Qingqing followed Song Yinghuai into the bedroom and bombarded him with questions in quick succession:
"Your Highness, is Sister Caiyu drunk?"
"Should this servant prepare some sobering soup?"
"Should I heat up the water in the bathtub in the side room first?"
Caiyu had been really exhausted in the private room of Baiyun Tower. She nestled lazily in Song Yinghuai's arms, half - asleep and half - awake all the time.
Song Yinghuai gently laid her on the canopied bed, then turned to look at Qingqing, slightly frowning. "You're back at the mansion?"
Qingqing pouted and silently lowered her head. "This servant wanted to come back and see Sister Caiyu."
Song Yinghuai nodded, tucked the quilt in for Caiyu, and pondered for a moment. Although this girl showed no signs of anything unusual for now, she was still a potential threat. It was better to keep her away from Caiyu.
He said in a deep voice, "Go and do something for me... Send ten carriages to Luoyanju."
Qingqing was stunned for a moment, then realized that Song Yinghuai was asking her to return to Sheng Jiangli's side. She silently nodded and withdrew.
Song Yinghuai turned back and sat down beside the bed again. The girl's hair had been half - loose in the private room and was further disheveled by the wind during the horse - ride. Now it spread on the sheets and pillow like a cluster of seaweed.
He reached out and used his fingers as a comb to smooth it out, so that it wouldn't get tangled when she woke up the next day. Caiyu obediently closed her eyes and let him do as he pleased. But every time his fingertips passed through her hair and touched her scalp, a tingly sensation would ripple through her heart.
Finally, she opened her eyes and pushed Song Yinghuai. "Your Highness, this servant should go and wash up before going to sleep."
Song Yinghuai rubbed her head and replied, "Okay, I'll ask someone to prepare."
He turned around and just told a little maid to heat the water when Ji Ming rushed over:
"Your Highness... Lord Xiao requests an audience."
"Xiao Rencheng?" Song Yinghuai frowned. "If he wants to see me, why are you in such a hurry?"
Ji Ming hesitated. "But, Lord Xiao has brought Lady Wen with him. Lady Wen looks very upset."
He didn't know Caiyu's secret, but based on his years of experience as the steward and his ability to read people, he knew that the visit of these two people tonight must be unusual. A second - rank official of the court bringing another man's wife to urgently visit the prince...
As soon as Ji Ming finished speaking, Song Yinghuai felt his eyebrow twitch distinctly. Once, twice, and then again.
Song Yinghuai twirled the Buddhist beads on his wrist. It felt like dark clouds were gathering over his head. He quickly analyzed the information Ji Ming had just provided in his mind. Xiao Rencheng, Lan Jinqin, looking very upset...
After a long while, he took a deep breath and ordered, "Invite them to the main hall and treat them well. I'll go there right away."
He paused for a moment and then added, "Tell everyone in the mansion to keep their mouths shut. Not a single word about Lady Wen's visit should be revealed to Caiyu."
Ji Ming agreed in a daze.
Song Yinghuai looked up at the pitch - black sky and a helpless smile escaped from his lips. What was meant to come would always come. Since Caiyu was Lan Jinshu and since she had chosen to come to the capital with him, she must have been mentally prepared. Sooner or later, the two sisters would meet.
When Song Yinghuai entered the main hall, Xiao Rencheng was fine. He was sipping the ginseng tea prepared by Ji Ming. When he saw Song Yinghuai, he even gave him a look that seemed to say "good luck to you".
But the ginseng tea in front of Lan Jinqin remained untouched. Her eyebrows, which bore a slight resemblance to Caiyu's, were filled with anger as she constantly sized up Song Yinghuai.
After Song Yinghuai took his seat, he greeted them politely, as if he wasn't at all surprised by their relationship:
"Brother Xiao, Miss Lan."
Lan Jinqin immediately sneered. "Your Highness the Prince of Yan addresses this concubine like this. I'm sure you've guessed my purpose."
Song Yinghuai nodded. His expression was as gentle as water. "I've guessed. Miss Lan is here for your younger sister."
Lan Jinqin's hands on her knees gradually tightened. The little bit of anger that Xiao Rencheng had just managed to calm down flared up again:
"My third younger sister isn't dead. She's in the Prince of Yan's mansion, but Your Highness refuses to tell me..."
"Did Your Highness already know when you stopped this concubine in the pharmacy that day and asked questions?"
Song Yinghuai answered honestly, "No. Please calm down, Miss. It was only that day that I just realized that Caiyu was very likely Miss Lan the Third. Before that, I didn't know either."
