It was night.
As dusk settled, the prison of the yamen was locked from the outside. The two guards standing by the door suddenly collapsed, and a dark figure broke through the door.
"You've come?"
Gu Qianying leaned against a cleaned wall corner, her eyes snapping open as the dark figure appeared.
Bai Qi removed the cloth from his face, his expression a little shocked. "Miss Gu knew I was coming?"
Gu Qianying smiled faintly. "Didn't your master say he would send Matsutake Fruit Cake every day?"
Bai Qi looked down at his empty hands, his face flushing red, leaving him speechless.
"Hmm?"
Gu Qianying raised an eyebrow. "What? Forgot to bring it? Or did your master change his mind and doesn't want to send pastries, but something else?"
Bai Qi scratched his head. No matter how he tried to explain, he couldn't cover up this lie, and could only think of confessing everything honestly.
However, before he could speak, Gu Qianying had already guessed most of it.
"So, you've come to deliver a letter for your master?"
Bai Qi nodded honestly.
Gu Qianying extended her hand. "Where is the letter?"
Bai Qi quickly took out the letter and presented it with both hands.
Gu Qianying opened the letter. It only contained a few lines: Meng Yikang is a former subordinate of the previous dynasty, under the Empress Dowager. After his wife passed away, he came to the capital alone with his daughter, living incognito for over ten years.
Hidden within the envelope were portraits of Meng Yikang and his daughter, Meng Yunping.
Following the content of the letter, and the two familiar faces in the portraits.
Gu Qianying's eyes gradually narrowed.
It was him indeed!
A moment later.
Gu Qianying put away the letter and the two portraits, and turned to Bai Qi. "Please thank your master for me. I like this gift very much."
Gu Qianying knew that as long as she leaked that she wanted Nangong Xuanning to come here, with Nangong Mo's intelligence, he would surely follow this clue.
She figured it wouldn't be long before he knew her plan in advance.
In this regard, her guess was indeed correct.
Besides these, Nangong Mo had even helped her uncover some truths, truths she had entrusted others to investigate and were yet to return.
This, she found somewhat surprising.
Seeing Gu Qianying put away the letter, Bai Qi bared his teeth and chuckled. "Alright, Miss Gu. I will surely convey your message truthfully."
Bai Qi had always thought that the letter his master asked him to deliver was a love letter for romantic correspondence between a man and a woman.
The letter had been delivered, the message conveyed, and Bai Qi was about to leave.
As he turned, Gu Qianying called out to him. "Wait a moment."
Bai Qi turned back. "Miss Gu, is there anything else you need me to do?"
Gu Qianying stood up and walked to Bai Qi, her tone concise. "Take off your clothes!"
"Ah, my heavens!" Bai Qi clutched his chest, looking as if he would rather die than comply. "Please, Miss Gu, be mindful. My master will beat me to death."
Gu Qianying's mouth twitched. She was too lazy to waste words with Bai Qi.
She suddenly pointed at Bai Qi's feet. "Look, there's a mouse."
Bai Qi instinctively looked down at his feet.
At that moment, Gu Qianying quickly flicked her wrist, sending a silver needle to strike the acupoint on Bai Qi's neck.
Before Bai Qi could react, his body went limp, and he slowly collapsed, temporarily unconscious.
After Gu Qianying laid Bai Qi down, she first took off her own clothes, then stripped off Bai Qi's, and they swapped.
Finally, she loosened Bai Qi's hair and tidied it up casually.
Then, she smeared some dirt from the ground onto Bai Qi's face, making it impossible to recognize him.
After finishing these preparations.
Gu Qianying slipped a piece of paper she had prepared into Bai Qi's hand.
Then, following the route Bai Qi had taken, she disappeared into the night.
She had originally intended to infiltrate the Gu mansion, but changed her direction midway.
A moment later.
The Ninth Prince's Estate.
Under the dim candlelight, Nangong Mo was alone in the bath. His long hair was spread out, and water droplets traced paths down his well-defined, muscular chest.
In the hazy light, his usually cold and beautiful face appeared somewhat alluring and devilish.
It was rare in this world for a man bathing to be so beautiful.
Creak.
The door opened.
A figure walked in.
Nangong Mo leaned his head against the side of the bathtub, his eyes closed in repose. As the figure entered, he frowned slightly before slowly opening his eyes and saying faintly, "You're back."
Gu Qianying was taken aback. She quickly imitated Bai Qi's voice and said, "Yes, Master. Your subordinate is back to report that Miss Gu greatly liked the gift you sent her."
When she entered, she hadn't expected Nangong Mo to be bathing so late at night.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, she retreated to the side, lowering her head, not daring to look at Nangong Mo.
But as she heard the gentle sound of Nangong Mo playing with the water, her face, hidden by the veil, flushed slightly.
"Is that all you have to say? Is there anything else you need to tell this King?"
Gu Qianying's mind was filled with question marks.
Anything else?
Could it be that Bai Qi hadn't said everything clearly?
Thinking of this, Gu Qianying quickly made something up. "Reporting to Master, Miss Gu also wanted to say that she remembers your kindness and will repay it well in the future."
"How will you repay it?"
Nangong Mo suddenly asked.
Gu Qianying was momentarily speechless.
Nangong Mo then continued, "Perhaps by offering yourself, or by bearing several more children for this King?"
Gu Qianying: "???"
"What? She didn't clarify how she would repay this King's kindness?"
Nangong Mo slowly looked at Gu Qianying. As usual, his tone was cold, but Gu Qianying failed to notice the slight curve of Nangong Mo's lips.
"Reporting to Master, Miss Gu did not say how she would repay your kindness."
"She didn't say? Then this King will decide for her. Offering yourself and bearing several more children for this King will suffice."
"..."
If she weren't disguised as Bai Qi standing here, she would have definitely said: Dream on!
Gu Qianying was extremely displeased in her heart, but on the surface, she had to agree to Nangong Mo's words in Bai Qi's stead.
"Master is wise. Your subordinate feels that you and Miss Gu are very well-matched."
"You think so? This King doesn't need your opinion. This King thinks that he and she are the most compatible, and no one else dares to want her except this King."
Gu Qianying silently rolled her eyes in her heart.
The way he said that, it was as if no one wanted her!
"Hmm? Why aren't you speaking? Do you disagree with what this King is saying? Or have you developed ulterior motives towards this King?"
Gu Qianying, imitating Bai Qi's usual clumsy expression, immediately knelt on one knee. "Your subordinate dares not."
"So, this means you agree with what this King has said?"
Gu Qianying nodded. "Your subordinate agrees."
"It's good that you agree."
Gu Qianying: "..."
She felt that something was not quite right, but couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
Nangong Mo's lips curved upwards, a smile appearing on his face. "Everything that needs to be said has been said. This King is tired." He extended his hand. "Come here, carry this King to the bed. This King is sleepy and needs to rest."
Gu Qianying froze.
Nangong Mo wanted her to carry him?
She was a young woman, how could she possibly lift a man?
Nangong Mo looked at Gu Qianying, who was still standing there in a daze, and softly said, "Which part of this King's body have you not seen? We are both men, what are you afraid of? Hurry up, carry this King to bed.