Bai Tan looked at the woman's darkened expression, and it was clear that the unbearable past still lingered in her heart.

  He said to the woman, "The environment in Lingnan is harsh and now there are no people from Chang'an who are willing to go there to live. If someone comes from Lingnan, one thing can be certain, that no one will really investigate whether they are truly from Lingnan or not."

  Just like the cold tower where Jing was exiled, Lingnan was also a place of exile for many prisoners, so there were hardly any ordinary people willing to live in such a harsh environment.

  The woman stared at Pei Tan, her eyes no longer as gentle as before, "...... Is the civilian wife really a Lingnan person, what does it have to do with the adults?"

  Investigating household registration is not something the Imperial Court should be doing. Even if someone forges a residence in Chang'an, it's not a big deal. Chang'an is the most prosperous place in the Great Tang, and every year people try all sorts of methods to survive there; if you really want to find them, I'm afraid you won't be able to find them all.

  So in the eyes of women, there are only suspicious clouds of doubt.

  "Madam is right, Pei Mou doesn't care whether Madam is really from Lingnan or not. Saying these... just want to ask Madam a question, before the fake identity of Zi Cui'er, who was Madam's true identity?"

  The woman stared at Pei Tan, and the more they looked at each other, the more she could see a thread of unease in the woman's eyes.

  Pei County was still unaware of what his own son was going to do and just stood beside him, looking even more shocked and bewildered than the woman.

  The woman, however, said nothing; she seemed to have no intention of saying another word except staring at Pei Tan.

  For such a result, Pei Tan seemed to have expected it. He slowly put his hands behind his back and said with a distant gaze: "From the moment you stood in this hall, from your demeanor, I knew that you were not an ordinary citizen. Your behavior also shows that you have been trained before. In this world, only women from one place will have such deeply rooted etiquette, even after five years of ordinary life, it is impossible to disappear. That is - a person who has been bound by palace rules."

  When Pei Tan mentioned the palace rules, everyone noticed that the woman's expression suddenly changed, and then her lips moved slightly, but afterwards she closed them even tighter than before.

  The woman seemed to be gritting her teeth and refused to reveal a single word about what Pei Tan had said.

  But sometimes not revealing is already the biggest flaw.

  Pei Tan's gaze at the woman also carried a hint of understanding.

  Self-control is the ability to keep a secret even in death.

  It's just a woman who used to live in the palace but escaped from her fate.

  After a long time, the woman loosened her hands and a smile appeared on her face: "Please forgive me, I really don't understand what you are saying."

  Pei Tan gazed at her, he could still see the desolation of those years of being enslaved and driven from the woman's face. It was precisely for this reason that he had no intention of really forcing this woman.

  " You can go now."

  The woman's expression changed slightly, clearly seeming to be in disbelief, and she looked up at Pei Tan.

  Pei Tan wanted Xing Zhushi to find this woman and bring her to the Temple of Great Wisdom, actually just to confirm an idea. He had already determined that she was a palace maid from the moment he saw her, the same as the one who appeared at the Su family's wedding banquet.

  And these women all bore indelible marks of the palace on their bodies.

  The woman's expression finally relaxed: "Sir..."

  Pei Tan looked at her and asked his final question: "If I ask you who helped you achieve all this, you must not want to say."

  Gave a woman a second life and even made her the boss of a wine house today, the person behind the scenes can be said to have treated the woman with kindness and rebirth.

  As for the woman, it was naturally impossible for her to mention the name of this benefactor who had changed her life.

  The woman's lips moved slightly, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

  Pei Tan did not ask again, but instead kept his promise and called for Xing Zhubu to send the woman back on her original path.

  "Finally, Pei County couldn't help but ask: 'Young Master, why have so many palace maids who escaped from the palace suddenly appeared in Chang'an City?'"

  Originally the most humble and unnoticeable palace maid, even if she was seen everywhere in the palace, but once she appeared on this Chang'an street, it made people extremely shocked and unclear.

  The bailiffs of the Temple of Justice had to take the prisoners on a tour of the inner walls before throwing them into prison, and it was then that Ziyun remembered the layout of the temple and also told the palace girl through carrier pigeons.

  Pei Tan had already made it clear that there were joints, and naturally also knew that the palace maid hidden in Chang'an City was no longer just these two people.

  Thinking of how Jing Wanyi had secretly transported these palace maids out of the palace, Pei Tan felt a chill run down his spine. Five years ago, Jing Wanyi was still a young girl, and from that time on, she had been doing such things. She must have made deals with each of the palace maids she rescued, otherwise they wouldn't have remained in contact with her until today.

  Pei Tan had previously said that even a man at that age would not have such a mind and city, thinking about things many years later. But Jing Wanyan has done it completely, and done it so tightly that there is no leakage.

  Not a single palace maid would betray Jing Wanyan, and this was what was most terrifying.

  A small and insignificant eunuch in charge of collecting corpses in the palace, yet silently grasped almost all the news of Chang'an City.

