Chapter 11 Chapter 11
Sui Chao's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Inches apart, Shen Youyi could also see her nervousness, showing a bit of disappointment, and sighed softly: "I made it difficult for you, it's okay if you don't go out."
She patted Sui Chao's hand and said comfortingly, "It's been hard for you to serve me. Go back to sleep. When His Majesty and the Queen Mother return to Chang'an, we can go wherever we want."
Looking up at her in the morning, the moonlight shines on her, and the imperial concubine's dress is covered with plain gauze Zen robe, giving it a misty beauty.
But her eyes were filled with a layer of water mirror, sparkling, and it seemed as if the tears were about to drip down as her eyes moved, hitting her heart hard.
Even if it was not out of selfishness, and the imperial concubine was forced to stay in the palace for a long time and wanted to go out for a walk, she would find ways to please her and make the beauty smile.
"I will obey your Majesty's orders even at the cost of my life. How could I be embarrassed?"
Sui Chao lowered his brows and spoke softly, "The stage is indeed bustling, and it's not too far away, so it's appropriate for you to go and take a look. I was just thinking that when I was a girl at home, I also liked to sneak out, but there are so many people in Yaoguang Palace and it would be difficult to avoid the masters and others."
As expected, the imperial concubine's expression, which had just been depressed, became cheerful again, and she smiled: "I thought it was nothing... just a casual walk. As long as I don't attract the attention of His Majesty, do I have to worry about them wherever I go?"
When the imperial concubine said this, Sui Chao felt relieved immediately, and a sincere smile appeared on his face.
Women can always understand more about the thoughts of their peers. The emperor wants face, and so does the imperial concubine. She has been observing carefully these days and knows that the imperial concubine is not indifferent to His Majesty, but she has not seen His Majesty for a long time, so she is not sure of His Majesty's thoughts and dares not easily curry favor with him.
The majesty of heaven is unpredictable, and the emperor is a man of few words and thoughts. It would be too difficult for the imperial concubine to be so smart as to guess the emperor's intentions at all times and please him appropriately.
The imperial concubine's figure was not as plump as her who had given birth. Sui Chao altered several new clothes overnight for the imperial concubine to choose from. He also embroidered exquisite patterns on some of the dresses, making the originally ordinary dresses lively.
But Shen Youyi's gaze finally fell on the most common maid's outfit in the palace.
The goose yellow shirt and pomegranate skirt are the most common outfits for palace ladies in spring and summer. They make women's skin look whiter than snow and make them look lively and charming. However, they can be found everywhere in the palace. The fabrics are ordinary, and even though the colors are bright, they are unremarkable in the eyes of nobles.
But she dressed very skillfully and didn't even need Sui Chao's help.
The prince liked her very much when she dressed up as a little palace maid. The two of them would occasionally meet in the East Palace and the Imperial Garden. The young boy and girl were always unable to control their emotions and could not hear any sounds from the outside world. Once, they even nearly bumped into the emperor's carriage.
She fled in a hurry and knelt among the maids of the Eastern Palace, listening to the conversation between the Crown Prince and Emperor Yuan Shuo. Although they moved appropriately, the slightly trembling voices revealed the same fear and panic as her own.
At that time, her head was pressed to the ground, her heart beating like thunder, she just hoped that Emperor Yuan Shuo would set off early and not discover her existence.
Several years later, she used the same methods she used on her son on his father.
The princesses and concubines who had accompanied the emperor to the Taoist temple had all boarded their carriages and left the palace, and the palace had returned to its former tranquility.
There is a thin morning mist in the mountains, and the grass and trees in the garden are washed clean, emitting a fresh and refreshing scent. A few new dewdrops hang on the tips of the branches and grass. The beauty who is looming in the morning mist is full of thoughts. Although I stop occasionally, it is not for them.
Sui Chao's abnormal behavior made her have some guesses, but these clues could not completely reassure her.
Even if it was as she expected, she would not go straight to the stage.
The emperor might not wait for her early, so she would rather go to the library to read a few books first.
Most of the imperial guards were young, and they might not know the imperial concubine. Shen Youyi kept her head down all the way. Even if someone in the palace looked at her twice, she didn't dare to strike up a conversation because of her companions beside her.
