"Cough cough, can't hold it in anymore, going to take action against that certain someone?" Xie Yan lowered his voice, his expression quite serious.

  Qin Miao was caught off guard by his sudden tightening and loosening, and before she could prepare herself, a red branch poked her in the face, causing her cheeks to flush bright red.

  "Hey, hey, what did you say? What do you want to do? Are you going to find someone to catch and drag into a dark alley for a beating or what?"

  Listen, this is how the handsome and elegant Marquis Xie disciplines people. He starts a fight at the slightest disagreement, not like a refined person, but rather like a rough man.

  Qin Miaogang thought to continue the conversation in a serious tone, expressing his thoughts. But who would have thought that this guy was still straightforward as ever. She wanted to cover her forehead and sigh secretly, thinking about those noble ladies in the capital who had once fantasized about having romantic affairs with Xie Houye, if they knew that beneath his elegant appearance lay a rough heart, how would they think?

  "It's not, if it were that simple. Nonsense! Qin looked at him with a glance, feeling that he was still more reliable than himself."

  "That... why don't you tell me your idea?" Xie Yan asked, puzzled. "Could it be that we find someone to frame him? I have thought about this, but apart from what happened that night, there's no other evidence in hand. This move has a bit of the meaning of killing a thousand enemies and losing eight hundred oneself, not quite right."

  "Alright, Master Hou. You just don't interfere. I want to find a few clever and agile ones." She looked up and down at Xie Yan, shaking her finger: "Can't be like you, shouting for battle every day, need to be cunning and nimble. Understand?"

  ……

  ……

  Is this seeking pleasure but being rejected instead?

  Xie Yun downed the wine in his hand, stuffed several handfuls of sour bamboo shoots into his mouth, and that was sour.

  But anyway, things still need to be done for one's own wife. The next day, Xie Yun had Cheng Ying bring ten guards to see Qin Miao.

  Qin Miao summoned them to the flower hall. Seeing the people who came, they were all not tall in stature and slender in build. She furrowed her brow and asked Cheng Ying in a low voice, "Can...their skills be used?"

  This is Qin Miao's first meeting with Cheng Ying since they parted ways halfway on their trip to Hangzhou.

  Cheng Ying raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, saying nonchalantly, "Look at me, I'm not that impressive either. But it's not my boast, among the Hou Ye's entourage, I dare to claim second place, no one can take first place from me. Po Feng doesn't even qualify."

  Po Feng's individual head Qin Miao is known, typical of tall and powerful. Cheng Ying compared to him, but appears to be slender in build.

  "Alright, I'll listen to you. You arrange the food and lodging for these people, if there's anything, I'll naturally give orders." Qin Miao then said to the ten men below: "Sorry to trouble everyone, this period of time we have to follow me to handle things. The time won't be too long, after handling it, I'll let everyone return to the military camp, and do what they should do."

  The guards were originally serving in the Xie family army, and they were all skilled at gathering information and sending messages. When they received a notification that the madam of the marquis had an errand, they felt somewhat uneasy in their hearts.

  Looking at the lady in front of her again, she is small and delicate, but she is straightforward and courteous, not pretentious or artificial.

  Cheng Ying arranged for everyone to be settled in the front yard. Qin Miao gave instructions and directly met with them in the front yard, or had him convey on his behalf.

  Recently, the weather has been extremely hot. Despite this, Xie Xuan still goes out early and returns late, sometimes not returning for the night, only letting people pass on a message that he is resting in the military camp.

  One day he came back very late, Qin Miao was almost asleep. As soon as he reached the bedside, Qin Miao woke up a bit.

  "Troubling you?" Xie Guang lay down on the bed, hugging her and giving her a kiss.

  The person in his arms seemed to have smelled a long-forgotten scent, and rubbed against him, muttering: "How late again..."

  After being exhausted for many days in the army, I felt unspeakable distress all over my body. As soon as I returned to this house and hugged my beloved girl, any fatigue in my heart disappeared without a trace.

  He sniffed her hair and casually played with it using his fingers. "Recently, I've been really busy and things haven't been going smoothly."

  As he said this, he felt a bit uneasy, turned Qin Miao's face over and looked into her eyes, saying: "The war may start soon."

