He Yanting's eyes moved slightly, then he raised his eyes, his eyes were calm, and his tone was very calm: "What did you forget?"

He was so calm that Jiang Zhiyu began to wonder if it was just her illusion. She blinked slightly and said, "Nothing. Maybe I was mistaken."

He Yanting nodded slightly, looked in the direction of the village, and raised the corners of his mouth.

An hour later, the city wall of Jinzhou was visible from afar.

Xu Yaowen was waiting anxiously at the city gate. When he saw the carriage, he hurried forward in two steps. He looked Jiang Zhiyu up and down carefully, and only looked away after making sure that she was unharmed.

He rode alongside them back to the mansion. As they entered the room, Xu Yaowen dismissed the servants waiting around him before speaking, "The Emperor has sent a letter asking about your return date. I inquired and it seems the Empress Dowager wants to see you."

Queen Mother?

Jiang Zhiyu pursed his lips.

"Why did she see me?"

[The previous official fighting champion, others would seize the wives of their subjects, she followed suit and took the husbands of others, and more than one.]

Xu Yaowen: “!!!”

His pupils trembled. What was this? Was this something he could hear?!

No matter whether he could listen or not, Jiang Zhiyu became more and more excited the more she thought about it.

Like the emperor's harem, she would flip the cards every day to see who would be favored. Later, when the imperial examination came, she set her sights on the third place winner. She used all sorts of threats and inducements, but the third place winner refused to obey her. In the end, she destroyed his family and he, with a desire for revenge, stayed by her side.

The Empress Dowager was not the Emperor's biological mother, so the Emperor naturally had no respect for her. She feared that one day the Emperor would reveal her affairs and seize her power, so she began to harbor evil intentions and joined forces with Prince Yu to plot a rebellion.

Prince Yu? Xu Yaowen was shocked. Although the Queen Mother was not the Emperor's biological mother, Prince Yu was the Emperor's biological brother!

His dearest brother joined forces with outsiders to seize his throne?

Xu Yaowen let out a light sigh.

[Originally, he was about to start by trying to kill the minister, but one night, while enjoying himself, with the third-place scholar serving him personally, and having a few drinks, he blurted out the story halfway through.]

[Even that half is enough for the third place winner to take revenge.]

But why did she want to see me?

Xu Yaowen didn't know why the empress dowager wanted to see Zhiyu, but since the empress dowager had the intention of rebellion, it was better not to meet her.

Although the emperor trusts Zhiyu now, how long can this trust last?

If I meet the Queen Mother, His Majesty will become suspicious of me...

Xu Yaowen's eyes twitched slightly. "I don't know what the Queen Mother is thinking. It's best if she doesn't see me. How about I send someone back to the capital right now and tell them that you are ill and need to recuperate in Jinzhou?"

Jiang Zhiyu shook his head: "I can hide for a while, but how can I hide forever? Unless I never return to Shengjing."

Xu Yaowen sighed softly.

"Don't worry, it's just a queen mother, and the promise was just a spur of the moment."

[Besides, if she dares to do anything, I'll let her know what it's like to wear a long-sleeved shirt inside out, and I'll also send her to meet her distant relatives, like her grandmother.]

Xu Yaowen: “…”

He Yanting: “…”

The two of them raised the corners of their mouths at the same time and couldn't help laughing.

Putting this matter behind him for the moment, Xu Yaowen realized that something was wrong.

"Where's Jiang Zhaorong? I remember the bandits kidnapped you both together. They were so thoughtful to send you both separately?"

Jiang Zhiyu's eyes froze, and he was blank for a moment before he hissed softly, "I forgot!"

Xu Yaowen: “!”

Jiang Zhiyu briefly recounted what happened that day, concealing Yang Wu's identity and saying it was just an internal conflict among the bandits.

Xu Yaowen couldn't help but feel a little scared. If Zhiyu didn't know any medical skills, then...

He pulled his thoughts back, turned his head to look at He Yanting who was silent beside him, and signaled with his eyes:

The young fish forgot, have you forgotten too?

He Yanting frowned frivolously.

Jiang Zhiyu was just surprised that he could have forgotten about such a living person, but he didn't think about it anymore.

She sipped the tea gently, and He Yanting did the same.

Xu Yaowen didn't know what He Yanting was planning, so he whispered to Jiang Zhiyu, "Zhiyu, go to bed early. Uncle and Master He still have something to discuss."

The implication of this statement is that they want to have a private conversation.

[Tsk, what is there that a distinguished VIP like her can't listen to?]

Xu Yaowen: “???”

He Yanting: “???”

The two looked at each other, and both saw confusion in each other's eyes.

Viepee, what is it?

Is that the name from Mobei?

Jiang Zhiyu left after saying a few words. Although they wanted to ask, they couldn't open their mouths and could only suppress it in their hearts.

"So, you didn't forget, you did it on purpose?"

Xu Yaowen spoke first.

He Yanting chuckled: "Master Xu, you have already guessed it, so why bother to explain it so clearly?"

Xu Yaowen looked thoughtful. "Why? Don't tell me you're doing this to vent your anger on Zhiyu."

That's not like him.

He Yanting played with his teacup. "Why is Lord Xu asking so many questions? After all, those bandits wouldn't kill the Prime Minister. He's been imprisoned separately from us and escaped death from the bandit camp. Isn't it normal for him to forget about him?"

He asked back, his eyes cold and sharp. Xu Yaowen was shocked by him and didn't know what to say for a moment.

He Yanting put the teacup away and stood up. "It's getting late. I won't bother you any more. You should go to bed early."

He took a few steps, put his hand on the door, and suddenly heard Xu Yaowen's voice behind him.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I hope Mr. He will know his limits. Zhiyu is still young, and there's a big age gap between you two. You're not the same kind of people after all."

He Yanting curled his fingers slightly, and his long hair fell down to cover his face, hiding his expression.

Xu Yaowen's eyelids twitched, and a strange feeling suddenly surged in his heart, as if he was locked by a wild beast, and his heartbeat quickened a lot.

After a long while, He Yanting's voice trembled slightly, "He's only about five years old, how can you say he's older?"

Xu Yaowen's face suddenly darkened, and he slammed the table and stood up. "What do you mean?! Do you really want Zhiyu? She's still just a child!"

He Yanting's eyes darkened and he turned around, his face hidden in the darkness. His obscure expression added a sense of strong aggression.

The coldness in his eyes almost solidified into substance.

"Her character is stronger than anyone else. She has her own choices. It's best for Master Xu not to interfere."

Xu Yaowen was about to say something when He Yanting interrupted him: "Master Xu, please be concerned about how you will cope after Lian Qisheng returns."

"Should I protect myself or go along with the evil?"