"When I just heard the news, I couldn't figure out why you set fire. But later I realized you did it for one reason," An Qin sighed and continued.

Qiao Shu turned to her and asked, "What's it?"

"Shuo Ling has thousands of admirers and you're one of them. So the reason is that you like him," An Qin looked at Qiao Shu into her eyes and explained.

Qiao Shu was rattled by what An Qin said. It seemed that An Qin had long prepared for this talk. If being refused, she would definitely make a fuss about this.

Then Qiao Shu asked, "Infanta Qingcheng is not only Shuo Ling's wife but also His Majesty's..."

"Don't worry. I have a plan," An Qin interrupted her.

Qiao Shu kept asking, "What can I do for you?"

"It's said that Infanta Qingcheng owns a couple of shops in the Jing City. So first, I want you to find out what is sold in her shops," An Qin answered while picking up the cup to have a sip of water with her face hidden behind her sleeves.

Qiao Shu nodded and agreed, "Alright. No problem."

"You're a smart girl. It feels so good to work with smart people. Well, I'll wait here for you to bring me the good news," An Qin responded with a smile.

Qiao Shu stood up and said, "Do you have anything else to tell me? If none, I'd like to take my leave."

While speaking, Qiao Shu was already heading to the exit.

"Wait," An Qin shouted and stood up to walk to Qiao Shu.

Qiao Shu stopped and turned around, "What's wrong?"

"During your stay in Marquis Shuo's mansion, did you find out who was close to him?" An Qin asked.

Hearing that, Qiao Shu lifted the corner of her mouth and answered, "I didn't."

"Fine. It’s just a check." An Qin said with a smile.

Then, she shouted to someone outside, "Sishui, see Miss Qiao out."

"Yes," Sishui replied and walked to Qiao Shu after opening the door.

"Miss Qiao, please," Sishui said and made a gesture in the meantime.

Qiao Shu said to An Qin, "You're so welcome. I'm familiar with this place. No need to do so."

Afterward, Qiao Shu walked out.

When she left, Sishui quickly closed the door.

Then Sishui walked to An Qin and asked, "Your Highness, how's everything going? Did Miss Qiao agree to help you?"

"I've got everything under control," An Qin walked to sit on a chair near the table with a smile. She filled her cup and had another sip.

Now, Qiao Shu was also in her camp, so it would be much easier for her to take action in Jing City later.

After going back to the mansion, Qiao Shu couldn't help but smash everything on the table.

Hearing the noise, a mammy passing by walked to the door and asked after knocking at the door, "Miss Qiao, I heard something was smashed. Are you okay?"

"Mammy, I'm fine. I just dropped a vase on the table by accident," answered Qiao Shu who cooled down and recognized that it was Mammy Ye outside.

Mammy Ye asked again, "Miss Qiao, do you need me to help clean it up?"

"No need. I will do it myself," Qiao Shu refused.

Mammy Ye didn't insist and she reminded, "Miss, please be careful. Don't get hurt."

"Okay, thank you," Qiao Shu replied.

Mammy Ye who was talking to Qiao Shu was in charge of chores in the mansion. Although this was a large mansion, there were only a few servants. Qiao Yanlin spent all days studying medicine in the imperial hospital, while Qiao Shu loved to live in a quiet place. So she had no maid and only hired a few familiar servants to manage the mansion.

When it quieted down outside, Qiao Shu walked to her bed and sat down. She grabbed the sheet.

She was really in a dilemma. She hadn't got rid of Lan Ruojing yet. But now An Qin was also roping her into joining her camp.

While thinking, Qiao Shu looked so serious and cold. If so, she had to come up with a perfect plan to prevent her from meeting with a huge defeat.

When Qiao Shu calmed down, she started to think about the last question An Qin asked.

It seemed that Lan Ruojing was right. An Qin worked for His Majesty and she was asked to spy on Shuo Ling.

At the thought of that, Qiao Shu's eyes looked darker. If she could earn An Qin's full trust, she had to finish the task perfectly. Then, she could seek help from An Qin to defeat Yang Zijin and start to collect evidence to prove that An Qin worked for His Majesty.

As the saying went, two dogs strove for a bone and the third ran away with it. At that time, she could seek protection from Shuo Ling and Lan Ruojing wouldn't be a threat anymore.

Thinking of that, Qiao Shu felt much happier.

Given that An Qin wanted her to investigate Yang Zijin's shops, she assumed that An Qin tended to plot against Yang Zijin by ruining her shops.

If so, she'd like to do An Qin this favor.

