Both worlds are like dreams

Xue Huang slammed the door shut, then struggled to climb up the wall, and then saw several more people coming out of the darkness. She smiled, and when those people were halfway there, she struggled to return to the yard, and continued to toss in a different place.

In the end, the guards were exhausted by her, and she was so tired that she sat on the swing for a long time to rest.

When Duan Yunlai brought her dinner, she still looked listless. After he left, she stayed for a long time before getting up to eat.

The sky was completely dark at this time, and the stars were extremely bright in the night.

After finishing her meal, Xue Huang did not go to rest, but came to the hot spring and sat on a rock to soak her feet.

The pool water was very warm. Xue Huang had a naturally cold body, so this temperature was very comfortable for her. She simply took off her coat and soaked herself in the hot spring water.

Xue Huang held up the necklace and tapped the gem with her fingers. "You haven't recovered yet? It's been so long."

The gem didn't move at all, as if it was a dead object.

"Then can you hear me?" Xue Huang sighed. "You didn't react at all. Sometimes I almost thought you were just an illusion and never appeared. I felt a little powerless because you were always by my side no matter what kind of difficulties I encountered. You said you wouldn't die, so don't lie to me, or I'll throw you into the toilet!"

The stone in his hand still did not move, but if he looked closely, there seemed to be tiny lines flowing inside the gemstone. However, in the dim night, Xue Huang did not see it.

The Fifth Prince's Palace

Mo Ruilin looked at the note in his hand and frowned slightly. He handed the note to Gu Qinglan, who frowned even more tightly than him.

Wei Yunzhou has three pieces of information:

First, Xue Huang disappeared again, and someone was deliberately erasing her traces.

Second, the copper used to mint counterfeit coins came from the copper mine in Qinghe County.

Third, some gangsters disappeared in the city.

"What do you think?" Murilan asked.

Gu Qinglan sighed, "To be honest, I'm very confused."

"I know you're worried about Xue Huang," Mo Ruilin poured him a glass of wine, "but we have to trust Brother Wei. Besides, Xue Huang should be safe. After all, the people who took her away will prepare her favorite wine and won't embarrass her. Moreover, with Xue Huang's quirky personality, she won't let herself suffer."

Gu Qinglan nodded, trying to suppress his worries. "The copper used to cast coins comes from the copper mine in Qinghe County, so we can lock on to the target as long as we find out the sales channels of the copper mine. Chen Jin is the governor of Qinghe County, and he is the one who runs the copper mine. He has been relying on Shen Congfeng for so many years, so the counterfeiting of coins may have something to do with him."

"Chen Jin is already one of the richest businessmen in Beiling, yet he even minted counterfeit coins. I'm worried that someone else is behind this."

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

Murilan glanced at him, a hint of worry flashing across his eyes.

Gu Qinglan hasn't had a good rest these days. He is either investigating a case or gathering information outside. He refuses to rest for a moment because he is afraid that if he stops, he will lose control of his worries.

The corners of his eyes were black and blue, and he hadn't smiled for many days.

But Mo Ruilin didn't know how to persuade him, after all, he was also very worried. He looked at the note and changed the subject, "Since Brother Wei takes the third piece of news seriously, it must be serious. But I'm afraid Brother Wei doesn't have any clues, I'll go ask him tomorrow."

Gu Qinglan said, "I'll go."

At this time, someone came from outside to report that Mo Xingyue had returned.

Mo Ruilin raised an eyebrow, "Why did she come back so soon?"

Gu Qinglan stood up and saluted, "Meet the princess."

"Brother Lan, you don't have to be so polite."

Mo Ruilin motioned for her to sit down, "It's not time yet, why are you back?"

"It's all Snow Phoenix," Mo Xingyue said angrily as she sat next to Mo Ruilin. "It's been so long, and she hasn't even sent me a message. She didn't even reply to the letter I sent her."

Gu Qinglan and Mo Ruilin didn't speak. The last time Mo Ruilin went to the Royal Temple to see her, he was afraid that she would worry about Xue Huang's safety, so he kept it a secret from her.

Mo Xingyue didn't notice their unusual expressions. "Anyway, the time is almost up, so I'll come back first. Father won't blame me."

"Father asked you to stay in the temple so that you can temporarily avoid the court."

"How long are you going to hide?" Mo Xingyue looked relieved. "I have to face it sooner or later. What difference does it make if it's one day earlier or later?"

"Then don't go back to the palace yet. Stay in my house. I will report to my father tomorrow."

Mo Xingyue shook her head, "I don't want to live here with you, I want to go live with Xue Huang, and settle accounts with her while I'm at it!"

Murilan said nothing.

Mo Xingyue looked at him with a puzzled expression, then glanced at Gu Qinglan, who also looked unhappy. "What's wrong with you?"

Mo Ruilin sighed, "Xue Huang... has been missing since the night you left the Wei Mansion."

Mo Xingyue was startled, her eyes full of disbelief, "What?" She looked at Gu Qinglan again, and seeing his eyes full of disappointment and worry, she knew that this must be true. "How could this be?"

