Miss Truth
Chapter 452 - 294: To Go or Not to Go

Chapter 452: Chapter 294: To Go or Not to Go

"I know, so of course we have to meet the person who could have a hand in this," Liu Qingsong yawned as he spoke.

Ran Yan pondered for a moment and then knocked on the carriage wall, signaling they could depart.

"Qujiang," Liu Qingsong instructed.

"The person you’re talking about is..." The Great Tang had too many important figures; Ran Yan couldn’t immediately recall who would be appropriate to handle the matter.

"Prince Wei, Li Tai," Liu Qingsong replied succinctly this time.

Ran Yan’s heart skipped a beat, and a phrase Su Fu once said suddenly came to mind: I was once an assassin under Li Ke and now serve Prince Wei, Li Tai. Does that mean she would have to deal with Su Fu’s employer?

For some reason, Ran Yan felt resistant. Perhaps she believed that since she had made her position clear with Su Fu, it would be inappropriate to have too much contact, or perhaps she lacked confidence in herself, or maybe she was worried that Xiao Song would be displeased.

Xiao Song had always been very indulgent with Ran Yan, but everyone has their limits, and Ran Yan did not believe he would indulge his love without principle; however, she had always been unaware of where that limit was and did not wish to test it. She cared about his feelings, something she had never done before.

The Ran Family pressed her lips tightly and after a long while said, "Why choose Li Tai? He’s not so easy to get along with."

Just the fact that he had survived the struggle for succession while the title of Crown Prince Li Chengqian was abolished, resulting in his being sent to the army and eventually dying in depression, showed the capabilities of this man.

"There are certainly not a few people in the court who could intervene in this matter, but after all, it’s a private affair of the royal family. We are neither Bian Que nor Hua Tuo, nor do we have any chance to gain fame and stir up public support, so who would take the risk of recommending us to the Emperor?" Liu Qingsong leaned against the carriage wall, still looking sleepy, but his words were clear and coherent, a change from his usual unreliable demeanor, "Prince Wei is seeking talented people, and no matter what he thinks inside, everyone unanimously agrees that he appears to treat talents with great respect and is amiable. I heard he’s holding a banquet in Qujiang today to entertain scholars. We could try our luck there and get acquainted."

As he spoke, he began to fantasize wildly again, suddenly looking more spirited. His eyes, though small, were shining, and he sat up straighter, "Hey? What if you happen to save someone from drowning by the Qujiang River, like when you saved that child in Suzhou, and bring them back to life? Then stir up Chang’an City? Or maybe..."

"Stop." Ran Yan, not in the mood to listen to his nonsense, asked, "Do you know where Xiao Song is?"

His gossip-fueled enthusiasm deflated, Liu Qingsong immediately lost his energy.

Ran Yan also noticed that Liu Qingsong was only ever this lively when discussing frivolous matters; he could have serious ideas, too, but his lethargic demeanor was truly infuriating.

"He’s either paying a visit to a colleague or being visited by one," Liu Qingsong said, drawing on his previous experience.

"With such an important matter, I must discuss it with him," Ran Yan stated.

Ran Yan had always been an independent woman, but Xiao Song was extremely lenient with her. She simply reciprocated as he presented melons and she offered jade, setting feelings aside, a couple must maintain the most fundamental mutual respect. Moreover, the decision regarding this matter was related to future political choices.

It was unthinkable for a husband and wife to serve different princes. Ran Yan remembered Xiao Song saying that he hadn’t yet chosen a side. Would her actions be considered taking a stand for him?

Liu Qingsong exclaimed, "By the time you’ve asked and we drive to Qujiang, they will probably have finished the banquet. Miss Ran, you weren’t such an indecisive person before."

Ran Yan ignored him and knocked on the carriage wall again, "To Anshan Square."

"The opportunity is rare..." Liu Qingsong grumbled discontentedly. Seeing that Ran Yan continued to ignore him, he couldn’t help but touch his nose and muttered, "Jiulang is a man, and so am I. We are supposed to be partners, after all. Why don’t you respect my opinion a little?"

"You still know we’re partners?" Ran Yan replied flatly. Liu Qingsong obviously had known the news in advance, but he hadn’t told her beforehand to discuss it. However, Ran Yan wasn’t planning to make a scene about it, "Is there such a thing as a partner who makes explosives to blow up the enemy and ends up blowing up their own partner as well?"

Petty! Liu Qingsong secretly cursed inwardly, but seeing the displeasure on Ran Yan’s face, he dared not voice it out loud. Instead, he could only stare at her with a look of grievance, taking a long time before finally suggesting, "How about I wait for you at the east gate of Pingkang Square?"

The east gate of Pingkang Square led to a whole area of brothels; Liu Qingsong could avoid Xiao Song’s harsh treatment and find a cozy place with a beauty in his arms...

"That’s fine," Ran Yan nodded.

The joy in Liu Qingsong’s heart hadn’t even had the chance to spread to his face when he heard Ran Yan’s chilly voice say, "However, I might accidentally spill the beans when I go back and chat with Ran Yun, and tomorrow, I’m going to look for Sang Chen. If we enjoy our conversation, I might also casually mention your romantic escapades."

There was no need to mention Ran Yun. As his fiancée, she definitely wouldn’t be pleased to hear about Liu Qingsong visiting brothels. What healthy man would visit brothels just to have a pure drink and chat about life and ideals, discussing everything from poetry and literature to life philosophy? Who would believe that? And Sang Chen, who abhorred evil, divided the world simply into "good" and "bad." If he found out Liu Qingsong was frequenting brothels, he might take it upon himself to give Liu Qingsong some earnest advice in the hopes of saving him, or he might just tell him to pack up and leave.

None of these were experiences Liu Qingsong wished to go through.

"Miss Ran, you’re now even more intractable than Jiulang," Liu Qingsong complained indignantly.

Because of Ran Yan’s threats and coercion, Liu Qingsong had no choice but to capitulate and honestly accompanied her to Pingkang Square.

Xiao Song was not at home; the gatekeeper said he had gone to visit Chai Rong.

Ran Yan didn’t enter the house, instead retracing her original path. "Has he always been close to Chai Rong?"

Liu Qingsong lazily responded, "His relationships with Fang Xiang, Chai Rong and a few other elders are all fairly good. He doesn’t particularly favor anyone... So, are we going to Qujiang or not?"

A missed opportunity may never come again.

Ran Yan quickly weighed the pros and cons in her mind, recalling Xiao Song’s words. He hadn’t spoken highly of Crown Prince Li Chengqian and harbored some resentment toward Li Ke because of her, yet also didn’t associate much with Prince Jin Li Tai. Generally, in the official circles, he also hadn’t had particularly intimate interactions with anyone.

"Not going," Ran Yan considered it over and over again and decisively made that choice.

Liu Qingsong had thought that Ran Yan wouldn’t give up this chance even if she couldn’t find anyone since she seemed like a woman with strong career ambitions. He couldn’t help but feel astonished as he asked, "Do you really care that much about Jiulang’s feelings?"

"It’s not just that," Ran Yan turned to say, "I also met the Crown Prince once, and he owes me a favor. As for Li Tai, there isn’t just this one opportunity. I heard he has established an academy and is widely recruiting talented individuals. I believe it won’t be difficult for us to make contact with him."

"Eh? When did you meet the Crown Prince? Tell me, tell me," Liu Qingsong suddenly perked up.

Ran Yan glanced at him indifferently. Feeling a bit guilty for rejecting his suggestion, she was about to explain, but then she heard Wan Lu’s voice from outside, "Wife, isn’t that person from our house?"

Then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats followed. (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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