Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

Zhou Zhengyin was standing obediently in the room when he saw Baozhong and Xiaoluzi enter one after the other. Xiaoluzi then closed the door behind him.

"Baozhong!"

Zhou Zhengyin pushed his hat brim up and quickly went to meet him.

Xiao Lu Zi had already helped Bao Zhong sit down at the table, and then turned around to rummage through the cabinet for medicine bottles.

Zhou Zhengyin then saw Bao Zhong's face clearly; it was pale and bluish, his lips were cracked and dry, and he was leaning back in his chair as if he had been drained of half his life.

He strode over to him: "What's wrong?"

Xiao Luzi, holding the medicine bottle, was about to lift Bao Zhong's sleeve. Bao Zhong clenched his right hand, "No need yet."

After speaking, he looked up at Zhou Zhengyin, his voice weak as if it were being squeezed out of his throat: "What is it?"

Zhou Zhengyin glanced at his clenched right hand, then at the medicine bottle in Xiao Luzi's hand, pursed his lips, and said:

"I know my aunt has been rescued. She's been sent back to Yihua Palace. I... I want to know how she is now?"

Bao Zhong said, "She's alright. Everything's fine."

Zhou Zhengyin shook his head, his emotions welling up uncontrollably:

"I kept watch outside Yihua Palace all night last night. When Physician Qin came out this morning, I asked him, and he said that Auntie had not woken up yet."

Just as Bao Zhong was about to speak, a cough welled up uncontrollably. He turned his face away, clenched his fist to his lips, and coughed several times, his back arching.

Little Deer hurriedly stepped forward to pat his back.

Zhou Zhengyin immediately poured a cup of tea, gently placed it beside Bao Zhong, and continued:

"I heard about what happened last night. Now everyone in the palace is saying that it was Consort Wei who did the harm to Aunt."

After a moment, Bao Zhong picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and looked up at Zhou Zhengyin.

"If you want to see her, I'll find a way to let you in."

Zhou Zhengyin's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had been waiting for these words for a long time: "I... I want to take care of my aunt."

Bao Zhong looked at the urgency and sincerity in his eyes and smiled slightly.

The burn marks on my palm were still faintly burning, but something inside me felt like it had been gently touched.

He lowered his eyes, suppressing those thoughts, and when he looked up again, his voice was calm: "I'll find a way tonight to send you in to see her."

Zhou Zhengyin nodded emphatically.

"Let's go back." Bao Zhong leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes slightly.

(under)

Zhou Zhengyin remained standing, as if he had something more to say. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke:

"Baozhong, that concubine in Luqiongxuan is the woman I saw at the gate of Changmen Palace the night before last."

He paused, his voice lowering:

"She is Song Zhang and Granny Yu's true master. The eunuch who killed me was arranged by Eunuch Xin. I heard that woman tell Eunuch Xin to take you with him before he dies, and then deal with me and my aunt."

Little Deer's eyes widened suddenly: "Xin Damao? I went to Changmen Palace to look for him last night, but he ran away. I don't know where he is now."

Bao Zhong suddenly opened his eyes: "Consort Chong?" He looked at Zhou Zhengyin, his brows furrowed, "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely true." Zhou Zhengyin met his gaze without flinching. "Last night I broke into Luqiongxuan, intending to find my aunt, but I overheard her talking with Eunuch Xin."

As he spoke, his tone unconsciously became somber, gradually suppressing the urgency he had shown earlier.

"I have two solutions right now. First, what Eunuch Xin cares about most is his family, and that woman is using his family to blackmail him. Why don't we take the initiative, get his family in our hands, and force him to tell the truth about what happened back then?"

He paused for a moment, then didn't continue, as if leaving the rest of his sentence unsaid.

After a moment, he shook his head. "Let's take the first step steadily first."

Bao Zhong looked at him, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes. He didn't ask any questions or interrupt, but simply listened quietly.

