Chapter 99 I don't know
Xuan Qing nodded, glanced at the unfamiliar faces of Granny Cheng and Cheng Xiao beside her, her brows twitched involuntarily when she looked at Cheng Xiao, and then looked at Shang Yuji and said, "Yes, but I need to speak with my husband alone for a few minutes."
She blinked a few times, making eye contact with each of the three women. Cheng Liupo understood immediately and said, "Young master, there's no need to worry. We won't wander off."
“Me too, husband, go ahead.” Jiang Xi’s eyes crinkled with joy. Aji had said that Xuanqing was someone he could trust, so he felt at ease knowing that Aji was leaving with Xuanqing. He added, “I’ll wait for you here.”
Shang Yuji stood up, said goodbye to them, and then went out with Xuan Qing.
He found a secluded spot under the eaves, and as if he had been too tired from smiling too stiffly, his forced smile gradually turned into a calm and composed expression: "My lord, I hope you can meet the distinguished guests that the Princess is entertaining."
"?" Shang Yuji asked in confusion, "Wouldn't that be too offensive?"
Regardless of whether it was a leak of information, Xuan Qingming said, "The person accompanying the Eldest Princess is the Second Prince's wife, Lan Yuanzhi."
In an instant, she remembered that this person was someone she had only briefly mentioned in her memory—the second prince's principal wife, who died before the emperor fell seriously ill…
But why is he telling her this now?
Could it be that they want her to get involved in Lan Yuanzhi's death?
...
After speaking, Shang Yuji made a quick decision and took Jiang Xi with her to follow Xuan Qing to Qianhuayuan Garden.
Before leaving, he asked a servant to look after the grandmother and grandson, and only left after confirming that Granny Cheng and her grandson were alright.
As Xuanqing had said, they met Sun Wang on the road, who had received the reply. He seemed somewhat surprised that the three of them seemed to have known His Highness's reply in advance. But then he thought about it and realized that among the three, Miss Shang was good at foresight and Master Xuan was good at divination, so it was not surprising that they had guessed in advance that His Highness had asked them to go to Qianhuayuan.
Having rushed off, Sun Wang, catching his breath, said, "It just so happens that His Highness asked the three of you to go to the garden to see her together. I'll lead the way."
"I'll trouble you, Lord Sun." Shang Yuji replied casually, her mind racing with thoughts.
Jiang Xi obediently followed beside her, silently watching her steadily step down the steps, cross the threshold, avoid the branches extending into the veranda, and finally arrive safely at the Thousand Garden.
As Sun Wang walked along the road, he pondered for a long time before deciding to ask on behalf of the group of young men who were eager to meet the master craftsman: "Young master, there are several craftsmen in your household who have long admired your name. Would you be willing to let them meet you? It won't bother you; I'll just have them take a look from afar."
This unexpected question pulled Shang Yuji back to reality: "Ah? Why would you look up to me?"
Isn't she just a diligent staff member in the Princess's household? What's so admirable about her?
Sun Wang scratched his head and explained, "Young master, you may not know this, but your reputation in the household is quite remarkable. There are many people who want to meet you and get to know you."
Having been at the manor for several months, Xuanqing deeply felt the extent of Miss Shang's fame within the household and nodded in agreement with Sun Wang's assessment.
Shang Yuji, who had inexplicably become a well-known figure in the Princess's residence, paused for a moment, then asked in a cryptic tone, "Is it a good reputation or a bad reputation?"
Recalling how she had been constantly exclaimed as a “mysterious master” all along the way, “This child is extraordinary!” and then presented with images of prophecies, skills, or ingenious ideas, would she become the “strange charlatan,” “eccentric swindler,” “false madman,” or “a person who talks nonsense without knowing anything” in the household’s negative legends?
Actually, these bad reputations sound quite impressive and powerful, and if she were truly viewed that way, she would accept it.
“Of course it’s a good reputation!” Sun Wang replied immediately, and to show the true meaning behind his words, he quickly added, “Young master is an unquestionable, mysterious, and divine semi-immortal in the household!”
"..." Shang Yuji was speechless. It didn't seem to be a good reputation, but it was quite prestigious. She gladly accepted such "praise".
Since that's the case, she agreed, "We can meet, but we'll have to find a time after things are over."
