Chapter 125 Calculation

Even if Miss Shen got angry and burned down her master's study, he would still believe it.

After a while, the heater was carried in. Qing'an personally ordered it to be placed before leaving again.

Shen Anan had already drunk half of the pot of tea in her hand. When the study door closed again, she finally raised her head slowly and placed the teacup in her hand on the desk.

Mo Xiang was squatting beside the stove, roasting some fruit. She was squatting on the ground, and her shadow was not reflected on the window frame.

Qing'an also knew it when he came in just now.

Even if someone was watching from outside, Qing'an wouldn't be suspicious as long as the figure on the chair didn't move.

She hooked her finger at Mo Xiang.

Mo Xiang immediately understood what the girl wanted to do. He squatted and moved over, then quickly exchanged positions with Shen Anan.

She looked at the girl who was bending over and moving towards the desk, as if she was looking for a memorial paper, and felt a little puzzled.

She lowered her voice and said, "Miss, didn't Qing'an tell you that you can freely browse the folded books in the Fourth Prince's study? Why are you still hiding?"

After Shen Anan finished flipping through one, he put it back and picked up the next one again, saying casually, "Because I can't let him know that I've read it."

Mo Xiang wrinkled her face. Since the young lady could see it freely, why couldn't the Fourth Prince know about it?

Shen Anan didn't explain much.

It was impossible for her to be a concubine, nor would she pin her hopes on anyone, and she had no idea what kind of feelings Xiao Yuan had for Duan Mengmeng.

But I think he would be willing to marry her.

Therefore, she would not let Xiao Yuan's people know, so as to prevent them from suspecting her and ruining her next plan.

She doesn't trust anyone.

Letting go is one thing, but trusting someone wholeheartedly and entrusting your future or even your life to someone is absolutely impossible.

Mo Xiang held the teacup with a stiff body, and from time to time he lowered his head and pretended to take a few sips, but it was only his shadow that seemed to be drinking.

Shen Anan had already flipped through half of the documents on the desk before finally finding what she was looking for.

She read it quickly, tapping her finger on it, and recording the time written on it in her mind.

Mo Xiang leaned over to take a look and frowned. Why is there another flood in Xuzhou? The girl seemed to be particularly concerned about this matter.

"Girl, is there anything different about Xuzhou?"

Daliang is a great country, and there has never been a year without natural disasters and man-made tragedies. The flood in Xuzhou was also normal, it was just that the rescue was not timely.

In fact, they did not always save people in the past. The higher the position and the more powerful the person, the more they valued their lives. It was not uncommon for them to abandon a village when encountering a more severe plague.

Shen Anan didn't have time to talk to her, and her eyes quickly scanned the folded paper.

Xiao Yuan's power was in the military, especially in the south, and Xuzhou was in the south. In terms of receiving news, Xiao Yuan must have been ahead of the court.

Local officials were afraid of being blamed, so even if they wrote to the court for help, there would be discrepancies in the timing of the disaster. Only Xiao Yuan's words were somewhat credible.

She remembered that in her previous life, it rained and snowed in Xuzhou for more than a month before it stopped. Putting aside the time it took for the letter to be on the road, and taking into account the date of the memorial.

She tapped the paper with her fingertips, and her almond-shaped eyes were tinged with depth.

The rain and snow should have stopped in the next two days.

Natural disasters and man-made disasters are uncontrollable and are the most likely causes for rumors to spread and unrest to occur.

"Miss Shen." Qing'an knocked on the door first, then pushed open the study door and walked in.

Seeing the look Shen Anan gave him while holding the teacup, Qingan choked and immediately didn't know what to say. He shrugged his head and looked unhappy.

Shen Anan placed the teacup on the table and casually took the roasted fruit that Mo Xiang handed over.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she put it in her mouth.

"..." Qing An's face turned purple from holding back his anger, "Master...Master..."

Shen Anan raised her eyebrows and put all the fruits into her mouth. Her face twitched because of the sourness.

"Is your master back?"

"Yeah." Qing'an lowered his head, his voice a little timid, "But... I was invited by the Duan family again."

Shen Anan was stunned for a moment before she understood why Qingan was hesitating.

It turned out that Xiao Yuan went to Duan Mansion to find Duan Mengmeng. She moved her eyes downwards, fixed on a pile of memorials on the desk, and then looked away after a moment.

