Looking at the situation (Part 2)
At this time, Chen Zhuangmu had already gotten up and was washing up when she saw Li Chu rushing in in a panic, "Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"
"Cousin Crown Prince?" Chen Zhuangmu picked up the medicine bracelet on the table and asked, "What brings him here?"
“His Highness the Crown Prince must have something to say.” Li Chu leaned against the door and added, “I reckon he’ll have to tell you in person.”
"Then tell him I'll be done soon." Chen Zhuangmu had her maid comb her hair into a simple bun, put on two hairpins, and then went over.
Yu Hongqi was sitting on the pavilion on the water, which was made up of four interconnected beams. When he saw her coming in his direction, he pulled out a chair and poured himself a cup of tea.
"Makeup room." Yu Hongqi smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry to bother you so early."
Chen Zhuangmu felt very embarrassed by such polite words. "Cousin, what are you saying? It sounds like we're not familiar with each other."
His face still held a gentle smile as he took out a scroll from his sleeve and said slowly, "Zhuangmu, this is what Hongning asked me to give you. Open it after I leave."
The bamboo and wood of the scroll were exquisite, but Chen Zhuangmu couldn't imagine what important matter Yu Hongning could possibly have, so she agreed, "Okay."
Yu Hongqi glanced at her face and said, "Also, if you need any help, just let me know." He finally said those words.
"If you need any help with your aunt's case, just let me know. It'll be faster with two people than one."
These words stirred something in Chen Zhuangmu's mind, and she suddenly asked, "Cousin, on the morning of my birthday three years ago, did anyone go to the outskirts to look for my mother?"
The question about something from so long ago startled Yu Hongqi. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, I am the current Left Minister and the Commissioner of Secret Affairs..."
Before she could finish speaking, Chen Zhuangmu gently interrupted her, "Cousin, please wait a moment."
She always felt that the frequent appearances of Jian were too many, but she had asked Zhao Yi several times, and he only said that Jian's heart was on the battlefield, and now that he could not go back, he did not care about anything anymore.
Why bother getting involved in these two things?
However, if we go back to three years ago, when relations with the Su Kingdom were not good and war could break out at any time, her mother left all the generals behind, and brought a troop and a trusted confidant to attend her banquet.
The military strength of the Su Kingdom is comparable to that of the Qun Dynasty. Only those with both wisdom and courage can defeat it. The Qun Dynasty does not have many generals like her mother. The Prince of Dingbei is one, and Zhuo Jian is another. Are there any others?
What would happen if something happened to her mother?
Without a second thought, a sentence popped into Chen Zhuangmu's head.
He bravely went to the battlefield.
However, these are all her speculations, and they are based on her biases, so they cannot be considered true.
However, I really need to make a trip to the Privy Council.
Chen Zhuangmu stared intently at the teacup, her eyes unblinking. Yu Hongqi poured her another cup of tea, the rising steam obscuring the sorrow between her brows.
"Cousin, when did you find me back then?" Chen Zhuangmu asked again.
"Hmm... We found you the next day. You stayed in the palace for more than a month. His Majesty ordered someone to take you to get treatment. You didn't reappear until three years later," Yu Hongqi recalled.
Her eyes inadvertently glanced at Yu Hongqi, and she asked, "In these three years, has Uncle ever missed a long period of time from court?"
Recalling this seemed even more difficult. He tapped his finger on the table and said after a while, "I haven't seen the Minister of Rites for over a month. But the memorials he approved were still handed to the Ministry of Rites by Eunuch Fu."
Chen Zhuangmu's heart sank.
Seeing that the sun was shining brightly, Yu Hongqi declined Chen Zhuangmu's offer of breakfast and hurriedly returned to the palace.
After finishing her breakfast, she took a carriage to the Dali Temple. Once there, she walked to the main hall. Along the way, no one greeted her or spoke to her; everyone hurried past, carrying their documents. The people of the Dali Temple never used clever words to deceive others, demonstrating the strict rules within the temple.