The library was not far from the Hongwenguan in the outer court. Emperor Yuanshuo was away, and the court officials were happy to have some free time. They went to enjoy the scenery and meet guests. Shen Youyi walked all the way up to the third floor, and except for the eunuchs who were cleaning, there was no one in sight.
She picked up a book at random and was about to pull it out of the bookshelf. She gently picked it up twice and felt a pulling force.
Shen Youyi let go of her hand in panic, there was someone here!
She didn't have to read this book, but... the man's face flashed by behind the shelf, and she opened her eyes wide in an instant, not caring about the differences between men and women, and immediately grabbed the book!
The man behind the fight also saw her and subconsciously let go of her hand.
Through that tiny gap, she could only see half of his face, but even so, she couldn't completely calm down!
The man opposite was elegant and handsome, with a cold demeanor, but there was a barely noticeable scar from the past between his brows. Who else could it be but her brother?
Although only five years have passed, the Shen family's wealth is a thing of the past, and all relatives, both male and female, are sinners. Even if they are alive, their lives are worse than death. To her, what difference does it make to her if it's a hundred years apart?
But her brother was still alive. Not only did he not become a sinner, but he also rose to prominence and came to the palace with the emperor!
This is an honor that my father never received back then!
Shen Youyi suppressed the joy that was boiling in her heart and touched her face. Fortunately, Concubine Wei looked very similar to her. Her brother loved her so much that even if he couldn't accept the reincarnation for a while, he would not burn her to death!
However, the man in casual clothes opposite him showed no sign of surprise. He withdrew his hand, leaned forward and apologized, "I didn't know the noble concubine was here, and I offended you. I beg your forgiveness."
Her brother's voice was as gentle as ever, but the respectful aloofness in his words was like a bucket of cold water, pouring over her head and heart. She was dumbfounded. Her brother had actually met Concubine Wei!
"Master Shen, there's no need to be so formal..."
Shen Youyi calmed herself down. She had too many things to ask, about the Shen family, about him, and about Concubine Wei and herself.
She wanted to go around the bookshelf that was in the way. Seeing this, Shen Huaian quickly stepped back a few steps. His voice was a little harsh, but he lowered it even more: "My lady is a member of the inner court. I cannot see you without an imperial decree. I hope the imperial concubine will allow me to withdraw."
He has always been a law-abiding person, but he is very caring and loving towards his only sister, even to the point of not allowing her to get married.
She hated her brother who had hidden her under his wings, but now he avoided her like a snake and scorpion. Shen Youyi felt bitter in her heart. She clung to the bookshelf tightly, almost rushing through it anxiously, and choked with sobs: "Brother, don't go. It's me, I am Yi Niang!"
She tried hard not to cry out loud, but her body shook slightly because of her efforts to restrain herself. Shen Youyi didn't bother to wipe the big tears from her face because her brother's expression suddenly changed.
It was natural to be shocked. You could see that he almost subconsciously wanted to cover her mouth, but in the end it turned into a helpless sigh, with a look of pity in his eyes.
"My sister is blessed with a short life and cannot be compared with the Imperial Concubine."
Shen Huai'an couldn't look at her directly, and restrained himself and said, "Although I have always thought of her in my heart, I also know that the deceased is gone. This place is not like Yaoguang Palace, so please be careful with your words, madam."
Shen Youyi was filled with panic. She admitted that this matter was hard to believe, but she was really Yi Niang!
"Wei Xing, who are you talking to?"
The hall was empty, and even the voice coming from far away could be heard clearly. The voice was full of energy, which showed that the person who came was a little older and should be a capable minister of the emperor.
Shen Youyi was quite shocked and quickly retreated into the mezzanine. Shen Huaian couldn't hide like her. He glanced at the hiding place, walked forward calmly, and said helplessly: "Just a palace maid."
The other woman could hear the relief in his words. Knowing there were women inside, she stopped him and said with a smile, clapping her hands: "Thank goodness for your good looks, you're truly blessed with beautiful women! I've been here for so many days, and how come no maids are flirting with me?"
Shen Youyi was terrified when he heard this, but fortunately the other party should have only heard a few words, and then the conversation turned to the love affair between men and women, which would naturally make his brother unhappy. Seeing that he was unhappy, the man took the opportunity to say a few nice words, saying that it was just a joke.
