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  The matter being urgent, Ming Xuan excused them from the formalities and after dismissing those around her, she quietly told them about the predicament. Although she tried to maintain a calm expression, her voice trembled slightly, clearly showing that she had already fallen into a state of panic and confusion.

  She pinched Xue Su's hand, as if seeking comfort and reliance on her most trusted sister all along. Her eyes turned to He Gui, "You often travel outside, your experience must be much more than mine. Think for me, now that things have come to this point, what method can we use to obtain these two rare poisons in the shortest time possible?"

  He Gu was wearing a deep blue coarse linen robe, looking more steady than before. He heard the words and frowned, his heart momentarily lost direction. The young servant from the mansion had been ordered to pass on the message, he knew that Ming Xuan would not lightly summon him and his wife unless it was urgent, so he was extra cautious and careful, even guessing the master's intentions along the way, but did not expect to face such a thorny dilemma this time.

  He and Xue Su were both attendants of Seventh Young Miss, fortunate enough to have gained her favor, now able to occupy a separate courtyard, control a region, with a large sum of silver in hand to dispose of, when going out, still being respectfully addressed as "Mr. He", but after all, he was still Seventh Young Miss's servant.

  The couple's fate is tied to Miss Qi's, and they will only be well off if she is doing well.

  And Miss Qi's fate is closely tied to the life and death of the Madam of the Pei family. Although the Zhou dynasty does not prohibit widows from remarrying, the Pei family is a noble clan, and if something were to happen to the Madam, Miss Qi might spend the rest of her life confined in the dark and gloomy rear courtyard of the Pei family's estate.

  Just for Miss Qi's kindness, He Gui was determined to think of a way to get those two poisonous grasses.

  "Miss, don't be anxious, no matter how difficult things are, there is always a way to solve them. I've been thinking and thinking, eggs can't all be put in the same basket. We mustn't pin our hopes on just one path, we should divide our forces and attack from multiple sides."

  He slightly paused. "First, let's start with this dream poison. According to what you said, this poisonous medicine is a secret medicine of the Western Xia imperial family, and it is rare and precious. Then, who in the Pei Mansion gave the young master the poison, and through what channel did they obtain this medicine?"

  "The poison on the Duke's body must have been accumulated over many years, so it is certain that someone has been secretly manipulating his food and drink for a long time. Does that yellow-haired old woman we caught last time know something? If we can follow these clues to find the dream-like poison, then this trip to Western Xia may not be in vain."

  Yang's mind was preoccupied with the thought of killing Huang Po to silence her, and now she might still be in He Gui's hands. The old woman had been at Jingyi Temple for over 20 years, and it was unlikely that she hadn't tampered with Pei Jingxuan's food and medicine. If the poison was indeed administered through her hands, then perhaps she knew something else as well. In any case, this could be a lead worth exploring.

  Her dull gray eyes suddenly lit up with a bright light, and she nodded, "You're right, I didn't think of that. Since the poison is so rare, it can't be easy for Yang to get it either. If we investigate the connection between our country and Western Xia twenty years ago, we should be able to gain something."

  She thought for a moment and then said, "Go on."

  He Gui took a sip of tea and continued, "Last time I went to the south on business, I met many people from the Western Frontier who had migrated east. I heard that although the Western Xia State had signed a treaty of perpetual tribute, after several years of recovery, their military strength had grown stronger and they were becoming restless again, frequently provoking clashes along the border. The people of the Western Frontier were suffering greatly and many had moved to the inner city."

  His tone slightly changed, "But precisely because the western border is in a state of turmoil, it has become more loosely managed than in previous years. If we were to send a few trusted people to disguise themselves and infiltrate the Western Xia territory, it's not entirely impossible. However, the Zhou people don't understand the Western Xia language, and they're also not very familiar with the local geography, which is a problem."

  The Western Xia state could speak the Zhou language were all nobles, ordinary people's daily life and communication used their own national language. Although the two countries had been entangled for hundreds of years, they did not understand each other very well. At that time, it was probably not easy to find someone who could speak the Western Xia language.

  Ming Xuan nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "I was thinking the same way. He Gui, you are knowledgeable and know many things about the three teachings and nine streams. I ask, can we find someone who speaks Western Xia language in Shengjing City?"

  He Guishan shook his head, then suddenly nodded, with a complex expression on his face. "Maybe it's true, but..."

  He hesitated and said, "Ping Zhang Zhengshi brought out many good hands from the town of Xizhou. Those people were all veterans who had been fighting in the Western Frontier for many years, most of whom could speak the language of Western Xia. Except for the people around Mr. Han, most of the generals and soldiers who retreated from the battlefield in the Western Frontier were recruited from the west, and it's not necessarily true that they are in Shengjing City."

  This was said in a hesitant tone, and it sounded very difficult. The grudges between Han Xiu and Ming Xuan were well-known to everyone in Shengjing City. As He Gui was one of Ming Xuan's trusted subordinates, he naturally knew even more about it. How could he not know that if Seventh Miss got entangled with Han Xiu again, it would be another huge trouble?

