Chapter 113 Jingsi Garden

***

As soon as Zhou Yan'an finished saying, "It's just Lu Jiuxiao, I still have confidence that I can find out something," Chen He's eyes inadvertently glanced at the end of the corridor outside the side hall.

Under the bright moonlight, a familiar figure leaned against the vermilion pillar, looking over here quietly.

It’s Xue Minglan.

How did he get here? How long had he been waiting?

Chen He's mind raced, but his expression remained calm.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master Zhou."

"Thank you for your help today, sir."

Zhou Yan'an followed her gaze and naturally saw Xue Minglan not far away.

His eyes darkened slightly, an almost instinctive alertness.

"Miss Shen, you're welcome."

His tone was still gentle, but there seemed to be a hint of inexplicable meaning in that gentleness.

"In that case, it's time for Zhou to return to the Ministry of Justice."

As he spoke, he was about to turn around.

Chen He said softly, "Master Zhou."

Zhou Yan'an paused and looked back at her.

Chen He smiled slightly, a smile that was shallow but meaningful.

"I hope you will keep today's events a secret for me, especially the agreement we just made."

Zhou Yan'an looked at her deeply and immediately understood.

"Don't worry, Miss Shen. I understand."

He bowed, turned and left with steady steps.

However, after walking a dozen steps, he did not leave the palace directly, but turned into the shadow of the rockery on the side.

Chen He watched Zhou Yan'an's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, then he took a step and slowly walked towards Xue Minglan.

The night wind was cool, blowing up the loose hair on her temples and also blowing the hem of Xue Minglan's black robe.

He was still leaning against the pillar, his posture lazy but with a subtle sense of alertness.

It wasn't until Shen He approached that he straightened up slightly.

"Second Master Xue." Shen He stood in front of him, his voice calm.

Xue Minglan narrowed his peach blossom eyes slightly, and his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, as if he wanted to see through her.

"Come with me."

Without any unnecessary words, he turned around and walked towards the imperial garden.

Shen He followed him silently.

The two walked one after the other through the quiet palace road and came to a secluded lake in the imperial garden.

The moonlight shines on the lake, making the ripples sparkle.

Xue Minglan stopped beside a Taihu stone by the lake, stood with his hands behind his back, his silhouette tall and slender in the moonlight.

Shen He walked to his side, his eyes inadvertently falling on his right hand.

His wrist was casually wrapped with a layer of snow-white cloth, and a few dark red bloodstains were faintly visible on the edge of the cloth.

In today's chaotic situation, if he had not thrown out the so-called "evidence of the divine heir" the Panlong jade pendant in time to prove that Xiao Jingren had planned it long ago, she would probably have to spend a lot more time and effort, and might not even be able to escape easily.

Chen He felt a slight warmth in his heart and said softly, "Thank you so much for today."

Hearing this, Xue Minglan slowly turned his head and looked at her with a smile.

He raised one eyebrow slightly, and his peach blossom eyes flashed with a hint of amusement and...exploration?

"oh?"

He spoke in a long tone, his voice had a unique hoarseness and magnetism.

"How is Miss Shen going to thank me?"

He leaned on the Taihu stone, his posture casual, but his eyes were extremely aggressive, as if he wanted to devour her.

Shen He met his gaze with a calm expression.

She smiled gently, and under the moonlight, that smile had a sense of alienation and understanding similar to his.

"Isn't it also your wish to overthrow Xiao Jingren?"

She paused, her voice filled with unquestionable certainty.

"We are one."

Xue Minglan looked at Chen He with a smile: "I like this sentence very much. We are one."

***

A few days had passed since we parted in the Imperial Garden.

A memorial from Lu Jiuxiao of the Imperial Observatory once again pushed Chen He to the forefront.

"Mars is colliding with Ziwei, and the Heavenly Dog is eclipsing the Sun. This is a very bad omen!"

Lu Jiuxiao knelt in the Golden Palace, crying and sobbing.

