On the other side, the residence of Prince Qing.
Since Prince Qing, Jun Mo Yao, was treated by the Valley Master of Ghost Valley, his desires have become increasingly intense. At times, he has almost been unable to resist having someone find a woman to help him relieve his urges.
However, he still endured it. The Valley Master of Ghost Valley had warned him that before his infertility medicine was completely resolved, he absolutely could not touch a woman, otherwise, he would never be able to touch women again in his life.
Therefore, he could only hide in his courtyard every day, not daring to let his concubines or maids get close to him.
“Why haven’t I seen Liu Ruyi at Prince Qing’s residence recently?” Prince Qing suddenly thought of this woman.
“Your Highness, Liu Ruyi disappeared after her son was killed by a butcher at the gate of our Prince Qing’s residence that day. Your subordinate has not found any trace of her yet,” Zuo Qing replied truthfully.
“Could she have left the capital?” Prince Qing frowned and said.
“Your Highness, the day before yesterday, when your subordinate went out on business, I saw Liu Ruyi’s maid A Man on the street. What puzzled your subordinate was that I did not see Liu Ruyi, but rather… I saw her and Chu Ming Xuan, an advisor from Prince Leng’s residence, shopping,” Zuo Qing said after pondering for a moment.
“Zuo Qing, you say that Liu Ruyi’s maid is not with Liu Ruyi, but instead is getting close to people from Prince Leng’s residence. This is very strange. Normally, that A Man is loyal to Liu Ruyi, and the two have always been inseparable. Could it be that A Man has betrayed Liu Ruyi?” Prince Qing asked, very confused.
The reason he asked about Liu Ruyi was not out of concern for her, but because Liu Ruyi had suddenly become so quiet, which made him feel uneasy.
“This, your subordinate does not know,” Zuo Qing said respectfully.
“You immediately arrange for people to investigate Liu Ruyi’s whereabouts, and also investigate Liu Ruyi’s maid. See what has happened between the mistress and servant recently,” Prince Qing ordered in a low voice.
“Yes, your subordinate obeys!” Zuo Qing clasped his hands in response to Prince Qing and then turned to leave Prince Qing’s courtyard.
…
Leng Ruo Shuang’s courtyard.
Leng Ruo Shuang had not seen Liu Ruyi since the day Liu Ruyi’s son was killed.
During this period, she had secretly arranged for people to search the entire capital but could not find her mother. They had even searched all the places her mother had visited in the capital, but still found no trace of her mother. Even the thatched cottage she had lived in outside the city was covered in dust. Liu Ruyi seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Although Leng Ruo Shuang’s feelings for Liu Ruyi were not very deep, and it could even be said that her feelings for Liu Ruyi had disappeared when Liu Ruyi had relations with men back then, she only used her. Because in her heart, she always looked down on Liu Ruyi’s lowliness and her vulgar demeanor.
“Xi’er, did you really have someone check the thatched cottage outside the city where my mother lived?” Leng Ruo Shuang asked Xi’er with anxiety and an unkind tone.
“Imperial Concubine Leng, Xi’er swears to heaven that she is not lying,” Xi’er immediately raised her hand and swore to heaven.
“Then my mother couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air,” Leng Ruo Shuang muttered to herself. “Oh, right, have you seen my mother’s maid, A Man?”
“She, she, this servant saw her once at the market a few days ago. At first, this servant thought Madam Liu was with Miss A Man. But to my surprise, Miss A Man was not only not with Madam Liu, but was also getting close to people from Prince Leng’s residence. This servant also saw her strolling on the street with people from Prince Leng’s residence, laughing and chatting,” Xi’er said in a low voice.
“What? A Man is actually with people from Prince Leng’s residence? Doesn’t she know that my mother is an arch-enemy of the people from Prince Leng’s residence? This A Man… I’m so angry!”
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruo Shuang’s eyes widened in anger, her eyes blazing, and a fierce aura appeared on her face.
This frightened Xi’er, whose face instantly turned pale.
“Cold, Imperial Concubine Leng, please, please don’t be angry,” Xi’er tried to comfort her.
“Xi’er, Fang’er, go and prepare a carriage. I need to leave the residence now,” Leng Ruo Shuang directly ordered.
“But, but Imperial Concubine Leng, your status does not allow you to leave the residence in Prince Qing’s carriage,” Xi’er reminded her with a troubled look, trembling all over.
“Didn’t His Highness promise me and Mother that during this period, all my treatment in Prince Qing’s residence would be arranged according to the status of the Princess Consort?” Leng Ruo Shuang glared fiercely at Xi’er, angered by her words.
“Yes, yes, Xi’er knows she was wrong, but Imperial Concubine Leng, shouldn’t we report this matter of us leaving the residence to His Highness and get his permission before leaving? Otherwise, we will be punished for leaving privately,” Xi’er reminded her again.
“Can you see His Highness now? His Highness has been confined to his courtyard for treatment and has not come out for nearly ten days. He doesn’t even allow women to enter his courtyard. Tell me, how can we inform him?” Leng Ruo Shuang said eloquently.
“However, we can ask a servant or Lord Zuo Qing to inform His Highness,” Xi’er said, lowering her head again.
“Alright, if you are afraid, you don’t have to come with me. Fang’er, go and arrange the carriage, I need to leave the residence immediately,” Leng Ruo Shuang turned to Fang’er and instructed.
Hearing this, Fang’er snorted inwardly, thinking this woman was truly courting her own death and no one could stop her.
Afterwards, Fang’er replied with great alacrity, “Yes, Fang’er will immediately have someone arrange a carriage to wait at the main gate of Prince Qing’s residence.”
After replying, Fang’er turned and left Leng Ruo Shuang’s room.
Leng Ruo Shuang’s anger subsided somewhat after hearing Fang’er’s words.
Hmph! This Xi’er girl is not as sensible as Fang’er. In the next two days, she needs to find an excuse to drive Xi’er away. No, she should send Xi’er to be the wife of Steward Hao’s foolish son, hehe!
Leng Ruo Li’s charming fox-like eyes stared sinisterly at Xi’er kneeling on the ground, her mind constantly scheming against Xi’er.
“Xi’er, you can go down. I’ll have Fang’er accompany me when I go out later.” Leng Ruo Shuang cast a sinister glance at Xi’er, then her red lips curved slightly, revealing a wicked smile.
This made Xi’er’s spine chill. This Imperial Concubine Leng was probably plotting something against her again.
Not long after, Leng Ruo Shuang, with Fang’er, boarded a carriage and drove towards Prince Leng’s residence.
“Imperial Concubine Leng, aren’t you going outside the city to find your mother?” Fang’er asked with a slight frown.
“Why go outside the city? I’m going to Prince Leng’s residence to question A Man now. Didn’t you hear Xi’er say that the thatched cottage where my mother lived outside the city is already covered in dust? I thought you were smart, but I didn’t expect you to be as foolish as that Xi’er,” Leng Ruo Shuang said, not sparing any effort to mock her from inside the carriage.
“Oh, Fang’er misunderstood,” Fang’er replied faintly.
Heh! Go on! Go on! You won’t get any benefits going to Prince Leng’s residence.