When A-Shu heard Jiang Ling's question, she pouted and looked at Jiang Ling coquettishly, saying, "Good sister, you can save a stranger, how could you harm me?"
Hearing A-Shu's words, Jiang Ling felt a mix of emotions.
Ultimately, Jiang Ling couldn't refuse her hospitality and stayed in the room next to A-Shu's.
However, what Jiang Ling didn't know was that on this night, someone received a message from a carrier pigeon, and his expression changed drastically as he rushed towards Shengjing without stopping.
The next morning, A-Shu, along with Chun Chan and several maids, arrived at Jiang Ling's room. After a period of washing and dressing, the maids exclaimed in admiration.
"Sister Lotus, you look so much younger!"
"Yes, yes, Sister Lotus, I never expected you to be so beautiful!"
The exclamations of praise only made Jiang Ling more nervous. Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, she knew that this trip was fraught with danger, and there was even a possibility that she might not return.
But there's no turning back now that things have come to this point; she can't afford to regret it.
A-Shu led Jiang Ling into the carriage bound for the capital. Jiang Ling remained silent the entire way, constantly fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. Seeing Jiang Ling's distress, A-Shu assumed she was nervous due to her lack of experience with the world.
She gently patted Jiang Ling's shoulders to comfort her, "Don't be afraid, everything will be alright. The Empress Dowager is very kind!"
Looking into A-Shu's clear eyes, Jiang Ling couldn't help but feel a little regretful. She opened her mouth and hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she didn't say the words that were stuck in her chest. She just smiled and nodded at A-Shu.
Su Shunhe, riding at breakneck speed, exhausted three horses overnight before finally returning from a great distance.
"Xiumei! Xiumei!" Su Shunhe shouted anxiously as he pushed open the vermilion gate. He was now unshaven, with sunken eyes, and looked nothing like a prince.
Upon hearing the shouts, the woman known as Xiumei quickly came out from inside. She bowed to Su Shunhe and softly called out, "Master."
Su Shunhe gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead throbbing, grabbed Xiu Mei's wrist, and asked in a low voice, "You mean, you saw Jiang Shi?"
Xiumei was startled by Su Shunhe's sudden appearance. She shrank back, trembling all over, and nodded with trembling lips.
"Really?" Su Shunhe's eyes narrowed into slits, but the murderous intent within them was not concealed at all.
Xiumei dared not speak, she could only nod. Faced with Su Shunhe's powerful aura, Xiumei was as afraid as a quail.
"Where is he?" The concise and cold tone sent a shiver down Xiu Mei's spine.
"Going...and...Miss...to the Empress Dowager!" Xiumei tried hard to compose herself and make sure her words didn't sound incoherent.
Su Shunhe ignored the trembling Xiu Mei, flicked his sleeves, turned around, and strode towards the door.
Seeing Su Shunhe's departing figure, Xiu Mei let out a long sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground. At this moment, she regretted her words, but what was done was done, and Xiu Mei could only secretly pray that she had not misjudged him.
The carriage stopped at the gate of the imperial city. The coachman took out a pre-prepared token, and the guard nodded to let it pass.
The carriage stopped shortly afterward, and A-Shu skillfully alighted from it, waving to Jiang Ling who was sitting inside, signaling her to get down as well.
Jiang Ling followed closely behind. This was the first time Jiang Ling had ever seen the imperial city in person; she had only ever seen it in period dramas before.
However, it looks roughly the same as in period dramas, just not as magnificent.
"Let's go, I'll take you there!" A-Shu said, glancing at Jiang Ling who was looking around.
"Good sister, you can't just look around randomly when you come to see us, or you'll easily cause unnecessary trouble! Just stay behind me! Don't worry! The Empress Dowager is very kind!" A-Shu reminded Jiang Ling again.
Jiang Ling nodded, lowered her head slightly, and followed closely behind A-Shu.
A-Shu skillfully led Jiang Ling through many twists and turns to the place where the flower viewing banquet was held in the harem.
Although Jiang Ling tried her best to hide her appearance, A Shu's identity seemed to attract a lot of attention. All the noble ladies who came greeted A Shu and even turned their attention to Jiang Ling, who was standing next to A Shu.
"Sister Shu, long time no see! Oh my, who is this unfamiliar face next to you?" A tinkling sound of jade pendants reached Jiang Ling's ears.
Jiang Ling stole a glance and saw a woman dressed in magnificent attire gracefully approaching. She was beautiful and radiant, with exquisite features and an unparalleled beauty. She exuded an extraordinary charm that could topple kingdoms.
Judging from the expensive fabric of the woman's clothes, Jiang Ling concluded that this woman's identity was definitely not ordinary.
"Oh my, Ruoxue, you look even more radiant than before!" A-Shu said flatteringly.
Ruoxue covered her mouth with her fan and chuckled secretly, teasingly saying, "Sister A-Shu is so good at talking, but Sister A-Shu hasn't introduced who this person next to you is yet?"
Upon hearing this, A-Shu frowned, but quickly relaxed again. She smiled and took Jiang Ling's arm, saying to Ruoxue, "A distant relative. We brought her along today because it's the Empress Dowager's flower-viewing banquet, so she can broaden her horizons!"
Ruoxue had no doubts after hearing this, and the two exchanged pleasantries again before saying goodbye.
Watching Ruoxue's departing figure, A-Shu gently patted her chest, stuck out her tongue at Jiang Ling, and whispered, "Be careful of that Du Ruoxue. Don't be fooled by her innocent appearance; she's wicked!"
After hearing this, Jiang Ling nodded perfunctorily, as if it were none of her business.
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!" Before A-Shu could say anything, a high-pitched voice reached everyone's ears.
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