Shen Wan thought about it and agreed.
Xie Jingyan was about to roll up the painting when Shen Wan, looking at it, suddenly realized something and said, "Wait!"
She unfolded the painting and said, "This painting was done by Prince Cheng."
Xie Jingyan's brows furrowed deeply. "Why would Prince Cheng paint a portrait of my mother for no reason? Are you sure you didn't see it wrong?"
Xie Jingyan had seen the painting made by Prince Cheng, but that was many years ago, and he no longer remembered it. Ever since Consort Chen's accident, he was demoted to guard the imperial mausoleum. He almost died of illness while saving Shen Wan from falling into the water. Shen Du went to the palace to plead for him, and he was able to return to the capital. Less than half a year later, he broke both legs in a horse-riding accident. It was only after marrying Shen Wan that he was able to live like a normal person again.
But in the past year, he had few interactions with King Cheng, let alone seen any of his paintings.
Xie Jingyan had never seen Cheng Wang's painting, but Shen Wan had. The brushstrokes were exactly the same. In addition, the painting was found in Cheng Wang's study. Who else could it be but his painting?
However, Shen Wan was also puzzled as to why Prince Cheng would paint a portrait of Consort Chen. If he were to paint one, he should paint Empress Song instead.
Moreover, she carelessly threw it on the ground, turning a perfectly good painting into a moldy mess. She couldn't understand it at all, so Shen Wan stopped thinking about it.
Although Shen Wan was quite certain, Xie Jingyan still didn't believe that the painting was done by Prince Cheng. However, he would find out tomorrow when he went to Prince Cheng's residence.
The next day, Shen Wan woke up and got out of bed to wash up. The maid brought the food into the room, but Xie Jingyan did not come in for a long time. Yin Shuang went to the study to look for Xie Jingyan and came back to say, "Your Highness, the Prince is not in the study. The maids in the courtyard have not seen him go out either. I don't know where the Prince went."
Shen Wan guessed that Xie Jingyan had gone to the Prince Cheng's residence.
Even if you're going, you don't need to go this early, do you?
Food cools down quickly in winter, so Shen Wan didn't wait for Xie Jingyan and sat down to eat first.
Xie Jingyan jumped through the window into Prince Cheng's study, wanting to see the paintings Prince Cheng had made. After finding a few, he confirmed that Shen Wan was right; the painting was indeed by Prince Cheng himself.
Xie Jingyan's expression immediately turned sour.
Regardless of the reason, King Cheng should not have painted a portrait of his mother.
However, what followed made Xie Jingyan's expression even more unpleasant.
Just as he was confirming Cheng Wang's handwriting, Chen Feng found the hidden compartment.
Several paintings were placed in the hidden compartment.
Chen Feng took a picture and opened it.
The painting depicts Consort Chen.
Take another one.
still.
Five or six paintings in a row made Xie Jingyan's face turn as black as the bottom of a pot, and he felt like he wanted to skin Prince Cheng alive.
Chen Yu didn't notice this side; he was looking for something else. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the Prince Cheng's study was a bit colder than ordinary rooms.
Chen Yu rummaged through drawers and cabinets, pulling and tugging at things, and even touching the porcelain vases on the display shelves.
This action revealed a problem.
Even with the strength of his bodyguard, he couldn't budge a seemingly exquisite red jade porcelain bottle.
He tried again, but it still didn't work.
Chen Yu gripped the porcelain bottle tightly with both hands and gently turned it.
Then the display shelf against the wall automatically separated, revealing a door.
Xie Jingyan was still furious about the paintings placed in the hidden compartment when Chen Yu went into the dark room to investigate, which was what he, as a bodyguard, was supposed to do.
But a moment later, Chen Yu's urgent voice came, "Master, please come quickly!"
Xie Jingyan put the painting down and went into the dark room.
As you descend the steps into the dark room, a chill hits you, and it gets colder the further you go.
Below was an ice cellar.
Deep within the ice cellar, a woman lay peacefully on a frozen platform.
That woman was none other than...
She was Xie Jingyan's birth mother, Consort Chen.
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