Chapter 11
A'Zhu is dead.
This is the news that Qi Yu heard after Zhao Wanyi encountered the remnants of the rebel king.
Although Zhao Wanyi was safe and unharmed, she was genuinely frightened.
The wife of a courtier was assassinated in the capital. The Prefect of the Capital dared not delay and immediately launched a thorough investigation, which revealed that it was related to the remnants of the rebel king.
Although A'Zhu's death did not cause any disturbance in the palace, Qi Yu felt that Wu Shiyan would not do anything unnecessary. A'Zhu's death was so swift that there must be solid evidence.
And this is the only major event, both inside and outside the palace.
A'Zhu was probably a spy planted by the remnants of the rebel king next to Wu Shiyan. It's just a pity that she hasn't seen Wu Shiyan for a long time and has lost her usefulness. That's why she has been able to stay in the palace for so long without arousing suspicion.
The remnants of the rebel king hated Wu Shiyan the most. However, the palace was heavily guarded, and they could not get close to Wu Shiyan. Even if they managed to sneak in and prepare to assassinate him, they would be killed by Wu Shiyan without mercy. They never succeeded, and that's how they gradually faded into obscurity.
However, even when it has fallen silent, it still causes trouble from time to time, like a bedbug.
They assassinated Zhao Wanyi because they knew who Wu Shiyan liked and wanted to use this information to blackmail or cause him pain.
However, Zhao Wanyi has bodyguards by her side, so even if she is not with Pei Jin and appears to be alone, her safety is not in danger.
However, why would the remnants of the rebel king target Zhao Wanyi when she was still a favored concubine?
Qi Yu recalled the scene in the greenhouse that night. If anyone knew that she and Wu Shiyan had no real feelings for each other, it was A Zhu who overheard her talking to Pei Jiu at the time.
Normally, Qi Yu wouldn't speak so bluntly; she would simply play the role of a favored concubine.
That night, Pei Jiu talked too much nonsense, and with only A Zhu by her side, she was momentarily careless and revealed it.
A'Zhu should have concluded from this that Wu Shiyan did not have genuine feelings for her, and it was no secret that she and Zhao Wanyi looked almost identical; anyone with a discerning eye could have noticed it.
That's how the matter came to be linked to Zhao Wanyi.
Qi Yu felt somewhat guilty, so she asked Pei Jiu to find the storeroom's ledgers, selected a few pages of treasures and several boxes of rare medicinal herbs, and had them delivered to Zhao Wanyi at the Pei residence. At the same time, an imperial physician also accompanied them.
Seeing Qi Yu's distress, Pei Jiu said, "If Your Majesty is worried about Madam Pei, why don't you let me go? I will definitely convey Your Majesty's wishes."
Qi Yu glanced at her and pressed down her hand: "I don't trust you to go."
Pei Jiu's presence would only cause trouble. If she were to act arrogantly and menacingly in front of Zhao Wanyi, and say something threatening, then Zhao Wanyi would be in real trouble.
Seeing that her intentions had been exposed, Pei Jiu said defiantly, "Your Majesty, you are the Imperial Concubine!"
Why should I be afraid of a mere subject's wife? Even if His Majesty likes her, she hasn't entered the palace yet, so her status is not legitimate. As the head maid of the Imperial Concubine, how can she not establish the Concubine's authority?
Qi Yu: "..."
She's a supporting female character, but not a vicious one, so why would she have a cannon fodder character rushing to the front lines by her side?
Qi Yu pinched the little cannon fodder's cheek: "Then we definitely can't let you go."
Qi Yu sent another head palace maid, Lan Tiao, to the Pei residence, specifically instructing her to be kind and gentle.
When she returned, Lanqiao said that Madam Pei was well and even had the time to play with the little sparrow.
Qi Yu sent Lan Tiao to collect the reward.
Two days later, upon hearing that Zhao Wanyi had entered the palace to meet the Empress Dowager, Qi Yu was relieved to hear that Zhao Wanyi was completely unharmed and could finally enjoy herself.
She asked Pei-Jiu to take the kite to the garden to fly.
The garden next to Zhaoyang Palace had flowers, grass, and a lake. There was a swing set up on the grass. Qi Yu sat down and had a palace maid push her.
When the boat is in motion, you can see not only the calm, waveless lake surface, but also the nearby vermilion pavilions.
Qi Yu's hair swayed in the wind, and because it was backlit, the bouncy strands of hair were a brilliant gold.
Wearing a white and pink dress, she looked exceptionally pretty and charming.
