Chapter 8: You're very bold to be oppressed.

Gu Zhan's brows were filled with the exhaustion accumulated from interrogating people and investigating cases all night. He leaned against the soft pillow in the car, his fingertips touching his forehead.

He didn't need to say much; his subordinates naturally understood his meaning. After asking the carriage from the Eastern Palace, they returned to report: "Your Highness, Consort Shen said that today is the Laba Festival and she came to Kaibao Temple to pray for blessings."

"Hmm," Gu Zhan replied indifferently.

A person outside the carriage tentatively asked him, "Does Your Highness wish to go in?"

"No need, let's go back to the East Palace." He had no intention of wasting time on Shen Mi.

The driver slowly drove the rickshaw forward along the street.

But the further he got from Baosi, the more the faint fragrance emanating from Shen Mi lingered in his nose. The graceful figure from last night vaguely entered his mind, as if trying to unravel the clues to those difficult-to-disentangle cases.

Shen Mi is, after all, the daughter of a great general, but when facing him, she seems to only offer clumsy flattery and fear. If she had some personality, she would be quite interesting.

He suddenly felt a strong urge to visit Kaibao Temple, so he instructed the driver, "Turn around and go to Kaibao Temple, but don't disturb the abbot."

*

Shen Mi intentionally distanced herself from Chen Jun. Not to mention that she was now married to Gu Zhan as a concubine, even if the person she married was not Gu Zhan, she was still wearing a woman's hairstyle and should not have too much contact with a man like Chen Jun.

"Zhi Niang, please let me explain."

His repeated calls of "Zhi Niang" reminded Shen Mi of the more than ten years they had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. For a woman, the term "Xiao" (小) was reserved for elders and future husbands. Back then, she had tacitly allowed him to call her by her childhood name, truly seeing him as the person she could spend her life with. Her father had also said that Chen Jun was intelligent and studious, wrote well, and their families were on good terms—truly a match made in heaven, a golden union. Yet, this very "perfect union" had abandoned her during her most difficult time.

She couldn't help but feel grateful that she had worn a veil when she came to Kaibao Temple, so that she could still maintain some dignity at this moment: "Chen Jun, I have nothing to say to you. Since you are already engaged to Li Xiang's daughter, and I have also found someone to entrust the rest of my life to, we should stop seeing each other. The ridiculous jokes of the past should have been cut off long ago."

“Zhi Niang, I had no idea you were here that day. And the engagement with Prime Minister Li’s daughter was not my intention…”

Cuiwei coldly rebuked, "Chen Jun, our Lady Consort has already been very lenient with you. Don't push your luck! Your failure to pay your respects is already an offense to our Lady Consort. She is His Highness the Crown Prince's person. How is your behavior any different from offending His Highness and disobeying the Emperor? If you continue to be so rude, I will summon all the servants from the Eastern Palace!"

Shen Mi tugged at Cuiwei's sleeve, signaling her to stop. After all, she was now living at the mercy of others, and the current social norms placed many constraints on women. If Gu Zhan were to find out about what happened today, she would likely be the first to suffer.

"Alright, Cuiwei, let's go back. I want to listen to the high monks in the temple preach some more." She didn't want to have too much contact with Chen Jun.

Chen Jun strode forward, bypassing Cuiwei, and grabbed Shen Mi's forearm.

Shen Mi tried to break free, but she was no match for the strength of a normal man. "What do you want? I will never have anything to do with you in this life, don't you know that? My marriage to His Highness the Crown Prince is an imperial decree."

Chen Jun looked down at her. "Zhi Niang, I know you still blame me. I was indeed a bastard that day," he said, raising his other hand to slap himself. His tone was both obsessive and pleading. "After the New Year, I will be transferred from the Hanlin Academy to the Eastern Palace, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Then we can see each other every day again."

Cuiwei was horrified upon hearing this. She forcefully dragged Chen Jun away, saying, "You really have no shame whatsoever! You actually want our concubines to have an affair with you!"

Chen Jun ignored her and kept looking at Shen Mi. "It's not an affair, Zhi Niang, it's not an affair. When that day comes, I'll find a way to help you escape. You don't like the many rules of the deep palace, right? We'll hide our identities and go somewhere where no one knows us and no one can find us, just like we agreed before, okay?"

Shen Mi's fingertips trembled; she couldn't understand why Chen Jun would say such crazy things.

"Keep dreaming! We, the concubines, live in luxury in the Eastern Palace, respected by everyone. Why should we live a miserable life with you, without any status or title!"

Chen Jun finally glanced at Cuiwei. "Everyone respects her? Ask her yourself, does His Highness the Crown Prince truly have feelings for her?"

