Phoenix Cries Return to Court

Before long, the sword sheath returned with a dark expression.

He has always acted with propriety, but today he actually did something absurd like climbing over the wall to invite the ladies of the inner quarters for his master. It was quite an eye-opener.

However, that lady was quite a formidable character.

Thinking back to the scene just now and the oppressive feeling of that nobleman, the sword sheath trembled involuntarily.

Those who didn't know better would think he had invited the Empress Dowager.

While pondering, he had already entered the inner room.

Thick cashmere carpets covered the floor, and rosewood display shelves leaned against the wall, displaying rare items such as Lingbi stones and jadeite vases.

A rosewood daybed was placed by the window, and Fu Chen was lying on it, tilting his head and closing his eyes to rest.

Hearing footsteps, he lazily opened one eye, still sleepy, and asked leisurely, "Did you bring the person?"

Sword Sheath stood bowing in the center of the inner room, looking at the person on the bed with an embarrassed expression. "Your Highness, she, she said..."

"What did you say?"

Fu Chen suddenly opened his eyes, sat up abruptly, looked behind him, and said unhappily, "She didn't come?"

The sword sheath observed the expression on the person in front of him and stammered, "Madam Wen said that you should be waiting in the study at 5 a.m. tomorrow."

Fu Chen was taken aback at first, then shouted angrily, "How dare you! Put on airs!"

……

Deep within the Grand Secretary's residence.

The study was brightly lit, and a sandalwood tray sat on the desk.

A lustrous, full pearl rests on the plate, gleaming with a cool light under the candlelight.

Shen Jueyan was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe. His profile was distinct, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his gaze was fixed on the Eastern Pearl.

On one side of the study stood a beautiful woman, wearing a soft, smoky red satin outer robe, with gold-embroidered hibiscus flowers on the moon-white skirt, and a pearl-inlaid jade hairpin slanted into her low-hanging hair.

She gazed tenderly at the man before her desk.

She just stared at it, lost in thought, without saying a word.

After a long while, Shen Jueyan slowly came back to his senses, looked up at Miss Dong, coughed lightly, breaking the silence of the room, "I'm so grateful to Miss Dong for making this special trip today. It's getting late, I'll have Mo Bai take you home."

Upon hearing this, a fleeting hint of disappointment flashed in Dong Yiyun's eyes, but she quickly concealed it and said softly, "No need to trouble yourself, my carriage is parked outside the mansion gate, I can go back by myself."

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Shen Jueyan again, and she said with concern, "Young Grand Secretary, the night is cold and windy. You have been sitting in the study for a long time. Please remember to wear more clothes so as not to catch a cold."

As soon as she finished speaking, she curtsied slightly, glanced longingly at the person sitting alone with their head bowed, bit her lip, and finally turned and left.

In the corridor, Miss Dong paused, took an exquisitely carved nanmu food box from her maid, and handed it to Mo Bai, who was seeing her off.

He whispered, "Young Master Mo Bai, this is lotus root starch and osmanthus cake that I made myself for the young Grand Secretary. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, promoting saliva production and resolving phlegm. It's currently the change of seasons and he's been busy with official duties, so I'm sure he's not having a good appetite. I'd appreciate it if you could pass it on to him."

Mo Bai accepted the food box, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, before respectfully replying, "Miss Dong, rest assured, I will certainly convey your message."

Watching Dong Yiyun's carriage slowly drive away from the Grand Secretary's residence, Mo Bai turned and went into his study.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally placed the food box on the table and said in a low voice, "Master, this is lotus root starch and osmanthus cake that Miss Dong just asked me to deliver. She said it was specially made for you."

The young Grand Secretary's gaze fell on the nanmu food box, his expression complex. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "Years ago, in a dilapidated temple outside the city, I saw her in danger, so I rescued her. I also gave her some money, hoping that she could have a livelihood and settle down."

He paused, then sighed softly, "She has managed to run Tiangong Pavilion so successfully on her own, which is already quite remarkable. I have never expected her to repay me in any way."

Mo Bai also sighed softly and said slowly, "But seeing how deeply Miss Dong loves you, my lord, perhaps you should..."

"There has never been any romantic feeling between us," Shen Jueyan interrupted coldly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a blurry figure suddenly flashed through his mind.

Shen Jueyan lowered his eyes to suppress his emotions, but felt his chest becoming increasingly tight.

……

It is approaching the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

Lin Xihe had already arrived at the palace gate. Today, she was wearing a light blue soft silk dress, her black hair was loosely tied up, and a white jade hairpin was inserted diagonally. She exuded an aloofness, as if she were carved from ice and jade.

An elderly nanny with a solemn expression, dressed in a brown palace servant's uniform, saw her approaching and slowly stepped forward to greet her, bowing respectfully and saying, "This old servant, Zhou, is here to await Madam on the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince."

Lin Xihe nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, Granny Zhou."

Granny Zhou's gaze lingered on Lin Xihe for a moment, and she muttered to herself.

Although His Highness the Crown Prince has acted somewhat improperly, he has never summoned the families of officials from outside the capital to the Eastern Palace.

This Lady Wen is merely a court lady, yet he insisted on personally coming to greet her; such an unusual act is truly strange.

Moreover, she had served in the Eastern Palace for decades and was deeply trusted by the Crown Prince, who was extremely protective of his own.

Seeing that Lin Xihe was calm and composed, without the slightest hint of restraint, and had not even prepared a reward, he was quite displeased.

A mere wife of a high-ranking official can only enter the palace once a year at most, yet she acts so arrogantly. She must not take His Highness the Crown Prince seriously. Today, we must teach her a lesson.

Granny Zhou turned around and led the way, her steps neither hurried nor slow. Even though there were shortcuts available, she deliberately chose to take the winding and circuitous corridors.

Although Lin Xihe had not been to the palace for a long time, seeing the towering red walls on both sides and the bluestone path again filled her with emotion.

In a daze, I felt a sense of loss and change.

Her thoughts drifted back to the past. She remembered that three years ago, when the Crown Prince had just been appointed, the Eastern Palace was still under renovation.

She secretly summoned Su Jin, the Vice Minister of Works, and instructed him to design a hidden passage under the corridor of the Eastern Palace, connecting it to the outskirts of the city.

In case of unforeseen circumstances, the crown prince can use this as an excuse to escape.

As long as the crown prince is alive, the court will not descend into chaos.

This matter was kept extremely secret; even within the palace, apart from a few trusted confidants, no one knew about it.

Granny Zhou walked ahead, glancing at Lin Xihe behind her from time to time out of the corner of her eye.

Seeing that she remained calm and showed no signs of fatigue or anxiety, he felt frustrated, but this only strengthened his resolve to make things difficult for her.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, two paths appeared ahead.

One is a covered walkway that runs through the garden, with exotic flowers and plants planted on both sides, making for a beautiful scene.

The other path is a narrow path that winds around the palace wall and requires navigating around several artificial hills.

Compared to the other route, the distance is more than twice as far.

Granny Zhou was secretly delighted. She paused and was about to turn around and walk along the path that winds around the wall when she caught a glimpse of Lin Xihe stepping onto the short steps of the veranda.

Upon seeing this, Granny Zhou was startled. Could it be that she had discovered that she had deliberately taken a detour?