"Sister, when I went to the manor for a medical consultation today, I ran into the envoys from the Shuobei Kingdom on the road."
"I told Lanxi about it, and his reaction was strange. It was as if he knew those envoys."
Song Jinzhao put down the crossbow and turned to walk into the room.
"Today, Prince Ying took Gong Linjue shopping all over the city. Which envoy did you meet?"
If the master was staying in the city, why would a subordinate run out of the city?
Song Shixue sat down and said, "It was the man who followed behind Prince Wei that day. He is a head shorter than him and looks to be in his forties."
Song Jinzhao recalled the scene of them entering the city that day. "It should be the deputy envoy of the diplomatic mission. Was he alone, or were there several people?"
Song Shixue: "He was alone, and he was struck by lightning."
Song Jinzhao raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Is he still alive?"
Song Shixue nodded. "Alive, but his hair was completely scorched."
Thinking of the Shuobei Kingdom's covetousness toward potatoes a few days ago, Song Jinzhao pondered for a long while before asking, "Where did you meet him? Was it near the imperial manor?"
Song Shixue: "It was only three or four miles away from the capital at the time, not yet at the imperial manor. I just don't know how long he had been walking."
Song Jinzhao absentmindedly tasted the hot tea in her hands. After thinking for a moment, she looked up and instructed Qingshuang, "Go to the Zhenguo Duke's estate and inform the Duke of Qing that the deputy envoy left the city alone today."
"This servant will go immediately." Qingshuang placed the box containing the short arrows and crossbow on the shelf, turned, and walked out of the room.
Song Shixue continued, "Sister, when I mentioned the Shuobei diplomatic mission, Lanxi pressed me on whether the person was exceptionally tall. I suspect the person he was thinking of is Gong Linjue, and he is very afraid of him."
Song Jinzhao looked up at Hehua. "Go out and close the door. There is no need to leave anyone outside."
"Yes." Without another word, Hehua went out, closed the door, and even took away the two servants responsible for cleaning.
After making sure there was no one around, Song Jinzhao spoke, "Do you still remember the injuries on Lanxi's body when we first met him?"
Song Shixue answered softly, "I remember. He was severely injured at the time, blind in one eye, covered in knife wounds, and had been beaten several times by beggars."
Song Jinzhao: "The color of Lanxi's pupils is either a genetic mutation like a snowball, or the blood of a foreigner flows in his body. I suspect he escaped from the Shuobei Kingdom, and the person who wants to kill him is probably Gong Linjue."
Originally, Song Jinzhao's object of suspicion was someone in the diplomatic mission. Since Lanxi cared so much about whether the person was tall or not, the possibility of it being Gong Linjue became very high.
Song Shixue recalled Lanxi's reaction from a few days ago and his reaction today.
"So that's why he was so nervous and afraid. But why would a prince of the Shuobei Kingdom want to hunt him down?"
"When we bought Lanxi, he was only fourteen. Who could he have offended?"
Song Jinzhao: "That is something we have to ask Lanxi himself."
Song Shixue bit her lip tightly, thinking of the two times he had hidden things from her. "If he refuses to tell me, it must be something major."
Seeing her worry, Song Jinzhao formed a guess in her heart.
"Before the diplomatic mission leaves the capital, let Lanxi stay at the manor and not come back, lest he be discovered. I will ask him after they leave."
Song Shixue nodded, her face showing concern.
If the person who wanted to kill him really was Gong Linjue, then he definitely could not be discovered and had to stay hidden.
After shopping in the city all day, no one returned to the Huitong Guesthouse empty-handed.
Xiao Rongyan, who had been walking all day, had sore and aching feet. After dropping Gong Linjue off at the guesthouse, he immediately climbed into his carriage to return to his estate.
When he got home and took off his shoes, sure enough, several blisters had formed on his feet.
Inside the Huitong Guesthouse, the mission's guards stood outside the room. Inside, Gong Linjue leaned against the couch, while the hat-wearing deputy envoy stood before him.
