543: Chapter 543 With Sinister Intentions

Before long, Princess Lanyi was sitting in a restaurant, and Haitang brought Madam Song before her.

Seeing the attire and bearing of Princess Lanyi, Madam Song knew her status was extraordinary and felt somewhat terrified, not daring to look up.

"Let me make this clear beforehand: if you have any grievances, I will certainly help you seek justice."

"But if you tell even half a lie, then..."

Princess Lanyi picked up a chopstick, and with a "snap," it shattered under her internal energy.

"This will be your fate."

Madam Song flopped to her knees, her face turning pale with fear: "My Lady, please ask whatever you wish; I will definitely tell the truth!"

"What are you panicking about? Our Princess is here to stand up for you," Haitang said with dissatisfaction.

"Ah? Prin... Princess?" Madam Song became even more nervous.

Princess Lanyi asked directly: "You only need to tell me, is it as that Miss Zhao said earlier? Did you abscond with your husband's wealth and abandon your husband and daughter?"

Madam Song's lips trembled. She glanced at the shattered chopstick and nodded in shame.

"I... I was just confused for a moment... When the city fell, I was afraid of death, so I..."

Upon hearing this, a look of disappointment immediately appeared on Princess Lanyi's face. It was actually true.

Haitang was also furious. "Hey! How can there be a mother like you?! Our Princess actually wanted to help you!"

"I really know I was wrong. The Khitan people were too terrifying at the time; I was possessed!"

"Princess, please help me... I cannot be without my daughter..."

"If that's not enough, let my husband beat me to vent his anger. I'm willing to be a beast of burden for him..."

Madam Song sobbed uncontrollably.

Princess Lanyi thought for a moment and asked: "What does your husband do?"

"He is just a carpenter," Madam Song replied.

"A carpenter?"

Princess Lanyi doubted: "If he is merely a carpenter, why would the daughter of the Zhao family be willing to take such good care of your daughter?"

"That Miss Zhao is a physician. It seems she saved my husband's life. My husband really is a carpenter; the entire Hanyang city knows it. How would I dare to lie to you!" Madam Song insisted firmly.

Princess Lanyi pondered for a moment and said: "You may go now. I will have someone investigate this clearly."

Madam Song was somewhat unwilling. "Princess, everything I said is true. Will you help me find my daughter?"

"Presumptuous! I told you to leave; did you not hear me?" Haitang scolded.

Madam Song looked aggrieved, turned, and walked out of the restaurant, muttering under her breath: "Some Princess... she really thinks she's so capable."

These words fell into the ears of Princess Lanyi without missing a syllable.

"This Madam Song is truly a vicious woman. Fortunately, I asked first; otherwise, something major could have happened," Princess Lanyi said while sipping her tea.

"Indeed, we were almost deceived."

While feeling depressed, Haitang also wondered: "But I don't understand, why would the Second Miss of the Zhao family protect a carpenter's daughter like this? She even specially took her shopping for clothes. Is it really necessary?"

"When things are abnormal, there must be a demon."

Princess Lanyi was thoughtful. Could there be some unknown conspiracy behind this?

Given the status and position of the Prince of Zhenbei, he certainly would not care about the family affairs of a carpenter.

Then this matter was most likely orchestrated by the Zhao family in the shadows...

If she could follow the clues and uncover some important intelligence behind this, she would have more confidence when meeting the Prince of Zhenbei.

She looked outside the restaurant at Old Man Wu, who was drinking by the side of the street.

"Uncle Wu, please use the Xuanji Sect's intelligence network in Baishui to investigate this carpenter named Lü."

Old Man Wu said nothing, nodded, got up, and walked into an alley.

Afternoon.

Inside the Zhenbei Princes Mansion.

Xiao Qingxuan was holding a meeting with Xie Juner and several senior executives of the Northern Trade Alliance who had just returned from Nanling.

"The Prince has already instructed the Great Peacock Kingdom, and even the other sixteen foreign nations, to plant sugarcane on a large scale."

"Sugarcane cannot be stored for too long, so sugar processing workshops must be established on the borders of Nanling."

"You are all meritorious officials who have opened up new markets for the Prince in Du Province. If the upcoming sugar industry proceeds smoothly, there will be no shortage of benefits for you..."

The several senior managers responsible for Nanling beamed with joy and nodded repeatedly.

They did not expect that because of their excellent work, they would be received by the Princess Consort. For merchants like them, this was a tremendous honor.

Just then, Leng Bingyan entered from outside and interrupted the meeting.

Seeing that Leng Bingyan's expression was somewhat serious, Xiao Qingxuan knew something major had happened and asked everyone to drink some tea and rest for a moment.

"What is it, Yaner?"

Arriving in the back hall, Xiao Qingxuan asked.

Xie Juner also followed out of curiosity.

"That Princess Lanti, she has come with ill intent. It seems she is targeting the Bureau of Military Armaments," Leng Bingyan said sternly.

"What did you find out?" Xiao Qingxuan frowned.

"It's not that I am investigating her; it is she who is investigating us."

Leng Bingyan sneered: "Today, she sought out that Madam Song whom Lü Sixian divorced to inquire about Lü Sixian's identity."

"Then, in her own name, she mobilized the Xuanji Sect's inner sect intelligence network to try and investigate intelligence on Lü Sixian."

"Unfortunately, she does not know that the Xuanji Sect's intelligence network in the Northern Territory is entirely our people."

"Qing'er, you know that the personnel files of the Bureau of Military Armaments are the highest secret set by my husband. This woman... has ulterior motives."

Xie Juner was angry upon hearing this: "No wonder Sister Su said that this woman never intended to negotiate business properly. She really has ulterior motives!"

Xiao Qingxuan's expression also turned cold.

Although she admired Princess Lanti when she was young, when it truly involved her husband's grand ambition, how could she allow even the slightest mistake?

"The Bureau of Military Armaments is the most critical part of the Zhenbei Army's arsenal. Once the weapons inside are leaked, it will bring irreparable losses to the people of the world and to the Zhenbei Army."

"My husband told me that the messengers of the Celestial Palace attempted to hand over the firearms of the Xuanji Sect to Prince of Donghai and Prince of Wu to produce, in order to deal with our Zhenbei Army."

"It seems... although the workshop of the Prince of Wu was destroyed, this Baiyue King's family has not given up."

Leng Bingyan suggested: "Why not arrest that Princess Lanyi directly on charges of espionage? Let's see what he, the Prince of Wu, can do about it!"

Xiao Qingxuan thought for a moment and shook her head.

"Princess Lanti's trip here is, after all, under the banner of negotiating business with the Northern Trade Alliance, and she came openly and aboveboard."

"She has been famous on the Tianwu Continent for a long time, and her reputation is widespread. This trip north is being watched by many parties."

"If we arrest her, we must have concrete evidence proving that she stole classified information."

"But because what Lü Sixian does is confidential, we cannot make it public."

"Arresting her without concrete evidence would damage my husband's prestige and cause a hundred harms with no benefits."

Leng Bingyan and Xie Juner looked at each other and nodded. It was indeed difficult to handle.

The main thing was that Lin Xiao was not there, and they did not dare to make decisions lightly.

"Then we just ignore her? Let her make these little moves as she pleases?" Leng Bingyan asked.

"Don't be in a rush. It might just be a misunderstanding; she might have been deceived by that Madam Song."

Xiao Qingxuan said: "Yaner, you go and meet with Princess Lanti yourself. If there is a misunderstanding, clear it up. If she remains obstinate, it won't be too late to take action then."

"Alright, I will go now."

Leng Bingyan nodded and turned to leave.