Li Zhenchun carried some silver and went to Chang Cloth Shop in the west district. She knocked on the door for a long time.
With Hongxiu beside her, Li Zhenchun knocked very gently. Even Hongxiu could not stand watching anymore.
Hongxiu handed her the umbrella.
“Young Madam, hold this. I’ll do it.”
Li Zhenchun obediently took the umbrella and stood aside.
The slim Hongxiu rolled up her sleeves, clenched her fist, and bang! bang! bang! pounded on the door again and again.
“Is anyone inside? My Young Madam has brought money for you!”
Li Zhenchun almost choked from surprise.
“Keep your voice down! Don’t let everyone know we have money!”
Hongxiu nodded seriously and pounded even harder.
“Is anyone home? My Young Madam has no money! Can you please open the door for her?”
Li Zhenchun was speechless.
She suddenly missed Nanzhi.
At least Nanzhi was a normal maid.
The sturdy wooden door was about to collapse. Before it finally broke, Li Zhenchun hurriedly grabbed Hongxiu’s arm.
“Forget it! Stop knocking! If the door breaks, we’ll have to pay for it.”
“But we came here to give them money anyway.”
Hongxiu said honestly.
Li Zhenchun sighed.
“Giving money is different from paying compensation.”
Hongxiu nodded and looked at the door.
“Strange. Are they asleep? We’ve knocked for so long, but nobody has opened the door.”
Li Zhenchun also looked toward the cloth shop.
With such loud knocking, even a dead person should have woken up.
If they still refused to open the door, either nobody was home, or they were deliberately hiding.
She turned to Hongxiu.
“You go back first. I’ll walk around by myself.”
“It’s raining so heavily. Young Madam, don’t wander around. I’ll go home and make chicken soup for you.”
“Chicken soup takes a long time to cook. Go start it first. I’ll drink it after I return.”
“All right.”
Hongxiu reluctantly left.
Holding her umbrella, Li Zhenchun entered a nearby cosmetics shop.
She closed the umbrella, walked to the owner, and placed a few pieces of silver on the counter.
“Boss, I’d like to ask you something.”
The owner happily pocketed the silver.
“Please ask.”
“Has the owner of the cloth shop next door moved away?”
“I haven’t heard that. I only know his daughter was killed by a young nobleman. Moving away? That’s unlikely. The cloth shop has belonged to the Chang family for generations. Boss Chang treasures it even more than his daughter. I don’t think he’d leave.”
“How did he usually treat his daughter?”
“He treated her well. Isn’t that how most fathers are? After she died, he was sad for a few days, but life still has to go on.”
Li Zhenchun continued,
“About a month ago, did you see a well-dressed young man come looking for Boss Chang? Or perhaps for his daughter?”
Since Lian Chengbi had a portrait of Miss Chang, he should have met her before.
The owner thought for a while.
“I don’t remember something from a month ago very clearly. But I do remember a servant from a wealthy family coming to see Boss Chang. I heard he came because his young master wanted to take Miss Chang as a concubine.”
That servant was Jiu’an, Wei Xinian’s attendant.
He was still locked in the woodshed at the Wei residence.
Li Zhenchun walked outside.
Since they had not moved away, someone should still be inside.
Holding her umbrella, she went behind the cloth shop.
After making sure nobody was nearby, she lightly jumped onto the wall.
She quietly climbed into the courtyard.
She carefully searched every room.
She had worried someone might still be there.
Instead, she found the entire courtyard empty.
She opened a wardrobe.
The clothes were neatly folded and completely full.
It didn’t look like anyone had packed for a long trip.
She checked the kitchen.
There were still fresh vegetables inside.
They had wilted slightly but had not rotted yet.
If the family had left, they had not been gone for long.
She entered another room.
It was tidy.
Judging by the clothing, it belonged to a young man.
The cosmetics shop owner had mentioned that Boss Chang had a young son only five or six years old.
The only grown man living there was the scholar Liu Yu, who was staying with the family.
He was also Miss Chang’s cousin.
Li Zhenchun carefully searched Liu Yu’s belongings.
Nothing seemed unusual.
His brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone were all the cheapest quality.
For a poor scholar staying with relatives, having supplies at all was already fortunate.
She climbed back onto the wall with her umbrella.
Just as she was about to jump down, she noticed a little girl curled up on top of the wall.
The heavy rain blurred her appearance.
Only the bright red hem of her dress stood out.
Li Zhenchun raised an eyebrow.
She jumped down and walked over.
“It’s raining this hard. Don’t you feel cold?”
The little figure trembled like a frightened rabbit before slowly raising her head.
