Mistakes (Part 4)
When Zhao Yi learned of the outcome of Ma Yuhua's case at the manor, he thought about when he would run into her on the street again. Today, he couldn't find her on the street, so he simply climbed over the wall.
Unexpectedly, it wasn't long before she changed into a thin shirt. From his perspective, her pitifully pale skin was covered in a blue shirt, and only the ginkgo tree next to her could add a touch of earthly color to her appearance.
He had been waiting for news about the case all afternoon, and was even more curious about which she would choose when faced with the unique information he had and justice.
Unexpectedly, she turned away completely.
This was the first time Zhao Yi had ever discovered that there were such "fools" in the world, even though the "fool" was glaring at him unfriendly.
Zhao Yi acted as if he hadn't seen her and sat down in another chair next to her without any hesitation.
"How about we cooperate?" Zhao Yi said. "After all, neither of us is ugly, and we both seem very sincere."
"Are they sincere?" Shen Zhuangmu couldn't understand how he could say such a thing, but she was too lazy to answer. She was already telling people to leave if they wanted to hide the truth and sow the seeds of disaster.
Zhao Yi spoke first, saying, "I didn't intend to help, but I also didn't plan to make things worse for them."
Zhao Yi carefully observed her expression. The reason he came here today was because of Shen Zhuangmu's quick thinking. She started investigating even before the case began, showing that she was a prepared person. Cooperating with such a person usually yields more information.
"What if it's what you think? What if I'm not here? What kind of conclusion do you want Lord Zhang to announce?" Even though she told herself that this kind of person wasn't worth paying attention to, she couldn't help but ask again now that things had come to this point.
He leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, thought for a moment, and said, "Even without your involvement, Zhuo Jian would have been kidnapped anyway. He should be dealt with as appropriate. He deserves what he deserves. I can't control that much. The laws of the Qun Dynasty are still very strict. I went there only because Zhuo Jian was ashamed. Since I went, I'll just say what I think is right. I didn't expect to get myself involved." He didn't say anything deeper.
There is no trust between them.
Zhao Yi spoke these words earnestly, without using the usual insincere manner he used with officials. He had originally intended to boast in front of her, hoping to gain a chance to obtain the clues she possessed, but the words still came out unfiltered.
Chen Zhuangmu listened quietly, and after a while she said, "It is our fault that this has happened. We are officials in the court, yet we cannot protect the people from the wind and rain." She lowered her head and said softly, "I know that Ma Yuhua is not as happy as she is with the money when she receives the indictment."
These words brought a faint smile to Zhao Yi's lips. He then looked at her and said, "Alright, Princess, stop thinking about it. Let's talk about our business. Are we going to continue our cooperation?"
Chen Zhuangmu felt Zhao Yi's serious gaze and inexplicably got goosebumps, so she turned her gaze to the ginkgo tree.
She still believed that Zhao Yi was not a truly evil person, and besides, she couldn't entrust everything to Li Chu now; there was no better choice than Zhao Yi at the moment.
But she couldn't bring herself to respond to the word "cooperation," so she started talking about what had happened that day.
"The clue I got in Tongshi was that the guards died on the eve of my birthday three years ago, and a carriage with that triangular ornament was sent out that night."
Her gaze gradually shifted downwards, and she continued, "Today, there's a case at the Dali Temple that I believe is closely related to this. An old man killed one of my surviving guards on my birthday three years ago. I suspect he didn't die because he escaped. The old man said that about ten days later, someone found him and told him that the person had killed his son, and also told him the person's location. After receiving the news, the old man immediately set off, staked out the location for a long time, and then killed him."
“This was a premeditated case,” Zhao Yi said.
Chen Zhuangmu nodded. She seemed exhausted after saying these words, and her voice was softer than before: "Vice Envoy, go and investigate this case and the old man's true identity."
She paused, then said thoughtfully, "I always felt this triangular pendant was more than just ordinary."
Zhao Yi stood up and said seriously, "Okay, it's getting late, I'll head back now."
The two remained silent for a moment.
“Okay,” Chen Zhuangmu replied.
In the deep blue night, he turned and climbed over the wall, the last glimpse of his clothes disappearing from her sight.
Time flies, and the sky changes accordingly. I don't have to go to work today. I woke up from my makeup but didn't want to get out of bed. I just kept reading.
Suddenly, there was a knocking sound at the door, and in the blink of an eye, Li Chu was standing in front of her.
"..."
Li Chu walks almost silently. If it weren't for the knocking on the door, seeing a living person standing in front of her would have scared her half to death.
