Qin Yining’s carriage remained parked in the concealed alley behind Prince Ning’s mansion. Manager Zhong got off to find contacts and inquire about what had just happened, while Qin Yining waited in the carriage with Bingtang and Ji Yun.

Bingtang asked quietly: “Miss, why aren’t we going in anymore? Prince Ning should be at his mansion right now. Are you worried that Prince Ning won’t agree?”

“Indeed. Setting aside other matters, if I were Prince Ning, I wouldn’t willingly involve myself in such troublesome affairs either. Court politics are currently chaotic, Prince Ning has led troops before, and His Majesty is suspicious—even doing nothing would hardly guarantee people won’t be overly suspicious, let alone taking sides casually. That’s the greatest taboo.”

Qin Yining lowered her long lashes, her right hand’s fingers caressing the red bean bracelet on her slender left wrist as she said quietly: “Actually, I just don’t want to let any thread slip by. Right now I’m first troubling Manager Zhong to investigate and see if there’s any opportunity to exploit. If not, I’ll still have to brazenly go ask for help.”

“Miss is doing the right thing,” Ji Yun said admiringly. “Only by not letting any trace slip by is it possible to grasp every opportunity. His Highness has always done things this way too. No wonder His Highness holds Miss so dear in his heart—it turns out you’re kindred spirits.”

Qin Yining’s cheeks flushed as she chided: “What are you saying? At such a serious time, why bring him up?”

Seeing Qin Yining’s face turn crimson, even her ears completely red, Ji Yun couldn’t help but tease: “Strange, this servant didn’t say anything improper—just mentioned His Highness. Unless Miss was thinking something improper herself?”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yining felt her head buzz as her face turned so red it nearly dripped blood. She shot Ji Yun a glare and looked elsewhere, refusing to say another word even if beaten to death.

Ji Yun and Bingtang exchanged glances and couldn’t help but smile.

It seemed the relationship between His Highness and Miss hadn’t been affected by the conflict between the two countries, but had instead grown even better.

No wonder—His Highness was so thoughtful toward Miss. Even with just one brief meeting to talk, he hadn’t forgotten to prepare beef in advance to make Miss something delicious.

First, a man willing to cook for a woman was itself extremely touching.

Second, whether in Da Zhou or Da Yan, even for nobles, eating beef wasn’t so easy. Cattle were laborers, and killing cattle was a serious crime. That His Highness could procure a piece of beef shank to cook noodles for Miss during Da Yan’s famine showed how much thought he put into her.

These servants watching from the side were all moved on Miss’s behalf—how much more so would Qin Yining herself be as the person directly involved?

The two maids feared embarrassing Qin Yining, so they only teased in their hearts without daring to say another word aloud.

Qin Yining leaned against the carriage wall, looking through the gauze window at a small patch of grass outside.

The weather was sweltering. Fortunately, they had stopped in the shade of trees, which provided some relief from the stuffiness. Even so, Qin Yining soon broke into a sweat and continuously fanned herself with her silk fan.

After waiting a full hour, Manager Zhong returned drenched in sweat.

“Master,” Manager Zhong boarded the carriage as Ji Yun and Bingtang consciously got off, handing him water and a towel before walking some distance away with the driver.

Seeing Manager Zhong’s sweat-soaked collar and temples, Qin Yining said apologetically: “In such hot weather, it was hard on Manager to make this trip.”

“It’s nothing, not a big matter.” Manager Zhong waved his hand and smiled. “Fortunately, I didn’t fail in my mission and actually managed to discover some information.

“That young man just now—I had someone investigate. His name is Li Wenhan. He passed the county examination at fourteen and is now twenty-eight, but his official career has never progressed. Due to poor choice in friends, he developed a gambling addiction and often gambles outside, owing considerable silver. Master, can you guess what that woman just gave him?”

Qin Yining said: “That woman and he are lovers? What she gave him would naturally be something to pay debts. Even the worst prince’s mansion could produce a few odds and ends sufficient for Li Wenhan to squander outside.”

“Master’s guess is correct. I also found out about that woman just now. She’s the most capable head maid beside Princess Ning, named Qiangwei. She’s known Li Wenhan for four years and privately committed herself to him for life. The gambling debts Li Wenhan has accumulated outside over the years have always been paid off at critical moments, presumably all relying on Qiangwei.

“Since this Qiangwei serves Princess Ning, she inevitably has opportunities to access some gold, silver, and jewelry that Princess Ning doesn’t pay much attention to. I had someone follow Li Wenhan and discovered he went to a pawn shop to pawn jewelry. I also found someone to connect with that pawn shop’s appraiser and learned that Li Wenhan’s previous items were all pawned at that same shop.”

Hearing this, Qin Yining nodded thoughtfully.

Manager Zhong didn’t interrupt, picking up cool tea to drink another bowl before taking up the palm fan in the carriage to fan himself.

Qin Yining’s silk fan also moved intermittently. After just a moment, she smiled and asked Manager Zhong:

“Manager, do you know what businesses Prince Ning and the Cao family respectively have in the city?”

Manager Zhong asked in surprise: “Master, why do you ask this? Both Prince Ning’s household and Imperial Uncle Cao’s household have quite a few businesses. If Master wants details, it would require careful organization.”

Qin Yining fingered her red bean bracelet and said quietly: “Manager, go investigate and see what connections exist between their two families’ businesses.”

“Master, you want to… find an opportunity to sow discord between their two families’ business relationships?” Manager Zhong asked uncertainly.

“Mm.” Qin Yining nodded.

“This isn’t very feasible.” Manager Zhong said honestly. “Master, among all the noble and prominent families doing business in the city, there’s an unwritten rule—if there are small frictions in business dealings between shops, those are just frictions between servants. The masters won’t get involved. No matter how excessive we might be, I’m afraid we couldn’t attract Prince Ning’s attention.”

Qin Yining shook her head and smiled: “That’s not necessarily so. There are two urgent matters now. First, make the Cao family people become arrogant and severely bully Prince Ning’s businesses. Such instigation shouldn’t be difficult. Second, Manager should secretly contact Qiangwei.”

As Qin Yining spoke, she lowered her voice even more, whispering a few sentences in Manager Zhong’s ear.

Manager Zhong listened with wide eyes, as if incredulous and also as if frightened. After a long while, he said: “Master, wouldn’t doing this be too risky? That Qiangwei has served the Princess for a long time. If the matter is exposed, the consequences would be unthinkable!”

“It doesn’t matter. She wants to be loyal, but she hopes even more that she and that Li fellow can survive. The pawn shop has solid evidence there.”

Manager Zhong thought carefully and realized this was indeed the case.

“Alright, I’ll do everything as Master says. I’ll handle it right away. Master can return home in peace and wait for news.”

Qin Yining smiled gratefully: “Thank you for your trouble, Manager.”

“Not at all.” Manager Zhong got off the carriage, his face showing slight excitement as he went to handle serious business.

Qin Yining then called Ji Yun and Bingtang, and the three of them returned to the Marquis’s mansion.