Chapter 32: His Secret

  Shen Guiyan was led by Mrs. Shen to the side hall, and the opening remarks were not unexpected at all.

  "Are you properly taking care of Ya'er in the Gu manor?"

  Shen Guiyan smiled lightly and supported her, they all wanted to pack her off to another man's bed, she didn't immediately retaliate, it was already good.

  "What? You don't even have the face to tell me?" Madam Shen snorted, "I know even if you don't say it. Ya'er has been taking care of you in the Gu household all along, and even had the kitchen send you good dishes and meals. But what did you do? You repaid her kindness with ingratitude and stole her job!"

  Shen Guiyan's mouth twitched, but she didn't say a word. Years of experience had taught her that refuting was useless and clarifying was also useless. In the face of absolute rudeness and unreasonableness, the only thing to do was to remain silent.

  "Earlier I already said it, if you dare to make things difficult for Ya in the Gu's residence, I won't let you off easy."

  Shen Guiyan smiled lightly and looked up at her: "How does the lady plan to make it difficult for Yan'er?"

  Mrs. Shen was taken aback, not expecting her to raise her head and ask her back like that, and for a moment she couldn't react in time. The harsh words were originally meant to intimidate people, where could they really do anything?

  "These three days at home, I will serve my parents well and repay the kindness they have shown me in raising me." Shen Guiyan bowed respectfully to Madame Shen and said, "As for other matters, I have my own way of handling them, so please don't worry, madam."

  "Are you...?" Madame Shen glared at her: "You've really become a married woman and have no qualms about it, do you?"

  "Yes." Shen Guiyan nodded and looked straight at her, "Moreover, Qin Niang has already died, what else does Yan'er have to worry about? You said it's right, didn't you, Mother?"

  Mrs. Shen's expression changed slightly, and she averted her eyes, turning her head away. Shen Guiyan bowed: "Yan'er has returned to rest, mother take care."

  He didn't wait for her response and left the side hall directly.

  Gu Zhaobei outside has also left.

  Mrs. Shen stood in the side hall, her eyes dimly watching the back of Shen Guiyan.

  Gu Zhaobei returned to the Swallow Pavilion and fell asleep on her bed again. Shen Guiyan couldn't help but cry and laugh, sitting on the edge of the bed to continue sewing the unfinished lotus bag.

  "I suddenly remembered." Gu Zhaobei said with his eyes closed: "The first time I came back to see you, why was there a dagger under the pillow of your girl's house?"

  The wound on his left shoulder has finally healed, but the scar will remain as it was too deep. What a pity for his perfect and flawless body.

  "Self-defense."

  There are too many bats in this courtyard, if you don't leave something for self-protection, how can you sleep at ease?

  Gu Zhāo Běi opened his eyes and looked at her, finding it amusing. A delicate and weak woman from a boudoir, actually wanting to defend herself? Alright, although the first time he had indeed caught her off guard, who would still dare to burst into a maiden's boudoir like him?

  Gu Si Gongzi has a good understanding of himself.

  Shen Guiyan didn't mean to say more, so Gu Zhaobei didn't ask much either. After resting for a while, after lunch, the two of them went to Shen's house to take a stroll.

  "Sixth Master is still young and doesn't need to worry about his future." As they passed through the courtyard of Wenchuang Pavilion, they happened to meet Shen Guiwen who was studying with Fuzi.

  Although Shen Guiwen was young, he was also precocious. With a serious expression on his small face, he said: "No one has set the rule that only those who are old can participate in politics. I am interested in court affairs and only wish for Master to teach me wholeheartedly."

  Gu Zhao Bei raised an eyebrow.

  Nafu was a famous scholar invited by Mr. Shen, and he knew more than ordinary people. He sighed and said: "Now the Wen family is in power, with Wen Fu, the Duke of University, and Yuwen, the General, the imperial power has declined, and yin is oppressing yang. Meanwhile, there are many droughts and floods among the people, which is the most critical moment for the country."

  Shen Guiwen smiled lightly: "What's the difference? Whether as an official or a commoner, it doesn't matter who is in power, the earth remains the same."

  Husband and wife exchanged a silent glance, Gu Zhuo Bei smiled almost imperceptibly and continued walking forward with Shen Gui Yan.

  "It's rare for your family to have another good one."

  "What's so rare?" Shen Guiyan pointed at herself discontentedly: "I'm also good."

  "Yes, yes, you're doing great." Gu Zhaobei said: "Later I'll have someone buy some snacks for you to eat when they come back."

  Shen Guiyan nodded, and couldn't help but turn her head to glance at Shen Guiwen's courtyard. The husband continued to say: "Unfortunately, the officials in the court are all on the side of the Empress, there is no just scholar to uphold the imperial power..."

  He just mentioned Fu Xueshi, she has seen her before, Yuwen Jiangjun is only heard of, the two are the left and right arms of the empress, helping the empress to intervene in government affairs.

  Shen Guiyan remembered that on the day of her grand wedding, the Emperor had personally visited the Prime Minister's mansion, accompanied by his most favored concubine, Yearning Guifei, claiming to be strolling around in the streets and dropping by coincidentally.

  If there really was a wise and just emperor, I'm afraid he wouldn't have time for such nonsense.

  "You go upstairs first, I'll rest in the study for a while." As they stepped into the range of Swallow Tower, Gu Zhaobei let go of Shen Guiyan's hand and said with a smile.

  Shen Guiyan raised an eyebrow: "There are only books in the study."

