Shen Yun objected, and Su Xiaoqi, not wanting him to worry, lied that she wasn't going.
After coaxing Shen Yun into the imperial examination hall, she ordered Li Shushao, who was driving the carriage, to head towards the Octagon Street where the man had disappeared.
Zhang Yu quietly advised, "Mistress, Master said you couldn't go."
Zhang Yu had also noticed the direction the thief had gone, and seeing her mistress heading that way, knew she still wanted to chase after him.
However, she remembered that Master had seen through Mistress's thoughts and specifically instructed her to keep a close eye on Mistress and not to get involved in this matter.
In any case, Master said he would deal with those people after his exam.
However, Su Xiaoqi was not one to be obedient. She pressed Zhang Yu, her eyebrows stern, and said, "Zhang Yu, tell me, are you my person, or are you Master's person?"
Zhang Yu was stunned. This was a question she thought Mistress already knew.
Although she called Su Xiaoqi "Mistress," she wasn't her true mistress.
"What, is it hard to say?" Su Xiaoqi's expression didn't change, and she looked at her with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
Zhang Yu felt a prickle of unease under her clear, bright eyes. After a moment of daze, she replied, "This servant is both Mistress's and Master's."
"Since you say that, then if your Master isn't here, shouldn't you listen to me? Or do you want to make your own decisions?" Su Xiaoqi cleverly twisted her words.
What could she say?
Zhang Yu was flustered. She was steady by nature but not skilled in verbal sparring, and she couldn't compete with Su Xiaoqi.
With just a few sentences, she was led astray and then foolishly followed Su Xiaoqi, going wherever she directed.
As the carriage turned into Octagon Street, shops lined both sides of the road, and the bluestone-paved path in the middle was somewhat narrow. Pedestrians were numerous.
Among them were some scholars walking along.
They were carrying something that looked very familiar to Su Xiaoqi.
She couldn't help but stop and look a few times.
"Huh, isn't that the instant noodles you made, Mistress?" Zhang Yu finally found something to divert Su Xiaoqi's attention.
Su Xiaoqi only glanced at it. She recalled seeing these items in the examination baskets when she saw Shen Yun off.
It seemed He Qiulei's efforts were more successful than she had imagined.
This piece of good news didn't take up too much of Su Xiaoqi's time. She quickly shifted her attention back to the street.
To get a clearer view, she abandoned the carriage and, with Zhang Yu and Guo'er, strolled along the side of the road.
While others browsed various shops, Su Xiaoqi observed the passing pedestrians.
Such a bustling street would be favored by the kind of thief they had just seen, the most suitable place for them to strike.
She had been feeling a bit rushed, afraid she would miss something, but seeing the scene on this street, she felt more at ease.
Now, as long as she was patient, she would eventually find that person.
However, before Su Xiaoqi found the person she was looking for, she spotted an old acquaintance around the corner.
Because her gaze was fixed on the passing pedestrians, she saw the person immediately.
She wore a light green short jacket and a skirt embroidered with large peonies. Her hair was adorned with a red gold hairpin, and she wore large ruby earrings, dressed opulently and exceptionally dazzling.
When Su Xiaoqi saw her, she was talking with a young girl.
A large group of maids and matrons followed behind her, with strong guards on the outer perimeter, projecting the air of a young lady from a noble family.
Su Xiaoqi observed carefully. Through the attire of the guards, she recognized them as members of the Yong'an Marquisate.
It made sense. Zhao Xiaohua was already the adopted daughter of the Yong'an Marchioness, and the person beside her was likely the legitimate daughter of the Yong'an Marquisate, Liu Tingting.
Su Xiaoqi subtly surveyed the scene. The two had just emerged from Ruyi Pavilion in front, and the maids and matrons behind them carried several jewelry boxes.
In the sunlight, from a distance, the two women smiled and chatted animatedly.
Su Xiaoqi curved her lips.
Zhang Yu was unsure of her mistress's intentions. Zhang Lei had already spotted the thief ahead. Should they pursue or not?
"Mistress," Zhang Yu reminded her softly.
Su Xiaoqi didn't respond, and Zhang Yu grew anxious, about to call out again.
