Return of the Swallow

When Pang Xiao returned to the palace, his expression still showed anger but he had to suppress his mood. It wasn't until he returned to his room and saw Qin Yining that he burst into laughter.

"What's the matter, are you so happy?" Qin Yining heard the movement and came out. When he saw Pang Xiao standing at the door laughing alone, he couldn't help but laugh.

Pang Xiao shook his head and sat beside Arhat's bed with Qin Yining in his arms.

"It's nothing, I just thought of Uncle Zhongyi and found it very interesting." After 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 funnyly: "Isn't that what you want him to do?"

Thinking about how people like Pang Xiao, who would rather fight openly when faced with difficulties, have gradually become adept at acting and conspiracy, Qin Yining couldn't help but sigh: "In the eyes of outsiders, both you and Uncle Zhongyi are both great and glorious figures among men. For example, we are rich and powerful, and our status is more than a little bit higher than ordinary people. But only we ourselves know how much we have suffered under the glamorous appearance. Acting is the simplest, only licking blood from the knife's edge through life and death. It’s a common occurrence.”

Pang Xiao kissed Qin Yining's cheek and said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter if you act in a show, you can get used to it through life and death. As much wealth as a person can enjoy, he will suffer as much as he wants. Just face it with a calm mind. Anyway, the days in the future will only be the same. Better than now."

Qin Yining laughed.

She originally wanted to persuade and appease Pang Xiao, but she didn't expect that he could think independently and persuaded her in turn.

"It's good if you can think openly. In that case, I will tell people to get ready, and we will set off tomorrow."

Pang Xiao nodded, "I'll go outside to discuss it with Mr. Xie and Mr. Xu."

Pang Xiao and Qin Yining prepared separately. The next day, with enough manpower, the group drove a carriage and left Huichuan County in a swaggering manner.

In addition to the carriage that the two of them were riding in, there were also a number of green-curtained carriages and flat carts in the convoy.

The accompanying guards looked relaxed, chatting and laughing. Qin Yining often opened the curtains and looked out. His leisurely appearance did not look like he was going to do errands, but rather like he was going out for fun.

Pang Xiao and Qin Yining went out of the city with great fanfare. After hearing the news, Lu Heng and Lu Wenru stood on the street corner to watch from a distance to confirm that they were indeed gone.

From the open car window, she saw Qin Yining leaning on Pang Xiao obediently and tenderly. The two of them chatted and laughed intimately, thinking that even if they arrived in Danfu County,

Even if the sky falls, there will still be Qin Yining beside Pang Xiao who shares the honor and disgrace, and Lu Heng's good mood will be reduced by half.

"Let's go." Lu Heng turned around and left with a sullen face.

Lu Wenru didn't dare to ask more questions and hurriedly followed, but he understood Lu Heng's feelings in his heart. Compared with Madam Uncle who was still in the palace and often lost her temper, the couple of Prince Zhongshun and Princess was really enviable.

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Danfu County is not very far from Huichuan County, so for fear of delaying the official business, Qin Yining discussed with Pang Xiao to set off first as soon as the team arrived in the suburbs.

Although Pang Xiao had already made his decision, he was still worried when he saw Qin Yining put on an ordinary fine cotton dress and a white gauze hat.

"Wouldn't it be better for me to arrange for more elite tiger guards to follow you? You only have four of them, Jiyun and Jingzhe, and I really can't let go."

Qin Yining lifted up the white gauze on the curtain hat and looked up at Pang Xiao with a smile: "I am just an ordinary businesswoman now. It is already a big deal to have a maid and four clerks by my side. If there are more people, . Maybe people will be suspicious, and nothing can be found out by then? Besides, each of the Jinghu Guards are among the best, with extraordinary appearance. They are too eye-catching when they go out, unlike the four of them, Jingzhe, who were good at it in the past. I also have experience in spying, and I know better how to hide it from the public."

Pang Xiao knew that what Qin Yining said was right, so he said helplessly: "Okay, it's all up to you."

He turned around and told Tang Xiu: "Take someone to see if anyone is following you."

"Yes." Tang Xiu agreed, and then took the elite tiger guards to check. After a while, they reported back and forth, "Return to the prince, there is nothing suspicious."

Pang Xiao helped Qin Yining get into the carriage, and then went to give orders to Jingzhe and the other four.

"Although spying on information is important, the safety of the princess is more important. If anything happens, protecting the safety of the princess is the first priority."

"Yes. Prince, don't worry, we will live up to our orders." Jingzhe and others saluted solemnly.

Qin Yining lifted the car curtain, 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 curtain hat, so no one can tell who I am or where I am. What dangers could there be?"

"I know what you are capable of, but you are still worried." Pang Xiao said helplessly, "Go ahead and evacuate immediately if something happens. It doesn't matter if you can't find out the news. I will follow immediately. I don't believe that." Cheng Weimin can still really resist the decree and show disrespect."

