Chapter 54
She paused and looked at Shen Yanzhi, as if asking for his opinion, but what she said was a decision that could not be questioned.
"...Just stay in Qingxin Cottage and rest assured to take care of your pregnancy. From tomorrow onwards, all purchases and meals in this courtyard will be transferred back to the main courtyard for unified allocation and inspection.
For the safety of Madam Wen and the Prince, I believe this time, she won't feel it's a 'judgment' anymore."
These words were heartbreaking. Not only did they strip Wen Yue of all her dignity and power, but they also completely refuted the very rhetoric she had used to gain sympathy, turning it into the ultimate irony.
Shen Yanzhi's throat rolled for a moment, and finally squeezed out a single word from between his teeth: "Accurate."
He didn't want to stay here any longer and left in anger.
Cui Jingyue looked at his hurriedly departing back, then glanced at Wen Yue, who was lying on the bed in a daze, looking ashen. A very faint, almost invisible arc appeared at the corner of her mouth.
The tiger's nap was over. The clever fox finally got himself into a cage.
The door of Qingxin Cottage was locked from the outside with a dull creak.
This copper lock not only locks up Wen Yue's freedom, but also all her hopes and dignity.
The courtyard that was bustling with people and fawning over it a few days ago became deserted overnight. It was so quiet that you could hear the rustling sound of wind blowing through the leaves.
Wen Yue sat blankly in front of the window, still wearing the gorgeous soft Yanluo, but now it seemed like a heavy costume, wrapping around her dazed body.
She lost, completely. Everything she had carefully planned was like a child's trick in front of Cui Jingyue, and was easily exposed, making her the laughing stock of the entire palace.
The shrill screams of Chunhe when she was dragged away seemed to still echo in her ears.
That was her most capable confidant, and her last resort. Now, the only ones left by her side were Bizhu, who had been transferred from the main courtyard, and a few trembling maids who dared not even breathe.
Every day, Bizhu just silently did her job. The look in his eyes when he looked at her was neither sad nor happy, as if he was looking at an object. This silent indifference made her more uncomfortable than any scolding.
Shen Yanzhi never came again. He didn't even send anyone to pass on a message. This complete and cold disregard chilled her heart even more than her rage.
She knew that in his heart, she had changed from a woman who needed pity and compensation to a calculating, stupid and malicious troublemaker. All her hard work had gone to waste.
The child in her belly, once her most proud weapon, has now become her only shackle. Because of this child, she was not immediately kicked out of the house, but also because of this child, she must be trapped in this small place like a prisoner, accepting Cui Jingyue's "meticulous" care.
The three meals a day returned to their old routine. The maid from the main courtyard would deliver the food boxes on time. In front of Bizhu, she would inspect each dish with a silver needle and then stir each dish with silver chopsticks. Once she was sure everything was right, she would coldly say, "Auntie, please enjoy your meal," and then leave.
This process was even more rigorous and humiliating than before. It was like a constant reminder that she was an untrustworthy criminal who needed to be strictly monitored. But this time, she didn't even have the right to cry out "I'm afraid."
In sharp contrast to the dead silence of Qingxin Cottage is the orderliness of the main courtyard.
Cui Jingyue had regained her firm control over the core of the palace. Those stewards who had once acted according to the wind now kept their tails between their legs, not even daring to raise their heads when they went to the main courtyard to answer questions.
They finally understood that no matter how the wind in the palace changed, the one who would ultimately decide would be this seemingly gentle but actually extremely resourceful princess.
That night, after Shen Yanzhi finished his official business, he somehow walked to the main courtyard.
Cui Jingyue was sitting under a lamp, holding not an account book but a military intelligence report from the border. This was her habit; as the daughter of a general, her keen understanding of the military and political affairs of the court was no less than that of a man.
"Your Highness." She heard footsteps and raised her head, her expression still as calm as ever.
"Are you still asleep?" Shen Yanzhi sat down opposite her, looking at her beautiful and calm profile in the candlelight, feeling mixed emotions.
He had been avoiding her these past few days because he felt embarrassed. It turned out that he was wrong and she was right.
His momentary weakness and confusion had nearly caused a disaster and left her feeling wronged. But she had never complained, not even a hint of pride in his presence.
She just quietly cleaned up the mess he left behind and put everything back on track.
This calmness and magnanimity made him admire her, but also feel a little alienated.
"I can't sleep, let me read something." Cui Jingyue put down the newspaper and told Luzhu, "Bring the prince a cup of calming tea."
"No need." Shen Yanzhi waved his hand, was silent for a moment, and finally spoke a little stiffly, "Wen Yue...what happened over there is all thanks to you."
This is a disguised apology.
Cui Jingyue picked up her teacup and blew gently away the steam. "I am the mistress of the palace, and this is my duty. It's not a matter of loss or gain."
Her tone was so calm, so calm that Shen Yanzhi felt that his guilt was unnecessary. He rubbed his brows in annoyance, "I just didn't expect her to be so... ignorant."
"Human hearts are inherently fickle." Cui Jingyue took a sip of tea and said calmly, "A person's character is most clearly revealed in times of prosperity. Your Highness will face the entire world in the future, not just the harem. Knowing people and discerning their hearts is the foundation of the art of being an emperor. Your Highness, consider today's events a lesson learned in advance."
Her words, without the slightest hint of accusation, were like a precise scalpel, dissecting the crux of the matter that had been plaguing him for the past few days. He hadn't lost to a woman's tears, but to his own poor judgment.
Shen Yanzhi suddenly looked up at her. Under the candlelight, her eyes were clear and deep, as if she could see through everything. He suddenly realized that he seemed to have never truly understood this princess.
He had always thought that she was just a well-matched, dignified and virtuous decoration, but he forgot that she came from the Cui family, a century-old military family, and had been influenced by her family since childhood. How could she have the same concerns as an ordinary girl?
"You..." He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. Thousands of words turned into a long sigh in the end.
The atmosphere in the room was a little stagnant for a moment.
But in a corner of the palace, in Hibiscus Garden, the scene was completely different.
Song Qingyuan listened to Caiwei's vivid description of the farce at Qingxin Cottage and just smiled. Unlike the others, she did not rush to the main courtyard to express her loyalty to Cui Jingyue, nor did she take advantage of Wen Yue's misfortune.
She still lived her leisurely life, gardening, tending the grass, playing chess and reading.
That evening, Shen Yanzhi came out of the main courtyard, feeling a sense of gloom in his heart. Instead of returning to his study, he wandered around the palace casually. Before he knew it, he came to a bamboo forest.
The evening breeze passed through the forest, bringing with it a faint fragrance. It was not the scent of flowers, nor the scent of cosmetics, but a clear and sweet woody aroma that made people feel refreshed.
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