Qiluo was the only one around Cheng Simian who could provide clues.
She didn't expect Qiluo to say much. After all, Qiluo was just a rough maid doing cleaning work in the Qin family, so she should know very little.
Qiluo told everything she knew. "Her name is Hongrui. She used to be an actress and the leading performer. Her voice was as graceful and sweet as a warbler's. She was also very smart. Three years ago, when she went to the Rongxiang Duke's Mansion to perform, she noticed that Qin Feng was interested in her, so she took the initiative to seduce him. Sure enough, Qin Feng spent a large sum of money to redeem her.
Since she entered the mansion, the three concubines before her had been neglected. She was very capable, and Qin Feng doted on her exclusively for three years. Lady Qin had long regarded her as a thorn in her side. When something happened to Qin Xuanyan, Lady Qin couldn't wait to push her out to take the blame."
Cheng Simian listened while pondering.
"Miss, I was of a low status in the Rongxiang Duke's Mansion, so I only know this much."
"What you've said is very valuable."
Cheng Simian wasn't simply comforting her. She admired Qiluo's way of speaking.
Although she said little, her words were concise and to the point. All the key information was presented, including her own evaluation of Hongrui's character.
Cheng Simian liked to deal with smart people, and Qiluo was one of them.
She wasn't like those gossiping maids and servants who spread rumors without knowing the truth, making up stories out of thin air. Rumors would multiply after passing through their mouths.
It was very difficult to distinguish useful information from rumors.
What Qiluo provided was the most effective information.
Cheng Simian quickly came to a conclusion.
This Hongrui was a smart and capable woman.
A woman like this knew the ways of survival in the inner courtyard.
But Lady Yang, with her status as the mistress, had the upper hand. The sudden accusation of taking the blame was beyond her expectation.
In the inner courtyard of the Qin family, she ultimately couldn't control her own destiny.
When Lady Yang made her take the blame, Qin Feng must have acquiesced.
All his so - called exclusive favor would be cast aside when in conflict with his interests. No matter how much he liked a woman, she could be sacrificed.
Presumably, Hongrui was extremely disappointed in Qin Feng and hated Lady Yang to the core, right?
Would such a smart woman not leave a way out for herself?
Cheng Simian immediately wrote a letter to the Crown Prince.
She had too few people she could use around her, so she had to mobilize the Crown Prince's power to find Hongrui.
Moreover, they must find her before other forces did and ensure that she was still alive.
When the Crown Prince received the letter, he was amazed at Mianmian's wisdom and understanding.
"I just told her about the current situation in the court, and she knew to plan ahead for me."
Little Anzi grinned from ear to ear.
"Your Highness, the Crown Princess cares about you. You two are like lovebirds, twined branches on a tree. You share weal and woe and fight side by side!"
The Crown Prince never liked to hear flattery.
But the truth was an exception.
He scolded with a straight face, "Slick - tongued. You deserve a beating!"
Little Anzi knew that the Crown Prince wasn't really angry. He slapped his own face playfully twice.
"If you don't like to hear it, maybe the Crown Princess does. I'll go and tell the Crown Princess."
With that, he was about to leave.
"Stop!"
The image of Mianmian's gorgeous face appeared in the Crown Prince's mind, and his expression softened unconsciously. "The Imperial Household Department just sent some fresh lotus seeds and cherries. Send them to Mianmian."
Little Anzi went to deliver the lotus seeds and cherries and passed on the message to Cheng Simian.
The matter of finding someone was entrusted to Liang Yuzhou.
His informants were all over the capital. Even a fly couldn't escape his search.
Sure enough, only three days later, there was news.
Hongrui had been beaten thirty boards, and Lady Yang had sold her to Yichun Hall in the southern city.
Yichun Hall was different from Hongsu Tower. Hongsu Tower was a high - class brothel frequented by the nobility, while Yichun Hall was a low - class brothel for commoners.
Most of the singing girls there were those who had been rejected from high - class brothels like Hongsu Tower. They were old and had lost their looks, with no one to rely on, so they had to continue doing prostitution.
Lady Yang was vicious. It wasn't enough for her to make Hongrui take the blame. To humiliate and vent her anger on her, she sold her to the lowest and most despicable place to suffer.
Maybe after the well - known families learned about Qiluo's experience, she knew that the reputation of the Qin family was already irreparable, so she didn't even bother to pretend.
Liang Yuzhou's men redeemed her and secretly sent her to the Rong's old mansion.
Cheng Simian was quite surprised when she saw Hongrui.
She did look a bit down - and - out, but not haggard. She was still beautiful and plump, not like someone who had been forced to receive customers and tortured day and night.
"Greetings to Miss Cheng!"
There seemed to be scrutiny and suspicion in her eyes.
It was as if she was weighing whether this young girl in front of her was qualified enough to be her backer for revenge.
"You didn't receive customers in Yichun Hall. Was there someone taking care of you?"
Hongrui smiled mysteriously. "Miss Cheng can become the Crown Princess. I'm sure you have some extraordinary abilities. Miss, why don't you take a guess?"
When they first met, both of them knew what the other was thinking.
Hongrui was testing Cheng Simian to see if she was smart enough and worthy of trust.
Cheng Simian smiled leisurely, looking relaxed. She glanced at her casually and said slowly, "You were adopted by an opera troupe since childhood. In the eyes of the noble, you're just a low - class woman. You deeply felt the vicissitudes of fate and being unable to control your own destiny, so you developed the habit of leaving a way out for yourself in everything you did. When Qin Feng showed interest in you, you seized the opportunity and successfully entered the Rongxiang Duke's Mansion. When Qin Feng doted on you exclusively, you didn't lose your head. You knew that Lady Yang hated you and might find a reason to punish you at any time, so you also left a way out for yourself."
The look in Hongrui's eyes had changed from suspicion to surprise.
Cheng Simian continued, "I guess you must always carry a large sum of money with you in case Lady Yang suddenly attacked and you were caught off guard. So, when you were sold to Yichun Hall, you actually spent money to get in touch with the right people and didn't have to receive customers. But you didn't dare to leave Yichun Hall for fear that Lady Yang would find out and retaliate again. You were also waiting for someone who had a feud with the Qin family to come to you on their own initiative."
Hongrui unconsciously lowered her head. She didn't dare to show any disrespect to the woman in front of her anymore.
"You must know a huge secret about the inner courtyard of the Qin family. This secret may bring you wealth and honor, or it may be a weapon that takes your life. No one in the Qin family knows your secret. Otherwise, no matter how stupid Lady Yang is, she wouldn't send the handle of the Qin family outside to the hands of their enemies."
"Miss, you're really amazing!"
Hongrui sighed in deep admiration.
She lifted her skirt and knelt in front of Cheng Simian respectfully, kowtowing three times.
"Miss, you're the person I've been waiting for. My whole life, honor and disgrace are all in your hands!"
Cheng Simian didn't immediately let her get up.
She wasn't in a hurry to hear the secret. At this moment, showing sympathy too soon would be regarded as weakness and easy to manipulate.
Showing appropriate authority could intimidate her psychologically.
It would also make her tell everything without reservation and not play any tricks.
"You'd better think it through. I'm one with the Crown Prince. I'll convey every word you say to the Crown Prince without omission. Since it concerns the court affairs, the Crown Prince won't tolerate anyone spreading rumors in front of him. Otherwise, he will never show mercy!"