Spring arrives and the land smiles

"This is it!" When they reached about halfway up the mountain, A Liang stopped in front of a huge boulder and gestured to Qing Yan.

"Have any of the people who came with you to cut wood seen this jade pendant?" Qingyan asked, looking around.

After a moment's thought, Ah Liang shook his head.

After a brief observation of the surroundings, Qingyan found no obvious suspicious traces except for a grove of trees and rocks, and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

They wanted to search more carefully, but it was getting dark. Ah Liang was thinking about his pregnant wife and couldn't wait to urge them to go back. He said that there were many wild animals in the mountains, especially at night, and it would be better to return to the city as soon as possible for safety reasons.

Qin Mian's gaze remained vigilantly fixed on Qing Yan's figure, especially after A Liang's comment about the abundance of wild beasts. He practically became alert, his mind completely focused on Qing Yan. He wanted to persuade Qing Yan to return at dawn to investigate the trail, citing the danger, but upon seeing Qing Yan's furrowed brow and her anxious, unexpressed worry, he swallowed his words and silently performed his duty as a guard.

"Ah Liang, you've worked hard. You should go back now." Qingyan still hoped to find some clues.

Ignoring whether Ah Liang would leave on his own, Qing Yan began to carefully examine the area around Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone was located deep in the mountains, nearly halfway up the mountainside. The terrain was flat and not particularly dangerous, but visibility was poor, with only trees and strange rocks in sight. Finding clues would probably require a thorough search. Qing Yan glanced at the sky; today was indeed not a good day.

Looking back, Ah Liang was gone; only Qin Mian remained, standing guard with his eyes fixed on Qing Yan.

Unwilling to leave empty-handed, yet helpless, Qingyan sighed, turned to face Qin Mian, and waved: "Let's go!"

Qin Mian remained silent as always, following closely behind Qing Yan.

On the way back to the city, Qingyan told the horse to slow down, but her mind was racing. She realized that ever since she saw the jade pendant, she had been acting on her emotions.

Ning Yuan disappeared in the north, while the jade pendant appeared in Quzhou, a commercial capital in the central region hundreds of miles away—this was clearly illogical. According to Yun Xuan's intelligence, Ning Yuan was not found imprisoned in Qiu Rong's army, meaning he had escaped. However, the fact that he traveled hundreds of miles to Quzhou and lost his personal jade pendant only fueled suspicion. Could it be that besides that brute named Luo Muer Haitu, someone else was after Ning Yuan? Who could it be?

Qingyan glanced back at the direction of Rolling Stone, and suddenly a thought struck her. If that person conspired with Haitu to imprison Ning Yuan and use his personal belongings, then their target was not Ning Yuan, but—me.

Thinking of this, Qingyan was suddenly startled. There were very few people qualified to cooperate with Haitu, and the first choice among them was that demonic man whose face had clearly shown his intentions to her, the fifth prince of Nanxia, ​​Prince Zhao, Lan Zhen. And behind Lan Zhen, there seemed to be a Prince Jin who was also lurking in the shadows.

The cunning and treacherous face of Prince Jin, the smiling but treacherous face of Lan Zhen, and the ambiguous face of Hai Tu kept flashing through Qing Yan's mind. Cold sweat broke out on her back. Things were getting more and more complicated.

"Her, we've found her?" The man in blue casually swirled the crystal-clear luminous cup in his hand. The dark red liquid slowly slid down the cup's surface, releasing a faint aroma of wine. This Qiongguo from the Western Regions was indeed extraordinary.

"Yes, I have already been to Liuzhong Mountain," the dark-clad figure behind him replied respectfully.

"Then let her see this sword again." A wicked smile appeared on his face as he put down his wine cup and tossed a precious sword over.

The figure in black took the sword and then disappeared into the shadows.

The mornings in December are always chilly enough to make one feel cold. The city, just waking up, looks desolate and pitiful, a sight that truly breaks one's heart. Small groups of vendors who need to open their markets early have no choice but to brave the frost and dew to go out and fill the wide or narrow streets one after another.

After a light sleep, Qingyan opened her eyes before dawn and couldn't wait to wake Zhui'er, who was sleeping beside her.

“Princess.” Zhui’er quickly opened her eyes.

"Shangliu Zhongshan." Qingyan's eyes were wide awake as she quickly got out of bed, dressed, and prepared to leave.