Ignoring all that, Cuiwei bit Chen Jun's hand when he wasn't paying attention. Chen Jun felt the pain and instinctively let go of Chen Mi.

Cuiwei quickly helped her up, "Miss, let's go quickly, don't bother with this person anymore!"

Shen Mi nodded, then turned to walk towards the stone path in the bamboo forest. She shouldn't have come all the way to the back hall.

Chen Jun knew her concerns, so as she was about to turn and leave, he said, "If you leave, I don't mind telling His Highness the Crown Prince about our past relationship. What will he think then?"

Shen Mi felt a chill run down her spine.

"What do I think?" A detached voice filled everyone's ears.

Shen Mi hurriedly turned around and saw Gu Zhan still wearing the clothes he had worn when he left the Qin Zheng Hall last night. He was standing at the end of the stone path in the bamboo forest. A pair of white doves fluttered up from the eaves of the rear hall, disturbing the bells on the eaves.

Shen Mi's heart skipped a beat. When did Gu Zhan arrive? How much had he heard? How much had he seen?

She and Cuiwei had been entangled with Chen Jun the whole time, and neither of them had seen Gu Zhan.

Chen Jun was just being impulsive. He only knew that Shen Mi hadn't had a good time since marrying into the Crown Prince's palace a month ago, so he dared to use this to blackmail her. He never expected that Gu Zhan would actually appear here. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed to Gu Zhan: "Your subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Shen Mi was unsure of herself, but seeing Gu Zhan's displeasure, she could only feign composure and curtsy to Gu Zhan: "This concubine greets Your Highness."

Gu Zhan ignored Chen Jun, took two steps forward, and helped Shen Mi up: "There's no need for such formalities with me."

Shen Mi stood nervously beside Gu Zhan, unsure how to explain. It seemed that any explanation would only make things worse, because what happened between her and Chen Jun was indeed true. Even though they hadn't exchanged tokens or signed a marriage certificate back then, and it would require evidence in court, people didn't need to. Anyone who inquired in Bianjing could easily find out about her past with Chen Jun.

Gu Zhan scoffed lightly, "Chen Jun, you've got some nerve."

"Your Highness, I am guilty." Chen Jun had completely lost the imposing manner he had displayed in front of Shen Mi.

"I accompanied her to Kaibao Temple today to pray for blessings, intending to share the joy with the people. I never expected that you would dare to covet my wife after only a moment's separation." Gu Zhan's voice trailed off, yet it was filled with oppressive force.

"I was just joking, it was unintentional, please forgive me, Your Highness." Chen Jun knelt and crawled forward. He never expected to meet Shen Mi at Kaibao Temple today. When he saw her, he thought she came alone. He never thought that the Crown Prince would accompany her.

"A joke? Such frivolity means you don't need to stay in the Hanlin Academy. Go down to the lower levels and gain experience for a few years first."

Chen Jun was even more terrified. He dared not refuse the path to success offered by Prime Minister Li, nor could he tolerate the spoiled and domineering nature of Prime Minister Li's youngest daughter. That was why he wanted to use their past relationship to deceive Shen Mi, but he did not expect to have to jeopardize his own future. Prime Minister Li was a high-ranking official, but if the Crown Prince spoke up, he would end up pleasing neither side.

He disregarded the dignity of a scholar and tried to plead with Shen Mi: "Please beg His Highness for me..." but Gu Zhan kicked him away.

Gu Zhan ignored Chen Jun and turned to Shen Mi, saying, "Return to the palace."

After entering the short bamboo grove, Shen Mi tentatively looked at Gu Zhan and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for helping me out of this predicament today."

Regardless of what Gu Zhan had just witnessed, he still managed to maintain a semblance of dignity in front of outsiders. Their current disharmony was perhaps due to their recent marriage; given time, things would likely improve.

She had just thought that when Gu Zhan's next sentence shattered her illusion.

"I'm protecting the reputation of the Crown Prince's Palace." Gu Zhan grabbed her forearm and pulled her closer to him.

That was the spot where Chen Jun had just gripped tightly. Shen Mi couldn't help but gasp. When she came to her senses, she realized there was a stone right next to her feet. If Gu Zhan hadn't pulled her up, she might have fallen.

Gu Zhan noticed her movements and asked, "Besides here, where else did he touch you?"

His tone was unreadable, and Shen Mi was immediately at a loss. "Your Highness, I have no entanglement with him."

"I saw it all."

A note from the author:

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Ex-husband, you... [waving hand][waving hand] You deserve it.