Chapter 25 He Jinzhou was imprisoned

Chapter Twenty-Five: He Jinzhou Was Imprisoned

Just as Shen Tang was about to rest, a servant suddenly came to report that He Jinzhou was outside requesting an audience.

This was the first time He Jinzhou had come to see her so late at night.

Has something happened?

Shen Tang quickly changed her clothes, tied her hair into a bun with just a hairpin, and hurriedly walked towards the courtyard gate.

The moment He Jinzhou saw her, he couldn't help but reach out and hug her.

After leaving Yuzhu Pavilion, my restless and uneasy heart calmed down the moment I saw her.

It finally calmed down a bit.

Shen Tang was slightly surprised. He Jinzhou had always been self-disciplined and respectful in front of him, and this was the first time he had lost his composure like this.

She gently patted his back, a hint of worry in her voice: "What happened?"

He Jinzhou buried his head in the crook of her neck, shook his head upon hearing this, and remained silent.

But he held her even tighter.

After an unknown amount of time, He Jinzhou finally released her.

His voice was somewhat hoarse as he spoke: "I'm sorry, I was rude."

Only then did he begin to regret coming to see her so late.

Although they were engaged, it was still not proper for her to come see him so late.

It even caused her unnecessary worry.

Shen Tang shook her head: "It's nothing. You seem a bit off today. What's wrong?"

He Jinzhou couldn't bring himself to say it, and gave her a reassuring look: "It's nothing, I just... suddenly missed you a little."

Shen Tang was somewhat skeptical: "Really?"

"really."

He Jinzhou smiled slightly: "I was reckless tonight. It's getting late, go back and rest."

Shen Tang hesitated for a moment, but the worry in her heart did not subside because of his explanation.

But since he wouldn't say, she didn't want to pry, so she simply said...

"So I'm really leaving?"

"Um."

He Jinzhou waved goodbye to her until he could no longer see her back.

The smile on his lips could no longer be maintained, and he took a deep look in the direction Shen Tang had left.

He left with a complicated expression.

*

Shen Tang lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

I don't know if it's related to her childhood environment, but she is somewhat sensitive.

I have a feeling that He Jinzhou's unusual behavior today is related to her.

It's really unsettling.

Three days later, one afternoon, Mother He suddenly came to visit.

As soon as Shen Tang stepped out of the room, she saw He's mother rushing towards her.

He looked hurried, his forehead covered in sweat, a far cry from the composed and tactful demeanor I had seen on previous visits.

Shen Tang's heart pounded, and a bad premonition arose within her.

With tears in her eyes, Madam He gripped her hands tightly and cried out, "Miss Chen, please save Zhou'er!"

Shen Tang's expression changed instantly. Had something happened to He Jinzhou?!

Mother He was already sobbing uncontrollably. She only had one son, and what would she do if something happened to Zhou'er?

Seeing her like this, Shen Tang also felt a little anxious.

He hurriedly asked, "Auntie, what happened to He Jinzhou?"

“Yesterday…Yesterday Zhou’er went to court as usual, but he didn’t return until 9 PM.”

“I asked someone to go to the yamen to find him, but his colleagues there told her that Zhou’er had been detained by the Censorate that afternoon on suspicion of embezzlement and bribery.”

“Zhou’er is a good boy, he’s not that kind of person… he would never do such a thing.”

Mother He was emotional and burst into tears.

She clung tightly to Shen Tang, as if grasping at a lifeline: "Only you can save him, please save him."

She hasn't rested a moment since last night, trying to find connections everywhere, but as soon as people hear it's a case involving the Censorate, they wave their hands and say they can't help.

She wanted to see her son and tried to bribe the jailer with a lot of money, pleading for a long time, but the jailer wouldn't budge. He eventually returned the money to them, saying...

"This case is of great importance. No visits are allowed during the trial. Please wait for further notice."

She had no other choice but to beg her.

After all, she has a kinship with the Meng family, and only if the Meng family intervenes can her son be saved.

Shen Tang was in a state of utter confusion when she suddenly remembered his unusual behavior three days ago.

Did he have a premonition that something bad was going to happen to him?

Mother He was already in a panic and completely lost her composure. She couldn't panic any longer, so Chen Tang calmed herself down.

She helped Mrs. He sit down in a chair: "Don't worry, I'll go find your aunt."

She naturally believed that He Jinzhou was not the kind of person who would embezzle or accept bribes, but the officialdom was a complex and unpredictable place.

It's hard to guarantee that you won't be taken advantage of by someone with ulterior motives, or offend someone and invite retaliation.

To find out exactly what happened, we need to meet with He Jinzhou in person and ask him what happened before we can come up with a solution.

I rushed to Pear Blossom Courtyard and told my aunt about He Jinzhou's situation, only to be told that the Second Master was not in the capital these days.

What a coincidence!

Shen Tang was extremely anxious and was on the verge of tears.

Seeing her like this, Madam Shen became somewhat anxious, and suddenly a thought flashed through her mind: "Isn't there still the heir apparent?"

“He works in the Censorate, so he must know some inside information.”

"Going to him will definitely be more effective than going to Second Master."

Yes, how could she forget Meng Huaiyan?

After bidding farewell to her aunt, Shen Tang hurriedly headed towards Meng Huaiyan's courtyard.

As soon as she arrived at the courtyard gate, Qingyang came to greet her, as if he had known she would come.

"Miss Shen, please come in."

Shen Tang felt something was off, but she had no time to think about it right now.

Following Qingyang's footsteps, they walked towards the study.

Inside the study, Meng Huaiyan was standing by the window. Hearing her arrive, he slowly turned around.

The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating Meng Huaiyan and giving him an unexpectedly gentle and kind appearance.

Because he was backlit, she couldn't see his face clearly.

She could feel his gaze on her, which intensified Shen Tang's strange and uneasy feeling.

She suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and bowed to him: "Your Highness."

Meng Huaiyan moved closer to her from the windowsill, stopping about three steps away: "You came for He Jinzhou?"

"Yes." Shen Tang's tone was somewhat anxious. "What exactly happened?"

“Someone reported that he accepted bribes and falsified his performance evaluations for officials.”

“He’s not that kind of person!” Shen Tang said, her voice trembling with emotion. “There must be some misunderstanding.”

Meng Huaiyan frowned slightly, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied with her trust in him.

“Every criminal claims to be innocent until the evidence is solid.”

"How long have you known each other? Are you so sure he hasn't done it?"

Shen Tang's face was pale, but her words were firm: "I believe him!"

Meng Huaiyan's expression turned somewhat unpleasant, and he scoffed lightly: "The Censorate emphasizes evidence when handling cases."

"Does the Censorate have to release someone just because they say they believe him?"

"Miss Shen is being a little too naive."

Meng Huaiyan looked at Shen Tang's bloodshot eyes and pale face.

He's just a man, yet he's gotten himself into this state.

Does she care about him that much?