Only when the sound of their conversation faded away and could no longer be heard did Shen Youyi breathe a sigh of relief and quietly ran out of the library.
Brother, don't believe her. What if that person has some bad intentions and comes back to throw dirty water on the two of us?
The fog was about to dissipate. She didn't know how long she had been running before she stopped, holding onto a rock and breathing hard.
Her limbs were completely limp. Not only was she exhausted from running, but she was also forced to suppress her emotions, which was a very uncomfortable feeling.
She didn't care about her embarrassment or where she had run to. She curled up her body and leaned against the wood and stone, biting her lips tightly, and began to cry intermittently.
After the Shen family fell into decline, she spent her days in prison in a daze, numbly listening to the constant crying in her ears. No one would tell her about the affairs between those men, but the consequences would be borne by all the close relatives.
She changed her body, had a more noble birth, and a husband more powerful than the prince. She thought she could treat those fifteen years as a terrible nightmare. But when her brother stood in front of her alive, all her self-deceiving comforts were shattered.
After waking up for these few days, her heart had never hurt so much before.
They may all still be alive, even living well, but Shen Youyi has completely disappeared from this world. She is Wei Lanzhen, she can only be Wei Lanzhen!
At first she just buried her head in her knees and sobbed softly, but later her breath got stuck in her throat and she was in a dilemma, and she finally burst into tears.
There was a faint sweet smell of rust between her lips and teeth. Shen Youyi did not forget the purpose of her visit today. She hurriedly looked for a towel to wipe it, but the more anxious she was, the more confused she became. She could not find one.
She sniffed, smelling an unusual fragrance in the air.
It's complicated, yet somewhat familiar.
——It was like the scent of ink mixed with the fragrance of powder, and also like the scent of the prince, but when you look at it in detail, they are still different.
Shen Youyi's heart sank. She slowly raised her head and saw a plain handkerchief that fluttered in the wind.
Her mind and energy were almost exhausted, and her reactions were a little slow, but she still knew to look a little higher.
The man in front of him was tall, with half of his eyes and eyebrows covered by a ferocious mask, but it was not difficult to see his handsomeness under the mask from the overall perspective. The exposed skin was firm, and he should be around thirty years old.
The patterns on his body were mostly used by royal relatives and nobles. The material was soft and had a soft sheen in the sunlight, but it was still different from real court formal clothes and casual clothes. It looked more like a costume for opera.
Shen Youyi breathed a sigh of relief, but inexplicably felt a little disappointed.
It was unknown how long this man had been there, just quietly watching her cry. However, just looking down at her without saying a word was enough to make her feel breathless... It was not just a physical condescending attitude, but more like an innate sense of pressure and steadiness.
There was a hint of emotion, or perhaps pity, in his overly shrewd and sharp eyes, but his arms tightened slightly, and Shen Youyi had a vague illusion.
The man seemed angry with her.
Was it because she hadn't taken his handkerchief?
She didn't like to expose her most vulnerable side in front of outsiders, so she forced herself to wave her hands and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you for your kindness, but I don't need it."
Although there was no one around, no matter who the other party was, or whether their intentions were good or evil, she could not forget her identity.
The man stared at her for a long moment, then smiled. His tone was softer than expected, and he seemed a little helpless. However, to Shen Youyi, it still sounded a bit blaming: "How did it become like this?"
The tone was too natural and too condescending, so strong that Shen Youyi felt uncomfortable. She cried for her life, what did it have to do with him?
What a big tone, does he know who she is!
However, that person might have guessed that she was just a palace maid with some looks, and that she might not be a famous actor who was flattered in the opera troupe, but a prince with some status in the royal family, but not much - otherwise he would not have failed to recognize her and would not have stayed here today.
But this man hadn't done anything bad to her, and she was hiding behind rocks and trees. Although there were not many people nearby, he happened to block her figure so that passers-by would not see her embarrassment.
Although we met by chance, he was very considerate.
Shen Youyi slowly stood up with the help of the stone, took a few cautious steps back, looked him up and down curiously, and asked sincerely: "Who are you?"
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