The princess regretted it.

Meanwhile, Lord Wang's trusted aide, along with two yamen runners, galloped non-stop towards Cheng Shaoqing's hometown. Along the way, the wind whistled in their ears, and the swirling yellow sand blurred their vision, but they didn't slow down at all.

After a long journey, they finally arrived at the address Cheng Shaoqing had mentioned as his hometown. It was a quiet little village, surrounded by rolling green hills, shaded by lush trees, and flowing by a clear stream, creating a peaceful scene. The three men dismounted and carefully led their horses into the village, trying not to alarm the villagers.

They began asking around for the Cheng family's ancestral home, but the villagers' answers left them deeply perplexed. While enthusiastically pointing them to the Cheng family's old house, they simultaneously denied hearing about Miss Cheng's return or seeing any of the troops from the capital. This news weighed heavily on the three men, realizing something was far from simple. They needed to verify the accuracy of the information. They exchanged glances and quickly headed towards the Cheng family's old house.

After finishing his shift, Dali Temple Minister Wang Zhengxing sat in the carriage heading back to his residence, his brow furrowed, as if he were in a knot. All other cases, large and small, were being handled methodically and progressing smoothly. Only the Lin family case, however, had proven difficult to break through, seemingly stuck in a dead end. This case held his own position, and he was well aware of the stakes. Considerable human and material resources had been invested, yet no results were seen.

Although he had a suspicion based on the information he'd received, he had no concrete evidence. Furthermore, this suspect was someone he couldn't afford to offend. He felt incredibly anxious and helpless, unsure what to do. As the carriage trudged along the bumpy road, Lord Wang's thoughts, like the carriage, fluctuated and restless.

Sitting inside the carriage, Lord Wang was caught off guard and rushed forward by inertia. Before he could react, he fell directly into the carriage. Then he heard a light snap, and Lord Wang's head seemed to be hit by something. He felt dizzy and his head was buzzing. He struggled to get up, and it took him a while to recover. Anger surged in his heart. He slapped the wall of the carriage and asked loudly, "What happened?" The coachman outside replied in panic, "Sir, someone suddenly rushed out from the front and startled the horses. I deserve this. Please forgive me, sir."

Lord Wang gently adjusted his official hat and carefully adjusted his official uniform. Just as he was about to return to his seat, his gaze suddenly paused, and he turned to look at a corner of the carriage. There, a ball of paper suddenly appeared, standing out against the dim interior. Lord Wang's heartbeat involuntarily quickened slightly, and an inexplicable sense of nervousness suddenly washed over him. He slowly reached out and picked up the paper, his fingers trembling slightly. The paper was crumpled, clearly having been hastily stuffed in. Lord Wang frowned, his mind filled with confusion. Who had put this paper in the carriage? What could be written on it? He carefully unfolded the paper, and his eyes twitched. No wonder he had a headache; there was a stone inside. He held the stone in his palm, staring intently at the words on the paper. As the paper slowly unfolded, his expression grew more serious.

A few lines of slightly scribbled small characters appeared on the paper: "Horseman Qi Kui, Qingyang Lane, west of the city, Grand Tutor's Mansion." These words suddenly made Lord Wang's face turn extremely solemn. He clutched the paper tightly in his fingers, lost in deep thought. Who had sent this mysterious piece of paper? Was the content on it true? Or was there some hidden conspiracy?

Lord Wang sat in the carriage, repeatedly examining the words on the paper and the stone in his hand, his doubts growing deeper. He tried to find clues from these simple words, to deduce the intentions of the person who had sent the paper.

After a while, Lord Wang knocked lightly on the wall of the carriage and said to the driver, "Let's not go to the mansion yet. Let's go to Qingyang Lane in the west of the city." The driver responded, turned the horse's head, and drove towards the west of the city.

The carriage sped along the street, the clatter of its wheels mingling with Lord Wang's inner thoughts. This scrap of paper was clearly intentional, but what was its purpose? Based on its contents, it was easy to guess that it was referring to the groom who had struck the man as Qi Kui, who lived in Qingyang Lane and was connected to the Grand Tutor's Mansion. But how did this person know this? Did he learn it by chance, or through deliberate investigation? Or was it a trap set by someone with ulterior motives? The more Lord Wang pondered, the more confusing the matter seemed, as if it contained countless secrets and conspiracies. A series of questions weighed on his mind like a heavy yoke, weighing even more heavily on his heart.

Finally, the carriage arrived at Qingyang Lane in the west of the city. Compared to the other streets in the city, this lane was particularly narrow and quiet. Sunlight filtered through the mottled leaves onto the stone pavement, casting patches of light, but it could not dispel the chilliness of the place.

Qingyang Alley lacks the bustle and bustle of other streets. There are no bustling crowds, no ceaseless cries of hawkers, only the occasional pedestrian, their footsteps hurried, as if unwilling to linger in this deserted place. Most of the houses in the alley are old, their walls covered in moss, and their wooden doors and windows somewhat rotten, revealing the vicissitudes of time.

The roadside shops were sparsely populated, some closed, seemingly having been out of business for ages. Occasionally, there was a small shop open, stocked with only a few items, and the owner sat listlessly behind the counter, waiting for customers who might arrive at any given moment.

A quiet and dreary atmosphere permeated Qingyang Lane, forming a stark contrast to the bustling world outside. Lord Wang lifted the curtain of his carriage and, taking in the unfamiliar and desolate scene before him, felt a surge of unease.

He waved to the coachman and said solemnly: "Go around this alley and see what kind of people are here. Quietly ask if there is anyone with the surname Qi? Don't let anyone notice." The coachman nodded slightly, jumped off the carriage gently, and walked into the alley with steady steps.

After a while, the driver came back. He came to the carriage and said softly, "Master, I have found out everything."

A faint "hmm" emanated from the carriage. Then, a calm voice said, "Let's get out of here first." The driver paused for a moment, then replied, "Yes," quickly climbing into the carriage and pulling on the reins. The horse neighed softly and began to move. The carriage slowly turned and headed towards the Siqing Mansion. The wheels rolled, making a soft rumbling sound that was particularly clear in the silent streets.

Lord Wang sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, his fingers tapping softly on his knees. The carriage drove for a while, leaving Qingyang Alley. The driver, not hearing the words from the master inside, had no choice but to continue driving forward. Lord Wang remained in the same position, lost in his own thoughts. As the carriage moved away, the narrow and quiet scene of Qingyang Alley gradually disappeared behind him.