Chapter 28 To Alleviate Loneliness: If the Empress Dowager wishes to cultivate a favored minister, this humble subject will be at ease…

"Your Highness, you've spilled your wine..."

Hearing Princess Liang's soft reminder, Chu Yueyuan lowered her head and found that most of the wine in her cup had spilled, soaking through her dress.

She composed herself, stood up with a calm expression, and said, "I'm going to change my clothes. Your Highness, please make yourself at home."

Princess Liang hurriedly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I will go with the Empress Dowager so that I can help you tidy your clothes."

Chu Yueyuan smiled faintly: "Your Highness is a guest who has come from afar. Why don't you stay at the banquet and watch the dance?"

Seeing the Empress Dowager's resolute attitude, Princess Liang had no choice but to give up.

After changing her clothes, Chu Yueyuan did not return to the banquet. Instead, she wandered aimlessly along the palace corridor and unknowingly walked into the four-cornered pavilion at the end of the winding corridor.

There wasn't a breath of wind on this sweltering summer night; the air seemed to stagnate, and the cicadas' chirping rose and fell from the trees, driving one to distraction.

Chu Yueyuan picked up a pebble and threw it into the woods outside the pavilion. The chirping of cicadas stopped instantly, but after a few breaths, they began to chirp loudly again.

"The Empress Dowager found the cicadas' chirping too noisy and suggested that she return to her palace to watch a dance performance and enjoy a glass of chilled bayberry juice to cool off in the heat."

Jin Tong, holding a palace fan, continued, "There are many mosquitoes at night. Your Highness's skin is delicate. If you are bitten, you will develop rashes and itching."

Chu Yueyuan took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the dirt off her palms, sighing silently in her heart.

She naturally wanted to return to the banquet to enjoy the dance music and drink chilled bayberry juice, but there were people in the hall who annoyed her more than mosquitoes and cicadas!

After hearing what Princess Liang said, Chu Yueyuan was shocked. She desperately wanted to corner the Regent and ask him if he had secretly met Chu Wanxi in Liangzhou.

If the regent is indeed the adulterer, then all the current predicaments would be easily resolved. The man could continue to wield absolute power in the court, and she wouldn't have to worry about him harboring murderous intentions towards her own flesh and blood.

But what if she guesses wrong?

The Regent was astute and would deduce from her words that Xiao Yun was not Emperor Shang's biological son. At that time, she and Xiao Yun would lose their only value. In order to cleanse the royal bloodline, Xiao Yun was destined to die, and she, as someone who knew the truth, would not escape either.

The chess game before Chu Yueyuan was only one move away from completion. A correct move would bring her a lifetime of wealth and happiness, while a wrong move would mean a reunion with her, Xiao Yun, and the Emperor Shang in the underworld.

She was indecisive and her mind was in turmoil.

"The Empress Dowager looks worried; is something on her mind?"

In a daze, a man's clear and gentle voice sounded behind her. Chu Yueyuan turned around and saw the man standing under the corridor.

Two pairs of blue gauze palace lanterns hung every three zhang (approximately 10 meters) under the crossbeam. The candlelight, shrouded in blue gauze, was soft and tranquil, illuminating the man's handsome features.

"Your humble servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager."

The surprise in Chu Yueyuan's eyes vanished in an instant. She nodded calmly and said in a low voice, "Shen Qing, you may dispense with the formalities."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The man straightened up, and in the dim candlelight, his amber eyes shone brighter than the stars.

Since Shen Zizhan was promoted to Imperial Censor, Chu Yueyuan would see him every day at the court assembly in the Hall of Diligent Governance. However, due to the presence of other ministers, the two, though separated by a jade beaded curtain, never exchanged a single word.

As time went by, people gradually lost their curiosity and assumed that the once perfect couple had become strangers.

At this moment, Imperial Censor Shen stared directly into her burning gaze, losing all sense of propriety he had always shown as a respectful subject.

"Your Highness seems to have something on your mind?"

The man's voice was slightly deep, as clear and pure as ever, like a cool mountain stream that dispelled the sultry heat of summer.

Chu Yueyuan's anxious heart suddenly calmed down. She gently pinched her fingertips and said to Jin Tong, "There are too many mosquitoes here. Go to the palace and get some insect repellent balls."