"Princess, it's not even dawn yet. Should we wait a bit before we leave?" Zhui'er looked out the window at the hazy dawn, a sense of unease creeping into her heart.

As she opened the door, a gust of cold wind rushed in, causing Qingyan to shiver. The candlelight outside flickered several times in the wind, yet it still shone brightly. Qingyan dismissed the guards outside and turned to Zhuier, saying, "Let's go, it'll be bright soon." With that, she stepped out of the room.

Zhui'er had no choice but to follow.

There were only a few pedestrians on the road. It would be broad daylight by the time they arrived at Liuzhong Mountain from the inn. Qingyan did not hesitate and rode off with Zhuier on horseback towards Liuzhong Mountain.

Just as they were about to leave the city gate, a man dressed as a wandering swordsman suddenly caught Qingyan's attention. It was not for any other reason than that the sword in the man's hand looked exactly like the famous Cheng Ying Sword, Ning Yuan's treasure that he never parted with, just like his jade pendant.

"Zhui'er, do you think that's the Cheng Ying Sword?" Qingyan pulled on the rope and stared intently at the sword.

The sudden turn of events almost made Zhui'er lose her composure. She looked closely at the direction Qingyan was pointing and, sure enough, it was the precious sword that she often saw in General Ning's hands.

“Princess, it is General Ning’s sword.”

Qingyan immediately understood. "Zhui'er, let's follow him." She then dismounted and followed closely behind.

"Princess, could it be a trap?" Zhui'er did as she was told, but her heart was filled with unease.

A trap? Qingyan sneered inwardly. Of course it was a trap. It had been a trap ever since the jade pendant was discovered. Such a clumsy method didn't seem like that person's doing, but it was the most effective one.

"Zhui'er, go back first and tell Lord Qin about the Cheng Ying Sword." Qingyan whispered to Zhui'er beside her, but her gaze never left the man in front of her.

“But Princess—” Zhui’er objected, worried about Qingyan’s safety.

“We’ll be in even more danger if no one informs us. Go now.” Qingyan interrupted her, frowning as she gave the stern order.

This person paused and started again after discovering they were being followed, clearly intending to lure her into a trap. If she didn't get rid of Zhuier soon, the person might take matters into their own hands. Qingyan thought to herself, a chill running down her spine.

Zhui'er dared not delay and immediately returned to the inn.

Seeing that Zhui'er had left, the man did not delay any longer and immediately put into practice his plan to lure the enemy into a trap.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the man entered an inn, ordered some dishes, and sat down to eat.

Qingyan followed behind, and the waiter took the reins from her and greeted her warmly as she entered the shop.

I chose a seat near the door and looked around. It was just dawn, and there were only a few travelers in the lobby who hurriedly finished their breakfast and packed their bags to continue their journey. The man ordered a table full of dishes, and his slurping eating seemed out of place in the early morning.

Qingyan chuckled lightly, seeing that the man wouldn't finish eating anytime soon, so she casually ordered the waiter to bring her a bowl of congee and a few side dishes.

"Eating so little, no wonder you fall over so easily." A flirtatious laugh drifted into Qingyan's ears, causing her chopsticks to pause for a second in the small dish before she naturally put them down.

A charismatic man is a charismatic man; he's still as frivolous and arrogant as ever.

"With Your Highness's help, I don't have to worry about eating less." Qingyan looked up, chuckling as she gazed at the source of the voice. Her alluring eyes held not shame or indignation, but provocation, which surprised the newcomer.

"I am truly flattered and overwhelmed by the princess's favor." Lan Zhen sat down opposite Qing Yan without being invited, his devilish face smiling with a smile that could topple kingdoms.

It's such a waste that this person isn't a transvestite; Qingyan felt deep contempt for him.

However, although this man had a transvestite face, he was completely devoid of any feminine air in his every move. He was ruthless and cunning, not just difficult to deal with, but extremely difficult to handle. Qingyan inwardly broke out in a cold sweat.

The appearance of this transvestite confirmed all the hypotheses: Lan Zhen, Hai Tu, and the Prince of Jin colluded to take advantage of Ning Yuan's disappearance, targeting her, the newly appointed eldest princess—the crown prince of the country.

