"In that case, Liancheng, go and summon Puyang and Hua Jiuye to the front hall. You and Qingcheng also go there. I will change my clothes and then come after you."
Liancheng glanced at Meng Wan apologetically but said nothing. She simply pulled Qingcheng away hastily. After they left, Huangfu Mi hugged Meng Wan from behind, kissed her ear, and said, "Actually, we should have gone back. We shouldn't have gone along with Qingcheng's wishes. But I always feel that she saved my life, and now she's like this. If I don't go along with her in everything, I won't feel at ease."
Meng Wan was well aware of his thoughts, which was why she didn't even go back for Xiao Yun'er's birthday, just to make him feel better. However, she didn't know if doing so was right or wrong, and what Qingcheng really wanted to do!
Afterwards, the group chatted idly in the front hall. Since they were all familiar with each other, there was no awkwardness due to their status or anything like that. When talking about their childhood, everyone seemed very interested, but only Qingcheng, who was most eager to know about the past, seemed a little listless. While watching Hua Jiuye talk animatedly, she quietly left her seat.
"A stunningly beautiful girl—"
For most of the morning, Meng Wan spent most of her energy observing Qingcheng, in addition to listening to everyone's stories. She naturally discovered that Qingcheng's interest was not in listening to everyone's stories, so she became more and more suspicious that Qingcheng's earlier suggestion to talk about the past was just a way for her to spend time alone with Huangfu Mi.
"Your Highness, what brings you out here?"
Upon seeing that it was Meng Wan, Qingcheng was clearly taken aback for a moment, then lowered her head and said softly.
"I came along because I have some questions to ask you."
Qingcheng was taken aback again: "Is something wrong?"
Meng Wan nodded, smiled, and walked up to her. Then she looked up and stared directly into her eyes, saying slowly and deliberately, "Miss Qingcheng, have you truly not regained your memories?"
Qingcheng froze, then smiled gently and said, "Why does Your Highness ask such a question? Of course, my memory has not returned; otherwise, why would I pretend to have amnesia?"
“Yes, that’s what I thought too. Otherwise, if I were to pretend to have amnesia out of the blue, my motives would be truly suspicious.” Meng Wan smiled without batting an eye, but her eyes were fixed on her face, not missing a single subtle expression. When she saw her eyes flicker and she quickly turn her head away, Meng Wan then said, “By the way, I forgot to ask you earlier, how have you been surviving these past two years? Have you been begging all this time?”
"No, I used to do odd jobs for people in the Sichuan area. Then, before the New Year, there was a snow disaster, so I followed others and begged my way to the capital."
The Sichuan-Shu region?
"Then you must have tried Huainanzi braised fish head? I've heard it's delicious, but I've never had the chance to try it, since it's a specialty of the Sichuan region." Upon hearing this, Meng Wan raised her eyebrows, her thoughts racing, and tentatively began to speak.
Qingcheng was taken aback again, then nodded hurriedly and smiled slightly, "Of course, it's Huainanzi braised fish head, I used to eat it often back then."
A hint of surprise flashed in Meng Wan's eyes, but it was only for a moment before she regained her composure. She didn't say anything more, only instructing Qingcheng to go back early, and then turned and headed towards the front hall.
Behind her, Qingcheng had already put away her smile and stared at Meng Wan's back, her fists clenched tightly together, her eyes blazing with anger.
--
Around noon, Huangfu Mi was taking a nap inside the house, but Meng Wan was wide awake. She summoned a sedan chair and rode into the palace.
Meng Junheng was on duty and obviously did not expect Meng Wan to come to see him. Overjoyed, he took her to his residence in the palace.
It was a secluded courtyard very close to Zhengyang Palace, built for the Emperor's convenience. After entering, Meng Wan sat down on a chair, looked around the room, and then said, "Brother, you have served in the palace for so many years, and this is the first time I have ever been to your residence. It is indeed just like your room at home, clean and tidy, not at all like a man's place."
"Do you think a man's room should be dirty and messy?" Meng Junheng poured her a cup of tea, sat down next to her, and chuckled as he listened to her words.
Meng Wan smiled slightly, her lips curving upwards and her eyes forming crescent shapes. She said, "Logically speaking, that should be the case. However, my elder brother is not one of those ordinary slovenly men. They are not comparable."