Jin Tong understood the hidden meaning in her words, so she stepped out of the pavilion to keep watch for the two of them.

Chu Yueyuan had been standing for a long time, and her legs felt slightly sore, so she sat down, casually draping one jade-like arm over the swan-neck railing. She rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the dark bamboo forest on the opposite shore of the lake, a layer of worry quietly creeping between her delicate brows.

"I have encountered a thorny issue and do not know how to make a decision. Shen Qing is always calm and composed. Could you give me some advice?"

Shen Zizhan walked into the four-cornered pavilion, his gentle and refined face becoming increasingly clear in the candlelight.

"Your Majesty, I would like to hear the details."

Chu Yueyuan considered for a moment, then said softly, "Suppose... Shen Qing has a colleague in court, and your relationship is neither good nor bad. Until one day, someone accuses this colleague of committing a wrongdoing... Now that the wrongdoing is a done deal, if you confront your colleague about this matter, he might be grateful to you, or he might become your enemy, or he might even try to kill you to cover up the truth..."

She looked up at Shen Zizhan, her beautiful eyes filled with hesitation: "Shen Qing, what will you choose?"

The cicadas outside the pavilion continued to chirp loudly, while inside, the man and woman looked at each other in silence.

Shen Zizhan lowered his eyes, and the woman in his line of sight raised her head slightly. The pearl earrings on her earlobes swayed gently, like moonlight shining on her fair and delicate cheeks, adding a touch of elegance to her already charming appearance.

His fingernails dug deeply into his palms, suppressing the amazement in his eyes.

Shen Zizhan let out a soft breath and said calmly, "According to the laws of this dynasty, when an official commits a crime, the case should be handled by the Censorate. First, the Censorate will impeach the official, and then the Palace Censorate will investigate. Once the evidence is conclusive, the case will be submitted to the Emperor. Although I am the Censor-in-Chief, I am not allowed to meet with the suspect in private."

Chu Yueyuan: .....

She covered her mouth and coughed lightly: "Let's assume that Shen Qing's colleague committed a crime of romance, and it doesn't require going through the procedures of the Censorate..."

Shen Zizhan pondered for a moment and said, "Imperial officials must provide evidence. If I were to discuss this matter with my colleagues, I would verify the facts before submitting the memorial, rather than judging their guilt based solely on one-sided statements."

Chu Yueyuan's bright eyes suddenly lit up, a gleaming light dancing in them.

Yes, you need evidence to solve a case, and the same goes for catching adulterers.

She couldn't just conclude that the Regent and Chu Wanxi were having an affair based on the Princess Liang's one-sided account and foolishly risk testing the other party.

If she could just find a way to prove that Xiao Yun was the Regent's son, all her troubles would be solved!

Chu Yueyuan felt relieved and smiled at Shen Zizhan: "I have benefited greatly from your words."

"Your humble servant dares not accept such praise."

A long-lost sense of joy welled up in my heart, and even the chirping of cicadas on the branches sounded pleasant.

Several pebbles had been placed on the balustrade by some palace servant. Chu Yueyuan picked up a pebble and tossed it into the pond outside the pavilion.

With a soft "ding-dong," a pebble fell into the water, instantly splashing water everywhere and creating ripples on the surface of the pool.

Once the pond surface returned to calm, Chu Yueyuan tossed in another pebble, playing with it with childlike enthusiasm.

She had thrown away all the pebbles on the railing when Chu Yueyuan turned to look for them. Before her eyes appeared a man's outstretched palm, with a few warm pebbles gleaming in the moonlight.

Chu Yueyuan smiled lightly, picked up a pebble from his palm, and tossed it into the pool.

As Shen Zizhan gazed at the woman's contented profile, a wave of disappointment washed over him.

He once taught her how to skip stones outside the palace. The Lingyan Lake on the outskirts of the capital was vast and misty, with distant, rolling mountains reflected on its surface, creating an exceptionally beautiful scene.

The woman held a small, flat pebble in her hand. He grasped her wrist through his sleeve, the hem of his sleeve tracing an arc in the air. The pebble, released from his hand, bounced on the lake's surface, seemingly never to stop.

