A Trip to Plum Blossom Garden on the Eve of Wind and Rain

  The storm at the East Palace banquet still didn't subside, it's said that Emperor Lie was furious in the Diligent Governance Hall because of this matter, and with Empress Dowager's obstruction, it was really hard to acknowledge Yunyun. However, Crown Princess indeed stood up for Crown Prince and Yunyun as she had said, which left Emperor Lie and Empress Dowager speechless. After some back-and-forth, they finally accepted Yunyun, but the issue of her title would have to wait until after she gave birth to a child.

  The Crown Prince Gong Sun Longqing was finally ordered by Emperor Lie to be confined in the East Palace, but at this time, his wish had come true, and this confinement did not count for much in his eyes. However, it was also at this time that a big disturbance occurred at Guozhang Sun Yu's place.

  The Ministry of Justice officials collectively impeached Sun Yu for disregarding the law and privately arranging for someone to replace Sun Zhuo in prison, finding another person to substitute for his punishment. Such substitution of prisoners is a serious crime in Great Yan. In the imperial court, the Minister of Justice, Yu Yong, laid out all the evidence one by one, and despite the efforts of the officials to protect the Duke of the State, the Emperor had no choice but to order Sun Yu's imprisonment.

  At the same time that the Ministry of Justice was impeaching Sun Yu, on the official road south of Yanjing City to Tancheng, a very inconspicuous small horse-drawn carriage was intercepted by a group of black-clad guards from the De Wang Fu. Inside the carriage sat Sun Zhuo, who had been replaced and was preparing to leave the capital.

  At that time, Sun Yu was recuperating at home due to illness. When the rumor of going to deliver the imperial edict arrived at the Guozhong Fu, Sun Yu was already waiting in a white long gown, as if he had known since the day he revealed his identity before the execution on the Broken Soul Platform that this day would come. Sun Yu was indeed an old man who had experienced many storms and winds, and he faced the impending disaster of prison with an unchanged expression. However, when he was escorted to the gate of the Ministry of Punishment Prison, he could no longer remain calm.

  Just because the person he thought had long gone and would never come back was standing in front of him with tears all over his face, Gong Sun Mo looked at Sun Yu and said, "Duke Guo must not have expected that your son, who couldn't bear to part with you, has returned."

  Sun Yu's eyes deeply looked at Sun Zhuo, the latter silently shed tears looking at the old man with white hair, opening his mouth and shouting: "Grandpa——"

  Gongsun Mo waved his hand, and the two groups of people led Sun Yu and Sun Zhuo to different passageways. In that dark and endless corridor, there was a nauseating stench, and a chilly wind blew through it. Gongsun Mo only heard the sound of heavy iron chains falling into place, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upwards.

  The news of Guanzhong Sun Yu's imprisonment immediately caused a stir in the court and the country. Sun Yu had been in a high position in the court for many years, and he already had a powerful and influential protégé under his wing. Seeing that his patron was in trouble, they were extremely anxious. These people gathered together to discuss countermeasures, thinking that now the only person they could rely on was Empress Sun Wan.

  At this time, the Zhongxiu Palace was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood. Sun Wan's face was gloomy as she looked at the person approaching her, her brow furrowing, "How is it? Has the Emperor shown any sign of leniency?"

  The old lady shook her head, "I just went to ask Fu An, but he wouldn't say anything. He just kept shaking his head at me. It looks like the Emperor has made up his mind this time. The memorials submitted by the officials below were not even looked at before being sent back. I'm afraid there's no room for negotiation."

  Sun Wan's face was solemn, her golden-rimmed jade fingernails fiercely tapping on the edge of the table. "It's all because of those good-for-nothing things that caused trouble, and Sun Zhuo is also too useless."

  Zhang's wife glanced at Sun Wan, "Your Majesty, previously when the Duke of State came to ask you to plead for a favor on behalf of Young Master Sun, you did not agree. Now that things have come to this, what do you plan to do? You can't just watch as the Duke of State collapses like this, what will happen to the Crown Prince then?"

  Sun Wan lowered her eyes and glanced at Zhang Ya, "Pleading for Sun Zhuo? The Emperor has long been displeased with the Sun family's growing power and influence. Yet, the people under Father's command are unaware of restraint, causing trouble and then coming to find me. They don't know that if I were to offend the Emperor's temper, it would directly affect my husband, Chang Qing."

  The folds on Taizi Sun's brow deepened as she stood up and paced back and forth in the grand hall, suddenly saying, "This palace is going to make a trip to the Ministry of Punishment's great prison."

