Xian Qing handed the two bottles of Linhua Powder into Shen Zhiyi's hands. Seeing how ruthless the Shen family was, he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness in his heart.
He had been lonely and helpless since he was a child. If he hadn't met Governor Jiang, he would have died long ago.
"Girl, these are all the evidence that Shen Qinghe is plotting to kill you."
Shen Zhiyi played with the medicine bottle in his hand, recalling the scenes of protecting her before, and seemed to find it ridiculous to have such a big white-eyed wolf by his side.
"How are Lome and Grandma doing?"
"That concubine was punished to kneel down. Mrs. Shen's time is short. Don't be sad, girl."
Shen Zhiyi smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes. Her eyes were cold, like ice in winter, sharp and cold. She looked at the medicine bottle in her hand and rubbed it gently, as if she was remembering something.
"Concubine Ji was punished to kneel?" she repeated softly, as if savoring every word of this sentence. The figure of Luo Mei appeared in front of her eyes. The concubine who tried every means to kill her was kneeling in the yard, suffering unreasonable punishment. There was no sympathy in her heart, only a sneer.
"Mrs. Shen's days are numbered..." She murmured to herself, as if she was feeling sorry for an insignificant person. Her grandmother only cared about her own face and was the lintel of the Shen family, but now her life was hanging by a thread.
There was no sadness in her heart, only indifference.
"In addition, the two maids next to Mrs. Luo have confessed all of Luo Mei's crimes. In the future, if the witnesses and physical evidence are available, can the girl take action in the next few days?"
"Don't worry, my sister will be back from Jiyun Temple soon."
Shen Zhiyi's words were calm and powerful, as if everything was going on in an orderly manner under her control.
She looked out the window, as if she saw her sister Shen Qinghe who was doing penance in Jiuyun Temple.
Her face was haggard, but her eyes shone with determination. She clasped her hands together and prayed silently, as if she was trying to atone for the late queen's sins.
"You came?"
Shen Qinghe looked at the person in front of him without any disturbance in his heart.
"What? Can't I come?" Xie Shaoheng's tone contained a hint of joking. The dagger in his hand lightly scratched Shen Qinghe's face, leaving a faint red mark.
Shen Qinghe's body stiffened, and she did not dare to move, for fear that the sharp blade would cut her skin.
Her heart was filled with fear and helplessness. The person who once loved her had now become her biggest nightmare.
Xie Shaoheng's eyes were cold and cruel. He looked at Shen Qinghe's frightened expression without any mercy in his heart. He stared at her closely, as if he wanted to see through her and see through the ugliness and hypocrisy in her heart.
"The strategy you provided me doesn't seem to work."
Shen Qinghe was startled and was too scared to move. She knew that the prince was moody and she would die tragically at his hands if she was not careful, so she was cautious in everything.
I originally thought that I could marry into Prince Hengyuan's palace, but now it seems that if I can't be satisfied by this prince, I'm afraid my death will be even worse.
The Xie Shaoheng in front of him had a handsome face, but his eyes were cold and ruthless. The dagger in his hand shone coldly under the candlelight, making Shen Qinghe shudder.
She thought of the glory and wealth she once enjoyed in Prince Hengyuan's palace, and those sweet memories now became extremely bitter.
She carefully raised her head and looked at Xie Shaoheng, her eyes full of fear and pleading.
She thought of the days she spent in penance at Jiuyun Temple, and those lonely and helpless moments seemed to reappear before her eyes.
"Your Majesty, I will return to the Shen Mansion in a while. I will definitely be your spy and monitor their movements at all times." Shen Qinghe's tone was trembling as she tried to please this moody prince with a humble attitude.
She carefully raised her head and looked at Xie Shaoheng, her eyes full of fear and pleading. Her heart was filled with endless regret and self-blame. She hated why she had to embark on this road of no return, and why she betrayed the sister who once doted on her.
At this moment, her heart felt like it was being burned by fire, and she was in extreme pain.
However, there is no turning back. From the moment I want higher power, wealth, and status, I should know that family love has become a tool that I can use at any time.
Xie Shaoheng's eyes were cold and cruel. He stared at Shen Qinghe closely, as if he wanted to see through her. The dagger in his hand shone coldly under the candlelight, making Shen Qinghe shudder.
"However, Governor Jiang injured your old woman."
What?
Xie Shaoheng told Shen Qinghe exactly what happened in Shen's Mansion today. Although he heard some rumors, they were mixed in truth and false, so he couldn't believe them all. Now it seems...
"Qinghe will definitely kill the old woman when he goes back and frame the blame on Governor Jiang. Then the prince can use this to impeach her."
Shen Qinghe was not stupid. Although she was at Jiyun Temple, she had heard about the news that Governor Jiang had accepted Shen Zhiyi as his disciple. Now it seemed that the rumors were probably true.
Xie Shaoheng sneered. He originally wanted to borrow Luo Mei's hand, but now it seems that this woman is quite smart.
"Smart." Xie Shaoheng praised her.
