Their horses were quite good, but the snow on the ground was too thick. After traveling for a long time, Shuo Ling had long felt that horses got a bit too tired.

Therefore, he nodded to agree to Mo Li's suggestion.

After getting down from his horse, Mo Li tied it to a tree nearby, took out the food he bought before, and handed it to Shuo Ling.

The latter took it over and started to eat.

While eating the pancake, Mo Li saw some withered grass in the ditch nearby.

Then he stood up and walked there. Having the pancake in his mouth, he pulled the sword out and cut off the withered grass.

When he got enough, he bent to carry the pile of grass back to horses and threw it down.

The two horses sniffed first and then started to chew the grass.

Mo Li reached out to stroke one horse's head and sighed lightly. Such good horses really suffered a lot.

If they hadn't been tired, they might not have eaten weeds that he picked up at the roadside just now.

In Dongling at the same time

Since Shuo Ling set off to Beiling to look for Yang Zijin, Infanta An Qin had been busy all the time.

In addition to asking Sicha to keep a close eye on everyone in the mansion, she also wandered in Yang Zijin's shops and around the Blossoming Peach from time to time.

At present, she not only had to find out who Shuo Ling was secretly contacting, but also to make sure whether Infanta Qingcheng was Princess Nanyang's daughter. There were too many coincidences so that she had to know who on earth Infanta Qingcheng was.

The royal family told the public that Infanta Qingcheng had been raised by Princess Pingting since young. However, according to the people she sent out for investigation, Infanta Qingcheng didn't live with that princess at all.

If she didn't, there must be someone else growing up there. So as long as she found the evidence that Infanta Qingcheng was an impostor, the latter would be proven to have committed a huge crime.

Namely, she committed the crime of lying to the emperor!

Then, no matter how much Shuo Ling liked her, he might not be able to save her.

At that thought, An Qin sneered. Then, Shuo Ling would only belong to her.

At this time, Sicha walked in and said, "Your Highness, Miss Qiao's arrived."

"I see. Let her in." An Qin came to her senses and went to the table to sit down.

Soon, Qiao Shu walked in.

An Qin looked at Qiao Shu with a smile and said, "Qiao, don't stand there. Come here and take your seat."

Qiao Shu nodded and walked to sit on the chair next to An Qin.

"Sicha, those flower cakes our chef made are good. Go and get some for Miss Qiao." An Qin looked at Sicha and said.

Sicha nodded, walked out, and also closed the door.

Qiao Shu took a look at the closed door but gave little reaction and still wore a smile.

When Sicha left, An Qin directly asked, "How's everything going? What's the result?"

"What result are you asking about?" Qiao Shu turned around to look at An Qin and asked.

"Of course... Of course, the result of whether Infanta Qingcheng is an impostor." An Qin got worried after seeing Qiao Shu playing dumb. But when she blurted the first two words out, she realized she didn't behave in a proper way, so she softened her tone.

While speaking, she picked up the cup full of freshly made tea and had a sip.

Qiao Shu smiled and answered, "I indeed found some clues but you know, I, a powerless woman, can't do everything alone."

"I understand. You only need to tell me what you've found." An Qin looked at her when hearing what she said and comforted.

Qiao Shu nodded, "Infanta Qingcheng shares some similarities with a person Marquis Shuo made acquaintance with before, but..."

"But what?" An Qin quickly asked when Qiao Shu paused.

Qiao Shu stopped for a while and covered her mouth with her hand to whisper to An Qin, "Do you remember Mr. Yang from the Spring Breeze in Jing City?"

"Mr. Yang?" An Qin frowned at the name.

Qiao Shu nodded and continued, "Yes. His mother is a procurer in the Spring Breeze and he has earned some fame. There once was a rumor that Marquis Shuo and he were a couple."

"What? They were a couple? Where is he now?" An Qin suddenly stood up and looked at Qiao Shu in amazement.

Qiao Shu went on, "Everyone gossiped about this at that time. The rumor had been bruited for quite a while before it was dispelled. If you don't believe this, you can go out to ask any resident about it. But Mr. Yang died in an accident when his carriage turned over."

"Dead? So where is his grave?" An Qin sat down after hearing that and turned to Qiao Shu to ask.

Qiao Shu replied, "In the peach forest in front of the Blossoming Peach."

An Qin slightly frowned. He was buried in front of the Blossoming Peach? Then she turned to Qiao Shu and asked in bewilderment, "Then why did the Spring Breeze burn down later?"

"Mr. Yang displeased someone, and one night, the Spring Breeze just collapsed in a big fire. Later, he bought the Blossoming Peach." Qiao Shu continued.

An Qin kept frowning. If Qiao Shu didn't lie about that Mr. Yang and Infanta Qingcheng looked alike, they two must be related.

Seeing An Qin staying silent, Qiao Shu said again, "Shortly after Mr. Yang died, Infanta Qingcheng came back and took over the Blossoming Peach. But I didn't find out what happened to her next."