Pei Jiu grinned foolishly at her: "This servant will push Your Highness!"
After getting tired of playing on the swings, Qi Yu went to fly a kite. The palace servants had already set up the string, and all Qi Yu had to do was move the string slightly, and the kite would fly very well in the sky.
The palace maids kept praising the Empress for flying the kite so well; the kite seemed to come alive in the Empress's hands.
Qi Yu was highly motivated by the praise.
But after a short while, the originally sunny sky suddenly turned cloudy.
Qi Yu instructed the palace servants to put away the kites and sent someone to fetch an umbrella. The place was very close to Zhaoyang Palace, so even if it rained, she wouldn't have trouble getting back in time.
She led Pei Jiu to the side pavilion and climbed the stairs to a large platform. Through the red-painted railings, one could see the entire lawn they had just left.
The wind picked up gradually, blowing people's hair wildly and their hair ribbons fluttering backward.
"Your Majesty, it's about to rain," Pei Jiu said, looking at the sky.
At this moment, the palace maid who had retrieved the umbrella returned.
Qi Yu liked the wind before a heavy rain. She nodded as she took in the view of the palace buildings.
Suddenly, she saw several people under the eaves in the lower right corner of the opposite side, their clothes obscured by the upturned bricks and tiles.
Then the raindrops fell one after another, and the ground was wet in an instant.
"I will stay here for a while and go to deliver two umbrellas to the palace servants under the opposite corridor so that they can leave with the umbrellas."
A palace maid acknowledged the order and went to the other side with an umbrella.
A short while later, a palace maid returned, beaming with joy, and said, "Your Majesty, His Majesty requests your presence."
Upon hearing this, Pei Jiu's eyes widened immediately.
Qi Yu looked in the direction she had just seen again. The people under the corridor walked out, and she realized that they were not palace servants, but Wu Shiyan.
Before she could even wonder why Wu Shiyan was near Zhaoyang Palace, she then noticed that Pei Jin and Zhao Wanyi were standing opposite Wu Shiyan.
Qi Yu: ?!
Zhao Wanyi did indeed enter the palace to meet the Empress Dowager today; it turns out she hasn't left the palace yet.
However, it is perfectly normal to pass by the vicinity of Zhaoyang Palace when leaving the palace from Changxin Palace.
When Qi Yu saw Wu Shiyan, she did not intend to go over. After all, the rain was getting heavier and heavier. Did she really want to go over in such heavy rain just to pay her respects to Wu Shiyan?
It's better to stay here and enjoy the rain.
But with Pei Jin and Zhao Wanyi both present, the atmosphere was bound to become tense.
That must be very exciting and fun.
At this moment, Wu Shiyan waved in their direction, and Qi Yu nodded in acknowledgment.
Qi Yu said to the palace maid, "Let's go."
Once outside the attic, Pei Jiu opened the umbrella and held it above Qi Yu's head. The oil-paper umbrella was large enough to cover all three of them.
Even so, the rain was blowing at an angle, and as I walked, raindrops drifted into the umbrella.
So when Qi Yu got to Wu Shiyan's side, her skirt was already a little wet.
There was little conversation under the corridor. All three of them looked at her. Tian Wenshan and several palace servants from the Greenhouse Palace were also there.
Zhao Wanyi, Pei Jin, and several palace maids bowed to her.
Qi Yu turned slightly to the side, not fully accepting the greeting, and after calling out "Your Majesty," she stood next to Wu Shiyan.
“I have a handkerchief here,” Zhao Wanyi suddenly said.
Despite the seemingly inexplicable words, both Wu Shiyan and Pei Jin understood their meaning.
Qi Yu thanked her, "Thank you, Madam Zhao, I'll take care of it."
She took the handkerchief, wiped the damp area on the front of her clothes several times, then folded the handkerchief and tucked it into her sleeve.
Pei Jin's eyebrows twitched slightly when he heard the title "Madam Zhao".
He looked up and saw that Qi Yu and Zhao Wanyi were standing very close because of the action of receiving the handkerchief. At first glance, someone who didn't know better would think they were twin sisters.
Aside from their different clothes and hairstyles, when they both looked down at the same time, their downcast eyes made it impossible to tell them apart.
Qi Yu was naturally curious about Pei Jin. She had only glanced at him a few times from afar. On Wu Shiyan's birthday that day, her attention was entirely on Zhao Wanyi, and she did not pay much attention to Pei Jin.
