Prime Minister

Chapter 230, Page 229: [Being in the Midst of It All]

Upon hearing Yun'er's report, Shen Qingluan's smile froze slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. However, the hint of seriousness in her eyes did not escape Xu Zhiwei's notice.

Xu Zhiwei unconsciously tightened her grip on the cloud-shaped cake, her heartstrings, which had just relaxed, suddenly tightened again.

"understood."

Shen Qingluan took a light breath, her voice regaining its usual clarity and competence, "Yun'er, go and inform the steward to prepare for welcoming the emperor. I'll go find my mother now. Also, instruct everyone in the household not to move around unnecessarily. Sister Xu, please sit for a moment while I go and make the arrangements."

Xu Zhiwei nodded, trying to suppress the unease churning in her heart: "Okay, you go ahead and do your work."

Shen Qingluan strode out of the room. The morning light had already filled the courtyard. The traces of the midnight battle had been carefully cleaned up, leaving only a few dark red stains in the cracks of the bluestone slabs that could not be completely washed away. The air still faintly carried the chilling scent of blood.

Main hall of the main courtyard.

Surrounded by a group of servants and maids, Madam Du rushed over. She had been living in fear all night, and the dark circles under her eyes were clearly visible. When she saw Shen Qingluan, she couldn't help but ask nervously, "Luan'er, why is Her Highness the Princess here at this time? Your father is not home, what should we do?"

Shen Qingluan grasped her mother's hand and said calmly, "Mother, don't panic. His Highness was coordinating things behind the scenes last night. The experts in the house who are responsible for protecting us are the Princess's personal guards. His Highness has come here to inquire about the theft last night and to appease people. We just need to be polite and answer truthfully."

Du nodded calmly, looking at her daughter who was even more composed than her, and felt somewhat relieved.

About fifteen minutes later, outside the main gate of Shen Garden.

Princess Yun'an's imperial carriage arrived as scheduled. There was no grand procession or loud music as expected. Instead, there were only about thirty guards in blue armor, with a dignified and imposing presence, escorting a low-key yet luxurious carriage with emerald canopies and pearl tassels, which came to a steady stop in front of the gate.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Princess Yun'an, dressed in a light purple palace gown, stepped down from the carriage with the help of Su Erniang.

She didn't wear many jewels, only a simple mutton-fat jade hairpin, yet her demeanor was dignified and unapproachable, her composure and nobility as if they were innate.

Shen Qingluan glanced at her quickly, then lowered her head again—Jiang Li's appearance was no less than hers, and about the same as Xu Zhiwei's, but her noble air made her aura stand out even more.

Du, accompanied by Shen Qingluan, Qi Sanyue, and others, led the servants and maids to respectfully bow at the foot of the steps in front of the gate, saying, "This humble woman, Du, respectfully welcomes Your Highness's carriage. May Your Highness be well!"

Meanwhile, the princess's personal guards, who had arrived at Shen Garden last night to set up defenses, also came to greet them outside the garden under the command of Yi Zhong.

"Flat body."

Jiang Li's tone was very calm, and there was no emotional fluctuation in her voice.

She glanced up at Shen Qingluan, her gaze lingering for a moment on her bright and clean face—she was indeed a rare beauty, and unlike the stereotypical image of a gentle and docile woman from Jiangnan, Shen Qingluan seemed to possess a natural optimism and cheerfulness, like the most radiant spring breeze in the area.

"There's no need for a large commotion. Let's answer the question in the main hall of the courtyard. Magistrate Xue has sent word that the bandits outside the city have been severely damaged and will be unable to cause trouble in the short term. The Yangzhou government is making every effort to wipe out the remaining rebels and appease the people who were disturbed last night."

As Jiang Li spoke, she naturally followed Shen Qingluan's guidance and walked into the main courtyard.

Upon hearing this, Madam Du's expression softened considerably, and she repeatedly said, "Thank you for your care and protection, Your Highness. The Shen family will always remember it!"

Jiang Li smiled faintly and said nothing more.

Later, in the main hall of the courtyard.

Jiang Li picked up the hot tea served by the maid, the rising steam blurring her delicate features. Her tone was as calm as if she were chatting casually: "I heard that the thieves came with great force last night. I wonder how much the Shen family suffered? Did they manage to protect their vitals?"

"Your Highness."

Shen Qingluan curtsied and replied clearly, "The thieves did attempt to storm the inner quarters, but thanks to the assistance of the elite troops Your Highness had previously dispatched, and the desperate protection of the garden guards, the women in the household and important locations were all unharmed."

"That's good."

Jiang Li nodded slightly, turned her gaze to Yi Zhong beside her, and said gently, "Submit the list of casualties of your soldiers as soon as possible, and I will certainly provide them with generous compensation."

Yi Zhong respectfully said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness!"

Jiang Li then inquired about the details of the previous night. After Yi Zhong reported, Shen Qingluan added, "Your Highness, the bandit leader Liu Ying led his men into the East Garden in the latter half of the night, their target being the renowned physician Xu Zhiwei of Jimintang, who was staying there. Although Miss Xu was frightened, she was unharmed. Liu Ying and his trusted subordinates have all been captured and are being held by the guards of my household. Since my father is not here, I have taken the liberty of deciding not to immediately transfer the bandits to the government office, but to await Your Highness and Lord Xue's personal handling of the matter."

Jiang Li took a sip of fragrant tea and nodded slightly, saying, "You did a good job. Xu Zhiwei is one of the key witnesses in this case, so let her come and see me as well. Also... I have some things I'd like to discuss with Miss Shen and Xu Zhiwei privately."

