Chapter 41: Should I Dig Up His Secret?

  Shen Guiyan heard this and immediately reached out to pull Gu Zhaobei up.

  Yuwen General, nowadays holding heavy troops and being favored by the emperor and empress, they are naturally people who cannot be offended.

  "Huh, so there are people here too." Yuwen Changqing's gaze was calm and cold, as if he didn't recognize Gu Zhaobei at all. He swept them a glance and said to the official beside him, "It seems we don't have any fate, perhaps it would be better for you to speak another day."

  The official smiled wryly, wiped the sweat from his forehead, responded with a couple of "yes", looked reluctantly at Shen Guiyan and Gu Zhaobei, then turned around and left.

  Shen Guiyan stood with her head down on one side without lifting it up, Gu Zhaobei saw that the person had left, but instead raised his eyes and exchanged a glance with Yuwen Changqing for a while.

  "Is everything arranged?"

  "That's reasonable, just act according to circumstances."

  In the crowded garden, Yu Wenchang Qing shouldn't have stayed for long. However, he glanced at Shen Guiyan and inexplicably felt his feet heavy, unable to move.

  Alas, emotions are hard to tie down. He's been sleepless for days and has already thoroughly investigated the third Miss Shen's affairs. The person in front of him probably doesn't know him, but he already knows what dishes she likes to eat.

  Yuwen Changqing looked at the sunset on the horizon with a worried expression, thinking that if he were to go and greet Miss Shen now, would anything happen?

  That day, at the Swallow Tower, they had a hasty meeting. She probably didn't remember his face. Even if she did, she wouldn't think that the person climbing over the wall in the middle of the night would be General Yuwen. Now he was pretending to make small talk, just so she'd know his name and feel at ease.

  Gu Zhāo Běi looked at him for half a day without moving, slightly raised an eyebrow, thinking about whether to pick up a stone to hit him. Gu Cheng Xiang on the side seemed to have seen this situation and hurried over to salvage the situation.

  "General Yuwen." Prime Minister Gu smiled and said: "It's just right that you're here, I'll introduce them to you. This is my son Chaobei, and his wife, Madame Shen."

  When the prime minister arrived, Yuwen Changqing naturally didn't dare say anything extra.

  Gu Zhaobei stood up and saluted: "I've seen General Yuwen."

  Shen Guiyan followed suit and bowed her head.

  Yuwen Changqing smiled: "No need for formalities, so this is the fourth son of Chancellor, I have long admired your great name."

  The Duke of Gu felt somewhat embarrassed. Generally, those who had heard of Gu Zhenbei's name were not good reputations. However, it was rare for General Yuwen to be here, and he still smiled and said: "My son is incompetent and does not compare to General Yuwen's youthful achievements. I should ask General Yuwen to point out more often."

  "I also think that Young Master is quite pleasing to the eye." Yuwen Changqing smiled and said: "However, let's talk about it next time, I still need to go to the Empress's side first to report back."

  "Good." The Grand Preceptor nodded.

  Shen Guiyan took advantage of his turning around to look up and take another glance, just as Yuwen Changqing turned his face towards her with a smile.

  Isn't this person a bit familiar? Shen Guiyan thought, as if she had seen him somewhere before. Especially his eyes, which seemed particularly familiar.

  "You and Yan'er be careful, I'll go talk to Fu Xue Shi. Magistrate Gu said: "Yan'er, keep an eye on Bei'er, don't let him get into trouble."

  "Yes." Shen Guiyan nodded.

  After Lord Gu left, Gu Zhenbei dismounted his horse and became restless: "You stay here, I want to go over there and take a look."

  Shen Guiyan frowned: "How can you leave me alone here? You can't move around freely in the palace, what are you going to do over there?"

  Gu Zhaobei looked up at the sky and slightly furrowed his brow, saying: "Father is just over there, how can you count as one person? I...I want to go to the restroom, won't that do? Do you also have to follow?"

  Shen Guiyan looked at him for a moment. Although they hadn't been together for long, Gu Zhaobei had lied to her, and she could still tell.

  "Alright then, come back early." She didn't ask any further and instead took a step back.

  Gu Zhaobei let out a sigh of relief and turned around to head towards the outside of the Imperial Flower Garden.

  Shen Guiyan stayed in place for a moment, looked around and followed Gu Zhaobei out.

  Gu Zhaobei walked extremely fast, and it wasn't even in the direction of the outhouse. Shen Guiyan followed for a few steps before losing him. Panting, she thought to herself: this guy is always infatuated with beautiful women, how can his body be so good? He runs faster than anything, without making a sound.

  Looking around, she had already run to a place with fewer people. It was better to turn back early and wait for Gu Zhaobei to return before saying anything else.

  "Fourth Young Mistress?" Just as she turned her head, she saw General Yuwen walking towards her. Shen Guiyan was startled and quickly bowed her head: "General."

  Yuwen Chang smiled lightly: "Am I very scary?"

  "No." Shen Guiyan said: "I didn't expect to run into General, I was startled myself."

  Yuwen Chang nodded: "How did you end up here?"

  "Feel free to take a walk." Shen Guiyan bowed and said: "Then I won't disturb the general, I'll go back to the garden first."

  "Good." Yuwen Changqing watched Shen Guiyan walk two steps before turning around and heading in the direction she had just come from.

