"What, what?" Shen Yunfeng was stunned by these words. He never expected Shen Heqing to think like this. For a long time, he couldn't utter a single word of refutation.
Shen Heqing was an open - hearted person who always spoke his mind. He didn't feel there was anything wrong with his words at all. This was also an idea he came up with after writing the policy proposal last night.
Because of a monk, Shen Yunfeng was going to send Baozhu away. Coupled with the news of his infidelity, Shen Heqing boldly guessed that Shen Yunfeng wanted to take this opportunity to get rid of Princess Jingning. After all, Baozhu was still young and couldn't do without her mother.
Thinking in this way, it seemed that Shen Yunfeng was the ill - fated one!
Shen Yunfeng didn't know that his son was dissatisfied with him. He pointed at Shen Heqing and scolded, "Nonsense! How dare you slander me?"
"Then saying that Baozhu is ill - fated to me is also nonsense," Shen Heqing immediately retorted.
This made Shen Yunfeng so angry that he couldn't say a word.
Seeing this, the steward who came with Shen Yunfeng immediately stepped forward and played his role. He tried to mediate, "Young master, the county - marquis is just too worried. He's afraid something might go wrong with your imperial examination!"
"Little princess is the apple of the county - marquis's eye. Naturally, he can't bear to send her away..."
Seeing that Shen Heqing's expression softened a bit, the steward pressed on, "But nothing is more important than your imperial examination! For your future, the county - marquis had no choice but to be cruel and play the bad guy himself."
As for the truth of the words of Monk Huijue, the steward only said, "We'd better believe in matters related to gods and Buddhas!"
In just a few words, he explained Shen Yunfeng's thoughts and difficulties.
The steward spoke gently, and Shen Heqing's tone also became milder. "It's too absurd to send Baozhu away just because of a casual remark from a monk."
"I will never agree to this."
Shen Yunfeng hit a hard nail. He gritted his teeth and said, "You're too sentimental. You'll never achieve great things!"
"Father is not sentimental. What achievements has he made so far?" Shen Heqing's words immediately silenced Shen Yunfeng.
Shen Yunfeng was so angry that he wanted to leave. But suddenly he remembered the sachet around his waist. He calmed down again. He made an excuse to look at Shen Heqing's policy proposal, but in fact, he wanted to see if the poison on the sachet had worked on Shen Heqing.
However, no matter how much Shen Yunfeng tried to provoke him, Shen Heqing's eyes were clear and his logic was sound. There was no sign of poisoning at all.
At first, Shen Yunfeng thought it was because the sachet didn't work well. It wasn't until he拆开 the sachet and showed the spices to Shen Heqing that he realized something was seriously wrong! Shen Heqing still showed no reaction.
Shen Heqing was a bit impatient. "Father, why do you let me stare at this sachet?"
Seeing that it had no effect, Shen Yunfeng directly threw the拆开 sachet on the ground. "This sachet can refresh your mind. You should smell it more. I have other things to do. I'll leave first."
As soon as he walked out of the main courtyard, Shen Yunfeng could hardly control his anger. "Go and ask Miss Biao if she really poisoned him!"
"She should have. I saw that the young master could hardly walk steadily yesterday and even invited Doctor Liu to the mansion..." The steward's voice was extremely soft. Clearly, Shen Heqing had been seriously poisoned yesterday, but he suddenly recovered early this morning. The steward couldn't figure it out. "Young master, could it be that Doctor Liu saw it was poison and helped the young master detoxify?"
The plan had failed repeatedly. Shen Yunfeng was a bit irritated, but he denied the steward's speculation. "Impossible. This is a strange poison from outside. Not to mention detoxifying it, Doctor Liu might not even be able to tell it was poisoning."
Shen Yunfeng dared to poison Shen Heqing precisely because this poison was so rare that few people had seen it.
In the study.
As soon as Shen Heqing left, a little bun started to be lazy.
She flipped through her elder brother's ancient books for a while and played with the Luban Lock for a while, but she just didn't touch the writing brush.
Feeling bored, Shen Baozhu started to talk to the god. "Is Brother Lin Yu there? It doesn't matter if you're not. Baozhu is so bored..."