Xie Shaoheng's lips curled into a sneer, and a cruel light flashed in his eyes. He seemed to be very satisfied with Shen Qinghe's plan and nodded in agreement.
A trace of panic flashed across Shen Qinghe's face. After all, she was her biological grandmother who had hurt her, and she was reluctant to kill her for a while, but she had no other choice but to bite the bullet and continue.
"I will definitely not disappoint the prince's expectations." Her tone was firm and powerful, as if she was cheering herself up. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner fear and uneasiness.
Xie Shaoheng's eyes lingered on the lunch box on Shen Qinghe's table for a moment, and he noticed that the food had not been touched and was obviously brought back intact.
His heart sank slightly, and he held Shen Qinghe gently in his arms, with a hint of concern and reproach in his voice, "The body is yours, why don't you cherish it so much? How can you not eat?"
Shen Qinghe's body trembled slightly in his arms. She lowered her eyes gently, not daring to look directly into Xie Shaoheng's eyes. Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's fly, "I don't have much appetite lately."
Strange to say, Shen Qinghe has lost interest in eating since Xie Shaoheng came here some time ago.
Sometimes she felt like vomiting after eating too much, so her maid Chuntao sneaked down the mountain to get her some sour food like hawthorn and dried apricots before she could eat it.
"That won't work. You'll lose your strength."
Shen Qinghe originally wanted to refuse, but she was not feeling well these days and she couldn't stand Xie Shaoheng's torture. Half-heartedly, she thought that she had almost caused the prince to fail in a major event, and she was inevitably frightened, so she simply agreed to him.
Another night of rain hits the begonias, and the birds and swallows sing and sing.
"Don't be afraid." Xie Shaoheng coaxed him softly, perhaps because he noticed that her whole body was shaking today.
"My lord, be gentle," Shen Qinghe was a little scared, but Xie Shaoheng seemed to be particularly gentle today, "Aren't you going to marry my sister? Why don't you trick her into bed."
Xie Shaoheng wiped her body with his hands and whispered in her ear, "I can marry you."
As soon as these words came out, Shen Qinghe froze in place at a loss. She didn't know whether what Xie Shaoheng said was true or false. If it was true, then she would be the princess that everyone respected.
"Seriously?" Shen Qinghe asked tentatively.
"Of course." Xie Shaoheng said this without any emotion, as if he just said it casually.
Shen Qinghe's heart was full of mixed feelings. She didn't know whether to be happy or worried. She knew that Xie Shaoheng was a ruthless person and she couldn't believe everything he said. However, if he is really willing to marry her, her status will be different.
That's all, Shen Qinghe tried his best to serve him, trying to catch this subtle hope.
She bit her lip gently, feeling a little unwilling. She wanted more answers and wanted to know whether he had her in his heart. But she also knew that these questions might never be answered.
Xie Shaoheng's eyes moved away from her face and fell on the maid Chuntao beside her.
He said calmly: "Chuntao, let your lady rest." After that, he turned and left, leaving Shen Qinghe and Chuntao in the room.
Xie Shaoheng let her go gently, with a trace of reluctance flashing in his eyes, "Then you have a good rest first, and I will come see you tomorrow."
Shen Qinghe nodded silently, looking at Xie Shaoheng's leaving figure, feeling confused in his heart. She didn't know how she should face this complicated situation. She could only take a good rest and think of a way to deal with it tomorrow.
next day
Shen Qinghe's brows furrowed. She felt nauseated and covered her mouth. She bent over and vomited painfully, as if she wanted to vomit out everything in her stomach.
Chuntao hurriedly followed behind her and patted her back gently, "Miss, what's wrong with you? Do you want to see a doctor?"
Shen Qinghe waved her hands feebly. She knew her physical condition, but because of Xie Shaoheng's arrival, she felt unprecedented pressure and fear.
She thought of Xie Shaoheng's cold eyes and the flashing dagger in his hand, and the uneasiness in her heart became stronger and stronger. But Chuntao in front of her didn't seem to notice anything strange about her, and was still preparing sour food for her.
Shen Qinghe looked at the dried hawthorn and apricots in Chuntao's hand, with mixed feelings in his heart. She knew that these sour foods might temporarily relieve her nausea, but they could not eliminate the fear and anxiety in her heart.
"Put it down first, pack it up and go back home in two days."
Chuntao began to clean up the room silently and prepare to return home. The uneasiness in Shen Qinghe's heart became stronger and stronger.
Shen Qinghe suddenly remembered something, raised his head and asked, "Where is the half-blind old Taoist? Why haven't you seen him these days?"
Shen Qinghe suddenly remembered something, "Where is the half-blind old Taoist? Why haven't you seen him these days?" Chuntao was stunned for a moment before replying: "Miss, the Taoist priest has gone down the mountain these days and is not here."
Shen Qinghe nodded, "That's fine."
She felt a little relieved in her heart, and it seemed that the old Taoist God was talking about something she couldn't understand, which was nothing more than some words of persuasion, as if to wake her up.
It’s best not to let him see His Highness, otherwise he might get into trouble again.
