Chapter 353 – Turmoil in the Capital (Ten)
Wu Ma Jun felt he had discreetly extracted the information he desired, and his once racing heart now steadied, his demeanor more relaxed than before. Meanwhile, the silent An Yina Princess stole a glance at Jiang Pengji, just in time to catch the other’s gaze falling upon her.
“This lady is… the beloved concubine of Zhengze?” Jiang Pengji asked deliberately.
The woman’s attire was familiar to Wu Ma Jun, inciting normal curiosity in anyone.
Wu Ma Jun hurried to clarify, “Elder Brother, you can’t say that! If Second Brother hears, he will definitely be jealous. This is my second sister-in-law, who climbed Guanyin Mountain during the day to seek blessings from the goddess for children. We happened to run into each other on our way back to the city, so I thought to escort her home.”
As for why they didn’t return to the Second Prince’s residence but came to this tea house, he didn’t elaborate further.
Jiang Pengji suddenly realized, feeling clear and unbothered, and replied apologetically, “Ah, so it’s the Second Prince’s wife. I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”
An Yina used this chance to quietly observe Jiang Pengji, and upon seeing no abnormal reaction on her face, she felt reassured.
“No harm done, it’s understandable for Young Master Liu to be suspicious in such a situation; it is indeed my shortcoming.”
An Yina didn’t push Jiang Pengji to actually apologize and gracefully smoothed over the matter with a charming smile.
“I wonder if Young Master Liu heard anything during that time?”
Suddenly, An Yina interjected, her expression still cheerful as she flipped her hair back delicately.
From her demeanor, there was no trace of panic or guilt, as if she were asking about the weather.
Though her question seemed casual, her enchanting eyes fixated on Jiang Pengji’s responses and expressions.
Jiang Pengji, however, was no novice and wouldn’t be easily tricked by such simple tactics.
Feigning confusion, she furrowed her brows, her starry eyes filled with intrigue as she asked, “Noise?”
Seeing this, An Yina’s heart settled, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
In a fleeting moment, she concocted an appropriate excuse, saying, “Young Master Liu may not know, but I was napping in the private room next door and, vaguely, I heard some rustling noise. I was just too exhausted from praying to Guanyin during the day and couldn’t open my eyes for a long while. When I finally woke up, I discovered I’d lost a valuable item, probably stolen by a petty thief…”
As she spoke, she wore a pained smile, as if that item were of utmost importance to her.
“A thief in the tea house?” Jiang Pengji knitted her brows, asking seriously, “What did the Second Prince’s wife lose? If it’s something personal and the thief spreads word about it, it could cause significant damage to your reputation. We must catch them quickly.”
An Yina pressed her lips together, showing a bittersweet smile. “Thank you, Young Master Liu, for your concern. That thief likely knew better than to steal anything valuable; they only took a few pouches of coins, just ordinary belongings. However… inside the money pouch was a handful of soil from my hometown, which I carry to remind myself of my roots. Now that it’s been stolen, I feel quite uneasy…”
An Yina, having left her homeland alone and marrying into Dongqing, carried a piece of her homeland with her to cherish her memories—who could say this was wrong?
Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but show a touch of sympathy and sighed, “The Second Prince’s wife’s marriage to Dongqing is a vital link between the two nations. But to leave behind one’s homeland, and carry a piece of it—this noble action humbles me. I would like to help you. However, Xu Ke and I have been here at the tea room and haven’t heard anything unusual. Shall we call the young servant in the hall to inquire?”
An Yina knew well how well-soundproofed this tea house was, or else she wouldn’t have chosen it for a secret rendezvous with Wu Ma Jun.
Having probed a few times, she confirmed that Jiang Pengji and Xu Ke hadn’t overheard her secret, and her internal doubts dissipated.
She nodded with a smile, revealing a hint of fragile sorrow, “In that case, I won’t trouble Young Master Liu any further. I will send someone to investigate thoroughly when I return. If it can’t be found, I must just lament fate. I’ve heard your younger sister is about to marry into the royal family; we’ll be relatives then, so let’s stay in touch. The sky is darkening, so I should return home to prevent my husband from worrying.”
An Yina deliberately mentioned Liu Huan, Liu Residence’s younger sister, and Jiang Pengji smoothly took the cue.
“What the Second Prince’s wife says is correct.” Jiang Pengji smiled, a touch of embarrassment on her face as she humbly replied, “My younger sister is overly spoiled at home, and her temperament is rather rough. After the wedding, I hope the Second Prince’s wife will take care of her. If so, I would be very grateful.”
An Yina chuckled softly, covering her lips with a napkin, throwing Jiang Pengji a playful yet charming glance.
“Your sister’s husband is right here; if someone should take care of her, it should be him.” An Yina stood, appearing to take her leave.
Wu Ma Jun flushed, playing the role of the soon-to-be-wed rookie driver to perfection.
In the background, Xu Ke calmly observed the trio’s performance, focused yet relaxed, as if watching a show.
In terms of acting skills, he only admired Jiang Pengji. An Yina and Wu Ma Jun made quite the couple who couldn’t be overlooked either.
After all, to covertly meet without drawing attention requires skill—otherwise, they would’ve been exposed long ago, and wouldn’t be so carefree now.
Seeing An Yina and Wu Ma Jun making excuses to leave, Xu Ke rose with Jiang Pengji, preparing to see them off.
However, fate seemed to have other plans for An Yina and Wu Ma Jun as their departure was anything but smooth.
A maidservant, looking somewhat troubled, blocked their way and offered a deep bow.
“What’s happening downstairs?” Jiang Pengji played with her sandalwood fan, opening and snapping it shut with a clap, her expression indifferent as she inquired of the maidservant, “If there’s no explanation for why you’re stopping us four here, be wary; we might just find someone accountable for this.”
Upon hearing this, the maidservant felt a cold sweat trickling down her back and, trembling in fear, replied, “Please don’t be angry, noble ones! There’s a commotion downstairs with some ruffians trying to make trouble, and I didn’t want to disturb your dignified presence, so I took the liberty to stop you.”
“Trouble?” Jiang Pengji laughed, “I recall this is an establishment under Changshou Wang—who would dare cause mischief here?”
As if on cue, a loud crash echoed from downstairs, as if something had shattered.
Jiang Pengji brushed past the maidservant and went downstairs to join the fray.
“Xu Ke, protect the Fourth Prince and the Second Prince’s wife. Don’t let any evildoers harm them.”
Before leaving, she gave Xu Ke a command.
It was this very command that derailed Xu Ke’s plan to exit through the back door with the two.
The two could only brace themselves and follow her downstairs.
In the hall, the musicians plucking strings and the dancing maidens had already retreated in fear, hiding in a corner.
What should have been a place for painting had now turned into a standoff between two groups, with tension palpable and swords drawn.
“What’s happening?”
As Jiang Pengji looked at the two groups, she quietly asked a young servant who was busy downstairs.
The young servant, looking terrified, cowered in a corner, shaking like a leaf, too frightened to step forward and mediate between the two parties.