  The Ministry of Justice's prison was not in the palace, and the empress changed into casual clothes and walked straight out of the palace gate. She went straight to the Ministry of Justice and saw a person standing in front of the white tile wall at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, as if waiting for her - it was Yu Yong, the Minister of Justice.

  Yu Yong greets Her Majesty the Empress.

  Sun Wan's eyebrows rose, "It seems that Lord Yu knew that I was coming and was waiting for me here."

  Yu Yong's expression remained unchanged as he cupped his hands together, "The Emperor is Your Majesty's birth father. No matter what, you certainly won't just sit back and do nothing. Yu Yong is afraid that if the people below were to receive you, something unexpected might happen. I'll personally wait here for you instead. Your Majesty, shall this humble official escort you in now?"

  Sun Wan's eyebrows slightly moved, and her gaze deeply fell on Yu Yong's body. "I've heard that Lord Yu has a humble origin, and since he started his official career, he has been promoted all the way to the position of Minister of Justice. On the surface, everything seems calm and peaceful in the imperial court, but what hidden mechanisms are at work beneath the surface, I believe you and I both understand. What the palace wants to know is, who is the person behind Lord Yu?"

  "The Empress Dowager is worrying too much, there's no one behind Yu Yong, and he doesn't know what unknown things are happening in the imperial court right now. He only has his heart set on serving the Emperor." After a slight pause, Yu Yong couldn't help but sigh, "The Duke's concern for his daughter has led to such a big mistake, in my humble opinion, Your Majesty should advise the Duke to be more careful. The longer this matter drags on, the less patience the Emperor will have with him."

  Sun Wan nodded and glanced around the deep and dark place, "Let's go in."

  Yu Yong personally led Sun Wan in, and Sun Yu was locked in a dark room at the far end of the corridor. As they walked, Sun Wan looked around at the cockroaches and mice scurrying about on either side of the passageway, her brow furrowed in concern. "I've heard that every year the Ministry of Revenue allocates funds to the Ministry of Punishment, but how can the environment here still be so poor?"

  Yu Yong hooked the corner of his mouth, "Your Ladyship is unaware that the Minister of Revenue is a protégé of the Emperor's father-in-law. The amount allocated to the Ministry of Punishment each year is less than half of what is spent on gifts for the Emperor's father-in-law. I'm sure even the worst toilet in the Emperor's father-in-law's mansion is better than the Ministry of Punishment."

  Sun Wan's breath caught, and behind her Yu Yong had something to say that didn't fear her. She saw Sun Yu's anxiety and naturally didn't speak much with Yu Yong. When she walked into the narrow window cell in her elegant attire, all she saw was an old man with white hair and tattered clothes. In Sun Wan's heart, which had been through many ups and downs in the palace over the years, a pang of sorrow arose. Even her father, who was wise and powerful, could have such a miserable time. She took a deep breath, and for a moment, she couldn't bear it.

  Although the environment in the prison cell was poor, it could be seen that Sun Yu's cell had been cleaned by someone. At this moment, he was leaning against a worn-out cotton quilt, with his eyes closed, taking a short rest. When he heard the sound, he opened his eyes and saw that it was Sun Wan. His calm eyes deepened slightly.

  "May I have a word with my father in private, sir?"

  Yu Yonghe opened the prison gate and bowed again before retreating, Sun Wan stepped forward and called out a title she hadn't used in years, "Father."

  Sun Yu's cold face softened, and her opened eyes closed again, "I told them, unless they had no choice, not to come looking for you. Now it's actually you who came to see me, I suppose there's no other way out outside."

  The Sun family was a large clan in the city of Yanjing, and Sun Yu had been smooth sailing from a young age to become a person who stood above all others. He had never received such treatment before. Sun Wan looked at Sun Yu's desolate appearance and couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. "Father, the Emperor has made up his mind to investigate you this time, and the eyes of the Duke of De will not let you off by even a hair. Your many disciples have long been tainted over the years, how can they come to your aid at this time?"

  Sun Yu heard this but didn't pick up on it, instead asking, "How's A Zhuo doing?"

  Sun Wanhui's face twitched, and her worried expression suddenly added a hint of indifference. "This matter was originally Ah Zhuo's fault. You're now in a precarious situation yourself, yet you still want to ask him? Since the Emperor won't even spare your life, where will Ah Zhuo be safe? The Ministry of Punishment has already re-sentenced Ah Zhuo, and it's likely he'll still be sentenced to death!"

