"Right," Yi Qing hadn't finished speaking. "After going around in such a big circle, I still don't know who you are!"
"You're not worthy of knowing my name," Su Mu said haughtily.
"Tsk tsk," Yi Qing laughed. "Fine, I'm not worthy. Then let Lord Xu ask. Lord Xu, how much longer are you going to enjoy the show!"
As the words fell, Xu Maozhi swaggered in from outside the door and bowed to Yi Qing. "Greetings, Lady."
"Lord Xu, there's someone here who wants to borrow Shen Tu and Yu Lei from you to find the tiger tally. Are you going to lend them or not?" Yi Qing said with a half - smile.
"I originally wanted to lend them, but then I was afraid of disturbing the Lady. Since the tiger tally has been found, I'd better forget it," Xu Maozhi said.
Su Mu's face changed again. She could hardly believe her ears.
"The tiger tally has been found," Yi Qing looked at Su Mu lazily. "But the person who wanted to harm my son hasn't been found yet. Since we've already asked Lord Xu, please investigate this matter as well."
Xu Maozhi was impressed by Yi Qing for finding the tiger tally on her own, so his attitude was much better. "Lady, please rest assured. Since we've already found one, we're not afraid of following the clues and wiping out the whole lot."
"What does this have to do with me?" Su Mu suddenly changed her face. "I'm just an ordinary maid in the mansion. I just said a few of my thoughts. What crime have I committed?"
"Whether you're guilty or not, you'll know after arguing in the Supreme Court of Justice," Yi Qing said. "If it weren't for the General's Mansion, this matter could have been resolved in the yamen at most. Now that you can go to the Supreme Court of Justice, you should feel extremely honored, right, Lord Xu?"
Xu Maozhi had experienced Yi Qing's ability to infuriate people and silently thought that he mustn't offend Yi Qing in the future.
"Then I'll take this person away," he bowed. "I admire the Lady very much."
"Lord Xu, you're overpraising me. Take this person away. Even if nothing is found out, I'll give this person to you. Zisu, go and find the indenture and give it to Lord Xu."
"Don't even think about it! Let's see who dares to touch me!" Su Mu roared. "I'm Ping Xinian, the eldest daughter of the Ping family, and a county princess conferred by the emperor himself!"
"Ping Xinian?" Yi Qing looked at Zisu. "Have you heard of her?"
Zisu: "No."
"It seems your fame isn't that great. It's really an honor for the General's Mansion to have a county princess sweeping the courtyard," Yi Qing said. "But let me think. Did County Princess Ping get water in her head because she didn't bring an umbrella on a rainy day, or is she lovesick and can't forget Xiao Jinghan, even wanting a love across life and death?"
"You—"
"I'm right here," Yi Qing said calmly. "Lord Xu, please do me a favor and explain to me who this person is. Poor us, a widow and her child, we mustn't offend any important noble. I'm shivering in fear!"
Xu Maozhi thought that he couldn't see any sign of the first - rank lady shivering. Instead, he saw the little flame of war in her eyes.
—This woman is too fierce. He had to stay away from her.
"The Ping family," he cleared his throat. "It's the biggest imperial merchant. Miss Ping started learning to manage the family at ten, and by thirteen, she was already in charge of the eight Ping family stores in the capital. At sixteen, she took over the business of the eldest branch of the Ping family. She should be around twenty now. The eldest branch of the Ping family is the most outstanding in the Ping family."
"Oh, I'm really sorry for my rudeness," Yi Qing said. "Now that you mention it, I seem to remember. Didn't the Ping family once donate food and supplies to Xiao Jinghan?"
"Yes," Xu Maozhi said. "Miss Ping once helped the Xiao family army out of trouble. General Xiao wrote a memorial to the emperor before his death, and that's why the emperor conferred the title of county princess on Miss Ping."
Yi Qing finally understood. This was a "rival in love". Maybe she was deeply in love with Xiao Jinghan. Even after his death, she was still jealous of her, the "widow".
"Miss Ping, no, County Princess Ping," Yi Qing squinted at Ping Xinian. "Do you think I'm occupying someone else's place and you want to be this first - rank lady? Tsk tsk, I really admire your deep love. But the imperial edict has been issued, and I can't do anything about it. How about I show you a way out?"
Speaking of which, Lady Di and her daughter were really miserable. They both had a rival in love who was a wealthy imperial merchant.
But she seemed luckier. After all, Xiao Jinghan didn't have the chance to dote on his concubine and neglect his wife.
"Since you're so affectionate, how about I let you enter the mansion as a concubine while holding the memorial tablet?"
"You..."
If looks could kill, Ping Xinian would have already tortured Yi Qing to death.
"It seems you're not willing... That's okay. Business may fail, but friendship remains. In the future, if you want to kowtow to me, I'll still agree," Yi Qing said.
Zisu said coolly, "Even if you agree, you have to ask if the national law agrees. Framing you with the tiger tally can't be overlooked just because you're magnanimous. Moreover, she even wanted to harm Baozi. Use your head!"
"Speaking of which, I don't understand. My son is the only bloodline of Xiao Jinghan. Why do you still want to harm him?"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! Xiao Jinghan didn't like women at all!" Ping Xinian almost hysterically said. "Even if he's dead, I'll never allow anyone to pretend to be his bloodline! Damn it, all of you should die."
"Lord Xu," Yi Qing looked at Xu Maozhi. "By now, you should have seen it clearly. I'll have to trouble you with the rest of the matter."
"Lady, please rest assured," Xu Maozhi said. "The Lady really impresses me."
"Lord Xu, you're overpraising me. If you hadn't found so many clues before, I wouldn't have thought of this. There's one more thing. I hope Lord Xu will release Xiao Tian after the truth comes out."
"Release Xiao Tian? When did I arrest him?" Xu Maozhi said. "Lady, I advise you to draw a clear line from him for the time being..."
He rambled on about Xiao Tian's suspicious points, but Yi Qing said, "You'll know in the future. Please take this noble county princess away first. By the way, I'll give you the indenture as well. Whether it's real or not, I can't let my twenty taels of silver go to waste, right?"
After Xu Maozhi took Ping Xinian away, Zisu asked, "What's going on with Xiao Tian?"
Yi Qing sneered. "He's playing monkey games with the emperor."
She was the poor monkey.
Coincidentally, Xiao Tian returned to the mansion later and found that he had been "blocked" by Yi Qing.
—Yi Qing refused to see him.
When something happened, she risked her life to protect him. What did he do?
Watch coldly with the emperor and test her?
Oh, this was really annoying.
Xiao Tian was flustered and wanted to explain, but how could he? Say that the emperor drugged him and he had no choice?
Yi Qing wouldn't listen.
Even Baozi had complaints about him and questioned him, "Uncle Xiao, what's going on exactly? Did you and Uncle Emperor deceive my mother?"
Xiao Tian smiled bitterly. "No. But I did do something wrong."
"Then what's going on with that county princess?" Baozi asked again.
Xiao Tian thought to himself that he also wanted to know.
"Did she really know my father?"
"No," Xiao Tian said firmly.