Phoenix Cries Return to Court

The moon is bright and the stars are few; the night is gradually deepening.

In the dark room of Mr. Ge's mansion.

The floor was covered with a thick velvet carpet with intertwined vine patterns. In the corner of the wall was a screen with a pine and crane design symbolizing longevity. A mahogany table stood in the center, with a lion-head double-eared incense burner on it burning a stick of fine sandalwood. The sandalwood scent mixed with the unique cedar scent on Shen Mo's body, spreading slowly throughout the room.

Shen Mo was pulling out an exquisite long box from an inner compartment in the dark room.

He walked to the mahogany table, carefully opened the long box, took out a scroll, and slowly unfurled it.

The painting depicts a beautiful woman.

She had a beautiful face, phoenix eyes that were slightly raised, and a hint of aloofness between her brows; her lips were naturally red without any lipstick.

Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and she wore a white robe that made her look as aloof as an immortal. She held a jade fan in her delicate hand, exuding an air of refined elegance.

A beauty that could topple kingdoms and cities.

Shen Mo stared intently at the person in the painting, memories flooding his mind like a tide.

Under the peach tree in spring, the wind blew and the petals fell like rain, landing on her shoulders.

She ran towards him in a red dress, her pearl hairpin swaying gently, her smile as beautiful as a flower.

But just as he was about to reach him, his foot slipped and he fell forward violently.

Shen Mo's heart tightened, and he subconsciously reached out to hug her. Her body was very light and carried a faint fragrance as she bumped into his arms.

On a summer afternoon, the study door was gently pushed open, and she slipped in quietly, a sly smile on her face. "Amo, I stole Father's fruit wine. Shall we try some together?"

Before he could refuse, she had already poured herself a glass, tilted her head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

She had never drunk alcohol before, but after a few drinks, her cheeks turned red.

She gazed at Shen Mo with dreamy eyes, a sweet smile on her lips, and murmured, "Ah Mo, I'm so happy! With you here, I'm so happy..."

As he spoke, his body went limp, and he collapsed onto the reclining chair in his study, picked up a soft pillow, and fell into a deep sleep.

In the autumn courtyard, a light drizzle was falling. She leaned against the window, enjoying the rain. Perhaps she heard footsteps, because she slowly turned her head and saw him. Her eyes were filled with joy. She waved to him through the window with a bright smile.

"Amo, you're here!" Her melodious voice, carried through the rain, reached his ears with a hint of joy.

"With such heavy rain, why are you still here enjoying the rain? Be careful not to catch a cold."

She lowered her head slightly, her cheeks flushed, "I've been waiting for you. I knew you'd come today."

In the winter snow, her furry fox fur wrapped around her body, making her skin appear even whiter, like a beauty sculpted from ice and snow, breathtakingly beautiful. Her nose was red from the cold, yet she continued to enthusiastically build a snowman.

Shen Mo stood aside, watching her quietly.

She was making a fuss, and he was laughing.

A tear slid slowly down Shen Mo's cheek, landing on the lower right corner of the painting and spreading into a faint water stain.

He once thought they would be like those in the picture book, childhood sweethearts, and then naturally get married.

However, it was the day before he was supposed to go to propose marriage.

A decree was secretly issued from the palace, summoning her to the palace.

He later learned that all of this was a meticulously planned scheme by the Lin family.

Her aunt, the late Empress, was already terminally ill and nearing the end of her life.

The late emperor was already nearing the end of his life, but the crown prince was too young to rule the country alone.

The Lin family, unwilling to relinquish power, set their sights on her. Through a series of maneuvers and twists and turns, they managed to push this young girl, who had just come of age, into the position of Empress, a position fraught with controversy.

From then on, she was the empress, and he was her subject.

His love for her became an unspeakable secret in his heart.

Shen Mo's thoughts drifted back to the night before she was to enter the palace.

She stood quietly at the courtyard gate, saying, "Amo, I love the current emperor, and entering the palace is my own choice."

As she said this, her fingers unconsciously twirled a stray strand of hair beside her ear.

Shen Mo looked at her, his heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain making it hard to breathe.

She's a liar.

He knew her too well, he was too familiar with her. This gesture was her habit when she lied, and it had never changed since she was a child.

No! Shen Mo suddenly came to his senses, and the scene of meeting Lin Xihe today flashed through his mind.

When she was defending herself regarding the Crown Prince, her fingers unconsciously twirled a stray hair near her ear.

He was so focused on analyzing the flaws in her words that he overlooked that detail!

His pupils contracted sharply, and in a fit of shock, the teacup in his hand shattered with a loud crash.

A shard of porcelain cut his fingertip, and blood slowly dripped down.

Just then, a servant's voice came from outside the secret room: "Your Excellency, the young Grand Secretary requests an audience."

Shen Mo took a deep breath, trying to make his tone sound calm and even. "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

"Father." Shen Jue's voice came from outside, tinged with urgency. "I have brought an important witness to the Dongzhu case. This matter is of great importance and involves many people. It cannot be delayed. Please come and see me, Father."

Shen Mo frowned slightly. The Dongzhu case involved a wide range of issues, including the Xi Kingdom's conspiracy and possibly even important officials in the court. If it was not handled properly, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Unless it's something extremely urgent, Shen Jueyan probably wouldn't bother you at this hour.

After pondering for a moment, he took a deep breath, strolled outside, and gently closed the door to the dark room.

For a moment, the inner room fell silent again.

Only the crackling of the candlelight remained.

A short while later, a soft sound came, and another door in the dark room was slowly pushed open, and a dark figure quietly slipped in.

The visitor was none other than Lin Xihe.

Today, she met with Manager Dong at Tiangong Pavilion, seemingly just to discuss the sale of Dongzhu, but she keenly sensed that Manager Dong was not a simple person.

In addition, the Dongzhu case has been making headlines recently, involving black market transactions. As a Grand Secretary who oversees the Six Ministries, Shen Mo would surely know if there were any irregularities at the Tiangong Pavilion.

To get the answer, but not wanting to reveal their identity, they had no choice but to sneak into the Grand Secretary's secret chamber.

Lin Xihe knew that there was a door in the Grand Secretary's mansion that led directly to the inner room, and at this time, Shen Mo should be in his study handling official business.

That's why he dressed in black, quietly slipped out of the Minister's residence, and came here under the cover of night.

Lin Xihe was about to head straight for the bookshelf to browse Shen Mo's official documents when her gaze was drawn to the mahogany table in the center of the room.

In the dim candlelight, a painting was prominently displayed on the table.

Does he still have the leisure to appreciate paintings in this dark room?

Lin Xi and Liu Mei frowned slightly, but they felt that things were not simple, so they slowly stepped forward.

In the painting, there was a familiar beauty with sharp eyebrows and a pair of phoenix eyes that held majesty. Her whole being exuded a noble and aloof elegance.

Why does this painting look so familiar?

Isn't that me in the painting?!