Quick Transmigration: Leisure

The assassin was interrogated without any results.

Even though they used various methods and even dislocated his jaw, he still succumbed to the poison and died when the time came.

It is clear that the opponent was well prepared.

"My lord, have they made any progress?"

"Or rather, a political enemy..."

Xia Youmi has never understood the true factions within the current imperial court. However, she is aware that disputes are inevitable.

Such blatant targeting suggests they were likely already aware of it. Therefore, the investigations conducted by those below became less meaningful; they weren't focused on finding the real culprit, but rather on identifying the evidence.

I didn't ask before because I didn't want to get too involved.

But now, we are all from the Abyss. If the other side attacks our own territory, we cannot remain completely unaware.

Do you still remember Yang Ergou?

"I remember, where is he now?"

“He was already bailed out by the people behind him. We couldn’t stop him, and he didn’t suffer a thing.”

Xia Youmi was shocked.

Back then, Yang Ergou was personally sent in by Song Heng. Moreover, he was sent to the Wannian County government office, which belonged to our faction. He was not only involved in smashing Wang's shop, but also charged with multiple crimes. Among them, the most important was that he had caused trouble outside in the name of the Song family and had several murder cases on his hands.

If so, then the ultimate force behind this is related to Yang Ergou. In that case, their family was already being tested and involved from the very beginning.

"That time, on the battlefield, two hundred soldiers?"

Xia Youmi cautiously inquired.

Zhao Xin nodded sadly.

In an instant, she understood. If it were a power struggle within the court, the Song family would likely attract unwanted attention due to their prominence. Although Song Jing was a good official, dedicated to serving the people and very low-key, his family was not only prosperous but also had accomplished children, and Song Heng had even distinguished himself on the battlefield. If he were to truly achieve military merit, the Song family's momentum would be unstoppable.

According to political intrigue novels, or rather, the real-life art of balancing power among emperors, this so-called villain is likely a result of His Majesty's leniency, and perhaps even his covert machinations.

The lives of ants are insignificant.

She was filled with sorrow at that moment. Understanding is one thing, but experiencing it firsthand is another.

Coming to her senses, Xia Youmi asked again:

"Was this assassination attempt due to internal divisions within the enemy forces, or was it carried out by another faction?"

Zhao Xin rubbed her eyes, showing a hint of fatigue and relaxation.

"Someone else is causing trouble and has fooled Jia Qi and his gang. Now that Danruo hasn't been found, we can't combine her case with the missing person case."

"Tomorrow, I will draw out the relevant social network."

"Send more people to keep an eye out."

"Once you lose your identity and disguise, you either go to your master's house or get yourself killed. There's no escaping it."

......

The task was completed on the second day, and the visit to the sick was conducted on the third day.

The fourth day is the birthday, and the fifth day is the Double Ninth Festival.

On the sixth day, the princess recovered. Then, she dropped a bolt from the blue.

"Princess, are you joking?"

With a serious expression, Song Ningqian placed her hands on Xia Youmi's shoulders and said decisively:

"It's true, I've told my mother too."

“That day, if it weren’t for you and Dan Guo saving me, I would have died on the spot. Of course, I’m not forcing you, I just wanted to sound you out first. I wanted to see what you thought. If you’re willing, my mother will talk to your mother about it.”

Seeing that Xia Youmi still looked confused, Song Ningqian continued:

"Of course, this is my brother's idea. It's not to repay the kindness of you saving me."

Xia Youmi didn't know how to politely refuse.

In an unprecedented move, a nobleman proposed to marry her.

The two were not only vastly different in status, but also in age. One was fifteen, and the other was thirty.

Moreover, I remember that the nobleman had married a woman of equal social standing.

Unfortunately, the beautiful woman died young.

This means he's going to take a second wife.

Xia Youmi understood that nowadays, everyone would say that she was lucky to be with him. If she refused, she would not only seem ungrateful, but she would also damage her relationship with this powerful backer.

Her brain is working at lightning speed right now.

"You... are you unwilling to marry my brother?"

The princess began to address the issue.

Xia Youmi looked pitiful, and answered honestly with great difficulty:

"It's not because of your brother. I have no intention of getting married."

She is not a lone warrior.

If the timing is right, a pleasant romance is possible. But not now. Moreover, she didn't realize that Song Heng wanted to marry her because of love.

She would absolutely not be willing to sacrifice her happy, carefree life.

Song Ningqian did not force her; on the contrary, she was very open-minded.

"I think it's because your brother isn't sincere enough. If you want to marry that young lady, you have to win her heart yourself. Who would be willing to marry her if you just tell her like that so coldly?"

"Your Highness knows, I'm going to become the number one detective scoundrel in Chang'an!"

Xia Youmi and Song Ningqian burst into laughter. Sometimes, a few silly remarks can better defuse an awkward situation.

"Yes, Mi Niang is so outstanding."

"I want to become the number one detective's wife!"

"Hahaha."

The matter simply passed by uneventfully.

It didn't cause much of a stir, and the Song family didn't intend to make things difficult for anyone.

Only Lady Cui of Qi felt a little sorry for him, as she truly thought highly of Xia Youmi. Not only did he share the same ideals as her Heng'er, but he also possessed such a keen eye for talent, and they could work together on cases. She wouldn't be left alone in her empty bedchamber, with nothing left to say to each other.

Her former daughter-in-law had been in a similar situation. It happened at a time when Heng'er was extremely disheartened after suffering setbacks in court. A series of transfer orders, all thankless and arduous duties, came at the same time. Heng'er had been away from home for a long time, and his daughter-in-law was frail and deeply troubled.

Ultimately, this led to tragedy.

Cui had come to terms with it; social status was no longer a factor. True value lay in those who understood one's heart.

Unfortunately, the couple was not what Cui had envisioned.

One only felt a slight sense of admiration. Furthermore, since the other party was implicated because of him, proposing marriage was a way to offer protection.

The other one simply kept her distance. It was as if she was just immersed in a game, not wanting to form any further ties with anyone other than her closest relatives.

.....

It's spring again.

As nature comes back to life, many joyous events sprout up like tender buds.

My elder brother is going to arrange a marriage.

The princess is also engaged.

The most surprised was my second elder brother. He passed the imperial examination this spring and was granted the title of Mingjing. After passing the preliminary examination, he was eligible to participate in the winter selection process of the Ministry of Personnel. If he performed well, he would be qualified to be granted an official position.

But no sooner had the results been announced than he was offered a husband. What was most puzzling was that his second brother readily accepted.

This was not in line with his usual cautious nature. However, because they hadn't had a proper heart-to-heart talk for many years, Xia Youmi wasn't sure if her second brother and that young lady from the Yang family had already fallen in love.

She plans to find an opportunity to have a proper talk.

It wasn't that she wanted to ruin this joy. It was just that, although Zhao Xin had ultimately managed to gloss over the princess's assassination attempt without revealing the true identity of her enemy, she had, through careful investigation, uncovered a fairly comprehensive picture.

The Yang family, originally a declining clan, has risen rapidly due to the favor of the current imperial concubine. Their distant brother, Yang Xie, was originally a rogue and scoundrel, but his cunning and scheming earned him the emperor's favor. He holds dozens of positions, including a minor official, and manipulates the court.

Yang Ergou was protected by this side.

The other faction was His Majesty's capable general, Eunuch Yang, who quelled numerous rebellions and rose to the rank of General of the Cavalry, granted the title of Duke of Guo. He was not of the same faction as the Imperial Concubine, and remained loyal without ever becoming arrogant or seizing power.

However, Jia Qi was connected to him.