RPAGF Chapter 571 Wasn't Wei Qiming's lineage already extinct?
Chapter 571 Wasn't Wei Qiming's lineage already extinct?
Chu Ruohan was startled when she realized it was her.
However, she reacted quickly and immediately called to the teahouse owner, "Go and report this to the authorities!"
In the distance, the fight between the masked men and the guards of the Prince Yong's mansion continued, but they were already some distance from the teahouse.
"The Wei family?" Chu Ruohan frowned. "What? The Wei family wants to kill you?"
Zhao Qingzhi's face turned deathly pale. "I don't know! I don't know any Wei family at all!"
Her voice was trembling, "Someone must be trying to harm me!"
Where in the capital is the Wei family still located? The Prince Yong's Mansion?
Just then, the sound of orderly hooves came from the end of the street; the patrolling soldiers had arrived.
Seeing the situation was turning against them, the leader of the masked men shouted, "This is just a warning! The blood debt that the Prince Yong's Mansion owes the Wei family will be repaid sooner or later!"
After saying that, the group quickly dispersed and disappeared into the night.
Several guards from the Prince Yong's residence were injured, but none were in life-threatening condition.
"Princess Consort!" The captain of the guards rushed over. "Are you alright?"
Zhao Qingzhi calmed down slightly, but her face was still as pale as paper. "I want to go back to the manor immediately! Right now!"
She glanced at Chu Ruohan, her tone somewhat complicated, "Madam, thank you for today."
Chu Ruohan nodded. "It's nothing. But you'd better be careful; the other party clearly had this planned."
Zhao Qingzhi bit her lip and remained silent.
She already had someone in mind to suspect, but she wasn't sure.
A quarter of an hour later, the Prince Yong's mansion was brightly lit.
Upon hearing the news, Prince Yong was furious and immediately ordered a thorough investigation.
"The Wei family! What kind of Wei family dares to commit violence in the capital!" He paced back and forth in his study. "Investigate them! Dig three feet into the ground and find these people!"
The old Princess Consort sat to one side, her face grim. "Could it be that they're after our palace?"
Just then, Lin Jingchuan strode in, his face showing obvious anxiety.
"Father, is Qingzhi alright?"
Prince Yong glanced at his son and said, "He's alright, just a little frightened."
He paused, then said, "Go and see her."
Lin Jingchuan nodded and turned to leave, but was stopped by Prince Yong.
"Chuan'er, whatever you think, Qingzhi is now your wife, the heir apparent of our Yongwang Mansion. Her safety is related to the reputation of the entire manor."
Lin Jingchuan paused for a moment, then said, "My son understands."
After Lin Jingchuan left, the old Princess Consort Yong suddenly spoke up, "Your Highness, what about Xingyao..."
"Don't mention her!" Prince Yong interrupted sharply. "She'd better stay obediently in the Princess's residence and not cause any more trouble!"
Meanwhile, inside the princess's mansion outside the city.
Lin Xingyao sat by the window, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.
"Mother, what are you thinking about?" Lin Jiayou came out of the inner room, rubbing his eyes.
Lin Xingyao snapped out of her reverie and hugged her son tightly. "You'er, Mother is wondering when we can go back to the Prince's Palace."
"If that bad woman doesn't leave, will we never be able to go back?" Kobayashi Yoshiyu asked innocently.
A hint of malice flashed in Lin Xingyao's eyes, but she quickly regained her loving expression. "Yes, Mother has a way."
She gently stroked her son's hair, pondering her next move.
Today is just the beginning. She wants Zhao Qingzhi to know that taking what belongs to her will come at a price.
Inside the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the lights were on full display.
Gu Junze strode in from outside and immediately saw Chu Ruohan sitting peacefully in the hall. The tension he had been holding all the way here finally eased.
He stepped forward and pulled Chu Ruohan into his arms, his voice tinged with lingering fear: "I've heard about what happened today. Next time you go out, be sure to bring more people with you, and never be so careless again."
Chu Ruohan leaned against him, smelling the familiar scent of agarwood on his body, and the fear in her heart gradually subsided.
She nodded, her voice tinged with apology: "It was indeed my oversight today. I intended to visit Qin Fang and Yu Ling, but Qing Chen insisted on coming along."
"Halfway there, she complained of being thirsty and her legs ached, so I took her to a teahouse to rest. I never expected to encounter this."
She raised her head and looked at Gu Junze, a hint of doubt in her eyes: "Husband, those men in black were shouting about the Wei family, saying it was the former Duke of Wei's mansion?"
"Wasn't Wei Qiming's lineage supposed to have been wiped out long ago? How could they suddenly reappear?"
Gu Junze gently patted her hand to reassure her, and said softly, "Things aren't as complicated as you think. We've already caught them."
Upon hearing this, Chu Ruohan's eyes flashed with surprise: "They caught them so quickly? The Prefect of Jingzhao is certainly acting swiftly this time."
Gu Junze's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile as he explained in a calm tone, "They're not really assassins at all, just a few street thugs who idle away their time. They were bribed and emboldened to commit violence."
"The one in the lead is also surnamed Wei, but as for his relationship with Wei Qiming, he's probably not even close to him. He can barely be considered a distant grand-nephew who's beyond the fifth degree of kinship."
Chu Ruohan nodded knowingly. The Duke of Wei once held immense power in the court. Although he only had one son, Wei Qiming, it was not surprising that some of his distant relatives and collateral relatives were scattered and living away from home.
But, was he acting under someone else's orders?
A slight stirring ran through her heart, but she didn't show it on her face.
"As for Zhao Qingzhi," Chu Ruohan sighed softly, "that's their Yongwang Mansion's family matter, so we shouldn't get involved. But today, we did frighten Qingchen."
Upon hearing this, Gu Junze raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a half-smile, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.
"Scare her? Do you really think our daughter is someone who can be easily frightened?"
Before Chu Ruohan could even ponder the deeper meaning of his words, she heard hurried footsteps outside the door.
"General! Madam!" The maid Haitang rushed in from outside, her face filled with anxiety. She was so breathless from running that she cried out, "It's terrible! Miss... Miss has led her men and stormed into the Jingzhao Prefecture government office!"
Chu Ruohan was startled and stood up abruptly: "What? What are we going to the yamen for?"
Haitang took a breath and said hurriedly, "Miss said that in broad daylight, right under the emperor's nose, someone dared to commit violence in the street, showing no regard for the law!"
"She wants to...she wants to go to the yamen (government office) to uphold justice and seek redress!"
"What did you say?" Chu Ruohan, forgetting her composure, exclaimed, "Qingchen...she led people to surround the yamen? This child, how old is she!" "No, I have to go see her right away!"
She's just a seven-year-old girl, what right does she have to uphold justice? She led a group of people to surround the government office, how could she even think of that!
It's the other way around!
The area outside the Jingzhao Prefecture government office was indeed bustling with activity.
Seven-year-old Gu Qingchen, dressed in a neat riding outfit, had a tense little face and his hands on his hips, looking exactly like a little general.
Behind her stood several guards from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, a few boys who usually played with her, and several sobbing peddlers she had "rescued."
The constables wanted to stop them but dared not, and wanted to drive them away but dared not use too much force, so they could only smile ingratiatingly.