Her pale neck was long and slender, with rainwater running down it.
It was Princess Liang’an.
She glanced at Li Zhenchun before lowering her head again.
Her clothes were stained with yellow and black mud.
Her hair was messy, as though someone had grabbed it.
Curled up in the corner, she looked like a little beggar anyone could bully.
Li Zhenchun looked at her.
“You’re a princess. How did you end up like this?”
The little girl remained silent, determined to hide inside her shell.
Li Zhenchun squatted beside her without caring that her light green dress touched the muddy ground.
Supporting her chin with one hand and holding the umbrella with the other, she smiled.
“Have you ever eaten the roast goose from Liuchun Restaurant? I heard they slice it into thin pieces. The skin is crispy, the meat is tender, and every bite is full of flavor.”
The little girl looked up at her in confusion.
Li Zhenchun continued,
“They also make delicious shredded rabbit meat. The roasted rabbit is torn into strips and dipped in their family’s secret sauce. It’s spicy, fragrant, and chewy.”
Princess Liang’an finally asked,
“Are you treating me?”
“I have no money. You’re a princess. You should treat me.”
She showed absolutely no shame in asking a drenched little girl to pay.
Instead, she happily linked arms with her.
“Come on. You’re buying me roast goose and shredded rabbit.”
The princess obediently followed her.
She seemed used to being led around.
She looked quietly at the back of Li Zhenchun’s head before lowering her eyes again.
…
At Liuchun Restaurant, Princess Liang’an was still wearing her wet clothes.
Li Zhenchun placed a rabbit leg into her hand.
“Try it. Rabbit legs are delicious.”
Because of the rain, the restaurant was almost empty.
Still soaked and with hair hanging like wet seaweed, the princess felt very uncomfortable.
“Can I go home and change clothes first before treating you? Or…”
She hurriedly removed the jeweled hairpins from her hair.
As soon as they came off, her hair fell messily over her forehead.
She had to hold both the hairpins and her loose hair, looking extremely awkward.
Li Zhenchun took a ribbon from her sleeve and stood behind her.
“Move your hands.”
Princess Liang’an obediently let go.
Li Zhenchun removed the remaining ornaments, gathered her hair together, and tied it with a light yellow ribbon.
Then she returned to her seat.
The princess touched her hair.
Suddenly remembering something, she quickly handed the expensive hairpins to Li Zhenchun.
“You can have these. They’ll pay for the meal.”
She added timidly,
“They’re very expensive. You can exchange them for lots of silver.”
Resting her chin on one hand, Li Zhenchun accepted the hairpins.
“Do you know who I am?”
The princess nodded.
“You’re the eldest young madam of the Wei family. I’ve seen Deputy Magistrate Wei before. He’s very handsome.”
Li Zhenchun paused.
“No matter how handsome he is, he’s someone else’s husband. You can’t admire him.”
Princess Liang’an quickly shook her head.
“I won’t. Grandmother said I’ll probably be sent away in a political marriage one day. The men in the capital have nothing to do with me.”
Li Zhenchun stabbed her chopsticks into the roast suckling pig as if she were visiting a grave.
“You’re still so young. Why are they already talking about a political marriage?”
She picked up a piece of duck and placed it into the princess’s bowl.
“Do you often go to the palace?”
Although confused, Princess Liang’an nodded.
“I go every five days to greet Grandmother and pray for her.”
“Then you must know the palace very well. If I ever get the chance to enter the palace, use your status as a princess to protect me, a merchant’s daughter.”
She looked at the duck meat.
“Consider it repayment for this piece of duck.”
“Huh?”
The princess hesitated.
“But I’m the one paying for this meal.”
“You also owe me for tying your hair.”
Thinking of the messy hairstyle she had created, Li Zhenchun admitted it wasn’t pretty.
She was only good at doing her own hair.
Princess Liang’an couldn’t see it, but she still nodded.
“If you come to the palace someday, I’ll take you to the Imperial Garden.”
“Is it very big?”
She nodded.
“It’s even bigger than my princess residence. There are many flowers, a large lake with lotus flowers, and pavilions over the water.”
Li Zhenchun smiled warmly, like she was comforting a child.
After escorting Princess Liang’an back to her residence, Li Zhenchun returned to the Wei family estate.
Before reaching Yue Jingque’s courtyard, she met Jingye.
Several maids carrying bundles followed behind her.
It looked like they were leaving.
“Jingye.”
Li Zhenchun stopped her.
“Where are you going?”
The maid bowed.
“We’re returning to the Prime Minister’s residence.”
