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Madam Shen initially lifted her eyes in slight surprise, then, as if something had crossed her mind, she smiled and said, "Rong Xun, don't tell me that my narrow escape from death has made you realize that you have feelings for me."

Rong Xun remained silent, his demeanor suggesting an unspoken acquiescence.

In Madam Shen's smile, there was an undeniable touch of sarcasm.

When he first intended to take Pei Yun as his, she had clearly told him that a marriage involving three people would be too cramped. She was willing to step aside to fulfill his union with Pei Yun.

Consider myself as one who has come to the Marquis Estate for business, rather than to become his wedded wife.

Rong Xun, if you truly had feelings for me, you wouldn't have taken in Concubine Pei while I was with child, nor would you have allowed your mother to force Zhaozhao out of the Marquis manor. You never had me in your heart, not really. From now on, do not speak of such things again; I'd rather not even keep down my dinner!

Chapter 29

Rong Shu was unaware of this conversation between her mother and father.

For the past half a month, her father had indulged her requests, and when Grandmother sent someone to scold her, he had shielded her from it.

It was the first time Rong Shu had seen Rong Xun act like a true father, at least since she turned eighteen.

Yet, it was too late – she was no longer the little girl who eagerly awaited her father's embrace.

Her father had left in a distracted state, appearing somewhat sorrowful. Rong Shu pretended not to notice, assuming that there would be someone at Qiuyun Hall to comfort him.

The next morning, Rong Shu boarded the carriage with concealed excitement, shedding her usual composed demeanor of a refined and noble lady.

Madam Shen looked at her and asked, "Did you send word to Yunzhi?"

Rong Shu touched her nose guiltily; she had completely forgotten about it.

Though Gu Changjin would not be in the least concerned whether she resided in the Marquis's Mansion or at an estate villa, propriety still dictated that she should inform him thereof.

Madam Shen wore an air of helplessness as she lifted the curtain, instructing Nurse Zhou to send a message to Wutong Lane.

In no time, the carriage rolled out of the city gates with a rumbling sound, heading for the Minglu Yard located on the outskirts of the capital.

As the carriage exited the city gates, people sent by Madam Shen arrived at Phoenix Tree Lane.

When Gu Changjin returned from his duties, Chang Ji casually mentioned the matter of Rong Shu and Madam Shen going to live in the manor.

He had always been aware of the happenings in the Qingheng Courtyard. Upon hearing Chang Ji's words, he instinctively wondered:

Did Rong Shu and her mother leave for the manor because they were pressured by the people in the Cheng'an Marquis Estate?

How long would they stay before returning?

As these questions emerged, Gu Changjin immediately had another thought: Perhaps it's for the best. Since she doesn't like the Cheng'an Marquis Estate, she might find more joy and freedom living on the estate.

Back when they were in Yangzhou, she used to love staying in the mountains for ten days or half a month, claiming that a single day in the mountains was worth ten in the city.

Gu Changjin paused in his act of removing his black hat.

Here we go again.

Matters concerning her always seemed to slip through the cracks of his mind, popping up unexpectedly.

He had never heard of these incidents, nor were they mentioned in Shiiun's letters; Rong Shu had never shared them with him either.

Yet, somehow, he knew.

Gu Changjin was not willing to delve into the matter of how he knew. Lowering his gaze slightly, he crushed the question lingering on the tip of his tongue with a casual "mm-hm."

Observing his expression, Chang Ji couldn't help but notice that for an instant, his master's aura had been exceptionally cold.

Could it be that there was another troublesome matter in the court?

With this thought in mind, he promptly took out a letter from his sleeve and whispered, "Master, Shiiun has replied."

Gu Changjin's eyes sharpened, and he motioned for Chang Ji to open the letter.

After reading it, he held the thin paper in his hand, deep in thought for nearly half an hour. Seeing that Gu Changjin remained silent, Chang Ji didn't dare to interrupt. It wasn't until Gu Changjin tossed the letter into a bronze brazier to burn it that he dared to inquire, "Was there any bad news from Shiiun?"

"The fire at the theater more than ten years ago was indeed set intentionally. When the fire broke out, all the doors of the theater were locked, with an entire troupe of actors inside—except for Liu Yuan."

Chang Ji's pupils constricted.

"Did they burn an entire troupe of people alive? Such ruthless tactics must have been the wicked act of Yang Xu, that eunuch's grandson! But what is Liu Yuan's stance in all of this?"

What was Liu Yuan's stance?

Gu Changjin tapped gently on the desk.

Shiiun observed that Liu Yuan's gaze never wavered as he watched the theater burn to ashes. Then, with a cheerful smile, he followed Yang Xu back to his residence, immediately paying respect to Yang Xu as his godfather that very night. The next day, he happily sang small tunes for Yang Xu within the mansion.

Gu Changjin paused, his long fingers stilling. "It's hard to say."

What one hears may be false, and what one sees might not be the truth. Gu Changjin was yet to fathom Liu Yuan's true intentions.

As for the person behind Liu Yuan, Gu Changjin had no clue either.

That individual clearly held all the evidence of Yang Xu's corruption but only instructed Liu Yuan to deliver a secret letter exposing Yang Xu's illicit activities on the day of his grand wedding.

That letter alone wouldn't topple Yang Xu. If Gu Changjin had hastily used it to accuse Yang Xu when he first obtained it, he would not only fail to harm Yang Xu but also arouse his suspicion. It could even make his move to the Golden Hall seem more self-serving, displeasing the emperor.

By involving him and the Xu Li'er case, that person had blinded Yang Xu, lulling him into a false sense of security.

Yang Xu believed that sacrificing his nephew and his position as the imperial scribe would completely quell the uproar caused by the Xu Li'er incident.

But just as he let his guard down, a massive public petition sparked an intense barrage of criticism from the civil officials against him.

After Yang Xu's imprisonment, as Gu Changjin recollected the events of the past two months, he quickly grasped the truth: the first secret letter from Liu Yuan was a test from the person backing him.

Only by passing this person's test could he obtain the box of incriminating evidence and deliver it into the hands of the Grand Censor.

Who was it that was testing him?

And why did this person insist on dooming Yang Xu to death?

Was it to undermine the power of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, or to eliminate a hindering pawn in their game?

Gu Changjin gazed at the ashes in the copper brazier, slowly closing his eyes.

As an AI, I'm capable of translating Chinese historical romance novels into English. However, you haven't provided any specific text for me to translate. Please provide the segment you would like me to translate, and I'll be glad to assist you in a graceful and accurate manner.

Time swiftly slipped into December.

Rong Shu had been residing in Minglu Yard for over a month, and each day was incredibly comfortable and pleasant.

Aside from setting aside several hours each day to peruse the old account ledgers of the Marquisate for bookkeeping purposes, his remaining time was devoted to accompanying Madam Shen in her pursuits of blending perfumes, playing the zither, and creating paintings. On occasion, he would even personally venture into the kitchen to prepare sweet soups for her delight.