Su Xiaoqi stopped her and said gently, "Did Zhang Lei find him? Tell him to follow for now, and we will follow them."
Su Xiaoqi had a suspicion about Zhao Xiaohua. She had learned enough in Zhaojia Village but lacked evidence.
This time, she wanted to investigate.
As they were speaking, the other party began to head towards a nearby teahouse.
It was at this moment that Zhang Feng's capability shone through.
Although he didn't appear before Su Xiaoqi, upon receiving the information passed by Zhang Yu, he had already arranged a private room at Gu Ming Xuan.
And it was precisely next to Zhao Xiaohua and Liu Tingting's room.
After they entered, Su Xiaoqi followed suit.
A wooden wall separated them, and as long as the sound was louder on the other side, it could be heard clearly here.
If ordinary people could do this, it was even more so for someone like Su Xiaoqi with extraordinary hearing.
As soon as Su Xiaoqi sat down, she heard a shrill voice say, "Sister Xiaohua, will the person you mentioned come?"
Zhao Xiaohua pondered for a moment and said, "Well, I divined yesterday, and the calculation indicated that the person is in this direction.
This teahouse is conveniently located near the imperial examination hall, and there are no other teahouses around. He should come here."
She then reassured, "Tingting, you can rest assured. When have my words ever been wrong?"
Liu Tingting indeed trusted her implicitly, nodding repeatedly, "Sister Xiaohua is absolutely right. If it weren't for you, my brother would be in danger."
The two then chatted about inconsequential matters, mostly about how Zhao Xiaohua was a living deity, divinely calculating and predicting future events.
Liu Tingting, who was a year younger than her, revered her to the utmost and listened to everything she said.
The two of them came out today not only to witness the grand occasion of scholars entering the imperial examination hall but also for another reason.
It was that Zhao Xiaohua had divined that the person Liu Tingting liked would come to this teahouse, and she wanted to strike up a conversation.
Su Xiaoqi raised an eyebrow. Were the women in the capital of Daliang this bold?
Did they not have rules of gender separation and propriety?
Seeing Su Xiaoqi's puzzled gaze, Zhang Yu seemed to sense something and leaned in to whisper, "The capital is different from Mianzhou City. It was once conquered by the Di people and Northern Chu, absorbing many customs from the north. Unlike the south, it is not as strict with women."
Su Xiaoqi had also noticed this.
In the Bashu region, women essentially had to wear veils when going out.
Unlike here, women had no restrictions when going out.
The reason she recognized Zhao Xiaohua at a glance was also because she wasn't wearing a veil.
Does Zhao Xiaohua have the power of foresight?
Su Xiaoqi frowned. She suspected Zhao Xiaohua didn't have any such mystical abilities.
At most, she had a similar experience to her.
No wonder she was able to come to the capital from the countryside on her own and find a patron like the Yong'an Marquisate.
Although this patron wasn't particularly strong, it was the best option available to Zhao Xiaohua at the time.
After all, not every marquisate would have a relative in Mianzhou City.
Su Xiaoqi muttered, "What does she want to do?"
Zhang Yu lowered her head in thought and whispered, "According to the information, Liu Tingting fancies a young master from the Crown Prince's mansion."
After Zhang Yu finished, she appropriately withdrew, leaving Su Xiaoqi to ponder alone.
Su Xiaoqi chuckled lightly. She didn't believe Zhao Xiaohua would genuinely plan for Liu Tingting.
In her opinion, Liu Tingting was merely a tool for Zhao Xiaohua to achieve her own goals.
Su Xiaoqi was certain that Zhao Xiaohua's visit was not simple. However, she had secured a good vantage point and was just waiting for the show to begin.
After taking a sip of tea, Su Xiaoqi found it unpalatable. She wasn't one to appreciate tea and usually only drank flower tea, unable to discern the nuances of this kind of brew.
However, the view from the window was quite interesting.
People came and went, of all sorts. Su Xiaoqi propped her chin on her hand, leaning by the window to watch.
She was just casually observing when she spotted the thief they had been pursuing.
With a shifty look, he glanced around and then walked into the teahouse.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at the adjacent room, her eyes filled with amusement. This play was more interesting than she had imagined.