"Your Highness, why belittle yourself? If it weren't for your help, I would have been attacked from both sides." Qingyan poured Lan Zhen a cup of tea, her charming eyes smiling gently, and the phrase "attacked from both sides" explained the whole situation.

Lan Zhen smiled, seemingly unsurprised by Qing Yan's insight, and took a sip of tea.

Seeing that Lan Zhen remained silent, Qing Yan paused for a moment, put down the teapot, and slowly scooped up a spoonful of thin porridge to savor it. She did so unhurriedly, and at the end, she even rolled the porridge that overflowed from her lips into her mouth with her tongue. Although her actions were not charming, they were still very playful and alluring. "I just don't know where my husband has offended Your Highness. I hope Your Highness will forgive him."

Lan Zhen noticed all of Qingyan's charming little actions and couldn't help but take a few more glances. After exchanging pleasantries, Qingyan immediately asked about Ning Yuan, which puzzled Lan Zhen. Could it be that, as Hai Tu said, the one with whom she had a deep and loving relationship was not Fu Yunxuan but her childhood sweetheart Ning Yuan?

"Why does the princess say such a thing?" Lan Zhen looked completely innocent, which made Qing Yan think of the word "despicable" and she was so angry that she gritted her teeth.

That damned transvestite is still keeping us in suspense. If Ningyuan suffers even the slightest damage, I'll make sure you pay with your life.

"Otherwise, it was my husband who offended Prince Hai Tu, and the Prince was standing up for him!" Qingyan was certain that Lan Zhen had imprisoned Ning Yuan, but she couldn't show her resentment on her face. Instead, she dropped a bombshell with her words.

As expected, Lan Zhen's expression suddenly froze, just as Qing Yan had predicted. Clearly, Qing Yan's words were something he had not anticipated.

Slightly concealing his embarrassment at being distracted, Lan Zhen raised his hand to signal the waiter to bring him a bowl of porridge as well. He imitated Qing Yan, scooping the porridge into his mouth spoonful by spoonful, his hand movements holding the spoon were very delicate, and his expression after the porridge entered his mouth was as if he was savoring a rare delicacy. His relaxed attitude made Qing Yan unable to figure him out for a moment.

Although this person's character is not very good, her charm in every gesture is first-rate. If it were just for admiring beauty, it would be fine. But beauty is like a scorpion, so one should be careful even when looking at her from afar.

Qingyan sneered inwardly. A femme fatale, indeed, couldn't be more fitting.

“Princess is quite interesting. If I have time to stand up for justice, I might as well ask the princess why she broke her promise.” Lan Zhen spoke slowly, as if it were none of his business, and the smile on his lips was just as indifferent. “Besides, I really don’t know where the phrase ‘stand up for justice’ came from. I’m afraid there’s something that the princess has misunderstood.”

He's good at making light of things.

Qingyan suppressed her impatience: "My mother suddenly fell ill and left without saying goodbye. I hope Your Highness will forgive her." Qingyan gave the polite words, but there was no apology in her tone.

“Since it is to fulfill filial piety, it would be petty of me to be unreasonable.” Lan Zhen pretended to be generous.

I wonder how long you're going to keep this up.

Qingyan retorted angrily, "Your Highness has chased me all the way here, is it just to demand an explanation from a mere woman?"

“These past few days have been the annual winter market fair in Quzhou. I came here with a caravan to join in the fun, but I never expected to run into the princess,” Lan Zhen said slowly, gesturing for the waiter to remove the empty bowl of porridge. After a pause, she continued, “Princess, please don’t let this chance encounter go to waste!”

fate?!

Since that's the case, I'll make sure you're destined to be apart.

Qingyan gave a slight curtsy: "Since Your Highness is here to join in the fun, it would be inconvenient to disturb your enjoyment. I will take my leave first." She then gestured to the waiter to settle the bill.

"Sir, three coins." The waiter smiled broadly and was very attentive, but hesitated for a moment before asking, "Would you like to pay for this gentleman's as well?"

"Did I say I invited him?" Qingyan glanced at Lan Zhen, threw down three coins, and left the shop without looking back.

Xiao Er also glanced at Lan Zhen, his smile a little awkward.

Watching the petite figure disappear from sight, Lan Zhen suddenly burst into laughter, leaving the waiter standing to the side looking bewildered. "Waiter, check please," she said, tossing down a silver ingot. "The rest is yours as a reward."