Noticing Pei Jin's gaze, she gently raised her eyes and looked into his eyes.
His eyes were even more indifferent than hers!
The emperor, who coveted his wife, was here, and his wife was here too, yet Pei Jin's eyes showed no strong aggression or protective affection, only a calm and undisturbed atmosphere.
It seems nothing can attract his attention anymore.
Qi Yu looked at Zhao Wanyi again, and Zhao Wanyi smiled gently at her. Qi Yu subconsciously curled the corners of her lips.
It's so strange. Apart from Zhao Wanyi speaking, Wu Shiyan and Pei Jin didn't say a word.
Finally, Qi Yu's gaze swept over Wu Shiyan. Wu Shiyan caught her little action, but before he could say anything, he saw Qi Yu looking at him with a smile.
She was clearly just there to watch the show.
I just came here, didn't find what I expected, so I just smiled and let it go.
Since neither of them spoke, Qi Yu went straight to the point: "Your Majesty, why did Lord Pei come to the palace?"
Wu Shiyan said, "Come and discuss state affairs with me. Because Lady Zhao is with the Empress Dowager, Pei Jin wants to leave the palace with her."
Qi Yu: "..."
Got it, they're going to be on high alert.
Pei Jin replied, "Yes, my wife and I have a very good relationship and cannot be apart for a moment."
Zhao Wanyi: "..."
This was clearly intended to prevent her from having any opportunity to be alone with Wu Shiyan, but she wouldn't be so foolish as to assassinate him in public; she would only seek out a moment when Wu Shiyan was off guard.
But Pei Jin didn't even give her that much of a chance.
Zhao Wanyi glared at Pei Jin: "When His Majesty was walking with us, it suddenly seemed like it was going to rain, so we came to the corridor to take shelter from the rain. Sure enough, it started to rain not long after."
Qi Yu's gaze shifted back and forth between Zhao Wanyi and Pei Jin.
She couldn't help but feel that Zhao Wanyi's angry glare contained a subtle murderous intent.
Qi Yu didn't understand; this was probably just playful banter between young lovers.
"Is Your Highness's home in Hedong County?" Pei Jin asked casually, as if they were chatting while taking shelter from the rain.
Zhao Wanyi silently pricked up her ears.
Qi Yu said, "Yes, it's just that the place is quite remote."
She was already in the mountains when she crossed over, and luckily she made it out, but the area around the mountains was not very prosperous.
It was thanks to the father-in-law who selected the beauties that she traveled all over the country; otherwise, she wouldn't know how to leave that place.
Pei Jin: "Your Majesty, I once had a younger sister who was abandoned in Hedong County when she was eight years old, and she has not been found to this day."
Qi Yu listened, then she couldn't possibly be Pei Jin's sister, because she was a time traveler and had no connection to this world.
She comforted him, saying, "An eight-year-old child should have memories. If you keep searching, you'll eventually find it."
A hint of hidden disappointment flashed in Zhao Wanyi's eyes.
Pei Jin remained calm, as if he were just asking a casual question or making a casual remark.
He said, "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty."
Wu Shiyan asked in confusion, "How come I didn't know that you had a younger sister?"
“My distant cousin stayed at my house for a while. After hearing this news, she couldn’t help but ask about it.”
Wu Shiyan remained silent. Ten years had passed, interspersed with rebellions; the chances of him surviving were extremely slim.
As they spoke, the rain showed no signs of letting up. A young eunuch ran up to Tian Wenshan, who listened for a moment and then said, "Your Majesty, the palace has been prepared. Shall we go there now?"
Wu Shiyan nodded.
The four of them walked into the hall.
Intentionally or unintentionally, Qi Yu lagged behind, giving Wu Shiyan ample opportunity to interact with Zhao Wanyi.
At a time like this, she naturally couldn't be a third wheel between the two of them.
Walking beside her was Pei Jin.
Pei Jin also noticed that he couldn't go forward and couldn't separate the two people in front of him, which made him feel frustrated.
He said in a low voice, "Since Your Majesty arrived, she has looked at this humble subject many times."
Qi Yu blinked, then realized that Pei Jin was talking to her, and couldn't help but glance at him a couple more times.
"I have looked at Lord Pei many times now. Lord Pei must remember this well and tell me when we part ways."
If he hadn't acted so strangely, she wouldn't have even looked at it!
Instead of vying for it, they were concerned about how many times she glanced at them.
Qi Yu gave a soft snort.
Pei Jin was taken aback, somewhat stunned.
A note from the author:
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