"There are heavy guards stationed near the imperial manor, making it impossible to approach. It seems the Emperor of Dongzhao had taken precautions early on."
Gong Linjue's gaze was dark as he said, "Since the Court of Agricultural Affairs manages the potatoes, we will start with them."
"Men die for wealth just as birds die for food. Find a way to make contact, use silver to bribe someone, and bring some potatoes out."
The deputy envoy nodded. "This subordinate understands."
Gong Linjue looked at his curled, short hair on the side. "What happened to your hair?"
The deputy envoy smiled bitterly and took off his hat. "This subordinate was struck by lightning outside the city today. Fortunately, it didn't take my life, but this hair is practically unpresentable now."
Gong Linjue looked at the top of his head, which looked worse than if a dog had chewed on it.
"Since it's this ugly, just shave it all off. Say it was accidentally burned by a candle. Don't let anyone know you went to the imperial manor."
The deputy envoy touched his coarse hair with a pained expression.
"This subordinate understands. I will shave it in a moment."
After Qingshuang left the Zhenguo Duke's estate, Chu Liuyun immediately went to Commander Fan's house.
"Today, Gong Linjue used a trick to transfer all the Imperial Guards away from the Huitong Guesthouse. The deputy envoy took the opportunity to leave the city and go to the imperial manor, presumably for the potatoes. We need to dispatch more personnel outside the guesthouse. It's best not to do it openly this time. Arrange for people to disguise themselves as street vendors and guard the surrounding areas. Don't let them be noticed."
Fan Guanshan was startled at first, then confused.
"If the Imperial Guards didn't notice, how did the Duke know?"
Chu Liuyun replied, "Someone saw a man struck by lightning outside the city. They were curious, took a few extra glances, and recognized him."
"Ah! The deputy envoy was struck by lightning!"
Chu Liuyun nodded. "I heard he is fine, but his hair is a bit of a mess."
The next morning, several unfamiliar faces appeared at the stalls and shops around the Huitong Guesthouse. Their eyes constantly monitored the opposite side, not even sparing the walls.
On the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month in the twenty-eighth year of Yongyuan, the Emperor of the Dongzhao Kingdom celebrated his fifty-second birthday.
The birthday banquet in the Baohe Hall was basically the same as in previous years. The difference was that Prince Ying now sat in the seat originally meant for Prince Qi, and Gong Linjue took Prince Ying's seat, with the deputy envoy sitting just below him.
As the bells and drums sounded, the birthday banquet officially began.
After presenting gifts and taking their seats, palace maids and eunuchs flowed in like water, carrying trays to serve the dishes.
Sitting in his seat, Gong Linjue looked toward Chu Liuyun. Today, he was going to make the Dongzhao Kingdom lose face.
"Your Highness," the deputy envoy stretched his head over and called out softly.
Gong Linjue turned his head to look at him.
The deputy envoy leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Sitting below the Empress is Dongzhao's Eldest Princess, Xiao Yongjia. She just looked at Chu Liuyun several times, her face flushed with spring affection. It looks a bit unusual."
Gong Linjue looked up and happened to see the two of them making eye contact.
One was full of tender affection, and the other responded gently. It seemed they were a couple.
"No rush. Let me test Chu Liuyun's skills first."
The deputy envoy nodded. Their main purpose in coming to Dongzhao to celebrate the birthday this time was to observe the strength of Dongzhao's military generals.
Chu Liuyun, who was able to withstand the Second Prince back then, was their key observation target.
Song Jinzhao, who was separated from Princess Yongjia by two tables, had been secretly observing the situation of the other people in the Baohe Hall the entire time.
Gong Linjue and the others' focus on Chu Liuyun was seen clearly by her.
On the first day they arrived, they said they wanted to spar. It had been over ten days with no movement. Could it be that he wanted to compete with Chu Liuyun at the birthday banquet?!
