“Aunt.”
As past events resurfaced, Shen Shi recalled her days and nights in Yongshou Palace. Combined with her belief that Jiang He wanted to take a concubine, she wept bitterly.
The Empress Dowager bent down, supporting Shen Shi’s arm to help her up, half-embracing her while gently patting her back.
The current emperor was not the Empress Dowager’s biological son but had ascended the throne through her support.
As for Shen Shi, she was naturally not the late emperor’s child but rather the Empress Dowager’s daughter with another man.
To conceal Shen Shi’s identity, the Empress Dowager had entrusted her to her elder brother’s care, only bringing her back after Shen Shi had grown old enough to understand.
Being the only daughter of the Zhongyi Marquis Estate, Shen Shi had been raised with utmost preciousness since childhood—treasured in every way—resulting in her naive nature and timid disposition.
Having navigated the intricacies of the imperial harem, the Empress Dowager was deeply versed in political machinations and had schemed against many. For her own daughter, however, she wished to spare her such a path, thus tacitly approving the Zhongyi Marquis Estate’s indulgent upbringing.
Yet the Empress Dowager never anticipated that Shen Shi would prove not only soft-hearted but also easily swayed and hopelessly romantic.
Had Jiang He truly revered Shen Shi as rumored, it might have been tolerable. But the ambition frequently visible in his eyes made the Empress Dowager suspect he was more complex than he appeared.
Unfortunately, Shen Shi was utterly bewitched by Jiang He. With no alternative, the Empress Dowager reluctantly consented, though her resentment never faded.
After marriage, Shen Shi severed ties with the Empress Dowager, infuriating her. Neither made efforts to reconcile, leaving their relationship strained.
Had Jiang Chaohua not visited today, the Empress Dowager would never have learned Shen Shi’s true feelings.
“Aunt, I’ve missed you so much, so very much.”
Having spoken this far, Shen Shi no longer concealed her emotions. Clinging to the Empress Dowager, she burst into loud sobs.
For the sake of love, she had abandoned both the Empress Dowager and her maternal family. All these years, she had been profoundly unhappy.
Especially when her three sons met with successive misfortunes, her heart felt as if pierced by knives. Yet this path was of her own choosing—she had to grit her teeth and endure, never daring to trouble the Empress Dowager.
“Silly child, how could I force you into anything you dislike? After all these years, do you still not understand my heart?”
Holding Shen Shi close, the two wept until heaven and earth seemed to darken.
The Empress Dowager’s excessive kindness and indulgence toward Shen Shi puzzled Jiang Chaohua, but now was not the time for distractions.
While Shen Shi wept, Jiang Chaohua continuously fueled the fire, shifting all blame onto Jiang He and Jiang Laotaitai.
Observing the fury in the Empress Dowager’s eyes, Jiang Chaohua sneered inwardly.
Mending relations with the Empress Dowager was merely the first step. With her backing, when the day came to expose Jiang He’s true nature, Shen Shi would not be left utterly helpless.
Moreover, Jiang He had spent years building extensive influence at court. Uncertain of how many hidden cards he held, acting rashly might backfire disastrously.
She would bide her time in the shadows, gradually dismantling Jiang He’s defenses. The Empress Dowager was her initial move.
Jiang Chaohua hung her head, her body trembling slightly. The Empress Dowager assumed it was from distress over her mother, but Jiang Chaohua knew it was hatred that made her shake uncontrollably.
The mere thought of how her second brother had nearly lost his life today made Jiang Chaohua wish she could kill Jiang He.
“Empress Dowager, today was my birthday banquet, but it was interrupted by an incident. Could Your Majesty hold another one for me another day? When that day comes, I promise, I promise I won’t let anything happen to Second Brother again.”
Jiang Chaohua’s voice trembled with tears. Hearing this, the Empress Dowager paused:
“What happened to your second brother?”
The Empress Dowager was fully aware of Shen Shi’s situation, but recently she had been missing Shen Shi so intensely that she forbade servants from reporting any matters concerning her. Thus, she didn’t know that Jiang Wanyi had nearly died today.
Eunuch Feng hurriedly explained. Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was furious:
“Attendants! Prepare my carriage. I am going to see the Emperor.”
Who would dare be so bold as to harm her grandson? Had they grown tired of living?
And that Jiang He was utterly useless, incapable of even protecting his own son.
“Aunt, my husband has already promised me that he will investigate the truth.”
Shen Shi, knowing how difficult it was to placate the Empress Dowager once angered and fearing it might affect Jiang He’s official career, quickly wiped her tears and looked at her with pleading eyes.
“Mother, does Father truly not like Chaochao? Otherwise, why would he speak of me that way? And Second Brother said Father shows favoritism—it seems Father hasn’t visited Second Brother in a long time. With such an attitude, will Father really investigate who harmed Second Brother? Mother, why doesn’t Father love us?”
