Failing to evoke any memories, Mo Qinghuan's bright and glistening eyes dimmed instantly.
She gently stroked the book and sank into deep thought.
She didn't even notice Mu Yanming's arrival.
Mu Yanming gently pulled her into his arms, and only then did she come back to her senses.
She turned to look at Mu Yanming, her almond - shaped eyes full of confusion. "Why are you here?"
Mu Yanming took her hand and gently scratched her palm with his finger, making her itch.
"I returned to the mansion, and they said you weren't there. So I came here right away."
Mu Yanming's eyes fell on Mo Qinghuan, and he looked at her deeply.
The tip of Mo Qinghuan's nose was filled with his fresh and cold scent.
Mu Yanming never liked scented incense, so the smell on him was always left from his bath.
The two walked out of the study. The person guarding outside the study locked the door with a click.
She turned back to take a look and then let Mu Yanming lead her out.
She slightly raised her eyebrows and saw Mu Yanming's slender side face and well - defined jawline.
Perhaps sensing Mo Qinghuan's gaze, he slightly nodded. A ripple appeared in his deep, well - like eyes and quickly faded back to calm.
"What are you looking at?" he asked playfully.
Mo Qinghuan blushed and lowered her head. Her hands in her sleeves tightened and then loosened.
After leaving the general's mansion, Mu Yanming helped her into the carriage, and it drove in the direction of the regent's mansion.
"A few days from now will be Concubine Li's birthday. Will you attend?" Mu Yanming said casually.
Mo Qinghuan remembered that she hadn't seen Concubine Li for a long time. The last time she saw her seemed to be when she entered the palace to feel her pulse.
"Either way. If you want me to accompany you, I will. If you say no..." Before the word "need" could come out, Mu Yanming reached out and pressed her hand on her knee.
"Good. I need you to accompany me."
She lowered her eyes and smiled softly.
Mu Yanming nodded and then closed his eyes to rest.
The gentle breeze blew up the curtain of the carriage, and a familiar figure suddenly flashed into her sight.
The curtain fell, and she only saw the fluttering corner of a robe.
She quickly lifted the curtain, and the fine rain drifted into the carriage with the wind.
She saw Mo Yao in a hurry, turning into an alley.
It was getting dark at this time. What was Mo Yao up to so secretly? Could it be...
She shook off the thought in her head. Remembering that Mo Yao now lived in the general's mansion, although Ning Shouzhang didn't dote on her particularly, at least he had recognized her identity.
If she could live out the rest of her life peacefully, considering her previous bad reputation, it would be a good outcome.
But as the saying goes, there is no cat that doesn't steal fish. She didn't believe that Mo Yao had completely changed her promiscuous nature.
Mu Yanming noticed her movement but didn't know what she was looking at. He only thought that the breeze was blowing into the carriage and she was pregnant. He didn't want her to catch a cold, so he reached out and lowered the curtain.
He held her hand and made her look at him.
Mo Qinghuan looked up at Mu Yanming. When he didn't speak, there was a cold aura all over him.
His eyes, as black as ink, seemed to be constantly wrapped in a cold storm. But whenever he looked at her, it turned into a gentle spring breeze, making her feel at ease.
Since she saw Mo Yao, she felt that things were not that simple.
The more she thought about it, the more bothered she became. So she called Jing Hua and told him to find a smart guard for her.
Jing Hua answered yes, bowed and stepped back, and then went to call the people for selection.
When Bai Ke came back and saw this scene, he walked forward and poked Jing Hua's waist with the hilt of his sword.
Jing Hua rubbed his lower back and turned around with a ferocious look on his face, about to curse.
When he saw it was Bai Ke, he smiled and called out "Brother Bai".
"What's going on?" Bai Ke looked at the scene in front of him and asked in confusion.
Jing Hua shook his head, saying that he didn't know either. "I just do as the princess commands. How would I know what she wants with these pretty lads?"
Jing Hua misinterpreted her meaning but didn't realize it at all.
What she clearly said was to call a smart person.
Bai Ke frowned and was also confused, but it was not appropriate for him to ask Mo Qinghuan's intention.
Finally, Jing Hua found a young man with a fair complexion. He put his hand on the young man's shoulder and said with a smile, "You're lucky, lad. When you go to serve the princess, be smart and don't disgrace us."
The fair - complexioned young man was named Wei San'er, and his family called him San'er.
Hearing Jing Hua's words, he happily agreed.
Then he was brought before Mo Qinghuan.
Mo Qinghuan was initially surprised, but after asking a few questions, she thought the person Jing Hua had chosen was not bad.
She told Dan'er to give Jing Hua a purse and then told him to step back.
After Jing Hua left, Mo Qinghuan showed Wei San'er a portrait. "Do you see clearly what the person in the painting looks like?"
Wei San'er nodded. "Yes, Princess. I've remembered."
Mo Qinghuan gave a satisfied hum and motioned for Dan'er to put away the portrait.
"Understood. I'm giving you a task. Starting tomorrow, go to the entrance of General Ningyuan's mansion and keep an eye on the woman in the painting. Report all her comings and goings to me without missing a single one. But remember, don't let anyone find you."
After understanding, Wei San'er nodded, his eyes showing his smartness.
He was not very old, only seventeen this year. He had two older brothers at home. Since he heard that the monthly salary for serving in the regent's mansion was quite good, his parents sent him here. He also sent his monthly salary home to support his two brothers' families.
So he didn't even have a decent set of clothes. Mo Qinghuan couldn't bear to look at it, so she told Dan'er to take him to make two sets of clothes.
Then he started to surveil Mo Yao at the entrance of General Ningyuan's mansion.
On the first day, he didn't see the so - called woman in the portrait.
On the second day, he changed his location and his outfit, and squatted at the entrance for a whole day, but still didn't see Mo Yao come out.
In the evening, when it was completely dark, he sneaked back to the mansion, afraid that others would see his face, because then it would be inconvenient for him to follow.
Early on the third day, yawning, he came to the entrance of General Ningyuan's mansion. He held a steamed bun in one hand and scratched his back with the other.
Just as he stuffed the bun into his mouth, he saw a pig - swill cart coming out of the alley in the backyard. Then he suddenly realized.
"No wonder I didn't spot the person in the past two days. Maybe the young lady in the painting goes out through the back door."
So on this day, he went to the back door and squatted there.
Sure enough, he guessed right. Not long after he turned to the back door, Mo Yao slipped out of the back door.
She looked around furtively and then quickly left.
Wei San'er then followed her as Mo Qinghuan had instructed.
Mo Yao's steps were hasty and disordered, and she didn't notice the person behind her at all.