With a smile on her face, Lan Zhen left the inn gracefully, and the person who had been eating with his head down immediately stopped what he was doing, picked up his sword, and quickly followed after him.

"Cao Da, she's so interesting, don't you think it's a waste to give her to that kid Hai Tu?" Lan Zhen asked the swordsman behind him with a low laugh.

"Your Highness, she's catching up." The man called Cao Da glanced back cautiously and saw Qing Yan sneaking behind them. He couldn't help but laugh at her clumsy tracking skills, and he didn't seem to have taken the prince's question to heart.

"Keep an eye on her, don't let her lose her," Lan Zhen instructed softly, deliberately slowing her pace herself.

Qingyan followed along, winding through the city's streets and alleys for about half an hour, before finally stopping in front of a quiet and spacious mansion.

Lan Zhen stopped in front of the gate, and someone immediately welcomed them into the courtyard.

Qingyan observed all of this without taking any action. She knew that it was absolutely impossible for her to break into this deep mansion with her own abilities, unless—a miracle occurred!

She had intended to wait until she met up with Zhui'er and Qin Mian before making any further plans, but the opportunity before her left her no room for hesitation.

After observing from the doorway for nearly half an hour, Qingyan noticed that for some reason, the number of maids coming and going in the courtyard had suddenly increased, some alone in twos and threes, and others led by a group of men who seemed to be stewards.

The maids were all dressed in uniform blue gauze skirts, keeping their heads down and remaining silent, which gave Qingyan an opportunity to knock one of the maids unconscious and take her place in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Zhui'er led Qin Mian on a journey to find Qingyan, traversing the streets and alleys of the city. They only found a horse that Qingyan had left at the inn, but not her. After carefully questioning the innkeeper, they learned that things had already spiraled out of control.

"Lord Qin, has something happened to the princess?" Zhui'er cried anxiously.

"Take it easy." These four words were spoken to Zhui'er, and also to himself. Qin Mian's perpetually icy face furrowed deeply, as if water could be squeezed out of it.

According to Zhuier, someone wanted to lure the princess into a trap. What was their purpose? Qin Mian couldn't figure it out for a moment, but according to the waiter, the princess didn't seem to be in any immediate danger.

Qin Mian turned around and glanced at Zhui'er, who was crying uncontrollably. The little girl had been blaming herself the whole way, wishing that she was the one who had disappeared, so that the princess's love for her would not have been in vain.

He offered a few words of symbolic comfort to Zhui'er, but he himself had failed the Emperor's grace and disobeyed his parents' instructions, and he was afraid that even if he were to atone with his death, it would be difficult to appease the public's anger.

But the most important thing right now is to find the princess. Qin Mian shook off his negative emotions and led everyone to continue their mission.

The princess's disappearance should not alarm the government. Due to a lack of manpower, Qin Mian divided his subordinates into three groups to improve efficiency.

While Qin Mian was searching for her with great fervor, Qing Yan was also searching frantically throughout the courtyard, hoping to find some clues related to Ning Yuan. However, the places she could visit disguised as a maid were always limited, and her results were minimal.

It seemed they wouldn't be able to act until nightfall. Qingyan, dressed as a maid, found a secluded spot to hide. The person she was currently serving was that lecherous man, a thought that made her uneasy. It was better to hide than risk accidentally drugging his tea and causing a diplomatic incident. After all, this fellow had come with the Southern Xia merchant caravan, and as a member of the royal family, he must have been registered with the local government. If anything happened, the Great Qi would be held responsible.

As the sun was high in the sky and noon approached, Qingyan, fearing being recognized, dared not eat with the maids. She could only hide in the woodshed, where no one could possibly be, on an empty stomach. Before long, her stomach was rumbling like thunder; she was so hungry!

"Have you found it?" Lan Zhen had a habit of drinking tea after meals, and he was leisurely enjoying his tea in his study at this moment.

Cao Yu, who was wearing a blue robe behind him, paused and replied in a low voice, "No."

"You really know how to hide," Lan Zhen chuckled, glancing at the rare warm winter sun outside the window, her mood inexplicably brightening. "Cao Yu, give the order: no food is to be left in the kitchen today." Lan Zhen's smile widened with her joy. "Remember, it's for the whole day!"

"Yes." Cao Yu replied and withdrew, but his eyes were full of confusion.