Leaving the Commandery Prince’s mansion, Han Qian returned to the large residence on Lanting Lane while it was still relatively early. He thought that Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, who had been cooped up in the Kaoshan Lane residence all day, must be feeling quite irritable by now. However, just as he entered the courtyard and was about to send someone to summon them, Zhao Ting’er said:

“Feng Yi and Kong Xirong have gone back.”

“What?” Han Qian’s brows furrowed deeply. He hadn’t expected Feng Yi and Kong Xirong to actually return. He asked, “When did this happen? Why didn’t anyone come to tell me?”

Seeing Han Qian’s expression suddenly become so serious, Zhao Ting’er was also startled and said:

“Before dark, the Feng family sent someone to deliver clothes, and also brought some wine and food. Feng Yi and Kong Xirong waited in the courtyard for a while. When they didn’t see you return, they said they wanted to go out for some fresh air. We had no reason to detain them, so we could only send people to secretly follow them. They went to Yinghu Teahouse to drink tea and listen to some songs for a while. When they came out, they ran into Feng Liao and went directly back with him. We couldn’t very well intercept them.”

“What a bunch of fools! I truly wasted my efforts running around for them all day today!” Han Qian leaned back exhausted against the high-backed chair. He had originally had no intention of pressuring the Feng family, but he hadn’t expected Feng Wenlan to preemptively bring Feng Yi and Kong Xirong back.

What did Feng Wenlan mean by this? Did he really think Emperor Tianyou might let the Feng family off?

Feng Wenlan had spent half his life rising and falling in official circles. This city of Jinling alone had changed hands several times. How could he harbor such illusions?

However, Feng Wenlan had gone to great lengths to retrieve Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, clearly showing he didn’t trust him and even worried that they might be held as hostages here. Presumably, he wouldn’t maintain contact with them anymore, would he?

At this moment, what could Han Qian say except sigh?

“What exactly happened?” Zhao Ting’er asked nervously.

“The Commandery Prince’s mansion and Censorial Investigating Censor Zhang Han’s memorials were both submitted. Today His Majesty summoned Feng Wenlan to the palace and severely rebuked him, but still let Feng Wenlan return. I didn’t expect that Feng Wenlan, clever his whole life, would still harbor false hopes and actually resent me for not doing my utmost to help him! Since they want to seek their own death, I can’t stop them even if I try…” Han Qian smiled bitterly.

“It’s normal for them to harbor false hopes, but how would this be seeking their own death? What does Your Excellency think they’ll do? Will the situation become even worse?” Zhao Ting’er asked in confusion.

“The night before last, Feng Wenlan harbored false hopes, thinking that standing with the Third Prince would help him avoid disaster. I advised him not to hold such delusions. I thought Feng Wenlan, clever his whole life, should have figured it out by now, but in the end he still hasn’t understood,” Han Qian said. “The Third Prince has already submitted a memorial impeaching the Feng family. Regardless of what arrangements His Majesty makes next, the Commandery Prince’s mansion cannot casually change its stance. Seeing His Majesty’s attitude today, Feng Wenlan probably mistakenly believes there’s a chance to avoid disaster. Having gone to such great lengths to retrieve Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, what do you think they’ll do next?”

“They want to seek aid from Anning Palace and the Crown Prince, and fearing Your Excellency would obstruct them, they went to such trouble to retrieve Young Master Feng and Young Master Kong?” Zhao Ting’er asked.

Han Qian didn’t answer Zhao Ting’er’s question. He stood up and said to Lin Zongying and Xi Fa’er, who were waiting beneath the ornamental gate, “Go immediately to find Tian Cheng and Gao Shao. All the scouts and spies we can mobilize in the city should quietly move toward the outskirts of where Shisanniang is currently staying, but be careful not to leave any traces!”

Watching Lin Zongying and Xi Fa’er immediately split up to find Tian Cheng and Gao Shao, Zhao Ting’er asked, “Does Your Excellency think Feng Yi and Kong Xirong might reveal Chun Shisanniang’s relationship with us, and that Feng Wenlan will offer Chun Shisanniang as a bargaining chip to Anning Palace?”

