He had observed before that the owner of this teahouse was Shen Qingyao’s rival, so she definitely wouldn’t cover for Shen Qingyao.
The two women trembled at his question, their handkerchiefs clenched tightly in their hands.
The prince’s personal guard—it was impossible for them not to be afraid.
Qing He looked at Mo Niang, waiting for her employer to decide what to say. Her employer was sharp-tongued; if the prince took a liking to Shen Qingyao, her employer would surely crush Shen Qingyao completely.
Shen Qingyao had no chance of climbing up to the prince.
Yet Mo Niang said, “Sir, this humble woman has never seen her meet a lover. Moreover, I’ve heard that she only wishes to live a wealthy, single life.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Qing He stared at Mo Niang in disbelief. What was wrong with her employer?
Why was she speaking up for Shen Qingyao?
Ye Zhao, who had been watching Mo Niang, now shifted his gaze to Qing He. Seeing her reaction so intense, could it be that Mo Niang was lying?
“You speak.”
Qing He shuddered in fear, her frightened eyes hesitating as they met his face.
Mo Niang reminded her, “You must tell the truth to the prince’s men.”
Qing He understood. “Yes, this humble woman has also never seen Shopkeeper Shen secretly meeting a lover.”
Ye Zhao narrowed his eyes. Despite the dimness of the room, he could observe them carefully.
Though both were nervous, they didn’t seem to be lying. After a moment of silence, he shifted his gaze and looked through the window curtain at the opposite side.
Shen Qingyao was no longer there.
He pondered briefly before addressing the two: “Do not mention to anyone that I came here, or you will face execution without mercy.”
After delivering the warning, he left. Qing He hurriedly followed to see him out.
Left alone in the room, Mo Niang relaxed and walked alone to the windowsill, narrowing her eyes to look at the window across the way.
Then, a smug smile curled at the corner of her lips.
Qing He returned and quickly walked to her side, puzzled. “Employer, aren’t you always eloquent? Even lies slip from your tongue without leaving a trace. So why did you prove Shen Qingyao’s innocence?”
“Ha!”
Mo Niang let out a cold laugh. “Fool!”
She glanced at Qing He, then crossed her arms and gave her a lesson.
“Remember, when striking a snake, aim for its vital spot; when attacking a person, target their sore point. To deal with an enemy, the most vicious method isn’t one we ourselves think is cruel enough to thoroughly harm them—it’s about hitting their true bottom line.
Shen Qingyao has General Liu as her backer and has always been arrogant. Since we can’t kill her, we’ll destroy her pride. She despises being someone’s concubine the most, so I’ll make sure she ends up as one, never able to turn her life around.”
At this point, she turned to look at Qing He’s gradually dawning expression. “Spreading rumors about her before was to prevent any noble son from marrying her as a principal wife or equal wife out of respect for General Liu, giving her dignity and freedom.
Now, proving her innocence is to ensure the prince won’t let her go. And with her status, she could never become his principal consort or even a secondary consort—at best, she’d be a concubine.
Even though being the prince’s concubine is different, rest assured, she won’t want it. She might not even want to be a secondary consort. That’s exactly what I find satisfying.
Once she becomes the prince’s woman, those old lechers and young lechers at Drifting Clouds Teahouse will lose hope. Won’t they eventually become our customers?”
After saying this, she patted Qing He’s enlightened face, then turned and left the room with a smile.
The curfew in the Southern Territory was set later than in the Central Plains—at the second watch. There was still half an hour left before the city-wide curfew.
At the entrance of Drifting Clouds Teahouse, customers were gradually leaving. Shen Qingyao stood by the door, smiling as she bid them farewell. After seeing off the last guest, she went upstairs.
Normally, Xiao Mei would have already prepared the bathwater, but today she hadn’t.
Instead, it took nearly half an hour before the bathwater was ready and she attended to Shen Qingyao’s bath.
During this time, Xiao Mei deliberately asked, “Miss, are you still going to keep this child? That Master Gu was just passing through and staying temporarily. He will eventually return to the Central Plains, and you can’t possibly go with him, can you?”