Qiao Shu had a reason to tell An Qin this.

The reason why An Qin asked her to investigate Yang Zijin was to ruin her reputation so that Shuo Ling would leave her. And this was also what Qiao Shu wanted.

In fact, nobody knew the relationship between Mr. Yang and Yang Zijin, but back then, she played a trick to get some information about it. Now, An Qin was desperate to find out who Yang Zijin was.

So Qiao Shu told her this secret to give her a clue. Given her ability, An Qin might find out Yang Zijin's identity within a few days.

Then she would tell Shuo Ling this when he was back. Judging from his personality, Qiao Shu was sure that Shuo Ling would drop a bad attitude towards An Qin.

If things were not going as An Qin expected, she would make a scene and spread the rumor. At that time, both An Qin and Yang Zijin would get into trouble.

Afterward, her father would definitely take her back home from the Shuo Ling's mansion.

With this trick, she could rule out two rivals at one time.

As for how to deal with Lan Ruojing, Qiao Shu would seize the opportunity to tell Shuo Ling that Lan Ruojing and An Qin had investigated him.

She believed that Shuo Ling would know how great she was then. As long as she married Shuo Ling, Lan Ruojing wouldn't be a threat to her anymore.

At the thought, Qiao Shu put on a smile.

Hearing Qiao Shu's report, An Qin nodded, "I see. Thank you for telling me this."

"You're welcome." Qiao Shu answered smilingly.

Right at this time, Sicha who went out to bring some flower cakes back pushed the door open and walked in.

"Your Highness, here are your flower cakes." Sicha said while walking.

An Qin picked up a flower cake from the plate and handed it over to Qiao Shu. "Have a taste. It's delicious."

"Thank you." Qiao Shu slightly nodded and took over the cake.

She had a small bite and commented, "Yeah, it has a faint floral fragrance."

"You can come over more often if you like it." An Qin smiled and said.

Qiao Shu nodded, "I hope you won't get tired of my frequent visits then."

"Qiao, don't say that. Whenever you drop by, you'll be welcome here." An Qin held Qiao Shu's hand that she put on the table and responded after hearing what she said.

Qiao Shu smiled and said, "Please allow me to leave if we don't have anything else to discuss."

"Alright. Sicha, see Miss Qiao out." An Qin nodded and called Sicha.

Walking to Qiao Shu, Sicha answered, "Miss Qiao, this way please."

Then Qiao Shu stood up and walked out after nodding at An Qin.

But after she left, An Qin's face clouded.

What relationship on earth did Mr. Yang and Infanta Qingcheng have?

The Spring Breeze burned down. Next, Mr. Yang purchased the Blossoming Peach. At last, he was buried in the peach forest after dying in a carriage accident.

Later on, Infanta Qingcheng was back to Jing City and claimed to be raised by the Prince of Beichen.

However, the Duke of Mu expressed no opinion about that.

This couldn't be as simple as it seemed. But if it was not, how were these things connected?

The Duke of Mu wouldn't be that silly to treat a stranger as his daughter.

So, they must have hidden something!

All of a sudden, a crazy idea occurred to An Qin: Was it possible that Mr. Yang was Infanta Qingcheng?

After all, she didn't know what relationship a man and a woman who looked alike could have if they were not siblings.

Besides, she didn't believe that Shuo Ling would fall in love with a man. Mr. Yang's death seemed deliberate because Infanta Qingcheng went back to Jing City before long.

Although Qingcheng didn't come back right on the day when Mr. Yang died, the time interval made everything look more like a deliberate move.

But Mr. Yang was a procurer's son. At the thought, An Qin had another crazy idea. Was it possible that Mr. Yang was actually a girl?

Shuo Ling was first said to have no feeling for women and then to be in love with a man. Later, right after Infanta Qingcheng came back to Jing City, the Emperor betrothed her to Shuo Ling.

It was too coincidental. Given Shuo Ling's personality, he would refuse to do anything he didn't like even if it was the Imperial Edict that required him to do so.

So it meant that Shuo Ling already knew Infanta Qingcheng before they were married!

But that didn't make sense. It seemed that she needed to investigate more.

At the thought, An Qin frowned. In the meantime, Sicha who saw Qiao Shu out was back. Seeing An Qin at a loss, Sicha walked to her and asked, "Your Highness, what did Miss Qiao say?"

"Sicha, I want you to go to the Blossoming Peach tonight." An Qin looked at Sicha and ordered.

Hearing that, Sicha knitted her eyebrows. Going to the Blossoming Peach tonight? She asked again, "Your Highness, why should I go there at night?"

"Come here." An Qin beckoned to Sicha.

At once, Sicha walked to An Qin and bent over.

An Qin covered her mouth with her hand and whispered to Sicha in a low voice, "Go to the peach forest in front of the Blossoming Peach..."

"What? Why?" Sicha was confused and asked when looking at An Qin.