Jiang Chaohua clutched her sleeves, lowered her head, her tone both aggrieved and bewildered.
Her repeated questions incessantly reminded Shen Shi. The Empress Dowager, who had initially wavered, now solidified her resolve:
“What are you all standing around for? Hurry and accompany me to see the Emperor! How dare someone harm a member of the imperial family—this is rebellion! Rebellion!”
Furious beyond measure, the Empress Dowager not only decided to see the Emperor but also immediately ordered Jiang He to be summoned to the palace.
Jiang He was directly called to the Imperial Study. Although the Emperor was wary of the Zhongyi Marquis Estate, he held the Empress Dowager in great respect. After hearing the full account of the incident, he immediately summoned Yan Jing into the palace, ordering him to dispatch additional personnel to interrogate Fei Yun and uncover the mastermind behind the plot.
Women were not permitted inside the Imperial Study, so Jiang Chaohua and Shen Shi had to wait outside.
Listening to the Empress Dowager’s voice from within, Shen Shi lowered her head, looked at Jiang Chaohua, and sighed softly:
“You, child.”
“Mother, am I really inferior to Cousin in every way? Father seems to hold her in such high regard.”
Jiang Chaohua couldn’t directly tell Shen Shi that Jiang Wanxin was Jiang He’s daughter. She could only repeatedly hint to Shen Shi, allowing her to discover the clues herself.
She only needed to firmly grasp this point. As long as Shen Shi carefully reflected, she would realize that Jiang He treated Jiang Wanxin quite differently indeed.
She remembered that in her previous life, around this time, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Appointments Fang Ankang had proposed a marriage alliance to Jiang He, seeking to wed Jiang Wanxin to his illegitimate son.
Given Jiang Wanxin’s status, it would have been an upward match for her. Yet, in her past life, Jiang He flatly refused Fang Ankang, creating a rift with the Fang family that later led them to resent Shen Shi as well, because Jiang He had rejected the proposal under the pretext of Shen Shi’s disapproval.
Jiang Wanxin, with her grand ambitions and ambiguous relationship with Lu Ming Chuan, would never have consented to marry an illegitimate son.
Calculating the timing, Fang Ankang would likely come to propose within the next couple of days. By planting the seed in Shen Shi’s mind that Jiang He valued Jiang Wanxin highly, when Jiang He eventually refused the marriage proposal, it would surely deepen Shen Shi’s suspicions.
“Your father… he merely cares for the younger generation…”
Shen Shi’s body stiffened, and Jiang Chaohua nodded:
“Indeed, Father is truly generous when it comes to other people’s children.”
Jiang Chaohua’s eyes were full of mockery, but her mind was occupied with the matter of the Fang family’s marriage proposal.
Jiang Wanxin had a reputation for virtue in Chang’an City, and the young masters of noble families regarded her as their cherished white moonlight. Jiang Wanxin put on a gentle and graceful facade, but in reality, she was highly ambitious.
If the rejection of the marriage proposal were not made in Shen Shi’s name but instead revealed to be Jiang Wanxin’s own unwillingness to marry, she wondered how the people of Chang’an City would view it.
And what about Fang Cheng, who secretly admired her? Would his secret affection turn into resentment, or would he finally see Jiang Wanxin’s true nature?
A faint smile curled at Jiang Chaohua’s lips as she continuously devised her next plan. Unnoticed by her, the door of the Imperial Study opened, and several figures slowly emerged from within.
Still clad in that red robe, its color grew even more intense under the sunlight.
The moment Yan Jing stepped out of the Imperial Study, his gaze fell upon Jiang Chaohua, who stood with her head bowed, appearing exceptionally docile.
Recalling that even the Empress Dowager had been mobilized, Yan Jing couldn’t help but chuckle.
This eldest Miss Jiang truly had a remarkable talent for playing the fool to deceive the tiger. In such a short time, she had already managed to find someone to pressure him. Had he been any later, Fei Yun would have been taken away.
“Greetings, Madam Shen.”
A familiar voice erupted beside her. Jiang Chaohua abruptly looked up, her eyes filled with panic as she stared at Yan Jing. She struggled to maintain her composure, but her fear of Yan Jing was unmistakably exposed.
Yan Jing narrowed his eyes, taking in every nuance of Jiang Chaohua’s expression.
“Eldest Miss Jiang seems rather afraid of this official.”
Yan Jing offered a casual greeting to Shen Shi, who nodded and instinctively moved to shield Jiang Chaohua behind her.
Jiang Chaohua felt as if her breath had stilled. Gazing at Yan Jing’s face, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he might shoot an arrow at her at any moment.
Her hand unconsciously drifted to her chest. Shifting her gaze, she noticed a young man dressed in blue standing behind Yan Jing, his demeanor elegant and gentle.
At the sight of the young man, the fear in Jiang Chaohua’s eyes faded, replaced by a distant, hazy expression.
Zhou Chi, she saw him again.