Chapter 1448: A Scare, but No Danger

Shang Shuqing also carried a basket in one hand. It was filled with handicrafts made by the students at the schoolhouse, gifts they had prepared for Guan Fangyi.

Ever since Shang Shuqing established the free school, the students she admitted had all come from extremely poor families inside the city.

During that time, Guan Fangyi had helped them a great deal. Even the clothes the students wore had been purchased in one batch with money from Guan Fangyi.

There was no helping it.

Some of the children came from households so poor that “without enough clothing to cover the body” was not an exaggeration.

Guan Fangyi had helped them for Shang Shuqing’s sake, but the students all knew perfectly well who had paid for what they received.

War raged beneath Heaven.

Under Shang Chaozong’s governance, ordinary life in Nanzhou was comparatively better than in many other places, but there were still far too many impoverished people, and even more families struggling simply to survive.

Guan Fangyi could not possibly help every person in Nanzhou.

Poverty involved chains of problems stretching through every level of society. They were not things one person could solve. Throwing money at them alone was not enough. What was needed was a better overall environment.

But Shang Shuqing had only taken in a few dozen students.

With Guan Fangyi’s wealth, supporting that many was trivial.

To let the students attend school without worry, to make Shang Shuqing happy, and also out of concern for Shang Shuqing’s safety, Guan Fangyi’s people had checked the background of every student.

After learning their family circumstances, she had even paid to solve problems within the students’ households, including medical expenses.

Sometimes she simply sent cultivators to treat sick family members directly.

A great deal of poverty had been caused by illness.

The students and their families were deeply grateful.

Many wanted to visit Guan Fangyi and thank her in person, yet they could not even obtain an audience. Guan Fangyi had no interest in accepting gratitude from ordinary mortals. To her, it meant nothing.

Unable to repay her in any other way, Shang Shuqing understood how they felt.

Ordinary gifts were not necessarily something a flamboyant woman like Guan Fangyi would care for anyway. Sincerity mattered more.

So Shang Shuqing organized the students to make some handicrafts themselves as a small expression of thanks.

Guan Fangyi had not wanted any gratitude, but once Shang Shuqing asked, she agreed to accept the gifts.

They had arranged for Guan Fangyi to come collect them today.

For some reason, however, Guan Fangyi had broken the appointment and never appeared.

So Shang Shuqing had decided to bring the gifts over herself.

That was the only reason for this visit. She had no other intention.

Any private hopes inside her were useless. She knew she could not simply meet Niu Youdao whenever she wanted.

As for why she had brought Yin’er, that was normal too.

Yin’er followed her everywhere now. Her temper was too fierce to leave unattended, and Niu Youdao’s side had specifically instructed Shang Shuqing to keep watch over her.

When the two arrived, the guards at the gate exchanged a glance.

Both stepped sideways at the same time and blocked the entrance.

They cupped their hands in greeting. “Commandery Princess.”

Not far inside the gate, a man standing beneath a tree immediately turned his attention toward them.

Shang Shuqing inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. “Is Sister Hong here?”

Her meaning was clear. She had come to see Guan Fangyi.

The two guards also knew that most of Shang Shuqing’s visits here were to see Guan Fangyi.

But there were things they could not tell her.

They had already received strict instructions. Nothing happening inside Maolu Annex could be leaked now. Otherwise the entire compound might suffer disaster.

Misty Pavilion was not joking.

People would die.

A great many people could die.

One guard said apologetically, “Commandery Princess, forgive us. Eldest Sister had something to do and went out.”

“When will she return?” Shang Shuqing lifted the basket slightly. “The schoolhouse students made some gifts by hand to thank Sister Hong. If it is not inconvenient, I can go inside and wait for her to return.”

The guard immediately smiled. “Commandery Princess, how about this? Give the things to me. When Eldest Sister returns, I’ll pass them to her. Would that be acceptable?”

“This...” Shang Shuqing hesitated.

She still wanted to give them to Guan Fangyi personally and say a few words of thanks on the students’ behalf.