  "What's the big deal?" Gu Zhaobei snorted: "Sleeping on books might even let me dream of a golden house."

  Shen Guiyan shook her head and turned to go upstairs first. Watching her go up and close the door, Gu Zhaobei put away his smile and turned to look at Zhu Yun: "Where's the person?"

  "He's already in the study." Chui Yun wiped the sweat from his forehead: "I'll watch the wind, you go first, Master."

  Gu Zhaobei cursed under his breath and glanced around before pretending nothing was wrong as he went into the study.

  As soon as he went in, he was punched by someone.

  Gu Zhoubei cursed loudly, dodged to the side, and grabbed the man's hand with his backhand. He then kneed him heavily in the stomach.

  Yuwen Chang let out a low hum and fell silent.

  Gu Zhaobei angrily pushed him away, saying: "You're courting death, but don't drag others down with you. We agreed on three days later, why must you rush to enter the capital today?"

  The person in front of him was in his early twenties, but he looked even younger and more unruly. He leaned against the wall, laughing: "Isn't this a big deal? Hey, you're just a young master from a minor noble family, how dare you always be so fierce with me?" Yuwen Changqing couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time: "I'm actually a favorite of the empress!"

  "It's a man who doesn't talk about status, but speaks with his fists." Gu Zhaobei raised his hand and clenched it into a fist, his face expressionless.

  "It's not a fuss, I really have an urgent matter, that's why I took the risk to come here." Yuwen Changqing immediately became serious and stood up straight, saying in a low voice: "This time I brought 100,000 soldiers into the capital, originally we should be stationed at Wuzhen, but the superior ordered us to station outside the suburbs of the capital."

  Gu Zhaobei furrowed his brow: "Has it arrived already?"

  "I arrived first, and the people who came later should still have some days to go." Yuwen Changqing said: "In a few more days, it will be the Empress Dowager's birthday. I don't know what plans that master has, time is pressing, so I can only come find you to think of a solution first."

  Today is indeed a mess, the queen and the emperor are fighting for power, the fourth prince and the sixth prince are fighting for position, these people all have to pay attention to each other's moves at all times, afraid that if one of them makes a wrong move, something will go wrong.

  If a large number of troops are gathered in the suburbs, does that mean they want to force the emperor to abdicate? But what reason does the empress have to force him to abdicate? Without a legitimate reason, as a woman and a member of the imperial family, she cannot occupy the throne, what's the use?

  Gu Zhaobei fell silent for a long time before saying, "You'd better go and inform Master first."

  Yuwen Changqing said discontentedly: "Do you know how much pressure I'm under to come find you? And yet you still make me go inform others?"

  "...then I'll send someone over, you go out of the city first."

  "Good." Yuwen Chang nodded and took the opportunity to look him up and down again: "I heard you got married, a pretty good-looking woman too."

  "Mind your own business! Get out of here!"

  "Hey, hey, don't be like that, after all we are bound by life and death." Yuwen Changqing pulled on the window cord: "At least let me see you?"

  "Cut the nonsense." Gu Zhaobei frowned: "If you expose your tracks later, you'll be done for."

  He hummed softly and sat on the windowsill, preparing to leave: "Then take care of yourself, I'll look for you again when I enter the capital."

  Gu Zhoubei waved his hand.

  He and Yuwen Changqing got together, it's a long story, too lazy to say, the only thing that can be said is that they are now in the same camp, and the fact that they know each other, only one person knows.

  If a fourth person finds out and it gets leaked, a large number of people may die.

  Yuwen Changqing had been stationed in the south for a long time, and it was not easy to return to the capital this time. As soon as he arrived at the Prime Minister's mansion, he accidentally kicked over a flower vase that a maid had placed outside the Swallow Tower to dry.

  "Who's there?!" The house servant happened to be passing by the entrance of the Swallow Tower, saw the shadow of the man on this side, and shouted loudly.

  Gu Zhaobei in the study was startled and hastily opened the door to take a look. Yuwen Changqing's reaction was incredibly fast, immediately rushing towards the Swallow Tower.

  Gu Zhaobei's face turned green with rage, and he rushed up to scare Shen Guiyan, who let out a sharp cry. Isn't everything ruined now? Is Yuwen Changqing only good for having eyes but no brains?

  Chui Yun reacted quickly and pushed his master back into the study before chasing after him to shout: "Fourth Master!"

  Three or four servants were standing under the Swallow Tower, and the person who had just heard the noise looked at Chui Yun in doubt: "Just now that man was wearing all black clothes, he didn't seem like Fourth Master?"

  Chui Yun calmly said: "My family's young master has changed his clothes, what's so strange about that?"

  "What's he running for?" The house servant muttered.

  "Never mind, there's nothing going on here, you can leave first."

  Jia Ding couldn't outdo the people from the Prime Minister's residence, so he left with a three-step bow. Chui Yun let out a sigh of relief and turned to open the door to the study, only to find that the window was wide open and his own master had vanished!

  On the Swallow Pavilion, Shen Guiyan pricked her own hand with a needle and stared at the person in front of her in astonishment.

  A man in black clothes suddenly appeared, with a neat and tidy appearance, sharp eyebrows and nose, very handsome.

  This is much more robust than Gao Bei's pale and beautiful young master.

  Yuwen Changqing had already made up his mind to cover the person's mouth, but unexpectedly, the beauty in front of him didn't call out or make a fuss, instead she looked at him with great curiosity.