"Brother, get up quickly!"
"What on earth are you doing?"
Shi Muyuan licked her lips shyly. "I have something to ask you for help with."
"Tell me. Let's hear it." Shi Li was a bit surprised. Previously, Shi Muyuan often asked him to do some strange things, but most of them were so unreasonable that he refused. Then Shi Muyuan stopped coming to him and instead went to the honest third brother.
Fortunately, although the third brother was a bit dull, he knew what was okay and what wasn't. He often made Shi Muyuan so angry that she flew into a rage.
So when Shi Muyuan came to him again, he instinctively wanted to refuse.
"I want to discuss something with Huo Qizhou, but I don't know where he is. Could you please secretly pass a message to him for me, brother?"
"The national master? What could you possibly have to talk to him about?" Shi Li looked completely confused.
Shi Muyuan knew that Shi Li was thinking that the conflict between her and Huo Qizhou didn't seem like they could even talk to each other. Moreover, there was also a conflict between the Shi family and Huo Qizhou.
"Brother, don't worry. I was rescued by the national master when I was assassinated before. I still have his things in my hand and I want to return them to him."
"You can just ask a palace servant to do this. Even if you're sincere in thanking him, he may not accept it." Shi Li thought his younger sister still hadn't given up on Huo Qizhou and immediately wanted to persuade her.
"Brother, please help me just this once. Don't let others know."
Shi Li frowned, extremely puzzled.
"I don't want others to know that I did such a thing. It would be so embarrassing. But I made a deal with the national master. He saved me, so I'm going to return his things." Shi Muyuan had no choice but to start making up a story.
"Humph, I knew there was a catch when he was so kind as to save you." He had been wondering why Huo Qizhou would save Yuan'er. So that was it.
"But in the end, he still failed to protect you well. You don't have to return the things to him." Shi Li's face turned cold.
"Good brother, I have my own plans. I, Shi Muyuan, would never let myself suffer a loss. Am I right?"
"Do as you see fit. Just don't go too far." Shi Li stopped being entangled and even began to worry that his younger sister would go too far.
So when Shi Muyuan saw Huo Qizhou again, the man's face was so gloomy that it was terrifying.
Shi Muyuan was even a bit afraid to speak. After thinking for a while, she still asked, "Has something gone wrong with the case?"
"Hehe, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager doesn't need to worry. The case is going well. But as for you, I don't know how I've offended you that you actually sent General Shi to my mansion to pick a fight with me."
When he came back from the Court of Judicial Review, Shi An came to his mansion and caused a ruckus. When he saw him, he didn't say a word and just attacked him. In the end, neither of them got the better of the other, and many of his antique vases were broken. When Shi An left, he just left a message telling him to come and find Shi Muyuan himself.
Shi Muyuan smiled awkwardly. Why did her second brother pass on the message so differently from what she had said? He even sent her eldest brother to his mansion in a grand manner. Although it did seem like a conflict to others, no one could tell that she had deliberately lured Huo Qizhou here.
"I'm sorry about this. I passed on the message wrong. My original intention was to quietly ask you to come and discuss the matter of the Ten Thousand Flower Pavilion. But I didn't expect my eldest and second brothers to misunderstand. Please calm down, Your Excellency the National Master." Shi Muyuan smiled and flattered him. How could she dare to tell him that she had made up a story and made him take the blame?
Huo Qizhou rubbed the corners of his eyes and didn't bother to argue with her. "Speak. What do you want from me?"
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan knew that he didn't plan to argue with her. She immediately changed her attitude, casually sat down on one side, picked up the tea and took a big sip before speaking, which made Huo Qizhou give her a sidelong glance.
Shi Muyuan restrained herself a bit after being looked at and said, "Didn't you say that Concubine Rui was strange that day? I was thinking about whether we should try to get some information from her. Maybe we can find out something."
Huo Qizhou thought for a while and thought it was feasible. "This is definitely okay."
Hearing the affirmation, Shi Muyuan happily patted Huo Qizhou on the shoulder. Huo Qizhou frowned. "Please behave yourself, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Shi Muyuan was speechless. What a strange temper. Would it kill him to be touched?
Forget it. She was magnanimous and wouldn't argue with him.
Huo Qizhou noticed that she rolled her eyes secretly. He felt a bit uncomfortable. She had touched him, so why was she rolling her eyes!
"By the way, how's your investigation going?" Shi Muyuan asked.
Huo Qizhou took a deep breath to calm his emotions. Meeting her always made his emotions fluctuate greatly, which he didn't like at all.
"Not much progress. Those people abandoned Yin Muran and Lusu. The clues ended with them."
"How could that be? Didn't you find out anything?"
"Yin Muran seems to know a lot, but none of it is very important. At most, he can threaten some officials, but without evidence, those officials won't admit it, and there's nothing we can do. As for Lusu, she knows even less. All the information she knows is from Yin Muran."
"What about that duke?"
Huo Qizhou looked at her. "We can't touch him for now."
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan visibly looked very disappointed.
"I hope we can get some useful information from Concubine Rui."
"Why are you so concerned about this matter?" Huo Qizhou asked the question that had been bothering him. Shi Muyuan never used to care about such things. It was really strange that she insisted on getting involved this time.
"What's so strange about it? Ever since I was assassinated at the city gate that day, I've discovered that someone wants to harm me. Do you think I'm going to just sit there and wait for them to harm me? I'm just worried about my own life. And I also don't want my eldest, second, and third brothers to get hurt."
"Just those three? What about the other members of the Shi family?" Huo Qizhou smiled.
"The others?" Shi Muyuan hadn't thought about it. In the original owner's memory, the impression of the other people was mostly that they were people who were after power and wealth. Her family was the eldest branch, and her three brothers were very promising. They all wanted to get on good terms with her and take advantage of her.
It seemed that only her three brothers and her parents in the Shi family really treated her well.
She couldn't just sit back and wait for death. It would be best if she could find out who wanted to harm her as soon as possible.
Huo Qizhou stared at her serious expression until Shi Muyuan felt embarrassed.
He waved his hand, and a dark figure immediately appeared in the Shoukang Palace.
Shi Muyuan's eyes widened in surprise. "What's this?"
"This is my secret guard. I'll let him stay by your side. If you have anything to ask me in the future, just ask him to pass a message. You don't have to look for your eldest brother anymore." Huo Qizhou said.
Shi Muyuan asked warily, "Why are you suddenly being so nice to me and sending someone to stay by my side? Don't tell me you're trying to monitor me?"
Huo Qizhou didn't answer her immediately. This person had actually been secretly following her all along.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is overthinking. I just think that we're already allies, so it's more convenient to leave someone here. When Your Majesty the Empress Dowager can't find me, you don't have to trouble others."
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan held back her laughter in her heart. "Okay, then thank you, Your Excellency the National Master. Let's have a happy cooperation." Shi Muyuan stretched out her small hand, wanting to shake hands with him to make peace.
Huo Qizhou glanced at her hand and avoided it. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is being too polite. We're just each getting what we want."