Jiang Hua grabbed Chen Xi by the collar and put one leg on the bed next to her.

She suppressed her smile and said in a low voice, "Qin Wen, now you have something on me, and I have something on you. As long as you don't expose me, I, Hongyi, won't expose you either. I think you came all the way to Yichun County hoping to live a peaceful life, right?"

Chen Xi nodded vigorously, repeatedly agreeing.

"That's good. I've had enough of this life of selling smiles." Jiang Hua released her grip, pulled her leg back, and looked down at Chen Xi.

"Now that Aunt Chen knows we know each other and have a pretty good relationship, I'll protect you if anyone bullies you in the future. But the condition is that you don't cause me any trouble. Otherwise, I have ways to make you suffer terribly."

She uttered the words "pain beyond description" slowly and deliberately, and Chen Xi's forehead was already covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.

"How could I?" Chen Xi muttered softly.

"That would be best." Jiang Hua herself knew martial arts, so her hearing was naturally excellent, and she heard Chen Xi's mutterings clearly.

"Jiang—" Chen Xi hesitated, wanting to ask Jiang Hua if she was here under an assumed name to harm people again.

"Call me 'sister'," Jiang Hua corrected her, displeased.

"Sister Jiang," Chen Xi said softly. "Did you come here on a mission?" Before Jiang Hua could answer, she took a deep breath, deciding to ask clearly to save herself from living in constant fear.

"You told me to deliberately get close to Liu Shang before, but alas, he died because he did some dirty things, and the court was struggling to find concrete evidence to prosecute him."

I'd heard before in the brothel that the red-clad girl in the Hidden Spring Pavilion got the once powerful Duke to divorce his wife, and then divorce his wife on behalf of his son. In the end, his whole family was either exiled or sold into official positions...

“I know what you want to ask.” Jiang Hua interrupted Chen Xi, sat down on her own, and replied casually, “I advise you not to guess, not to think, and not to meddle in other people’s business. None of the men who have suffered misfortune through my red clothes are innocent.”

"Alright." After saying that, she suddenly stood up. "My room is right next to yours. You should get some rest."

Chen Xi watched Jiang Hua leave, and only sat down with a sigh of relief after hearing the door close across the street.

"I've already changed my face, how did the woman in red recognize me at a glance?" she muttered to herself.

Unless, unless he was under the constant surveillance of the woman in red.

The thought sent a chill down Chen Xi's spine. Just how powerful and influential was this person in red?

Night falls in Dunyang City, at the Imperial Palace.

The palace servants moved about in a flurry, their expressions tense.

"Why hasn't the prince consort woken up yet? You bunch of quacks! What use are you to me?!" In Fuhua Palace, Zhao Yi roared angrily at the imperial physicians kneeling on the ground below him.

"Your Majesty, please calm down! The Imperial Son-in-Law is seriously injured and has been poisoned. We, we are truly powerless to save him, Your Majesty!" A bold imperial physician kowtowed to the ground, weakly pleading.

"Yes, Your Majesty, we are truly at a loss!" the other imperial physicians echoed.

"Kill them! Drag them all out and kill them!" Zhao Yilong roared in fury.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Li An hurriedly knelt down and pleaded.

"Your Majesty, the imperial physicians have done their best," Li An pleaded.

Zhao Yi's face was so gloomy it seemed like it could drip water. He clenched his fists tightly, trying hard to control his emotions.

"I don't care! I want results, not excuses! If anything happens to the Prince Consort, none of you will live!" Zhao Yi roared angrily.

"Daddy—Daddy—" A childish voice suddenly came from outside the door.

The imperial physicians were filled with doubt, but dared not turn around to look. They knelt on the ground trembling, touching their heads, which could be chopped off at any moment.

A little girl ran past the adults who were crawling on the ground to Zhao Yi. Looking at Shen Hanshan, who was barely breathing, she asked with tears in her eyes, "Uncle, did Father go to a place without pain?"

Zhu San Niang led Yun Xiao to the bedside, curtsied, and explained softly, "I... I couldn't stop Xuan'er."

Zhao Yi gave her a deep look. He didn't expose her lie. It wasn't that she didn't stop him; she clearly timed it so the child would come over at this moment to calm his anger and allow him to see Shen Hanshan one last time.

The imperial physicians, prostrate on the ground, exchanged bewildered glances. Who was this woman? And what about these two children? Were these secrets beyond their comprehension? Were they doomed?