Seeing the way they kept blocking the entrance and refusing to let them in, Yin’er, who was chewing something, gradually became unhappy.

She suddenly shouted, “Move!”

The man beneath the tree immediately became alert and began walking over.

The gate guards were placed in a difficult position too.

One said, “Commandery Princess, if you are not comfortable leaving the gifts with us, then perhaps you should return first.”

“Bad people! Move!” Yin’er cursed.

She was very angry. Both eyes widened, while one hand remained shoved inside her shoulder bag, feeling around among the snacks.

Shang Shuqing had made the shoulder bag especially for her to carry food.

It was the same design as the school bags used by the students, except the contents were completely different.

The other students were often rather envious of it.

“Yin’er, don’t be rude.” Shang Shuqing quickly tugged at her.

Since Shang Shuqing stopped her, Yin’er pursed her lips and finally fell silent. She pulled out some sugar-coated roasted beans, stuffed them into her mouth, and crunched noisily.

The man from beneath the tree arrived. “What’s going on?”

The guards immediately explained, “The Commandery Princess brought gifts made by the schoolhouse students for Hongniang. She wants to give them to Hongniang personally, but Hongniang isn’t here.”

The final sentence was actually meant to protect Shang Shuqing.

They wanted to make it clear that she had already been told Guan Fangyi was absent, so she would not be dragged into the situation and prevented from leaving.

“Oh.” The man reached directly for the basket. “Give it to me. I’ll pass it along later.”

He had only just pulled the basket from Shang Shuqing’s hand when Yin’er suddenly snatched at it and seized the handle.

“Bad person!”

The two held the basket between them.

One glared and shouted, “It’s Qingqing’s!”

The other stared back coldly.

The guards became anxious.

One hurriedly said, “Commandery Princess, today really isn’t convenient. Please return first.”

By now Shang Shuqing had sensed that something was wrong.

She had dealt with Maolu Annex for years and had once lived for a long time at Maolu Villa. She knew the people here.

The man before her was definitely a stranger.

And the two gate guards appeared somewhat afraid of him.

She immediately caught Yin’er by the arm. “Yin’er, don’t be rude. Listen to me!”

Yin’er still obeyed her reasonably well.

She gave an angry snort, then released the basket.

Shang Shuqing bowed slightly toward the stranger in apology. “Sir, please don’t blame her. She may not look young, but in here she is still like a child.”

She lifted a finger and pointed toward her own head, indicating that something was wrong with Yin’er’s mind.

“Please do not lower yourself to her level.”

The man truly had been close to losing his temper, but restrained himself.

Whether Yin’er’s mind had a problem did not matter to him.

What did matter was Shang Shuqing’s identity.

Yuan Se’s presence here was confidential. If they laid hands on a Commandery Princess, the matter could easily become too large. Creating a huge disturbance over something so small was not something he could bear responsibility for.

After taking the basket, he lifted a hand and gestured for Shang Shuqing to leave. His manner remained relatively courteous.

Shang Shuqing inclined her head in farewell, then took Yin’er by the hand and turned back.

Yin’er was unwilling to let the matter go. She still turned her head and cursed, “Bad person!”

The Misty Pavilion man carrying the basket raised an eyebrow slightly but did nothing. Then he turned and walked away.

At the entrance to the schoolhouse, Lan Ruoting stood partly concealed behind the door.

When he saw Shang Shuqing fail to enter Maolu Annex and return safely, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He now understood for certain that something major had happened.

There was definitely a problem inside Maolu Annex.

He had been afraid Shang Shuqing might enter and become trapped inside as well.

He had only just returned.

After finding everything normal inside the Prince’s residence, he had hurried straight to the schoolhouse, but he was still a step too late.

Fortunately, nothing terrible had happened.

The moment he saw Shang Shuqing returning, he stepped out and called in a normal tone, “Commandery Princess.”

Shang Shuqing looked over.

When she saw Lan Ruoting beckoning to her in a somewhat unusual manner, she took Yin’er by the hand and walked over.

After they exchanged greetings, Shang Shuqing frowned. “Sir, did something happen inside Maolu Annex?”

