Her daughter sat by the bedside, fiddling with herself in front of a bronze mirror.
However, that figure remained silent.
Zhuo Niangzi felt something was wrong and cautiously stepped forward to ask, "NiZi, is something the matter?"
The figure trembled, turned, and replied, "Mother."
Before leaving the manor, Murong Yun wanted one last look at the Prince. She anxiously wondered why he was being pushed out to fight with broken legs, while also feeling heartbroken, wishing she were the one by the Prince's side.
As the Regent's carriage returned, she rushed towards it like a swallow returning to its nest. Then, as if remembering what Xiao Wangye had said about the separation between men and women, she decided she needed to be more composed. She stopped a short distance from the carriage, maintaining an expression of reserved shyness mixed with faint worry, her gaze lingering on the Prince's carriage as if unable to look away.
Ye Qingcheng, who was eating a pastry, choked. She had gone to a restaurant for business that day when Xiao Wangye, feeling a surge of inspiration, brought her back to the manor halfway. She had also forgotten to consult the almanac before leaving, never expecting to encounter such a situation on the way back to the manor!
Ye Qingcheng was both exasperated and furious, looking at Xiao Wangye with a disgusted gaze.
Your white moonlight has arrived, why aren't you getting out of the carriage to perform a sweet, loving act?
Xiao Wangye ignored her expression, only lifting the corners of his lips unconsciously when his back was turned to Ye Qingcheng.
Ye Qingcheng decided it was best to avoid seeing it, telling the driver, Xiao Si, to hurry and pull the carriage into the manor! Her eyes were about to go blind!
Xiao Si, with a troubled expression, only pulled the carriage into the manor after the Prince remained silent.
Alas, when gods fight, lesser beings suffer. When will the Prince and Princess be able to communicate with a calm heart!
Ye Qingcheng, initially filled with anger towards Murong Yun and resentful enough to gnash her teeth, was already scheming how to annoy Murong Yun further. But then, another thought struck her.
How did Murong Yun's rebirth come about, as recorded in the book?
She didn't remember how she transmigrated, and the book didn't say how Murong Yun was reborn. But now, she needed to uncover the hidden truth!
She had to figure it out!
Although the novel didn't explain the exact circumstances of Murong Yun's rebirth, Ye Qingcheng wasn't afraid as long as it wasn't a completely baseless rebirth.
Thus, for the first time, Ye Qingcheng seriously considered Murong Yun's face. She had never truly looked at her; every meeting involved her playing the role of a substitute. But everyone said they were very similar. Ye Qingcheng searched her memory for information about that face from the past.
She couldn't recall anyone in the apocalypse with whom she bore a resemblance.
So, she began to ponder whether Murong Yun had encountered any divine artifacts, places, or people that could have enabled her rebirth.
Ye Qingcheng perked up, picked up paper and brush, and prepared a tinderbox, quickly making notes.
After recalling Murong Yun's actions and places from her past life, she analyzed them again with focus.
The Prime Minister's estate.
Various locations in the capital.
That scumbag.
And the vicinity of the Prime Minister's rural ancestral home.
She finally pinpointed her ancestral home because she remembered a crucial plot point in the text: Murong Yun, on the verge of death in her past life, had used a pretext of returning home to visit a renowned temple to weep.
At that time, her relationship with the Prime Minister's estate had become strained, but she still didn't understand why she went there. She had simply thought the author's writing was poor, providing a casual reason for Murong Yun to find a place with good feng shui to end her life.
Now, she suspected that temple was highly problematic. However, it was thousands of miles away from the capital, and Ye Qingcheng's reach couldn't extend that far.
Ye Qingcheng's expression was serious; she needed her own power.
She couldn't involve Xiao Wangye's people. Xiao Wangye's possessive nature would absolutely lead him to investigate this matter to the very end, and it also involved Murong Yun. Ye Qingcheng could even imitate his chuunibyou (in her eyes) personality and predict what he would say, likely something like, "Heh, woman, I advise you not to attract my attention," a phrase so cringe-worthy it would make her toes curl. Who knew that every time she saw him speak with such confidence, if his face were even slightly less attractive, she'd throw a bottle of detergent at him.
She took stock of her current sphere of influence and planned to prepare for this matter at her own restaurant.
Just then, Xiao Wangye summoned her again to treat his legs. Ye Qingcheng threw the paper in her hand into the basin and burned it, then walked over with a sarcastic tone, "What, finished chatting with your old flame?"
Xiao Wangye was in a slightly better mood, so he replied, "What, are you jealous?"
The moment he said that, Ye Qingcheng understood where his thoughts were shifting. She made an exaggerated gagging motion, successfully making Xiao Wangye's face darken completely.
Xiao Wangye, too lazy to deal with this woman, turned his attention back to his legs after Ye Qingcheng finished needling them. As Ye Qingcheng was about to turn and slip away, he spoke to her about important matters.
"You want me to go with you?"
Ye Qingcheng frowned, not believing that she, a woman, could enter the military camp.
"I need you to treat my legs. You'll have to disguise yourself as a man, and you don't need to worry about anything else."
"Actually, I could provide you with a few prescriptions for relief, although they're not as effective as acupuncture—"
"Talk too much."
Her fists clenched. This damnable way of ordering a subordinate around.
Ye Qingcheng took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said, "Certainly, Your Highness." Her tone was deliberately sweet and sarcastic.
Xiao Wangye, pleased, let Ye Qingcheng leave. Ye Qingcheng left the scene in a huff, then returned to her room to pack her things.
She muttered, "If it weren't for the important task, no fool would bother with you."
Jing Xiu helped her pack with concern. She hadn't told Bi Xi, thinking that the foolish girl would panic and cry upon hearing the news.
Ye Qingcheng took her hand and began to give instructions.
"We still don't know about Yu Jian; keep an eye on it."
"Leave the accounting to the steward. Don't be afraid of those concubines in the inner courtyard. Even if you have to keep an eye on them to ensure they aren't bullied, don't be afraid. When I return, I'll back you up, and they won't dare do anything."
"If you ever go to Lanlou Pavilion to buy pastries..." Ye Qingcheng hesitated. She still didn't know the background of that young man who looked exactly like his brother.
So, she only said, "Help me watch out for any handsome young gentlemen appearing at nearby bookshops, quietly," Ye Qingcheng whispered.
At the same time, due to the successful production of compressed biscuits, the Emperor decreed many rewards. Ye Qingcheng collected all of them into her private treasury.
Jing Xiu's heart skipped a beat.
Oh no, the Princess Consort is truly smitten with some man outside!
As dawn broke, Ye Qingcheng finished packing, changed into men's clothing, and followed Xiao Wangye to muster the troops. Hearing the resounding roars of the army, she felt a surge of excitement.