H! GVCP Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Two-Faced

With the business with the Qin family settled, Yu Lingzhao led her party away from Jifang Garden and headed toward the ironworks on the corner.

He Xuan had originally intended to just browse the blacksmith shop casually, but she hadn't expected the items inside to be so exquisite, especially a few short daggers that were forged to be exceptionally sharp.

The shopkeeper was a young man. Seeing that He Xuan took a liking to them, he brought them out for her to handle. He Xuan tested her favorite dagger; sure enough, it could cut through a hair just by blowing on it—a truly fine weapon.

"Sister-in-law!"

Seeing He Xuan, Yu Lingzhao walked over quickly, her delicate face full of smiles. Seeing her sister-in-law, He Xuan immediately sheathed the dagger, fearing she might accidentally hurt her. 

"You’re here, Zhaozhao. Is your business finished?"

Yu Lingzhao gave her a smile and a triumphant nod. "Naturally~"

The young shopkeeper had been smiling all along, but he froze the moment he saw Yu Lingzhao. 

He had never seen such a beautiful girl. However, he quickly lowered his head and stopped looking at her, though he couldn't hide the redness creeping up his ears.

Yu Lingzhao didn't notice the young man's reaction. Her eyes were on the dagger in He Xuan’s hand, and she asked how it was. 

This dagger was a rare short-range weapon, and since He Xuan had seen its sharpness with her own eyes, she wasn't about to let it go, she decided on the spot to buy it.

Yu Lingzhao was quite interested in the cold weapons of this era. Since He Xuan had chosen a dagger, she also wanted to see if there were any items suitable for self-defense. 

After looking around, she felt that nothing quite caught her interest and said to He Xuan, "It's lacking something; nothing here is quite what I want."

"What would the lady like?"

"What does my sister want?"

Two voices rang out simultaneously in response to her words, one from He Xuan and the other, surprisingly, from the young shopkeeper.

Seeing the celestial-looking girl look up at him, the shopkeeper suppressed his shyness and said, "What kind of item does the lady desire? If you can describe it, my uncle can surely forge it."

"Really?" Yu Lingzhao’s eyes lit up. "Your uncle is that skilled?"

The young man nodded, looking quite proud. "I’m not bragging, my uncle's craftsmanship is famous far and wide, it’s been passed down through generations. Even the old Prince of the Zhennan Mansion had a dagger forged by my grandfather."

The old Prince of the Zhennan Mansion? 

Her grandfather?

Yu Lingzhao looked at her Third Brother and blinked, her questioning intent obvious. Yu Xunyang frowned and shook his head slightly, his grandfather had many weapons, and he couldn't recall a specific dagger.

"I see mostly ordinary sabers and swords in your shop. What I want is a weapon that can be hidden on my person to catch an opponent off guard," Yu Lingzhao said bluntly, unafraid of startling the young man. 

"Ideally, a high-lethality weapon meant to draw blood."

The young shopkeeper was stunned. This girl was far too reckless, if one wanted to forge such weapons, how could they come during the day? 

But looking at her charming and beautiful appearance, the young man couldn't bring himself to scold her. He could only say in a low voice, "To speak of such things in broad daylight is a bit too... bloody."

The young shopkeeper had given a subtle reminder, but Yu Lingzhao’s brow furrowed, she clearly hadn't understood his point.

Guan Xiao stepped forward and whispered a few words into Yu Xunyang’s ear. Yu Xunyang had a sudden realization and then leaned in to murmur to Yu Lingzhao. 

Soon, Yu Lingzhao wore the exact same expression of enlightenment that Yu Xunyang just had.

It turned out to be a trade custom: weapons specifically designed to draw blood cannot be requested during the day. 

The hidden weapons Yu Lingzhao had described, which could take a life, naturally fell into that category as well.

Yu Lingzhao nodded understandingly. "Thank you, Shopkeeper. I shall return another day."

