Qin Yining smiled and responded, “I know.” She turned back to tease Ji Yun, “I saw Guard Tang standing not far away just now. You all need to be careful with what you say.”
Ji Yun’s face immediately flushed crimson as she stamped her foot, “Princess Consort, you’re simply too wicked!”
Seeing her so flustered that she kept stamping her feet, Bingtang pointed at her and laughed until her body shook. Even Zi Yuan and Han Xiao, who had just recently joined Qin Yining’s room, couldn’t help but laugh along.
The cheerful laughter from the room carried far outside. Several Jinghu Guards at the courtyard gate also exchanged knowing glances at Tang Xiu, making his face turn bright red with embarrassment. They were all young people, and everyone knew that Tang Xiu was close to Ji Yun, the head maid in the Princess Consort’s room. Everyone blessed them in their hearts, but since the brothers had good relationships, they couldn’t help but tease occasionally.
Seeing everyone so cheerful, Xie Yue ultimately didn’t voice the worries that had been weighing on his mind.
The residence Xie Yue had found was located in the city center, not far from both the government office and the market. The surrounding neighbors were all quite well-off. Since preparations had been made early, Qin Yining’s group could live normally upon moving in. However, there weren’t many servants in the house yet, and Qin Yining didn’t plan to purchase them immediately, wanting to observe the situation first.
After everyone had settled in, Xie Yue came to find Qin Yining.
Qin Yining smiled and invited Xie Yue to sit by the Eight Immortals table in the main hall, personally pouring him a cup of tea.
“Master Xie, please have some tea.”
Xie Yue held the teacup with one hand and smiled, “Thank you, Princess Consort.”
“Master Xie is too polite. To find such a suitable residence so quickly required much effort from you. At your advanced age, having to rush about in the rain—I truly feel terribly sorry.”
Xie Yue waved his hand. He could see that Qin Yining’s gratitude was genuine. Pouring a cup of tea and speaking a few heartfelt words was more comforting than any reward of gold or silver.
Xie Yue beamed with joy. Even though he had worries, he felt cheerful, “Princess Consort, actually this old man is concerned—all the mountain bandits from Black Wind Stronghold were captured by local garrison troops and constables. Will they confess about planning to steal stones from the quarry? Will they also mention those men surnamed Guan?”
After thinking, Xie Yue continued, “Also, I’ve been wondering how that man surnamed Guan contacted Black Wind Stronghold. Could silver alone really make over a hundred mountain bandits follow his orders? Might he have used some name? For instance… Azure Sky Alliance?”
Qin Yining looked down thoughtfully and said, “Master Xie makes a good point. I hadn’t even considered this.” She sighed with shame, “Since everything had been developing according to my plans, I became somewhat overconfident.”
Xie Yue smiled kindly, looking at Qin Yining with eyes that held both respect for his master and caring tolerance for a junior.
“The Princess Consort is still young. To achieve this much is already remarkable. Perhaps this old man is just overthinking. Those government troops captured people but might not necessarily interrogate them carefully. They might not confess everything.”
Qin Yining shook her head, “Master Xie’s careful thinking is very necessary. Regardless of whether they confess about Manager Da Hu, if Manager Da Hu used Azure Sky Alliance’s banner and word spreads, I’ll inevitably be affected.”
After all, Qin Yining still held the position of Alliance Leader of Azure Sky Alliance and had once led the alliance to help the current emperor retake the imperial palace. If this were publicized, it might have negative consequences.
But thinking carefully, this was an unchangeable fact.
“This matter cannot be acted upon rashly, or it would be like protesting too much. We can only observe quietly first. If someone spreads nonsense, we at least have room for rebuttal.”
“This old man thinks the same.” Xie Yue smiled, “Though it’s a hidden danger, it’s not fatal. Besides, who would believe a group of mountain bandits?”
“Hearing Master Xie put it that way, that’s indeed the case. If someone really dares to bite me, I’ll just cry injustice.”
Xie Yue was amused by Qin Yining’s tone and nodded, “Right, when the time comes, the Princess Consort need only cry injustice. Being falsely accused is no small matter. Why would those soldiers go suppress mountain bandits? If the bandits frame the Prince and Princess Consort, their future days probably won’t be too good either.”
Hearing Xie Yue’s analysis, Qin Yining felt much more at ease and nodded with a smile, bringing up another matter, “In the next few days, I’ll need to trouble Master Xie to help me disguise myself as last time.”
“Oh?” Xie Yue raised an eyebrow, “The Princess Consort plans to meet with those people again?”
“Yes. They can no longer count on Black Wind Stronghold. It’s when their will is weakest—a good opportunity to strike while they’re vulnerable.”
Xie Yue nodded with a smile, “That’s good too. See what they’re really about, and ideally find out the location of those stones.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”
After the two discussed matters, Xie Yue took his leave.
Qin Yining had a good night’s sleep. The next day, she first had Tang Xiu investigate Manager Da Hu and his men’s whereabouts.
The Jinghu Guards arranged by Tang Xiu were all very clever, quietly discovering the places these people frequented recently without arousing suspicion.
“So they even tried to visit prisoners?” Qin Yining laughed in surprise.
