Extra Chapter, seeking pinks.
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The appearance of Qian Huolang might be sothing Lian Manman could overlook, but seeing the person sitting in the sedan chair, she couldn’t be careless.
"Brother, did you see that?" Lian Manman quickly turned her head and asked Wu Lang in a low voice.
"See what?" Wu Lang asked, puzzled.
Wu Lang shook his head, he had just been focused on making sure Xiao Qi, Xiao Long, and Xiao Hu didn’t get separated, and hadn’t seen who was in the sedan chair.
"... Sister-in-law Xiu E, Zhao Xiue is in that sedan chair." Lian Manman said.
Wu Lang’s face imdiately changed. A few days ago, they had already received news that the Zhao father and son had been exiled, but Zhao Xiue’s whereabouts were unknown. Since Zhao Xiue’s mother and sister-in-law were still in Qingyang Town, and Zhao Xiue and Erlang’s daughter was still around, they all believed Zhao Xiue would eventually return to the town, back to Thirty Mile Camp.
Now Zhao Xiue had returned, appeared at the Lantern Festival in Jinyang County Town, and was even riding in a sedan chair.
This matter could be big or small, and Wu Lang certainly understood the potential consequences.
"Manman, did you see clearly?" Wu Lang quickly asked.
"I saw clearly." Lian Manman nodded, "Brother, we can’t just ignore this, we should..."
Lian Manman then whispered and discussed with Wu Lang for a while, Wu Lang nodded, and then called Xiao Fu over.
"Follow that sedan chair..." Wu Lang softly instructed Xiao Fu, who nodded, left the group, and trailed behind the sedan chair.
The group returned to the house on Willow Tree Well Alley, washed up, and prepared to rest. Wu Lang and Lian Manman told Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang about seeing Zhao Xiue just now.
Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang were also very surprised.
"... She’s back, why didn’t she go ho? Where did she get a sedan chair? Is she dressed well?" Lady Zhang said.
"Very well." Lian Manman said, just from that one look, she saw Zhao Xiue wearing brocade clothes, her head full of pearls and jade, and on one hand alone, three fingers had gold rings, two of which were inlaid with gemstones.
"Seeing her like this, it’s hard not to suspect other things." Lady Zhang frowned.
As for what other things, Lady Zhang didn’t say explicitly, but obviously, everyone understood. In this era, a single woman with no roots or property, and no ans of making a living, suddenly appearing in such a wealthy guise, the reason was easy to guess.
"Let’s not speculate wildly, let’s wait for Xiao Fu to return with news before discussing." Lian Manman said.
The others went to sleep, only Wu Lang, Lian Manman, Lian Shouxin, and Lady Zhang sat in the room waiting. After about half a Chinese hour, Xiao Fu finally returned.
"Quick, tell us what’s going on?" Lady Zhang hurriedly asked.
"The sedan chair went to the Laifu Inn..." Xiao Fu relayed the news he had gathered while tailing the sedan chair, "The woman sitting in the sedan chair is a Second Lady of so Official Zhao."
When did Zhao Xiue beco a concubine of so Official Zhao? Although people can look alike, to resemble soone to that extent is impossible. The person in the sedan chair, not just in appearance but also in deanor, was undoubtedly Zhao Xiue.
Lian Manman nodded to Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, and Wu Lang.
"I’m sure I wasn’t mistaken."
"I believe Manman." Wu Lang said, then turned to ask Xiao Fu, "Did you find out clearly who that Official Zhao is, where his Second Lady is from, what’s her na?"
"Master, I found out everything." Xiao Fu quickly replied, "This Official Zhao isn’t any official, just a big rchant from Kaiyang County, dealing in textiles. He’s traveled far and wide, generous by nature, people esteem him, calling him Official Zhao."
"This Official Zhao has co to Jinyang County before, staying at the Laifu Inn. The inn’s staff said that Official Zhao has a legitimate wife, who is quite formidable. They had not seen this Second Lady before, nor heard of her."
"Official Zhao treats this Second Lady very well, even letting people around him call her Second Lady. But no one knows the background of this Second Lady. Judging by her accent, she should be from Jinyang County."
Kaiyang County, located within Liaodong Prefecture and bordering Hejian Prefecture, is more than three hundred li from Thirty Mile Camp. Since Official Zhao deals in textiles and frequently travels, it might indeed be possible that he t Zhao Xiue by chance. Xiao Fu also found out that the woman spoke with a Jinyang County accent, confirming further that Lian Manman did not mistake the person, and the one sitting in the sedan chair was indeed Zhao Xiue.
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