If it was really her, then everything here was her arrangement. Once they arrived in Pyongyang, they would be in a passive position. Fortunately, they disrupted the opponent's rhythm and managed to turn the tables.
Yi Qing couldn't help but admire this woman's perseverance. She always made bold moves, but unfortunately, she had met Xiao Jinghan.
"If it is really Ping Xinian, what are you going to do with her?" Yi Qing whispered to Xiao Jinghan.
"Kill her directly." Xiao Jinghan didn't hesitate at all.
When they left the city, Xiao Jinghan didn't kill Ping Xinian directly because it was too late when the matter came to light.
Although the Ping family was a merchant family, their influence was extremely huge. Even the emperor had to accommodate them. As long as the Ping family knew that they had captured Ping Xinian, they definitely couldn't kill her easily.
However, if Ping Xinian tried to assassinate Xiao Jinghan and was killed on the spot, even if the Ping family was angry, they wouldn't fight to the death with Xiao Jinghan for a dead person. At least not on the surface.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to kill her." Yi Qing thought that Ping Xinian's ability to recover was too strong. Since she had escaped this time, she would probably be even more cautious.
Xiao Jinghan led his men aggressively to the Marquis of Chunan's mansion. Before, he didn't want to pursue this matter, so he had always been making concessions. Now that he needed the Marquis of Chunan, he naturally had to take some measures.
The Marquis of Chunan was listening to music when a servant rushed in in a flurry.
"My lord, my lord, something's wrong..." The servant knelt on the ground, and the sudden commotion even made the tune of the musician go a bit off.
"What's wrong? Could it be that Xiao Jinghan is back again?" The Marquis of Chunan was reclining on a beauty's shoulder, listening to the music in ecstasy. Being interrupted like this, he looked displeased.
"It seems that the marquis knew I wouldn't come back." Xiao Jinghan entered the room and questioned.
The Marquis of Chunan was so startled that he almost rolled over: "General Xiao?"
Xiao Jinghan stared at the Marquis of Chunan, making him shiver.
"Why have you come back, General Xiao?" The Marquis of Chunan hurriedly stood up.
"I also want to ask the marquis. Why did the ship the marquis lent me sink?"
"Sink?!" The Marquis of Chunan widened his eyes. "It's impossible."
"Then how about the marquis bringing some divers with me to take a look?" Xiao Jinghan questioned. "I was assassinated as soon as I arrived at the marquis's mansion. I don't think the marquis would assassinate me in his own mansion. Then the ship was burned. I thought it had nothing to do with the marquis, but this time it was the ship the marquis lent me. The marquis can't say he knows nothing about it."
The Marquis of Chunan thought it was really strange: "I really don't know."
"Then let me ask you, is Miss Ping Xinian of the Ping family in Pyongyang?"
"This..." The Marquis of Chunan felt a jolt in his heart. He wondered if the things he had done with the Ping family had been discovered by the court.
"So she is?" Xiao Jinghan bluffed. "I heard that the Ping family's merchant ships surrounded the ship the marquis lent us. I originally thought it was just a coincidence on the water, but now it seems that things are not that simple."
The Marquis of Chunan's heart skipped a beat.
"I've had several dealings with the Ping family, and I don't know if I've done something to displease them. I'm sure the marquis doesn't know about it." Xiao Jinghan continued.
Hearing what Xiao Jinghan said, the Marquis of Chunan immediately understood. After thinking it over, he realized that Ping Xinian had been living in his mansion. She knew where Xiao Jinghan was staying, and it was also her inducement that made him think Xiao Jinghan had come to Chunan to deal with him.
If that was really the case, the Ping family was trying to use him to get rid of Xiao Jinghan, which was simply putting him in a desperate situation.
But the things he had done with the Ping family couldn't be known by Xiao Jinghan either. It was better for him to handle this matter himself.
"The Ping family's merchant ships have been staying in Pyongyang for such a long time. The marquis can't say he knows nothing about it." Xiao Jinghan could tell that the Marquis of Chunan had something on his mind.
