Chapter 139 The more beautiful something is, the more poisonous it is!
"Master, what about His Highness the Crown Prince..." Su Xiaoyu reminded him urgently.
Shen Guangnian had regained his calm and collected demeanor as a eunuch, and flicked his whisk.
"I am aware of this matter. You may leave now."
Su Xiaoyu was stunned!
Got it? Is that all?
Shouldn't he immediately petition the Emperor to send someone to rescue His Highness the Crown Prince?
Su Xiaoyu was extremely anxious and couldn't help but tentatively ask, "Master, this matter concerns the Crown Prince's safety and cannot be delayed. May I also go with you? Perhaps I can be of help..."
Before Shen Guangnian could answer, a charming and melodious voice rang out from behind him.
"Isn't this the palm print? What are you lingering here for?"
Everyone turned around and saw a beautiful woman in palace attire, surrounded by a group of eunuchs and maids, walking gracefully towards them. She wore a crimson palace dress embroidered with intricate peonies in gold thread, and her head was adorned with a magnificent and dazzling hair ornament, surrounded by pearls and jade. Her appearance was absolutely stunning.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Shen Guangnian immediately bowed and greeted, "This old servant pays respects to Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine."
Su Xiaoyu's heart sank!
Consort Rong! She is the birth mother of the Third Prince and His Majesty's most beloved concubine. After the death of the late Empress, she took charge of the six palaces and held the Phoenix Seal. Although she did not have the title of Empress, she had the power of one.
Her maternal family was even more powerful, rivaling the Crown Prince's faction in the court.
Is it a coincidence that she is here at this time?
Consort Rong's gaze swept over Shen Guangnian with a half-smile, then casually glanced at Su Xiaoyu, who was standing to the side with her head down, trying to minimize her presence.
"Master Shen, there's no need for such formalities. I was just about to go in and serve His Majesty tea. Master Shen, are you... just finished with your work?"
Shen Guangnian straightened up, his voice steady as usual: "Your Majesty, this old servant has just finished reporting to His Majesty and is about to go on his business. I'm sorry to trouble Your Majesty."
Consort Rong's eyes flickered, and she seemed to notice Su Xiaoyu unintentionally, gently touching her finger with her nail polish.
"This young eunuch looks quite unfamiliar. Is he someone newly assigned to serve the Chief Eunuch?"
Shen Guangnian's tone was perfectly natural: "Your Highness, this is Xiao Yu from the Imperial Stables. He had a trivial matter to report to the stables and just happened to run into me. I was just about to send him back."
Whether it was Su Xiaoyu's imagination or not, she felt that when Consort Rong heard the words "Imperial Stables", her breathing paused slightly.
Su Xiaoyu quickly bowed and said in a high-pitched voice, "This servant, Xiao Yuzi, greets Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine."
Consort Rong raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "Since you are in charge of looking after the horses, I heard that today the Crown Prince led everyone into the mountains to hunt, and he was riding that 'Zhaoye' horse, which was a tribute from the Western Regions? That horse is spirited, so the people in the Imperial Horse Administration should keep a close eye on it."
Su Xiaoyu's heart pounded wildly.
What does this mean? Is this implying that something happened to the Crown Prince and that the Imperial Horse Administration should take the blame?
Depend on!
Indeed, the more beautiful something is, the more poisonous it is!
Shen Guangnian's smile remained unchanged as he replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty's concern for the Crown Prince and your kindness and consideration are deeply appreciated by this old servant. However, Your Majesty can rest assured that the people of the Imperial Horse Administration are always cautious and will certainly take good care of the Crown Prince's mount."
In front of Su Xiaoyu, the two exchanged a few words, each one sharp and witty, a true battle of wits.
Su Xiaoyu was terrified, and her back was covered in a layer of cold sweat.
So this is what it means for masters to clash: a seemingly peaceful surface masking a deadly undercurrent of conflict.
One is all smiles and hidden daggers, every word a trap; the other is impeccable, every word a defense and counterattack!
If I put my brain into a palace intrigue novel, it probably wouldn't last a single episode.
Su Xiaoyu shrank her neck, trying her best to pretend that she was invisible.
At this point, Consort Rong had already changed the subject.
“What you said, Master Shen, has reminded me that the box of South Sea pearls that His Majesty bestowed upon me the other day were all the size of longan and had excellent luster. I was thinking of setting them into a set of jewelry to wear on His Majesty’s birthday. However, I am not very satisfied with the designs presented by the Imperial Household Department.”
"Since you have served the Emperor for many years, you know His Majesty's aesthetic preferences best. Would you be so kind as to ask you to come and discuss this with me? With you helping me make a decision, I will feel more at ease."
After rambling on and on, Su Xiaoyu finally came to a conclusion.
Consort Rong is trying to hold Shen Guangnian back and prevent him from leaving.
really!
None of these villains are easy to deal with!
A cold glint flashed in Shen Guangnian's eyes, but his face remained humble: "Your Majesty is too kind. It is an honor for this old servant to share Your Majesty's burdens. In that case, this old servant will presume to help Your Majesty take a look at the drawings."
"Excellent!" Consort Rong smiled with satisfaction and walked gracefully toward the main tent.
Shen Guangnian turned to the side, gave Fugui a look, and then, without further hesitation, followed Consort Rong.
After everyone left, Fugui straightened up and gestured to Su Xiaoyu, "Let's go!"
-
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Cangyun Mountains.
The towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, and sunlight filtered through the layers of branches and leaves, cutting the ground into dappled light and shadow.
Xiao Jingheng, dressed in a black close-fitting outfit, sat upright on a fine horse, patrolling with a troop of imperial guards.
This time, he did not participate in the hunt, but was responsible for the safety and security of the hunt, checking the surrounding jungle for any large predators or similar animals.
Although people were assigned to drive away wild animals near the hunting grounds long before the hunt, they still had to check the area regularly to prevent any prey from crossing the warning line.
"Commander Li, take men to inspect the valley on the east side and make sure to remove the traps and animal snares."
"Captain Wang, lead your men to patrol along the western cliff. If you find any suspicious traces, alert us immediately."
The commanders of the Imperial Guards responded in unison and quickly led their men to disperse.
Just then, the rapid sound of galloping hooves came rushing in. In the blink of an eye, a man in black rode up to them, dismounted, knelt down, and reported:
"Master, there is news about Miss Su."
Xiao Jingheng's eyelids twitched, and he immediately ordered in a deep voice, "Lead the way!"
...
A quarter of an hour later, the group arrived at a secluded path west of the main camp. The path was overgrown with bushes, and at the end of the path, under a low tree, lay a slender figure—it was the Divine Physician Crane.
The guards stepped forward to check his breathing and, finding that he was still alive, forcefully pinched his philtrum.
"Hmm!"
A moment later, the Divine Physician Crane let out a low groan and slowly awoke.
However, his eyes were blank, as if he were a newborn baby with a sense of bewilderment.
He looked around warily and saw a group of people surrounding him. He couldn't help but ask, "Who...who are you? Where...where is this? How did I get here?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng's heart sank.
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