Value City

  Hong Kun took in a sworn daughter, who was also the granddaughter of the old Marquis Xiao, Xiao Cong Rong... These days, the famous people in the capital were not comparable to anyone.

  Early in the morning, Xiao Fu received a steady stream of gifts, all from old acquaintances of Hong Kun and some friends who had previously been on good terms with the Xiao family. Everyone thought that since Xiao Zongrong was now alone, they should take care of her, and it would be a good opportunity to curry favor.

  So the Xiao Cong Rong Temple was bustling with people coming and going, receiving gifts endlessly. Qi Ze received them with mixed feelings and asked Xiao Cong Rong: "Is this for show to the living or to buy a clear conscience?"

  Xiao Congrong smiled: "You care about him so much, just accept it when it's delivered. If you can't eat it all, sell it. When your father returns to the border, let him take it to buy food for the soldiers at the border, and consider it our way of accumulating virtue!"

  Kun Chen Ze's eyes lit up when he heard that, and he smiled: "This is also a way, anyway we don't lose our own pockets, not losing face, and it counts as doing a good deed for them!"

  After a whole morning, no one came. Xiao Zong slept for a while and got up to see Lan had changed into a green bamboo outfit and was guarding the door. She didn't ask if she was seriously injured, but instead helped her change clothes, wash up, and then sat in a wheelchair, letting Lan push her out.

  Hong Kun had already gone to the wine tower to greet the guests, and Xiao Congrong was also preparing to go to the wine tower under the care of Lan and Qi Ze. Just as he was about to leave, he met the third prince Wu Mingyuan, who brought Rong Guang, Ma Xiang and a sedan chair, saying that he wanted to send Xiao Congrong to the wine tower.

  Xiao Zong smiled faintly and glanced at him, saying: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind intentions. However, I haven't been out on the streets for a long time, and today's weather is fine, so I was thinking of taking a walk. The wine tower isn't far from here, let's just walk over!"

  She called out to Qi Ze, and he immediately lifted her down from the stone steps. Xiang Lan glanced at Wu Mingyuan, hastily handed her a cloak to put on, and said stiffly: "Third Miss, it's cold and windy, you'd better take the sedan chair!"

  Xiao Congrong smiled and said: "I can still withstand this wind, if you really care about me, hurry up and leave, so as not to be late and keep others waiting!"

  Wu Mingyuan took a step forward and said to Xiang Lan, "Miss wants to walk past, we'll accompany her too! I haven't been out on the streets for a long time either, let's take a walk together!"

  With Wu Mingyuan's words, Xiang Lan finally pushed Xiao Zongrong forward.

  Left Xiao Fu and headed to the wine house, the sky was cold, there were few people on the road, Xiao Zong looked at the familiar yet strange streets with a lot of emotions. This is the second time she has been out on the street since crossing over, both times her mood wasn't very good, last time Zhou Qin threw eggs at her, this time no one dared to throw eggs anymore!

  Wu Mingyuan's guards followed closely behind, with this favored imperial son guarding him, someone suddenly found it strange!

  Xiao Congrong glanced at Wu Mingyuan, remembering the existence of He Donghui. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should tell him about how He Donghui had framed her, considering how hard Wu Mingyuan was trying to please her now.

  After some thought, she gave up. Firstly, she didn't want to use Wu Mingyuan's hands to avenge herself, and secondly, she didn't want to retaliate against He Dongyi.

  Isn't there a saying that the higher you climb, the harder you fall? She'll let He Dongxue climb as high as she wants, best if she reaches the position of queen, and then she'll make her move... The feeling of getting everything only to lose it all in an instant is something He Dongxue has never experienced before, so let her have a good taste of it!

  "Your Highness, may I ask if you've heard any news about his whereabouts?"

  Xiao Congrong suddenly spoke up, startling Wu Mingyuan, who turned his head and bowed, with a look of being honored: "Rongrong, whose whereabouts do you want to ask about? Go ahead and ask, I'll tell you everything I know!"

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  Xiao Congrong sneered inwardly at his despicable appearance, and said calmly: "On the day I entered the palace to participate in the selection of concubines, didn't I bring a maid named Chunxiang with me? Later, I was imprisoned, and I don't know what happened to Chunxiang. Can Your Highness help me find out about her situation? She is like a sister to me, even if she's dead, I should still go to her grave to pay my respects!"

  "Spring... fragrance!" Wu Mingyuan's face changed slightly, and he slowly straightened his waist, with a deep thinking expression. After a while, he said: "I remember now, it was the maid who left with you from Xiao's house, right? Don't worry, I'll help you investigate, as soon as there's any news, I'll tell you, don't rush!"

  "Thanks a lot, Your Highness!"

  Xiao Congrong lowered her eyes, a cold smile playing on her lips. She had once asked Chu Qingkuang to investigate the whereabouts of Chunxiang, who had disappeared after being imprisoned in the great prison, neither in the great prison nor in the hands of the Crown Prince.

  When the Crown Prince's frame-up of Zhong Liang was exposed, Xiao Zong had an epiphany. Connecting all the events that had occurred, she felt that Zhou Qin's poisoning was just the beginning, and it was meant to trigger a series of subsequent events.

  Wu Mingyuan was assassinated, and the Grand Prince had a chance to capture the assassin. Who has the right not to use it? The Grand Prince took the opportunity to eliminate dissidents... With a little more provocation, the Xiao family would be framed and killed in one move...

