"My Lord, it is Wu Suowei!"
"Wu Suowei?"
Lin Qingge's gaze was momentarily confused, then she suddenly seemed to understand, "Oh, the number one thief in the world, Wu Suowei! What are you doing in my courtyard? No, why do you look like this?"
Wu Suowei, who was quite pleased with his new appearance, touched his face and cleverly changed the subject. "By the way, my lord, Young Master Murong said that the treatment for Madam's facial scars has entered the second stage, and she cannot be exposed to sunlight from today onwards. For the convenience of treatment, and to accommodate the young master's studies, Young Master Murong has instructed Madam and the young master to reside in his courtyard starting today."
???
Lin Qingge, who felt like her wife and child had been snatched away by a fox after waking up, blinked her twenty-four-karat sparkling eyes.
Seeing this, Wu Suowei quickly explained, "My lord, please don't overthink it. Young Master Murong said that I have undergone a transformation, while Madam's skin regeneration will only take seven days. Elder Leng Shuang of the Jade Maiden Sect has also accompanied them to personally care for mother and son. Furthermore, Young Master Murong also mentioned that my lord should settle the medical fees for Madam's facial treatment with him when you have time. Given your familiarity, Young Master Murong is only charging a meager consultation fee, rounding it off to a thousand taels of silver."
"Why doesn't he just rob me?!"
"Um... My lord, please do not get agitated. Young Master Murong knows that my lord is not well-off, so he entrusted me to deliver a written IOU from him." Wu Suowei said, trembling as he pulled a folded note from his sleeve.
Lin Qingge took it and unfolded it, her anger surging, "What do you mean, 'debtor repays'? Do I have to work for him?!"
Wu Suowei, finally understanding why Qin Han was unwilling to make this trip, timidly asked, "My lord, did you miss a few words?"
Lin Qingge then lowered her head and read again, mumbling, "'Debtor's wife has repaid?'"
Images of something not suitable for children flashed through Lin Qingge's mind. She shook her head, then realized that Leng Ningyue must have given the money to Murong Bai to avoid owing him a favor. After all, all their family's assets were managed by Leng Ningyue. But knowing her sister Ningyue's temperament, she certainly wouldn't deign to haggle.
Fine. At worst, she would find more work for that scoundrel in the future to earn back the lost thousand taels of silver. However, how many corpses would she have to examine to recoup a thousand taels of silver?
Seeing the look of agony contorting the Lin adult's features, Wu Suowei consoled him, "My lord, Young Master Murong has been lenient enough with you. You see, my current appearance cost me all my belongings!"
Lin Qingge blurted out without thinking, "Didn't I confiscate all your belongings?"
"My lord, what you took was what I had on me at the time. What I gave to Young Master Murong was all that I had accumulated from traveling the Jianghu over the years."
"Damn it! I was careless!"
Wu Suowei, perplexed by the further contortion of the Lin adult's features, scratched his head in confusion. In fact, Young Master Murong's exact words at the time were, "If you don't want to turn into a mangy dog, hand over all your possessions." He wasn't sure what a mangy dog looked like, but the feeling of a knife cutting his skin was still fresh in his memory. Let alone all his possessions, he would have readily agreed to be a dog! Damn it, it was too terrifying! Fortunately, the outcome was good.
On the other side, Lin Qingge, whose intestines were nearly regretting their existence, turned her gaze back to the person in front of her. "Wu Suowei, how skilled are you at hiding?"
"Replying to my lord, as the number one thief in the world, I can come and go freely even from the Imperial Palace." Wu Suowei boasted proudly, but upon meeting the eyes filled with disbelief, his straightened posture slumped again. "Compared to you, my lord, I am naturally inferior. However, hiding from masters like Constable Yan is not a problem."
Lin Qingge recalled carefully. The last time this fellow snuck into her room, Leng Ningyue hadn't discovered him immediately. So, did this guy have some merit after all? With this thought, Lin Qingge stroked her chin and commanded, "Wu Suowei, I happen to have something for you to do."
"My lord, please speak."
"Starting tonight, you are to infiltrate Prime Minister Shangguan's manor and meticulously record everyone he meets and everything he says. Report back to me every few days. Also, if you are discovered by anyone in Prime Minister Shangguan's manor, put up a token resistance first, act tough, and then confess that you were sent by Prime Minister Feng Qingchen. Prime Minister Shangguan, in order to confront Feng Qingchen, will surely spare your life. He might even find an opportunity to let you go to verify the truth of your words. Scout your route in advance, remember the path leading to Prime Minister Feng's manor, and make absolutely sure not to take the wrong turn back to the Lin manor."
...
Wu Suowei, who sincerely felt that this Lin adult was wasted in officialdom, nodded blankly.
"Also, Wu Suowei, don't think of using this opportunity to slip away. If I could catch you once, I can certainly catch you a second time. Even if you escape to the ends of the earth, I will surely apprehend you!"
"My lord, please rest assured. I truly wish to serve you. Moreover, Young Master Murong said that my face needs to have something applied to it periodically, so even if you dismiss me, I won't leave." Living in such a grand manor, with good food and drink, and not having to constantly hide, a fool would only sneak away! The most important thing was that it could completely transform him! With his current appearance, he was a head-turner on the street! His mother no longer had to worry about him not finding a wife because he was too plain-looking!
While Wu Suowei was lost in thought, Prince Andre sent someone to inquire about the day's itinerary. Since the patron had spoken, Lin Qingge was naturally accommodating. She called Yan Tinghao, Lin Yan, Lian Chengyi, and Ye Shenxiao to accompany her, and they headed straight for the capital's most prosperous commercial street. What better way to showcase a tycoon's status than shopping! Although not to the extent of "a piece of cloth on my head, and I am the richest in the world," Andre was at least a prince, and from the looks of it, a carefree prince, so his spending was exceptionally generous. Furthermore, not all members of the Chile Kingdom's delegation were mere attendants. Lin Qingge observed that there were likely three accompanying officials and four guards, with the remaining two being attendants. Due to the language barrier, Prince Andre handled all communication. Under the guidance of Lin Qingge, a professional tour guide, the moneybags of Prince Andre and his entourage visibly deflated. The pitiable Ye Shenxiao, treated as a delivery man, made trip after trip back and forth.