The most dissolute couple in the capital

He Li paused for a moment, seemingly pondering the meaning of the two names.

A moment later, his face flushed red as he retorted, "Sister-in-law! How can you slander someone out of thin air! Qianqian may be down on her luck, but she has a lot of backbone. I offered to treat her to a nice meal at Tianxiang Restaurant, but she absolutely refused, only ordering a bowl of plain noodles. She's clearly from a good family!"

Li Chengjing stroked his chin, smacked his lips, and asked, "Eating vegetarian noodles means you're from a good family? Did your father know that working in the Jingzhao Prefecture was this easy?"

Cui Qingyi sighed inwardly: "Young Master He, she ran into you three times. How did a weak woman who had just arrived and was all alone know your whereabouts?"

"What a coincidence!" He Li replied without hesitation. "And one time it was to thank me! If it was to thank me, they must have waited a long time for me."

Cui Qingyi understood. This stubborn mule was now completely obsessed with his own image as a radiant savior.

The orphan girl's name was meaningless; He Li thoroughly enjoyed the vanity of being thanked.

Pointing it out directly will definitely hurt the brothers' relationship, and this fool might cause some more trouble.

Cui Qingyi went along with it, saying, "Young Master He is so chivalrous and righteous, Your Highness, as your good brother, should give him your full support. Liu Lu, go to the accounting office and get fifty taels of silver for Young Master He."

He Li immediately beamed with joy and bowed repeatedly to Cui Qingyi, saying, "Thank you, sister-in-law! Thank you, boss! Once I tear up that indenture, I'll definitely bring Qianqian to kowtow to you!"

Having received the silver note, He Li was afraid that the local ruffian would sell him out, so he rushed out of the palace gate in a hurry.

Watching He Li's retreating figure, Li Chengjing sidled up to Cui Qingyi and said, "Qingyi, that Qianqian is probably a swindler. He Li, that fool, is being sold out and still expecting to be the one to pay the price! Are we just going to stand by and watch him become the sucker?"

"Given He Li's personality, the fact that he only encountered a swindler now is quite an achievement for the Jingzhao Prefecture."

Li Chengjing whispered, "If you insist on saying I've been lied to, it's not the first time..."

Cui Qingyi wasn't a heartless person, but she was simply too tired from running between two places in one day and didn't want to move: "If Your Highness is truly worried, why not send someone skilled in martial arts to follow them and check?"

Li Chengjing thought for a moment and said to Liu Lu, "Find a smart person to follow him. Don't give anything away, and don't stop him. Just follow that Qianqian after it's over and find out her background."

Liu Lu quickly agreed and turned to make the arrangements.

Once the bystanders left, Li Chengjing immediately approached Cui Qingyi: "Qingyi, you must be exhausted after a long day, right? I just had Suxin prepare some rose-scented bath; the temperature is just right. Why don't you take a soak to relax?"

Taking a bath...it's definitely very comfortable.

Cui Qingyi looked at Prince Liang suspiciously, then sneered: "After soaking, you'll rest quietly? You won't let your hands wander around? You won't pester me for anything else, like 'just half an hour'?"

Lee Seung-kyung's innocent, peach-blossom eyes blinked frantically, his face full of sincerity.

"What half an hour? Why are your hands lying around like that? Qingyi, what profound things are you saying? I don't understand." He leaned shamelessly on her shoulder. "You know I'm an honest man, I don't understand these veiled meanings."

"Stop playing dumb with me." Cui Qingyi pressed a finger against his forehead and ruthlessly pushed him away. "If that's not possible, then Your Highness will have to spend the night in the study in the front courtyard."

"Look what Qingyi said," Li Chengjing immediately changed his expression. "I was sleeping and resting at the time!"

Cui Qingyi rolled her eyes at him again before following Su Xin back to her room, and then instructed Xiao Mama to prepare dinner.

After Cui Qingyi took over the household, the expenses in the mansion were made with exquisite and fresh ingredients, and the fresh vegetables and river delicacies delivered from the farm were made refreshing and delicious.

The two chatted as they ate, when the men Liu Lu had sent out returned.

The young man, though not very old, was quite sensible. He kowtowed to the two men before saying, "This servant went to see for himself. The young lady looked extremely pitiful, and those who captured her were indeed some of the most notorious scoundrels on that street."

The two exchanged a glance, and Li Chengjing said, "So, this matter is indeed true?"

The young man continued, "After Young Master He paid the money, the rogue kept his word and released Miss Qianqian. Young Master He spoke a few words with Miss Qianqian, but I was standing far away and couldn't hear them clearly. I saw that Miss Qianqian was very grateful. After they exchanged some words, Young Master He took his leave."

"After being rescued, Miss Qianqian did not linger. She returned to the alley, which was an old alley with many local residents. The alley was complex and had many small paths. I was standing far away and lost sight of her for a moment... and that's how I lost her."

After saying this, he felt uneasy and dared not look at his two masters.

Li Chengjing thought about it and didn't blame him. He just gave him some silver and told him to leave.

After the servants left, Li Chengjing asked Cui Qingyi, "When Qianqian ran away, she wasn't as frail as a willow in the wind. It seems He Li's fifty taels really went down the drain. Qingyi, what do you think about this?"

Cui Qingyi calmly commented, "What else can we say? The fact that they can run this kind of scheme so smoothly in the capital, even having chosen their escape route, means this is probably not their first time doing it. Anyone who can make a living this way in the capital is much smarter than Young Master He."

She glanced at Li Chengjing's expression, smiled, and continued, "However, Young Master He is, after all, a close friend of the Prince. Even if this fifty taels of silver is just to teach him a lesson, we can't let these people think that the people around the Prince Liang's mansion are easy prey. I'm a little worried. Tomorrow, I'll have Liu Lu find two truly skilled guards who know the rules of the martial world to go to the South Market and dig deeper into their background."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengjing's eyes darted around. He suddenly moved a few steps closer.

"It's pointless to send servants to investigate! Qingyi, are you busy tomorrow?"

Cui Qingyi looked at him warily: "Tomorrow I plan to lie on the soft couch in the courtyard all day reading storybooks. What are you planning to do?"

"Reading storybooks is so boring!" Li Chengjing perked up and urged, "Although He Li, that big fat sheep, has been slaughtered, since this gang isn't doing this for the first time, they'll probably strike again. We've been married for so long, and we haven't really had a proper stroll through the city together yet. How about we change our clothes tomorrow and go meet that 'Qianqian' of yours in person?"

Go in person?

Cui Qingyi's first reaction was to refuse. What kind of noblewoman would go to the marketplace every day for no reason? What kind of behavior would that be?

but……

Cui Qingyi thought for a moment, this is no longer the previous life, why should she still abide by these broken rules as before.

After hearing He Li's account, she really wanted to see for herself the delicate girl who had captivated He Li so completely.

Thinking of this, Cui Qingyi raised an eyebrow: "Alright. But let's make it clear beforehand, we'll just observe and probe the situation. If there's any danger, you're not allowed to impulsively get involved."

"Absolutely!" Li Chengjing was delighted to see that she had agreed and snuggled up to Cui Qingyi.

Cui Qingyi stood up abruptly: "Your Highness, did you wipe your mouth?! You're just rubbing it on!"