  Sun Yu took a deep breath, his face was covered with a gloomy color, his hands slightly trembling as he placed them on the bedside, seemingly suppressing something. Sun Wan saw his pain and her mouth curled up coldly, "Father, A Zhuo is your grandson, isn't Long Cheng? Even if A Zhuo is gone, you still have Long Cheng, it's not that I didn't save A Zhuo, but rather——"

  Sun Yu opened her eyes, and behind the dimness in her pupils was a cold indifference. "Your brother left early, leaving only one son, who is also the only descendant of the Sun family. When I went to the Zhong Xi Palace to ask for your help, you were so ruthless and didn't care at all. If it weren't for you being like that, how could I have ended up in this situation?"

  Upon hearing this, Sun Wan's face revealed a hint of bitter smile, "Indeed, you are blaming me."

  Sun Yu turned his head, "A Zhuo is my grandson, Chang Qing, he is the crown prince, now he still calls me Grandfather, but what about in the future? After all, he is a member of the Gong Sun family, not the Sun family. Wan Er, you are the same."

  Sun Wanyu's eyes narrowed, how could she not understand Sun Yu's words? The little girl who used to play in her father's lap had become a woman with only power and imperial favor in her heart after entering the palace. At some point, when she saw her father, who had doted on her for half her life, kneeling down at her feet, she didn't feel even a hint of guilt. The deep palace had long since made her heart cold and hard.

  Sun Wanzhen's expression changed several times. Since she took on the surname of Crown Prince Gong, since she sat in that one-person-under-heaven-and-above-all position, she had too many things that she couldn't help but do. Not only was she being pressured by the imperial concubines and consorts, not only was she being pressured by the emperor and his officials, even she herself didn't let herself off easy. When she set foot on a certain path, she told herself, she couldn't retreat, not one step.

  She can be so cruel to herself, let alone others. But at this moment, she only feels desolate. After a long silence, Sun Wan raised her head and looked at Sun Yu's gaunt profile, saying in a low voice, "Father, I couldn't protect Ah Zhuo, but I will definitely protect you. Wait for me."

  The sound fell, and Sun Wan bowed to Sun Yu before walking out of the prison gate. Sun Yu looked at Sun Wan's back and let out a deep sigh. A ray of light came through the window and landed on his body. This powerful and glorious minister ultimately ended up like this.

  Yu Yongzheng stood in the corridor waiting for Sun Wan. Seeing Sun Wan come out with a cold face, he went forward and greeted her, "Your Majesty."

  Sun Wan looked at Yu Yong with a glance, and all the expressions that had just been chaotic were suppressed. "Thank you very much today, Lord Yu. You are young and promising, and in my opinion, your future prospects are boundless. When the new emperor ascends to the throne, he will still need to rely on your assistance."

  Originally, "the new ruler takes the throne" was not something Sun Wan should have said. However, at this moment, there were no others around, and Sun Wan had nothing to be restrained about. Yu Yong, who was standing beside her, did not respond but instead bowed his waist in a very respectful manner. Sun Wan walked straight out of the prison gate, and as she stepped out of the dark passageway, she suddenly felt a sense of relief. She turned around to look at the dimly lit prison cell, a place where she couldn't even bear to stay for a moment - how could her father, who was over fifty years old, endure it?

  Watching the queen's back as she left, Yu Yong got into his own carriage, a very ordinary blue cloth carriage, and hurried to the Duke of De's mansion. When he got off the carriage, Yu Yong saw a woman wearing a white fox fur coat coming out of the Duke of De's mansion, and behind her was Gong Sun Mo personally seeing her off.

  That woman was someone Yu Yong knew, the second young lady of the Gu family, a woman who didn't enter the palace even when Ning Yuan entered the capital. Yu Yong watched from afar and didn't rush to leave, waiting until the woman's carriage had gone some distance before getting down. Gong Sun Mo happened to see him coming over and slightly raised his hand, "Lord Yu."

  Yu Yong stepped forward and bowed, then his eyes slightly condensed, "Your Highness, the Empress went to the Ministry of Punishment's great prison to see her father."

  Gongsun Mo raised an eyebrow, "Come in and tell me more."

  ——

  The end of the 475th year of the Imperial Calendar was a chaotic time for Great Yan. First, Emperor Lie was ambushed while out hunting, then envoys from various countries arrived in succession, followed by the scandal involving the Crown Prince's numerous romantic entanglements, and finally, the case of the replacement of the imperial son-in-law with a dead prisoner, triggered by one of the imperial son-in-law's younger grandsons.

