Though Yan Qing was excited at heart, she remained outwardly very calm. She was confident that the information Lu Shi had gathered did not stop there.
Sure enough, Lu Shi continued. “The Second Master of the Qian Family was drinking with me on one occasion, and when he had drunk himself into a state, I deliberately brought up the subject of the eldest daughter of the Qian Family. The Second Master, emboldened by the liquor, slammed the table and declared that the Qian Family’s eldest daughter had died long ago — that when the Qian Madam gave birth to her, the child was stillborn, and it was the Second Master of the Qian Family himself who carried the body away and had it buried.”
“Born and died?”
Lu Shi nodded. “The Second Master of the Qian Family said that the Qian Madam had waited a very long time to conceive this child and cherished it greatly, but the child was born lifeless. The Qian Master, fearing the Qian Madam could not bear the blow, told her the child had been taken away by enemies at birth. The servants in the Qian household who knew about this, as well as the attending physician, all left Shun Cheng in the end — and it was the Second Master of the Qian Family who was responsible for sending these people away.”
“So the Qian Madam has always believed her child did not die?” Yan Qing turned the matter over several times in her mind. Could it be that the Qian Madam had no idea at all that Qian Lan was not her daughter?
“The Qian Madam truly does not know. Even now she still believes Qian Lan is her daughter. But the Qian Master is aware of the truth.” Lu Shi paused before continuing. “The Second Master of the Qian Family is greatly displeased with the sudden appearance of an eldest daughter in the Qian household, because one more person means one more share of the family’s inheritance. Especially when the eldest Qian daughter was wed, the dowry the Qian Master provided was the talk of the entire city, which made the Second Master even more discontented. The Second Master has always felt inferior within the Qian Family, and now he is outclassed in every respect by a fake eldest daughter — so without needing much prompting from me, he told me all of this himself.”
“Did he not suspect you?”
“My business dealings with him are thriving, and he has no idea I am your business manager, so naturally he had no cause for suspicion. And even if he had suspected — he and the Qian Master are not of one mind to begin with.”
Yan Qing had full confidence in Lu Shi’s ability to win people over. The Second Master of the Qian Family had likely already come to regard him as a close confidant.
“Was Qian Lan’s desire to marry the Marshal the Qian Family’s intention, or was it her own?”
Lu Shi went on. “From what the Qian Family’s Second Master implied, the Qian Madam did not agree to this match, since she disliked the Marshal’s age. But Qian Lan insisted she had fallen in love with the Marshal at first sight and would marry no one but him. The Qian Madam had only just found her daughter, and naturally put her daughter’s wishes above all else. Under Qian Lan’s persuasion, the Qian Madam consented to the match. The Qian Old Matriarch’s birthday banquet was also arranged entirely by the Qian Family — with the purpose of having the Marshal take a liking to Qian Lan and then take the initiative to wed her.”
Yan Qing reflected: the Qian Madam believed Qian Lan to be her own daughter, but the Qian Master knew perfectly well that their daughter had died long ago. He had Qian Lan married into the Shi Family — partly at Qian Lan’s own request, and partly for his own benefit. If Qian Lan could become the Marshal’s wife, he would be gaining the Marshal as a relative by marriage, and in future he would have smooth sailing throughout Shun Cheng and indeed all of Bei Di.
If Qian Lan’s arrival at the Shi Family was something she had actively sought, then this made it all the more suspicious. Qian Lan had previously lived in Hu Xi Fang — she should have had no connection to the Marshal at all.
How, then, had a person who very likely lived in Hu Xi Fang come to the attention of Shi Guang? Could it be that Shi Guang had looked carefully into Hui Yuan’s background? That he had traced the thread from Hui Yuan to Chen Lingling, wanting to use the identity of Hui Yuan’s disciple to get close to the Marshal?
And Qian Lan’s arrival at the Qian Family was very possibly Shi Guang’s arrangement as well — a private agreement he had reached with Qian Yongfu. Because without a respectable family background and a good standing, Qian Lan’s ambiguous origins would have made it utterly impossible for her to marry into the Shi Family.
Then what was it that Shi Guang had promised Qian Lan in return?
To find the answer, it seemed she would have to make a personal trip to Hu Xi Town in Hu Xi Fang.
“Young Mistress, what I have gathered is all there is.” Lu Shi said. “If the Young Mistress wishes to go to Hu Xi Fang, she should bring along a few capable and trustworthy people. Hu Xi Fang borders Wu Jia Jie, which is a notorious black-market district — the gang factions there are mixed and powerful, and it is not safe.”
Yan Qing smiled. “Thank you very much, Mr. Lu.”
“The Young Mistress is too kind. The Young Mistress’s grace in recognizing my worth is something I, Lu Shi, have never found a way to repay. Being able to do this small service is not worth mentioning.” Lu Shi rose and gave a respectful bow. “If the Young Mistress has no further need of me, I will take my leave.”
“Thank you, Mr. Lu.” Yan Qing also rose. “Please take care.”
Di Huai escorted Lu Shi out through the back door, then looked carefully in all directions, confirming no one was watching before returning.
“Di Huai, make a trip to the black market and ask Xie Yan to lend me someone.”
“Does the Young Mistress intend to go personally to Hu Xi Fang?”
Yan Qing nodded. “Shi Ting and Zheng Yun are both away, and the Military Police Division will certainly be very busy. At a time like this, there is no need to draw on their manpower. Shi Ting told me: if I needed people, I should go to Xie Yan. Tell Xie Yan to lend me someone who is both skilled in martial arts and quick-witted.”