"I know." Qin Yining said goodbye to Pang Xiao with a smile, and ordered Jingzhe and others to set off.

An ordinary carriage with green curtains, followed by two large flatbed carriages filled with daily groceries, slowly walked onto the avenue.

Seeing Qin Yining walking away, Pang Xiao ordered his men, "Let's set off and take the official road slowly."

The journey to Danfu County went smoothly. In the early morning of July 13th, the group followed the road guide and drove the cart directly into the city gate.

It was a hot summer day, so the car windows were open, with only a layer of curtains separating the inside and outside. As they drove, the curtains curved like waves. Qin Yining and Ji Yun lifted up the curtains to look out.

As a large county with fertile land and well-developed agriculture, Danfu County looks much larger than Huichuan County. There are people walking on the street, and you can tell from their clothes and demeanor that they live a good life. Very peaceful.

"Madam, the atmosphere here looks very good. It seems to be more comfortable than Huichuan County. There are more smiles on people's faces. They all seem to be kind-hearted people." Ji Yun said softly.

Qin Yining nodded, "Although there are floods, Danfu County's foundation is still there after all. People don't have to worry about whether they will starve to death, and they naturally feel relaxed. Only when they can live a comfortable life without having to fight for it can they be calm." Be a kind person.”

Qin Yining thought of Liangcheng, which was at the junction of the two countries' wars. While the war was going on, husband and wife, father and son couldn't even care about each other. Just one bite, whoever eats it will live. Should he keep it for himself or his relatives? She saw the warm and selfless side of many people, but also the selfish and dark side. There were not many people like her who were forced to flee into the mountains. And not many people survived. She is really lucky.

Outside the carriage, Jingzhe and Xiaoman began to ring their bells, chat with passers-by, and began to sell the goods carried in the carriage.

Since you are a traveling businessman, you naturally have to act like a traveling businessman.

The two trucks were moving very slowly, and Qin Yining's carriage did not get close. It stayed far behind, observing the surroundings carefully.

A few silver spies had no trouble pretending to be businessmen. Each one of them was doing business with a smile. Many of the goods they brought were daily small items, such as women's hairbands, rouge and gouache, which were not expensive. There are also small jewelry, which immediately attracted the attention of many people.

Some people came up to ask about the price, and left after feeling it was not suitable, while others hesitated. Jingzhe's purpose was to get information. The price of the goods was naturally very flexible, and they even accepted barter.

Soon, news spread that merchants came to the city, bringing with them rare items.

Qin Yining did not show up, watching Jingzhe and the others doing business from a distance, while inquiring about things in the city without leaving any trace. It took more than an hour for the carriage to move to the next corner.

Jingzhe took a moment to approach Qin Yining's carriage and whispered: "Master, something is wrong here."

"How to say?"

"There are three big clans living in this county, namely the Liu family, the Yuan family and the Yu family. The combined population of these three clans accounts for 80% of the county's population. It can be seen from the conversation that the people here The people are very united for this reason. They lead people peacefully and have the sincerity of farmers. But whenever I mentioned that an imperial mausoleum was to be built nearby, everyone kept silent, and there were a few who originally He wanted to buy something very enthusiastically, but he turned around and left after hearing the word "imperial mausoleum."

Qin Yining frowned: "But judging from the roster, when the Governor-General built the imperial mausoleum, most of the people at that time came to Danfu County. It makes no sense to be so indifferent when they heard that the imperial mausoleum was being built. Did something go wrong with them in the first place? ?”

"Maybe so." Jingzhe said, "At the current speed, it seems that it will take at least two days for our team to visit the entire county. Today we will take the east-west main road first. What do you think?"

"Of course it's good." Qin Yining said, "Don't be too deliberate. Just mention it by chance when you meet a kind person."

"Yes, don't worry, Master."

After the two briefly talked, Jingzhe happily returned to the cart like an ordinary boy.

Two carts took the lead, followed by Qin Yining's carriage, and the group continued to advance slowly.

Not long after, we arrived at the busiest part of Danford County's main street.

Qin Yining looked out through the gap in the curtains and frowned slightly when his eyes fell under a big tree at the entrance of the alley.

Under the tree, a man in ragged clothes and as thin as a bamboo pole was lying. The man's temples were gray, his hair looked like dried weeds, and his face was dirty. It was impossible to tell the man's actual appearance and age. All he could see was that his nose was very high, and he was holding a cigarette in his arms. The bamboo stick as thick as an egg seemed to be his treasure, curled up with bare feet.

Ji Yun saw that Qin Yining looked wrong and asked in a low voice: "Madam, what's wrong?"

"Look there, there is a beggar." Qin Yining pointed to the person under the tree.

Ji Yun looked at the words, nodded and said: "Indeed."

"Do you think it's 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. Everyone lives in the remote Tutu Temple."