  What was originally a simple substitution case of a dead prisoner turned out to be not as simple as everyone had imagined. Just when the strategist on the side of the imperial son-in-law was making plans for him, and Empress Sun Wan secretly helped him by pulling strings, another unexpected twist came like a heavy punch, hitting the imperial son-in-law's party right in the heart.

  The Divine Mansion had always been a place of unpredictable fate, with absolute loyalty to the Emperor. The Emperor had always trusted their words without doubt. On the third day after Sun Zhuo, the young master of the Imperial Son-in-law's family, was sentenced to death, a black lacquer-sealed letter landed on the Emperor's desk. The letter clearly stated the details of how the Imperial Son-in-law had embezzled money from tributes in recent years. Upon reading it, the Emperor naturally became enraged and immediately summoned the Minister of Justice, Yu Yong, for an audience. It is unknown what they discussed in the imperial study, but upon his return, Yu Yong transferred Sun You from the Ministry of Justice's prison to the Heavenly Prison for close supervision.

  Tianluo originally was a place to keep close relatives of the Yan Emperor who had committed serious crimes, now it's being used to hold the emperor's father-in-law, which isn't a big deal, but because of this change, everyone realizes that things have become very serious!

  Just as the whole Yanjing was in a state of panic and alarm, the Dewang Mansion was calm and peaceful.

  Gu Yunxi was handed over by the guards of the De Wangfu and entered the mansion, pushing open the courtyard door just as Gong Sun Chenglin was also there. She raised an eyebrow, made a slight curtsy, "Greetings, Your Highness, Crown Prince."

  Gongsun Chenglin waved his hand, "Ah, I was just waiting for you, hurry up!"

  Gu Yun Xie was slightly surprised, but Gong Sun Mo had a smile on his face as he looked at Gong Sun Cheng Lin and shook his head. He turned to look at Gu Yun Xie, "The green plum blossoms in the south of the city have bloomed, Cheng Lin wants to go take a look."

  "That green plum blossom is still the same as when I returned to Beijing three years ago. Today, no matter what, I must go there once, and it's such a good thing that I've specially invited you along."

  Gu Yunxi was also delighted when he heard the words. Green plum, she had never seen it before. "Since that's the case, I'd rather obey than be polite."

  The carriage of the German palace was ready, and after leaving the palace, they got on the horse-drawn carriage and rushed to the Mei Garden in the south of the city. Because it had snowed a little the night before, there were not many people on the streets, and the horse-drawn carriage drove quickly all the way. When it stopped slowly, what surprised Gu Yunxi was that the Mei Garden was actually quite lively. She lifted the curtain and took a look, and indeed, there were not a few people coming. Gong Sun Chenglin glanced at Gu Yunxi, "How about it, didn't I tell you?"

  As soon as they got off the carriage, someone came to greet them, seemingly arranged by Gong Sun Mo earlier. They were led directly into the garden, passing through a large gate, a water-ink wall shadow, and then over a small bridge at the waist of a peak. From afar, Gu Yun Xi could already smell the light and refreshing plum fragrance. Gong Sun Cheng Lin walked in front with great enthusiasm, while Gong Sun Mo and Gu Yun Xi followed behind. Seeing that Gu Yun Xi also had a faint smile on her face, Gong Sun Mo's eyebrows lit up.

  "This courtyard was originally the property of a royal uncle, who was fond of traveling and sightseeing. During his leisure time in the capital, he designed this plum forest and even transported green plums from the north to plant here. It has been over ten years now, and it has finally become a beautiful scene."

  Gu Yunxi looked around and saw a patch of green clouds, she had no idea that Lie Emperor still had brothers in the world, now hearing this suddenly felt unexpected. The courtyard was complete with mountains, rocks, and small pavilions, it was an ordinary imperial palace, but a large area was used for transplanting plum blossoms, forming a magnificent scene.

  There were many young men and women from the capital who came to see the plum blossoms, all dressed in their finest clothes, with flowers in their hair. Compared to them, Gu Yunxi's usual simple attire seemed even more elegant and refined. Perhaps it was because Gong Sunmo had made arrangements beforehand, but the little servant who led the way took them directly up a three-story building.

  The small building was called the Mei Lou, and the three of them went straight up to a cozy room on the second floor. The interior was very simple, with only a few branches of green plum blossoms in a vase in the corner, and no other decorations. Gu Yunxi walked directly to the window, and from this small room on the second floor, she saw that outside the window was a sea of floating flowers amidst a layer of green clouds!

