Chapter 304: Why investigate Gu Beiyue? (2/2)

“Have someone employ assassins from the City of Daughters. Kill the man and haul away his corpse!” Emperor Tianhui ordered anxiously. There was no need for him to preserve useless servants like Eunuch Xue.

“Your Majesty, it’ll take at least three days to hire killers from the City of Daughters. They’ll be useless for Eunuch Xue then,” Eunuch Chen replied. He was Emperor Tianhui’s second most favored Eunuch. Though he would prefer that Eunuch Xue never come back at all, he still had to remind the emperor about these details.

Eunuch Xue would be able to get up after three days, but Emperor Tianhui would have thoroughly lost his face by then.

“Reinforce the men! If they can’t kill him, they can come back with their own heads instead!” Emperor Tianhui had flew into a rage, his happy evening reduced to a sleepless night.

Early next morning, Eunuch Xue was found still kneeling unharmed in front of the Duke of Qin’s estate. It took less than noontime on the same day for crowds of people to surround him in ever changing mobs. News spread quickly throughout Tianning’s capital city, then the nearby towns. Turbulent waves spread throughout the paranoid capital city as everyone felt on tenterhooks. Those in the know understood that His Highness Duke of Qin had declared his stance! There were only three more days until the empress dowager’s birthday banquet. Many guessed that her celebrations this year wouldn’t be too pleasant.

Long Feiye was really too busy. After he left that night, Han Yunxi suspected they wouldn’t meet again until the day of the banquet. While Grand Concubine Yi was known for being obsessed with face, the empress dowager was famous for her love of presents, especially when it came to her birthday. Han Yunxi had long heard that the old woman didn’t even like to get her gifts ahead of time, but preferred to unwrap them publically during the banquet. If she was unsatisfied with the gift, she’d cause difficulties for the giver right there and then.

Heaven knows how long the various officials and noble families had busied themselves for the sake of her birthday presents?

The act of gift giving was a formal affair to begin with, especially when it was done in public like this. Anything too unsightly would incur the laughter of the spectators and appear insincere. Anything too rare or precious would incite jealousy and even danger if the gift surpassed that of one’s superiors. Thus, presents had to take a middle road. They had to cater to the receiver’s tastes without being too unique, and still be special enough to warrant a surprise.

In Han Yunxi’s case, she had to find a gift that wouldn’t offend the empress dowager while making sure the woman couldn’t use it to get a handle on her. While she was fretting over the problem, Chu Xifeng sent word from Long Feiye. He said that there was no need to prepare a gift, so she should rest well instead.

Is he planning to give her the Mu Clan’s Medicine Fan? It’ll fit the empress dowager’s needs perfectly!

Han Yunxi was even considering whether such a gift could allow her to talk terms with the empress dowager so she could have the emperor rescind the order to send her to the western mountains.

“Has His Highness prepared a gift already?” Han Yunxi asked.

“This subordinate didn’t see His Highness prepare anything, so it doesn’t seem that way,” Chu Xifeng replied frankly.

Han Yunxi gave a significant nod. Maybe Long Feiye’s planning on gifting the Medicine Fan after all.

Aye, but it’s such a shame! The Medicine Fan’s a great item!

Even without the trouble of looking for a present, Han Yunxi was still busy. This wasn’t some small gathering, but the biggest public event she’d attend since entering the Duke of Qin’s estate. As the female master of the Duke of Qin’s estate, she would be standing side by side with Long Feiye before all the various officials and noble families. Her clothes were very important!

Clothing, hair, shoes, hair ornaments, jewelry, and makeup were all equally critical points. She couldn’t lose face for the Duke of Qin or herself. Zhao mama had long prepared a few articles ahead of time, all custom-tailored pieces, but Han Yunxi wasn’t satisfied with any of them. After signing in at the Imperial Physician Courtyard and failing to see Gu Beiyue, she returned quickly to prepare for the banquet instead. It was too late to order more clothes, so she’d have to go shopping in person. Since this was the capital city, she was sure to find something good as long as she had the silver!

Han Yunxi left with Zhao mama from the estate early in the morning. A few shops later, and she’d already amassed a good collection of nice things. As time approached noon, master and servant entered a restaurant and decided to have a meal before continuing their shopping spree. But Han Yunxi had hardly reached the restaurant door when a chair came tumbling down towards her head.

“Mistress, be careful!” Zhao mama reacted quickly and pulled Han Yunxi aside. Meanwhile, the chair crashed to the ground inches from Han Yunxi and broke into pieces. Han Yunxi was quite startled. She’d never been so shocked even when facing assassins, but this chair had shown up out of nowhere!

“Shopkeeper! What’s going on? Do you still want to stay in business?!” Zhao mama immediately raised an outcry.

But soon enough, they heard the sound of fighting breaking out above them. Soon enough, a crowd of people swarmed downstairs to flee for their lives.

“They’ve started to fight! Too scary!”

“They’re simply two female tigers!”

“Tsk tsk, you can’t judge people by their looks. Hurry, let’s get out of here!”

… …

Two women were fighting each other upstairs?

“How unlucky. Zhao mama, let’s try another restaurant.” Han Yunxi was too lazy to get involved with unrelated matters. She was about to leave with Zhao mama when she heard a familiar voice from upstairs.

“This girl doesn’t care who you are. If you don’t apologize today, don’t think of taking a single step out!”

Han Yunxi froze in her tracks. “Mu Linger!” She could recognize the sweet, clear tone of her voice right away. She’s still around? Who’s she fighting with?

Very soon, another voice floated downstairs. “Damned girl. Listen up, I’m Chu Qingge from Western Zhou’s Chu Clan. You should know who’s going to kill you today!”

Urk…Chu Qingge! Han Yunxi licked her lips in amusement before she laughed…enemies were destined to meet!