At that moment, she turned back to look at him with a smile, her eyes filled with a smile like a flower bud quietly blooming in March, delicate yet shy.

Memories faded, and the once shy and demure young lady, now dressed in magnificent attire, moved with an air of elegance and grace, no longer as reserved as she had in my memory.

With a "plop," ripples spread across the pool's surface, and concentric circles of water cut through the reflection of the full moon on the pool's surface.

The melodious sound of string and wind instruments drifted from afar. The two remained silent, simply enjoying this moment of tranquility in the summer night.

Just as Chu Yueyuan picked up the last pebble from his palm, he suddenly closed his fingers and grasped her hand.

The man's palm was warm, as if he was afraid of hurting her. His five fingers were not clenched tightly, but they still overstepped the bounds of the relationship between ruler and subject.

His clear voice took on a slightly hoarse tone: "Your Majesty, I know that my relationship with the Empress Dowager can never be the same as before, but I am willing to do everything in my power to protect Your Highness's health and well-being for the rest of your life."

Chu Yueyuan kept her gaze down and said softly, "Since we can't go back to the past, we should let it go as soon as possible. Shen Qing is handsome and has a bright future. He will surely meet a beautiful woman who is worth protecting in the future, and from then on, you will live in harmony and grow old together."

"With the protection of the Regent, I will enjoy wealth, honor, and peace in the harem forever."

Hearing the woman's distant words, Shen Zizhan felt a sudden pang of pain in his heart, as if the moon's reflection on the surface of a pond had been shattered into pieces by the woman herself.

As the warmth on the back of her hand subsided, Chu Yueyuan threw a pebble into the pool one last time. Perhaps Shen Zizhan's overstepping of his bounds had momentarily flustered her, and she used too much force in her hand. The pebble flew over the surface of the pool and landed deep in the bamboo forest.

In the quiet bamboo grove, a faint cry of pain could be heard.

Chu Yueyuan was startled. She quickly stood up, her dark eyes fixed on the dark bamboo forest, and coldly demanded, "Who's in there?"

Shen Zizhan instinctively shielded her behind him, his gaze towards the bamboo forest suddenly turning sharp.

However, apart from the incessant chirping of cicadas, there was no response from the dark bamboo forest.

Chu Yueyuan's tense shoulders and neck relaxed. She patted her chest and said softly, "Perhaps I misheard."

Although one has nothing to fear if one is upright, if a man and a woman are seen together in a pavilion late at night, rumors will likely spread, and people will speculate that Chu Yueyuan, this wicked empress, has seduced a pillar of the Great Qi.

"I hope you will not tell outsiders what I just said to you, Shen Qing."

"Your humble servant will certainly not let a third party know."

Chu Yueyuan had no doubt about Shen Junzi's integrity and trustworthiness. She smiled slightly and said, "To avoid gossip, I will go ahead first."

Shen Zizhan untied the sachet from his waist, his clear eyes still full of tenderness: "This sachet contains geraniums that repel mosquitoes. Your Majesty can carry it with you to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes."

Thinking that there were indeed fewer mosquitoes in the pavilion after Shen Zizhan entered, Chu Yueyuan hesitated whether to accept it.

Looking at the woman's cautious demeanor, Shen Zizhan sighed softly: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will not let any third party know about this matter."

Chu Yueyuan felt that her hesitant and awkward manner made it seem as if she couldn't let go of their past, and her earlier words of advice to the other person seemed to be a slap in the face.

She accepted the sachet, thanked it softly, and turned to walk down from the pavilion.

Jin Tong, who was waiting outside the pavilion, was covered in mosquito bites.

On their way back together, Jin Tong scratched the red envelope on her arm and said with delight, "This geranium is really a good thing. It's much more effective than my fan. I'll go to the Inner Palace and get some more. I'll wash them, dry them, and put them in His Majesty's and His Highness's incense balls."

Chu Yueyuan absentmindedly hummed in agreement, her mind still preoccupied with her conversation with Shen Zizhan.

As expected of the youngest Imperial Censor in the Great Qi Dynasty, Shen Yushi persuaded her to come back from her rut with just a few words.

What she needs to do now is to find evidence that the Regent and Xiao Yun are blood relatives.

But how can she verify that the two are father and son?

