Zhu San whipped the horse's back vigorously without a moment's delay.
The horse, stung by the pain, bolted away like an arrow released from a bow.
While chasing Cui Jintang, Zhu San kept recalling in his mind.
The last time they met in Fengyi Palace, Lord Pei should have had all his attention on the young lady, right?
It was dark just now, the candles on the long corridor were dim, and they were so far apart!
He should not have seen his face clearly, right?
Zhu San harbored a glimmer of hope.
On one side, the deputy general limped forward.
As a martial artist, he had a strong physique. No matter how great the pain was, he could bear it.
"I've already sent a message to Fu Li. He should be able to find this place early tomorrow morning," he reported.
After waiting for a long time without getting a response from Pei Zhaolin, the deputy general looked up in confusion.
He saw Pei Zhaolin slightly curl the corner of his mouth and fix his sharp eyes on a certain place.
The deputy general: "?"
What's going on?
Before he could ask another question, Pei Zhaolin turned around and returned to the guest courtyard.
The deputy general was left standing there stupidly.
What on earth is this!
---
On Shili Street, in Jinsheng Mansion.
Cui Jintang had been staring at the portrait of the handsome young man in front of her for an incense stick's time, but she couldn't take in a single thing.
Her mind was in a complete mess. She simply couldn't focus on the family backgrounds and appearances of these young men, so she threw the portrait on the table.
She glanced at Qi Xutao sitting on the imperial concubine's couch beside her, who also looked uninterested.
Cui Jintang adjusted her sitting posture and leaned back in a comfortable position.
"Aren't you reluctant to get married? Why are you actually being patient and looking at these one by one?"
She even had to drag her into this misery!
Qi Xutao slowly lifted her head from the scroll. It was as if the words "Let me die" were written all over her face.
"Do you think I want to?"
Qi Xutao threw the scroll aside irritably, sighed, and leaned back.
"I've thought about it. Instead of being used by the emperor as a pawn to maintain the balance of the court, I might as well choose a man who suits my heart and is easy to control as a pretext."
"Then I can return to the border as soon as possible."
Cui Jintang offered her a sweet cake, but Qi Xutao dodged it in disgust.
"I won't eat it. The sweet cakes in your mansion always make my teeth ache."
Cui Jintang immediately stuffed the osmanthus cake into her own mouth and rolled her eyes. "Then I'll eat it myself."
She forced herself to muster a little spirit and take a look.
A man who could suit Qi Xutao's heart and go to the border with her would have to give up his official career.
Just because of this, even though Qi Xutao had only chosen the sons of poor families today, it would still be difficult to find such a man.
Even if all of them were willing.
Cui Jintang still thought that none of them was worthy of Qi Xutao.
They weren't even fit to carry her shoes.
She turned to look at the mountain of scrolls of young men in Ying Lan's arms and took a deep breath.
Suddenly, she said, "What's the use of just looking at these scrolls and family backgrounds? You don't know anything about them. How can you make a good judgment?"
Qi Xutao frowned. "There are dozens of people here. Do you want me to get to know each of them?"
"You're the real evil spirit!"
Cui Jintang leaned forward and grabbed Qi Xutao, who was trying to escape. Her eyes shone brightly.
"You don't have to get in touch with them yourself. Just send someone else."
Qi Xutao, who had failed to escape, lay back on the imperial concubine's couch. Hearing this, she looked at her with little interest. "How do you mean?"
"Do you remember Yan Liangwen, the son of Minister Yan?"
Qi Xutao was a smart person and immediately understood. "You mean to ask him?"
Cui Jintang immediately grabbed her and got up to go out. "Don't underestimate his Jinyu Workshop!"
---
"This one has a mole three inches below his ear. He's bad luck for his wife. No good."
"This one has two concubines in his family and a fiancée who has already broken off the engagement. No good."
"This one is even worse!"
Qi Xutao argued. This was the one she had taken a fancy to the most. "He comes from a poor family, has no father or mother, and has the least attachments. Why isn't he good?"
With a "snap", Yan Liangwen closed his folding fan and looked serious.
"Your Highness, you're wrong. Although he has no parents to worry about, he has a young sister at home who is only five years old. She can't be separated from someone."
Qi Xutao was about to say that they could take the girl to the border together.
"The border is bitterly cold. How can a five - year - old girl bear it?"
Qi Xutao was deflated and listlessly opened the next one. "What about this one?"
Yan Liangwen immediately craned his neck and leaned over.
While they were discussing heatedly, Cui Jintang sat beside the railing, drinking one mouthful after another gloomily.
Just now, Zhu Er came to report to her, "Lord Pei has left the manor."
"He is indeed suspicious of Jiang Wu, and the Xuanjia Army has started to investigate Jiang Wu's identity in Boling again."
Cui Jintang didn't have the energy to care about how Pei Zhaolin suspected Jiang Wu.
She had to cover up her identity as the eldest daughter of the prominent Cui family first.
The music in the Jinyu Workshop was driving her crazy.
Cui Jintang got up with the wine cup in her hand and stopped Zhu Er, who was about to follow her. "I'll just take a stroll by myself. You keep an eye on Xutao."
Zhu Er replied, "Yes."
Nowadays, the business of the Jinyu Workshop was getting better and better.
People from all walks of life, from high - ranking officials and nobles to the commoners, came and went here.
It was an excellent place to inquire about news or hold secret meetings.
Cui Jintang staggered past and generously bought a veil from a scantily - clad woman.
She saw several acquaintances along the way.
Just as she lowered her head to tie on the veil, she heard the sound of the bead curtain in the private room beside her.
Then a familiar voice came into her ears.
"A Yuan, how have you been in the Imperial College these days?"
Cui Jintang would never forget this voice for the rest of her life.
She squinted and looked over.
At the door of the Tian - shaped private room, a man and a woman were about to lift the bead curtain and go in.
The woman was wearing a apricot - colored silk robe embroidered with spring swallows in the apricot grove. The hem of the robe was embroidered with dark clouds in silver thread, and she wore a token representing the identity of a county princess around her waist.
She turned her side face and was looking up at the man beside her, her voice full of concern.
"If you're lacking anything, be sure to come and find me..."
The man beside her grunted in a low voice and didn't show much reaction.
Cui Jintang had drunk some wine, and her dull brain only started to work slowly when she saw their faces clearly.
Isn't that Luo Xiang?
And the guy beside her is... Chen something Yuan?
Cui Jintang staggered over and didn't forget to grab a woman from the Jinyu Workshop to accompany her.
The woman was stunned and looked at her in surprise.
Then she was stuffed with a silver note by Cui Jintang to keep her mouth shut.
The private room had excellent sound insulation. Standing outside, Cui Jintang could only faintly hear snippets of their conversation.
Something about the Imperial College, something about a dead person?
Something about being uneasy, something about regret?
Cui Jintang frowned. What on earth was this mess?
She couldn't help but walk a little closer to the private room.
Suddenly, the bead curtain was opened from the inside.
Cui Jintang had nowhere to hide!