When Pang Xiao returned to the palace, his expression still kept a hint of anger and had to suppress his mood. It wasn't until he returned to the room and saw Qin Yining that he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What's the matter, so happy like this?" Qin Yining heard the movement and greeted him. Seeing Pang Xiao standing alone at the door smiling, he couldn't help laughing.
Pang Xiao shook his head and sat beside Luo Han's bed with his arms around Qin Yining.
"It's nothing, I just think of Uncle Zhongyi, I think it's very interesting." Telling Qin Yining about the previous conversation with Lu Heng, Pang Xiao shook his head and laughed: "He should be calling me a fool in his heart."
Qin Yining said amusingly, "Isn't that exactly what he wanted him to do?"
Thinking about people like Pang Xiao who would rather be savage when confronted with problems, and gradually become proficient in acting and conspiracy, Qin Yining couldn't help but sigh: "From the outsider's point of view, whether it is you or Uncle Zhongyi, you are both a dragon and a phoenix, and a person with infinite beauty. For example, if we are rich and noble, our status is more than a star and a half higher than ordinary people. But only we know how much we have suffered under the bright appearance. Acting is the easiest way to lick blood on the knife edge of life and death. It's commonplace."
Pang Xiao kissed Qin Yining's cheek and said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter when you are acting, you can get used to it from birth to death. As much wealth and honor as one can enjoy, one has to suffer as much crime. Just face it with a peaceful mind. Anyway, in the future, only better than now."
Qin Yining laughed.
She originally wanted to persuade and appease Pang Xiao, but he didn't expect him to think about it himself, so he turned to persuade her first.
"If you can think about it, of course it's good. In that case, I will instruct people to prepare, and we will set off tomorrow."
Pang Xiao nodded, "I'll go outside and discuss with Mr. Xie and Mr. Xu again."
Pang Xiao and Qin Yining made preparations separately. The next day, with enough manpower, the group drove the carriage and left Huichuan County swaggeringly.
In addition to the carriage that the two of them rode, there were also a number of blue-veiled carriages and flatbed carts in the convoy.
The accompanying guards were relaxed, chatting and laughing. Qin Yining often opened the curtains and looked out. Her leisurely appearance didn't look like she was going to run an errand, but rather like she was going out to play.
Pang Xiao and Qin Yining went out of the city with great momentum. When Lu Heng heard the news, he stood on the corner of the street with Lu Wenru to see from a distance to make sure that they were indeed gone.
Just seeing Qin Yining leaning on Pang Xiao obediently and tenderly from the open car window, the two of them were chatting and laughing intimately, thinking that even in Danfu County, even if the sky fell, Qin Yining would still have Qin Yining to share weal and woe with, Lu Heng's good The mood has dropped by half.
"Let's go." Lu Heng turned around and left with a sullen face.
Lu Wenru didn't dare to ask any more questions, and hurriedly followed, but in his heart, he understood Lu Heng's feelings somewhat. Compared with the uncle's wife, who is still in the mansion, who often loses her temper, the pair of Prince Zhongshun and the princess are really enviable.
—
Danfu County is not very far from Huichuan County, which may delay the business. As soon as the team arrived in the suburbs, Qin Yining discussed with Pang Xiao to set off first.
Although Pang Xiao had made his decision long ago, he was still worried when he saw Qin Yining put on an ordinary long thin cotton dress and a white gauze cap.
"Wouldn't it be nice for me to arrange more Jinghu guards to follow you? You only brought four of them, Ji Yun and Jing Zhe. I really can't rest assured."
Qin Yining lifted the white gauze on the hood and looked up at Pang Xiao with a smile: "I'm just an ordinary business woman now, and it's already a big deal to have a maid and four guys by my side. If there are more people I'm afraid there will be hidden suspicions, won't it be impossible to find out anything by then? Besides, Jinghuwei are all dragons and phoenixes, and they are extraordinary in appearance. It is too conspicuous to go out, it is not like the four of them, who are good at doing things before I also have experience in this area of spying, and I know more about how to disappear."
Pang Xiao knew that what Qin Yining said was right, he said helplessly: "Okay, it's up to you."
Turning around and instructing Tang Xiu: "Take someone to see if anyone is following."
"Yes." Tang Xiu responded, and took the Jinghu guards to check it out. After a while, he reported back and forth, "Back to the prince, there is nothing suspicious."
Pang Xiao helped Qin Yining to get into the carriage, and then went to instruct Jing Zhe and the other four.
"Although spying on the news is important, the safety of the princess is even more important. If something happens, protecting the princess' safety is the first priority."
"Yes. Don't worry, my lord, I will not be humiliated." Jing Zhe and several people saluted solemnly.
Qin Yining lifted the curtain of the car, smiled and said to Pang Xiao: "Don't worry, I'm here to find out the news, and I won't cause trouble. Besides, I'm dressed like this and wearing a hat, no one can tell who I am or where I am. What danger would there be?"
"I know your ability, but I'm still worried." Pang Xiao said helplessly, "Go, evacuate immediately if you encounter anything, it doesn't matter if you don't find out the news, I followed immediately, I don't believe that. Cheng Weimin can really resist the decree and disrespect."