"I observed the celestial phenomena at night and discovered that the fate of Shen He, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, is strange and there are signs that she may clash with the divine heir in the womb of the Third Prince's wife!"

"If this is not avoided, the divine heir will be in turmoil and the nation's fortune will be damaged, Your Majesty!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole court was in an uproar.

First, the "divine heir" in Chen Jiao's belly is related to the fate of the country, and then Chen He's fate collides with the divine heir.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne with a sullen face.

He naturally did not believe in these stories about ghosts and gods, but there were many believers in the court, and the empress dowager was putting pressure on him.

"Your Majesty, it is better to believe it than not to believe it!"

"The heir of God is a gift from heaven, and we must not lose him!"

All the ministers echoed.

The emperor rubbed his swollen temples, feeling extremely irritated.

Finally, he said in a deep voice, "Pass on my command."

"Shen He, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, has behaved inappropriately and offended the heir of God. She is ordered to move to Jingsi Garden immediately to reflect on her mistakes. She is not allowed to leave Jingsi Garden until the Third Prince's wedding!"

This Jingsi Garden, named Siguo, is actually the cold palace for the royal women.

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, everyone in the Shen Mansion was suddenly filled with gloom.

Shan Zhuyu and Shen Jiao were overjoyed, feeling that they had eliminated a great threat.

***

The day we moved to Jingsi Garden, the sky was gloomy and drizzling.

Chen He was dressed in plain clothes, with only a simple jade hairpin in her bun. She was "escorted" by two maids with a calm expression.

As we approached the gate of Jingsi Garden, we saw a familiar figure holding an oil-paper umbrella, standing gracefully in the rain.

"Ah He."

The person who came was Chu Yue.

After not seeing each other for a few months, Chu Yue has shed the timidity and humility of the past, and there is a bit more calmness and competence between his brows.

She was now wearing the light blue uniform of a seventh-rank supervisor at the Medical Department, with a medicine bag tied around her waist as a symbol of her status. She looked as graceful as a young girl after rain.

"Chu Yue?" A hint of warmth flashed in Chen He's eyes.

Chu Yue stepped forward quickly and tilted the umbrella over Chen He's head.

"I'll take you there."

Her voice was gentle, yet filled with unquestionable firmness.

The eunuch who led the way saw Chu Yue and bowed hurriedly, "Master Chu, how are you?"

Chu Yue nodded slightly: "Thank you for your help, eunuch. Is Jingsi Garden ready?"

The eunuch smiled flatteringly, "Don't worry, Master Chu. We have done everything as you instructed. We have kept the place spotless inside and out. The bedding and incense are all new. We will never neglect Miss Shen."

Chen He understood after hearing this.

It seems that Chu Yue, the director of the Medical Department, is quite influential.

The group entered Jingsi Garden.

Although the courtyard was small, it was just as the eunuch had said, clean and spotless.

Even the old plum tree in the yard, which had been dead and silent for many years, had its branches carefully pruned.

After the eunuchs and palace maids left, Chu Yue took Shen He's hand and looked at her carefully, her eyes slightly red.

"What the hell is going on with you?"

"You took the trouble to pave the way for me, allowing me to secure the position of Director of the Medical Department, but you yourself...how did you end up in this situation?"

Chu Yue's voice was choked with sobs and confusion.

If Chen He had not secretly given her advice and cleverly revealed to her the methods to resolve several difficult cases, how could she have gained a foothold in the Medical Women's Bureau so quickly, and even won the favor of the Queen Mother and become the director in one fell swoop?

Shen He held her hand in return and patted it gently.

A faint smile appeared on the corner of her lips, but her eyes were as deep as an ancient well.

"Silly girl."

"Being down and out is not just about the present."

Her voice was soft, yet it had a strangely soothing power.

Chu Yue was slightly startled.

She looked into Chen He's clear yet bottomless eyes, and suddenly an absurd yet extremely clear thought came to her mind -

This seemingly bleak journey to the cold palace might be...

Did she plan this herself?