Chu Yueyuan's mind was racing when Jin Tong, who was standing beside her, suddenly stopped, her voice clearly revealing panic: "This servant greets the Regent."

Following the direction Jin Tong was bowing, Chu Yueyuan saw two figures at the corner of the winding corridor.

The man wore a robe with gold trim and dragon patterns. He was tall and slender, with black hair and a jade crown. Although his features were indistinct in the dim light, his aura was as imposing as a majestic jade mountain, and no one else in the palace could be found like him.

The other person standing obsequiously beside the regent was none other than the Grand Eunuch Wang.

"Why did you leave the banquet, Minister Pei?"

Suppressing her surprise, Chu Yueyuan smiled and stepped forward to greet the other person.

The man emerged from the darkness. He was so tall that his hair ornament was almost level with the blue gauze lanterns under the eaves. The candlelight fell on his handsome face, illuminating his impeccable features.

What caught Chu Yueyuan's attention even more than the man's stunning good looks was the water droplets dripping from the hem of his black robe.

The brocade robe with gold dragon pattern is exquisitely embroidered, but the lifelike gold dragon embroidered with water stains looks dejected and no longer majestic as it walks, but instead spews out water droplets.

Chu Yueyuan looked closely and found that not only was the Regent's robe wet, but the eunuch's vermilion palace robe was also splattered with water, and his black gauze hat was hanging askew on his head.

Her bright eyes widened slightly, and she asked in surprise, "Minister Pei, Eunuch Wang...did you two fall into the lake?"

Eunuch Wang's eyelids twitched, and he sighed inwardly that his job was becoming increasingly difficult.

An hour ago, an urgent report came from the front. Pei Muwei left the banquet to meet the scouts in the side hall. After dealing with military affairs, he was about to return to Yaohua Palace when he suddenly heard the voice of the Empress Dowager near the Phoenix Tail Bamboo Forest.

Following behind the Regent, the eunuch noticed the man suddenly stop, turn to look at the bamboo grove by the pool, and slightly raise his eyebrows.

Just as the young empress dowager finished speaking from behind the bamboo grove, a man's voice rang out.

Wang Gonggong listened intently for a while and felt that the man's voice sounded somewhat familiar. He couldn't help but wonder who the person talking to the young empress dowager was.

Unexpectedly, the Regent's curiosity was even greater than his own. While the eunuch was still in a daze, the man had already strode into the bamboo forest.

Eunuch Wang had no choice but to bite the bullet and hurry to catch up.

Through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, one could see the palace lanterns under the corridor twinkling like stars. The young Empress Dowager and Imperial Censor Shen, a handsome couple, looked like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meeting in the Milky Way. From afar, they appeared to be a perfect match.

At the same time, the regent's aloof and cold demeanor made him appear as if he were the Queen Mother of the West trying to separate the lovers.

Too far away, Eunuch Wang couldn't hear the conversation between the young Empress Dowager and Imperial Censor Shen. He only saw Imperial Censor Shen lower his head and say a few words to the young Empress Dowager. The worry in the woman's eyes disappeared in an instant, her dark eyes blinked, and her smile was charming and captivating.

Then, the smiling Empress Dowager found a pebble from somewhere and threw it into the pond by the bamboo grove without saying a word.

In an instant, water splashed everywhere, and much of it splashed into the bamboo forest.

The eunuch quietly shook the water droplets off his whisk, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the regent, who was also soaked.

The man stood with his hands behind his back. The bright moonlight shone through the bamboo forest, casting dappled shadows on his handsome profile. His dark eyes shimmered with a deep, cold light.

Eunuch Wang bent down even lower, praying in his heart that the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl in the pavilion would quickly descend the Magpie Bridge.

Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager was in high spirits tonight, and Imperial Censor Shen kept handing her pebbles. The sound of splashing water was constant, and in no time, most of Eunuch Wang's palace robes were soaked.

The regent, a seasoned veteran, had developed a calm and composed demeanor that remained unmoved even in the face of a collapsing mountain, much to the dismay of the ever-anxious eunuch.

If only her clothes were wet, it would be better, but the young empress dowager was unpredictable. The pebbles she threw would sometimes hit the water and sometimes fly into the bamboo forest. Her unpredictable path made Eunuch Wang tremble with fear.

