Chapter 55 Identity. Bloodline
She turned around and looked at Zhou Yan'an and Chu Yue.
"We're not going back home."
Her voice was soft, but it carried an unquestionable determination.
"Return to the palace."
She looked at Chu Yue, "Chu Yue, what do you think?"
Chu Yue was stunned for a moment. She was originally a palace lady, so naturally there was no problem: "I already live in the palace."
Chen He turned his gaze to Zhou Yan'an.
Zhou Yan'an met her gaze. He had concealed the slight acrimony he had felt earlier. He looked calm and said with a faint smile, "I'm alone, so it doesn't matter where I go."
He paused, then changed the subject, with a hint of reminder:
"However, Miss Shen's status is different. She did not return home late at night, but went to the palace's other courtyard. If the news gets out..."
"I'm afraid it will damage your reputation."
Chen He shook her head, the cold moonlight shining on her face, making her expression even more determined.
"I can't care about that anymore."
"There are too many suspicious points in what happened tonight. The fire at Renxinzhai was definitely not an accident. We must meet immediately to sort out our thoughts."
She lowered her voice, pointedly, and glanced at the three of them:
"Besides...I'm afraid the night will be long and full of dreams."
The contents of that crucial account book need to be checked immediately!
Zhou Yan'an instantly understood her concerns and unspoken words.
Although the small courtyard in the palace is remote, it is at least under the feet of the emperor.
He nodded slightly and said no more, expressing his agreement.
"good."
Chen He did not stop and gestured to Chu Yue and Gu Yu.
"Let's go back to the palace."
The four of them no longer hesitated and turned to walk towards the palace. Their figures quickly blended into the deeper night, leaving only the empty streets and the majestic yet cold general's mansion.
***
The four of them walked through the quiet paths in the palace under the hazy moonlight.
Logically speaking, it should be quiet, deserted and pitch black at this moment.
In the distance, a faint warm yellow glow appeared in the haze ahead, gently penetrating the night.
Chu Yue and Gu Yu exchanged a puzzled look. Without saying a word, they understood each other's thoughts.
Chen He's pace slowed down unconsciously, a barely perceptible wrinkle appeared between his brows, and he was secretly alert.
Indeed, something is different.
As they approached step by step, not only were the lights brightly lit, the warm light dispelling the chill around them, but even more surprising was -
On the courtyard wall, several brightly colored ribbons swayed gently in the wind, like children's dreams, whispering in the silence of the night.
There are also those small wind chimes with slightly rough craftsmanship. As the breeze gently collides, they make crisp and pleasant tinkling sounds, adding a bit of innocent childishness and an indescribable warmth to this simple and elegant courtyard.
All of this seems to be silently telling that there is an unusual story hidden here.
Zhou Yan'an raised his eyes lazily, his gaze swept across the childish decorations, and a hint of almost invisible surprise flashed in his eyes.
And beside the small stone table in the middle of the yard, there was a figure sitting.
The man was wearing an exquisite brocade robe that didn't quite match the environment. He had his head down, concentrating on fiddling with a few wooden soldiers on the table, and was mumbling something.
It’s the Sixth Prince, Xiao Jingchi.
Shen He didn't have time to react.
Xiao Jingchi seemed to hear footsteps and suddenly raised his head.
When he saw clearly that the person coming was Chen He, his originally clear eyes instantly widened, as if he had discovered some rare treasure, and suddenly burst into dazzling brilliance.
"Sister He!"
His voice was clear and loud, filled with undisguised joy.
The next moment, he threw away the little wooden figure in his hand, and the table was scattered with a clang of noise.
The whole person rushed towards Chen He like a small cannonball!
"Sister He! You're finally back!"
He suddenly rushed to Chen He, and his little hand naturally stretched out for her sleeve. Although the force was light, it was full of a clinging intention that could not be ignored, with a bit of childish stubbornness.
Chen He instinctively took half a step back, then stabilized his body without any disturbance.
Xiao Jingchi raised his pretty little face, his eyes full of grievance, his lips slightly pursed, as if they could hold a crescent moon:
"Why didn't you come to see me first when you entered the palace?"
"I've been waiting and waiting!"
"Could it be that the cakes in the palace are not to your liking?"
He asked questions in rapid succession, his focus always so... different.
"Sister He, do you not like Jing Chi anymore?"
The last sentence was tentative and cautious, with a hint of nasal sound as if about to cry.
Looking at him like this, Chen He's unhappiness at being unexpectedly disturbed instantly vanished, leaving only a bit of helplessness and indulgence.
"I didn't stop by to see you," she softened her voice. "Didn't I come here after finishing my business?"
She raised her hand and rubbed his head as she did in her previous life.
Zhou Yan'an stood a few steps away and took in the entire scene.
His originally somewhat distracted eyes slightly focused the moment he saw Xiao Jingchi pounce on Chen He.
Looking at the Sixth Prince, who was dressed in fine clothes and fed with delicious food and carefully served by palace servants, he was now acting like a child asking for candy, acting coquettishly to Chen He without any scruples.
And Chen He, the daughter of General Zhenbei who had just spoken sharply and with such imposing manner in front of the general's mansion, did not show any impatience at this moment. Instead, she revealed a gentleness and comfort that she herself might not even be aware of.
It’s really... dazzling.
Zhou Yan'an's gaze fell on Xiao Jingchi's innocent, even "silly" face.
A mentally retarded prince.
But he has one of the most noble bloodlines in the world.
He could enjoy all this as a matter of course and could get close to her without restraint.
In my heart, the bitter feeling that was forcibly suppressed in front of the general's mansion surged up again like a tide, bringing with it an even clearer chill.
Yeah, he almost forgot again.
Identity. Bloodline.
This is the coldest and strongest barrier between people.
He suddenly thought of Xue Minglan.
I remembered what the young man in brocade clothes said to me outside the fire scene, gritting his teeth and with endless resentment.
"It's that idiot's turn, but not mine..."
yes.
It's that fool's turn.
Because he is a prince.
And what about Zhou Yan'an?
An unknown person who makes a living in the Ministry of Justice and even keeps his background a secret.
Even if Chen He looks at him differently at this moment, what can he do?
After all, there is a world of difference. *
At that moment, Zhou Yan'an strangely developed an inexplicable understanding of the young master from the Marquis's Mansion.
I understand the pain of knowing that it is impossible but still unwilling to give up.
I understand the frustration of being pinned to the spot by one's identity and unable to move.
He pulled the corners of his mouth silently, and the lazy smile that usually hung on his lips, with a bit of cynicism, disappeared silently.
Instead, there was a flash of sadness in the depths of his eyes, which he himself was not even aware of.
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