Chapter 78 The Apology Arrives
"..." Yuanbao appeared silently behind Chu Jichen, his face full of unspeakable emotions: "Your Highness, I must remind you again, as you specifically instructed before, when you are with the Princess Consort, we must stay far away."
"So, I didn't hear it!"
Chu Jichen glanced at him and said, "Oh, that's a pity."
Yuanbao gritted his teeth inwardly. What did he regret? He didn't regret it at all!
All he wants to do right now is go back to sleep!
He had just gone through a great battle in the palace that day and was exhausted; he didn't want to be out in the night wind.
"Let's go back to the Prince's Palace."
"Huh?" Although he really wanted to go back to sleep, he was still a little surprised to hear Chu Jichen so decisively and want to go back to the Regent's Palace.
"Your Highness, will you not stay tonight?"
After all, before, when I wasn't here, I had to sneak over in the middle of the night.
We've already come this far, why are we leaving again?
"Hmm." Chu Jichen lowered his head, his expression indifferent.
He knew perfectly well that although Shen Qingci spoke very sweet words, there was no love in her eyes when she looked at him.
He had seen her when she loved someone.
Because I've seen it, I know it clearly.
After all, the difference between love and not love is quite obvious.
There was no love in Shen Qingci's eyes, yet she still had to seduce him in order to investigate the Shen family's affairs. How could he bear to see her in such a predicament?
"Yuanbao," Chu Jichen spoke again, "arrange for two of our men in the next courtyard to be sent out to the border."
"Yes." Yuanbao quickly straightened his expression and replied, "What are you going to the border for? Are you going to investigate the truth behind Huo Yunzhan's faked death?"
"No, do nothing, just go to the border military camp for a few days."
“Huo Yunzhan must have sent people to keep a close eye on the princess’s every move around the neighboring courtyard.”
Yuanbao immediately realized: "We have to be extra careful, we absolutely can't let Huo Yunzhan find out, right?"
"No, we must make sure Huo Yunzhan's people find out. The play we're performing for him must be seen by him."
Yuanbao was speechless: "...Yes."
Shen Qingci wanted to make Huo Yunzhan suspect that she had private soldiers trained by General Shen, and to provoke Huo Yunzhan into a corner, so she had to make the whole act look real.
Just then, he suspected that Huo Yunzhan had ulterior motives for attacking General Shen.
General Shen is a military officer, and so is Huo Yunzhan. Huo Yunzhan's schemes are most likely related to troops and military power.
Huo Yunzhan was appointed a general by Emperor Yongming after the Shen family had an accident and he married Shen Qingci.
Not long after being appointed a general, Huo Yunzhan was ordered by the emperor to lead troops on an expedition to the border that Shen Jingxuan had guarded for many years.
He didn't think there was any connection between them.
He wanted to take advantage of Huo Yunzhan's suspicion that Shen Qingci had the Shen family's elite troops to feign sending people to the border.
In this way, Huo Yunzhan, with his suspicious nature, would definitely suspect that Shen Qingci might have learned something from the old subordinates of the Shen family, and suspect something.
He'll definitely be jumping up and down in frustration.
At the same time, he would often try to get to the border ahead of his men and erase any clues he thought might be left there that might arouse Shen Qingci's suspicion.
This is a good opportunity for him to keep a close eye on Huo Yunzhan's people and see what he cares about and what he has erased.
Perhaps, there will be some gains.
"After our people leave from the neighboring courtyard and head to the border, keep a close eye on Huo Yunzhan's side. Once Huo Yunzhan sends someone out, keep a close watch on them immediately, and if he sends out a letter, intercept it immediately."
"yes."
...
Shen Qingci was unaware of all that was happening outside. A day later, she suddenly received news from the Marquis's residence.
"A message came from the Marquis's residence, saying that Miss should get ready, as General Huo will be coming with his family to apologize to Miss and... to take Miss back to the Huo residence."
Shen Qingci chuckled, finding Huo Yunzhan quite amusing: "They apologized to me, what do I need to prepare?"
She raised her eyebrows, recalling the Huo family's usual behavior, and smiled: "I guess they mean that I should prepare the best food and wine to entertain them, invite them to take the seats, and then kneel down to listen to their apologies to me."
Wanqing couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Given how disgusting that family is, they might actually think that way. They might think that we're just here to apologize, not to bow down."
“They are willing to apologize to you, Miss. You should be very grateful.”
"The fact that they are still willing to take Miss back to the manor is already a great favor to her."
Wan Qing gritted her teeth: "To be honest, this family really put on a good show before. If it weren't for... if Miss hadn't discovered that Huo Yunzhan had faked his death, we probably would have been kept in the dark!"
Shen Qingci nodded. Wasn't it just like this in her past life?
But she still had some doubts. If Huo Yunzhan suspected that she had private soldiers secretly trained by her father, why would he kill her directly?
Is it because he later learned that this private army did not exist and was fictitious?
In addition, Liu Ruolan was pregnant with his child, and he couldn't tolerate her and the child in her womb.
Since Huo Yunzhan couldn't use the Shen family's so-called elite troops to gain wealth and status, he could only rely on Prime Minister Liu, making her the biggest obstacle.
Shen Qingci's eyelashes trembled. If that was the case, then this time, she would have to let that private army exist.
At the very least, Huo Yunzhan needs to believe that the private army exists.
His current impotence and his desire to impregnate Liu Ruolan in order to completely control her and rely on Prime Minister Liu's hopes have been completely dashed.
She had to create some hope for him! She had to make some bait herself.
"We really need to make some arrangements!"
Shen Qingci lifted his eyelids: "Have someone go around the teahouses and taverns on the street and say that the Huo family is coming to apologize to me. There will be a good show to watch at the gate of my courtyard."
"Get ready again..."
Shen Qingci beckoned Wanqing closer and whispered a few words of advice in her ear.
Wanqing's eyes sparkled, and she quickly nodded, "Don't worry, Miss, I'll do it right away."
After giving all the instructions, Shen Qingci went to the neighboring courtyard to make preparations.
About half an hour later, a knock came at the gate: "Open the door!"
It was Huo Yunzhan's voice.
Shen Qingci gave Wan Qing, who was waiting nearby, a wink. Before the second knock could be heard, the door was opened.
Huo Yunzhan, standing outside the door, seemed caught off guard and was startled, involuntarily taking two steps back.
"So fast? Qingci, did you wait for me specifically?"
The guards filed out from both sides of Shen Qingci and stood on either side of her.
Huo Yunzhan frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the guards who were clearly skilled in martial arts, a smile on his face: "You said before that as long as I bring my mother, brother and sister-in-law to apologize to you for what happened before, you would forgive and forget and come back to the Huo residence with me..."
"I've brought them with me, please invite us in quickly."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com