The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 30 Part2

*Unedited

The plan Liu Qinghuan had was simple. They were to confused and cause mayhem at the mansion and she would take that chance to escape.

It's just that the date for this plan was not the 8th, but the night of the 7th.

They would first leak some information in order to trick Xue Mu into thinking that she is planning to run on the 8th, all the while using a bunch of showy tricks to divert his attention.

But the most important thing for this plan to succeed lies in only one person…. the one who will be impersonating her after Liu Qinghuan ran.

Such important character is of course, left to her old partner, the one who impersonate the maid at the Zhou Jingjing banquet.

Aersi was in-charged of contacting her partner, and although the communication method between swindlers was too complicated for him to understand, the two did managed to get in contact. Then, on the night of the 7th, Aersi got several men to acted as a.s.sa.s.sins and ran circles in the Marquise mansion as they got Liu Qinghuan out.

Xue Mu stands in Liu Qinghuan's room, his expression deadly cold. Nian Tang, Nuo Yan and Peng Peng all return to the mansion, standing by his side without making a sound, each face paler than the other. Ci Tao and Qing Zhi, who had just woken up, don't even dare to breath loudly as they tries to minimize their presence as much as they can.

Silently looking at that piece of paper he personally wrote on yesterday, Xue Mu read the extra five words that appeared —————— Life is of gathering and parting.

Is this what she wanted to say to him?

Xue Mu smiles, and Peng Peng feel shivers run down his spine. Everyone who had been running out from Aersi Mansion had all been caught, but none of them are Wu Lala. How did she manage to meet up with Aersi under such circ.u.mstances and even escape from Chang-An City??

Nuo Yan bit his lip and bravely breaks the silence in the room.

” Marquise, there's something weird with this matter. ”

Saying that, Nuo Yan glances at Xue Mu and when he said nothing, he continue.

” The a.s.sa.s.sins last night might not be by Tang Zhibo. Aersi might had already gotten her out. ”

Xue Mu look up from the paper and his gaze slowly sweep by each of them. And Peng Peng can't help but shiver again. After staring at them for a while, he then open his mouth.

” No, the one I saw last night was her, that I am sure. ”

He had already thought of it when a.s.sa.s.sins appeared last night. Which was why he was in such a hurry to get to her room. Who knew she would appeared half-way there and although he had doubts at first, he knew it was her.

She definitely did not escape yesterday.

Then there will only be one other explanation. It was not her who escaped with Aersi yesterday.

That person with a small stature raises her head and look at Aersi, smiling.

Aersi's heart skip a beat as a bad feeling overcomes him. Yi Jin, who is besides him, frowns.

” It's not her. ”

Just as he finishes that sentence, several black stuff flies out of her hands and crackles once they hit the ground, frightening the horses into a panic. Following that, another ball hits the ground and everyone is envelope in smoke.

The people in the team tries to pacify their horses as they fans away the smoke. When the smoke clears, that person is gone.

Aersi coughs and frowns as he ask Yi Jin.

” What is going on? ”
” We are tricked by Du Juan. The one who escaped yesterday is not her. ”

Aersi pause for a second before turning back in a hurry. Seeing that, Yi Jin follows him. Rushing all the way back to his mansion, the first person he sees once he enter the room is ‘Li Goudan'.

” Why are you back so fast? ”

Li Goudan ask incredulity. Ignoring his question, Aersi follows up with a question of his own instead.

” Where's the person with you? ”
” We went our own way half way through. ”

Since Du Juan only wanted them to keep that person safe, he reckons there won't be any problem after saving her from Nuo Yan.

But Aersi's face looks like there is a big problem….

Kicking the table in front of him, the loud crash make everyone jump. Darn it! They had been tricked by Du Juan again!

Walking in, Yi Jin sees the table and pats Aersi's shoulder.

” Relax, we are not the only one deceived anyway. Think about Xue Mu, does that makes you feel better now? ”
” ………. ”

Aersi takes a deep breath.

” Since she decided not to go with us in the first place, that picture she gave us might be a fake. ”

Yi Jin thinks about before smiling at him.

” We will know when we find that person. ”

Seeing how slimy Yi Jin looks with that smile of his, Aersi have a feeling someone is going to be in trouble. He then ask curiously.