“Who knows? It’s better to be prepared!” Han Qian said. “You two accompany me to Chun Shisanniang’s place for tea and see if any interesting guests call on her tonight.”

……

……

Besides her residence on Lanting Lane, Chun Shisanniang’s original entertaining residence was located on Niliu Lane, called Changchun Garden. It was the former residence in Jinling of Wang Ang, who had been the Administrator of the former dynasty’s Shengzhou Military Commissioner’s office.

The garden wasn’t large, only about one mu in area, but it had winding pools and flowing water, dense forest and trees, with flowers and plants competing for attention. It was much more elegant than the Han family’s large residence.

Han Qian didn’t openly visit Chun Shisanniang. Instead, he and Zhao Ting’er and Xi Ren changed their appearance, disguised as beggars, climbed over the back wall into Changchun Garden, then lay by the fish pond in the back courtyard, watching the koi in the water.

“Your Excellency dresses up like this and runs into my garden saying you’re waiting for guests, but won’t say what guests you’re waiting for. Chun’niang is going to throw you out!” Chun Shisanniang wore a half-sleeved jacket and skirt, revealing her snow-white bosom, which was quite magnificent. She leaned against the stone railing by the winding pool, staring at Han Qian and asking.

Feeling inadequate in comparison, Zhao Ting’er saw Chun Shisanniang deliberately pressing her bosom against her arm to make it appear even more prominent, and wanted nothing more than to kick this flirtatious woman into the fish pond.

Han Qian sat barefoot on the rocks by the fish pond, extending his feet into the water to tease the koi. He laughed and said, “The guests haven’t arrived yet, so how could I possibly know beforehand who’s going to call? Or perhaps no guests will come at all, and I’m just using this as an excuse for a nighttime rendezvous with you, Shisanniang?”

“Your Excellency has two charming and beautiful people serving you, yet can resist not tasting them. How would you even notice this withered flower like Chun’niang?” Chun Shisanniang said with seemingly resentful flirtatious laughter.

“Hmph!” Xi Ren snorted coldly, warning Chun Shisanniang not to implicate her with her veiled remarks. But seeing Han Qian unconsciously rubbing his fingers at this moment, as if reminiscing about the sensation from yesterday morning, she wanted nothing more than to draw her sword and stab him.

At this moment, a night owl’s cry rang out abruptly in the quiet night.

“Such an obvious signal, and they don’t even try to improve it. It’s as if they’re afraid the whole world won’t know someone’s doing business here!” Han Qian looked toward Xi Fa’er, who was crouching in the corner within the courtyard wall, peeking out at the movements outside, and said, “Did you catch any rats?”

“Master Tian has brought someone over. The others were all intercepted outside Niliu Lane, perhaps afraid of alarming Your Excellency,” Xi Fa’er said.

Han Qian signaled the guards at the back courtyard gate to open it and let Tian Cheng enter.

Seeing the face of the person Tian Cheng brought in, Han Qian couldn’t help but sigh and said, “Feng Wenlan finding you to make a deal still shows some small cleverness, but playing clever at this time is the height of stupidity. Why would you cause trouble for your master?”

Chun Shisanniang, seeing the person’s face clearly, was also startled and asked, “Why would Director Yin think of gracing this humble dwelling tonight?”

“However Han Daren wishes to deal with me, I hope you can give Yin Peng a quick end. Han Daren should know that Yin Peng has received great kindness from the Wang family and Prince Xin, and will absolutely never divulge half a secret about Chuzhou.” Chuzhou Pavilion Administrator Yin Peng naturally wouldn’t acknowledge someone of Chun Shisanniang’s status. Seeing Han Qian sitting by the fish pond in Chun Shisanniang’s back courtyard dressed like a beggar, he knew he had fallen into Han Qian’s trap. The reason he had taken the bait was that he wanted to capture Chun Shisanniang and extract more secrets about the Xinchang Marquis’s mansion and the Han father and son through interrogation.

Zhao Ting’er was also quite shocked. She had previously guessed that the Feng family, having gone to such trouble to retrieve Feng Yi and Kong Xirong, would seek help from Anning Palace and the Crown Prince. She hadn’t expected the Feng family to actually approach people from Prince Xin of Chuzhou.