“Young Mistress, please rest assured — I will go right away.”
Yan Qing returned to the Shi Mansion and went directly to Luo Huaimeng’s courtyard. Luo Huaimeng was embroidering, and upon seeing her enter, she naturally handed her the embroidery hoop. “You have been studying this pattern for quite a long time — try it.”
Yan Qing took the needle and thread and began to embroider while she spoke. “Mother, I would like to make a trip to Hu Xi Fang.”
“Hu Xi Fang?” Luo Huaimeng had heard of this place — it was not too far from Shun Cheng, yet not close either. From what she recalled, it was a water township somewhere, with beautiful scenery. “What are you going there for?”
“Qian Lan very likely comes from Hu Xi Fang.” Yan Qing finished embroidering a small flower. “So I would like to go and have a look.”
“Hu Xi Fang is not small — finding a particular person there will not be easy.” Luo Huaimeng sighed. “You may go, but bring several reliable people with you. Xing Zhi is not here, so you must protect yourself well.”
Yan Qing felt a warmth in her heart, and her hands stilled. She looked up at Luo Huaimeng with a smile. “Mother, do not worry — I will come back safely.”
“Go then.” Luo Huaimeng took back the embroidery hoop. “I need not be fussed over here. The maids are all very diligent, and I rarely go out unless something important comes up. As for Qian Lan — I am just a past-her-prime concubine; she has no reason to devote any energy to targeting me.”
“I will have Jing Zhi stay behind to look after you.”
“All right.” Luo Huaimeng nodded. “Come back soon.”
Three days later, Yan Qing used the pretext of going to Bai Yun Nunnery to burn incense and pray for blessings on behalf of Luo Huaimeng, and departed the Shi Mansion with Murong and Di Huai.
As soon as Yan Qing left, word reached Qian Lan.
“Are you certain she is going to Bai Yun Nunnery?” Qian Lan had been plagued with setbacks recently, and she no longer seemed as composed as before. The people serving around her were all treading carefully.
“Er Yitai has not been well recently. She saw a doctor but did not improve, and San Yitai suggested they invite a spirit-medium. The spirit-medium said Er Yitai had attracted bad fortune and needed to burn incense at a temple to make a wish. Since Er Yitai is not well, this matter naturally fell to the Seventh Young Mistress.” A maid said. “It should not be a pretense — everyone in the mansion knows about it.”
“Real or false, send someone to follow her the whole way. If anything unusual happens, come back and let me know in advance.” At this point Qian Lan no longer dared take Yan Qing lightly as an adversary. She appeared gentle and harmless on the surface, but her scheming was enough to make one’s heart quake.
Qian Lan thought of the Zhi’er the Old Matriarch had sent over and felt another surge of frustration. Her plans had already been coming close to fruition, and now they had crumbled at the threshold of success. To start again would require devising a new plan entirely.
“Yes, Madam.”
“Madam.” Nanny Liu poured Qian Lan a cup of mind-calming tea. “This Seventh Young Mistress causes trouble for us at every turn. If you do not strike back, Madam, will people not think you are easy to push around?”
Qian Lan thought to herself: she had already struck at Yan Qing twice, but both times had failed. This person was far harder to deal with than she had imagined, let alone with Shi Ting always standing guard.
“Soon.” Qian Lan picked up her teacup and gave a cold smile. “Just wait and see — the best is yet to come.”
She refused to believe Yan Qing could escape once and then escape a second time. And this time, she would make her fall completely at her feet.
Yan Qing rode in the carriage out through the Eastern City Gate. The moment they cleared the gate, a dark figure leaped out from the side of the road — a flash of shadow and then nothing but empty air.
No matter how skilled Di Huai was as a driver, when a figure suddenly appeared in front of the moving carriage, he could not help slamming on the brakes in a cold sweat.
“Young Mistress, are you all right?” Di Huai quickly turned to check after the abrupt stop.
“I’m fine.” Murong had grabbed hold of Yan Qing, keeping her from being thrown against the back of the seat.
“Did we hit someone?” Yan Qing looked toward the front of the carriage — she was certain she had seen a person rushing out just now, yet there was no one to be seen.
She looked back through the rear window. Behind the carriage there was no one either.
“On the roof.” Di Huai’s hearing was sharp, and he caught a sound coming from directly above. “There is someone up there.”
Murong was startled. “How did this person fly from the ground onto the roof of a moving carriage?”
Di Huai was about to get out to investigate when Yan Qing called him back.
“Di Huai, there is no need to get out. Keep driving.”
Di Huai was puzzled. “Young Mistress, do you mean to let this person just lie on our roof? I am not worried about him falling off — I am worried he might pose a threat to the Young Mistress’s safety.”
“He won’t.” Yan Qing smiled faintly. “You went to find Xie Yan yesterday — what did he say to you?”
“Xie said he would make arrangements, but I never saw the person he arranged…” At this point Di Huai suddenly understood. “Young Mistress, surely not — is the person on the roof…?”
“That is right — he is one of Xie Yan’s people, so he will not harm me. Keep driving.” Yan Qing could not help but feel amused. Xie Yan’s subordinates were all remarkable individuals, and by the same token, all had peculiar temperaments — like the one currently riding on the roof, who, when perfectly good seating was available inside the carriage, insisted on braving the bitter cold atop it in the dead of winter.
Di Huai, hearing this, was at ease. He had never once doubted his Young Mistress’s judgment.
Though in this freezing cold, would the one on the roof actually be turned into a popsicle by the time they reached their destination?