Unfortunately, she was ultimately a rational and disciplined person who would never allow Xia Zixi to touch her in the palace.
"That Su fellow, did Zixi grab hold of him?"
"Don't worry, Su and that brat were injured by my men and thrown into the river. By now their corpses have probably rotted away."
Concubine Wan felt relieved. The things that happened back in Changzhou all those years ago... She and Xia Zixi went through a lot of trouble to cover them up. Their current wealth and status were won at the cost of their lives.
For Su to personally go to Changzhou and dig up dirt on their past, how could she just let him bring up old stories from years past?
"Fortunately Zixi you were here, otherwise I wouldn't have known what to do." A woman must act helpless at the appropriate times.
As expected, Xia Zixi stroked her chin, his eyes filling with deeper affection. "This is just what I should do. After all, we're in the same boat, no?"
Concubine Wan smiled coquettishly. She was skilled at manipulating men. Stroking Xia Zixi's sharp jawline, she lightly kissed his lips. "Yes, we're more than just being in the same boat. We're family."
Xia Zixi smiled. "Heh~"
After sending Xia Zixi away, Concubine Wan stripped naked and called loudly, "Weimian, come in."
The smell of that thousand-year red incense was disgusting...
...
Late at night, a lowly palace maid stealthily left Rippling Palace and entered Fledgling Phoenix Palace in the dead of night.
A while later, the palace maid hurriedly disappeared into the darkness of the night, as if nothing had happened. It was as if it had been an ordinary, mundane deep night.
That night, the four blessing maids of Fledgling Phoenix Palace released a homing pigeon out of the imperial palace.
When Zhao Changdu took the note off the pigeon's leg, Gu Ying had just opened her eyes.
The Changfeng Pavilion was brightly lit. Yanzhi, Yinzhu and several others were leaning against the bed, staring intently at her belly.
Yinlan had already seen enough to satisfy her curiosity, so she naturally didn't find it to be anything special.
But Yanzhi was looking at her lady's pregnant belly, already four months swollen, in shock for the first time. Eyes wide open, she asked, "My lady, is there really a little prince in there? That's a little person, how did he get inside your belly?"
Yinlan laughed loudly while Yinzhu's usually expressionless little face also showed distaste. They both thought Yanzhi was stupid.
Gu Ying smiled lightly. Sitting up in bed, she said indulgently, "Yanzhi, do you want to touch it?"
Yanzhi really wanted to, but didn't dare. Under Gu Ying's encouraging gaze she carefully stretched out a hand, just about to touch when the doors opened. "Bring food in for Princess Ying to eat."
There were still cherry cakes that the prince had specially brought back for his lady to eat on the small table. They were too anxious to see the little prince to be bothered with bringing food!
Yanzhi frowned in pain, about to get angry. But when she turned her head and saw the prince's cold, handsome face, she quickly shrank back, pulling Yinlan and running out.
Gu Ying laughed at how petty the prince was.
The room was warm and fragrant. The man glared at her lightly and carried her from the bed, placing her in a luohandeng rosewood couch. He massaged her legs and fed her hot water, wiping her lips before handing her the note.
He doted on her attentively like an old father to his daughter.
The note only had the three words "Xia Zixi". As soon as Gu Ying saw the name she immediately recalled memories from her past life.
Xia Zixi was also from Changzhou and was fellow townsmen with Concubine Wan.
Back then he was ordered to go to Changzhou to bring Concubine Wan back to Bianjing, and also brought Prince Shu Li Yang back.
Later on, he supported Li Yang in ascending to the throne. Li Yang led troops to charge into the palace in an attempt to usurp the throne, which was done with Xia Zixi's inside help.
After Li Yang's defeat, Xia Zixi also died along with him, and Concubine Wan was imprisoned in the inner palace.
As for anything else, she didn't know too many details while she was in the broken temple, at least she could confirm that Xia Zixi and Concubine Wan were on good terms.
"Changdu, has Su He come back?" She remembered that Su He personally went to Changzhou to investigate what happened with Concubine Wan back then.
"Not yet. I received a letter earlier saying he was gravely injured and fell into the water, but was saved by someone. He stayed at Yueya Crossing in Changzhou to recuperate for a period of time." Zhao Changdu gathered the little girl into his embrace, personally feeding her the cherry cake. "But several days ago, I received word from him saying his body had recovered in Changzhou, and he needed to investigate a homicide case before returning."
Gu Ying took a bite of cherry cake, feeling uneasy inside. "Homicide case?"
"Mm." Zhao Changdu patiently wiped away the oil stains from the corners of her mouth. "Regarding Concubine Wan - back then her entire family died in a fire, two older brothers, an older sister, and a pair of parents. Only she survived."
"Wasn't that case already investigated? The murderer was a collateral branch of the Su family—" Gu Ying blurted out instinctively, but caught herself when she realized something was off. She quickly stopped talking.
She shouldn't know so many details.
She awkwardly bit into the cake, the corners of her mouth pulling into an embarrassed smile. She stammered out an explanation, "I heard it from Auntie. Auntie is also connected to the Su family and knows some inside information that isn't public..."
Zhao Changdu glanced at the panic in the young girl's eyes but didn't say anything. He only said, "That's right, at the time it was determined that the murderer came from a collateral branch of the dissolute young master Su Huai to silence Concubine Wan's entire family. The crime scene had a token from the Empress' palace that served as evidence."
Gu Ying blinked. "Empress Su wouldn't be so foolish."
She knew Empress Su, a pitiful woman with a tragic fate. She had lived her entire life only for her son. She was a true noble lady of prestigious birth and would absolutely not be stupid enough to send someone from her own clan to kill Concubine Wan and leave behind evidence and give the cold and indifferent Emperor a reason to distance himself from her even more.
For so many years she had shouldered the label of murderer. Spurned by the Emperor, vilified by Concubine Wan, even her son failed to gain his father's favor. The Su clan's reputation had also been damaged for a time, unable to hold their head high among the many prestigious clans and families of Bianjing.
She definitely wouldn't brazenly resort to such insidious tactics to deal with Concubine Wan.
Zhao Changdu smiled lightly. "Princess Ying is clever. Of course the Empress wouldn't be so foolish. His Majesty simply doesn't love her, so he won't believe anything she says regarding this case."
Gu Ying felt sorrow for them. Smacking her red lips she said, "So trust between husband and wife is crucial. Empress Su is truly pitiable..."
She had wealth, status, nobility, but lacked love. Half her lifetime was wasted in a cold marriage just for an unloving man. And now she had ruined her health as well while the inner palace completely obeyed Concubine Wan.
Zhao Changdu watched her deeply for a moment. He grasped her small hand and gently kneaded her soft fingertips. "I will always believe in you."
No matter how things turned out later, he would make sure the young girl became the happiest woman in Bianjing.