These past two days have seen a pile of official documents. I separated the stacks on the table, starting with the simple ones and then adding the more complicated ones. As the cart filled with more and more documents, the sun grew brighter and brighter, and it was already lunchtime.
These past few days, Chen Zhuangmu didn't know what Li Chu was busy with, so she simply didn't call her. She walked to the cafeteria alone. As she passed through the corridor, many people bumped into her in a panic, and some even ran away as if something terrible was about to happen if they were a little late. This made Chen Zhuangmu feel uneasy, and she unconsciously quickened her pace.
Before even reaching the dining hall, she could see billowing steam emanating from the small green door, but couldn't smell any aroma. She went in, only to be hit by the heat. Puzzled, she got her food, took a bite, but couldn't taste anything.
Seeing everyone around her sigh with satisfaction, she took another bite, even tasting it, but only managed to discern a slight bitterness.
It was faint, strange, and lingered on the tongue.
She changed to another dish, but it had no flavor. By the time she had tasted all four dishes in front of her, only bitterness remained, flowing down her tongue and throat and lingering in her heart.
I can't taste anything anymore.
She was hungry and needed to eat, but after realizing she couldn't taste anything, she felt nauseous after just one bite. She quickly shoveled down a few mouthfuls and hurriedly left the dining hall.
The moment she stepped out of the cafeteria, a commotion erupted behind her.
The days grew shorter and the nights grew longer, and by the time Chen finished her work behind the curtain, it was already dusk.
She arrived at Xiyu Street by carriage, only to find that the original gate was gone, and the entire street had been washed clean and looked brand new.
She pulled a map from her pocket, and after a series of twists and turns, stopped in front of a door and tentatively knocked.
Soon, the door creaked open, and a small figure stood in front of it, with a thin body and bright eyes.
"A bell!" Chen Zhuangmu laughed.
Bell's eyes sparkled, "Kind sister!"
What kind of name is this? Chen Zhuangmu was both amused and exasperated. The bell's shrill cry woke everyone in the room, and then they heard footsteps sweeping in like waves, shaking the earth.
"How many people live here?" Chen Zhuangmu glanced inside.
"Our original half is somewhere else," Lingdang said crisply.
"Is there enough room?" Chen Zhuangmu asked doubtfully.
Bell grinned. "There's enough room! The door is small, but it's spacious inside with many rooms."
Before he could finish speaking, countless people crowded towards the door, each with a grateful and joyful smile on their face. To Shen Zhuangmu's surprise, they all knelt down and began to kowtow.
Chen Zhuangmu was dumbfounded, but then she saw them kowtow several times before standing up and saying, "Girl, you are such a kind person!"
Now even more puzzled, Lingdang added, "The official who came to settle us in Anjia said it was a young lady who suggested it. He described what you looked like, and we immediately recognized you! You're such a kind person!"
Even so, Chen Zhuangmu didn't like being suddenly knelt to, and said only, "Your living well is the best way to repay me."
After saying that, she grasped Lingdang's shoulder and said, "I have some questions for you."
Upon hearing this, everyone behind her vanished. Lingdang scratched her head. "Sister, what do you want to ask?"
"Three years ago, on the night the carriage with the triangular ornament left the city gate, did you see a girl being chased?"
"Sister, I can't remember it at all. I have to ask my brother."
After saying that, he ran inside and waited for a while before a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old came out.
He walked up to the veiled woman, first giving her a polite smile, and then said, "We've already stopped doing this business, but you're our benefactor. We'll do whatever you ask for."
"I just asked that question." Chen Zhuangmu couldn't wait to know the answer.
The man picked up a few pages of paper, flipped through them several times, and finally looked at the corner of the paper and said, "Yes, the girl was being chased by someone, but then another person appeared, killed the first person, and took the girl away."
"Two men in black?" Chen Zhuangmu asked again.
