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Chapter 1363: Gifting a Hairpin
🕑 Added 2023-08-21 22:47:16 +0000 UTCChapter 1363: Gifting a Hairpin
The writing on the handkerchief was messy and brief.
Xiao Shi could only use powder and bloodstains to write, indicating that she had limited time and resources to convey the message.
After receiving the handkerchief, Xiang Weinan's expression turned serious. He knew he needed to meet Xiao Shi again.
He never expected that after returning from the Emperor's meeting and learning about the possibility of the Second Prince being alive, he would immediately learn of the Second Prince's whereabouts from Xiao Shi.
This matter was of great significance, and it was evident that Xiao Shi had no freedom of her own. Even her parents were being held hostage to control her.
Fortunately, Xiang Weinan was Xiao Shi's son-in-law, so it was entirely normal for him to visit his father-in-law and wife.
Thus, after a few days, Xiang Weinan bought many tonics and went to Xiao's house again.
In front of the monitoring maids, he calmly told Xiao Shi to stay at her family's house and take good care of her father.
Everyone knew that Xiang Weinan and Xiao Shi's marriage was forced by the latter. His current attitude towards Xiao Shi wasn't surprising.
It was also fortunate that the Xiao family didn't know his true allegiance; they believed that marrying Xiao Shi to him would help gain favor. Unfortunately, before they had a chance to do so, the late Emperor passed away, and the new Emperor ascended the throne.
As a result, the Xiang family wasn't aligned with the Third Prince's faction and was marginalized.
The new Emperor, however, valued Xiang Weinan's family ties, so through the efforts of the Xiang family, he was brought back to the capital. Although his official position was low and he held a leisurely post, it was still better than being a county magistrate in a small county.
The Xiao family and the Third Prince thought that the new Emperor did this deliberately to show the officials in the court that he was magnanimous and nostalgic.
Because the Xiao family didn't know Xiang Weinan's stance, they didn't strictly stop his interactions with Xiao Shi.
Xiang Weinan didn't stay at the Xiao family's house for long and soon left.
Before he left, he gave Xiao Shi a jade hairpin to console her.
After Xiang Weinan left, the maids took the hairpin and examined it. Finding nothing wrong with the hairpin, they returned it to Xiao Shi.
However, when Xiao Shi went to the restroom, she took off the hairpin and dismantled it, removing the pearl from it. Then, she hollowed out the hairpin.
Inside the hollow hairpin, she filled it with powdered material of the same texture. With a slight poke, the powder could be released.
The once solid hairpin now became hollow. Afterward, Xiao Shi hid the charcoal pencil Xiang Weinan gave her inside the hairpin.
With this charcoal pencil, Xiao Shi could easily write anything she wanted.
At present, apart from having her own space when going to the restroom, she was under constant surveillance at all other times.
Even when going to the restroom, those two people waited outside and urged her from time to time.
However, with the charcoal pencil, Xiao Shi's actions became smoother.
When Xiang Weinan received Xiao Shi's letter during his next visit, he finally understood the cause and effect of the situation.
After returning to the capital from Jiangyuan County, Xiao Shi visited her parents the next day.
During this visit, she unexpectedly saw the figure of the Second Prince, who should have drowned and died.
The figure only flashed by, and it was just a back view. Xiao Shi wasn't entirely sure and doubted herself, thinking she might have seen wrong, so she didn't think much of it.
Who would have thought that the Xiao family would quickly replace her trusted maid Gu Mama and loyal servant He Wen with new ones and forbid her from returning to the Xiang family.
This action confirmed Xiao Shi's suspicions.
