Yan Zhen smiled and said, "Once I recover, shall we go and catch the murderer who killed Niu Da?"
What was originally a very serious matter, when he spoke of it, sounded as exciting as a young couple going on a date.
An Xin rolled her eyes at him and said, "If you keep messing around like this, by the time you recover, Niu Da will be waiting for you in the underworld until the daylily is cold!"
Yan Zhen smiled and pecked her, then whispered, "That brat named Chu Feng, I'll definitely kill him someday!"
An Xin suddenly frowned and said seriously, "Is the Right Prime Minister used to killing people like this without blinking an eye? If you kill him, I will kill you!" (And then I'll make turtle soup!)
Yan Zhen immediately retorted with displeasure, "Am I not as important as a stranger?"
An Xin said calmly, "I only know that life is precious!"
Yan Zhen pursed her lips and remained silent.
An Xin was unusually sensitive. She turned around and glanced at him, only to see that his cheeks were slightly flushed and his usual smile had vanished. He looked so weak, yet he still tried to hold her. An Xin's heart tightened slightly. She moved her body and jumped down, saying, "A life for a life. Even if you are the Right Prime Minister, you cannot take people's lives so easily."
Yan Zhen remained silent.
An Xin paused for a moment and then said, "Whatever you want." With that, she turned and left.
Yan Zhen grabbed her and said, "That brat Chu Feng got off easy!"
An Xin knew he was compromising. She remained silent for a moment. In ancient times, it was common for those in high positions to disregard human life. For someone of Yan Zhen's status to compromise was truly a difficult thing for him.
But wasn't her hard work in solving cases all for the sake of bringing justice to the deceased? If everyone were like Yan Zhen, killing people at the drop of a hat, where would justice be?
An Xin looked at Yan Zhen. The two of them could barely be considered a couple, but they had completely different views on life and values. These two things were irreconcilable. Asking him to accept the idea that everyone is equal and that murder is illegal was nothing short of a fantasy. On the other hand, she could not accept his approach of letting anyone who violated the law be executed and that power was supreme.
Thinking of this, An Xin's expression turned colder, but she still smiled and said, "Aren't you going back to lie down?"
Yan Zhen tugged at her wrist and said weakly, "I can't walk anymore."
An Xin glared at him: "Weren't you full of energy just now?"
Yan Zhen said, "Now that no one cares, the anger has naturally dissipated."
An Xin knew he was cheating, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and she reached out to grab him, saying, "You got off easy, you bastard!"
Yan Zhen smiled gently, and her slightly sickly cheeks became as beautiful as peach blossoms, stunningly gorgeous.
****
Catching the culprit must be done in secret. An Xin looked at the servant in front of her and said, "Close your eyes and do as I say."
An Xin discovered the servant by chance. He looked somewhat similar to Niu Da. An Xin paid him ten taels of silver to help her put on a show. The servant naturally did not refuse, but when he saw the other person in the room, his eyes were fixed on him for a long time.
Yan Zhen leaned lazily against the soft couch and said, "Why spend that extra ten taels of silver? Wouldn't it be much more economical to have me do it?"
An Xin didn't even blink before saying, "The eyebrows are too thin, the eyes are too big, the nose is too straight, the lips are too thin, the features are too delicate, and the height is too tall. If I'm going to do it, I won't make it look like a mishmash!"
Yan Zhen smiled and said, "Is Xin'er saying I'm too beautiful?"
The servant thought to himself, "Miss, are you saying I'm too ugly?"
An Xin said calmly, "How can someone whose drinking cup is worth a thousand gold coins have the nerve to save me ten taels of silver?"
Yan Zhen gently waved her folding fan and said with a smile, "What's the point of saving for yourself? Saving for you is the real goal."
An Xin rolled her eyes, but her hands kept moving. She knew a simple disguise technique, and this servant was already somewhat similar to Niu Da. With a little modification, he could look eight or nine parts the same. Besides, in this play, there was really no need for a complete resemblance.
"Bring me the eyebrow box." An Xin noticed that Yan Zhen was bored, so she ordered him to help. Fortunately, the Right Prime Minister was not lazy by nature. He immediately got up and handed over the eyebrow box with a smile, saying, "In ancient times, drawing eyebrows was used to express the love between husband and wife. Xin'er, do you want me to draw your eyebrows?"
An Xin looked up at him and said, "Are you very free? If you are, go outside and run a few laps around the street before coming back."
Yan Zhen shook his folding fan and chuckled, "When Xin'er becomes so affectionate towards me, I won't feel idle anymore."
The seated servant thought to himself, "Are you two treating me like I'm invisible? There's a proper time for open flirting!"
An Xin casually smeared the disguise cream on Yan Zhen's face and said, "If you like it, I'll be very affectionate with you!"
Yan Zhen felt her cheeks were wet and sticky. She had never had her face wiped like this before, and she was stunned for a moment.
Dewdrop pushed open the door and entered, saying, "Miss, Master says lunch is ready and he'd like the master to come and eat..." Her words caught in her throat when she saw Yan Zhen's face, and she stammered, her eyes wide, "The...the master's face..."
An Xin was busy with her own things, but Yan Zhen snapped out of his reverie and smiled, "Have you had lunch yet? Let's go." He then turned to walk out, but An Xin grabbed him and glared at him. What a joke! If she went out like that, she would definitely have to listen to her father's nagging again!
An Xin casually grabbed a handkerchief and wiped his face, saying, "Dewdrop, go tell Father we're coming right now."
Dewdrop stared in astonishment at the young lady's actions, nodding blankly. The young lady was always cold and aloof; she had never made such a gentle gesture before.
Yan Zhen curved her eyelashes and said, "Was Feng Yi always as emotional as I am?"
An Xin glanced at him: "Are you sure it's your heart that's pounding, and not jealousy?"
Yan Zhen suddenly put his arm around her waist and said, "Whether my heart is pounding or not is another matter, but yours is definitely not."
An Xin raised an eyebrow, sensing that his words were ill-intentioned!
Yan Zhen leaned down and pecked her lips, saying, "Naturally, it's here." Then, his fingertips slid from her cheek to her chest. An Xin's face flushed instantly, and she raised her foot to stomp on his, gritting her teeth, "You get out of here and eat right now!"
The servant standing nearby blushed and thought to himself, "Are you two really treating me like I'm invisible...?"
Yan Zhen smiled gently, then walked to the bronze mirror, looked at himself, and turned to walk out gracefully.
Minghe, who was waiting outside, was startled by the conversation between Anxin and his master. Seeing his master slowly walk out, he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "My lord, we have a lead on the person who kidnapped Miss An last time."
Yan Zhen shook his folding fan and said calmly, "Continue the investigation. We need to take them alive."