  He thought for a moment, then hastily said, "However, I've heard that the Ministry of Rites has always had officials in charge of barbarian affairs. Since Western Xia is our Shu state, there must be officials specifically in charge of handling Western Xia's affairs. Among those people, there must be some who understand the Western Xia language. If we investigate this lead clearly, it may not be necessary to look for Lord Han after all."

  Although this is what was said, there is one sentence that He Gui did not dare say.

  Although the Ministry of Rites did have a Department of Barbarian Affairs, since Western Xia officials all understood the language of the superior state of Zhou, there were no obstacles to communication between the two countries. Whether or not any officials in the Department of Barbarian Affairs actually understood the colloquial speech of the Western Xia people is hard to say.

  Ming Xuan also understood. At this moment, she had no other choice but to try these suggestions, no matter what.

  She thought for a moment and said, "The several ways you've mentioned all make sense. Regardless of whether they're feasible or not, let's think of a way to proceed with them simultaneously. Last time, I let the Zhuangzi in the south go, and there are still some silver coins left on hand. Take them out and spend them, and under heavy rewards, we must be able to find some clues. If it's not enough, come back and tell me, and I'll think of another way."

  He Guizheng nodded heavily, "I will definitely do my best to handle this matter."

  He paused, thinking to himself that the ancestral home of the Pei family was actually in Xining, which was adjacent to the Western Frontier. If there were still reliable people in the Pei family, perhaps... However, thinking of the poison on Pei Jingxuan's body being inflicted by someone from the Pei family, he lightly shook his head and didn't bring it up again.

  He turned around and suggested, "I heard that Jian'an Bo has recently been transferred to the Ministry of Rites. As it happens, he is also the son-in-law of the Hou Mansion. The current Madame Jian'an Bo is Miss's cousin. If we have Jian'an Bo's help, this matter may be easier to investigate."

  Jian'an Bo Liang Kun...

  Ming Xuan thought of that figure again and also thought of Gu Mingyu. She lightly bit her lip, "I understand now."

  At first, if it weren't for Gu Mingyu's deliberate plan to marry a good family and become the wife of Jian'an Bo, she would have used her cunning strategy in front of her elder sister-in-law. She might not have been able to escape the fate of being a concubine to Liang Jun. Her elder sister-in-law had sworn that Liang Jun had personally chosen her as his wife, but later the object of the alliance changed and Liang Jun did not make a scene, instead swallowing his anger. This shows that Jian'an Bo is at least not as tyrannical as rumored.

  Jian Anbo's reliability is unknown, compared to Han Xiu, it's at least easier to deal with her. However, as a woman from the inner chamber, how can she ask him for help? If it were an ordinary matter, she could use Ming Wei's urgent covering up of that handle to speak through Ming Wei. But now that it concerns her husband's life and requires secrecy, it's somewhat difficult.

  The fragrance of sandalwood wafted indoors, and Ming Xuan's face slightly solidified. After a long time, he finally sighed and said, "First, let's arrange what can be done. As for the Duke of Jian'an, I'll think of a way."

  She solemnly faced He Guifu and said, "He Gui, you have always been cautious and capable, so I entrust this task to you. If there is any other way, don't come back to me, just go and do it first. As long as you can find those two poisonous herbs, no matter what price you pay, I am willing."

  Xue Su quickly helped Ming Xuan up to sit down, "Miss, He Gui and I are your people, and Gū Yé is also our master. Now that Gū Yé is in trouble, we should be willing to die for him a million times over. Why must you do this?"

  Ming Xuan let out a bitter laugh, her grip on Xue Su's hand tightening. "I know, I know how you all feel about me. It's just that this time the situation is critical, and I didn't want to say these heavy words to add more pressure on He Gui's shoulders. But I have no choice but to say them. You've all seen with your own eyes how I've struggled for the past two years. Finally, I married a husband who loves me, but now it's like this... I really can't accept it!"

  Her eyes were slightly dim, her gaze was firm and unyielding. "No matter how difficult it is, I must find those two poisonous herbs. Therefore, He Gui, organize people to investigate the old affairs of that year, arrange for trustworthy people to prepare for the trip to Western Xia. All these things are handed over to you!"

  He Guixiang's expression was solemn and stern, "I'd rather die a thousand deaths than betray my country!"

  Not long after seeing off He Gui and Xue Su, Chang Qing returned from the villa in the southern suburbs, entered the main hall and reported back, "Shou An and the youngest son of the Han Fu steward got along well, spent a lot of effort to get some information, heard that the dancers last night were all brought by Yang Jia's fifth master, the rest have been sent back, but two were detained in the woodshed of the villa."

  Ming Xuan thought for a moment and asked, "Have you heard what those two dancers did wrong?"

  Chang Qing shook his head, "After all, still a child, some things can't be said clearly. It seems that they didn't offend the serving masters, but provoked Lord Han to great anger. Su Huwei stayed behind to interrogate one of them for a long time. The other's situation doesn't seem good, crying and wailing when seeing people, yet refusing to speak no matter what."

  Only wailing, refusing to speak...

  Ming Xuan narrowed his eyes, "Send someone to keep an eye on the Han family's other estate. If there are any carriages coming and going, take note of them."

  She had just finished speaking when she suddenly heard some noise outside. A green figure slipped in from the outside, and it was Chang Geng.

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