  "From this direction, you can see the whole garden."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, "But since we're here to admire the plum blossoms, shouldn't we be going downstairs instead?"

  Gongsun Chenglin shook his head, "Coming here besides admiring the plum blossoms, there's another important thing. The Emperor doesn't know where he learned it from, but he has mastered the technique of brewing flower tea. His own plum blossom tea is truly exceptional, I haven't had any for three years now. This time, it's naturally the first thing to do, let's go down later."

  Gu Yunxue suddenly looked up and asked, "Is that imperial uncle still around?"

  Gongsun Chenglin shook his head, "He stayed in the capital for a very short time within a year, and now I don't know where he is. However, with the New Year approaching, he should be back anyway."

  As soon as the words fell, a young servant came in with all the utensils for brewing tea, "Your Highness, this is the new snow water and morning dew that we collected last night knowing you were coming. The plum blossom tea was also made by our master himself and stored away. Please enjoy it slowly."

  The little servant finished speaking and retreated. Gu Yunxi looked around the room, which was now left with only three people, and turned to ask Gong Sun Chenglin, "Do you want to brew some tea?"

  Gongsun Chenglin shook his head, "Second Brother is cooking."

  Gu Yunxi was slightly surprised, Gong Sun Mo sat in front of the desk, the small clay stove burning just right, Gong Sun Mo raised his hand and poured the newly melted snow water into the teapot. Gu Yunxi thought that Gong Sun Mo's hands, which were only used to holding swords and brushes, were now picking tea leaves, washing cups, and pouring, with a familiar look, she was somewhat astonished.

  Gongsun Chenglin looked at Gu Yunxi's expression and smiled, "The emperor used to like Second Brother the most, often taking him to make tea. At that time, I thought I had to be brought by Second Brother to enter this garden, let alone this small building."

  Gu Yunxi nodded and moved to stand in front of the window. The view before her eyes was the plum blossoms on the branches, their green petals making one feel refreshed at a glance. Gong Sun Chenglin stood beside Gu Yunxi, "Yunxi, what do you think of Second Brother?"

  "What's going on?"

  Gongsun Chenglin looked at her directly, "What do you think of him?"

  Gu Yunxi furrowed her brow, seemingly thinking for a moment, "The king is discerning and wise, with a calm and intelligent demeanor. He loves his subordinates and takes care of the people, and has ambitious aspirations that reach far and wide. He is an uncommonly good ruler."

  Gongsun Chenglin shook his head, "No, I didn't mean it that way, you understand."

  Gu Yunxi's mouth curled up in a bitter smile, "I originally thought that Your Highness was a carefree and unrestrained master, but now it seems that you're actually quite nagging. This question shouldn't have been asked to me, and it's best if you don't ask again in the future."

  As soon as the words fell, Gong Sun Chenglin slightly furrowed his brow, and Gu Yunxi also didn't know what to say for the better. Her eyes darted back and forth, and suddenly she asked again, "The house next door is——"

  Gongsun Chenglin took a glance and shook his head, "I forgot whose it was. When the Emperor was in Jingzhong before, he often brought his favorite young concubines to play in this garden. Later, he gave one room to each of them as a gift. The Crown Prince probably also has one room here. Besides that, there's also Wan Xi... and I don't remember anyone else."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, feeling a faint scent of fragrance wafting from next door. Just as she wanted to confirm it, Gong Sunmo spoke up behind her, "Seven parts pure snow and three parts clear dew, come taste it."

  Gu Yunxi and Gong Sun Chenglin turned around, the teacups behind them had already been filled by Gong Sun Mo. Gu Yunxi picked up a cup, first taking a light sniff, then a faint sip. The bright color between her originally clear and beautiful eyes burst forth, "I didn't know that Prince Wang's tea-brewing skills were so good."

  Gongsun Mo raised a cup in front of him and said, "It's the Emperor's tea that is good."

  Gu Yunxi lowered her eyes and took a look, in the green tea soup were two blooming green plums, sweet and refreshing, with a fragrance that made her unable to resist taking another sip.

  Gongsun Chenglin sighed, "Second Brother's craftsmanship is indeed good. At that time, Huang Shu brought us kids to play together. Every time we went horseback riding and hunting, whoever won would get him to brew a pot of tea for us. Wan Kuang had been weak since he arrived in Great Yan, and every time he didn't even ride horses well, but in the end, when it came to drinking tea, Huang Shu would always save a share for him. I even said at the time that Huang Shu was being biased."

