"I have never seen so many hydrangeas before." Zhao Shu took a few more steps toward the moon gate, but Zhen Qizhong blocked her way without making a sound.
Zhao Shu chuckled and looked directly into his eyes. "Can't I look?"
"This is my mother's secluded retreat; she doesn't want to see you." Despite her undisguised words, Zhao Shu managed to suppress her anger.
She took a few more steps closer, and only when Zhen Qizhong's expression slowly turned cold did she chuckle and say, "It's alright if you don't see me, then tell me, Uncle-Master, how am I supposed to leave?"
"Look at me, do I look like someone who can help you?" he said helplessly, spreading his hands.
"Indeed, I have the will but not the ability."
As they were talking, a woman came out of the Snow Residence, carrying a teapot and teacups. "We have a distinguished guest here, but we have nothing to offer. These are some teas from the countryside. We hope you will not find them offensive."
Her appearance was actually quite ordinary, not as good as Su Qiu's, let alone Zhao Shu's. Among everyone else who was very good-looking, she stood out because she was just too ordinary.
"My younger sister, Heng'er," Zhen Qizhong introduced simply.
Zhao Shu scrutinized Heng'er, who placed the tray on the stone table and began pouring tea. Although her appearance was extremely ordinary, she had a pair of very beautiful hands; if there were no calluses on them, she would be perfect.
After exchanging a glance with Wei Tingsi, Zhao Shu politely curtsied and greeted him, "Uncle-Master."
"I can't accept that. I'm just a child my mother picked up, not as noble as my mother, the princess." Her words were sincere, but Zhao Shu sensed sarcasm in them.
Zhen Qizhong quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Don't take it to heart. Heng'er is just like that. She doesn't know how to speak properly, but she has a very kind heart."
Zhao Shu stopped smiling and didn't reply, but her gaze remained fixed on the tea. It was a type of tea she had never seen before, and she could vaguely make out flower petals.
Heng'er's attention seemed to be elsewhere than Zhao Shu. She coldly rebuked Su Qiu, "Why are you still here?"
Su Qiu's face paled as she was scolded. She looked at Zhao Shu, who happened to be looking at her as well. Su Qiu lowered her head in embarrassment.
"Heng'er, some people have come from outside, and Su Qiu can't leave." Zhen Qizhong was quite helpless, and it was clear that this kind of reprimand was not the first or second time.
Su Qiu cast a grateful glance at Zhen Qizhong, her eyes brimming with intense emotions, but she swallowed it back with a cold snort from Heng'er.
Suddenly, several arrows came flying through the air. Wei Tingsi quickly grabbed Zhao Shu and dodged them. Just like before, Xiao Tong saved Zhen Qizhong, Xiao Guozi helped Su Qiu, but no one paid any attention to Heng'er.
Ignored by everyone, she was struck in the arm by an arrow. After being hit, she glared at Zhen Qizhong resentfully before turning back to Xueju.
But as soon as she reached the entrance of the Snow Residence, several arrows, as if guided by eyes, shot straight toward her back. Zhao Shu wanted to warn her, but she stood there stiffly, as if deliberately courting death, letting the arrows pierce through her body.
The tragedy came too suddenly and too strangely, and everyone was stunned. Only Zhen Qizhong seemed to be in great distress and fainted.
Su Qiu turned pale with fright, clutching Xiao Guozi's sleeve tightly, not daring to leave his side for even a moment.
"Young master, young master." The boy pinched the middle of Zhen's seven-fold pulse. Fortunately, he slowly woke up. The boy was overjoyed to see him awake and burst into tears. He picked him up and rushed into the Snow Residence.
"This..." Xiao Guozi felt that the situation was very strange. It seemed like a trap was set to kill Heng'er, and Heng'er knew about it but did not want to live.
However, this strangeness was quickly broken. Zhao Shu had been paying attention to the entrance of Xueju. After Zhen Qizhong went in, not long after, his old rival Zhao Bi came out.
Zhao Bi kicked Heng'er, who wasn't quite dead yet, on the ground. A flash of malice crossed his eyes, and his disgust was palpable. Heng'er opened her eyes, glanced at him, gave a self-deprecating smile, said nothing, and then closed her eyes again. However, the look of relief on her face made Wei Tingsi narrow his eyes.
Upon seeing Zhao Bi, Zhao Shu no longer found it strange. She sneered, "Fourth Prince, you are truly capable. The Emperor has clearly issued an imperial decree, yet you were able to chase after him all the way to Jiangnan, and arrive so quickly."
Zhao Bi stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a blue robe. "Sister Ajun, your imperial brother really doesn't want to kill you and General Wei."
"Fourth Prince, your confidence seems a bit inexplicable. I wonder what you have to do to kill me and him?" This was the first time Zhao Shu had faced Zhao Bi openly. Now that they had met, she didn't want to hide anything and decided to fight openly with real weapons.
Zhao Bi did not answer, but looked at Zhao Shu and Wei Tingsi with amusement, "I have no grudge against Sister Ajun, so why does she send people to monitor me? And why is she opposing me at every turn?"
"Now we have no enmity, but when enmity arises, it will be too late. I am only trying to save my life. Fourth brother, ask yourself, if you were to ascend the throne, would you treat the Yong Prince's Mansion well? Would you give me and Father a peaceful end? I have said all this, Fourth brother, there is no need to lie to me."
Zhao Bi chuckled, looked at Zhao Shu and shook his head, "You, what can I say about you? Luckily you're not a man, otherwise I don't know how much effort I would have to put into dealing with you."
"Enough with the nonsense, Fourth Brother, what do you intend to do to me?" Zhao Shu was not intimidated at all, meeting Zhao Bi's gaze with confidence.
"It's a bit early to say that. Once your Nineteenth Uncle and your friend Sun Yun have been brought here, you, the Crown Prince, your Nineteenth Uncle, and Sun Yun will set off together. Sister A-Jun, don't say that your brother is heartless. Every year during Qingming Festival, your brother will send people to burn paper money for you." He thought of how Zhao Shu had sent people to monitor him, sabotage his marriage to Sun Yun, ruin the Sun family, depose the Wang family and Prince Duan, and kill Hao Guojiu and his son, and his heart burned with rage.
And then there's Wei Tingsi. Originally, he was just an outsider and didn't need to get involved in the struggle for the throne, but this guy was willing to risk his life and insisted on getting involved. So don't blame him for being ruthless!
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