Chapter 2973 Everyone Has Secrets

Nan Yan looked at their somewhat panicked expressions, then looked inside and said with a half-smile, "Didn't Taoist Master Miao Ming say that this backyard was abandoned? What are you doing in there?"

"Well……"

"We, we—"

Several people were probably caught off guard and stammered, unable to speak. Finally, a girl who looked older said softly, "Oh, we, we just came here to clean up the things in the backyard."

"tidy?"

Nan Yan looked them up and down again.

Then he smiled and stopped talking.

The girls were obviously a little panicked. They saluted them, turned around and left in a hurry.

Nan Yan turned around and watched their backs disappear in front of her, then looked back at the iron gate that was locked with an iron chain. Zhu Feng walked over and weighed the heavy iron chain and padlock.

Then he said, "Let's go."

So he took her back.

Nan Yan hesitated for a moment, then looked back at the silent backyard. As she followed Zhu Feng forward, she whispered, "Your Majesty, there must be something wrong in there."

"Um?"

"Those people said they were going in to pack up their things, but when I look at their clothes, they are wearing wide robes with big sleeves. They don't look like they are packing at all."

“…”

"People also want to be clean. If it's true, as they say, that the backyard is abandoned, then when you go in and clean it up, you should at least get a little dust on your body."

“…”

"Looking at them, it's not like that at all."

Zhu Feng said, "These words are just whitewashing. You don't have to believe them. Xu Miaoming doesn't necessarily think we will believe them either."

Nan Yan frowned: "Hmm?"

Zhu Feng said, "Look at that door."

Upon hearing this, Nan Yan turned around and looked at the iron gate that locked the backyard. It was locked tightly with an iron chain, and one could only see inside through the gaps between the fences. But there was silence inside as well, with no movement at all.

Zhu Feng said, "This kind of iron gate, with an iron chain, looks like it's locked securely, but in fact, it can be opened from the inside."

Nan Yan opened her eyes wide: "How do I open it?"

Zhu Feng said, "Use the key and it will open."

"With a key?"

Nan Yan was puzzled by what she heard. She looked back and suddenly an idea flashed in her mind. She said, "Your Majesty means that there might be a person in the backyard."

"Otherwise, those few people who just went in, could it be that they really were going to clean up?"

"What's that for?"

"If I guess correctly, he should be delivering food."

“…”

"Although they didn't hold anything in their hands, I could smell food from them. They must have just delivered the food, and in order not to attract the attention of those outside, they left immediately after delivering it. They probably won't collect the dishes until later, or at the next meal time."

Nan Yan felt her mind was in a mess for a moment.

She said, "The Emperor said that there is a person imprisoned inside."

Zhu Feng raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "It may not be closed."

Nan Yan was even more puzzled: "If it's not locked up, then why use iron chains?"

Zhu Feng smiled slightly: "Then we'll have to see who is locked up by the iron chain."

“…”

Nan Yan was stunned again, but after thinking about it, she understood: "Those iron chains are actually blocking us?!"

"good."

Zhu Feng walked forward and said, "Although I don't know why Xu Miaoming hid someone in the backyard and who it was, it's obvious that she had no choice."

“…”

"It's even possible that she had no choice but to refuse to acknowledge us. She didn't want us to meet the people in the backyard. It wasn't until the Hang Seng Bank burned down the Gaosheng Inn and we had 'nowhere to go' that she sent someone to invite us."

“…”

"Then, I just saw the iron gate and the iron chain. They seem to be newly added."

“…”

"If I'm not mistaken, they probably added it temporarily because they didn't want us to have any contact with the person locked up in the backyard."

After his explanation, Nan Yan seemed to understand something.

But, I also became more confused.

She said, "The emperor meant that there was someone living in the backyard. In order to prevent us from knowing who that person was and from having any contact with him, Xu Miaoming locked the door to the backyard. Moreover, he locked it with an iron gate. That way, if the person inside wanted to get out, they could unlock it from the inside. That door actually locked us out."

Zhu Feng nodded and said, "Not bad."

"That--"

Nan Yan frowned: "Who is that person inside?"

Zhu Feng also looked back.

By this time, they had already walked a long way and could no longer see the door to the backyard. Zhu Feng only took a glance at it, then turned back and continued walking forward, saying lightly, "I don't care who it is."

Nan Yan was stunned and turned to look at him: "Your Majesty, don't you want to find out?"

“…”

"Logically speaking, Xu Miaoming is the sister of Empress Renxiao, so I wouldn't dare to say anything about her affairs. However, the current situation is special, and the slightest mistake could affect the safety of the emperor. Moreover, the timing of her appearance and the actions she took were too coincidental."

“…”

"I have no choice but to let this go."

Zhu Feng walked forward and said, "I understand your concerns, but Xu Miaoming has been a nun for the past ten or twenty years. She has her own world, and this world has its own secrets. We don't need to get involved."

Nan Yan didn't expect that he would be so relaxed.

Or in other words, rest assured.

His brows knitted into a knot and he said, "But what if her secret is related to the Emperor's plan to deal with Xingluo Lake this time?"

“…”

"Before I left the palace, I heard Ruoshui say that she had never owned a house here before. She would not stay in Xiajiang Town at this time of year in previous years."

“…”

"Why does she appear here this time?"

It was obvious that Nan Yan's words were becoming a little harsh, which was totally not the attitude a concubine should have when talking to the emperor.

Zhu Feng stopped and turned to look at her.

In comparison, he was the calmer person, although there was a glint of elusive brilliance in his deep eyes.

Nan Yan's heart trembled slightly for some reason when she saw him looking at her.

Zhu Feng said slowly, "Everyone has their own secrets."

“…”

"Even if I were the Emperor, there's no way I could force everyone to tell me all their inner secrets, whether it's her or anyone else..."