“Returning? Did Jingque ask you to fetch something?”
“Our Young Madam has gone back to the Prime Minister’s residence today. We’re bringing her daily necessities so we can continue serving her.”
Li Zhenchun quickly grabbed Jingye’s arm.
“Why did Jingque go back?”
Wei Xinian was still in prison.
She shouldn’t have left.
And judging by the luggage, she planned to stay there for a while.
Jingye gently withdrew her arm.
“The Old Madam is ill. Young Madam returned to care for her.”
Watching Jingye leave, Li Zhenchun turned around and saw Wei Nancheng standing there.
He had changed into a light blue scholar’s robe.
His elegant posture was as straight as the bamboo beside him.
He spoke calmly.
“She entered the palace with Grandmother. Grandmother was kept there by the Empress Dowager, while Jingque returned to the Prime Minister’s residence with the Right Chancellor.”
Li Zhenchun stared at him.
After a long silence, she finally asked,
“Did you disguise yourself as a palace eunuch and follow them into the palace?”
Otherwise, how would he know all that?
Wei Nancheng frowned slightly.
Li Zhenchun hurriedly waved her hands.
“I was just joking. Please don’t take it seriously.”
She stepped back.
“My skirt is wet. I’m going to change. I won’t disturb you.”
She picked up her skirt and ran.
At the corner, she slipped and almost fell flat on her back.
Holding onto the wall, she awkwardly smiled at Wei Nancheng.
“I’m fine. No need to help me. I can walk by myself.”
Wei Nancheng quietly watched her disappear around the corner.
He had always known she was afraid of him.
…
“Young Madam, you’re finally back.”
Hongxiu looked relieved.
“The chicken soup I made is almost cold.”
Sitting at the table, Li Zhenchun suddenly realized she had been tricked by Xie Weian.
Having worked at Shuntian Prefecture for years, he certainly understood the case well.
Otherwise, he would never have said that multiple powerful groups were involved.
The Empress Dowager.
The Prime Minister’s family.
The Lian family.
All of them were connected to Wei Xinian’s case.
Li Zhenchun held her head.
Were they all working together against the Wei family?
Or did each have their own goals?
Wei Xinian was only a useless young noble.
Apart from making the Wei family sad, his death would not greatly affect them.
So why were they determined to kill him?
Her head felt ready to explode.
The capital was already in chaos before she even became involved.
If she stirred things up further, everything would become an even bigger mess.
“Hongxiu, forget the chicken soup. Pack it up.”
“We’re taking the Second Young Master his last meal.”
…
“Yue Jingque went back?!”
Wei Xinian squatted by the prison bars.
One hand held chicken soup.
The other held a chicken leg.
As he shouted, droplets of saliva sprayed across Li Zhenchun’s face.
She closed her eyes and wiped her face.
Wei Xinian looked around before whispering,
“Did she go back to ask her father to save me?”
“Ah… I feel so embarrassed.”
“I treated her so badly before, and I didn’t even visit my father-in-law when we returned after the wedding.”
He talked nonstop, whispering so quickly that he looked just like the gossiping little maids in the Wei household.
“The most important thing is… she’s so proud. Someone as proud as her actually went back to beg her father for me.”
“I’m… I’m really touched.”
He took another bite of the chicken leg.
Why were his eyes full of tears?
Because the chicken leg was simply too delicious.
During the past half month, many people had visited him.
But not one of them had brought him food.
They had all come just to laugh at him.
Looking at Li Zhenchun, he said gratefully,
“You’re a good person too. From now on, I’ll never call you a silly girl again.”
Li Zhenchun looked at him as he stuffed his mouth with food.
“You’re going to be executed in one month.”
“I know.”
“My brother already told me.”
He happily chewed the chicken.
“This chicken is delicious. The soup is great too. Can you bring me more tomorrow?”
“And also my mother’s lotus cakes, osmanthus pastries, sweet-and-sour cherry pork, roast goose with deer tendon, and dried red dragon meat.”
Li Zhenchun frowned.
“The first two are fine. I don’t really like pastries.”
“But why have I never eaten the last three dishes?”
“They all sound delicious.”
Wei Xinian smiled.
“Maybe since I’m in prison, Mother isn’t in the mood to cook.”
“When I get out, I’ll ask her to make them for both of us.”
He looked at Li Zhenchun with complete approval.
“From today on, we’re brothers.”
“If I have a piece of meat, you’ll at least get a bone to chew.”
Li Zhenchun was speechless.
She finally understood what General Wei had once said:
“The Second Young Master may be useless, but he has an incredibly broad heart.”