The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 59: Marriage with His Highness will be imminent.

Pei Du didn't hold the teacup steady, and the scalding tea spilled onto his skin, instantly turning it red.

He calmly put down his teacup without saying a word.

Si Beihuan spoke calmly, though with a hint of indignation.

The way he looked at Jiang Jinshuang was as if she had stolen his own cabbage!
They even seemed somewhat wary.

It was as if they were afraid that Jiang Jinshuang would suddenly become "beastly" and devour the weak and powerless Si Ning!
Jiang Jinshuang almost laughed out of anger.

Si Ning, who was standing to the side, smiled faintly upon hearing this.

He said softly, "Father, we have other matters to discuss here."

Upon hearing this, Si Beihuan's gaze fell on Pei Du and Shen Huaihe.

The two greeted each other respectfully.

Si Beihuan lived in Jiangnan for most of the year, but he also knew a little about things in the capital.

—Take the current Grand Secretary, for example. Even in the Jiangnan region, Si Beihuan has heard of his reputation!

"Your Excellency, I have long admired your name." Si Beihuan nodded slightly to Pei Du.

Pei Du bowed slightly: "Greetings, Head of the Bei Huan Clan."

Si Beihuan returned after leaving, all for the purpose of getting Si Ning to move out of the princess's residence.

Now that everything was explained, he added to Si Ning's instructions: "Move out as soon as possible. You two will get married in the future, so you should avoid suspicion now!"

Si Ning smiled helplessly: "I've got it."

Si Beihuan glared at Jiang Jinshuang again before turning and leaving.

For a moment, an eerie silence returned to the main hall.

The teacup beside me is slightly cold.

Pei Du tapped the table lightly, and a maidservant brought over a teapot and poured him another cup.

Si Ning looked quietly at someone in the guest seat, then lowered her eyes and smiled.

"I still have some doubts about the essay written by the former Grand Secretary when he was the top scholar. If the Grand Secretary has the time, I would like to ask him a few questions."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang knew that Si Ning was creating an opportunity for her and Shen Huaihe to be alone together.

She slowly stood up and looked at Shen Huaihe: "Let's go, Lord Shaoqing. Since that's the case, why don't you accompany me for a stroll?"

Shen Huaihe also got up.

He glanced at Pei Du beside him, then turned to Jiang Jinshuang: "Your humble servant obeys."

……

Shen Huaihe followed Jiang Jinshuang out of the main hall.

"The rockery and cold spring in my backyard are quite beautiful. Would you like to come with me to take a look, Lord Shaoqing?" Jiang Jinshuang asked with a smile.

Shen Huaihe had no objections and followed Jiang Jinshuang to the backyard of the princess's residence.

It rained heavily for several days in a row a few days ago.

Many peach petals inside the princess's residence were knocked down and fell into the mud.

Now that the rain has receded, the grass still faintly carries the fragrance of peach blossoms.

Stepping on the soft grass, you can hear a soft rustling sound from time to time.

"Shen Huaihe, how many years have we known each other?"

Jiang Jinshuang asked out of the blue.

Shen Huaihe stared ahead, his red robe damp, which made him appear even colder.

"Seven or eight years," he replied expressionlessly.

The Shen family was initially just an unknown minor official in the capital. Later, Shen Huaihe entered officialdom and rose to his current position thanks to his talent and learning.

—He had been an official for many years, and he had known Jiang Jinshuang for just as many years.

Shen Huaihe was an upright and incorruptible man who was not afraid of powerful figures. Even when Jiang Jinshuang was at the height of her favor, she made a mistake and Shen Huaihe dared to impeach her in front of the Emperor.

The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it.

Shen Huaihe was a loner who never formed cliques or participated in any factional struggles in the court, which made him resented by many people.

Jiang Jinshuang secretly helped Shen Huaihe thwart several assassination attempts.

—It's just that Shen Huaihe didn't know that.

The two of them have been irreconcilable enemies for so many years. Now that she has returned to the capital, she no longer wields immense power. Anyone can step on her head.

But Shen Huaihe, who had always been at odds with her, spoke righteously and deliberately, saying, "Now that I am in this position, there is no one I cannot touch."

Shen Huaihe was indeed a good official.

"Then Shen Huaihe, if I ask you something, will you lie to me?" Jiang Jinshuang asked again.