  She actually followed Chao Bei out, and her thoughts were also very meticulous. Fortunately, she was a weak woman, and she couldn't catch up with Chao Bei, or else it would be terrible. Yuwen Changqing thought that beautiful women are beautiful, but Chao Bei still needs to be more careful.

  Shen Guiyan was thinking all the way about why she felt that this general was familiar. After returning to the garden, she sat behind a fake mountain, with idle chatter constantly in her ears. Suddenly, two sentences entered her ears and pulled her thoughts back.

  "Just now, someone wanted to marry their own daughter to General Yuwen, what a ridiculous dream! Has General Yuwen ever taken anyone seriously? Besides the three masters in the palace, who can get his attention?"

  "It's just that everyone wants to associate with General Yuwen and rise up quickly. Is the shortcut really that easy to take?"

  Something flashed through her mind, and Shen Guiyan seemed to suddenly remember something.

  Those eyes, at the Shen manor, she had indeed seen them before. A man in black clothes suddenly ran up to the Swallow Tower and scared her half to death. Later, it was when he climbed in through the north-facing window that he caught her attention, and afterwards, nothing more was said about the matter.

  That man looks exactly like General Yuwen, even his voice is exactly the same.

  But how is it possible that a general like him would sneak into the Shen Mansion in the middle of the night? And how could Gu Zhaobei possibly help him cover his tracks, when they had only just met through the prime minister today?

  A multitude of doubts in her mind, Shen Guiyan sat behind the fake mountain thinking for a long time, until Gu Zhaobei returned and pulled her hand saying: "The banquet is about to begin."

  Shen Guiyan looked up at him, and Gu Zhaobei's expression was nothing out of the ordinary, only his breathing was slightly unstable, as if he had run a distance. Where did he just go? She was also very curious.

  "Let's go." Gu Zhaobei led her out: "There are a lot of people today, we're sitting in the outer hall. If we get there late, who knows if there will be any seats left."

  "Good." Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes and followed him all the way.

  Is this person by her side really just a pampered rich young master? Shen Guiyan doubted for the first time. But his palm was warm, and holding her like this, it seemed as if he wouldn't let go no matter what.

  Should she believe him? Or should she go and investigate the secrets on his body?

  The banquet was seated according to official rank, and Gu Zhaobei and Shen Guiyan had no official titles, so they naturally sat at the end. The wine and meat arrived, all of which were exquisite dishes. Gu Zhaobei couldn't help but take a sip of wine first, and clicked his tongue twice, saying: "Indeed, the imperial palace is still the best."

  "Does the master notice anything out of place?"

  "What?" Gu Zhaobei didn't even lift his head.

  It was clearly a birthday banquet for the Empress Dowager, but the expressions of the officials around her were extremely solemn, and they became even more tense as the bell rang.

  "It's none of your business, so don't worry too much." Gu Zhaobei said softly: "It's someone else's show."

  How can one not be nervous? The atmosphere is like the next moment will be a confrontation. The emperor and empress are clearly husband and wife, but sitting on the main seat, the two of them are like twin peaks standing upright, neither giving in to each other. Shen Guiyan doesn't know if she's thinking too much, but she always feels that the empress's expression is not very friendly.

  "Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday, a good day. I think it's also a good opportunity to establish the crown prince." The empress's face was heavily made up, looking somewhat frightening: "What does Your Majesty think?"

  The emperor smiled and said with a benevolent face: "The dispute over the crown prince has been going on for a long time, can the empress come up with a good solution today?"

  The Empress smiled lightly and said, "Since ancient times, the eldest son has not been established as the heir, I don't understand what there is to debate about this matter. The sixth prince has both virtue and talent, and he's already old enough, why won't the Emperor agree to establish him?"

  The grand birthday banquet had not yet begun, but it had already turned into a battle for the position of crown prince. Shen Guiyan let out a sigh and finally understood why everyone's expressions were so tense.

  This was never going to be an ordinary birthday party.

  Just as she was feeling anxious, a piece of meat happened to be placed at her mouth. Gu Zhaobei smiled and said: "Why are you so tense? Come on, watch the show, eat some meat, anyway we're sitting far away, no one can see us."

  Shen Guiyan cried and laughed at the same time, looking at him and saying: "Don't you feel nervous? The crown prince is going to be the future emperor, affecting the fate of all living things under heaven."

  Gu Zhāo Běi lightly hummed, and this fool thought the prince was related to the fate of all living things. In the eyes of these people present, who the prince is only concerns their own interests.

  "The sixth prince is good at literature, while the fifth prince is well-versed in both literature and martial arts. In terms of talent, I think the fifth prince is more suitable." The emperor turned to Empress Dowager and asked: "What does Your Majesty think?"

  The Empress Dowager smiled lightly and raised her wine cup, saying: "Today is a birthday banquet, why must you bring up this matter? All of you, my beloved consorts, come and drink with me."

  The moment Empress Dowager spoke these words, half of the court officials immediately stood up.

  The emperor's face didn't look too good, and the empress dowager's words, although mediating, were also putting pressure on him with the officials of the court. Half of the people in this court are from the Wen family.

  The queen also stood up with a smile: "What the empress dowager said is extremely reasonable, after finishing this cup of wine, Your Majesty can consider it carefully again."

  The emperor didn't smile and didn't hold up his wine cup either.

  "I'll go pour wine for His Majesty." Yuwen Changqing stood up and, at the empress's signal, personally went to stand in front of the emperor.