She noticed that this blacksmith shop was actually different from ordinary ones, common shops wouldn't dare sell sabers and swords, sticking mostly to iron farming tools.

The young shopkeeper nodded with a flushed face. "Safe travels, noble guests."

Yu Lingzhao and He Xuan exited the shop together. 

Feiyu was already waiting at the door with the carriage, seeing her masters emerge, she invited them to board.

The young shopkeeper watched the carriage procession until it was far off. He felt the insignia on the carriage looked somewhat familiar, but for a moment, he couldn't recall which noble family it belonged to.

Meanwhile, just as Yu Lingzhao was returning to the mansion, over at the Fifth Prince’s Mansion, Xiao Ning’an had just learned that she had gone out today.

Having missed the opportunity to meet with Yu Lingzhao, Xiao Ning’an’s expression was extremely unsightly, his handsome face now veiled in a cold chill.

The subordinate who brought the news kept his head lowered, not daring to make a sound. Then, trembling, he looked up and said, "This subordinate felt something was quite strange. It seemed someone was watching me, and halfway through, a person intentionally blocked me from delivering the message."

Xiao Ning’an could no longer maintain his usually gentle exterior, revealing a sharp and stern expression. "Who was following you?"

"This subordinate has failed in his duty and could not determine the other party's identity, but they seem to be related to the County Princess." 

The subordinate mentioned that the other two people tasked with watching the Prince of Zhennan’s Mansion seemed to have had similar encounters.

Xiao Ning’an’s face darkened. "Withdraw our people from the Prince of Zhennan’s Mansion for now. Do not get exposed."

"Yes."

"Go and receive your punishment for today’s failure. I do not wish for there to be a next time." Xiao Ning’an turned his back, coldly handing down the order.

The subordinate trembled and then promptly withdrew.

Xiao Ning’an unfurled a portrait on the desk. The person in the painting possessed peerless beauty, yet there was always a trace of lingering sorrow between her brows. 

After a single glance, Xiao Ning’an rolled the portrait up, placed it carefully into a scroll box, turned a hidden mechanism, and tucked it away behind the wall.

Just as he finished, a knock sounded at the door, and a slightly shrill voice rang out from outside: "Your Highness."

Recognizing the voice, Xiao Ning’an allowed the person in. It was the very person who had been speaking with Qin Sicong at the Jifang Garden Teahouse.

"Your Highness, I met with that Qin boy today. He asked me to convey his regards to you." Qu Wen immediately placed a brocade box before Xiao Ning’an and opened it of his own accord. 

Xiao Ning’an glanced down and curled his lip. "He is certainly generous. Qin Baiwan treats him well indeed."

Qu Wen gave a flattering smile. "Isn't that the truth? Master Qin treats him like a biological son; half of the Qin family's shops in the capital are under his management."

Xiao Ning’an reached out and flicked through the banknotes inside the box. 

It was quite a sum—a full fifty thousand taels.

Seeing his Highness reveal a look of satisfaction, Qu Wen smiled along and added, "As for the daughter of the Qin family, I wonder what Your Highness intends to do?"

Xiao Ning’an shot a cold, sideways glance at Qu Wen, his tone like ice, "Is this something you are permitted to question?"

At his master's flash of anger, Qu Wen immediately dropped to his knees and began slapping his own face left and right. 

"This servant is guilty! This servant overstepped! This servant is guilty! This servant overstepped!"

His originally decent mood having been disrupted by Qu Wen’s question, Xiao Ning’an waved his hand impatiently. 

"Get out. Do not appear before me for the next few days."

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!" Qu Wen scrambled out of the study on all fours. He knew that while the Fifth Prince appeared as bright as the moon and as gentle as jade to outsiders, he was in truth a volatile and ruthless man.

Xiao Ning’an looked toward the direction of the Prince of Zhennan’s Mansion with a grim expression, silently swearing that he would obtain their support, no matter what means it took!

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