Then, Qiao Shu stood up and walked outside after wiping away wrinkles on her clothes.

In Liu's clinic

In the meantime, Mo Shang left the Blossoming Peach and got on the carriage Xian prepared, heading back to the clinic.

Everything went as usual. The carriage stopped near the road. Mo Shang got off and walked to the clinic.

After several treatments and a long rest, Xian felt better with his legs and he already could walk for a while.

An old saying went that it would take long for people who broke their bones or damaged their sinews to recover. But with a long rest, Xian could surely walk like before.

Right at this time, Uncle Liu who traveled back frowned at the closed door of his clinic and cursed, "Where is Mo Sheng? He should close the clinic in the daytime. Is he gonna ruin my business?"

While speaking, Uncle Liu rummaged in the cloth bag that he put behind his back and took out a key.

Then, he opened the door and walked in.

But when he went in, he noticed some changes that there was a new table on which two steamed buns with meat stuffing were placed and a few new chairs.

Uncle Liu frowned. It seemed that Mo Shang really enjoyed himself when he wasn't at home. He shouldn't worry about Mo Shang at all.

When thinking of that, he found something strange. Where did Mo Shang get money to buy these?

Did he steal it? Still frowning, Uncle Liu took off his bag and sat on a chair, waiting for Mo Shang to come back and explain to him.

At this time, Mo Shang reached the clinic. Ready to take out the key to open the door, he suddenly found that the door was open.

Mo Shang got nervous. Had a thief broken into the clinic in the daytime?

Thinking of this, Mo Shang nervously picked up a stick and inched towards the clinic.

When he reached the door, he closed his eyes and shouted, "Who's in my clinic? How dare you break in during the daytime to steal things here? Get out!"

"Get out? It seems that you've become much bolder since I left days ago," said Uncle Liu who saw Mo Shang holding a stick.

Hearing the voice, Mo Shang quickly opened his eyes. Seeing Uncle Liu, he threw away the stick.

He walked to Uncle Liu in horror and stammered, "Master, master, it's you. I, I thought a thief had broken into our clinic."

"Why did you leave the clinic in the daytime? Where have you played around? As for these steamed buns, the new table, and chairs, where did you get these? Give me a clear explanation, or you will get punished to transcribe medical books ten times," Uncle Liu said when pounding the table and looking at Mo Shang.

Hearing the punishment, Mo Shang hurried to explain, "Master, I didn't play around."

"You didn't? So where have you been?" Uncle Liu asked.

Mo Shang lowered his head and answered, "I was out for treating a patient."

"A patient? Who? What's wrong with this person?" Uncle Liu asked with doubt.

Mo Shang didn't look up and answered when grabbing his clothes, "It's Xian who lives in the Blossoming Peach. He broke his leg."

"Xian broke his leg? How?" Uncle Liu frowned after hearing the answer.

Mo Shang nodded and said, "The Woman Flower was on fire and a falling roof log hit him."

"The Woman Flower was on fire?" Uncle Liu looked at Mo Shang with his brows knitted.

Being stared at by Uncle Liu, Mo Shang became more scared.

Then, Uncle Liu pointed at the steamed buns and asked, "What about these? Where did they come from?"

"These are the treatment fee they paid me," Mo Shang quickly explained.

Uncle Liu squinted but stared at Mo Shang then. He asked, "That much? Are you also wearing new clothes?"

"Master, I didn't lie. They indeed paid me with that," Mo Shang looked up at Uncle Liu and said fretfully.

Seeing Uncle Liu still stared at him, Mo Shang hurried into the room and took out the wine Yang Zijin gave him from the cabinet. He walked to Uncle Liu and put the wine on the table. "Master, Her Highness asked me to bring this back to you on her wedding day."

"She married Shuo Ling?" Uncle Liu looked at Mo Shang and asked.

Mo Shang nodded and answered, "On their wedding day, they held the banquet in the Blossoming Peach and invited all people in Jing City."

"Really?" Uncle Liu kept asking.

Uncle Liu unsealed the wine pot and had a sip with satisfaction.

Mo Shang answered, "Yes!"

"She held such a grand banquet but only sent me two pots of wine. That's not good. I'll go to ask her for an explanation," Uncle Liu frowned. Having another sip, he put down the pot and tended to stand up.

Seeing that, Mo Shang stopped him, "Master, I'm afraid you can't find her."

"Why?" Uncle Liu asked with doubt.

Mo Shang explained, "Residents in the Blossoming Peach said that Her Highness set off to Beiling right on the day when Marquis married a concubine."