Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1666 Prestige
Awan couldn't help but move closer to Fang Zilan and whispered, "What are you up to? Not only did you fail to rescue Vice General Cao, you also got yourself involved."

"This kind of cell can't hold me at all, what's the point of losing me?" Fang Zilan said casually, and Awan's face fell. "I know you're capable, but there's no need for that."

“I don’t want Mo Han to get involved.” Fang Zilan composed herself and said softly, “Since someone was able to discover my meeting with Lao Cao without my knowledge, then naturally someone could also discover my infiltration of the prison to meet with the pirates. I can’t let Mo Han bear this unknown risk for me.”

"I think you're just worrying unnecessarily," Awan scoffed. "Mo Han's surname is Mo, and he is, after all, the biological son of Mo Bin and his wife. Even if Mo Bin and his wife suspect him, so what? At most, they'll just confine him to his quarters for a couple of days to discipline him. But you and I are different. Based on that jade pendant alone, Mo Bin and his wife don't fully trust you or me. Now that this has happened, it's hard for us not to be suspected."

"There's no point in saying more now." Fang Zilan shook her head, her expression becoming more serious. "What I'm more concerned about is, who exactly is it that I didn't even notice?"

As she spoke, she recalled every detail of her meeting with Deputy General Cao. "Old Cao also said that he felt he was being watched as soon as he entered that restaurant, but he didn't notice anything unusual. Logically speaking, with Old Cao's abilities, he shouldn't have done that."

Awan's face was full of disbelief, "Aren't you the best in the world? Could there be someone more powerful than you in Mushan Pass...?"

"It's a window!" Fang Zilan suddenly interrupted Awan, asking curiously, "What window?"

“All the windows in the hotel rooms are on the same side, and they are all connected.” A hint of annoyance flashed in Fang Zilan’s eyes. “When I climbed into Lao Cao’s room through the window before, I vaguely heard a bell ringing, but I didn’t pay attention to it at the time. Now that I think about it, that sound must have given me away.”

“Oh, right.” Awan added as if she suddenly remembered something: “When I was outside the restaurant, I saw wind chimes hanging from the eaves. I thought they were just decorations, but it turns out they were connected to the windows of all the guest rooms. If someone broke in through a window, the connected wind chimes would sound an alarm.”

"It was my carelessness." Fang Zilan sighed. Awan comforted her, "It's not your fault. Who would have thought that a restaurant would have such a trap?"

“The Mo couple should not be underestimated.” Fang Zilan said solemnly, “No wonder Mo Han told me that Prince Rong’an has always regarded the Mo family as a thorn in his side.”

Upon hearing this, Awan finally realized what was going on, "So, the person you mentioned you had a suspicion about before was Prince Rong'an?"

“Yes.” Fang Zilan nodded. “But I don’t understand why the pirates came if it was just an internal power struggle between Prince Rong’an and Mo Bin.”

After a moment's thought, Awan cautiously asked, "Is it possible that the pirates know about the infighting between Prince Rong'an and Mo Bin, and want to take advantage of this to reap the benefits?"

“That’s possible.” Fang Zilan continued, following her train of thought, “The pirates infiltrated Mushan Pass, creating the illusion that the Mo family was colluding with the enemy and rebelling, misleading Prince Rong’an into believing it was true, and wanting to take this opportunity to eliminate the Mo family. However, none of Prince Rong’an’s generals were capable of handling the situation, so they had to resort to others.”

Awan suddenly realized, "So that's how General Xiahou sent that urgent letter to the capital, delivered by a messenger on an 800-li journey?"

“That’s right.” Fang Zilan’s expression turned cold. “General Xiahou has fought against the pirates many times. Even though the Mo family at Mushan Pass is heavily fortified, as long as Prince Rong’an lets out the slightest clue, it will immediately attract General Xiahou’s attention. At that time, eliminating the Mo family will be a foregone conclusion.” Finally, she lowered her eyes and said, “Using someone else to do the dirty work, Prince Rong’an’s move is ruthless enough.”

Awan looked puzzled. "This kind of scheme of using someone else to do the dirty work doesn't sound like something someone who's been overprotected would do."

“Miss Lan, your mother’s name is Qin Xuan. She is the younger sister of General Qin Wu, who served under the Prince of Pingnan in the previous dynasty. She is the only legitimate daughter of the Qin family of Suzhou.” Madam Hu said slowly, “As for me, I was originally just an entertainer who performed with my sister in the brothels of the capital. My status was low and I had no relation to Miss Qin Xuan.”

"That was back when the Great Chu was still in existence. That year, the Prince of Pingnan returned to the capital victorious. As he rode past the Fengyue Tower, he saved my sister, who was about to jump off the tower because she didn't want to be humiliated. He fell in love with her at first sight and said that he would marry no one but her. At that time, the Prince of Pingnan was fighting on the battlefield and had a large army. He had many political enemies and foes. After he said he wanted to marry my sister, my sister and I lived in constant fear and every day felt like a year."

"The emperor refused, and the court was filled with petitions, and rumors spread throughout the capital. It was at that time that Miss Qin Xuan appeared. She not only redeemed us sisters from our servitude, but also allowed us to move into the Qin residence as her cousins, and she did her best to facilitate my sister's marriage to the Prince of Pingnan."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zilan was startled and couldn't help but interject, "Is Madam's elder sister the Princess Consort Qin Ji of Pingnan?"

"Yes." Madam Hu nodded, her eyes filled with rare affection and admiration. "Under those circumstances, Miss Qin Xuan single-handedly suppressed the public opinion. Her power and spirit are something even men might not be able to match."

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and laughed, "When you were protecting Han'er just now, you looked just like your mother when she was young."

Fang Zilan quickly waved her hand and bowed to Mo Bin, who was sitting in the main seat, saying, "I was rash just now, and I hope General Mo will not take offense."

Mo Bin smiled slightly, indicating that she didn't need to worry. Madam Hu also smiled, "Silly child, how could we blame you?"

After she finished speaking, she picked up her teacup and took a sip. Meanwhile, Mo Han brought up the topic again and asked, "Mother, what happened next?"

"Later, the Great Chu was surrounded by powerful enemies such as Baiyue, Miluo, and Beijin, and internally, various princes were vying for power, causing chaos. Prince Pingnan was ordered to go to Baiyue in a time of crisis, and my sister went with him. At that time, I had already married my husband and was pregnant, so I stayed in the capital."

Madam Hu looked at Fang Zilan as she spoke, and said softly, "Miss Qin Xuan knew that the Great Chu was in turmoil and probably wouldn't last more than a few years. So, before my sister left with the prince, she gave these two jade pendants to my sister and me, saying that if we were ever scattered to the ends of the earth, we could reunite through these pendants. I think Miss Lan has heard what happened after that: the Prince of Pingnan was defeated and perished in the deep sea of ​​Yue..."

She paused, tears welling in her eyes, "My sister originally intended to go with the Prince, but was rescued by General Qin Wu, only to discover she was pregnant. She eventually returned to the capital, gave birth to Princess Wuqing in a difficult labor, and died from postpartum hemorrhage. Miss Qin Xuan..."

She didn't continue, and Fang Zilan pressed, "What happened to my mother?"