  Who benefited the most from this play? — The Third Prince!

  Xiao Congrong even boldly speculated that Wu Mingyuan's assassination was absolutely a trick to push the eldest prince into the storm, using his hands to eliminate dissidents and then reap the benefits!

  This guess cannot be confirmed, and Chu Qingcang also mentioned it before, saying that he also suspected it was Wu Mingyuan's trick, but Wu Mingyuan was indeed injured, and no witnesses could be found, so they can only suspect and be cautious of this person.

  Xiao Congrong thought to herself that if it was Wu Mingyuan's plan from the beginning, then Chunxiang's poisoning and framing her must have been under Wu Mingyuan's orders. If anyone in this world knew about Chunxiang's whereabouts, it would be none other than Wu Mingyuan. That's why she asked the probing question.

  Wu Mingyuan's response actually confirmed Xiao Congrong's suspicion that Chunxiang was in his hands and was probably still alive...

  It never occurred to Xiao Congrong that Chunxiang was living in such a way! Later, when he happened to see her again, Xiao Congrong had another kind of admiration for her... After all, as a maid, being able to survive under the ruthless Wu Mingyuan is indeed worthy of respect!

  Just arrived at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, I saw a man in white standing in front of the door from afar. His raven-black long hair was flying in the wind, forming a striking contrast with his white clothes. It's not an exaggeration to say that he's as handsome as a jade tree swaying in the breeze!

  Xiao Zongrong saw the figure, and inexplicably felt a warmth in his heart. He only realized that although it had been just over a day since he last saw him, it felt like an eternity. He surprisingly found it very endearing!

  Uh... realizing the change in her thoughts, she was startled, when did Chu Qing become so important to her?

  She lowered her eyes, afraid that they would reveal her thoughts. She nervously pinched the edge of her cloak and didn't dare to look at Chu Qingxiao who was approaching her.

  "Your Highness... Miss San, long time no see!"

  Chu Qing's voice was slightly different, Xiao Zong couldn't help but raise his eyes, and saw that he was staring at her with a smile in his eyes, as if there were no people around him, he would have already taken her into his arms.

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  Having been a human being for two lifetimes, Xiao's emotional intelligence is still so low, how could he not understand what kind of gaze from a man represents?!

  This is a man entangled in a web of emotions, you can doubt everything, but don't doubt his passion at this moment!

  Xiao Congrong's response was to glare at him angrily. The astute Wu Mingyuan was present, wasn't he afraid of being suspected?

  "Third Miss, last time I said I wanted to have a good chat with you, but unfortunately, something urgent came up at my hometown and I had to call Chu back. We parted ways for several months, and I didn't expect that when I returned, I would hear about such a big thing happening in your family. It's truly regrettable!"

  Chu Qing's face was filled with pain and regret, she reached out and took a box from Mo Yu who was standing behind her, handing it to Xiao Zong Rong saying: "I heard today that General Hong has taken you in as his adopted daughter, I'm happy for you! A small gift, consider it a congratulatory present!"

  Xiao Congrong was about to reach out and take it, but a hand stretched out from the side and snatched the box away. Wu Mingyuan's eerie voice followed, "I haven't prepared a gift for Rongrong yet, let me see what kind of 'token' Mr. Chu has brought, I'll learn from it!"

  Xiao Cong Rong glared at him in anger, but Wu Mingyuan opened the box without caring. At this time, many people who came to attend the wine banquet had already gathered around, seeing that the third prince Wu Mingyuan was blocking the door, no one dared to rush in first, so they surrounded the entrance.

  Wu Mingyuan opened the box, and everyone subconsciously looked inside. They took a glance, and there was a faint sound of gasping for air.

  A small, fist-sized pearl lay quietly on the black velvet cloth in the box, smooth and lustrous, with a bright, crystal-like transparency that seemed to shine faintly.

  "What a huge night pearl......" Someone in the crowd exclaimed, and the gaze towards Chu Qingcang was filled with all sorts of emotions, including shock, jealousy, and more...

  Chu Qingcang gazed at Xiao Zongrong with a faint smile, seemingly unaware of the commotion he had caused among the crowd.

  Wu Mingyuan's face changed slightly, as a member of the royal family, he had seen night pearls before! However, among all the night pearls he had seen so far, none were as large as this one. The largest was one that a Persian merchant had presented to his father the emperor a few years ago, and it was only half the size of this one. It could be used as a lamp in the study room.

  Isn't a pearl as big as Chu Qing's enough to illuminate the entire room?

  This is not to mention, such a big night pearl, even the royal family doesn't have this kind of pearl, it's worth a city, how can Chu Qingchao casually take it out and give it to someone? And still call it a small gift...

  Wu Mingyuan gazed at Chu Qingkuang with a somewhat gloomy expression, was he trying to please Hong Kun and Xiao Congrong, or was he pleasing himself?

  But seeing Chu Qing's fierce stare at Xiao Zongrong's calm eyes, he immediately vetoed the idea of pleasing himself!

  That man's gaze at women, he understands it, Chu Qingcang has... sexual interest in Xiao Zongrong! He grinds his teeth, last time Chu Qingcang and him fighting over Xiao Zongrong on the wall, he still hasn't forgotten! Daring to steal his woman, Chu Qingcang is tired of living!