Chapter 272: Accomplices

Qin Yang looked at Mother Gu in astonishment.

Mother Gu glared at him, her brows raised sharply. “Didn’t you just say that Prince Changxing is my husband? If you’re truly his subordinate, why aren’t you following my orders? Are you trying to defy your superior? Or perhaps…”

Her tone suddenly shifted, and her expression turned fierce. “Are you lying to me?”

Qin Yang was momentarily speechless when he saw Mother Gu’s expression that clearly conveyed, “Don’t think you can fool me.”

After some thought, he could understand her reaction.

After all, anyone who heard that someone who had been dead for years was actually still alive wouldn’t believe it right away either.

“Sister-in-law, I may have been abrupt this time, but every word I’ve said is true. If you don’t believe me, you can send a letter to ask Gu Huaizhi. He knows the truth perfectly well.”

Qin Yang decided to gather more solid evidence before coming to see Mother Gu again. Before leaving, he warned her, “Lady Liu’s father has escaped back to Great Zhou. He will certainly try to find you, so be extra cautious.”

Thinking of Mother Gu’s suspicious nature, Qin Yang felt that his warning might have been unnecessary.

“I’ll come back for you next time.” 

Qin Yang said, tossing out this sentence before striding quickly toward the exit.

“Quick, catch him!” Mother Gu raised a bolt of fabric and swung it down toward the back of Qin Yang’s head.

Qin Yang swiftly dodged with agile movements, but in the next moment, he was ensnared by a net.

He panted heavily, watching as seven or eight hidden guards surrounded him.

“Sister-in-law, my name is Qin Yang. You can send someone to Xiliang to investigate.”

Qin Yang felt utterly humiliated. Not only had he failed to accomplish his task, but he had also ended up as a prisoner.

“The father of my children is still alive and even a great general. Why wouldn’t he come to find me himself? Even if he sent you, there are several of us in my family. Why would he only send one person to fetch us?

If he wanted to keep things low-key, shouldn’t there at least be some kind of token? You think I’d believe your nonsense based on a few words? Are you the foolish one, or do you think I’ve been kicked in the head by a donkey?”

Mother Gu ordered the hidden guards, “Take him back and interrogate him thoroughly. It seems there’s also an accomplice with the surname Liu.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the hidden guards responded, taking the fabric from her hands.

Mother Gu rolled her eyes at Qin Yang, slung her basket over her arm, and walked away.

“Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law…” Qin Yang called after her.

Mother Gu paid him no attention, her mood improving as she bought braised pork knuckles, planning to add them to the dinner menu that evening.

The streets were bustling with traffic, and pedestrians hurried past.

Mother Gu felt a sense of melancholy in her heart.

It had been a long time since she had thought about Gu Qingsong.

Even though she knew it was impossible for him to return, Qin Yang’s words still stirred ripples deep within her heart.

A carriage stopped in front of her, pulling Mother Gu out of her thoughts. She stepped back to make way.

The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a slender figure emerged from inside.

When Mother Gu saw clearly who it was, she exclaimed in delight, “Wanwan!”

“Mother!” Su Wan leaped down from the carriage.

Mother Gu embraced Su Wan, feeling the thinness of her body, not an ounce of flesh to be found. She spoke with heartache, “You’ve lost weight, so much weight. Did you suffer a lot on the journey?”

“Not at all. I’m about to wear thinner clothes, and being slimmer looks better,” Su Wan replied, taking the basket and hooking her arm through Mother Gu’s. She led her onto the carriage, saying, “Do you have anything left to do? I’ll go with you to finish it. I haven’t seen Jingyun and Baozhu for over six months. I bought them lots of things—would you come with me to visit them for a few days?”

Mother Gu was not a foolish person. Su Wan and Gu Huaizhi had just arrived in the capital—there was no way they would leave the city without her meeting Gu Huaizhi first.

She couldn’t help but think of Qin Yang, and a sense of unease rose in her heart.

After hesitating, she asked, “Wanwan, just now someone told me that Huaizhi’s father is in Xiliang. Did you meet him?”

Su Wan’s smile froze.

The slowly moving carriage suddenly came to a halt.

Realizing something, Su Wan lifted the curtain of the carriage. In an instant, she saw Gu Qingsong standing in front of the carriage, blocking its path.