He didn't get angry, nor was he unhappy, and his face was always cold and indifferent.

She hummed softly, then said, "It's okay, I'll wait a little longer."

It is also a good opportunity to test Xiao Yuan's attitude so that I can be prepared.

The words he asked Shen Changhe to bring, Shen Changhe did, but Shen Anan didn't understand what they meant. Or maybe it's not that she didn't understand, but she just wouldn't believe it.

Qing'an's face twitched a few times, his embarrassment evident in his words.

Under Shen Anan's gaze, he said helplessly, "The news sent back said that Miss Duan San was going to Xiangjue Temple to pray for Old Master Duan. Old Master Duan has a deep affection for the master, so the master... accompanied her."

Shen Anan frowned and didn't speak for a while.

Qing'an's heart was in turmoil. Although he didn't understand what his master meant by this, he was sure that the person in his master's mind must be Miss Shen. He explained hesitantly.

Shen Anan was not thinking about love between a man and a woman at all.

"Recently, have many young men and women gone to Xiangjue Temple to pray for marriage flowers?"

Her sudden change of topic stunned Qing'an.

He shook his head. "I don't know about this either. The Prince's Mansion never pays attention to these things."

Shen Anan nodded, but according to the date, when the two of them went to Xiangjue Temple to pray for marriage flowers in the previous life, it was also the twelfth lunar month, around the time when Master Duan passed away.

She couldn't remember the exact time.

But now it seems that except for the direction that changed because of her, everything else is still repeating itself.

But in this life, she will not go to Xiangjue Temple.

Qingan was very worried when he saw Shen Anan didn't speak, and he never stopped making excuses for his master.

Shen Anan's expression finally changed a little.

If what Qing'an said is true, in the previous life, Xiao Yuan accompanied Duan Mengmeng to Xiangjue Temple to chant sutras and pray for Old Man Duan. Was the marriage flower just a by-product?

In this case, the logic is clear.

But so what? He didn't explain anything at the beginning, and she doesn't want to know now.

She stood up slowly and glanced briefly at the documents on the desk.

Although she had not expected it, the trip to Xiangjue Temple was a pleasant surprise for her, allowing her to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Seeing Shen An'an was about to leave, Qing'an quickly made way, looking very embarrassed, "I will send Miss Shen off. When the master comes back, I will report to the master that the lady has been here."

Shen Anan responded indifferently.

Qing'an didn't dare to look up at Shen An'an's face. He just stole a glance at her and personally led her out of the prince's mansion.

Along the way, Shen Anan didn't say a word. The more silent she was, the more unsure Qingan felt.

"Goodbye, young lady." He bowed at the gate of the mansion.

Mo Xiang helped Shen Anan get on the carriage, and Uncle Zhong drove away. Qingan finally relaxed after holding his breath for a long time.

He immediately ordered people to prepare horses and go to Duan Mansion to report.

He didn't dare to delay this kind of thing. If he made Miss Shen unhappy and his master didn't get a good look, he wouldn't have an easy life.

Shen Anan didn't know Qing'an's thoughts. She was very quiet since she got on the carriage and didn't let Mo Xiang speak.

The thick car curtains blocked the cold wind outside. Shen Anan leaned against the car wall, lowering her eyes in a daze.

No one knows what she is thinking.

Uncle Zhong's questioning voice came in, "Miss, are we going back home?"

Shen Anan came back to her senses, lifted the car curtain and looked out, and whispered, "Don't go back yet, find an alley where no one is, I have something to tell you."

Uncle Zhong didn't ask any more questions and drove through the streets. After an incense stick of time, he stopped in a remote alley.

There are high walls everywhere, the dead end is quite narrow, and there is no human habitation.

"Girl, your orders."

Uncle Zhong jumped onto the carriage at Shen Anan's signal.

He had been in the Shen Mansion for many years, and after being assigned to Shen Anan by Shen Wen, he was considered to be conscientious and loyal.

Shen Anan gave Mo Xiang a look and asked her to wait under the carriage before speaking to Uncle Zhong.

"There's a job that could cost you your life, do you dare to do it, Uncle Zhong?"

Uncle Zhong said without any hesitation, "Miss, just give me your orders. My life belongs to the Shen family. As long as you need me, I will do it."

