Chapter 77: Grasping Xie Jinbai’s Weak Spot

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Grasping Xie Jinbai’s Weak Spot

Cui Lingyao could tell this was a pointed reminder: she had a fiancé and shouldn’t forget it.

Chen Minrou knew Xie Jinbai’s men had invited her.

And she knew they had been alone together for a long time.

’She’s standing up for me—the me who died three years ago.’

Cui Lingyao’s heart ached with emotion. Seeing Chen Minrou’s colorless complexion and remembering she didn’t have long to live, the pain became almost unbearable.

She pressed her lips together. "Madam, you should be taking care of your own health."

Chen Minrou, who had been about to offer another few words of warning, froze.

The girl before her was only in her teens, with skin like snow and a face like a flower, standing there gracefully. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were faintly red, shimmering with a thin layer of unshed tears.

The gaze she directed at Chen Minrou was filled with heartache.

This was hardly the appropriate reaction when meeting a stranger for the first time—especially one whose attitude was less than friendly.

In this young girl, Chen Minrou suddenly saw a familiar silhouette.

She seemed to be in a trance for a moment, but her gaze quickly turned cold.

"Who taught you?"

She sneered. "What a clever trick. No wonder you have Xie Jinbai so utterly bewitched. It turns out you’re just imitating..."

"Minmin!"

Zhao Shijie, whose arm was around his wife’s shoulders, squeezed slightly, cutting her off.

There were still other guests present.

Setting aside Prince Yu’s status as their sovereign, it was simply bad form for a host to openly mock a guest.

Nevertheless, his gaze toward Cui Lingyao was just as scrutinizing.

Clearly, he shared his wife’s suspicions, believing her to be a honey trap arranged by some political rival specifically for Xie Jinbai.

After all, those shimmering almond eyes were an exact replica of the late Princess Consort Yu’s.

And looking closer, her every word and gesture...

...all echoed the woman they had lost.

As a third-rank official, Zhao Shijie was accustomed to thinking several steps ahead. A chill immediately ran down his spine.

’This must be part of an elaborate scheme.’

’Whoever is backing this Miss Pei has truly found Xie Jinbai’s Achilles’ heel.’

Cui Lingyao didn’t have the Mind Reading Technique, so she had no idea that Zhao Shijie had already labeled her the most dangerous person in the vicinity.

Her gaze remained on Chen Minrou. Aware that this wasn’t the place to talk freely, she said softly, "I feel an instant connection with you, Madam. If you have the time, please send a messenger to the Duke Shen Mansion. I’ll be available whenever you wish."

Faced with her dear friend, who was on death’s door yet still trying to stand up for her, Cui Lingyao simply couldn’t pretend they were strangers.

Besides, Xie Jinbai already suspected her identity; there was no need to be terrified of every little slip-up.

What’s more, Zhao Shijie was one of Xie Jinbai’s own men.

And as for Chen Minrou, Cui Lingyao trusted her completely.

Just then, the carriage from the Duke Shen Mansion arrived.

Shen Tingyu, who had been silent all this time, said, "Let’s get in."

Shen Hanyue and her sister had already left with a few friends to have some fun, so Cui Lingyao had no choice but to ride back in his carriage.

Cui Lingyao didn’t mind.

She smiled at Chen Minrou and said earnestly, "Please don’t forget, Madam. I’ll be waiting at home for your invitation."

With that, she gathered her skirts and climbed into the carriage.

Shen Tingyu clasped his hands in a gesture of farewell and followed her up.

The wheels began to turn, and the jet-black carriage soon vanished from view.

Chen Minrou and Zhao Shijie remained where they were, lost in thought.

A light breeze drifted past. Chen Minrou tilted her head slightly to look at her husband. "...Her?"

Zhao Shijie guided her away from the front courtyard. Only when there were no other guests around did he ask, "What are your thoughts?"

"I don’t know..."

