agents were a force she had personally trained, so she naturally had feelings for them and didn’t want them to lose their lives because of the tyrant’s past actions.

Thinking of this, Cao Yuqing asked: “But can your method really save Jingzhe?”

“Don’t worry.” Qin Yining smiled confidently: “I not only want to save Jingzhe but also eliminate future troubles for the secret agents. How many silver-masked agents are currently in the capital?”

“Including Jingzhe, sixteen people. The others are assigned to work elsewhere. However, this batch of agents is the last group I trained. If there are more casualties, there won’t be anyone to replace them.”

Qin Yining nodded with a smile: “Heaven and earth are vast, but human life is most precious. That original method wasn’t good to begin with. Isn’t it better to let them live?”

Upon hearing this, Cao Yuqing was somewhat moved and lowered her long lashes.

“Are you completely confident about this matter?”

“Ninety percent certain, excluding some uncontrollable factors.” Qin Yining estimated conservatively.

Cao Yuqing thought for a moment, then smiled: “Alright, I understand. Don’t worry—we secret agents have received specialized interrogation training. Once captured, we would never reveal our master’s information to others. This story won’t be difficult for us to maintain. I’ll give the orders right away.”

Qin Yining nodded with a smile: “Thank you for your trouble.”

“Not at all. If this can truly save their lives, I should thank you.”

Cao Yuqing patted Qin Yining’s shoulder and quickly left.

Qin Yining then spent her days anxiously, arranging for people to gather news about Jingzhe daily.

After six days like this, Li Qitian in the imperial study received an urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch from the former Great Yan capital.

After reading it, Li Qitian immediately slammed the dragon desk and stood up: “Truly, what one seeks everywhere is found without effort! Quick, Li Guanwen! Go immediately to the Qin residence and bring Qin Meng and the guards around his daughter to the palace! Oh yes, and that woman surnamed Cao who used to be Qin Meng’s concubine—bring her too! Go quickly, be fast!”

“Yes, yes, yes! This servant will go immediately!” Li Guanwen, urged frantically by Li Qitian, stumbled in his haste and nearly fell flat on the ground before staggering out.

Li Qitian looked again at the urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch in his hand, his eyes filling with delighted surprise.

The letter’s contents were very clear: rumors in the former Great Yan capital spoke of how the silver-masked secret agents around the former Great Yan Grand Emperor were his most intimately used instruments, and these people might know the whereabouts of that treasure!

And these silver-masked agents were now in the Qin household!

It seemed Qin Huaiyuan was truly his lucky star!

Li Qitian paced back and forth with joy, constantly calculating in his mind how to question the silver-masked agents and how to deal with these people.

Qin Yining was doing needlework with Lian Xiaozhou in her room when urgent voices came from outside: “Miss, miss! People from the palace have come! They want to take away our household guards!”

The needle in Qin Yining’s hand nearly pricked her finger. She quickly stood up and walked out rapidly.

It was afternoon, and Qin Huaiyuan had also returned from court and was in the front courtyard speaking with Li Guanwen.

Li Guanwen said anxiously yet very politely: “Minister Qin needn’t be nervous. The Emperor only wants to summon you and the guards around Miss Qin to the palace to ask a few questions.”

Qin Huaiyuan was full of questions but only nodded impassively: “If the Emperor has questions to ask, then naturally it’s appropriate. Someone come.”

Qin Huaiyuan ordered people to be summoned.

Li Guanwen quickly added: “Oh yes, the Emperor also specifically mentioned wanting to see Lady Cao from your residence.”

Qin Huaiyuan’s heart tightened again—he could now confirm what the Emperor intended to do. Still smiling warmly, he nodded and ordered that Cao Yuqing also be summoned.

In the end, fifteen people followed Li Guanwen to the palace, including Cao Yuqing and the secret agents.