"Okay." Shen Anan curled her lips and lowered her voice so low that Mo Xiang outside didn't know what the two of them said.

Just a moment later, Uncle Zhong jumped off the carriage and quickly left the alley.

"Girl, where is Uncle Zhong?"

Shen Anan put her middle finger on her lips, signaling her not to speak, and Mo Xiang also pursed her lips.

The master and servant stayed in the carriage for nearly half an hour before Uncle Zhong hurried back, but he had changed into a new set of clothes.

Mo Xiang glanced at Shen Anan, then at Uncle Zhong, and very tactfully asked nothing.

The carriage left the alley and returned to the Shen Mansion, but met another carriage head-on on Hua'an Street.

The road was not narrow, but the right side was covered with ice and snow. Not to mention a carriage, even a person walking on it might not be able to keep their body steady.

Shen Anan didn't want to argue about who was better. She was about to tell Uncle Zhong to make way for the carriage on the opposite side, but unexpectedly, a familiar soft whisper suddenly sounded.

“Is it Miss Shen?”

Shen Anan frowned, and through the curtain lifted by Mo Xiang, she saw the person in the carriage opposite.

"Miss Duan Er." She nodded slightly as a greeting.

"What a coincidence! I just said today that I haven't seen Miss Shen for a while. Where are you going? Are you going to the Minister of Personnel's residence to attend a banquet?"

Shen Anan glanced at her gentle expression calmly and said calmly, "No."

"Oh." Duan Yingying seemed to realize that there was something wrong with her words. "I forgot. Don't take it to heart."

Forgot something? Of course, they had forgotten the current situation of the Shen family. No one would send the Shen family an invitation to a banquet.

Shen Anan's eyebrows and eyes froze a little, and she was impatient to talk nonsense with her here.

"Since you are waiting to attend the banquet, Miss Duan Er should leave now."

Duan Yingying seemed very polite, “I’m not in a hurry, let Miss Shen go first.”

She ordered the coachman to make way for the Shen family's carriage, and Shen Anan was naturally not polite and let Uncle Zhong drive.

When the carriage passed by, Duan Yingying said again, "I think Miss Shen is going to Xiangjue Temple now. The fourth prince and my third sister's son should not have left yet, so Miss Shen should be able to catch up."

Shen Anan raised her eyes and looked at the innocent and beautiful face of Duan Yingying, with a cold look in her eyes.

Duan Yingying still had a smile on her face, but she immediately retreated back into the carriage.

"I heard that Madam Duan is looking for Miss Duan Er everywhere. She went to the banquet on such a cold day. It seems that she has a preliminary goal. I wish Miss Duan Er a successful start."

Duan Yingying's face immediately stiffened.

It has always been the men who take the initiative to go to a man's house for a date. For a lady to go to a man's house for a date is lowering her status. Shen Anan is humiliating her! ! ! !

But the Shen family's carriage had already driven away quickly, stirring up a mess of mud.

From an outsider's perspective, the brief conversation just now really seemed like a conversation between old friends.

"This Miss Shen is too venomous. She was clearly giving a kind reminder, but this is really a case of a dog biting Lu Dongbin."

The maid said with a frown.

In the past, she just felt relieved when she argued with the third girl, but now she really feels angry.

Duan Yingying's face didn't look very good. Shen Anan's reaction speed was really too fast. Before she could figure out how to respond, the person left.

But before he could even finish what he had said, it was blocked back.

Only now did she understand why Duan Mengmeng hated her so much whenever she mentioned her.

——

The Shen family's carriage was filled with the aroma of ink.

"I used to think Miss Duan Er was quite gentle and kind, and I thought she was pretty good. But now that she's in power, she's actually taking advantage of me."

Shen Anan smiled when she heard this, and half leaned against the car wall casually, "She is not adding insult to injury, but instigating trouble."

He can't stand seeing anyone doing well, including Duan Mengmeng.

Then he just sat on Diaoyutai and watched the show.

"Then girl, shall we go to Xiangjue Temple?" Mo Xiang thought that since the Fourth Prince and Miss Duan San had gone there, and his own girl didn't go, would that help the two of them to develop a closer relationship?

"No." Duan Yingying wanted her to fight with Duan Mengmeng, but she didn't have the time.