She stretched, unfolded the booklet in her hand, and said, "Princess, the princess has invited you to go out and play."
Chen Zhuangmu pulled the covers up to peek out from under the covers. After thinking it over, she said to Li Chu, "Alright, agree to her request. Tell her to come to the manor to find me."
Since arriving in Huijing, I haven't had any sightseeing with anyone. Yu Hongning happens to be an expert in this area, so we'll have some delicious food to enjoy this afternoon.
She lingered for a while before getting dressed and doing her hair. Today she wore a light orange wide-sleeved sweater, with a short jacket with gold thread embroidery underneath, and a pleated skirt of the same color. The gold butterfly hairpin on her head trembled gently as she walked.
She just then heard Li Chu say, "Miss, the princess has arrived."
Chen Zhuangmu was stunned for a moment. They're here so early?
In the blink of an eye, Yu Hongning's footsteps came. Her footsteps were different from others; they were irregular but unhurried.
"I didn't expect my sister to be as lazy as me. I also don't want to get out of bed when I'm not studying." Yu Hongning, dressed in a light pink dress with shiny earrings, took Chen Zhuangmu's arm and said, "I know all the good food in Huijing. Sister, you can leave it to me without worry!"
Chen Zhuangmu nodded. When it came to "eating, drinking, and having fun," entrusting herself to Yu Hongning was definitely a wise choice.
So, the two of them, with the gentle autumn breeze and warm sunshine, wandered into shop after shop, their carriage already piled high with boxes of all sizes.
The streets were filled with delicious aromas, and Yu Hongning brought Chen Zhuangmu to the place where they were having lunch.
"Sister, this is 'Shiwei'! Some of the dishes are even better than those in the palace!" Yu Hongning couldn't wait to pull the heavy curtain and rush inside.
As soon as you enter, you can see a big "Shiwei" sign. The first three rows are all dining tables, and the private rooms are all upstairs.
Yu Hongning waved her hand skillfully, and the waiter came forward. "Sir, would you like a private room or downstairs?"
"I want a quiet private room," Yu Hongning said as they went upstairs. "Usually, restaurants have acrobatic and song and dance performances, but here... Sister, look, there's nothing here. They just attract customers with the food."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded repeatedly, knowing that she could get good food just by following people; such a day off was simply too pleasant.
They turned a corner, and two people drifted into their line of sight.
The man in front, dressed in a moon-white long robe, was ladling soup into a bowl. Right next to him, a man in a dark blue robe with subtle black patterns was sitting on the ground, leaning against a chair, his usual nonchalant smile still on his face.
The four of them made eye contact, and Yu Hongning was definitely the first to jump up.
"Brother Emperor! Cousin Zhao Yi!"
Before he finished speaking, Yu Hongning had already pulled Chen Zhuangmu over. Yu Hongqi first pulled out chairs for them, and after they sat down, the group began to talk.
It was less a conversation among several people and more a solo performance by Yu Hongning. Yu Hongqi occasionally responded, Zhao Yi remained silent, and Chen Zhuangmu was fiddling with her fingernails.
Suddenly, a plate of crispy pies was placed in front of her. It turned out that Yu Hongqi had noticed that she hadn't said a word and wanted to take care of her.
"Thank you, cousin."
Suddenly, a hand reached up to her left arm. It must be Yu Hongning. She led the veiled woman to look at the bewildered Zhao Yi and said, "Sister, you don't know him? Let me introduce you."
“He is the heir of the Prince of Ding’s mansion, and I call him Cousin Zhao Yi.”
"Young Master Zhao," Shen Zhuangmu greeted politely. Zhao Yi then leisurely opened his eyes, looking at Shen Zhuangmu as if waiting for her to continue.
There was no malice intended, but Chen Zhuangmu simply didn't like being stared at like that, so she looked back at him rudely.
Even a fool would know that being looked at like that displeases the other person.
He shifted his gaze, finally deigning to get up and begin pouring tea for everyone, before leaning back in his seat after finishing.
Yu Hongning picked up a cup of tea and said, "By the way, sister, I also want to congratulate you on your promotion!"
After saying that, without waiting for Shen Zhuangmu's response, he downed his drink. Yu Hongqi also raised his glass, glared at Zhao Yi, and then congratulated Shen Zhuangmu.
The three of them returned to their previous silence, with only Yu Hongning trying to liven things up by talking to herself. As dish after dish was served, all four of them buried their heads in their food, and the atmosphere at the table was neither awkward nor harmonious.
As Chen Zhuangmu wiped her mouth while eating, she looked up and suddenly saw a familiar red figure, its clothes shimmering with golden light, quickly passing by their table.