Lan Ruoting did not waste words. In a lowered voice, he said, “Commandery Princess, please bring Yin’er and come with me.”

Shang Shuqing was puzzled.

Everything around her seemed strangely suspicious today.

Even so, she followed him.

Around a bend in the alley, a carriage was waiting.

Lan Ruoting invited the two women aboard, then climbed in himself.

The carriage left the area and entered one of the busier streets in the city.

Shang Shuqing noticed there was only the single carriage and could not help asking, “Sir did not bring guards today?”

Lan Ruoting waved a hand, indicating that she should not speak for now.

Shang Shuqing’s doubts only deepened.

The carriage eventually stopped at a quiet place.

Yun Ji, who had been waiting there in advance, immediately climbed inside and first greeted her in a low voice. “Commandery Princess, it’s me.”

Shang Shuqing was surprised. “Sister Yun?”

But Yun Ji waited until Yin’er was distracted putting food into her mouth, then suddenly pinched the back of her neck.

Yin’er immediately lost consciousness and collapsed into Yun Ji’s arms.

“What are you doing?” Shang Shuqing cried in alarm.

Yun Ji said, “Commandery Princess, there is no need to worry. Yin’er does not understand what is happening, and we are afraid she may cause trouble for the Prince’s residence. I was ordered to come and take her away for a while. Nothing will happen to her.”

At the phrase “I was ordered,” both Shang Shuqing and Lan Ruoting immediately understood.

This was Niu Youdao’s instruction.

Shang Shuqing caught Yun Ji by the arm. “Sister Yun, I have never once been stopped when entering or leaving Maolu Annex. Today something seemed very wrong there. There appeared to be strangers inside. Did something happen?”

Yun Ji was startled. “You went to the annex?”

“Just now, after the students were dismissed, I went over...” Shang Shuqing quickly explained what had happened.

Yun Ji’s heart tightened as she listened.

The very thing they had feared had happened. Shang Shuqing had actually brought Yin’er straight there.

Fortunately, it had ended with a scare but no danger.

Master Dao had indeed shown foresight in urgently ordering Yin’er removed.

After releasing a heavy breath, Yun Ji shook her head. “I don’t know what happened either.”

Lan Ruoting’s expression was grave. “Mountain Lord Yun, I hope you will tell us the truth. What exactly has happened? It will allow the Prince’s residence to make preparations.”

Yun Ji said, “Something may indeed have happened. The change was sudden and far too strange. We were caught completely unprepared and still have not figured out what is going on.”

“That is precisely why we did not tell Sir earlier.”

“And precisely because we do not understand the situation, we do not dare act rashly.”

“Since Sir is already concerned, then please remember this, both you and the Commandery Princess: everything at the Prince’s residence must remain exactly as normal. Do not alert the enemy.”

“We will find a way to learn the situation as quickly as possible. The moment we have anything definite, we will contact you immediately.”

Lan Ruoting considered her words, then nodded. “All right. I understand. Don’t worry.”

Shang Shuqing very much wanted to ask whether Master Dao was safe.

But with Lan Ruoting sitting there, she found it awkward to ask too much.

So she only pursued one question. “Sister Yun, where are you taking Yin’er?”

“Don’t ask, and don’t think about it. Pretend you know nothing.” Yun Ji looked between the two of them. “As for Yin’er’s disappearance, I’ll have to trouble Sir Lan and the Commandery Princess to come up with a suitable explanation so no one grows suspicious.”

“There are still people outside the city waiting for my report. I cannot remain here long. Farewell.”

With that, she immediately carried Yin’er out of the carriage.

Shang Shuqing lifted the curtain and watched Yun Ji carry Yin’er away, flashing once and disappearing at the far end of a narrow corner.

For a long moment, Shang Shuqing stared blankly.

She suddenly felt like a useless burden.

She could become involved in nothing.

She could help with nothing.

“Commandery Princess, sometimes wind and rain are unavoidable,” Lan Ruoting said gently in consolation.

Then he raised a hand and knocked against the carriage door.

The carriage started moving again.

[End of Chapter 1448]