Her playful tone made Meng Junheng smile. He instinctively reached out to pinch her cheek, but his hand stopped in mid-air and he withdrew it, as if he suddenly remembered that his beloved younger sister was already married, and it would be inappropriate for him to make any intimate gestures.
So he picked up his jade cup, took a sip of tea, and put it down before saying, "By the way, it's been a long time since we got married and we haven't seen each other since. I haven't even had a chance to ask you if the Prince is treating you well? Have you been bullied in the Prince's residence?"
His tone was as gentle as ever. Meng Wan nodded slightly, thinking of Huangfu Mi, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips: "Of course everything is fine, no one dares to bully me, but..."
Only now did he remember the purpose of his trip, and his smile from before became less bright.
"What's wrong?" Seeing her sudden change in expression, Meng Junheng hurriedly asked.
Meng Wan then recounted the whole story of Qingcheng. Finally, looking at Meng Junheng, she said, "So, brother, I always feel that there's something wrong with her. Today, I even deliberately tested her with braised fish head with Huainanzi. It's clearly a dish from the Ganzhou area, but she said she had eaten it in Sichuan. It really makes one suspicious. So, brother, I would like to ask you to help me investigate secretly and see what her purpose is."
"That's not difficult, but... since you suspect her, why not tell the Prince and have him send someone to investigate more thoroughly? Wouldn't that be better than me doing it?"
Meng Wan shook her head: "Huangfu Mi trusts her a lot, after all, she is his savior, so I don't want to upset him because of my suspicions. It would be better to check it myself. If there is no problem, that would be best. If there really is a problem, it's not too late to tell him then."
Meng Junheng listened quietly, always thinking of Huangfu Mi's best interests, and was slightly stunned. When he looked at Meng Wan again, her long hair, which used to be loose, was now tied up, a sign that she had become a married woman.
Only now did he seem to truly believe that Xiao Wan'er, who had always been by his side since childhood, had grown up and become a wife, and would never belong to him again.
This thought made him feel a pang of disappointment. Gazing at her beautiful face, with her eyes crinkling in the breeze, he was stunned and couldn't come back to his senses for a long time.
--
In the following days, Meng Junheng followed Meng Wan's instructions and placed someone in the Prince's mansion to secretly watch Fu Qingcheng.
After several days of silence, on the night of the fifth day, someone suddenly came to see Meng Wan.
Meng Wan recognized him; he was someone Meng Junheng had secretly planted in the Prince's residence. She dismissed everyone else, had Huan Yan watch outside, and called the man in, asking, "Have you found anything?"
The man nodded: "Your Highness, I just saw that girl slip out of the palace through the back door. I followed her and saw her head towards the First Prince's residence."
Meng Wan was startled and suddenly stood up: "The First Prince's residence?"
She immediately sent someone to invite the prince, while she herself, along with Meng Junheng's men, went ahead to the First Prince's residence.
She didn't act rashly, but simply had people guarding the area around the prince's residence until Huangfu Mi arrived. Only then did she go to greet him: "Huangfu Mi—"
Huangfu Mi frowned visibly, looking at Meng Wan with some confusion: "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
“Someone saw Miss Qingcheng come to the First Prince’s residence, so I sent people to keep an eye on her, and I also summoned you here, just to let you see for yourself that there is definitely something wrong with her.”
Meng Wan trusted her elder brother completely and believed in him as a person, which is why she spoke with such conviction.
Huangfu Mi frowned: "What nonsense are you talking about? When I came here just now, Qingcheng had already returned to the manor and even ran into me. She said that Liancheng wanted to eat jujube cake, so she specially went out of the manor to buy it."
These words startled Meng Wan. She looked at Huangfu Mi, then turned to her elder brother's man, and was momentarily confused about what was going on. The man had already knelt down with a thud and hurriedly kowtowed, saying, "Your Highness, I really saw it with my own eyes, and there is not a single falsehood. Please investigate thoroughly, Your Highness."
Meng Wan was genuinely bewildered, but Huangfu Mi's expression had turned cold. Looking at Meng Wan, he said, "Don't tell me you still suspect Qingcheng and even sent people to follow her."