"You!" Princess Chaoyang was so angry that she almost wanted to rush up and scold her.
Concubine Shen’s face subtly darkened as she listened to Xin He’s words, having an intuition that this girl is not that simple.
Her words probably not only meant to mock Chaoyang, but also implied that her timing was deliberate, right? What did she see through?
Concubine Shen became vigilant and her expression became more solemn.
Lord Liu hurriedly agreed: "Yes, yes, there’s no need to rush this case. After the banquet at the princess’s mansion is over, I will continue the investigation. I cannot disturb Consort Guifei and the princess’s enjoyment, right?"
He couldn’t afford to offend these important figures; getting such a result was already good enough. He decided to be wise and protect himself.
Concubine Shen nodded, and Lord Liu quickly left with his subordinates.
As Lord Liu and the others left, the Wutong Garden became empty. Chaoyang immediately noticed a little boy standing next to Ji Xinhe, glaring viciously at her as if he wanted to eat her alive.
The little boy shrank back in fear behind Xin He.
Xin He said: "Since this case still needs investigation, let’s keep this servant with me for the time being. After all, he is a witness. If something happens to him in the princess’s mansion, it might be even harder for the princess to clear her involvement, isn’t it?"
Concubine Shen said: "Xin He’s words make sense. In that case, let this servant follow you. Otherwise, if something really happens to him in the princess’s mansion, it will be even more difficult for Chaoyang to justify herself."
Chaoyang clenched her teeth and eventually agreed.
Only then did Concubine Shen smile and said, "What are you all doing standing around here? I’ve heard about the unique Bird and Flower Terrace in the princess’s mansion, and today I’d like to see it for myself."
The little eunuch nearby hurriedly bowed and chuckled, "Please, Your Highness!"
Concubine Shen turned and walked away, with Chaoyang and the others following closely.
Watching everyone leaving, Xin He patted the little servant’s head and told Shulan, "You take him back to the mansion first."
Shulan worriedly said, "Allow me to accompany Miss, I’m not at ease."
"There’s no need to accompany me, it’s just a small banquet," Xin He casually smiled and then squatted down, telling the little boy, "Follow Shulan to Hou Mansion, I will arrange everything for you later. Be good."
Perhaps it was because the boy’s eyebrows and eyes resembled Xiao Bei’s, Xin He unconsciously showed a rare gentleness towards him and couldn’t bear to treat him harshly.
Instead, she wanted to treat him better.
The little boy was very sensible and nodded, "I know."
Then he added, "You should be careful, too."
Xin He smiled and stood up, "You guys go first, I’m heading to the Bird and Flower Terrace."
"Yes."
----
As Consort Guifei arrived, the atmosphere at the Bird and Flower Terrace became more restrained and solemn. After all, she was the emperor’s favorite concubine. Although her title was just Imperial Concubine, who didn’t know that the Empress in the palace was just a puppet.
Speaking of the Empress, there was actually a story. The emperor was once the least favored prince by the late Emperor. Naturally, the Empress was also hastily chosen, a girl from a fading noble Guo Family in the capital. Of mediocre background and plain appearance, the emperor was not fond of her at all.
The emperor saw his marriage to her as an insult from the late emperor, so after his ascension, he became increasingly cold towards her, favoring the amazing Concubine Shen instead. Everyone whispered behind closed doors that Concubine Shen would be the future Empress!
So the respect everyone had for Concubine Shen came from a reason.
Right now, Concubine Shen was sitting in a pavilion in the middle of a lake, surrounded by draping curtains. A cool breeze blew, bringing a refreshing chill. The pavilion was filled with blocks of ice, making it an incredibly pleasant place to escape the summer heat. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Originally, many young ladies were seated in the pavilion, mostly trying to please Concubine Shen with jokes, making the atmosphere seemingly harmonious.
Not to mention how important Concubine Shen was, the Shen Family had also become a top-notch household in the capital city, mainly because they were highly valued by the emperor!
Which family in the capital wouldn’t benefit from being connected to the Shen Family?
Concubine Shen was also happily chatting with the young ladies until she saw Xin He entering the Bird and Flower Terrace from a distance. She then told the little eunuch beside her, "Go and invite Lady Li over."
"Yes!" The little eunuch responded and hurriedly ran off.
Chaoyang was very dissatisfied, "What is Consort Guifei inviting her for? This wicked person just loves to go against me!"
Shen Yilin chimed in, "Exactly, this Li Xinhe always targets Princess Your Highness."
Concubine Shen’s smile was faint, "Why are you going through the roof because of a little quarrel between children?"
"I..." Chaoyang wanted to continue, but seeing Concubine Shen lowering her head to drink tea, she realized that she did not want to continue talking, so she reluctantly closed her mouth.
Concubine Shen put down the tea cup and then looked at Shen Yilin, "As far as I can remember, your family was a more distant branch of the Shen family, right?"
Shen Yilin was taken aback when Concubine Shen suddenly mentioned her family and hurriedly replied, "Yes, my father is actually..."
But before she could finish her sentence, Concubine Shen interrupted her with a light voice, "So you’re considered my relative. But how come I don’t recall having such talkative relatives in the Shen family?"
Shen Yilin’s face changed, realizing that Concubine Shen was scolding her for being overly flattering.
Just as they were talking, the little eunuch led Ji Xinhe in, "Your Highness, Miss Li is here."
Concubine Shen finally said: "Alright, you can all step down. I have a few words to say to Miss Li. With all the people around, it’s quite noisy."
Princess Chaoyang reluctantly stood up and left.
Shen Yilin gritted her teeth, her expression stiff as she got up and bowed before following the other ladies out of the pavilion.
The servants retreated as well.
Only Xin He and Concubine Shen were left.
The breeze in the pavilion gradually weakened and the curtains that hung around it stopped fluttering, making the place even more peaceful and tranquil.
Concubine Shen looked at Xin He and smiled, "Sit."
After giving a bow, Xin He sat down, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Concubine Shen looked at her, and her smile at the corner of her lips took on a rare, genuine warmth, "It’s rare to see a girl as intelligent as you."
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