  Gongsun Mo listened to Gongsun Chenglin's faint words, with only a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. Gu Yunxi also listened and felt that today's Gongsun Chenglin had some nostalgic meaning.

  Later, I entwined the emperor's uncle again and said he was biased. He only said that he had drunk Wan Qi Zhuo's tea and said that he was the most spiritual and brewed the best. So every time he brought him with him. But when I asked Wan Qi Zhuo to make tea, he never agreed. Anyway, among those I drank, I naturally thought that Second Brother's brewing was good. Later, Second Brother was sent to the North Border, Wan Qi Zhuo's illness became more and more serious, and the emperor's uncle also went on a cloud tour of the four seas. I was alone in the capital without interest, so I simply followed my father to ask for orders to go to the military to practice.

  Gongsun Chenglin drained the tea soup in his cup, then poured himself another one. After savoring it for a while, he looked at the other two with satisfaction and said, "Let's go."

  As soon as they stepped out, a chill ran down their spines. However, Gu Yunxi saw the green plum blossoms and felt a surge of joy in her heart. Gong Sun Chenglin was also extremely happy and headed straight into the depths of the plum forest. Gong Sun Mo walked to Gu Yunxi's side, "Chenglin is going to be away for a while."

  Gu Yunxi's heart skipped a beat, "Why?"

  Gongsun Mo's eyes were filled with a mix of emotions, "As soon as the Emperor's matter came out, although the crime has not been determined yet, Father Emperor already had the intention to take away his military power in Western Sichuan. I already have control over the Shenbei Army, and only Chenglin does not have any military power in his hands. Naturally, Father Emperor will send him to Western Sichuan."

  Gu Yunxi furrowed her brow, gazing down at the snow accumulating on the ground. "The Xichuan army has been under Guozhang's command for so many years, it can't be easily taken over. The Emperor wants to use Crown Prince Cheng's identity as a prince to suppress those generals, but I've heard that the Xichuan army is known for being fiercely loyal..."

  Gongsun Mo nodded, "More than a decade ago, Sun Yu was the commander-in-chief, and the Western Sichuan army under his leadership was also one of the powerful forces in our Great Yan. Those generals have been fighting on the battlefield for many years, and according to their military experience, they are all seniors of Cheng Lin. Moreover, the Western Sichuan army is known for its strong and hard style, it's not something that can be suppressed by Cheng Lin's status as a prince. What's more, most of them are from the Crown Prince's faction, while Cheng Lin has long been on my side. From any aspect, Cheng Lin's trip this time will not be easy."

  Gu Yunxi sighed, "But no matter what, this is a good thing. If the emperor didn't have the Xichuan army, it would be equivalent to the crown prince losing his greatest support. Even if one day we have to make a break, the king has already won."

  Although the words were said, Gu Yunxi was stained with this emotion and had no joy like before. At this moment, Gong Sun Chenglin, who had walked to the front, suddenly came back. Gu Yunxi looked over and felt that Gong Sun Chenglin's face was slightly unusual. Just as she was about to wonder, a person walked out from behind him.

  Gu Yunxi's eyebrows rose in surprise, she had never thought that she would run into Gu Yingxue here.

  "I pay my respects to Your Highness."

  Gu Yinxue bowed to Gong Sun Mo, who was slightly surprised and also attracted the attention of others nearby with his sudden movement.

  "Get up."

  Gongsun Mo's hand slightly lifted, and Ying Xue immediately stood up. Today, she was wearing a pale red palace dress, with a white sable cloak draped over her body. Against the backdrop of the lush green plum blossoms, she looked particularly striking and eye-catching.

  Gu Yunxi slightly bowed and said, "Sister."

  Gu Yingxue had already seen Gu Yunxi, and at this time, the corner of her mouth was slightly hooked. "Sister is also here, no wonder when I went to Suanyuetang to find my sister earlier today, Mother said that my sister had left early, it turns out that she came with Wangye."

  Pausing for a moment, "I heard that Madame Luo also likes green plums, so it's better if you bring some to her later."

  Gu Yingxue would never really let her bring Green Plum to Luo Qingyi, Gu Yunxi's eyebrows furrowed tightly upon hearing this, a huge sense of unease arose in her heart.

  Gu Yingxue turned to Gong Sunmo again, "Your Highness, Xiang Junwangfei said you haven't entered the palace to see her for several days, she misses you very much."

  Gongsun Mo's eyebrows furrowed slightly, "These past few days have been busy, tomorrow is Cheng Lin's farewell banquet, I will naturally go to the palace to pay my respects to her elderly self."

