The next day, Jun Mohan went to the morning court early, while Leng Ruoli went to Old Guo's cloth shop.
Because last night, she and Jun Mohan had received two secret letters from King Ji of Nanzhao, one addressed to the Cold King and his consort, and the other to Xiao Liuzi.
In the letter to the Cold King and his consort, King Ji stated that he and his consort would visit the capital next month to celebrate the Empress Dowager of Tianwu's birthday and would bring their eldest son, Xiao Liuzi, back to Nanzhao.
However, King Kang of Nanzhao, having somehow learned of the whereabouts of King Ji's eldest son, had dispatched a group of people to the capital to search for Xiao Liuzi. Therefore, King Ji and his consort requested the Cold King and his consort to protect their son until they arrived in the capital.
After reading King Ji's secret letter, Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan immediately wrote back to King Ji, reassuring him that they would ensure Xiao Liuzi's safety.
In fact, when Leng Ruoli suspected that the Xiao Liuzi she had rescued at Old Guo's cloth shop might be King Ji's eldest son who had been missing for several years, she had asked Jun Mohan to write a letter to Ye Ying, instructing him to send several hidden guards to secretly protect Xiao Liuzi.
Now, Leng Ruoli believed that Xiao Liuzi's current situation was quite safe. However, she feared that King Kang's men might have already arrived in the capital, as ten days had passed since the date King Ji had written to them until last night.
If King Kang had sent assassins to the capital, his men might have already arrived.
Last night, because Xing'er had been in low spirits and had not rested well, Leng Ruoli took Ling'er and Yin Chen with her in the carriage and headed straight to Old Guo's cloth shop in the east of the city.
When Leng Ruoli and her party arrived at Old Guo's cloth shop, the shop assistants were busy attending to customers, and even the owner of the shop was personally greeting guests.
At the same time, Leng Ruoli also saw a handsome young man with a clean and neat hairstyle and tidy attire. This young man was likely Xiao Liuzi, whom she had rescued a few months ago.
Just as Leng Ruoli was about to walk over and greet him, Shopkeeper Guo noticed her and quickly came forward to greet her.
"Miss Leng, are you here to purchase more fabric? Didn't Zheng He just purchase two cartloads of fabric yesterday and leave?" Shopkeeper Guo asked with a kind smile.
"Shopkeeper Guo, I'm not here to purchase fabric today. I've come to see Xiao Liuzi," Leng Ruoli stated her purpose directly.
"Oh, you're here to see Xiao Liuzi. Xiao Liuzi is over there. I'll go call him for you," Shopkeeper Guo said with a smile, pointing in Xiao Liuzi's direction.
"Certainly, thank you for your trouble, Shopkeeper Guo," Leng Ruoli replied, her delicate red lips curving into a gentle smile that was incredibly warm.
Soon, Shopkeeper Guo brought Xiao Liuzi to Leng Ruoli. Upon seeing Leng Ruoli, who had once saved his life, Xiao Liuzi looked up and smiled.
"Sister, were you looking for me?" Xiao Liuzi asked her with a slight upward curve of his lips and a gentle smile.
"Yes, Xiao Liuzi. It's been a few months, and you've not only grown taller but also more handsome," Leng Ruoli praised him.
When Leng Ruoli first saw Xiao Liuzi, he was dark-skinned and thin, suffering from malnutrition. At twelve years old, he looked like an eight-year-old. Now, with Shopkeeper Guo's meticulous care, good food, and clothing, he had grown considerably in a few months, his skin had become fairer, his facial features were more defined and handsome, and he was increasingly resembling King Ji. His big, smiling eyes were also very much like his mother, the consort.
If King Kang's men were to find him, anyone who had seen the appearances of King Ji and his consort would immediately recognize Xiao Liuzi as King Ji's eldest son.
Upon hearing Leng Ruoli's words, Xiao Liuzi immediately lowered his head, his face blushing. He had never been praised so directly in his life.
Seeing Xiao Liuzi's shyness, Leng Ruoli did not tease him further.
"Shopkeeper Guo, could you find us a quiet place to sit for a while? I want to ask Xiao Liuzi some questions," Leng Ruoli asked Shopkeeper Guo gently.
"Of course. Please follow me to the room in the backyard," Shopkeeper Guo said politely.
Immediately, Leng Ruoli and her party followed him into the room in the backyard of Shopkeeper Guo's cloth shop. After they entered, Shopkeeper Guo tactfully withdrew.
Leng Ruoli asked Xiao Liuzi to stay, and had Ling'er and Yin Chen close the door and guard the entrance before she slowly began to question Xiao Liuzi.
"Xiao Liuzi, you are from Nanzhao, aren't you?" Leng Ruoli asked with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Liuzi's nerves tensed, his fists clenched, and he looked at Leng Ruoli with vigilance, his expression becoming somewhat fearful.
"Xiao Liuzi, don't be afraid! I won't harm you. Your father, Ling Yunxiao, is a good friend of mine. He wrote me a letter, entrusting my husband and me to protect you well. If you don't believe me, I also have a letter written to you personally by your father."
After speaking, Leng Ruoli took out a letter written by King Ji to Xiao Liuzi from her sleeve and placed it in his hand.
Seeing the words "To Xiao Liuzi, For Your Eyes Only" written on the envelope, Xiao Liuzi held the letter with both hands and touched the words on the envelope with his thumbs. Tears of sadness immediately streamed down his face. He had not heard from his parents for years since he was kidnapped.
Father, Mother, your son misses you so much, Xiao Liuzi cried out in his heart. The words on the envelope were indeed written by his father's own hand, as his father had personally taught him to write when he was very young, and he was very familiar with his father's handwriting.
Seeing Xiao Liuzi with his head bowed and crying, Leng Ruoli thought he couldn't read. So, she quickly asked, "Xiao Liuzi, can you not read?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Liuzi shook his head and sniffled.
"Sister, Sister, I, I can read some words," Xiao Liuzi replied, sobbing.
After speaking, he immediately opened the letter written by King Ji to him and then read King Ji's letter to him word by word.
In his father's letter, his father explained the identity of the woman in front of him. Now Xiao Liuzi knew that she was the Cold Consort. At the same time, his father's letter also comforted him, telling him not to be afraid.
His father had entrusted him to the care of the Cold King and his consort for protection, and said that his father and mother would personally come to the capital next month to take him back to Nanzhao, and that their family would never be separated again. Upon reading this, Xiao Liuzi's heart was filled with excitement.
After finishing reading his father's letter, he slowly raised his head to look at Leng Ruoli and bowed respectfully to her.
"Xiao Liuzi thanks the Cold Consort!"
"Xiao Liuzi, you're welcome. King Ji's letter to you should have told you that your father and mother are good friends with the King and me, right? Your father and mother have a deep relationship with us, so you don't need to be so formal. In the future, if you have any problems, feel free to come to me and the Cold King at the Cold King's Mansion. We have also secretly arranged for several hidden guards to protect your safety. If you wish to temporarily reside at the Cold King's Mansion, that is also possible," Leng Ruoli said gently.
"No need, Cold Consort. I live here with Shopkeeper Guo. Shopkeeper Guo has also been kind to me, and I want to help him with what I can," Xiao Liuzi immediately declined Leng Ruoli's offer.
Leng Ruoli could only comply with his wishes, and instructed Yin Chen to constantly watch out for the actions of strangers.