Quick Transmigration: Survive to the End

“A commoner from the wilderness, not worth mentioning,” the man stepped aside to make way for the peach grove. “I am merely living in seclusion here. That peach grove is not mine. Please make your own way.”

Seeing him turn and enter the bamboo house, Li Yinyin didn't ask any further questions. She led the Golden Crow Guards into the forest, picked a few satisfactory flowers, and left on her own.

Once they reached the foot of the mountain, Li Yinyin instructed, "Go and investigate that person's identity."

The others all agreed, but one of the newly recruited Golden Crow Guards asked, "Did the general meet someone in the mountains? Was he particularly handsome?"

This reaction struck Li Yinyin as odd: "You know?"

The Golden Crow Guard nodded: "If that person is indeed exceptionally handsome, he should be the former Prince Jing, who was known as the First Prince of Zhao Kingdom."

Seeing Li Yinyin's curiosity, she explained carefully: "Young Master Jing was originally from a prestigious family. His grandfather was once the Grand Tutor, and his father was trusted by several emperors who promised him the position of Prime Minister. However, the Zhao Kingdom was in chaos. After Emperor Ling ascended the throne, because the Jing family had too high a reputation in the court and refused to submit to him, he killed Prime Minister Jing on trumped-up charges."

"The entire Jing family, numbering in the dozens, was sold into slavery to other countries, except for Young Master Jing, who was spared because of his good looks. Emperor Ling wanted Young Master Jing to enter the palace to serve him, but he refused and escaped into the mountains with the help of the people. Emperor Ling sent people to search for him several times, but to no avail. After the last emperor ascended the throne, he heard of Young Master Jing's good reputation and also sent people to search for him, but they couldn't find him either. Everyone thought he was dead, but unexpectedly, the general encountered him."

After hearing her words, Li Yinyin was unsure whether to say that it was a good thing or a bad thing that Young Master Jing was good-looking. It was a good thing, because it saved his life. It was a bad thing, though, because Young Master Jing might not necessarily want to be separated from his family.

However, Li Yinyin lowered her eyes, concealing the unusual emotions within. This young master Jing had the ability to escape to the mountains and evade the search of two generations of emperors, so why didn't he try to find his family instead of simply living in seclusion in the mountains?

Furthermore, his place of seclusion is not difficult to find; in fact, the bamboo house is so conspicuous that two emperors could not find it. What are the odds of that?

There may be many coincidences in the world, but if there are too many coincidences, then they are no longer coincidences, but rather someone's deliberate scheming.

Li Yinyin began to suspect the Golden Crow Guards she had brought with her today.

The two men who accompanied her up the mountain were former servants who treated Young Master Jing with indifference and behaved perfectly normally. However, the other two were newcomers to the Golden Crow Guard; one mentioned the peach blossoms on the cliff, while the other immediately realized Young Master Jing's situation.

Even though coming to admire the flowers and picking blossoms in the mountains, which led to her chance encounter with Young Master Jing, all seemed to be decisions made by Li Yinyin herself, she had a premonition that these two new Golden Crow Guards who had followed her were suspicious.

Upon returning to the palace, Li Yinyin summoned the palace servants and looked at the two newlyweds: "Take these two away."

The other two veteran Jinwu Guards reacted the fastest and quickly recruited the newcomer.

"General, what do you mean by this? Have we done something wrong?"

Li Yinyin did not answer, but said, "Tie them up and send them for interrogation. I suspect they deliberately followed me today to lead me to see that Young Master Jing."

Their pupils dilated for a moment, and they both cried out in protest.

The other two Golden Crow Guards, their faces stern, carried out Li Yinyin's orders without question, their gazes filled with wariness and disgust. They were the most loyal and trusted members of Li Yinyin's group; in their hearts, Li Yinyin had never made a mistake, so this suspicion was very likely true.

After the two men were taken away, Li Yinyin told the other two Golden Crow Guards to go and settle them down. The rest would be dealt with after the results were announced.

After quickly tidying up, Li Yinyin went to Weiyang Palace, just in time for the palace to be serving a meal.

"Look, they came here following the scent."

Yu Qiaoyun was arranging the peach blossoms she had ordered to be sent when she saw her enter. She smiled and said something, then called her over. "Yinyin, do you think this plain porcelain vase is better, or this one with the poem on it?"

These two porcelain vases are similar in shape and color, the only difference being whether or not they have inscriptions.

Li Yinyin noticed that the inscription on the porcelain vase was a famous poem about peach blossoms, so she picked it out: "This one will do, it's fitting for the occasion."

Yu Qiaoyun nodded, took this one, put the flower branch in her hand into it, adjusted its position, and then washed her hands with water.

After sitting down at the table, Li Chengming asked, "I heard you tied up two Golden Crow Guards?"

Li Yinyin nodded, took a bite of food, and then told me about what had happened that day: "I suspected that the two of them had problems, or at least that they were not completely loyal to me, so I had them taken away for questioning."

“However, that young master Jing is indeed handsome. If his family was really as good as you say in the past, you might as well give him a try, brother.”

"As long as he is in the court, those former officials of Zhao who were disheartened by the situation and resigned may have the opportunity to come out of retirement and serve us."

“I’ll have someone investigate this carefully again,” Li Chengming said, holding his chopsticks and thinking for a moment. “But I seem to have some impression of the Jing family. I think I heard about them from someone in another country.”

“It seems that what Jinwuwei said was indeed true,” Li Yinyin said while ladling soup. “Brother, you can have someone investigate where the Jing family members who were sold to other countries are. Having leverage will make things easier to negotiate.”

Seeing that the brother and sister had finished their business, Yu Qiaoyun put a piece of food on each of their plates: "The food is getting cold, let's eat."

After the meal, Li Yinyin returned to Chang Le Palace and received news that the two Golden Crow Guards had been recruited.

It turns out that these two were both servants of the Jing family, serving the young master's mother. When the Jing family suffered their misfortune, they were spared because they were on business at the estate.

This time, they deliberately led Li Yinyin to discover Young Master Jing. Young Master Jing had found his family, but due to their high status and power, he was powerless to rescue them and had to seek other solutions.

Li Yinyin is deeply favored by the Ming emperor and holds real power. Once you gain her trust, rescuing your family will not be just empty talk.

They thought they had been very discreet and careful, but Li Yinyin still discovered them.

The Golden Crow Guards who remained by her side also learned of this news and together they requested Li Yinyin's permission: "We will immediately go and arrest Jing Qing and apologize to Your Highness!"

“No need,” Li Yinyin said, and had the two maids from the Jing family brought over.

"I was originally very angry, but since Young Master Jing did it for his family, I naturally couldn't be too harsh on him."

"Since Young Master Jing wishes to see me, then let's give him that opportunity. Can you personally invite him?"