  Gu Yingxue nodded and looked up at Gong Sun Chenglin, "I heard that Crown Prince is going to spend some time in western Sichuan?"

  Gongsun Chenglin was mentally entangled. Logically speaking, the woman in front of him was his future sister-in-law, and he should have been polite and courteous. Unfortunately, he always felt that there was something about this woman that he didn't like. "Exactly."

  Gu Yingxue nodded and seemed to have thought of something, suddenly walking towards Gu Yunxi and pulling her hand, "Come, little sister, big sister will take you to a place."

  Although this courtyard is a royal private property, any family members of officials with some status in the capital can come in. As a result, when Gu Yingxue pulled Gu Yunxi towards the depths of the plum forest, they would meet many people. Gu Yunxi didn't understand Gu Yingxue's intention and only felt that the eyes around her made her feel uneasy.

  "What is sister going to do?"

  Gu Yingxue's mouth curved up slightly, "There are many people who have come to admire the plum blossoms today. There is a pavilion in front with exceptionally beautiful plum blossoms."

  Gongsun Mo and Gongsun Chenglin followed behind the two sisters, watching as they approached an octagonal pavilion, where at that moment a person with a slender figure was standing inside.

  Gongsun Cheng's eyes lit up, "Wan Xi!"

  There were many people around, and most of them were from influential families in the capital. Gong Sun Chenglin's face lit up with joy, but he didn't go over because after all, Wan Xi Chen was still a person by the prince's side.

  Today, Wan Xi wore a black cloak, still looking no different from the usual days when they met. Seeing Gu Yingxue pulling Gu Yunchen over, and then seeing Gong Sunmo and Gong Sun Chenglin, he simply turned around and gave them a light salute, with an air of not being close friends.

  "Look, sister, isn't that scenery over there by the artificial hill more interesting than anywhere else? The strange rocks are towering and among them a few green plum trees are hanging in mid-air."

  Gu Yunxi's mind was filled with doubts, even if Gu Yingxue knew that a certain place had good scenery, she wouldn't really tell her. And since she didn't go anywhere else, she ended up here and bumped into Wan Qiuchen. What was she thinking? Thinking back to the smell in the small building earlier, Gu Yunxi's gaze swept past the purple gold hand warmer in Wan Qiuchen's hand, and she became even more convinced of this idea.

  Gu Yun Xie opened Gu Ying Xue's hand, "Sister is right, it's indeed interesting."

  As soon as the voice fell, Gu Yunxi walked towards Gong Sunmo. Wan Qi's gaze swept over her body, and he lightly coughed twice. Mu Yan, who was standing behind him, quickly put the cloak in his hand on him, and then Wan Qi also said something to Mu Yan, and the two of them went in another direction.

  Gongsun Chenglin glanced at Gu Yingxue, they were never together to begin with, and now it's even more unnecessary for them to walk together. The current situation was not good no matter how you looked at it. Gu Yunxi gazed coldly in the direction where Wan Qi had left, pulling her cloak tighter around herself. "It's a bit chilly, why don't we go back to the small building and have Wang Ye brew another pot of tea for us?"

  Gongsun Mo didn't show much expression, Gongsun Chenglin nodded, "Alright then."

  Gu Yunxi's mouth curved up as she said to Gu Yingxue, "Sister, do you want to go together? The king's tea art is extraordinary."

  Looking at Gu Yunxi's smile, Gu Yingxue clenched her own fists and said, "Yingxue won't disturb you anymore, sister and the two princes can do as they please."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, and the three of them walked in the direction they came from. The ground still had snow on it, and the bluestone path was icy, so Gu Yunxi, who was walking in front, suddenly slipped and almost fell to the ground. Gong Sunmo, who was walking behind her, quickly grabbed her arm, and she narrowly avoided a fall.

  Gu Yingxue frowned as she watched the scene, Jinwen standing behind her had already sparked anger in his eyes. Gu Yingxue turned to look at Jinwen and asked, "Have you taken care of everything I told you to do?"

  Jin Wen nodded, "Don't worry, Miss. Tomorrow at the farewell banquet for Cheng Wang, most of the high-ranking officials in the capital will be there. I've already informed the Prefect of Jingzhao, and it's sure to be a good show."

  Gu Yingxue nodded slightly, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, "Does Father know?"

  Jin Wen shook his head, "Don't worry, miss, the old master doesn't know yet."