[I'm here. Are you practicing calligraphy?]
"Yeah! Big brother is teaching Baozhu to practice calligraphy and recognize characters. He said reading is a good thing... Alas, but I want to play with clay figurines."
The little bun lay on the table. Her little face was squashed, and her voice was a bit listless.
After a long while, the subtitle refreshed: [I have a smart - pill that can make you smarter. You can finish your task ahead of time and go out to play earlier. Do you want it?]
In the whole sentence, Shen Baozhu only saw the second half, "Go out to play earlier. Do you want it?"
She immediately sat up straight and nodded vigorously. "Baozhu wants it!"
Soon, a paper ball fell from the air and landed steadily on the table.
[I've run out of the pill bottles. I wrapped the pill in paper temporarily. Just eat it directly.]
Shen Baozhu拆开 the paper ball. Inside was a flat white pill. She ate it directly.
The pill melted in her mouth. It was sweet and delicious.
Shen Baozhu propped her chin with both hands and savored the taste of the pill. "Delicious!"
At this time, there came a "click" sound of the door opening.
Shen Heqing came in from outside. He was holding the enlightenment book for Shen Baozhu to recognize characters. "Baozhu, stop practicing calligraphy for a while. Let's recognize characters first."
Soon, Shen Heqing realized something was wrong. Shen Baozhu was recognizing characters too fast, almost remembering them after just one time.
His hand holding the corner of the book tightened slightly. "How do you know all of them? Baozhu, you didn't secretly ask Danqing to teach you to recognize characters, did you?"
"No. Only big brother teaches me to recognize characters." Shen Baozhu seemed to be sitting upright on the chair, but her swinging little legs revealed her real mood. She looked at Shen Heqing, waiting to be praised. "It's because Baozhu is smart. I learned it after just one time."
Shen Heqing looked at her suspiciously. "You really didn't ask Danqing to teach you? I'll change a book and test you again."
Half an incense stick later.
Shen Heqing had changed three books. He had to face the fact that Shen Baozhu was not only cute but also seemed to be a genius with a photographic memory.
"Big brother, after I finish practicing calligraphy, can you take me to play with clay figurines?" Shen Baozhu negotiated with Shen Heqing.
Shen Heqing looked at Shen Baozhu in a daze. "You have a photographic memory. My sister actually has a photographic memory? Why play with clay figurines? Come on, big brother will take you to the academy to play."
"I'm going to let the master see what a genius with a photographic memory is."
...
In the general's mansion.
Princess Jingning was sitting in the main hall. Her fingers tapped on the table as if she was deep in thought.
Until an old - looking middle - aged man approached, holding a few thin pieces of paper in his hand. "Princess, I've found the information you wanted."
"Six years ago, an official surnamed Bai was punished for corruption. His whole family was exiled. His second daughter is named Bai Xinrou. She should be twenty - three years old this year."
Hearing the man's voice, Princess Jingning came back to her senses. "Thank you, Uncle Zhao."
This man was the steward of the general's mansion. He was also an elder who had watched Princess Jingning grow up. He used to be the general's deputy. He was seriously injured on the battlefield, so he retired from the front line and stayed in the capital to guard the general's mansion.
Hong Shen stepped forward a few steps and handed the clues in Uncle Zhao's hand to Princess Jingning.
Looking at the information on the paper and combining it with what Xie Xiner said in the inn, Princess Jingning pieced together the general process.
Miss Xin was naive when she was young and eloped with someone. After that, she disappeared. Later, something happened to the Bai family. Shen Yunfeng saved Bai Xinrou and let her use Xie Xiner's identity. Then he asked Old Lady Shen to help and bring her into the mansion.
According to this speculation, there should be an affair between Shen Yunfeng and Bai Xinrou.
Princess Jingning unconsciously tightened the thin paper in her hand. She couldn't understand Shen Yunfeng's intention.
She didn't object to him taking concubines. Concubine Yun was an example. If Shen Yunfeng liked Bai Xinrou, he could just say it openly, give her a status, and bring her into the mansion.
Why did he have to be so secretive like this?