The last pebble thrown out landed squarely on Eunuch Wang's black gauze hat.

Under the curious gaze of the young Empress Dowager, Eunuch Wang straightened his tobacco hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He chuckled awkwardly and explained how the regent had left the banquet to attend to military affairs, omitting the part about the bamboo forest and only saying that he had accidentally stepped into a puddle, thus splashing the regent with water.

After hearing Eunuch Wang's reply, Chu Yueyuan nodded thoughtfully and said politely, "Since we have met by chance, then I will go back to the palace with the Regent."

Just as she was about to lift her foot, she heard the man's cold voice: "Doesn't the Empress Dowager worry about being on the same road as me and attracting criticism from others?"

Chu Yueyuan frowned, raising her eyes in confusion.

The Regent was speaking to her with a slight smile, but his dark, jade-like eyes were like a deep pool, concealing some unknown undercurrent beneath the calm surface. When their eyes met, she felt as if she were being drawn into the depths of a whirlpool.

Fortunately, Shen Zizhan's words earlier had completely calmed Chu Yueyuan down, and now, facing the man's scrutinizing gaze, she barely managed to steady herself.

She smiled lightly, "How could that be? Minister Pei and the late Emperor were brothers. My beloved minister and I are, in a sense, ruler and subject, and in a sense, family. We are one family, so why would we need to avoid suspicion?"

A family...

Pei Muwei's eyes darkened slightly. The "family" that the young empress dowager spoke of was utterly laughable to him.

He doesn't even know his own biological father, so how could he have any family?

Pei Muwei stroked the purple jade ring on his finger and chuckled softly, "Sister-in-law is absolutely right. Since we are family, there is no need to avoid suspicion. Please allow me to have a private conversation with you."

Chu Yueyuan's cheeks quickly flushed crimson. Every time she heard the man call her "sister-in-law" in his deep voice, it felt as if countless ants were gnawing at her heart, and she couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Seeing this, Eunuch Wang understood immediately. He gave Jin Tong a wink and dragged her away from the winding corridor.

Chu Yueyuan felt a moment of disorientation, recalling how, just an hour earlier, she had desperately wanted to corner the Regent and interrogate him about what had happened in Liangzhou.

The two then switched places, and she was the first to be cornered by the Regent.

"What does Minister Pei wish to discuss with me?"

Chu Yueyuan quietly tiptoed. She was already considered tall among the women in the capital, but the Regent was tall and had long legs. Whenever she talked to him, she always had to endure his condescending gaze, which inevitably made her lose in terms of presence.

Little did she know that her unintentional little scheme would bring her closer to the man.

Pei Muwei lowered his eyes and gazed at the little empress dowager's exquisitely sculpted face. Her faint body fragrance brewed in the sultry summer night, adding a sweet scent.

He held his breath and said in a cold tone, "Your Majesty, I wish to offer my congratulations."

Chu Yueyuan raised her eyebrows in surprise: "I don't know where this happy event that Minister Pei mentioned comes from?"

"Your Highness, I congratulate you on your reconciliation with Imperial Censor Shen and on the continuation of your marriage."

Chu Yueyuan was so startled that she fell to her feet, her eyelashes trembling violently, and she blurted out instinctively, "You saw everything?"

Realizing that her words were inappropriate, she quickly coughed lightly: "I am not good at socializing, so I came out of the palace banquet to relax. I happened to run into Imperial Censor Shen in the pavilion and chatted with him for a while."

At that moment, she suddenly realized that the figure in the bamboo forest earlier was the Regent.

I wonder how long he stayed in the bamboo forest, whether he overheard her conversation with Shen Zizhan, and if he did, whether he would suspect Xiao Yun.

If she didn't hear it, wouldn't the Regent misunderstand that she had dealings with the Shen family?

Just as she was feeling uneasy, a man's cold voice came from above her head: "The Empress Dowager is in the prime of her life, and it is inevitable that she will feel lonely in the deep palace. Imperial Censor Shen is handsome, strong and healthy, and has a tight tongue. He is a good man who can help Your Highness relieve her loneliness."

