A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

The carriage was entirely black, without a trace of gold inlay or carving decoration, and there were no bells or other ornaments at the four corners.

Blue curtains hung down on all four sides, swaying like flowing water, completely obscuring what was inside.

An Qinghe watched the spectacle with the surrounding people. "He truly lives up to his legendary status. Just looking at that carriage is quite intimidating. I'm really curious to see what he looks like in person."

After he finished speaking, he wondered why there was no response from those around him, so he turned his head to look. "Xixi? Xixi! What are you looking at?"

Gu Xixi was standing with her back to them, looking up at something.

When asked by An Qinghe, she pretended to be very serious and busy, saying, "I just saw a very beautiful parrot fly by. Its plumage was as beautiful as a rainbow. I don't know whose house it escaped from."

An Qing, unsuspecting, followed Gu Xixi's gaze and asked, "Is there?"

As the sound of hooves faded into the distance, Gu Xixi turned back, her expression unchanged, and clenched her still trembling hand in her sleeve. "They've flown far away, out of sight."

"Let's go, or the mutton will get cold if we don't get back to the inn soon."

An Qinghe quickly caught up, looked at Gu Xixi and smiled, "Did you see that just now?"

Gu Xixi: "What did you see?"

"The Regent's carriage!" An Qing jumped up and down like a happy puppy. "The capital is so big, and we've only been here for one day, and we've already run into the Regent! What do you think that means!"

Not wanting to spoil the fun, Gu Xixi asked, "What does it mean?"

An Qinghe clapped his hands, "Of course it means we're very lucky, it's a good omen, a good start!"

He was excitedly talking to himself, "The Regent has now risen to the top, second only to the emperor. Looking across the world, who has better luck than him?"

"I have a feeling that our trip to the capital will go smoothly and that everything we wish for will come true!"

Gu Xixi clapped enthusiastically, "Thank you for your kind words! Have faith!"

An Qinghe clenched his fist, "Yes! We must have confidence!"

It was already dusk when we returned to the inn.

An Qinghe and Jiang Mingyuan lived together, and they originally invited Gu Xixi to eat together in their room.

Gu Xixi smiled and politely declined, saying, "I've already had the tea and snacks, I'm not hungry yet."

"And I'm really tired after running around all day, I want to go back and sleep first."

An Qinghe immediately asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

"You've been traveling long distances for days; you must be exhausted. I'd better go and get you a doctor!"

He was about to leave when Gu Xixi quickly stopped him, "Why are you calling a doctor! Don't forget who my master is!"

Seeing An Qinghe stop, Gu Xixi said slowly, "Alright, we still have to go out and run around tomorrow."

"Go back and get some sleep. After you've eaten, try not to make any noise so as not to disturb Brother Zichu while he's studying."

It's like a puppy being petted and stroked by its owner.

An Qing nodded obediently, "Okay, don't worry, I won't bother Jiang Zichu before the imperial examination."

Gu Xixi handed him the tea leaves one last time, saying, "Please give this to Brother Zichu for me."

After saying that, she pushed open the door and went back to her guest room.

An Qinghe watched the door close, his smile still lingering, then turned and barged into the opposite guest room, calling out, "Brother Zichu! Dinner's ready!"

"Let me tell you, roasted mutton is best eaten fresh. Hey, when you get into high school, I'll treat you to a proper whole roasted lamb to celebrate!"

……

After washing up, Gu Xixi turned off the light and lay quietly in the darkness.

She lay awake, her mind filled with the image of the carriage she had glimpsed briefly outside the East Market.

At that moment, she was very close to him.

Before the mind can react, the body has already done so.

I was no longer afraid of him before, so why is he acting like this all of a sudden?

Are you afraid to see him?

Think about it too.

If they met anywhere else, she wouldn't sound so uneasy.

In the original storyline, the female lead was happily brought to the capital by people sent by Mu Nanzhao.

It was here that she endured years of imprisonment and torture, living a life worse than death, her hopes gradually turning into despair, until she breathed her last.

By a twist of fate, Gu Xixi, after transmigrating into the book, arrived in the capital after Mu Nanzhao ascended to the position of regent.

Although the methods are different, the relationship between the two is also different from the original storyline.

However, the psychological trauma she also suffered as Gu Xixi remained.

Gu Xixi covered her face with her hands in dejection.

Before setting off, she planned to come and go quietly, trying her best not to run into Mu Nanzhao.

However, the plan cannot keep up with the changes.

If justice is not served and Lü Jing's grievances remain unresolved, her situation will inevitably become even more dangerous.

If it really comes to that, who should we turn to for help?

During the few days she spent traveling with Lü Jing, Gu Xixi had already thought about these issues.

The closest and most suitable candidate is naturally He Jinglan.

The He family is an old and prestigious family in the capital, and He Jinghui is a rising star in the court, holding the rank of third grade and enjoying great influence.

With the help of the He family, at least saving Lü Jing's life shouldn't be a problem.

but……

If He Jinghui knows about this, isn't that the same as Mu Nanzhao knowing about it?

Should we go directly to Mu Nanzhao for help? Gu Xixi sighed heavily.

After a long while, when she opened her eyes again, her gaze had returned to a calm and serene state.

When it really comes to a critical moment, when lives are at stake, what harm is there in her asking Mu Nanzhao for help?

The indecisiveness of the past few days came to a conclusion at this moment.

Gu Xixi fell asleep peacefully.

The Regent's Palace, Study.

The guards quietly withdrew, and Mu Nanzhao stared at the secret letter burning in the lampstand.

The warm glow of the lamplight made his gaze appear even colder, and more menacing.

"Lord Fan, is it...?"

The next day, Gu Xixi slept until the sun was high in the sky, and when she got up, she felt that the fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days had disappeared.

Feeling refreshed and in a good mood, she decided to go downstairs for a hearty meal.

After a quick wash, I opened the door and saw He Jinglan standing outside with one hand raised, looking surprised.

"I'm about to knock..."

Gu Xixi smiled and said, "What a coincidence! Come on, let's go downstairs for breakfast."

As she walked quickly out the door, she said, "How did you know I lived here?"

He Jinglan's eyes flickered, and she said, "I ran into An Qinghe and Jiang Mingyuan in the lobby. They had already finished eating and were drinking tea. Why did you get up so late?"

Gu Xixi said, "I was a little tired, but I feel better now."

When she reached the top of the stairs and found no one around, she looked directly at He Jinglan and said, "You only told me how you found my room, but you haven't told me how you knew I was staying at this inn?"

Is there a reason you can't say it?

He Jinglan sighed, "I didn't mean to hide it from you, but seeing how excited you were to go eat, I wanted to wait until you finished eating before telling you, so as not to spoil your appetite."

Gu Xixi teased, "So, can we talk about it now?"

He Jinglan's expression turned serious. "Someone is secretly investigating a group of people traveling from near Fengcheng to the capital. The carriage and the characteristics of several people are extremely similar to the three of you, except for the extra girl. Could it be you?"