Mo Qiaosheng sent Cheng Qianye back to the princess's mansion and said goodbye to her outside the gate.
A maid came out from the mansion and respectfully welcomed Cheng Qianye in.
The house is small and elegant. There are not many servants inside, but all of them are silent and introverted, and they are low-key and quiet when doing things.
Looking at their faces, there is almost nothing particularly striking about them, but after getting to know them for a long time, you will feel that each of them is a little different from ordinary people.
To Cheng Qianye, it was a bit like the feeling that Ayang gave to Zhou Zixi when she was with him. No matter how they appeared, they were rigid and loyal in their hearts and had almost no ideas of their own.
These people were arranged by Zhang Fu.
In this war-torn era, every country has more or less some national intelligence system.
When the old Marquis Wei of Jin was alive, Zhang Fu was in charge of the intelligence agency of Jin State. He had a group of long-trained spies. After Cheng Qianye succeeded to the throne, he also supported him to continue this work.
It was for this reason that Zhang Fu was able to provide Bianzhou with news from various countries even though he was in Jiangcheng. Later, he successfully penetrated into the Quanrong tribe by relying on his advance knowledge of various information.
Although due to the lack of attention from the old Duke Wei of Jin, the State of Jin did not invest much energy in intelligence work.
However, after verification by Cheng Qianye, at least the servants staying in this mansion are truly loyal to the country and the king.
As Cheng Qianye walked in, they all had golden edges on their bodies without exception.
Zhang Fu is not like Cheng Qianye who can see into other people's hearts. He really chooses the right people and wins the hearts of his subordinates.
Cheng Qianye knew very well how difficult this was, and she particularly admired Zhang Fu in this regard.
Cheng Qianye changed into men's clothes in the dark room, intending to return to Yao Tianxiang's residence through a secret passage, and then return to the palace with Yao Tianxiang openly.
A maid named Chun knelt outside the door and whispered, "My lord, Master Zhang is here."
Cheng Qianye opened the door, Zhang Fu bowed modestly and stepped into the inner room.
Following behind him was a woman named Ajia, who was Cheng Qianye's "stand-in".
When Cheng Qianye was not at the princess's mansion, she would wear the princess's clothes, stay in the mansion, and pretend to be Cheng Qianye.
This woman is somewhat similar to Cheng Qianye in both age and figure.
At this moment, she was wearing the clothes that Princess Qianye had just worn when she went out, and was sitting diagonally opposite Cheng Qianye himself.
Cheng Qianye observed carefully and found that even when she was sitting there, her expression and some subtle movements were almost exactly the same as Cheng Qianye himself.
Sometimes she would raise her face and smile at Cheng Qianye, and sometimes she would reach out and touch her chin thoughtfully.
As soon as he opened his mouth, he made a sound that was unique to Cheng Qianye: "Brother, are you going back now?"
Although her facial features were completely different from Cheng Qianye's, if one looked at her from a distance or with a veil on, even Cheng Qianye felt as if he was seeing another self.
"How did you do that?" Although he had seen her many times, Cheng Qianye still found her very rare.
"Ajia is very good at disguising her voice and behavior," Zhang Fu replied, "but for the sake of caution, I have always asked her to claim illness and refuse visitors. Except for the two personal servants, no one in this mansion has ever seen her true face. No one knows that she is not the real princess."
Cheng Qianye nodded, "What a meticulous arrangement."
"No matter how we arrange it, there is a possibility of leakage. My lord has shown his face in public several times in the past few days as a princess." Zhang Fu looked at Cheng Qianye, "I think this matter can be concluded."
Cheng Qianye suddenly became depressed. She had just been holding hands with Qiao Sheng, visiting the temple fair and eating snacks.
Such a little sweetness was really wonderful for her, but there would never be such an opportunity again.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally sighed silently and nodded.
Zhang Fu breathed a sigh of relief. He said to Ajia, "Tonight, you should announce to the public that you have caught a cold and will be bedridden. After three to five days, when I notify you, prepare to 'die of illness.'"
Ajia showed Cheng Qianye's signature smile and said gently: "Got it, Mr. Zhang."
Cheng Qianye stood up and prepared to leave. Before leaving, she remembered something: "'Death from illness' is fine, but we can only use an existing body to replace it. Miss Ajia and the two maids who know about this will be transferred to serve me after this matter."
Cheng Qianye liked this girl very much because of her emerald-colored body. He was afraid that Zhang Fu would let her die of illness in order to keep the secret.
Watching Cheng Qianye leave from the secret passage,
Ajia smiled and whispered softly: "Brother is a gentle and soft-hearted lord."
Zhang Fu pinched his brows and said, "Okay, there are only two of us here, don't talk to me in her tone."
Ajia's smiling face disappeared in an instant, and he took off his mask and replaced it with an expressionless poker face.
A cold tone came out of her mouth: "My lord, you seem to be very troubled?"
Zhang Fu reached out and tapped her from a distance: "My lord said that I always look like I'm wearing a mask. I really should let her see what you look like."
Ajia rolled his eyes and didn't take it seriously.
"This matter is of great importance, so we must be extremely careful. The fewer people who know about it, the better." Zhang Fu said, "Even if they are your own people, don't let them know that it's you. If necessary..."
Ajia said woodenly: "Except Achun and Axia, no one can enter my room, and no one has seen my face."
Zhang Fu, however, could hear a sense of protection for her subordinates from her calm tone: "You, are you feeling sorry for them? You should know that besides you, Ah Chun and Ah Xia..."
