Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Little Nine

Zhen Niang turned her head slightly. “Xi Que.”

Xi Que knew she had misspoken and stood to one side with her head lowered, but her expression was still one of reluctance.

Zhen Niang turned back, her gaze toward Song Lianhe gradually softening. “Princess Qing, for what purpose have you come to my Huaxu Square? Why not tell me? If there is any way this humble one can assist Your Highness, I will certainly not refuse.”

Song Lianhe snapped open her folding fan with a *pa*. Dressed in men’s clothing, she cut a rather dashing and suave figure.

“I am here to find someone.”

——

Zhen Niang walked out of the private room, and Xi Que immediately followed. “I heard she wants to investigate the E Xianwang case. If she finds Yin Huan before we do…”

Zhen Niang stopped abruptly. “Have Yin Huan’s parents been settled?”

“Yes.”

“If she’s in the city, she’s bound to show up.”

“Then what should we do about Princess Qing?”

Zhen Niang glanced back at the private room, only speaking after a long pause. “It’s a pity… She belongs to King Qing.”

Xi Que understood her meaning. “In that case, I…”

She made a throat-slitting gesture with her hand.

Zhen Niang shook her head and said as she walked, “Those two by her side, Xuan Mei and E Jintang—just one of them would be enough to keep us tangled up for a long time, let alone with both of them guarding her. Besides, Zhou Cangyan’s Chi Xiao Guard is in the city. We can’t touch her.”

“So we’re just going to let her be?”

Zhen Niang lowered her gaze and smiled faintly. “We can’t touch her, but someone else can.”

——

Inside the private room, Xuan Mei handed the silver bag and silver notes to Song Lianhe.

“This much?” Even she was startled.

’It was just for a bowl of iced dessert.’

She hadn’t planned on taking such advantage of him in the first place.

With the Medical Clinics now a soaring chain of franchises both inside and outside the Da Cheng Dynasty, Cao Ying would convert any cash on hand into silver notes and deposit them in the bank, just in case Song Lianhe ever ran out of money. So she herself was not short on silver. Moreover, she had successively donated tens of thousands of taels to Sui Ning City!

However, Li Guan Sect was located at the border, and to prevent silver from leaving the country, no banks had been established there. Even with a voucher issued in Ling’an City, there was nowhere to exchange it. Song Lianhe was truly short on cash and was too embarrassed to ask Zhou Cangyan directly for money, which was why she had used the excuse of buying him an iced dessert to have him reimburse her.

Zhou Cangyan was generous, giving her several hundred taels in one go. Clearly, he knew she was short on money.

Since that was the case, Song Lianhe didn’t feel embarrassed. She wasn’t stingy with him either; half of the Medical Clinics’ profits went to him.

She brazenly pocketed the silver notes and handed the silver bag directly to Da Xi for their daily expenses on the road.

“Princess Consort, can we take what Zhen Niang said at face value? She said that girl was a Dancing Girl from the square, and that Mr. E helped hide her identity because he was afraid of people finding out. After Mr. E’s incident, the Dancing Girl fled with money and valuables, was later robbed and killed, and Zhen Niang was the one who identified the body. All of this is supposedly on record with the government.”

Da Xi said doubtfully, “Isn’t that explanation a bit too…”

“Too official.”

“What?”

Song Lianhe waved her hand and said unhurriedly, “Actually, her saying that has, on the contrary, confirmed one of my suspicions. The girl is definitely missing, and she’s also a crucial part of this whole affair.”

’If I’m not mistaken, that book of poetry might just be in her possession.’

Xuan Mei had been guarding the door the entire time without a word.

“If we can find her first…” Song Lianhe didn’t elaborate. She stood up and stretched lazily. “Let’s go. We’ll head back for now.”

“Princess Consort, what about her?” Da Xi gestured with her chin toward the little beggar cowering by the door.

Song Lianhe froze. ’Right, I’d forgotten about her.’

The little beggar was very timid, keeping her head down, not daring to look up.

She thought for a moment and said, “Go see if there’s a Charity Hall. Take her there, and give them some silver to make sure she’s well looked after.”

“Yes.”

Unexpectedly, the little beggar refused to leave, clinging to the doorpost for dear life and not letting go.

Seeing her like that, E Jintang couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. He said haltingly, “Why don’t we… let him stay?”

“Stay?” Song Lianhe was in a difficult position. Once they finished their business here, they had to return to Ling’an City.

E Jintang puffed out his chest. “If it comes to it… I’ll take him back and raise him!”

Song Lianhe raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Do you think she’s a puppy or a kitten?”

The little beggar seemed to understand and immediately ducked behind E Jintang, her hands tightly gripping his sash.

“Hey, don’t pull on my pants!” E Jintang awkwardly grabbed his trousers, but even so, he didn’t forcefully pull her away.

Song Lianhe pondered for a moment. ’Actually, it wouldn’t be impossible to keep the little beggar.’

’Mrs. E needs people by her side, so it would be perfect for her to go with her.’

’Besides, seeing this little girl reminded her of Ah Jun. Those big, timid eyes made it impossible to refuse.’

So, she nodded. “Then she can stay.”

E Jintang grinned, happy for the little beggar.

The little beggar looked up, staring at him in a daze, as if she couldn’t quite believe it.

“Granny agreed to let you stay… From now on, you can play with Big Tiger and the others.”

Song Lianhe chuckled. She asked the little beggar her name, but the girl just shook her head.

“No name?” Da Xi said. “Then let’s just give her one.”

“I know!” E Jintang said happily. “Let’s call him Jiu Hu!”

Da Xi glared at him. “She’s a perfectly fine little girl, why would you call her Jiu Hu?”

“A… a girl?”

E Jintang was shocked.

He looked her up and down in disbelief. ’How can you tell she’s a girl?!’

“Then let’s call her Little Nine,” Song Lianhe said suddenly.

——

Little Nine didn’t like girls’ clothes, so after she was washed up, they found her a little book boy’s outfit.

E Jintang was also quite satisfied with this version of “him” and, slinging an arm around Little Nine’s shoulder, was about to introduce her to Big Tiger, Er Hu… all the way to the eighth tiger.

After the two of them went out, Da Xi came to report, “Princess Consort Ling is waiting for you outside.”

’What is Song Xilan here for?’

But now that their identities were out in the open, Song Lianhe had nothing to fear. She flicked her sleeves. “Let’s go see her!”

Song Xilan was already seated primly in the main hall. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and said with a sneer, “Should I call you Miss Sun Shangxiang, or should I call you my dear younger sister?”

“No need to be so familiar. ’Imperial Aunt’ will do.”

Song Lianhe walked straight in and took the seat of honor.

’No matter how favored Zhou Junlin is by the Emperor, he still isn’t the Crown Prince. In front of me, Song Xilan has to abide by seniority!’

Song Xilan clutched her handkerchief tightly. Not arguing with her, she got straight to the point. “As for the matter of Lady Governor E’s petition, there’s no need to trouble Princess Qing. If her family has truly been wronged, I will naturally help them investigate.”

Song Lianhe looked as if she had heard something amusing. She exchanged a glance with Da Xi and said, holding back a laugh, “Song Xilan, the woman stood under the hot sun, begging you over and over again to come out and uphold justice. Where were you then?”

Song Xilan’s expression didn’t change as she calmly replied, “I was feeling unwell, which is why I didn’t appear in time. But as you know, she was calling out for ’Princess Consort Ling,’ not Princess Qing. How could you brazenly take my place?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep