In ancient times, the powerful and wealthy seized power step by step.

Because Shen Xu's attitude was so good today, Zhu Qingyu, wanting to test his limits, asked:

"So, Lord Shen, how do you plan to take care of him? Where will you arrange for him to be placed? You tell me he's still alive and well, but you won't let me see him. How am I supposed to know if it's true or not? What if you've actually already killed him?"

Hearing Zhu Qingyu ask this question, Shen Xu once again regretted his impulsiveness when he first met her.

If they had spoken kindly and listened to her explanations, observed her words and actions, and figured out what kind of person she really was beforehand, instead of acting rashly due to their own stereotypes and prejudices, perhaps the two of them wouldn't be in such a predicament now, constantly talking about life and death.

But no one can predict the future. If he were to meet her again, he might still make the same decision.

Shen Xu decided to give her a promise as a starting point for the two of them to begin peacefully and try to get along.

Although he understood that, given his image in her eyes, she might not believe this promise.

Shen Xudao:

"Madam Zhu, I can be frank with you today: Zhang Jingyan may die, but he will never die by my hand, because he is the same person I used to be."

Zhu Qingyu knew nothing about Shen Xu, so she couldn't understand a single word of what he said, and she didn't believe it at all.

He himself said before that the Embroidered Uniform Guards are the Emperor's swords, and swords have no right or wrong. How can someone who cannot even distinguish right from wrong keep his promises?

And why is Zhang Shen the same person he was before? Because Zhang Shen is in the Imperial Prison, and he himself had been in the Imperial Prison before.

That doesn't make sense either. There are plenty of people in the imperial prison, and he doesn't seem to show much compassion. Otherwise, he wouldn't have earned a reputation for being cruel and cold-blooded.

Zhu Qingyu tried to pull her hand away, attempting to ask more clearly:

"Why is he the same person you used to be? I don't quite understand. Could you explain it to me more clearly? Lord Shen, if you want me to take care of you and think about you in the future, you have to let me understand you. Otherwise, how will I know what kind of care and concern you want?"

Shen Xu held her hand tightly, not giving her a chance to pull it away.

Her hands were soft and warm, just like her.

He couldn't find such softness and warmth anywhere else. Perhaps it existed elsewhere, but he couldn't tell the difference, nor did he bother to.

Now that he's encountered it, why should others have it but he doesn't? He wants it too, he just wants it.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard excels at force and coercion; that's all they're good at. They can't think of any other way than to rob others of what they already have.

Shen Xu placed her hand next to his cheek, feeling the softness and warmth of her palm, as if he had returned to the lively and loving Shen family home where many people once loved him. He smiled and said:

"I used to have a fiancée who came to visit me in prison."

While Shen Xu was speaking, Zhu Qingyu remained quiet, looking at him intently and listening to him, without trying to pull her hand away again.

If things really come to a head, Zhang Shen's future and whether he can survive will all be in Shen Xu's hands. Then she must understand Shen Xu more, just like she tried to understand Gu Zhao back then.

Shen Xu's face was sharply defined and somewhat cold, like his knife.

But as Zhu Qingyu stared at him intently, she suddenly noticed that when he smiled, he had shallow dimples on his cheeks. These dimples blurred his age and even made him look somewhat youthful.

Indeed, since Shen Xu was the emperor's study companion, he must be the emperor's peer, probably in his early twenties, and most likely younger than her, also a younger brother. So when he entered the imperial prison, he was probably even younger.

In modern times, someone his age would be enjoying the best years of his life in university, but here, he is ordered by the emperor to fight and kill every day.

Under imperial power, life is indeed not easy for anyone.

Thinking of this, Zhu Qingyu's eyes and tone softened, and she asked gently:

"And then?"

Shen Xu's tone and smile remained unchanged, even the dimples on his cheeks were still there, as he replied:

"Later, she died."

Zhu Qingyu's expression changed instantly, her face filled with astonishment and apology:

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know. Ah, I really shouldn't have asked you that, I'm so sorry. So, I understand, you mistook me for her, right? Because I look like her?"

Shen Xu originally wanted to tell her that she had lied to him and that he had killed her himself.

But because Madam Zhu so naturally showed him pity, Shen Xu was reluctant to tell her the truth.

Perhaps, Shen Xu thought to himself—not perhaps, but certainly—that Lady Zhu must have grown up in a lively place where many people loved her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have subconsciously thought the best of people and never considered that a place like the Imperial Prison was full of conspiracies and deception.

A woman like her would surely treat her husband well, no matter who she marries.

Even if it wasn't as much as Zhang Jingyan, even if it was just a little bit, he hadn't received such warm and tender pity in a long time.

Shen Xu released her hand and stood up:

"Madam Zhu, my suggestion last time is still valid until the Emperor sees him. You can reconsider it carefully. Give me the things, I'll take them to him. I saw you making clothes, were they for him?"

Because she didn't know when Xie Ze would arrange for someone to pick it up, and was worried that there might be mistakes due to the hasty preparations, Zhu Qingyu had prepared everything well in advance. In addition to the thick winter clothes that Zhang Shen had left in the house, she had also made a new set of undergarments in advance.

Zhu Qingyu went into the inner room to retrieve a bundle and brought it out for him:

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Shen."

Shen Xu opened it in front of her and said:

"I will deliver it to him for you, but everything that goes into the imperial prison must be inspected."

Upon seeing the undergarment that was almost identical to the one being made at the door, Shen Xu seemed to remember something and laughed again:

"Madam Zhu, your clothes aren't very well made."

Ugh, I'm so angry! It wasn't made for you, so why do you care if it's good or not? What's it to you?

Zhu Qingyu was internally ranting and raving when Shen Xu continued:

"Just like her."

Zhu Qingyu immediately backed down, her face filled with regret, thinking, "I really deserve to die. Why did I bring up that topic today?"

As Shen Xu carried his bundle and rode back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters, he kept thinking about her expression, and as he thought about it, he smiled.

How could he be so easily fooled? He had no idea whether his previous fiancée's clothes were well-made or not. He was just saying this to try and gain some pity from her again.

To get under her control, you can't be forceful; you have to show weakness.

Although they had only met three times, Shen Xu had already spontaneously grasped the way to get along with Madam Zhu.

Shen Xu was laughing there, while Xiong Kun, who was waiting for someone outside the east gate of the palace, was so shocked that it was as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

Good heavens, where did Commander Shen of the Embroidered Uniform Guard come from, wiping out entire families, to be so happy?

Xiong Kun met Shen Xu, and Shen Xu naturally met him as well.

Seeing that he was Gu Zhao's subordinate, and fearing that he had urgent business with Gu Zhao, Shen Xu stopped his horse and asked:

"Waiting for Gu Zhao? There are still several hours before your shift ends. Is there something urgent?"

It was rare for Lord Shen to do such a good deed and be so helpful today, and the matter was indeed urgent, so Xiong Kun quickly took out the letter sealed with sealing wax:

"It's urgent. It was sent from Sichuan by express courier. The young master has been instructing me these past few days to deliver it as soon as it arrives. However, I can't get into the palace. Could you please help me deliver it to the young master, Lord Shen?"