She could feel the breeze even from the very back. The other three looked over and saw the figure quickly turn around and approach their table.
"You're here too?!" Her eyes softened with a smile; it was Xiao Hanfeng.
After saying this, before anyone could react, she unceremoniously sat down next to Chen Zhuangmu and said, "Haha, what a coincidence. This meal is on me."
After saying that, she looked at Chen Zhuangmu and winked at her meaningfully.
Chen Zhuangmu understood that this meant she needed to speak up for her so that she could stay at the dinner table.
During this time, she met with many people at the Dali Temple, and gained some insight into people. According to her observation, although Xiao Hanfeng was loud and carefree, he probably did not like to be with so many unfamiliar people.
So she asked directly, "Is anyone pursuing you?"
Then, before Xiao Hanfeng could answer, two men dressed in coarse cloth arrived. They had been staring intently at something, but when their eyes landed on their table, they quickly turned around.
"They don't have it here, let's try the next one."
"..." The five people at the table.
"Hahahaha!" Xiao Hanfeng put his hand on Shen Zhuangmu's shoulder and leaned closer to her, saying, "You're simply my lucky star! If you catch me again next time, I'll come looking for you."
After saying that, she leaned closer to Yu Hongning and asked, "Princess, do you still remember me?"
Yu Hongning swallowed the food in her mouth and smiled mysteriously, "Of course I remember, back then I..."
"Cough cough!" The three girls all looked at Yu Hongqi, who was coughing and seemed uncomfortable. He pointed to a dish with a strange expression and said, "This is too spicy."
The two girls' conversation ended there, but Chen Zhuangmu became even more curious.
She always felt that Yu Hongqi was deliberately hiding something. She usually avoided such gossip, but it was a completely different story with people she knew.
But they didn't seem to want to bring it up. Instead, Yu Hongning kept putting chili peppers into her mouth, her lips turning red. Chen Zhuangmu unconsciously felt her appetite return.
I picked up the dish and took a bite, and I felt a tingling pain along the line from the tip of my tongue to the root of my tongue. I took a sip of tea, but it was still hot, which sent the spiciness straight to my forehead.
Chen Zhuangmu barely managed to maintain her composure, and then gave Yu Hongning a complicated look.
“Hongning has eaten spicy food since she was a child.” As if he had read her mind, Yu Hongqi said at the right time.
Suddenly, he changed the subject, "Zhao Yi, why did you buy that pendant?"
The person who was called took a sip of tea, then pulled out a string of red triangular sachets from behind him, with a bird with two horns embroidered in the middle.
"This?" he asked Yu Hongqi, tilting his head.
"Hmm. This thing is really ugly. How could your taste be so bad?" Only in front of Zhao Yi would the gentle and refined Crown Prince be so sharp-tongued.
Zhao Yi, unusually, did not refute.
Chen Zhuangmu narrowed his eyes, puzzled. Just then, as he casually stuffed the item behind his back, Xiao Hanfeng's voice rang out from the side.
"Huh? You like this ugly thing too?"
The two of them paused.
"Do you like it too?" Chen Zhuangmu asked calmly.
"I don't like it." Xiao Hanfeng rested her chin on her hand and pouted, "But my father likes it."
"Why haven't I seen Prime Minister Xiao wear it?" Zhao Yi asked.
Chen Zhuangmu unconsciously moved a little closer to Xiao Hanfeng.
"He keeps them all in the drawer of his carriage, how could you possibly see them? He treasures them like they're the most precious things..."
These words echoed in her ears. She looked up and met his gaze silently. He patted Yu Hongqi on the shoulder, stood up lazily, and said, "We have something to do, so we'll be going now. The bill has been settled."
Before he could even turn around, Yu Hongqi had already vanished.
"..." Shen Zhuangmu's suspicions grew stronger.
She asked, "Is there a secret I can't know? About you and your cousin?"
Yu Hongning put down his chopsticks, coughed lightly a few times solemnly, and was about to speak when he burst into laughter.
She hurriedly approached the woman behind the curtain and said, "Sister, three months ago at your banquet, she got lost. I directed her to my brother's palace. At that time, the palace was short-staffed, so my brother sent everyone out of his palace. But when she arrived, my brother was taking a bath!"
Chen Zhuangmu's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth twice but didn't know how to respond.
"It wasn't as scary as she described. When I arrived, your brother was already dressed, but there were still water droplets dripping from his face and hair..." Xiao Hanfeng added.
After she finished speaking, the two girls in front of her began to eat as if nothing had happened, leaving her to ponder the matter on her own.