The man beside her stopped in his tracks.

Dressed in a bright red official robe, he stood under the peach tree, more dazzling than the blossoms themselves.

"A minister should be trustworthy in his word."

Shen Huaihe spoke, his gaze clear and upright through the peach blossoms. "Alright, then I'll ask you," Jiang Jinshuang looked at him earnestly, "why are the case files from three years ago regarding the Prince Ruiyang case blank?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Huaihe's eyes flickered.

Jiang Jinshuang continued to look at him, her gaze unwavering.

Peach blossoms fell on the man's shoes.

for a long time.

Shen Huaihe's voice turned slightly cold: "So Your Highness went through all this trouble to set up this trap, risking your life, just to look through the Dali Temple's files on Prince Ruiyang, is that right?"

Instead of answering, he asked a question.

Meeting Shen Huaihe's slightly cold gaze, Jiang Jinshuang nodded: "Yes."

His beautiful, thin lips pressed into a line, Shen Huaihe's tone was cold and deep: "Does Your Highness know that investigating past cases without His Majesty's decree is a capital offense?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang merely raised her eyebrows: "Shen Huaihe, you already guessed my purpose, didn't you?"

Shen Huaihe remained silent, his gaze deep.

Jiang Jinshuang chuckled lightly: "I arranged that assassin. After the assassin escaped, I had someone find a corpse to take the blame."

"With your keen senses, there's no way you would have buried the assassin's body so hastily without examining it."

"You buried the body simply because you condoned what I did."

At this point, Jiang Jinshuang raised an eyebrow slightly: "Lord Shaoqing, do you have ulterior motives?"

The man's brows furrowed even more.

Looking at Shen Huaihe in front of her, Jiang Jinshuang's smile gradually faded.

She looked at him intently and said slowly, "Shen Huaihe, I want an answer."

Peach blossoms fluttered in the air, only to be crushed into the dust.

"What will you do if the result is not what you want?"

"I only need one answer."
-
In the main hall.

Si Ning sat to one side of the main seat, smiling as she faced the man beside her.

Pei Du was dressed in red, and was upright and dignified.

"I just saw that the Grand Secretary accidentally burned his hand. Is there anything else?" Si Ning asked with a smile.

"It's all alright now, thank you for your concern, Mr. Si Ning."

Si Ning still smiled: "To my shame, the Grand Secretary must have heard what my father said."

"Your Highness and I have already expressed our feelings for each other, and we may get married soon."

"His Highness said that once things in the capital are settled, he will marry into the Jiangnan region with me."

At this point, Si Ning seemed somewhat troubled and smiled awkwardly: "Although we two are now of one mind, I am still hesitant and do not know how to prove my feelings to Your Highness."

He looked at Pei Du, his smile unchanged: "I've heard that the Grand Secretary and His Highness once had a... past relationship. I think perhaps the Grand Secretary understands His Highness better?"

The teacup in my hand is made of blue and white porcelain.

In the teacup, the green tea leaves were swirling and rolling around in the hot water.

Pei Du rubbed the rim of the teacup with his fingertips, causing the tea to ripple slightly.

"What would you like to ask, Mr. Si Ning?"

Si Ning smiled gently: "Does the Grand Secretary know... what His Highness likes the most? I think that I should cater to his preferences in order to express my feelings."

The tea leaves, which had been rising and falling, eventually settled at the bottom of the cup.

It became lifeless.

In fact, Pei Du did not like to drink the third brew of tea, as it was less bitter but more astringent.

He's not used to drinking it.

But he drank that kind of tea for six years.

Sometimes, habit is a deadly thing.

He was used to placing a branch of flowers on his desk every spring; he was used to stroking the lustrous ivory tablet when attending court; and he was also used to the astringent taste of the third brew of tea.

Habits are hard to change.

—He doesn't want to change either.

He stubbornly believed that as long as these things remained, nothing had changed.

For three years in a row, he faithfully cleaned the princess's bedroom and side halls until they were spotless, just as when she was still alive.

He would learn to make shredded pork noodles from that noodle shop that had long since closed down, because she would always be angry with him if he couldn't get the freshest noodles.

He doesn't want to change anything.

Finally, he looked up, and the man's cold and indifferent gaze fell upon him.

"I."

(End of this chapter)