  She let out a soft sigh, watching the three figures disappear behind the plum tree. A cold smile played on Gu Yingxue's lips as she said, "I only hope my little sister won't be too shocked."

  Jin Wen's face also flashed a hint of hatred, and Gu Yingxue turned around to walk out, seemingly intending to return to the manor. However, before she had taken a few steps, she saw a man in black clothes walking from not far away towards the outside of the courtyard. Gu Yingxue raised an eyebrow, "Who is that?"

  Jin Wen went forward a few steps, took a closer look, and then found a servant in the courtyard to ask a few questions before returning to report to Gu Yingxue, "Miss, that is the newly appointed deputy commander of the patrol camp, General Song Hua."

  Gu Yingxue furrowed her brow, "Song Ya——"

  Gu Yunxue's trip to Yilan Garden was put in question because of Gu Yingxue's appearance. She was very sure that her feelings were not wrong, she did it on purpose, intentionally bringing her in front of Wan Qishan, but why?

  A wave of unease rose up in her until the carriage came to a stop and she still hadn't come back to herself.

  "Miss Gu, we've arrived at the Prime Minister's residence."

  Gu Yunxi was startled, and quickly got off the carriage and entered the Xiang Mansion. She still felt a bit out of it, thinking about the problem all the way back to Su Yue Xuan. When she returned to Su Yue Xuan, she only felt that today's Su Yue Xuan was very quiet. She furrowed her brow and walked directly into the main hall, "Mother?"

  No one answered at all.

  Gu Yunxi subconsciously clenched her fists, "Mother? Yuan mother?"

  No one responded even after shouting twice in a row, Gu Yunxi's whole body began to panic, she rushed into the inner room, but the inner room was almost unchanged, "Mother?!"

  Gu Yunxi only felt her heart being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, the severe pain surging wave after wave, unable to be alleviated. Just as she was starting to think about the possible situations Luo Qingyi might have encountered, Zi Lan, who had not yet recovered from his injuries, hobbled in, "Miss, you're back! Listen to me——"

  "Where's my mom? Where's my mom?"

  Gu Yunxi rushed out hastily, without even hearing clearly what Zilan was going to say. Zilan smiled helplessly and said, "Miss, don't be in a hurry, the madam has gone to Jing'an Temple."

  "Jing'an Temple?"

  "Uh-huh."

  Zilan nodded, but Gu Yunxi still didn't believe it. "You're saying that Mother went to the Jing'an Temple outside the city?"

  Lan nodded again, "Yes!"

  Gu Yunxi let out a long breath, and finally regained some of her composure. "Why? My mother has been in the Prime Minister's estate for so many years and never left the gate. You say she suddenly went to Jing'an Temple without telling me, how can I believe that?"

  Zilan shook her head and sighed, one foot stepped over to pull Gu Yunxi onto the soft couch beside her. "Miss, didn't you notice that Madame has been restless lately? This morning after you left, Madame suddenly came over and told me she felt very uneasy in her heart, wanting to rush to Jing'an Temple, with Nanny accompanying her."

  Gu Yunxi suddenly came back to her senses, and her clenched fist finally relaxed a bit. "When are you coming back?"

  Zilan thought for a moment, "It seems like we're going to stay here for a few days."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, she really couldn't believe that Luo Qingyi would suddenly go to Jing'an Temple, but with her mother accompanying her, it was also possible. After all, she had been worried a lot recently and often copied Buddhist scriptures herself. With a sense of relief, Gu Yunxi looked at Zi Lan who was still recovering from his injuries and shook her head, "You should go lie down on the bed now, after I send off Cheng Wang tomorrow, I'll go to Jing'an Temple to look for my mother early next day. She just left like this, it really gave me a fright."

  Zilan's eyebrows curved into a smile as she said, "I've never seen you like this before, Miss. You're in such a hurry, just like a little kid. It's as if the mistress had suddenly disappeared or something."

  Gu Yunxi tapped her on the head, "You're the child, go lie down!"

  "Roger that, big sis!" Zi Lan stuck out her tongue.

  Gu Yunxi let out a deep breath, saw that the night was already late and didn't need Zi Lan to serve her, so she went into the inner room to wash up by herself. The moon outside was bright and white, hanging in the sky like a crescent shape, while the night was still as dark as ink. In that profound and immeasurable darkness, it seemed as if some great evil was about to emerge from its cocoon.

  Digression

  What a miserable day, came back from outside and my hand was pinched by the door, opened the computer and Word suddenly couldn't be used, after much effort I managed to fix it with my intelligence, typed halfway and the computer screen went black... oh no...