Xia Yixin felt that Shen Ruyu was mentally unstable, so she covered her arm and stepped back, saying, "This humble woman dares not."
"Hehe, what's there to be afraid of? You're much luckier than me. At least he's still somewhat interested in you, just like I was back then... Back then, he was also..." Shen Ruyu seemed lost in memories, her eyes filled with girlish sentiments.
Xia Yixin immediately thought of what the constables had said about how five or six years ago, Shen Ruyu often summoned Cao Anmin alone. Could it be that the two of them really were together back then? Moreover, the female lead's expression clearly showed affection.
This way.
As he recalled something, Shen Ruyu's face suddenly turned cold.
With a chuckle, she pulled out a box from somewhere and shoved it into Xia Yixin's arms, saying with a strange smile, "Look at my memory! I almost forgot to give you a gift today. I really didn't mean to. Consider this my apology. Don't worry, it's a good thing, and you'll definitely need it in the future. Also, let me tell you, blind people rely on touch to see, so you'd better take good care of yourself, sister."
Xia Yixin didn't know what was in the box, but she felt uneasy and wanted to refuse. The other person seemed to have guessed, chuckled, and said in a cold voice.
"You are no different from me, both of you are pawns in his hands. I advise you to serve him well. If he ever gets tired of you, he will be more cold-blooded and ruthless than the average person."
As Shen Ruyu spoke, she suddenly rolled up her sleeves. She gasped as she looked at the scars carved on Shen Ruyu's fair forearms.
The palace maid from before reappeared and guided her back to her original place. The old nanny didn't say much and took over leading her out.
It was as if she had never left at all.
Upon leaving the palace, she unexpectedly saw an extra person beside the sedan chair—Ghost Zero.
Seeing that she came out unharmed, Gui Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief before saying, "Madam Li, the Grand Eunuch has just gone to the palace to meet the Emperor. He asked you to wait for him here."
The young emperor no longer needed the sedan chair he had hired; instead, he used the spacious and comfortable carriage from the Eastern Depot.
Xia Yixin was a little flustered. How could this be such a coincidence? She had just entered the palace when Cao Anmin arrived. Could it be that he was here for her...?
No, no, no. It must be a coincidence.
She shook her head, and after getting into the carriage, she hesitantly opened the box, glanced at it, and quickly closed it again. The box in her hand suddenly felt like a hot potato.
Although the material inside is top-quality mutton fat jade, its shape suggests it's made of Masak jade. She's not someone who knows nothing about jade.
Thinking back to the ambiguous things she had said before, Xia Yixin's face flushed red and then turned pale.
Regardless of whether Shen Ruyu actually had sex with Cao Anmin, judging from the way she looked at Cao Anmin, she felt that she might really be hating him because of love.
Outside the carriage. It was getting dark.
A short while later, the man dressed in black kimono and wearing a ghost mask returned, exuding a chilling aura.
As he boarded the carriage, she hurriedly sat up straight and respectfully greeted him, "My lord."
Cao Anmin first glanced at her, then noticed the box she had tossed aside, and raised an eyebrow. "What is that?"
Xia Yixin seemed to wake from a dream and vaguely replied, "It was a gift from the Imperial Concubine."
She's not stupid; she won't cover for the original female lead, since her mission target isn't her.
Sure enough, I heard a system notification that the male supporting character's happiness level had increased.
Cao Anmin was on a case outside when he suddenly received a message from his subordinate that the young emperor had summoned Lady Li. He rushed back. After entering the palace, he learned from the young emperor that it was Shen Ruyu who had whispered in his ear. He immediately felt something was wrong. Coincidentally, she had not left the palace either. Cao Anmin then realized that something was amiss.
He took the box, opened it, and his face immediately darkened.
On the other side, Xia Yixin lowered her head and tried to remain calm.
The man slowly closed the box and said in a deep voice, "What did she say to you?"
Xia Yixin immediately recounted the entire conversation between Shen Ruyu and her. As she recounted it, the man next to her felt increasingly cold. Although it was springtime outside, she hunched her shoulders in the cold.
Once the carriage left the palace, the clamor of the bustling crowds seemed to be shut out.
Cao Anmin didn't speak again until they arrived at the Governor's Mansion. When Xia Yixin got out of the carriage, she accidentally stretched her arm where Shen Ruyu had scratched her while holding onto the rut, and she gasped slightly.
She was about to wait and go down first when he suddenly pulled her down and brought her close.
She was completely stunned.
When Cao Anmin rolled up his sleeve and saw the bloodstains on her arm, a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
On her fair arm, there was a scratch that was half the length of her arm. It wasn't deep, but I don't know what she put under her fingernails. Now it was red and swollen, and the blood had soaked through half of her sleeve. I hadn't noticed anything wrong with her the whole way because I was so preoccupied with him.
It was dusk. In front of the governor's mansion, the men of the Eastern Depot stood guard with their backs to the two men. Not a single person on the street dared to steal a glance at the two men in front of the carriage.
Xia Yixin had previously felt that his hands did not belong to an ordinary person with martial arts skills; they were long, slender, and beautiful with distinct knuckles.
But now...
Xia Yixin recalled Shen Ruyu's words from before, and felt uneasy. She found an opening and hurriedly pulled her hand away.
After stepping back, she felt it was inappropriate and, belatedly, said, "I have some rouge on me, and I'm afraid it might disturb the Master."
Shen Ruyu's place does indeed have a very strong scent of cosmetics.
Cao Anmin snorted coldly, his imposing manner slightly toned down. "Why didn't you say so before?"
She chuckled dryly, "It's nothing serious, no need to trouble you, sir. Besides, the Imperial Noble Consort didn't mean it."
What she said made perfect sense, but for some reason the chill that had dissipated from the man opposite her seemed to grow stronger.
"At least one of them knows his own identity."
Cao Anmin sneered and entered the governor's mansion.
Is he angry?
Xia Yixin was a little confused.
He had no idea what he had done to anger the Grand Eunuch.
For the next two days, no news came from the palace. However, the rumors circulating in the capital about the Grand Eunuch and the widow of Yuelai Tower disappeared, and some people died in the Eastern Depot's death row.
Moreover, Xia Yixin felt that Cao Anmin was intentionally distancing himself from her.
It's not that I'm ignoring her, it's just that I stop talking to her unless absolutely necessary.
The governor's mansion was in a state of icy silence. Xia Yixin dared not ask or say anything more. As for the thing that Shen Ruyu had given her, she had long since put it away in a box.
However, Xia Mingyu found an opportunity to meet her during this time and left a message from the palace. It turned out that Xia Mingyu was not in the palace when the young emperor suddenly summoned Xia Yixin that day.
Shen Ruyu is now under house arrest because of this incident, but that doesn't mean she's behaved. The medicine furnace at Yunxiao Palace is running day and night, as if it's refining some kind of elixir.
"Mother, things are not peaceful outside lately, and there may be some trouble. You must be careful and it's best to stay in the manor and not wander around." Xia Mingyu gave these instructions before leaving.
In fact, the deployment of various forces outside during this period was complicated, so Xia Mingyu did not dare to make any rash moves.
Now, with no storms yet, the capital city remains calm and composed.
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