She was still dressed as "Lord Jia" at the moment, and her previous image was already convincing enough, so she didn't need to lie about her identity anymore, otherwise she herself would feel a little guilty.
...
The Thousand Garden is a riot of color, with hundreds of flowers in full bloom, and colorful butterflies fluttering among them, creating a vibrant spring scene.
A blue butterfly landed on a peach blossom branch used for decoration. Lan Yuanzhi praised in a gentle voice, "What a beautiful blue butterfly! Even this butterfly of such rare color lingers in Your Highness's Thousand Garden."
The blue butterfly seemed unafraid of people, quietly resting in the pink and white flower stamens, its blue wings trembling gently, as beautiful as a dream.
These are butterflies that Ah Shuang keeps in the garden, but I don't know if they are poisonous insects or just ordinary butterflies...
Zhou Chaoyun lowered his eyes, carefully observing the joy on her face, then lowered his eyes again to conceal the thoughts in them.
It was rare to see her so happy; it was as if the unbearable burden weighing on her had quietly disappeared, and even her smile seemed much more genuine.
She sighed softly, "It is truly delightful to be with Your Highness."
“Ah…” Lan Yuanzhi paused, then added, “Such a lush garden must amaze anyone who sees it. Thank you, Your Highness, for allowing me to take a look.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the person she was waiting for had arrived. Zhou Chaoyun gently swirled the warm cup in her hand and asked casually, "Sister-in-law, you seem very happy today. Is there something good happening? Why don't you tell me?"
"It is the greatest joy that Your Highness has allowed me to see the flourishing spring scenery in this Thousand Gardens."
His words were flawless, like a gentle breeze swirling around, lightly sending the question back.
Zhou Chaoyun laughed and said, "With such a beautiful view in front of us, wouldn't it be boring for just the two of us to enjoy it? I've invited three people over so they can share this spring scenery with us."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shang Yuji, Jiang Xiqu, and Xuan Qing appeared beside her. Upon seeing Shang Yuji and Jiang Xiqu's attire and their concealed identities, Zhou Chaoyun simply said that the three of them were merely staff members in the mansion.
Xuan Qing bowed and announced his name, followed closely by Shang Yuji, who announced Jia Changtian. Jiang Xi followed suit and announced Zhen Qiushui.
Xuanqing and Zhou Chaoyun discussed having Shang Yuji come to see Lan Yuanzhi. Although Zhou Chaoyun was puzzled, she was good at accepting her advisor's suggestion, especially since Master Xuanqing was a capable Taoist priest.
They all knew that if it weren't for Shang Yuji, he would never have left the Longhu Mountain Taoist temple, let alone intervened in the power transition in Da'an.
Even Zhou Chaoyun was quite surprised when he learned that Master Xuanqing had come down the mountain and chosen to visit the mansion.
Since martial arts practitioners are not allowed to interfere with the changes in the imperial court, the mansion hastily fabricated an identity for Xuanqing and made him act as a talented person under the recruitment order, which barely managed to fool them.
Over the years, Xuanqing has generally remained out of the picture unless necessary, and will only intervene when needed.
Master Xuan attaches great importance to the matter of Lan Yuanzhi, and is now directly intervening in it.
Zhou Chaoyun thought he would proceed slowly, after all, he had made many preparations beforehand, and the master had not given a specific time for action.
Unexpectedly, this time he went straight to the point, saying to Lan Yuanzhi, "You will die in two days."
Even though Zhou Chaoyun already knew about this beforehand, she couldn't help but be surprised when she heard that her death was imminent.
Since Xuan Qing had just explained things to Shang Yuji in front of the council hall, she was not surprised, but instead looked at the beautiful and talented Lan Yuanzhi.
Upon hearing someone mention their impending death, most people would either angrily refute it or think the person is talking nonsense; they certainly wouldn't remain indifferent like she did.
A sense of relief? No, more like it was exactly what happened.
"Are you happy?" Shang Yuji suddenly asked.
Lan Yuanzhi's usual smile faded, and her upright posture when talking to people disappeared. Like a puppet that had been operating in a precise way for a long time, she was finally able to catch her breath and be herself for a moment when the threads on her body broke.
“Yes, I’m glad,” she said calmly. “The knife is finally going to fall.”