“What kind of relationship do I have with Director Wang? How could I make things difficult for Director Yin? I’m afraid Director Yin cannot pretend today’s events never happened. In that case, I can only be compelled by circumstance to ask Director Yin to be a guest at Lanting Lane for a few days. Please don’t take offense, Director Yin!” Han Qian smiled, then asked Tian Cheng, “How many did you catch?”

“One escaped, we killed two, caught three. Should we string them up for interrogation?” Tian Cheng said.

“We’re all subjects of Great Chu. That lives were already lost today is improper enough. Don’t make things difficult for them further. Just keep them under guard,” Han Qian said.

Yin Peng naturally didn’t believe Han Qian was being merciful, but unable to fathom what scheme Han Qian had in mind, he kept his mouth shut and said nothing.

Seeing Han Qian about to have Yin Peng and the others taken away directly, Chun Shisanniang asked anxiously, “You’re leaving just like that? What about me?”

“The Feng Wenlan and Kong Zhou households haven’t shown any activity and haven’t sent anyone to watch. Perhaps Feng Wenlan still thinks I’m completely in the dark and doesn’t want to alert me by sending extra people,” Han Qian said, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at Chun Shisanniang. “If you’re afraid of dying, you can also come to my place to take shelter.”

Chun Shisanniang didn’t dare act tough at this moment. She had several bewildered maids and old servants stay behind to watch the residence. After simply packing some valuables, she followed Han Qian back to Lanting Lane.

Although Chun Shisanniang had a courtyard residence behind the entrance to Lanting Lane, now that Han Qian had captured Yin Peng, a core figure of Chuzhou in Jinling, no one knew what Chuzhou’s next move would be. Regardless of how coldly Zhao Ting’er and Xi Ren looked at her, she still shamelessly followed them into the Han family’s large residence.

Yao Xishui, having received the news, was already waiting at the Han family’s large residence. Only when she saw Chun Shisanniang enter with Han Qian and the others did her anxious expression ease slightly. In her heart, she felt fortunate that after Han Wanhuan had disclosed the list of her, Chun Shisanniang, and a group of others to Jiang Huo and Yuan Guowei, Wanhong Tower had internally conducted more thorough screening and separation, hiding potential traces even deeper.

Otherwise, their predicament tonight would have been unimaginable.

Seeing Yin Peng’s surprised expression upon seeing Yao Xishui, Han Qian asked with feigned astonishment, “What? When Feng Wenlan approached you for a deal, didn’t he mention that Miss Yao is also a secret agent under my command? Oh, I understand now. Director Yin doesn’t carry enough weight in Feng Wenlan’s eyes. He revealed Chun Shisanniang first merely to have Director Yin verify the truth of what he said, while incidentally misleading Director Wang and Prince Xin into thinking he truly possessed many secrets about the Third Prince! What a pity. If Feng Wenlan could really master many of our secrets, I wouldn’t have been able to wait by the tree stump to catch you tonight, Director Yin, would I?”

No matter what Han Qian said, Yin Peng paid him no heed.

“Take them to the dungeon in the back courtyard.”

Han Qian was just about to have Tian Cheng take Yin Peng and the other three Chuzhou secret agents to the dungeon in the back courtyard when Gao Shao walked in with a constipated expression and whispered in Han Qian’s ear.

“Director Wang’s daughter is riding a horse trying to force her way into Lanting Lane. Should we detain her?”

Although Gao Shao’s voice was very low, Yin Peng’s ears were extremely sharp. He struggled to break free from Tian Cheng’s grip, glared furiously at Han Qian, and shouted, “Han Qian, if you dare harm the young miss, my master will grind your bones to dust!”

Han Qian naturally wasn’t afraid of Yin Peng’s threats, but he did have a terrible headache. He hadn’t expected Director Wang’s daughter Wang Jun to directly storm into Lanting Lane. As if encountering a plague god, he ordered Gao Shao, “What would we detain her for? Isn’t there enough trouble already? Whatever she’s come to do, quickly close the gate and don’t let her barge in. As if things aren’t chaotic enough already…”