At this moment, Wei Ying's eyes were extremely sharp, as if he could see through people.
Xu Xin lowered her head under Wei Ying's gaze. In the past, she would have been overjoyed. But now, Wei Ying's eyes were like knives, cutting into her body bit by bit.
"Your servant... also heard it from others..." Xu Xin sobbed. She still clung to the hope of softening this man's heart.
"Just by hearing it from others, you're so certain in your tone?" Wei Ying raised his eyes and glanced at Xu Xin, who looked so pitiful. His eyes remained calm.
Chu Qing, who had been in Wei Ying's arms, felt that she had achieved her goal of annoying Xu Xin, and began to wonder... if she could leave Wei Ying's embrace.
So she tentatively pushed the hand that Wei Ying had around her. As a result, Wei Ying lowered his head to look at her.
The coldness in his eyes instantly dissipated when he saw her.
Moreover, there was even a hint of playfulness.
It seemed as if he were saying to her: Aren't you having a great time?
Chu Qing forced a somewhat obsequious smile. Seeing this, Wei Ying's heart softened, and he slowly released his hold on her.
After leaving Wei Ying's embrace, Chu Qing secretly let out a sigh of relief. She stopped thinking about the intimate moment just now. After putting away her smile, she turned to Xu Xin and said:
"This princess was getting bored at Xingfu Temple, so I came out early. I didn't expect to get lost on Nanan Mountain. Just when I was at my most helpless, the prince appeared like a divine soldier and found me in time. Otherwise, by nightfall, although I wouldn't have fallen into the hands of the villains you mentioned, I might have been eaten alive by wild beasts."
As she spoke, Chu Qing's eyes fluttered. She turned around and walked to Wei Ying's side. She tugged at his sleeve and said with a look of extreme grievance: "Qingqing is still scared even now."
Wei Ying raised his eyebrows. Before he could speak, Xu Xin beside them seemed unable to bear Chu Qing's act any longer.
Although she hated Chu Qing to the core, she still pretended to be understanding and smiled: "Your servant won't disturb the prince and sister any longer. You two should rest well. Your servant will take her leave first."
After Wei Ying gave his permission, Xu Xin left, supported by Qiangwei.
Looking at the shaky back that seemed about to collapse at any moment, Chu Qing curled her lips and poked Wei Ying's arm: "Your Highness, aren't you going to go after the side princess and see how she is? She looks so frail. It makes one really worried."
Wei Ying raised his eyebrows and looked down at Chu Qing, who had returned to normal: "She's not as frail as this prince's Qingqing. This prince is not worried at all."
Hearing the teasing in Wei Ying's words, Chu Qing didn't take the bait. Instead, she changed the subject and asked: "Are there already some rumors outside?"
"I sent people to keep an eye on it last night. We caught a few suspicious people, and they're already locked up."
"So, there are three groups of people locked up in the mansion now? Those two kidnappers and the people who attacked you. Have you interrogated them?" Thinking of the thrilling events last night, Chu Qing frowned tightly.
When it came to last night's incident, Wei Ying also looked serious. He replied in a deep voice: "We haven't gotten anything from the kidnappers for the time being. The person who delivered the letter had his face covered, so they didn't see what he looked like. Now, the most important things are the letter and the fifty taels of silver they received. We've already sent people to investigate based on the letter and the silver."
"What about... the black - clothed man who attacked you? He shouldn't have committed suicide again, right?"
Wei Ying's eyes turned cold, and he hooked the corner of his lips: "If he wants to commit suicide, he has to see if this prince allows it."
Looking at Wei Ying's expression, Chu Qing understood that he was really angry this time.
"Can I go with you to the interrogation?" Chu Qing thought for a moment and then said seriously.
Wei Ying looked at Chu Qing with clear eyes. Suddenly, he remembered what she had said before about wanting to learn martial arts.
"Okay."
Wei Ying agreed very readily this time.
Chu Qing raised her eyebrows in surprise. She really didn't expect Wei Ying to agree.
She knew in her heart that the prison in Prince Ning's Mansion was definitely not a place that ordinary people could enter.
And Wei Ying actually agreed to let her go with him. So had she already gained his trust and favor?
She didn't know how to define the "like" that Rouqiuzi had mentioned. Coincidentally, the little thing had gone missing in the past few days and there was no response. This made Chu Qing a bit confused.
With her thoughts wandering, she followed Wei Ying to the place in the mansion that she had always been most curious about.
She had come here before when she was strolling around the mansion.
It was a small courtyard behind a grove. Before, Chu Qing had just glanced at it from afar and instinctively felt that it was a restricted area. Because as soon as she stepped into the grove, she felt a hidden killing intent, which made her hair stand on end.
So the sensible Chu Qing simply turned around and walked away from this place.
She never courted death.
Now, she came here again.
But this time, with Wei Ying by her side, she felt extremely at ease.
"Stay close to me. There's a formation in the grove." Wei Ying casually reached out and gently held Chu Qing's hand as he spoke.
Chu Qing didn't care about Wei Ying's increasingly familiar touch. Her mind was full of what Wei Ying had just said about the formation in the grove.
"Did you say there's a formation here?" Chu Qing's face looked a bit pale.
Wei Ying nodded. But when he saw Chu Qing's pale face, he had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, Chu Qing bit her lip and said stiffly: "I came here before..."
Wei Ying's pupils constricted. He looked at Chu Qing in shock.
Seeing that Wei Ying seemed to misunderstand that she had walked in, Chu Qing quickly explained: "I only walked a few steps into this grove. When I found something was wrong, I walked out. I didn't go deeper..."
After hearing Chu Qing's explanation, Wei Ying slowly let out a sigh of relief. He had thought that Chu Qing was extremely talented and had managed to pass the formation he had set up safely.
As for Chu Qing, she felt as if she had escaped from death. She knew how powerful these strange arts of divination and geomancy were. In her previous life, she had heard that in military campaigns, those who knew these arts were like gods.
"Follow me closely." Seeing that Chu Qing had recovered, Wei Ying led her in.
Chu Qing originally wanted to remember Wei Ying's steps, but she got dizzy from being led around. So she gave up.
When they reached the door of the small courtyard, Chu Qing found that this was actually the largest small courtyard in Prince Ning's Mansion.
Before, when she was outside the grove, Chu Qing hadn't heard any sound. But when she followed Wei Ying to the door, she found that there were many people in uniform busily going about their own business in the courtyard, and some were engaged in fierce fights. If it weren't for Wei Ying's calm face, Chu Qing would have thought it was a life - and - death battle.
Although Chu Qing had a lot of questions in her mind, she held them back.
It was better not to ask too many questions about some things.
Finally, Wei Ying led Chu Qing to a wing room on the west side of the small courtyard.
After entering, Chu Qing found that the layout here seemed to be a study. And Wei Ying still held Chu Qing's hand until they stopped in front of an unremarkable small bookshelf in the room.
Under Chu Qing's blank stare, Wei Ying reached out and picked up a book on the bookshelf. Then, the bookshelf began to move.
It was actually a secret door.
Chu Qing was only slightly surprised. Then she understood and her face returned to calm.
When the bookshelf stopped moving, a door that seemed to lead underground appeared in front of them.