How strange! In the Second Prince's mansion, where her maternal family said, "Your husband's family is your home, and your maternal family is just your maternal family," she felt fear, helplessness, and growing numbness from waiting. The fleeting joy and relaxation she experienced these days were actually in the home of her husband's political enemy. Yet, her purpose in coming to the Princess's mansion was impure from the beginning.
Her husband's exploitation and her mother's family's excuses led her to enter the Princess's residence as an escape—an escape from an unknown death and from the suffocating feeling of being a puppet on strings.
When her true colors were revealed beneath her smiling facade, she didn't feel embarrassed at all. Perhaps it was because she was in the Princess's residence, and the Princess didn't care about her affairs. The other three were complete strangers.
They wouldn't pay much attention to her inappropriate behavior, nor would they be focused on taking her life.
Lan Yuanzhi felt a strange sense of satisfaction, like the calm before a storm. She lowered her eyes and looked at the blue butterfly that seemed to be disturbed by the increasingly heavy atmosphere around it, and fluttered its wings and flew out from under the pavilion.
Zhou Chaoyun put down his teacup with a soft sound: "What do you know? Can you tell us?"
"Of course I can, or rather, there was a moment when I really wanted to speak to Your Highness." Her lips habitually turned up, but when she realized it, she pressed her lips down with a cold expression.
Unaware of the increasingly heavy atmosphere, Jiang Xi sat beside A Ji, her gaze barely catching the breath of the magnificent Thousand Flower Garden.
Some people think... to plant a pear tree in their courtyard, and when the flowers bloom, Ah Ji can sit in a rocking chair under the shade of the tree reading travelogues, while he embroiders the clothes they will wear in the future. If any petals fall on Ah Ji, he can help pick them off.
I just don't know if Aji will agree...
Shang Yuji sat rather uneasily, her hands resting on the stone table, then she raised one hand to support half her face, tilting her head slightly as she stared at Lan Yuanzhi as she began to speak:
“My husband’s residence has a lotus garden, which is different from Your Highness’s Thousand Garden. There is a person living in that garden, and everyone in the residence calls him ‘Master’. At the same time, no one else is allowed to enter except for that Master and my husband.”
"One day... due to some accident, I saw him. His face was unfamiliar; I had never seen it before. So I put my mind at ease and left as if nothing had happened."
"Later, my husband got drunk and mentioned the man in the garden. He seemed to call him 'Royal Uncle,' but I've met several men that my husband calls Royal Uncle. The only one I haven't met is Prince Qi, who has never come to the capital since I was a child, from the New Year's banquet."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chaoyun's brows twitched, and he barely suppressed his doubts before continuing to listen.
"He soon realized that I suspected him, but neither of us brought it up, perhaps because we were afraid that the sudden death of a princess would attract unnecessary attention?"
"If he really is the King of Qi, then why would my husband hide a King of Qi who should be in his fiefdom? And why is he hiding him in the capital?"
The answer that was obvious was known to everyone—the throne of supreme ruler of the world, what an alluring position!
Having discovered his identity, she was destined to die.
The people in the pavilion remained silent for a moment. Xuan Qing frowned, lost in thought, while Zhou Chaoyun thought of the scouts who had not yet returned.
The King of Qi's fiefdom is in the Hebei region. Even at top speed, it would take more than a month to travel there and back. If all goes well, the scouts should be back soon. When they arrive, they can find out what's going on by comparing the information they've gathered.
As they were pondering, Jiang Xi suddenly leaned closer, resting his head on Shang Yuji's shoulder and using his hand to block the half of Shang Yuji's face that was leaning in to whisper something. He whispered, "This isn't that person's biggest secret."
"?" Shang Yuji, still having a mental whirlwind, turned to look at him.
How does he know whether these secrets are big or small?
So, Shang Yuji leaned close to his ear and whispered, "What is his biggest secret?"
A warm breath from Aji brushed against her ear, his earlobes flushed, and the corners of his mouth turned up, his eyes crinkling with laughter. Just as she was hoping Jiang Xi would tell her something useful, he leaned close to her ear again and whispered:
"I don't know either."
?
Shang Yuji glared at him with a sharp look: What are you up to now?
Jiang Xi blinked innocently: He just didn't know.
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