  Bai Tan recalled that when he previously reported the case to Zhong Zong, Zhong Zong said: "Even if Zong Chuke deceived me, Jing's daughter cutting off human skin is also a capital offense."

  Simply flaying the corpse's skin is already a crime punishable by death, and if the matter of the palace maid in Chang'an City were to be exposed, Jing Yu'er would have no place to die.

  ——

  In the Grand Secretary's residence, the monk finished his Buddhist rites and took a thick bundle of reward silver, leaving with satisfaction.

  The attendants who had stayed in Zong Chuke's study before reappeared inside the study. "Sir, look at this."

  It was a pre-arranged pass with the large seal of the Chariot and Cavalry General's office stamped on it.

  Fengche Duyu, a minor official of the fifth rank, has no relation to the seven clans and five surnames.

  Zong Chuke stared at Shifu, slowly reaching out his hand to take over the pass.

  "Sir, after nightfall, you can send the young master away. To avoid having too many dreams." The attendant's eyes flashed with cleverness.

  Zong Chuke looked at each character on the pass, one by one. The lowly Fēngchē Dūwèi was not even worthy of entering the eyes of the gatekeepers of Chang'an City.

  But the passes they issued were barely enough to allow the lowest-ranking Muslim merchants to enter and exit.

  Zong Chuke slowly crumpled up the customs clearance document in his hand until it was a ball.

  The staff officer's eyes flashed: "Sir?"

  Zong Chuke didn't say anything, but in his heart, he obviously couldn't make up his mind to see Zong Huo off at this time.

  But Zong Ho couldn't wait any longer.

  "Is the chosen one... reliable?" Zhong Chuke's face was expressionless.

  The attendants face showed that sinister smile again: "Don't worry, Your Excellency, I'm willing to stake my head on it, the young master will definitely be able to leave Chang'an safely."

  Zong Chuke gazed out of the window at the darkening sky, but the document in his hand was still being crumpled into an increasingly distorted shape.

  If Zong Xue doesn't leave the secret chamber below within three days, he will be on the verge of collapse.

  Even at this moment, Zong Huo was already confused and disoriented.

  The room was almost completely destroyed by Zong Huo, and even the cups were not spared. The vegetarian dishes sent by Zong Chuke had been poured all over the floor by Zong Huo, who trampled them in a fit of rage.

  Until the door of the secret passage slowly opened again, Zong Huo saw the smiling face of his aide appearing in the smoke and dust.

  Zong Huo almost immediately stopped in his tracks, staring at the person who had suddenly appeared with eager light bursting out of his eyes.

  "I am here under the orders of His Excellency Shangshu, to escort the young master away."

  Zong Huo heard this sentence and finally collapsed completely on the ground, in a pile of leftover food scraps, revealing a relieved but ferocious smile.

  At the hour of Xu, just after nightfall, a horse carriage drove out from the back gate of the Shangshu Mansion and entered the streets of Chang'an under the cover of darkness. If they were to leave during the curfew hours, it would be too conspicuous, and even if they managed to escape smoothly, they would still be pursued by the Qian Niu Guard afterwards.

  However, at this time, there were six different groups of Hu merchants, who galloped quickly to the city gate before the night curfew.

  Chang'an City has a curfew, but the night market before the curfew is the most prosperous and lively place.

  No Muslim merchant wants to miss such a grand occasion, so every night before the curfew, half an hour after the night market closes, is the busiest time for the four city gates.

  The Hu merchants who had loaded their goods were allowed to leave Chang'an only today, after a batch of goods was fixed at the Marquis of Chariots and Cavalry's office three days ago.

  The Hu merchants chose the North City Gate and pulled a dozen empty carts, arriving at the North City Gate in the dust.

  At this time, many foreign merchants had gathered at the city gate.

  Apart from carrying two or more passes, all Muslim merchants' vehicles and horses here must be inspected before being allowed to pass.

  The document issued by Zong Huo's Fēngchē Duīwèi must also be inspected before it can be passed.

  But the group of merchants led by Hu just narrowed their eyes and stared at the crowded queue in front of them.

  One of the cowherds spat on the ground: "Damn it, every day at this time."

  All the merchants' faces were also filled with a sincere and fearful expression.

  Qian Niu's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he suddenly grabbed the collar of a bearded merchant, slamming him into a corner.

  "Smuggling goods out of the city is a capital offense!"

  The arrested Hu merchant had a box of goods overturned on the ground, and only saw a night light cup exposed in the stacked hay.

  "Seize him and behead him." Qian Niu Wei's eyes were icy cold.

  That merchant didn't even have a chance to shout for injustice before a bloody mist flew up, and with his neck twisted to one side, he was completely out of breath.

  Qian Niuwei, the butcher of men, held a blood-stained knife and gazed coldly at each of the lined-up Muslim merchants, his icy demeanor even more pronounced in the darkness.

  This is the end of being lucky, executed on the spot.

  Zong Huo hid in the box, his five fingers digging deep into the flesh.

  All the Muslim merchants who were searched had their boxes kicked over and their goods examined.

  It took more than half an hour.