"Don't worry yet," Mo Ruilin comforted her, "It's not that there is no news. She is safe now, but we haven't found her whereabouts yet."

Mo Xingyue frowned and shouted, "You've been hiding this from me?!"

"Don't you know now?"

"Have you told father? She is a descendant of Guigu, a princess of two countries, and she just disappeared in Shangyang City. This is no small matter!"

"not yet."

Mo Xingyue asked puzzledly: "Why?"

Mo Ruilin sighed, "Because she is still the princess of Dongchu, if she disappears like this, it will affect the relationship with Dongchu. So for the time being, we can't let my father know. And we don't know who took Xuehuang away, and what their purpose is. What if it threatens Xuehuang's safety?"

Mo Xingyue was angry and worried. "It's a pity that she was so skilled in martial arts, but she was captured just like that! How could she be so stupid!"

Mo Ruilin poked her from below, signaling her to stop talking nonsense.

Mo Xingyue immediately glanced at Gu Qinglan's expression and comforted him, "Brother Lan, don't worry too much. Who knows, Xue Huang might have her own plans! When the Second Prince of Tianqi kidnapped me three years ago, didn't she also get caught on purpose? Maybe she has her own plans this time, too."

Gu Qinglan nodded but said nothing.

Mo Ruilin said, "Okay, Xingyue, you just came back, go and rest first. Qinglan and I have other things to discuss."

Mo Xingyue nodded, "Okay then, if you have any news about Xue Huang, you must tell me, and don't hide it from me anymore."

"Go."

Mo Xingyue got up and left, and Mo Ruilin and Gu Qinglan continued to investigate the counterfeit currency case.

ten days later

Jinxiu Building

Gu Qinglan, Mo Ruilin and Wei Yunzhou gathered together.

As of today, everyone responsible has made substantial progress.

Wei Yunzhou and Gu Qinglan have already found out that the accounts of the copper mine in Qinghe County are false, and the location of the counterfeit coins has been confirmed. Chen Jin is indeed involved, but there is someone behind Chen Jin who is instructing him. But this person is not Shen Congfeng. To be precise, he is not directly involved, but it is impossible for Chen Jin alone to circulate a huge amount of counterfeit coins. The Ministry of Revenue is involved.

In the Ministry of Revenue, headed by the Minister of Revenue, most of them are Shen Congfeng's followers.

Now, we only need to find out who in the Ministry of Revenue participated in counterfeiting, hiding accounts, and who mixed counterfeit coins with real coins for issuance, so as to expose Chen Jin's crimes in one fell swoop and bring those who participated in counterfeiting to justice. By then, Shen Congfeng and his party will surely suffer a heavy blow.

As for the news that Mo Ruilin brought, it was related to the court, but it was also related to Xue Huang.

Wei Yunzhou was not surprised at what Mo Ruilin was going to say because he already knew it in advance.

Mo Ruilin frowned for a long time before he told the news, "Dong Chu will soon be sending an envoy to Bei Ling."

The three of them were silent. Regardless of why Dong Chu was sent on a diplomatic mission to Bei Ling, the fact that Xue Huang, the princess of Dong Chu, was missing was obviously not a good thing.

It would take more than twenty days for the delegation to reach Shangyang City from the capital of Dongchu, and they had to find the whereabouts of Xue Huang before that.

"Your Highness, do you have the list of envoys from the Dongchu delegation?" Gu Qinglan asked.

"The chief envoy of the delegation is the regent of the current dynasty, the deputy envoy is the Grand Tutor of Dongchu, and the rest are officials of Honglu Temple."

"The regent?" Gu Qinglan was a little surprised. "The young emperor of Dongchu is still underage, and the government is entirely governed by the regent. He actually came personally this time, and the deputy envoy is the current prime minister. I'm afraid there is something important."

"We don't have much time." Murilan said seriously, "I have a guess."

Wei Yunzhou, who had been silent, spoke up at this moment, "The only people who can cover the sky with one hand in Shangyang City are Shen Congfeng and his party. If Xue Huang is still in Shangyang City, it is very likely that she is in their hands."

"Brother!" Mo Xingyue's voice suddenly sounded, and then she ran in hurriedly, "You are really here!"

"What happened?" Murray asked.

Mo Xingyue ran out of breath, "I... seem to have found... the whereabouts of Xue Huang."

Mo Ruilin hurriedly asked her to sit down, and helped her breathe, "Speak slowly."

Mo Xingyue took a deep breath and said, "Today... today I am going to attend the flower viewing party of Concubine Li. She... she invited some officials and noble ladies in the city, including the concubine of King Han Xi."

All three of them expressed confusion.

Gu Qinglan asked: "Does she know the whereabouts of Xue Huang?"

"Brother Lan, please listen to me slowly." Mo Xingyue frowned slightly, as if organizing her words, "I overheard her quietly complaining to Concubine Li that King Han Xi has been missing for a while and sometimes doesn't come home at night. She suspects that he seems to have another woman outside."