She found an abandoned courtyard, took out her clothes from her spatial storage, changed into them, and then put the wet clothes back into her spatial storage before walking back out onto the street.
But little did they know, the capital had already changed.
In the grand capital of Kyoto, on the bustling streets, squads of soldiers in armor rode by on horseback, leaving trails of dust in their wake.
The people and vendors on both sides of the street scattered like startled birds, and the neighing of horses and the sound of hooves rose and fell, almost turning the entire capital upside down.
Shen Mingzhuang didn't go through the main gate, but instead used his skills to scale the walls and enter Yuehua Courtyard.
When Liu saw her, her mouth was so wide open it could swallow an egg, and it took her a long time to come to her senses.
"Have you found Manhuan yet?"
Shen Mingzhuang asked anxiously. She couldn't waste time here. Who knew when those people would discover her presence? The Empress Dowager must have recognized her. She just didn't know if she had the strength to tell others that it was her at this moment.
She had to find Manhuan quickly and send her far away; if she continued to follow her, Manhuan's life would be in danger.
Upon hearing this, Madam Liu shook her head vigorously, "No, our people have been searching for a long time, but we haven't found Man Huan. She left after sending the message that day, and we don't know where she is now."
If they haven't found it yet, then who could have taken it away? Manhuan couldn't possibly not know to go back.
Thinking about these things, she couldn't help but feel restless and agitated.
But reason told her that being anxious now would be useless. Man Huan had either been kidnapped or had met with misfortune. In any case, she had to find a way to find her.
As Liu gradually came to her senses, she thought about the news coming from the palace, her daughter's miscarriage, and the culprit right in front of her. If she caught the person and sent her to the authorities, would she be able to shut her up forever?
After thinking for a moment, she changed her mind and said, "But my maid is still searching outside. This capital is so big, how can we search the whole capital so quickly? Why don't you wait and I'll go ask. The same goes for the First Madam and the Second Madam."
As she was about to leave, Shen Mingzhuang, not being foolish, flashed and blocked Liu's path.
"Aunt Liu, they say we should never forget the kindness of the well-digger when we drink the water. What are you trying to do?"
Seeing this, Aunt Liu couldn't help but sneer. Shen Mingzhuang was very different from before. She dared to lay a hand on Wenxin, so she might not be afraid to lay a hand on her. She still had to be careful.
After thinking for a moment, Lady Liu's expression changed, and she smiled, "No, no, Your Highness, you are overthinking it."
Shen Mingzhuang glanced coldly at Liu Shi and said in a deep voice, "Once the news of my visit gets out, your head will roll tomorrow. Liu Shi, you are not a fool. The Tenth Young Master is still young. You don't want him to call someone else 'Mother' so early, do you?"
Upon hearing this, Liu shuddered.
After Shen Mingzhuang finished speaking, he disappeared outside the courtyard wall. Only then did Liu Shi come back to her senses, clutching her chest.
Who can she turn to for help now? If she shows up in the capital looking like this, trouble will surely follow. She can deal with one or two of them, but it will be troublesome if she continues like this.
If only she had the ability to disguise herself, she thought of Song Yi.
As the sun set, Song Yi emerged from the palace, feeling somewhat weary.
As soon as he returned to the Duke's mansion, his mother, Yin Zhao, summoned him over.
"How is the Empress Dowager?"
"The imperial physicians have examined her, and the Empress Dowager has barely survived. However, she will never be able to stand up again and will be bedridden for the rest of her life. She cannot move anything below her neck and can only speak one word at a time."
"That's her older sister after all," Yin Zhao thought, her heart sinking.
Thinking of how her mother always mingled with the Duchess of Wei and interfered in the Empress Dowager's affairs, Song Yi, despite her headache, reminded her mother: "Since the Empress Dowager hasn't summoned you, Mother, you should just stay home and pretend you know nothing. Even if your aunt comes to ask you to come to the palace with her, you'd better decline."
This was the first time Yin Zhao had seen her son so earnestly admonish her. Thinking that her son was the pillar of the family, she couldn't help but panic and hurriedly asked, "Why is that? That's your aunt."
"If my aunt commits a serious crime, will our family also be implicated and punished?"
One sentence left Yin Zhao speechless.
After saying that, he rubbed his temples wearily and turned to walk towards his own yard.
Yin Zhao then remembered that she had something she wanted to discuss with her son, and that his marriage should be put on the agenda. However, her son always avoided the topic, which gave her a real headache.
Song Yi returned to his courtyard, and as soon as he stepped inside, he realized something was wrong. "Who's in there?"
Shen Mingzhuang stepped forward. Song Yi's eyebrows twitched slightly. He looked around and then turned and went into the house.
"How dare you show your face like this? Aren't you afraid I'll arrest you and take you to the palace to demand a reward?"
Shen Mingzhuang curled her lips into a smile. Her red lips and white teeth made her look stunning and very attractive, especially to men.
In the past, Song Yi would have simply admired the beauty before him like a vase in his heart. But now, he knew that this woman was far more unfathomable than he had imagined, and that even his martial arts skills were not superior to hers. As for the Shen family's illegitimate daughter in Jiangzhou, if he still thought that way, he deserved to have his head chopped off by those who were eyeing him covetously.
"If you wanted to ask for a reward by mentioning me, you wouldn't have deliberately let me off the hook knowing I was there, would you?"
Shen Mingzhuang leaned lazily against the flower stand by the window. The sunlight cleverly outlined half of her silhouette, revealing a breathtaking beauty. It turns out that some people can be so captivating that even their shadows are mesmerizing.
Song Yi was, after all, a man, and even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. Even though he was always very self-disciplined, he couldn't help but swallow slightly. Shen Mingzhuang heard this clearly, smiled, and thought about how Song Yi would show his fangs and ascend to the throne a few years later if everything went smoothly. He felt wary, but his face remained calm and composed. He smiled and said, "Young General Song is a talented young man. No matter what your reason was for saving me that day, I am grateful for your kindness. If you can do me a favor, I will grant you whatever you wish to do."
As she spoke, she walked up to Song Yi with a wicked smile, and for a moment, Song Yi was truly stunned.
What do you want?
He asked the question almost without thinking, only to realize his mistake immediately. This woman was dangerous, and he shouldn't have continued to get involved with her. But asking the question meant he was considering what she had said. If he went along with her, what good would it do him?
There's a saying that goes, "The more beautiful a woman is, the more venomous she is." Shen Mingzhuang is indeed exceptionally beautiful, but is it really worth being so infatuated with her appearance that he loses all sense of direction?
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