Zhou Zhengyin cautioned, "We don't know where Eunuch Xin is hiding, so please be careful. For now, please rest. I'll wait for your arrangements tonight."

After saying that, he pulled his hat brim down a little, turned around and walked out. The door closed softly behind him.

Bao Zhong paused for a moment, then lay back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Xiao Luzi immediately walked to his side, carefully placed his right hand on the table, and opened his palm.

He had gripped her too tightly, and the wound had reopened, the charred marks oozing blood.

Xiao Luzi gently sprinkled the powder on, and Bao Zhong's fingertips trembled slightly, his brows furrowing slightly.

He became even more cautious, bending down to blow on his palm, then wrapping his hand tightly with white cotton cloth, muttering to himself:

"If Miss Shuoning knew that her father-in-law risked his life to search for her all over the palace last night, and even took revenge on the Wei family for her sake, and is now injured... she would be heartbroken even if her heart was made of iron, because of all the things her father-in-law has done for her."

If I were a young woman, I would immediately offer myself to my father-in-law. After all, our precious father-in-law is not only handsome but also incredibly kind.

Bao Zhong's lips curled slightly, his eyes still closed: "Don't try to fool us with that. You should get your job done first, then we can talk about repaying each other with your body."

Little Deer grinned: "So, Grandpa agreed?"

Bao Zhong said, "Promise your grandfather."

The little deer gave an embarrassed smile, wrapped the cloth strips around its neck, and tied a knot. Before the smile faded, its brows furrowed.

"Father-in-law, what should we do now? If what Zhou Zhengyin said is true, then you, Miss Shuoning, and him are all being watched, aren't you? You're surrounded by walls. Besides, the Emperor is waiting for the assassin's confession; he needs an answer tonight. If he says he hasn't caught them, you know the Emperor's temperament better than I do."

He must be wondering if all that commotion yesterday was aimed at Miss Shuoning? Won't that mean the Wei family affair will have to be brought up again and re-examined?

Little Deer spoke more and more urgently, her voice low but her pace fast, as if she was afraid that if she spoke too slowly she would run out of time.

Bao Zhong didn't open his eyes the whole time. After he finished speaking, the room was quiet for a moment before he slowly opened his mouth.

"The hidden arrow has already been revealed, which is not so scary. What's scary is not knowing which direction the arrow is coming from. Now that we know, it's not a dead end."

He paused for a moment, his lips twitching slightly, as if he were smiling but not really.

"But Consort Chong, I really didn't expect that. Living like a ghost in the palace, never fighting or grabbing anything for over a decade, even handing over her own daughter to be raised by someone else—tell me, what's the point of a woman giving up her own flesh and blood?"

Xiao Luzi frowned and thought for a long time before shaking her head: "Yes, the Emperor still cares about the child. Even if she has no merit, she has still worked hard. Why should she be treated worse than those in Changmen Palace..."

Bao Zhong opened his eyes, his gaze indifferent: "The more someone tries to hide something, the less they dare to let others see how much they care. She sent her daughter away not because she didn't feel pain, but because it hurt too much."

He paused, a hint of amusement in his voice: "She's been hiding in Luqiong Pavilion for over a decade; it's time she came out for some fresh air. Those who hide in the shadows are most afraid of being brought into the light."

Little Deer was even more confused: "What does Grandpa mean...?"

Bao Zhong said, "The mute servant handed us this rope from Eunuch Xin, so let's follow it up."

After saying that, he said no more.

Shuo Ning wants to gamble on Zhou Zhengyin's future, and Zhou Zhengyin wants to reopen his mother's old case, so let's grant their wishes.

Let go of what needs to be done, and clean up what needs to be cleaned up. Everyone has their own path, so he will help them remove the stones from their path.

Seeing that he was silent, Xiaoluzi quietly tidied up the medicine bottle and cloth strips, and left with very light steps.

The door closed with a very faint sound, like a sigh.