No information about Zhao Peng could be found in Duanjing.
Xiao Yun analyzed, "Did Zhao Peng not come to Duanjing and go elsewhere?"
Wang Qingyao shook her head, "My grandfather and father were both murdered in Duanjing, more than twenty years apart, and both were people of status. Is this Zhao Peng so powerful that he lived elsewhere normally and only came to Duanjing to kill, and could succeed so easily? That's impossible. I have a premonition that Zhao Peng is definitely in Duanjing."
This premonition was not the same as the other, but Wang Qingyao's purely feminine sixth sense.
However, Xiao Yun misunderstood, thinking she was referring to "psychic ability." Xiao Yun was utterly convinced of Wang Qingyao's "psychic ability" and had no doubts. Now that she said she had a premonition, it was practically a certainty.
Yet, the Ministry of Revenue still couldn't find anyone who fit the description.
"Could he have changed his name?" Xiao Yun suggested.
"He must have changed his name, but without a name, you still couldn't find him, right?" Wang Qingyao pondered, "Is the information held by the Ministry of Revenue complete? Does it contain all household registrations in Duanjing? Could there be any omissions?"
Even in modern times, there are vagrants and undocumented individuals without identity information!
Xiao Yun thought for a moment, "Not entirely. In the palace, from palace maids to consorts, everyone's household registration information, except for the Emperor, is registered with the Imperial Household Department."
"Oh!" Wang Qingyao chided him with a sidelong glance, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Such a huge omission!"
"It's unlikely to be someone from the palace," Xiao Yun said, "My grandfather and father were both murdered outside the palace. People from the palace cannot leave freely; there are records."
"Whether it is or not, we must investigate."
Xiao Yun agreed, but investigating someone in the palace would not be as convenient as outside. If it were indeed someone from the palace who committed the murder, it would be too easy to alert them.
Investigating someone from the palace, tsk, just saying it would make the Imperial Household Department tremble.
Therefore, a less conspicuous excuse was needed.
Wang Qingyao analyzed, "First of all, he is a man, so we can rule out palace maids and consorts. What's left are eunuchs, right? Are the household registrations of guards also with the Imperial Household Department?"
"Guards are not. Strictly speaking, it's eunuchs, palace maids, and consorts."
"Then it's easy," Wang Qingyao suddenly burst into laughter, "I have a good idea, but I don't know if you'll agree."
Xiao Yun raised his eyebrows, signaling her to continue.
"Just tell the Imperial Household Department that to lift the Xiao family's curse, we need the 'root of offspring' of a eunuch born in a certain year and time, hahahaha... This way, we can openly check the household registration..."
Wang Qingyao couldn't stop laughing as she spoke.
Xiao Yun's face turned green, "As a prince, what do I need that for?"
"Oh, it's just an excuse. Why are you so concerned? Do you think the people at the Imperial Household Department will ask for such specific details?"
Xiao Yun looked disgusted.
Wang Qingyao continued, "Around sixty years old, an old eunuch from Nanzhou, hahaha..."
Her laughter suddenly stopped, a flash of inspiration struck her, and she looked at Xiao Yun, "Around sixty years old, an old eunuch from Nanzhou... Didn't we see one a while ago?"
It was Eunuch Changshou, who served the Empress Dowager.
Xiao Yun didn't react, "Who?"
At that time, only Wang Qingyao and Feng Jiangduo went into the palace. Although she mentioned it to Xiao Yun afterward, he didn't have a strong impression. Wang Qingyao explained it briefly, and he remembered. Feng Jiangduo was enfeoffed as Princess Nange, and he was the one who delivered the decree.
"We don't need to trouble the Imperial Household Department," Xiao Yun said, "I'll write a letter to the Prince of Dingnan right away and ask what is carved on the tombstone of this Eunuch Changshou's parents?"
This was a good idea. When parents pass away, their children erect tombstones, and the children's names must be carved on them. Asking the Prince of Dingnan would make it clear at a glance and avoid alarming the Imperial Household Department.
Xiao Yun immediately went to write the letter.
Feng Jiangduo also sent a reply. Compared to the lengthy and tedious letter from the Prince of Dingnan, Feng Jiangduo's reply was as concise and clean as her person, just a thin sheet of paper.
It was sent out together.
It could be considered a significant breakthrough, and Wang Qingyao was in a good mood. Her child was due this year, and she certainly didn't want to be a single mother.
By early March, Wang Qingyao's belly was three months full, meaning the pregnancy was stable. The old imperial concubine no longer restricted her from going out for strolls or shopping. However, her three-month belly looked as large as a four or five-month pregnancy, which made her a bit apprehensive, fearing it was due to overnutrition and would make childbirth difficult.
In her modern life, a colleague was pregnant and her belly wasn't very prominent even at four months, yet hers was three months!
There was no C-section in ancient times. If the fetus was too large and couldn't be delivered smoothly, she would be the one to suffer. If it came to a choice between saving the mother or the child, her life might be forfeit.
Wang Qingyao scared herself into a cold sweat. She grabbed Xiao Yun's arm and asked, "If I have a difficult labor, will you save the mother or the child?"
Xiao Yun: "Pah, pah, pah, don't say such unlucky things."
"I'm serious, think carefully before answering."
Xiao Yun answered without hesitation: "Save the mother. If the child is lost, we can have another one. If you are lost, you are truly gone and can never be found again."
Wang Qingyao immediately smiled. It was impossible not to be moved, especially in such an environment as ancient times. It was truly rare for Xiao Yun to have such progressive thoughts.