"Yes." After saying that, the man tore off a corner of the paper and handed it to Chen Zhuangmu. "Here, take this and read it. We're leaving this business, and we need to pack up anyway. Is there anything else you want to ask?"
“No more.” Chen Zhuangmu slowly shook her head.
Seeing that she hadn't left, the man didn't close the door, but turned and walked back.
"Wait!" Chen Zhuangmu shouted, "Back then, did you just watch her being chased, and even potentially killed?"
The man turned around, his shocked expression showing his utter incomprehension of Chen Zhuangmu's question.
"Everyone has their own destiny." He didn't look back and went straight into the house.
Everyone has their own destiny?
She clenched the paper in her hand, the phrase "everyone has their own destiny" repeating in her mind. She laughed inwardly, not knowing what she was laughing at, but tears still streamed down her face.
She wiped it with her index finger, took a deep breath, and finally felt as if she had washed away the inexplicable emotions in her heart.
She fainted without seeing a second person. Who would have taken her away? Her uncle said he looked for her during the day. What could have happened during that time? And who poisoned her?
And, a more hidden corner of her heart that she dared not uncover.
What exactly is her uncle hiding? He handed the case over to the Ministry of Justice and then didn't ask any questions. At this point, is there anything she can't know?
Walking listlessly under the dim sky, her feet treading on a dark cobblestone path, in the silence, Chen Zhuangmu suddenly heard a series of orderly footsteps.
She immediately became alert, quickly walked to the wall, and leaned against it. But the moment she did this, three men in black appeared in front of her.
Uniform attire, sharp eyes, and the relentless approach to her life.
At this moment, Chen Zhuangmu's scalp tingled with fear. She carefully unsheathed her hidden weapon and pulled something out of her lower back with her left hand. A man in black noticed her movement and rushed towards her. She had already covered her mouth and nose and threw the object on the ground with a bang, which released bursts of thick smoke that stung her eyes and nose.
In a split second, Chen Zhuangmu ran towards the route she had planned, with only one thought in her mind: run, run to the carriage, run to the market, and she would be safe.
Unfortunately, just as she finished counting, someone fell from the sky, blocking her safe path.
The moment she landed, a thought flashed through Chen Zhuangmu's mind. If this man in black wanted her dead, he could have easily stabbed her in the back. The fact that three people were surrounding her but hesitated to make a move meant that they wanted her alive.
As Chen Zhuangmu launched his hidden weapon, the men in black instinctively drew their swords. With a "whoosh," the hidden weapon clashed with the sleeve arrow, and amidst the flashing blades, it embedded itself deeply into the wall.
"If you dare come near me, I will kill myself!" Chen Zhuangmu pointed the hidden weapon at herself.
But everyone could see the panic and determination in her eyes—it was resistance, a sign of wanting to live. So no one took her words seriously. They surrounded her, getting closer and closer until Chen Zhuangmu had nowhere to hide. She could only reveal a hidden arrow in her sleeve and plunge it an inch into her neck.
Bright red blood seeped out, and at this moment only a deeper blackness could be seen.
They stopped in their tracks, and Chen Zhuangmu slowly retreated. But what was worse, they became even more determined, slashing at Chen Zhuangmu's calf with their swords. First came the biting cold, then the sharp pain.
Severely injured, Chen Zhuangmu could barely stand. In the blink of an eye, her right arm was slashed again. At that moment, she suddenly aimed a hidden weapon at a guard next to her, shot it out instantly, and turned to flee.
A mournful voice came from behind, but unfortunately, the other two guards ignored their companion. She had only run a few steps when her arms were restrained and the hidden weapon tied to her arm was pulled out. All her resistance seemed to have vanished into thin air.
"Fire!! Fire!" she shouted these words with her life on the line. The man in black was caught off guard and hurriedly covered her mouth. Chen Zhuangmu bit her hard. Just as she was about to be forcibly taken away, she heard a voice.
"What are you doing?!"