"Miss Ping Xinian did come with this batch of merchant ships. They stayed for a while because of the continuous rainy days. I don't know anything else." The Marquis of Chunan tried to clear himself.
Looking at the Marquis of Chunan's expression, Xiao Jinghan was sure there was something fishy going on: "I had this incident in Chunan, and the marquis is hard to absolve of responsibility. Please cooperate, marquis, and investigate the Ping family's shops in Pyongyang."
"Okay." The Marquis of Chunan readily agreed.
The Marquis of Chunan knew how wealthy the Ping family was. This was a good opportunity for him to extort some silver from them.
Xiao Jinghan didn't stay in the Marquis of Chunan's mansion. Instead, he took Yi Qing and stayed in the posthouse.
"Aren't you letting the Marquis of Chunan steal when you ask him to investigate the Ping family?" Yi Qing joked.
Actually, she knew why Xiao Jinghan did this. If this incident was really done by Ping Xinian, then she must have taken advantage of the Marquis of Chunan. The Marquis of Chunan definitely wouldn't let this opportunity slip by, and then they would fall out.
"I've already sent someone to keep an eye on the Ping family. We must find the son of the King of Min." Xiao Jinghan said in a low voice.
Yi Qing thought this was a thankless task. So what if they found him?
Xiao Jinghan could tell what Yi Qing was thinking: "The royal bloodline will always be a hidden danger."
Yi Qing nodded.
When Ping Xinian got ashore, her lips were blue. The people who came to meet her quickly wrapped a fox fur cloak around her.
The reason she had always been invincible was that no matter how certain she was about something, she would always leave herself a way out.
But she had been careless when dealing with Xiao Jinghan.
"Miss?" Liu'er called out softly.
"Tell the merchant ships in Pyongyang to leave Pyongyang immediately. We're going to Minnan." Ping Xinian didn't waste any time.
Xiao Jinghan was already on guard. If she went back to Pyongyang, it would be like throwing herself into the net.
That old fool, the Marquis of Chunan, was simply unreliable. He might even take this opportunity to extort a fortune from her.
"Yes." Liu'er bowed.
Xiao Jinghan soon found out that Ping Xinian had been staying in the Marquis of Chunan's mansion when she was in Pyongyang. And the secret informant who had reported the son of the King of Min to the emperor had gone missing. Most likely, he had been dealt with by the Ping family. This line of information was cut off.
"The Marquis of Chunan has a close relationship with the Ping family." Yi Qing analyzed.
Xiao Jinghan nodded: "And there are Ruyi Cakes being sold in Chunan."
"You mean..." Yi Qing gasped.
Xiao Jinghan nodded. The matter of the Ruyi Cakes was much more troublesome than they had previously thought: "It seems that Ping Xinian has already left Pyongyang."
"What are you going to do then?"
"Seal all the Ping family's shops in Pyongyang in my name and forbid the Ping family's merchant ships from passing through Pyongyang. Force the Ping family to come to me."
Yi Qing nodded: "But with the relationship between the Marquis of Chunan and the Ping family, will he do this?"
"On one hand, there are the benefits the Ping family gives him. On the other hand, there's the fact that he conspired with others to harm me. What do you think the Marquis of Chunan will choose?"
The Marquis of Chunan wasn't stupid. His relationship with the Ping family was based on interests. Since this was done by Xiao Jinghan, if he spoke up for the Ping family, he would naturally want some benefits.
"Aren't you afraid that the emperor will take this opportunity to make an example of the Marquis of Chunan? And you'll be the first one to bear the brunt." Yi Qing reminded.
Xiao Jinghan smiled.
Yi Qing's expression gradually turned gloomy: "That dog emperor wouldn't have already had a plan, would he? Did he plan to let you handle the matter of taking back local power all along?"
It was indeed the case before. Xiao Jinghan had faked his death and returned to the capital in order to lure out those who were ready to make trouble. Unfortunately, Yi Qing had appeared, and Xiao Jinghan had come back to life earlier.