” Where do you think she's gone? ”
” Most probably… still in Chang-An. ”

Liu Qinghuan most indeed is still in Chang-An. She only ran to a further part of the city. There is no need to leave, a swindler only have to change an ident.i.ty and she can go on for another five hundred years.

Riding her horse, she looks around. There aren't that many merchants or officials here, instead, what she can see are mostly commoners. She have set her eyes on hiding it out here from the first time instead of leaving for Mongolia.

If she really did head over, she would be under control. This plan took a lot of her brain cells into making it work. She thought of going along with Aersi before trying to find a way to shake him but in the end, she decided to stay back instead.

Because she have a feeling Xue Mu would see through a fake.

She have no idea how he could do that but that night in the garden, she is sure Xue Mu only let her get back after knowing it was her.

This is a disaster for a swindler.

She bit her lips sullenly as she navigate through a crowd. In the middle of it, a lady dressed in white is kneeling on the ground, a few words in front of her.

[My name is Ji Huatong, 18 this year, from Sichun. Mu father has unfortunately fell ill and I don't have the money to heal his sickness. I am willing to sell myself in order to give my father a proper burial…. ]

Taking a glance, Liu Qinghuan pulls her horse along. Such a cliche, be more creative! But seeing how pretty she looks, she might be able to swindle those stupid rich morons.

Finding a place to sell her horse, she walks for a while before spotting a shop selling jewelries. The lady boss is a round woman, with a thick layer of face powder on her face, currently scolding a maid. After listening in for a bit, Liu Qinghuan gathers that the lady boss is angry about how the maid can't even sell a single piece of jewelry for the entire day.

Blinking, she adjusts her expression into one of sadness before entering.

Seeing someone entering the shop, the lady boss excitedly welcomes her. But when she takes a good look at Liu Qinghuan, her enthusiasm goes down by half. This lady is pretty, but why does she looks like her father just died?

” Madam, are you still hiring help? ”
” I can't even help myself, not to mention hiring! ”

Seeing how she is being chase away, Liu Qinghuan hurriedly grab onto her arm.

” Madam, I can do anything and I don't need a salary! You only need to feed and house me! ”
” … No salary? ”
” Yes! I'll be honest with you Madam, my name is Ji Huatong, 18 this year, from Sichun. Something happened at home so I am forced to come over to Chang-An to look for my cousin. But he, he…. ”

Liu Qinghuan sobs for a while before continuing.

” He kick me away after using me. I really have no where else to go! If Madam is willing to take me in, I will do anything in order to repay Madam! ”

The lady boss heart stir at her suggestion. No one wouldn't want a free servant to boss around. Besides, she is dissatisfied with the previous one for being too stupid and this one…. She does look stupid too but since she have a pretty face, she will be able to attract customers just by standing there. And if she seduces those men, won't cash be rolling in then?

Thus, the lady boss wipes the tears away from Liu Qinghuan's face.

” There there there, look how mess up your face have become! Your cousin is really not a man. Don't worry, you can stay. I only want you to help out around the store, how about it? ”

Liu Qinghuan looks at her with happy surprise.

” Really? Madam, you are a good person, I will do my best!! ”
” Good good. Why don't you wash your face first? ”

Saying that, the lady boss call a maid over. Following the maid inside, Liu Qinghuan wipe the tears on her face. Staying here would be a lot more discreet and free too. Betting on Xue Mu won't go pasting her pictures to look for her because of how shameful it would reflect on him losing his own wife, she did not bother to change a face. Wait till her new facial mask is done then she would escape.

Un, by then she can also swindle the lady boss because there is no way she is working for free!

Liu Qinghuan only start working in the shop for two days but her sales are already more that what the previous worker can sell in a month! This pleases the lady boss to no ends. She is finally going to get rich!

Just after sending a customer out, another one walks in. He first stand by the door looking in for a bit before entering. Liu Qinghuan welcomes him with a huge smile but when she takes a clear look at him…. she just can't continue smiling.

Because the one standing in front of her is no other than Xue Mu the big general.

Seeing her surprise look, the corners of his mouth gently hook up.

” You look surprise. ”
” ………. ”

Xue Mu continue smiling.

” You don't really think you are able to run away, did you? ”
” ………. ”

If she had known he would find her this quickly, she would have risk the fact that her real ident.i.ty would be known and just throw this face mask away!