Well, in that case, it was excusable. But Lan Jinqin still remembered the scene of the two of them riding on the same horse on the street just now. She had seen Caiyu's appearance clearly. Their relationship was definitely not that of an ordinary master and servant.
Lan Jinqin asked in a trembling voice, "I only want to ask you. Is Jinshu now a servant sold to the Prince of Yan's mansion?"
Song Yinghuai pursed his lips and finally replied, "Yes!"
"Have you... taken her?"
Song Yinghuai was immediately speechless. How should he answer this question? Yes or no? He did want to, but unfortunately...
Lan Jinqin's anger flared up again. She never expected that Song Yinghuai, the Prince of Yan, would be such a person! He had had a relationship with Jinshu but didn't dare to admit it!
Her third younger sister, who had been raised like a precious pearl in the Lan family, had been ruined by this man without even a proper title!
Thinking of this, Lan Jinqin trembled and questioned again, "Your Highness doesn't need to say anything. I've seen it with my own eyes. You two rode on the same horse tonight, and Jinshu was in your arms. What's your relationship... Hehe! Your Highness, she is the most beloved daughter of the Lan family, but you've taken her as a concubine - in - waiting. This concubine absolutely cannot tolerate it!"
"How much did you pay for her to enter the mansion? This concubine hopes to redeem her according to the laws of Daye."
"It's impossible." Song Yinghuai finally said coldly. "I will never give Lady the deed of sale of Caiyu."
Lan Jinqin sneered. "Lord Xiao, according to the laws of Daye, if a direct family member of a servant requests to redeem the servant, they can do so by paying a hundred times the price, and the master cannot refuse. Am I right?"
Xiao Rencheng, with the ginseng tea in his mouth, felt it burning his tongue. He looked at Song Yinghuai and then at Lan Jinqin. Under the woman's cold gaze, he finally nodded in compromise. "Yes."
Lan Jinqin looked at Song Yinghuai. "Your Highness the Prince of Yan, you've heard it. I don't care if you're a royal relative or a powerful lord ruling a border area. If you dare to bully the daughter of the Lan family, I will fight for justice even if it costs me my life... I must redeem Jinshu!"
"Miss Lan." Song Yinghuai called out in a deep voice. "Please calm down and allow me to say a few words."
Lan Jinqin was stunned and involuntarily met his gaze. Throughout the previous exchanges, the man had remained calm. His imposing aura was casually emitted, making people feel suffocated.
Song Yinghuai said indifferently, "The Wen mansion has been very busy recently. It's really hard for Miss Lan to come here specifically for your younger sister."
Lan Jinqin stared at him in shock, her nails digging into her flesh. She understood what Song Yinghuai meant. He was referring to the mess caused by Wen Zilong and Peilan, and also hinting at her difficult situation in the Wen mansion.
"Miss Lan, if you redeem the third young lady, have you thought about how to arrange for her?"
Lan Jinqin fell silent.
"Your father, mother, and the eldest young master of the Lan family are still in exile in Hainan. All the Lan family's property has been confiscated. Miss Lan probably doesn't have any property in the capital anymore."
Good, very good. Even the affairs of the Lan family had been brought up. Song Yinghuai, the Prince of Yan, was no ordinary official. With his strength, even the Lan family at its peak couldn't compete with him, let alone the Lan family that had now fallen from grace.
Lan Jinqin gradually calmed down from her rage and let out a bitter smile in her heart. If Song Yinghuai got angry and instructed someone in Hainan to do something...
This was destined to be an unfair conversation. It seemed that she didn't even have the qualification to negotiate.
Song Yinghuai took a sip of the ginseng tea. The steam lingered around his handsome face, hiding his expression. Seeing that Lan Jinqin was finally no longer in a fit of rage, he continued, "Miss Lan, do you know why the third young lady used the name Caiyu when she sold herself into the mansion?"
He raised his eyes and stared directly at Lan Jinqin. His voice was slow and deep. "Because she is still a wanted criminal of the court!"
Lan Jinqin staggered. She almost wanted to overturn the table in front of her! But she could only endure and glared at Song Yinghuai. This man was threatening her!
Song Yinghuai always knew that in a negotiation, one should give a stick and then a carrot. After the threat, it was natural to offer his bargaining chip.
"Under the heavens, if there is anyone who can still protect the third young lady, besides me, it's only the Duke of Dingguo.
"Miss Lan, the Xu family's friendship with the Lan family isn't that deep... So, only I am willing to protect Miss Lan the Third."