Xiao Hanfeng, dressed in red, resembled a ghostly female demon from the shadows, leading a dozen or so people. Upon seeing this, the men in black released their heavy makeup and ran away.
Xiao Hanfeng pointed in the direction they ran, "Chase them!"
The crowd behind them surged forward, leaving only the two of them.
Chen Zhuangmu was exhausted and leaned against the wall with difficulty.
"How are you?" Xiao Hanfeng ran over to her, looked her up and down, tied her arm with a handkerchief, pulled a dagger from his shoe, and with a "rip" cut open her clothes to wrap her legs.
"Come on, I'll take you there!" Xiao Hanfeng said, pulling Shen Zhuangmu's arm around her neck, but Shen Zhuangmu gently pulled it away.
"No need, please let me go to the carriage in front, and the physician from the Princess's residence will treat me," she said with her remaining strength.
Xiao Hanfeng frowned upon hearing this, then, remembering what she had been doing recently, nodded.
Holding onto Chen Zhuangmu's arm, the two slowly walked out.
"I heard about what happened in the palace," Xiao Hanfeng said gently.
"Hmm." Chen Zhuangmu responded softly, feeling that something was about to happen between the two of them. She stopped being loud and started to quiet down, which meant something was wrong.
As expected, Xiao Hanfeng's voice remained calm as ever, "You investigated your mother's case... and now you've come to my house?"
Chen Zhuangmu paused, stopping in her tracks. Xiao Hanfeng tried to pull her away, but neither of them could take a step, and they both became somewhat annoyed.
"Go away! Do you want to die?!" Xiao Hanfeng's voice suddenly became sharp, his eyes filled with disappointment mixed with a hint of anger.
"Are you using me? Do you really want to be friends with me?" Xiao Hanfeng released her arm, but gripped her sleeve tightly, staring into her eyes as if trying to see if she would waver.
Chen Zhuangmu noticed her actions and felt a mix of bitterness and unease, but since things had already come to this point, it was better to lay everything out in the open.
“I did have my doubts about your father.” Her tone was unusually calm, seemingly devoid of warmth.
"Boom!"
A thunderclap boomed across the sky.
The two ignored each other, their eyes fixed on one another, determined to get a quick death.
"No wonder you told me not to trust strangers so easily; you were talking about yourself!" Xiao Hanfeng stepped forward and said, "You said you wouldn't harm me..."
"I want to hurt you?" Chen Zhuangmu repeated incredulously, "You think I want to hurt you?"
"Tell me first whether you're using me or not?" Xiao Hanfeng immediately followed up.
In the dim light, they could only see each other's eyes and try to decipher each other's expressions, a more intense way of competing than hysteria.
Xiao Hanfeng's stubborn face, filled with anger, was clearly imprinted in Shen Zhuangmu's mind. Suddenly, she felt a surge of anger again and, without thinking, simply said, "Yes."
"You've been using me from beginning to end?" Xiao Hanfeng asked again.
"Have you forgotten? You were the one who contacted me in the first place."
"Fine, I was blind."
After saying this, Xiao Hanfeng turned and walked out, but after a few steps he suddenly turned back and, without saying a word, pulled Chen Zhuangmu's arm and walked forward.
Chen Zhuangmu was pulled a step away, and he pushed and shoved to break free from her hand.
This infuriated her. "You really want to die? Let's go."
Seeing the lingering worry in her eyes, Chen Zhuangmu suddenly snapped. She was bound to turn on him eventually, and it wouldn't be long before she did.
It's better to break it off sooner rather than later.
"I can walk by myself." With that, Chen Zhuangmu limped forward.
After saying this, Xiao Hanfeng stopped supporting her and turned to leave.
Just before boarding the carriage, Chen Zhuangmu glanced sideways and saw Xiao Hanfeng standing straight as a pillar in the darkness. His usual lively and playful demeanor was hard to blend into the person not far away, and her heart suddenly ached.
Hanfeng, your father must be punished as he deserves, but I'm sorry, no matter how careful I am, I will still hurt you.
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