The young lady had instructed that for the next ten days, they must act out this scene during her bath.
Better safe than sorry—what if someone was eavesdropping?
The windowsill in the room was closed, but outside the window, there was indeed someone listening.
With the streets now empty, he clung to the side of the windowsill using his lightness skill, carefully listening to the movements inside. Upon hearing these words, his serious pupils sharply contracted.
Inside the room, Shen Qingyao leaned comfortably in the bathtub, her exquisitely beautiful face adorned with a faint smile. “Let’s keep it for now. What if he’s willing to stay in the Southern Territory for me?”
“But what if he isn’t?” Xiao Mei immediately followed up. “It’ll be dangerous to terminate the pregnancy once the child grows larger. It could cost you your life.”
With these words, the room fell into a brief silence. Outside the window, Ye Zhao waited patiently.
A moment later, Shen Qingyao’s slightly melancholic voice reached his ears.
“Ten days. If he doesn’t return from Zou County within ten days, I’ll terminate the pregnancy.”
He couldn’t bear to listen any longer and left directly.
There was no need to hear more.
Returning to the prince’s residence, his lord had already retired for the night. Ye Zhao didn’t disturb him and went to sleep as well.
He still had to serve during the day.
Early the next morning, Song Jiuchen woke up in bed. After getting up, the man’s tall and sturdy figure, clad in a sleeping robe, appeared particularly robust, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
Ye Zhao came to attend to him and promptly reported everything he had overheard the previous night truthfully.
Song Jiuchen was rinsing his mouth. After finishing, he took the towel from Ye Zhao’s hand and wiped his face. His expression remained calm, his emotions unclear.
Ye Zhao had no choice but to remain silent, assisting him with changing clothes while waiting for further instructions.
However, even after Song Jiuchen finished his breakfast and left, he hadn’t uttered a single word.
Ye Zhao couldn’t help but think that perhaps the prince no longer wished to investigate further, as there was no longer any need.
By the hour of Chen, Liu Hui’s carriage stopped at the main gate of the prince’s residence.
After returning yesterday, he had thought it over and decided he must come to the prince’s residence to provide an explanation. The prince had always been meticulous, and not coming might only arouse further suspicion.
Arriving at the entrance of the Hall of Heavenly Mandate, after being announced, he steadied himself and walked in.
Song Jiuchen sat upright in the high seat, busy handling official affairs at his desk, with two personal guards standing on either side like door gods.
“This humble general pays his respects to Your Highness,” Liu Hui said, bowing his head in greeting.
“What is it?”
A light, indifferent question came from the high seat.
He looked up and saw that the prince wasn’t even looking at him, instead continuing to write and sketch. Hesitating, he said, “This humble general has come specifically to apologize for his offense.”
“What offense?”
Another light, indifferent question, still without directly acknowledging him. Liu Hui’s heart couldn’t help but tighten, sensing a hint of danger.
After a moment of silence, he decided to speak plainly. “This humble general went to Drifting Clouds Teahouse yesterday to inquire. I truly apologize to Your Highness. My unworthy niece has offended Your Highness’s eyes, but I truly had no knowledge of this matter beforehand. Although I protect her, I rarely visit her teahouse and have never stationed anyone to watch over her deliberately.”
Although he hadn’t orchestrated this matter, given that Shen Qingyao had refused using such a reason, out of respect for hierarchy, propriety, and etiquette, he had to take responsibility for his lax supervision and offer an apology.
By saying this, he could clear himself without betraying Shen Qingyao.
He looked at Song Jiuchen, hoping the prince hadn’t become suspicious and wouldn’t press further.
On the high seat, Song Jiuchen still didn’t look directly at him and didn’t speak immediately, his brush moving without revealing any emotion.
Only after he had changed to another official document, opened it, and glanced through it did he ask lightly.
“So, according to that, she truly has a lover in her heart and is pregnant?”
His tone was casual, but it seemed to carry hidden implications.
Liu Hui’s eyelids suddenly twitched.
No matter how he listened, this tone felt like a trap to him.