Du was taken aback; she had a vague feeling that something was amiss. Princess Yun'an arriving at Shen Garden so early in the morning was unusual. Normally, even if she really wanted to come here, she should have waited until Xue Huai returned to the city before coming together, rather than arriving in such a hurry, not to mention that she was now summoning Shen Qingluan and Xu Zhiwei separately.

At this moment, Shen Qingluan gave her mother a look, signaling her not to worry. Du Shi had no choice but to suppress her doubts and lead everyone away.

Shen Qingluan then invited Jiang Li to move to the adjacent warm pavilion, which Jiang Li gladly agreed to.

The warm room was elegantly furnished, and morning light streamed through the delicate window lattices onto the soft carpet, making it a more suitable place for informal conversations.

Jiang Li's heart stirred slightly. Shen Qingluan was clearly more sensible and proper than she had expected, and was by no means an ignorant young lady.

She sat calmly in the main seat, Su Erniang stood solemnly to the side, and Shen Qingluan stood below.

The hall door opened slightly, and Xu Zhiwei slowly stepped inside.

She changed into a simple, moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her black hair loosely tied up, her face slightly pale, still showing signs of fatigue from the night.

She walked to a spot about a step away from Shen Qingluan, and bowed to Jiang Li, who was seated on the throne, saying, "This humble woman, Xu Zhiwei, greets Your Highness, Princess."

"No gift."

Jiang Li gazed calmly at the two women standing side by side before her.

Shen Qingluan stood on the left below, her expression respectful but her back straight, her brows revealing a hint of untamed liveliness. The composure and calmness she had just displayed were incomparable to that of ordinary young ladies.

Xu Zhiwei stood a step behind Shen Qingluan. Jiang Li was immediately struck by her stunning beauty upon first sight. The woman's cold and aloof appearance was quite rare. No wonder Xue Huai used the pretext of plotting...

Jiang Li forcibly cut off any further thoughts. Wasn't her purpose in coming here to see these two people clearly?
One is Xue Huai's rightful and well-matched spouse from a good family background, and the other is a witness he painstakingly arranged to spend every day with; both are inextricably linked to him.

Jiang Li didn't think she was meddling. By now, she had already recognized Xue Huai as an ally, and she would do everything she could to help him rise to prominence. Under this premise, it wasn't unreasonable for her to know whether the people around him were reliable.

"Please take a seat, both of you."

Jiang Li lightly touched the smooth sandalwood armrest with her fingertips, breaking the subtle silence in the warm pavilion.

Standing to the side, Su Erniang watched Shen Qingluan and Xu Zhiwei bow and take their seats, then glanced at Jiang Li, who had a calm expression, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Jiang Li's calm gaze slowly swept between the two women, finally landing on Xu Zhiwei's face. Her tone sounded ordinary, but it contained a hidden intent: "Just now, I heard Miss Shen say that Liu Ying led her assassins into the East Garden, with your target being you? I wonder why she is so determined to see you?"

Xu Zhiwei's hands on her knees tightened slightly, and she lowered her eyelashes as she said, "Your Highness, Liu Ying raised me. Her desires may be either to deny that I am dead and to confirm it with her own eyes, or to end the past herself and put me to rest once she has lost the battle."

Jiang Li only wanted to see Xu Zhiwei's attitude towards Liu Ying in order to confirm the true nature of this folk healer, but Xu Zhiwei's self-description was so calm that it was almost cruel, without revealing the slightest impropriety.

The reserved curve of her lips remained unchanged, but a ripple appeared in her eyes. It was not dissatisfaction with Xu Zhiwei, but rather an interest that was not for outsiders to know. Shen Qingluan was more outstanding than she had imagined, and Xu Zhiwei's appearance and figure were also one in a million. She wondered how they would view each other.

Thinking of this, Jiang Li said gently, "Miss Xu, I heard that in order to solve this case, Magistrate Xue invited you to stay at his residence for more than two months under the pretext of recuperation. I wonder if you are getting used to living there?"

The phrase "living together" made the atmosphere inside the warm pavilion somewhat strange.

Su Erniang silently clenched her fingers. She suddenly realized that she had made a mistake; she should have tried her best to dissuade His Highness earlier.

This question, seemingly a test of Shen Qingluan, also reveals His Highness's own thoughts.
Xu Zhiwei, seemingly without much thought, respectfully replied, "Your Highness, the servants in Lord Xue's residence are all disciplined and dare not be negligent in the slightest. My daily needs are all properly arranged by the steward. Lord Xue is very busy and has only come to inquire a few times in the past two months, all concerning matters of Jimin Hall and Liu Ying's background. The residence is quiet and conducive to recuperation, and I can also calmly reflect on past details and clarify my own confusion. I dare not say that I am used to it, but I have certainly benefited from it."

Shen Qingluan listened quietly, a complicated feeling rising in her heart. She knew that Xue Huai was cautious and self-disciplined and would never cross the line, but she couldn't help but envy Xu Zhiwei. After all, she rarely met Xue Huai, let alone spent time together under the same roof.

Jiang Li took in the reactions of the two people, then gave Su Erniang a meaningful look, as if to say that everyone has limitations in their understanding and that no one in this world can be absolutely rational.

Su Erniang understood Jiang Li's gaze. She knew that Jiang Li's purpose in coming here was not to put on airs in front of the two women, much less to show off; she simply wanted to see their character and temperament firsthand. However…

Your Highness seems to have forgotten a very simple truth: some things can only be observed from the sidelines, not interfered with.

Once you're in the game, no one can be sure they can stay rational forever.

(End of this chapter)