Chu Yueyuan's dark eyes widened as she listened blankly to the Regent's absurd words, finding them increasingly ridiculous.

Pei Muwei then said calmly, "However, there are many people and gossips in the palace. If Your Highness were to secretly meet with Imperial Censor Shen, it might cause a stir in the court. If the Empress Dowager wishes to keep male favorites, I will arrange for Imperial Censor Shen to serve Your Highness in the Phoenix Perch Palace..."

Before the man could finish speaking, Chu Yueyuan raised her embroidered fist and angrily punched him in the chest.

"Pei Muwei, you...you've been drinking fake alcohol and it's messed up your brain, what nonsense are you spouting!"

She pounded the fist twice, still feeling unsatisfied. Her cheeks flushed, her chest heaved with shame and anger, and she gasped softly:

"The late emperor has been dead for less than half a year, his body is not yet cold, how could I be entangled with other men... Even catching someone in the act of adultery requires evidence, which eye of the Regent Prince saw that I and Imperial Censor Shen had crossed the line!"

The man grabbed Chu Yueyuan's fair wrist, which was waving in mid-air, so she simply opened her mouth and bit his hand hard.

"Your Majesty, please loosen your grip. This humble subject is thick-skinned and might hurt Your Highness's teeth."

The man softened his tone, showing no sign of annoyance, a stark contrast to his cold and hard demeanor when he questioned her earlier.

Chu Yueyuan then loosened her teeth. She took a few steps back warily, her back pressed against the cloud and dragon carved pillar, staring at the tall man in front of her.

During the shoving, Pei Muwei's hair ornament bumped into the palace lanterns under the corridor, and the halo of light danced and flickered above the two of them.

Pei Muwei glanced down at the faint teeth marks on her hand, and smirked slightly: "Does the Empress Dowager truly have no feelings left for Imperial Censor Shen?"

Chu Yueyuan couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind the man's words. Considering that she would have countless days and nights to spend in the palace in the future, she couldn't make any definitive statements right away.

"Imperial Censor Shen is a man of integrity and upright character, a pillar of the Great Qi. Even if I were to indulge in fame and pleasure, I would never tarnish Imperial Censor Shen's reputation. I hope the Regent will not overthink it."

Pei Muwei turned his hands behind his back, and the cold oppressive feeling in his eyes gradually dissipated, like the bright moon breaking through the clouds, and a rare touch of gentleness appeared in his dark eyes.

He nodded slightly: "In that case, it was I who presumptuously guessed Your Majesty's thoughts. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

The regent, who had suppressed his fierce aura, was handsome and dignified, possessing a refined and scholarly air comparable to Shen Zizhan.

But Chu Yueyuan knew in her heart that the higher the cultivation level of a demon, the more likely they were to conjure up an ethereal appearance to bewitch people.

"I feel tired, so I will not return to Yaohua Palace. I will trouble Minister Pei to fulfill my duties as host and properly entertain our two distinguished guests, Prince Chen and Prince Liang."

She gave her instructions in a nonchalant manner, walked past the regent in front of her, and prepared to go to the Phoenix Perch Palace to rest.

After taking a few steps, the resentment of being wronged piled up in her heart and was hard to dispel. She suddenly stopped, turned around, slightly raised her chin, and her bright, dark eyes held a playful smile in the flickering candlelight:

"In fact, what Minister Pei said earlier makes some sense. The deep palace is lonely and unbearable. However, if I am to find a male favorite, I will definitely find a handsome man with a treacherous heart. It can be considered as getting rid of a scourge for the Great Qi."

After speaking, she looked the handsome regent up and down with admiration, smiled slightly, and said with a hint of regret:

"Tsk, what a pity, after all, I am family with the Regent..."

Having vented her anger briefly, Chu Yueyuan knew when to stop, quickly slipped away, lifted her skirt, and hurried away.

The blue gauze palace lanterns hanging under the corridor swayed weakly, and the flickering candlelight reflected in the man's dark eyes, giving off an eerie glow that seemed to come and go.

Pei Muwei watched as the graceful figure gradually blurred under the heavy lights. He slowly turned the jade ring on his thumb, his deep voice tinged with a hint of hoarseness in the desolate night:

"We're family, I'm afraid I'll disappoint Your Highness..."