Yi Qing, who had been eavesdropping, left contentedly upon hearing this.
After returning, she "accused" Xiao Tian, saying, "You still look down on Xu the dullard. Look at how good he is at coaxing his wife. Why can't you learn to coax me?"
"How can't I?" Xiao Tian pretended to untie his belt.
Yi Qing interrupted him, saying, "Stop! I'm not insatiable! We're over - indulging now. Do you understand 'over - indulging'?"
I advise you not to be so arrogant. Being so flamboyant now could easily lead to your downfall!
Xiao Tian burst into laughter, thinking to himself, Yi Qing, you've finally met your match.
Yi Qing realized that after teaching her apprentice, the apprentice had now gotten the better of her.
This man was becoming more and more outrageous.
After their flirtation, Yi Qing propped her chin up and murmured to herself in front of the mirror, "What identity should I assume this time?"
The mission of Qing San was already completed. She couldn't appear again, or it would make it easier for Xiao Jinghong to get away with his crimes and bring trouble upon herself.
"Any identity will do," Xiao Tian said. The smile on his face faded, replaced by solemnity and coldness. "The capital is a place full of all kinds of people and connections. As long as you can justify your identity, they won't be able to find out anything."
Moreover, the Sima family was now desperate and would grab at any straw.
"Your plan is so well - thought - out," he stroked Yi Qing's face. "She will surely take the bait."
"Then I'll pretend to be an old woman this time," Yi Qing said, adding that it was too uncomfortable to bind her chest when pretending to be a man.
Xiao Tian couldn't help laughing, saying, "You're already a real woman. I've verified it. You don't need to pretend."
Yi Qing was speechless.
Oh no, this man had learned all her shamelessness and was even better at it.
Now when it came to making cheeky remarks, she was no match for him.
Yi Qing disguised herself as a fifty - something old woman and pretended to be a maid beside the Old Lady He, claiming to be Mrs. Wu. She went to the mansion of the Earl of Yi'an.
The Sima family had tried every means but still couldn't see her son. Moreover, the Earl of Yi'an kept quarreling with her. Frustrated and anxious, blisters had formed around her mouth. She looked extremely disheveled, far from her former calm and energetic self.
She didn't think Xiao Jinghong would really be involved in smuggling, so she was eager to get a definite answer from him.
If that were the case, the problem wouldn't be too serious, and she wouldn't have to worry.
But the problem now was that she couldn't see Xiao Jinghong at all. She couldn't even ask someone to send things to him.
Thinking that Xiao Jinghong had been pampered since childhood and had never suffered any hardships, but now he was suffering in a prison with poor conditions, the Sima family felt as if her heart was being stabbed.
Especially when she thought that Xu Maozhi might torture her precious son, she was so worried that she couldn't eat or sleep.
Hearing that someone outside was asking to see her, she flew into a rage impatiently, shouting, "I won't see anyone! At a time like this, do you think I have the mood to see outsiders?"
The maid said timidly, "But that old woman outside said she could help you. She said it was about the eldest master..."
In the mansion of the Earl of Yi'an, anyone who dared to call Xiao Jinghong the "second master" would be committing an unforgivable mistake.
The Sima family asked, "About the eldest master?"
The maid groaned inwardly. If there was any mistake in this matter, she would surely be blamed. But thinking of the heavy gold bracelet in her purse, she gathered her courage and said, "Yes, that's what the old woman said. I don't know if it's true or not, but I thought that if it were true, we couldn't miss this opportunity. So I came to report to you. Please forgive me, madam."
A self - mocking smile appeared on the Sima family's face. "At this point, we can only try anything. Where is she? Bring her in. I'd like to see if this swindler dares to come right into my house."
Soon, Yi Qing was led in.
She didn't even bow to the Sima family. Instead, she looked around the room and said, "I originally thought the mansion of the Earl of Yi'an would be very grand. After all, when the Fan family married in, she brought so many dowries. But now it seems just so - so."
How dare she touch a nerve right from the start? The Sima family's face darkened.
She sat on the main seat and quietly sized up Yi Qing's clothes and accessories.
Although the dressing was not luxurious, it was obvious that this so - called Mrs. Wu's clothes and jewelry were all of high - quality.
Moreover, her tone of voice seemed very confident and intimidating.
So she didn't lose her temper and simply asked, "What do you want from me?"
Without waiting to be invited, Yi Qing sat down on a chair and said, "Why isn't there any tea? Is this how the mansion of the Earl of Yi'an treats guests?"
"The mansion of the Earl of Yi'an doesn't have the rule of receiving guests who come without sending a visiting card first," the Sima family said coldly.
"I'm here to help you save your son. Is that how you talk to me?"
Although the Sima family was very skeptical, since it involved her son, she didn't dare to be too absolute. So she swallowed her anger and told someone to serve tea.
Yi Qing took a sip of the tea and said disdainfully, "Such lousy tea is not fit to serve guests. I won't drink it."
But before the Sima family could lose her temper, she continued, "I heard that you, madam, want to visit your son in the prison of the Court of Judicial Review?"
The Sima family gritted her teeth and said, "Yes."
"One thousand taels of silver, and I'll arrange it for you," Yi Qing said straightforwardly.
"So you're just a swindler!"
"Madam claims to be extremely anxious, but you don't seem to be in a hurry at all!" Yi Qing said with a half - smile, slowly and deliberately. "You're not even willing to part with a mere one thousand taels of silver."
"You won't even tell me where you come from. Why should I trust you and give you the silver?"
"Have you heard of Deng Xiao, the commander of the Brocade Guard?" Yi Qing said proudly, raising her eyebrows.
The Sima family was startled at the mention of this name.
Seeing her reaction, Yi Qing thought to herself that Deng Xiao, the feared figure, was really useful.
"I've served beside his mother for over twenty years," Yi Qing said. "I have an unfilial son who has lost a lot of silver, so I thought of helping people resolve their disasters and came to you."
The Sima family asked doubtfully, "Really?"
"It's easy to verify this," Yi Qing said. "Do you think I can lie about this?"
If you have the guts, go ask Deng Xiao yourself! But you probably don't have that courage.
If you don't ask, then I am who I claim to be. Anyway, she had already informed Deng Xiao.
"Are you his wet - nurse?"
Yi Qing almost spat out. She quickly said, "No, I'm just the housekeeper beside the Old Lady He." Yi Qing said, "I'm in urgent need of silver, so I won't beat around the bush. As long as you agree, I'll let you see your son first, and then you can give me the silver."
The condition was so generous that the Sima family could hardly believe it. "Really?"
"Of course, on the premise that you keep your promise," Yi Qing said proudly. "But I'm not afraid of you going back on your word. At that time, with just a single word from me, your son won't have an easy time."
The Sima family trembled.