Suddenly, Zhao Jiaqi looked sharply at Shi He, her voice low. "You suspect these horse bandit gangs are Ying Xiong's doing?"
Or rather, the horse bandits were Ying Xiong's subordinates!
Shi He nodded silently, offering his reasoning. "Madam, these horse bandits specialize in robbing the wealthy. But today, we rode such an opulent carriage with very few guards, and yet the bandits made no move. Madam, don't you think that's too coincidental?"
"Furthermore, Ying Xiong was fully aware of our intention to confront the horse bandits. This coincidence is simply too much!"
Hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi's heart fluttered like a deer. She felt even more uneasy about her husband's safety!
Forcing herself to calm down, she looked at the footprints on the ground, pondering recent events. It was just as Shi He had said. If this were true, what would be Ying Xiong's objective?
He had no prior grudges against her or her husband, so why would he act this way?
And their identities, weren't they exposed by him at the inn, rather than him knowing them from the start!
How did he know their group would stay at the Yue Lai Inn, and that those people would coincidentally say such things, and that their son would defend Ying Xiong?
Besides, their trip to Jinzhou City was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and they hadn't informed anyone. Staying at the Yue Lai Inn was also because their son thought the name was nice!
Were all these things mere coincidences?
Could there truly be someone so precise in their calculations?
No, she didn't believe it!
There was only one truth!
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head. "This conclusion is premature. Let's follow these footprints and see if we can find any clues!"
"Madam, this is too dangerous. I should escort you down the mountain, and I will investigate alone."
"Wouldn't investigating alone be dangerous for you too? If we investigate like this, and those people are alerted, we can create a diversion. If you go alone, and they have martial arts skills, it's not just a matter of alarming them, it's a matter of your life!"
Shi He considered it and agreed. It was inconvenient to bring a woman, but if they were encountered, they could claim they were hunting wild game for sustenance.
Normally, one wouldn't bring a woman on an investigation.
After all, women were a troublesome species!
The two of them followed the footprints into the mountains.
In a seemingly inconspicuous spot, they discovered horse tracks. Zhao Jiaqi excitedly tugged at Shi He's sleeve, silently pointing to the marks on the ground.
Shi He made a gesture, indicating he had noted it, and made a mark at that spot.
"Madam, I suspect we are not far from the horse bandits' lair. Let's go. I will return to investigate later. If we are discovered, I cannot guarantee your safety. Besides, the eldest young master is waiting for you at the medicinal manor!"
Zhao Jiaqi initially disagreed, but upon hearing that her eldest son was at the medicinal manor with limited protection, her heart softened. What horse bandits, what outlaws, none of them mattered as much as her son!
"Let's go!"
Shi He watched his mistress's retreating back and sighed softly to the sky. He had to admit, for every mother, their children were destined to be their weakness.
Just by mentioning the eldest young master, his mistress became too worried to focus on the investigation!
One had to admit, Shi He had discovered Zhao Jiaqi's vulnerability.
They returned the way they came and soon reached the medicinal manor. They saw her son practicing his flamboyant martial arts with Feng Xiao. His small face was sun-reddened, and sweat dripped down his forehead. Even so, the child didn't complain.
"Mother, you're back. Where is Father? And Uncle Ying?"
Fan Yao ran to greet Zhao Jiaqi. Seeing only Shi He behind her and not her father or Ying Xiong, he looked up and asked.
She took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, smiling as she said, "Your father and Uncle Ying went hunting on the mountain. Mother didn't go with your Uncle Shi He and just wandered around the outskirts before returning."
Fan Yao responded with a faint "Oh," then helped Zhao Jiaqi to sit on a stone bench, pouring her a cup of cool tea. "Mother, you look so tired, your face is red and you're out of breath. Drink some cool tea to beat the heat. I'll go practice with Uncle Feng again!"
With that, he ran off to find Feng Xiao, just as Meng Meng Jie had trained them when they were younger: practicing in the depth of winter and the heat of summer!
Their resilience, endurance, and refusal to admit defeat were becoming more and more like Fan Zehao's.
Watching her son diligently practice martial arts, Zhao Jiaqi felt an inexpressible emotion. All three of her children loved practicing martial arts, which could be attributed to their father. But the key was that their eldest daughter also enjoyed wielding swords and spears, which made her feel unbalanced.
Why was it that none of her children took after her!
This was unfair, too unfair!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The cool tea in her hand couldn't quell her inner fire. After a few sips, she heavily placed the cup on the stone table and went inside to take a cold shower to cool down!
The sound of her placing the cup down startled Su Ya. She couldn't understand why her mistress was suddenly angry.
She looked back at Shi He. He was guiding the eldest young master in martial arts and hadn't noticed their commotion.
Helplessly, she followed her mistress into the room, hoping to glean some information.
Inside the inner chamber!
Zhao Jiaqi sat in the bathtub, while Su Ya carefully scrubbed her back. The words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat; she dared not ask, fearing that a wrong word might further anger her mistress.
After a long period of muffled silence, and before Su Ya could find an opportunity to speak, Zhao Jiaqi voiced her frustrated thoughts.
"Su Ya, you're smart, tell me, why do my children's personalities and appearances all resemble their father, and not a single one takes after me!"
"Ah?" Su Ya opened her mouth in surprise.
She hadn't expected her mistress to be angry about this! She was also puzzled. Wasn't it good that her mistress's children resembled their father?
It proved they were the master's own children, which was correct!
However, her mistress was so angry, likely because she felt unbalanced, and lacked a confidante like a "little padded jacket" by her side, hence she was sulking.
Su Ya gently scrubbed her back and said softly, "Perhaps it's because Madam didn't accompany the children often after they were born. The young masters and the young lady are used to their free-spirited nature, which makes Madam feel they are like their father. If the children had grown up by Madam's side, perhaps it would have been a different story."
"There's a saying in my hometown: children who grow up with someone are close to them, and they resemble them, even in temperament!"
Zhao Jiaqi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is there such a saying?" Why hadn't she heard of it!
But that didn't matter much. Su Ya had hit upon one point: it was true that after the children were born, she, as their mother, had not been by their side. This was indeed her fault.
Unfortunately, now that she knew her mistake, the children had grown up, and it was too late for regrets!
"Then I'll have another one, and I'll raise it myself without anyone else's help. I don't believe the child won't resemble me!"
She made a momentous decision, completely forgetting how she had sworn never to have another child after nearly losing her life during the birth of twins years ago!