Chen Minrou’s mind was in turmoil, the image of the girl’s parting smile replaying in her head.

"I can’t shake the feeling that she was trying to hint at something."

’...But what?’

Her brow furrowed deeply, and her pace slowed.

"Alright," Zhao Shijie said, bending down to scoop her up into his arms. "If you can’t figure it out, then don’t think about it."

Xie Jinbai had shown no interest in women since his wife’s death. But now, he was suddenly taken with a young girl.

A girl whose every word and gesture was a mirror of the late Princess Consort.

This was no small matter.

It was likely that all the forces under Xie Jinbai’s command, his advisors, and even the senior ministers at court would be stirred into action by this development.

The setting sun was still bright. Nestled in his arms, Chen Minrou narrowed her eyes and suddenly clutched the front of his robes. "I want to see her again."

Zhao Shijie said nothing.

He didn’t want to agree.

’Pei Shuyao’s identity is suspicious. There’s no telling who is involved behind the scenes. Perhaps even Xie Jinbai is just feigning interest to mislead the true mastermind. It’s too dangerous.’

’The slightest misstep could trigger a major upheaval.’

’And my wife, in her frail and sickly state, couldn’t possibly withstand such a disturbance.’

When he didn’t answer, Chen Minrou placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed herself up to look at him. She repeated, "I said, I want to see Miss Pei again."

Zhao Shijie glanced down at her without breaking his stride. "Give me one compelling reason why you must see her."

’Why insist on seeing a girl who is a complete stranger and fraught with danger?’

"..." Chen Minrou fell silent for a moment, unable to give one.

As if in frustration, she began to cough into her hand.

Zhao Shijie quickly set her down and rubbed her back to soothe her. "Alright, alright, you win. If you want to see her, you’ll see her. We’ll wait a few days, then send an invitation for her to visit the manor."

Chen Minrou’s coughing stopped instantly. She looked up at him. "We’re not waiting. Send the invitation tomorrow."

A moment of silence fell.

Realizing she was using her poor health to frighten him, a vein throbbed in Zhao Shijie’s temple.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile through gritted teeth. "Fine. Tomorrow it is."

As he spoke, he couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch her cheek, just as he used to do all those years ago whenever she exasperated him.

But she was no longer the bright, lovely girl she once was. Her cheeks were gaunt and pale; there was no flesh left to pinch.

His fingers closed on empty air.

Zhao Shijie’s hand froze in midair, and all the anger in his chest instantly vanished.

He stared blankly at his frail wife, his eyes slowly turning red.

Ever since she’d returned from death’s door, Chen Minrou had often seen him on the verge of tears, his eyes red and brimming.

But she still wasn’t used to it.

She pulled his frozen hand down. "You’re so thin-skinned," she whispered. "Are you really about to cry just because you’re angry? I didn’t even do anything."

Zhao Shijie didn’t say a word, just kept staring at her with his lips pressed into a thin line.

His stare made Chen Minrou feel uncharacteristically guilty. She lowered her head and mumbled, "Well, it’s your own fault. If I didn’t need your approval just to see someone, I wouldn’t have had to do that. It’s not pleasant to fake a cough, you know."

Hearing her say she was in discomfort, Zhao Shijie reflexively panicked. He swiftly scooped her up again. "Where does it feel uncomfortable?"

As he carried her, he called out for a Shadow Guard and ordered him to summon the Imperial Physicians who were staying in the residence.

Chen Minrou didn’t have time to stop him, so she let it go.

’In any case, with a body like hers, the Imperial Physicians would have to check her pulse sooner or later anyway.’

......

「In the other carriage.」

When Shen Tingyu boarded, he glanced at her once before taking the seat opposite her.

The two of them sat facing each other in the spacious carriage.

On the small table between them sat several saucers of delicate pastries and a pot of chilled tea.

Shen Tingyu took out two teacups and filled one for her first. "Have some tea. It will soothe your throat."