  "What? Didn't they say that those two in the capital are safe and sound? How come you're still worried?" Qin Miao's heart was anxious.

  This matter is complicated to say, but it's actually very simple. Xie Yan didn't hide anything from her from start to finish, first because he trusted her, and secondly, in case something went wrong, he would have a mental preparation.

  After the Crown Prince was deposed, Emperor Suzong moved into the Eastern Palace. The emperor and the new crown prince did not alleviate their apprehension towards the deposed crown prince due to his complacent attitude. Previously, during the campaign against the Tibetan Empire, in order to weaken the power of Prince of Yu Zhang, the army of Yu Zhang was used as cannon fodder. Fortunately, Xie Zhong managed to obtain the position of deputy commander of the relief troops, and the Hu Guo Army, which had been stationed in the northwest for many years, did not treat soldiers like dirt like the courtiers did. The army of Yu Zhang barely maintained its strength. However, even so, the emperor and his new crown prince still did not put their minds at ease, and from time to time found fault with him.

  "What about the ancestors, Ah Wei, and the second and third branches of the family? If a war breaks out, you will inevitably stand on the side of Yu Zhang. Those in the capital will not let the Hou Mansion off." Qin Miao looked at Xie Yan with concern.

  Xie Xun patted her head and comforted her, saying: "Don't worry, I've already sent someone to pick up the old ancestors. Ah Wei hasn't settled down yet, originally worried that she would become an old maid, now it seems that she can be more carefree."

  "What about the second and third rooms?"

  Xie Yun paused for a moment: "Both Second Uncle and Third Uncle have idle jobs, they can take leave or sick leave at will, I think it won't be too big of a deal. But..."

  Qin Miao picked up where he left off: "It's just that whether or not they're willing to listen to you, and come south with you, is not allowed."

  "It's extreme."

  At the same time, inside the Weiyuan Marquis Manor in Pingyang City, Old Madam was pondering over the people who came from the south during the day and the contents of the letter written by her grandson Xie Yan. The letter had been burned, but the things mentioned in it were shocking to hear, and now that she thought about it again, she felt a chill in her heart.

  An old lady sat alone in the ancestral hall of Xie's family, with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, which seemed to be the marks left by years. The curved and winding corridors had already been there for dozens of years.

  "Ah Long, tell me, is Ah Chun right or wrong in doing this?"

  Mrs. Xie carefully wiped the old Mr. Hou's memorial tablet, muttering to herself. If Old Master Hou were still alive, what decision would he make? And how should she bring it up with the other two children?

  The Marquis's mansion was sleepless for a night, but General Hou slept soundly until the cloudy sky, lulled by his wife's gentle humming.

  Every other day at noon, Jade Dew Little Maiden, who had been absent for a long time, arrived.

  "How was it? Did you find out anything?" Qin Miao handed Yulu a cup of sour plum tea. "Here, this is left by your sister Zi Xuan, she knew you were going to the mansion today to report back."

  Xiao Yu happily clinked against the porcelain bowl and gulped down the iced sour plum soup, finishing it in one go.

  "Ah, yes, there is one. Girl, I found a girl named Tao Yao, she's extremely beautiful... Ah..."

  "What's so good about being raw?" Qin Miao asked curiously.

  Yu Lu thought for a moment and said bluntly, "Better than both me and Zi Xuan sister."

  On the side, Zi Xuan burst out laughing. "This is a clever way of saying that you think you look good."

  Yu Lu was taken aback, as if that's what she meant, and instead felt a little shy, continuing to say: "That Pei Yao's family only has an old father, who usually does some needlework and sells it in the shop to make ends meet. At the beginning of the year, he happened to see him on the street once, and was seen by that Zhang gentleman. Guess what happened?"

  "What's going on?" Qin Miao and Zi Xuan exclaimed in unison.

  That night, they kidnapped the person and also raped the young woman. Unfortunately, the girl was a strong-willed one, and she hanged herself to death the next day...

  Alas...

  "Is that person dead?" It's hard to say if he's really dead, although there may be an old father who can explain a few words, but after all, there is no more effective evidence than the testimony of the person himself.

  "No, she was rescued by her old father. However, from then on, the Zhang family didn't dare to act recklessly again, probably because they were afraid that the girl would kill herself and cause a stir."