After a while, she came to a conclusion—stay away from them from now on.
The three chatted and ate when pink clouds suddenly appeared on the horizon. It was only noon, and Chen Zhuangmu couldn't help but turn around to look. It was rare to see such beautiful clouds at this time of day.
After saying something to Yu Hongning, Chen Zhuangmu pulled Xiao Hanfeng out of the private room, stuffed a yellowed, folded piece of paper into her hand, and said, "I know your heart, but this thing is important to the Privy Councilor..."
For the Privy Councilor, this was truly insignificant. More evidence was needed to pry open even the slightest hint of trouble. Hearing her say this, Xiao Hanfeng understood the situation.
"Then you can take it."
"I've already copied it down, so you should still secretly put it back where it used to be," Chen Zhuangmu said cautiously.
At the beginning of the founding of the Kingdom of Qun, the unjust laws against women of the previous dynasty were abandoned. During the time of General Xingyun, people's thinking underwent a great change. However, three years ago, General Xingyun's treasonous act caused the already prejudiced laws against women to tend to be reinstated. Therefore, even now that women can take the imperial examinations and study, it is still considered shameful by many people.
I never expected the Left Minister to be this kind of person.
Chen Zhuangmu concealed the loneliness in her eyes and patted Xiao Hanfeng's elbow: "Let's go. By the way, have you thought about the exam?"
"Huh?" Xiao Hanfeng stopped in her tracks. "I'm not taking the exam. I'm doing these things for my own conscience, but I'm not happy if I stay in one place doing the same things over and over again. I don't have your willpower, hahaha."
The two of them smiled and sat down next to Yu Hongning.
"Sigh." A sigh suddenly came from the side. Sure enough, Yu Hongning was hugging a chair and her head was drooping.
As she watched, she sensed that Yu Hongning's mood had soured. Sure enough, she was hugging a chair and sighing.
"What's wrong?" Chen Zhuangmu asked.
Yu Hongning frowned and shook her head, then, after a moment of distraction, asked, "Sister, what do you think those handsome young men like?"
This question left Chen Zhuangmu speechless; how would she know?
Instead, Xiao Hanfeng said, "That's easy. You'll be led to the screen tower and you're guaranteed to fall into its trap."
Before she could finish speaking, Yu Hongning pouted and retorted, "But everyone is different..."
Upon hearing this, the two women sensed something was amiss. After exchanging glances, they decided to let Chen Zhuangmu go first.
So, Chen Zhuangmu cleared her throat and asked seriously, "What kind of person do you think is beautiful?"
The girl's eyes lit up immediately, and she kept talking: "Of course, he is both aloof and refined, with a perfectly high nose bridge, big eyes, short eyelashes, and a slightly dull look..."
Xiao Hanfeng's gaze next to her was completely different. She barely managed to hold back from jumping up, but she just couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
After she finished asking, Xiao Hanfeng quickly replied, "Um...who is it?"
Chen Zhuangmu almost spat out the mouthful of tea in her mouth. She quickly swallowed it whole and then leaned closer to stare intently at Yu Hongning.
Yu Hongning blushed from head to toe, and waved her hand, saying, "Who? Nobody, isn't that how it's written in the storybooks?"
They both nodded. Yes, that's how it was written.
After the three girls finished their meal, they decided to go out together. The two girls followed Yu Hongning and bought a lot of jewelry and food.
The delicious smoke from the street stalls drifted slowly into the sky, engulfing the birds in the branches along the way, who chirped and hopped away.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, the sky gradually darkened, and the shadows of the moon and stars could be faintly seen.
Seeing that it was getting late, the three girls smiled and accepted the invitation to the outing, promising to go to the countryside next time.
The three parted ways amidst joy and anticipation, and departed.
The carriage rumbled over the bluestone slabs, and Chen Zhuangmu boarded it. The carriage then went around to the backyard and opened the tightly closed door.
All I could see was pitch black.
She groped in the dark to light the candle, kowtowed several times to her mother, a smile still lingering on her face, and suddenly thought of saying a few words to the memorial tablet in front of her.
He had just opened his mouth when he suddenly couldn't laugh anymore.
There was only a tombstone with a few words engraved in front of her; her mother couldn't hear her speaking from here.
She knelt for a while, kowtowed several times, and then gently pushed her out.
Back in his bedroom, he took his daily medicine and then spent some time in the study before going back to rest.
Even the most dazzling stars and the brightest moon will eventually fade away with the arrival of daylight.
The next morning, Chen Zhuangmu was supposed to go to court.
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