Involuntarily, Song Chongjin looked towards Wang Yongzhu.

With just one glance, the couple exchanged their thoughts.

Song Chongjin knew that Ma Erbao would likely need to be kept around for the time being, so he instructed to have Ma Erbao’s joints reconnected and to apply some medicine, making sure he didn’t die.

The people below naturally understood.

Previously, they held great animosity towards Ma Erbao, but now knowing he was under the Soul Capturing Technique, they felt pity and sadness for him.

If he were to wake up and realize he became a spy for the Grasslands, he would probably go mad.

Song Chongjin had many questions to ask Wang Yongzhu, and investigating the hidden stakes left by Qi Le wasn’t something that could be accomplished in a short time.

He couldn’t just stupidly wait there either, so he instructed that if anyone was caught, they should report to the back courtyard, and he took Wang Yongzhu’s hand and went to the back courtyard.

Once in the back courtyard, because the couple needed to discuss serious matters, they went into the study.

Seeing Song Chongjin’s hesitance, Wang Yongzhu couldn’t help but say, "If you have any questions, just ask. I will naturally say what I can—"

The implication being, what couldn’t be said, naturally wouldn’t be said either.

Over the years, the two have developed a tacit understanding; Song Chongjin knew Wang Yongzhu had secrets she couldn’t reveal, so he didn’t press further and sometimes even helped cover for her.

His hesitance now was merely out of concern that certain questions might put Wang Yongzhu in a difficult position.

Therefore, seeing Wang Yongzhu speak, he simply smiled and chose not to ask, instead discussing the matter of Qi Le. His analysis was no different from Wang Yongzhu’s, but he concluded with a sigh, "Looking back, Qi Le’s widespread fame in the Capital City, with thousands of young nobles adoring her, probably has to do with this Heart Capturing Technique as well. I just wonder if that King of the Grasslands is also under the Heart Capturing Technique?"

Wang Yongzhu pursed her lips, "Whether he is or isn’t makes no difference; if he truly is under the Heart Capturing Technique and given that he and Qi Le are husband and wife, spending day in and day out together, even the Great Luo Immortal cannot save him now."

Wang Yongzhu didn’t mention that with Qi Le’s identity, she wasn’t even from this time-space, but part of the Alliance Rebels.

She didn’t have a shred of sympathy for the Qi Family, so could you expect her to truly fall in love with a man? What a joke!

However, she reminded Song Chongjin, "Once Ma Erbao wakes up, I’ll give him another diagnosis to see if he’s truly fully awake. Knowing Qi Le’s temperament and methods, if she truly wanted to, she could impose a double layer of control on Ma Erbao—"

Song Chongjin didn’t quite understand.

Wang Yongzhu explained that Qi Le might have already anticipated today’s situation, so Ma Erbao’s awakening was also within her expectations.

It’s likely part of her plan to let people lower their guard against Ma Erbao, seeing as the hypnosis seemed to have been lifted.

But she might impose deeper hypnosis, where upon hearing a certain word or seeing something specific, he could be controlled again and perform some kind of action, such as murder—

Song Chongjin, hearing Wang Yongzhu’s explanation, couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine.

Given their current understanding of Qi Le, she might just be capable of such calculations.

After all, everyone has their misconceptions. If it were proven that Ma Erbao was not acting of his own will, and thinking that after many years, the first thing he did after regaining his senses was not to forget his mission, naturally people would let their guard down. If at this moment Ma Erbao made some move...

Song Chongjin felt that everyone would be in trouble.

Thinking it over, he was still uneasy and came out again to instruct them to tie Ma Erbao up tightly, not relaxing for even a moment. Only then did he feel somewhat relieved.

Returning once more, Wang Yongzhu then said, "Now it seems, what exactly Qi Le is planning, we’ll probably only discover once we meet with her—"

Song Chongjin nodded, "Currently, she wants to find out what my mother left behind, and naturally, she’ll want to expedite the opening of the trade routes. I was thinking of stalling her with the negotiations, dragging them until next year."

"But with everything now, to avoid unexpected developments, it’s better to go along with her wishes and finalize the negotiations before the year’s end. We might even let her believe that I still have hopes for her as an aunt, and at that time—"

The couple exchanged a glance, understanding each other’s thoughts.

"Alright then; we can’t avoid it anyway, so better resolve it early!"

Wang Yongzhu agreed wholeheartedly.

Having made their decision, Song Chongjin naturally needed to head back to the front to discuss with Jian Huaifeng and communicate with the negotiation team.

Wang Yongzhu returned to the back courtyard and began meticulously researching the materials left by Chen Xing.

In the evening, Song Chongjin sent word that he wouldn’t be coming back for dinner, as he was dining in the front.

Wang Yongzhu then had dinner with Old Granny Zhang.

Old Granny Zhang had overheard some of the situation outside and was worried.

The people of the Great Chu Country, having faced attacks from the Grasslands in the past, naturally didn’t have a good impression of them.

Now hearing there are spies from the Grasslands in Chicheng County, she was so angry that she cursed all eighteen generations of their ancestors from top to bottom.

Wang Yongzhu found it quite entertaining and also chimed in a few curses with Old Granny Zhang.

Only after doing so did both women feel refreshed and continue eating, while Wang Yongzhu chatted with Old Granny Zhang about family matters, mentioning Wu Zhongbao’s family and their first grandchild. According to customs from Qilidun, when a child is born, they either hold a wash-nine banquet or a full-month celebration.

From what they previously gathered from Lady Wu, it seemed they intended to hold a wash-nine banquet.

But given today’s incident, that banquet might not happen.

Currently at the Wu Family.

Wu Zhongbao was persuading Lady Wu regarding this matter, as with the city-wide search, everyone stayed home consciously, avoiding going out as much as possible.

Wu Zhongbao thought it might be best to forgo the wash-nine banquet and instead host a lively full-month celebration later.

Although Lady Wu understood that it was unavoidable, she was still somewhat unwilling, explaining that this was the Wu family’s first grandson.

She lowered her anger by severely cursing the Grasslands spies a few times before calming down.

She then comforted Lady Shen, "Brother Qiu’s mother, it’s unpreventable after all. Who would have thought those damned Grasslands spies would cause trouble now! We’ll just have to wrong Brother Qiu this time, but when we host the full-month banquet, we’ll make it grand—"

Since the child was born in autumn, his nickname was Brother Qiu.

Lady Shen naturally had no objection and even advised Lady Wu, "Mother, Brother Qiu is still young. Let’s not host too grand an event, lest it jinxes his good fortune."

Lady Wu, nowadays cherishing this golden grandson more than anything, nodded eagerly at this, "Yes, yes! Very well then. Following the customs from Shiqiao Town, this side isn’t well-informed, so I’ve only had brief words with Sister Zhang, and not mentioned it to others. It won’t be a problem. As for Brother Qiu’s father, tomorrow you’ll need to go to the County Yamen and inform Sister Zhang, apologizing, and by all means invite them to the full-month celebration with red eggs."

Wu Zhongbao, having a hard time persuading Lady Wu to abandon her idea, agreed readily to everything. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

He had planned to go to the County Yamen the next day, but then in the middle of the night, the door was suddenly hammered loudly.