Chapter 70 Sneaking In

Miss Wei coldly said, “Since Miss Shu insists on believing she deserves the position of Crown Princess, today, let’s just pretend I never came.”

She had come up with a way to sneak over, but now she had to temporarily go back.

Shu Yuwans bowed and said, “Miss Wei, take care.”

After seeing off Miss Wei, Shu Yuwans secretly raised her guard against the people from the Wei family.

When she returned.

 Wenyue rushed up, “Mother~~”

Shu Yuwans played with  Wenyue for a while.

Qing Dai went out for a while and came back, saying, “Miss, the person we sent has already infiltrated the estate where Zhao Qing Qing often goes.”

“Chunxiu also replied, An Shaoyu seems unaware, but he complains that Zhao Qing Qing is getting busier and their relationship is deteriorating. When Zhao Qing Qing is not at home, An Shaoyu basically stays at Chunxiu’s place.”

Shu Yuwans nodded, “Be cautious, don’t let Zhao Qing Qing notice.”

“Yes, I’ve already instructed them,” Qing Dai replied.

Shu Yuwans knew Qing Dai was always reliable.

“Chunxiu’s pregnancy is progressing, and with An Shaoyu spending all his time at Chunxiu’s place, it won’t be long before Zhao Qing Qing starts to suspect something. Put a few more people at Chunxiu’s place to protect her and her son.”

“Understood.”

Zhao Qing Qing had been spending most of her time at the estate outside the city.

She only knew the simple formula for making gunpowder: one part nitrate, two parts sulfur, and three parts charcoal. Nitrate referred to saltpeter, 75%; sulfur, 10%; charcoal, 15%.

But she didn’t know the specific process of making it. Fortunately, she was now a wealthy person and could buy a large amount of materials to experiment slowly.

This was her important trump card. She chose this remote location, always taking a roundabout way to get there. The people she chose were temporary and had no roots. Once the gunpowder was made, these people couldn’t stay.

Zhao Qing Qing’s eyes flashed with coldness. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about lives; in this era, lives were not valued!

“How is it going?” Zhao Qing Qing asked.

A steward-like person stepped forward respectfully and replied, “Miss, it’s almost done. Today, we were able to create a small pit explosion, but the ignition process is still unstable. Sometimes it ignites, sometimes it doesn’t.”

Recalling the fuses of fireworks, Zhao Qing Qing ordered, “Try dipping the fuse in some saltpeter.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Qing Qing waved her hand, “Go ahead.”

In a corner, a young man with a simple face was moving saltpeter while listening to the commotion here.

After arranging things, Zhao Qing Qing returned to the Anding Marquis’s mansion.

She happened to meet her mother-in-law, Lady Wei, and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Liu.

Lady Wei couldn’t help but speak up when she saw Zhao Qing Qing leaving the mansion again, “Even if the Marquis has granted permission, since you have already married into the Anding Marquis’s mansion, you should behave like a proper daughter-in-law. Why do you keep going out all the time? Can’t you leave the outside business to the stewards?”

“This behavior is unbecoming!”

Zhao Qing Qing didn’t pay much attention to Lady Wei. Regardless of her mother-in-law’s attitude, she held the key to the prosperity of the Anding Marquis’s mansion. Both the Marquis and the old Lady Anding treated her politely, turning a blind eye to her outings.

An Shaoyu was also under her control!

What could her mother-in-law stir up?

“Mother, I am the only daughter of the Zhao family, and the family business will be inherited by me. Naturally, I have to manage it,” Zhao Qing Qing replied.

Mrs. Liu chuckled, “You speak as if you haven’t received a dowry yet. I leave the management of the estate and shop to the stewards, so why do you insist on running the business yourself? Does the Zhao family have no one else?

Zhao Qing Qing glanced coldly at Mrs. Liu, not wanting to get entangled with them: “Anyway, going out was approved by the Mr. Hou, and Shaoyu is aware of it. If Mother-in-law has any objections, she can go find the Mr. Hou and the old Lady.”

With a hasty bow, she turned and left!

Lady Wei pointed at Zhao Qing Qing’s back, wanting to catch up: “You, what kind of attitude is that!!”

Mrs. Liu pulled Lady Wei back: “Mother, don’t get angry. Zhao Qing Qing’s reputation is already ruined, so she probably doesn’t care. If you argue with her, you’ll only harm your health.”

Lady Wei, frustrated, scolded An Shaoyu: “It’s all that brat Shaoyu’s fault. He had a good girl like Yuwans, had a child with her, and still insisted on divorce. He married such a thing and brought her back. Now that he’s married her, he doesn’t care. He just knows how to anger me every day.”

Mrs. Liu didn’t refute this statement; she felt the same way.

Zhao Qing Qing had returned early today, intending to spend time with An Shaoyu, whom she had neglected for a while. But after waiting for a long time, he didn’t return.

She asked the maids in the courtyard, “Does the Third Young Master always come back so late every day?”

The maid hesitated for a long time before daring to answer.

Getting impatient, Zhao Qing Qing demanded, “Speak!”

The maid quickly knelt down, trembling, and said, “Yes, the Third Young Master has been coming back late recently.”

Feeling a sense of foreboding, Zhao Qing Qing asked, “Was there any instruction on where he went?”

The maid shook her head.

Zhao Qing Qing waved her hand, dismissing the maid.

She instructed the maid who had come from the Zhao Mansion, “Tomorrow, have a discreet servant follow An Shaoyu and see what he’s up to.”

“Yes, Miss.”

After waiting for a long time, An Shaoyu finally returned to the mansion. Seeing Zhao Qing Qing in the room, he was taken aback. He quickly put on a smile, “Qingqing, why did you come back so early today? Weren’t you busy with something recently?”

Seeing this, Zhao Qing Qing grew more suspicious.

“You forget, aren’t you? Today is the anniversary of the day we first met under the willow tree by the moat. I came back early today on purpose.”

“What about you, Shaoyu? Where did you go?”

An Shaoyu concealed his inner turmoil and casually said, “Is it? I forgot such an important day. I should be punished. Qing Qing, how do you want to punish me?”

Not buying into it, Zhao Qing Qing replied, “Shaoyu, you still haven’t told me where you went.”

An Shaoyu retorted, “You didn’t tell me where you went either, Qing Qing. You just said you were busy recently and I haven’t seen you for days. Why do I have to report to you every time I go out with friends?”

“Well, tell me, where did you go?”

Zhao Qing Qing remained silent. She didn’t intend to reveal the gunpowder matter to anyone. Whether it was the Fifth Prince’s consort or An Shaoyu, she only planned to give them a hint to show her value.

“I told you, I went to find a way to help the Fifth Prince.”

“And I told you, I went out to socialize and make connections!”

The two parted ways on unfriendly terms!