He originally wanted to say that neither of them could stay.
But the words his lord specifically told him before he left made him vaguely feel that this should not be done, even though he was already accustomed to this kind of thing.
"Are you worried about upsetting the Lord?" Ajia spoke coldly and rigidly when he wasn't pretending to be someone else. "When the old Marquis was here, you were never so obedient."
Zhang Fu seemed to be accustomed to her attitude. He recalled the past: "My lord once accused me of taking life too lightly."
"The old marquis once said something similar. The sharper the blade you hold, the more cautious you should be. Once you get used to killing, you may not be able to stop."
"Even you think so?" Zhang Fu looked up at Ajia.
Although Ajia is a girl, she got this name because she ranked first among the deadpools, and was given this name by the old Jin Yuehou himself.
"Even I hope that fewer of my brothers will die. Even if we are doing such shady work, we are not proud to stain our hands with red."
The tone of the Argentine Primera Division remained calm, but Zhang Fu vaguely heard a different flavor in it.
Zhang Fu recalled his previous lord, Marquis Jinwei. The old marquis was a benevolent monarch, so there would be such a dead servant who was not proud of being stained with blood, and that is why there would be such an excellent successor like his lord.
Cheng Qianye came out from the secret passage connecting the two houses.
Yao Tianxiang was waiting for her.
Seeing her coming out, Yao Tianxiang smiled at her and reached out to pick her up.
"What's wrong?" Cheng Qianye held her hand and looked at her strangely, "Are you unhappy about something?"
"No way, why would I be unhappy?" Yao Tianxiang turned her eyes away.
Cheng Qianye pulled her shoulders back and said, "Tianxiang, if you have anything to say, don't hide it from me."
Yao Tianxiang's eyes turned red for a moment and she pursed her lips.
Then she laughed again and pushed Cheng Qianye: "Really, I can't hide anything from you."
"It's my brother. He sent someone again."
"It's okay. Who doesn't have a few annoying relatives?" Cheng Qianye put his arm around her shoulders and said as they walked, "Who did he send this time? You've been upset. Let me meet this person."
"The one my brother sent is my nephew, whose given name is Shun. He is less than ten years old. He is my brother's third son, and my brother sent him here as a hostage." Yao Tianxiang was a little depressed. "I just feel that he doesn't care about his own flesh and blood, let alone my sister."
She did not tell Cheng Qianye that there was an elder from the clan among the entourage sent by Yao Hong. He found Yao Tianxiang first and put all kinds of accusations on her in harsh words. He also brought up Yao Tianxiang's mother, Madam Ji, and forced Yao Tianxiang to seek benefits for the country of Wei.
Cheng Qianye sat down and straightened his sleeves, "Since your nephew is here, please come up and let me see him."
As the State of Jin grew stronger, its territory continued to expand.
The surrounding vassal states became nervous, and many monarchs sent envoys to Bian Jing, intending to make friends with the State of Jin, and many of them proposed marriage proposals.
Of course, Cheng Qianye didn't want to marry again, but he couldn't marry himself off.
Her other sisters were either too young or already married, so marriage was not a realistic option.
Therefore, many countries sent hostages to stay in Jin State instead, so that they could gather information and express their sincerity in wanting to have friendly relations with Jin State.
A young boy came in timidly and cautiously behind the attendant, and saluted Cheng Qianye in a panic.
Cheng Qianye shook his head silently in his heart. Yao Hong had once imprisoned and hunted him down. He must have expected that he would not have a good attitude towards the hostage sent by their country.
However, for the sake of his own ambition, he could force his married sister and put his son in danger without hesitation.
He is really a cruel and ruthless person.
Perhaps, being born in such a chaotic era, as a monarch, one needs to be ruthless.
Cheng Qianye closed her eyes for a moment, but no matter what, she couldn't do it to this extent.
"Live a good life in Bianjing in the future," Cheng Qianye said to the child, "As long as you don't do anything to harm the State of Jin or your aunt, no one here will make things difficult for you."
Although Yao Shun was young, he had heard of the Marquis of Jin Yue when he was in Wei State.
He knew that his father had imprisoned and hunted down this marquis.
When he entered the door, he was very scared, fearing that he would be treated humiliatingly.
He was the least favored of his father's children. He knew that coming here as a proton meant that no matter what happened, no one would stand up for him.
Fortunately, the marquis was gentle to him for the sake of his aunt.
Yao Shun breathed a sigh of relief and left with many thanks.
"It's really not easy," Cheng Qianye watched the little figure retreat in fear, "Such a young child has to represent the country as a hostage and live in a strange place."
"Qianye, let me go to Zhengzhou." Yao Tianxiang suddenly said.
Cheng Qianye turned and looked at her.
"I want to open a new girls' school in Zhengzhou." Yao Tianxiang looked out the window. "I don't want to stay so close to Weiguo anymore. Not staying by your side will help them give up on this idea."
Cheng Qianye squeezed Yao Tianxiang's cold hand. She could understand Tianxiang's feelings. Bianjing was adjacent to Song and Wei. Cheng Qianye and Yao Tianxiang knew each other that no matter how much work was done on the surface, the conflict between Jin and these two countries was almost inevitable.
The proposal to go to war with Weiguo has even been placed on Cheng Qianye's desk.
"Okay, then you can go to Zhengzhou. There is a lot of work to be done there, and you can do what you want to do."