“Yes.” Tang Xiu said, “The tall, strong one planned to go, but was stopped by the one with the very hoarse voice. If you ask me, going to visit prisoners now would be like walking into a trap. Those constables and garrison troops are probably worried they didn’t catch all the Black Wind Stronghold fish.”
Qin Yining laughed, “Never mind. I think they’re probably desperate and at their wit’s end. They’re usually in their residence during the afternoon?”
Tang Xiu nodded.
“Tomorrow you take a few people, disguise yourselves, and follow me from a distance. Tomorrow I’m going to meet with that ‘Li Dazhuang.'” Regarding this hastily fabricated name, Qin Yining’s pronunciation carried considerable mockery.
Tang Xiu smiled, “Don’t worry, tomorrow I’ll first scout out where they are.”
“Then I’ll trouble you for that.”
“No trouble at all, this is my duty.” Tang Xiu smiled and cupped his hands in salute.
The next afternoon, after Tang Xiu confirmed that Manager Da Hu and his men were at home, Qin Yining went to find Xie Yue for disguising. Using the same method as last time, she again changed into men’s clothing.
Qin Yining looked left and right in the small mirror and discovered that the positions of the small moles Xie Yue had placed were all correct. She couldn’t help but secretly marvel at Xie Yue’s skill.
Qin Yining still brought Zi Yuan and Han Xiao, leaving Ji Yun and Bingtang to watch the house. She told Tang Xiu and others not to get too close—only the cart driver was a disguised Jinghu Guard. The group then went to the residence Manager Da Hu had rented.
Manager Da Hu was now unshaven, his originally somewhat elegant beard now disheveled. Liu Ban and the others had no heart for anything, even developing cold sores at the corners of their mouths.
Hearing someone knock at the door—and it was a woman’s voice—Liu Ban irritably went to open it.
Manager Da Hu and the others defensively grabbed door bars, ready to immediately flee if they discovered government troops had found them.
“Hey? Aren’t you that… one from Sitong Trading Company?” Liu Ban pointed at Zi Yuan.
Zi Yuan said, “Yes, our boss has come.” She held an umbrella and stepped aside.
Only then did Liu Ban see what had been hidden by the oil-paper umbrella.
He saw the woman from Sitong Trading Company who looked quite pretty but dressed androgynously, standing not far away with a maid holding an umbrella, with only a cart driver behind them.
Liu Ban looked back questioningly at Manager Da Hu.
Manager Da Hu gestured to two brothers behind him, having them climb over the back wall to check if there was an ambush outside, while he himself came out to greet them.
“So it’s Boss Qiu. What brings you to grace our humble dwelling today?” Manager Da Hu said sarcastically, “It seems your information network is quite good—you actually found this humble abode.”
Qin Yining pretended not to understand Manager Da Hu’s sarcasm and smiled, “Brother Li, you jest. We are partners after all, so naturally I should show some concern for you. Besides, I haven’t received news these past days and was very worried about the progress of your recruitment efforts, so I came to visit.”
Manager Da Hu was left speechless by her response, but he could still distinguish what was most important at this moment.
They now had no silver and no manpower. At their wit’s end, this woman had come—could Heaven itself be giving them a chance to succeed?
With this thought, Manager Da Hu smiled and stepped aside, inviting Qin Yining’s group inside, “The rainy day is damp and cold. If you don’t mind, please come into our humble dwelling for a brief rest.”
Hearing Manager Da Hu’s affected literary speech combined with his hoarse voice easily brought to mind sinister things.
Qin Yining resisted the urge to rub the goosebumps on her arms and entered with Han Xiao and Zi Yuan. The Jinghu Guard acting as cart driver sat casually on the cart shaft like an ordinary driver, tightening his straw rain cape and bamboo hat.
The interior was very dirty and messy, with leftover food still on the table.
Qin Yining looked straight ahead and sat down with Manager Da Hu in the main seats. Manager Da Hu turned back to have someone boil water. During this time, he saw the brother who had climbed the wall to scout return and nod slightly. Confirming there was no ambush outside, Manager Da Hu relaxed and could speak with Qin Yining at ease.
Qin Yining smiled and asked, “How are things progressing? Have you inquired when the Tatar tribute convoy will pass through? Don’t be late—otherwise won’t the manpower be found for nothing?”
“Yes, Boss Qiu makes sense. I’ll pay attention to this,” Manager Da Hu replied perfunctorily.
Qin Yining’s beautiful eyes shifted as she continued, “Those Tatars are all no good, having harmed so many of our Great Zhou common people. After that long conversation with Brother Li some days ago, though I’m merely a woman, my heart surged with emotion. I couldn’t help but want to beat them up for satisfaction. So today, I have another matter to discuss with you.”
Manager Da Hu asked suspiciously, “Wh-what matter?”
“I want to arrange for people to go with you to rob the Tatar convoy.”
What?
Manager Da Hu was shocked, and Liu Ban and the others were all stunned.
They were worried about being exposed, never expecting this woman to make such arrangements.
“How can this be good? This is a matter of life and death after all. We should just use silver to hire people. It’s better for Boss Qiu’s people not to wade into troubled waters.”
“Hey, how can this be called wading into troubled waters?” Qin Yining declared righteously, “The Tatars have bullied us Great Zhou people greatly. Sitong Trading Company lacks nothing else—we have plenty of silver. Being able to use silver to find suitable people to give the Tatars a beating makes me happy!”