"Got it." Qin Yining said goodbye to Pang Xiao with a smile, and then ordered Jing Zhe to set off.
An ordinary blue-veiled carriage followed by two flatbed carriages filled with daily groceries slowly walked onto the avenue.
Watching Qin Yining walk away, Pang Xiaocai instructed his subordinates, "Let's set off too, and go slowly along the official road."
The journey to Danfu County went smoothly. In the early morning of July 13, the group followed the road and drove the cart directly into the city gate.
In summer, the weather is hot, the windows are open, and there is only a layer of curtains between the inside and outside. As the road progresses, the curtains show a wave-like arc. Qin Yining and Ji Yun lifted the curtains from left to right and looked out.
As a large county with fertile land and developed agriculture, Danfu County seems to be much larger than Huichuan County. There are people walking by on the street, looking at their clothes and demeanor, you can see how these people lived. Very peaceful.
"Ma'am, the atmosphere here looks good. It seems to be more comfortable than Huichuan County. People have more smiles on their faces, and they all seem to be kind people." Ji Yun said softly.
Qin Yining nodded, "Although we have caught up with the waterlogging, Danfu County's foundation is still there. The people don't have to worry about whether they will starve to death, they will naturally feel relaxed. Only when they live comfortably, they don't have to fight, they can be calm. Be kind."
Qin Yining remembered Liangcheng, who was at the border between the two countries. During the war, the husband and wife, father and son, could not even care about each other. Just eat it in one bite, whoever eats it can live, is it for yourself or for your loved ones? She has seen many warm and selfless sides of people's hearts, but also many selfish and dark sides. There were not a few people who were forced to flee into the mountains like her. And not many survived. She was really lucky.
Outside the carriage, Jing Zhe and Xiaoman had begun to chat with passersby by ringing the bell, and began to sell the goods carried on the carriage.
As a businessman, it is natural to act like a businessman.
The two trucks were moving very slowly, and Qin Yining's carriage was not close, so they were placed in the back, carefully observing the surroundings.
A few silver-faced spies, pretending to be merchants, have no difficulty doing business with others with a smile on their faces. Many of the goods they bring are small everyday items. Women's headbands, rouge gouache and other things are not expensive. There are also small jewelry, which immediately attracted the attention of many people.
Some people came around and asked about the price, and they left when they felt it was inappropriate. Some stopped and hesitated. Jing Zhe’s purpose was to inquire about the news. The price of the goods was naturally very flexible, and they even accepted barter.
Soon, the news spread that merchants came to the city, and they brought rare objects.
Qin Yining didn't show up, watching Jing Zhe and the others doing business from a distance, and by the way, he inquired about things in the city without a trace. It took more than an hour before the carriage went to the next corner.
Jing Zhe took a moment to approach Qin Yining's carriage and whispered, "Master, the situation here is not right."
"How to say?"
"There are three major clans living in this county, namely the Liu family, the Yuan family, and the Yu family. The total population of these three major clans accounts for 80% of the county's population. It can be seen from the dialogue that the people here Because of this, the people are very united. They lead people peacefully and have the sincerity of the villagers. But whenever I chat and mention that the imperial tomb is going to be built nearby, they all keep silent. I was very enthusiastic about buying things, so I turned around and left after hearing the word "Heroic Mausoleum"."
Qin Yining's brows furrowed: "But from the roster, when the Governor-General built the Emperor's Tomb, most of the people at that time came to Danfu County. It's unreasonable to hear that the Emperor's Mausoleum is so indifferent. Did something go wrong with them in the first place? ?"
"Perhaps so." Jing Zhe said, "At the current speed, it seems that our team will take at least two days to travel through the entire county. Today, let's go east and west on this main road, what do you think?"
"Naturally it's good." Qin Yining said, "Don't be too deliberate, just mention it occasionally when you meet someone who is kind."
"Yes, don't worry, my lord."
After the two said it briefly, Jing Zhe returned to the scooter happily like an ordinary boy.
The two carts took the lead, Qin Yining's carriage followed, and the group continued to advance slowly.
Not long after, they came to the most prosperous part of Main Street in Danford County.
Qin Yining looked out through the gap in the curtains, and when his eyes fell under a big tree at the entrance of the alley, he could not help frowning slightly.
Under the tree at this moment lay a man in ragged clothes, with a thin body that looked like a bamboo pole. The man's temples were gray, his hair was like dried weeds, and his face was dirty, which made it impossible to see his actual appearance and age. He could only see that the bridge of his nose was very high, and he was holding a stick in his arms. Bamboo sticks as thick as eggs, as if they were his treasures, curled up barefoot.
Seeing that Qin Yining's expression was wrong, Ji Yun asked in a low voice, "Madam, what's wrong?"
"Look, there is a beggar." Qin Yining pointed at the person under the tree.
Ji Yun Yiyan looked at it, nodded and said, "Indeed."
"Do you find it strange?"
"What's weird?"
Qin Yining frowned and said, "We haven't seen a single beggar along the way. There is only one here."
Ji Yun smiled and said, "Maybe no one comes to the main street, and everyone lives in the remote land temple."