Just one glance was enough for Qi Yue to recognize Zhao Shuning.
Even though Zhao Shuning hadn't removed her veil, her eyes and the sparkle in them were something none of the people in the palace had.
"Ningning—Second Princess Consort—"
Qi Yue's mouth hung half - open.
After multiple confirmations, Shadow also recognized Zhao Shuning.
Although he didn't have a very good impression of her, he immediately dismounted his horse and knelt down to pay his respects.
"Your subordinate pays respects to the Lady of the Lord of the Nation."
Qi Yue also dismounted.
But as soon as she took a few steps closer, Nanny Lan beside Zhao Shuning began to act frantically.
Zhao Shuning took another look at Qi Yue.
Qi Yue had no choice but to take a few steps back and also pay her respects.
"Your subordinate Qi Yue pays respects to the Lady of the Lord of the Nation."
"You don't need to pay your respects to me. I'm not the Lady of the Lord of the Nation. Back then, I didn't go through the wedding ceremony with Gu Hanxun. We're not really husband and wife."
Shadow said, "Even though you say so and I don't agree with you either, but the Lord of the Nation has given you the title and announced it to the whole Kingdom of Cangwu. You are the current Lady of the Lord of the Nation in Cangwu. We're just following the Lord's order when we pay our respects to you."
Shadow was dissatisfied with Zhao Shuning, and Zhao Shuning was also confused.
It seemed that she hadn't done anything wrong to Shadow.
"If I accept the identity of the Lady of the Lord of the Nation, can I save Nanny Lan and enter the palace with you to see Gu Hanxun?"
"Of course."
Zhao Shuning said, "Then let's go."
Qi Yue and Shadow glanced at each other, then got up and stood on either side. Zhao Shuning and Nanny Lan got into a carriage that had been prepared on the spot. Qi Yue and Shadow rode their horses and guarded the sides of the carriage.
During the journey,
Zhao Shuning lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked Shadow, "Have I ever offended you?"
"The Lady of the Lord of the Nation is overthinking. Your subordinate wouldn't dare."
"If you don't want to say, that's fine. When we see Gu Hanxun, I'll ask him for clarification."
Shadow was stunned.
The Lady of the Lord of the Nation's temperament was still the same as before.
But she still left the Lord of the Nation and the Kingdom of Cangwu.
"Shadow, whether you tell me or not is up to you."
Shadow didn't say a word.
"It seems that your loyalty to Gu Hanxun is just on the surface."
"My loyalty to my master can be seen by the sun and the moon. The Lady of the Lord of the Nation shouldn't doubt my loyalty to the Kingdom of Cangwu."
"If so, you should highly respect the rules set by Gu Hanxun. If that's really the case, you respect me as the Lady of the Lord of the Nation, but you can't even answer one of my questions. What kind of loyalty is this? A subject should tell everything he knows when faced with the master's inquiry, shouldn't he?"
Shadow didn't know how to answer.
He could only lower his head.
Zhao Shuning knew that Shadow had taken her words to heart.
Sometimes she could come up with a whole set of fallacies.
"Tell me."
"Why doesn't the Lady of the Lord of the Nation ask Deputy Envoy Qi instead of asking me?"
"Deputy Envoy Qi doesn't seem to be as dissatisfied with me as you are." There was another deeper reason. Since Shadow was Gu Hanxun's confidant, Zhao Shuning wanted to know Gu Hanxun's current habits through him. If she asked him for the Xuanshuang Flower, what kind of conditions would he propose in exchange?
"If the Lady of the Lord of the Nation has any questions, just ask directly."
"Why are you so dissatisfied with me? I don't remember ever offending you."
Shadow held his breath.
Just when Zhao Shuning thought he was going to speak, he turned his head away.
"Tell me."
"Do you really want me to say it?"
"Otherwise?"
Shadow had always been a taciturn person. He didn't talk much on ordinary days, but he should know the most things.
"Fine, then I'll tell you."
Zhao Shuning nodded and leaned on the window, waiting to listen.
"Lady of the Lord of the Nation, when our master was still the Second Prince and was being ostracized by others, you managed to overcome all difficulties and become his Princess Consort. You got closer to him step by step and made him fall deeper and deeper. Do you know how much effort the Lord of the Nation put into you? You left without saying goodbye. Originally, we didn't plan to carry out our plan so soon."
Zhao Shuning was completely confused.
Shadow showed no sign of stopping.
"Originally, we hadn't planned to deal with the Qin family so soon. You should know the power behind Qin Anxin. But at that time, our master was worried that you had been kidnapped by Qin Anxin, so he was so eager to take action against the Qin family. He was willing to take a risk for you. Do you know that it was a life - and - death battle? If he was a little careless, our master would pay with his life."
"Later, you came back."
"When our master saw you, do you know how happy he was? On the dock, the way he looked at you was something I'd never seen before."
"I thought that from then on, our master wouldn't have to suffer from lovesickness anymore. But what about you? You came back not because you wanted to stay by his side, but because you were planning to run away again."
"Do you know how embarrassed our master was when he watched you disappear on the dock with his own eyes?"
"He stayed on the dock for ten whole days and nights. No matter who tried to persuade him, he refused to go back. He always thought that you would come back."
"Later, if it hadn't been for the remnants of the Qin family making a comeback and the Kingdom of Cangwu needing him to support it, he might never have returned to this palace in his whole life."
"After finally eliminating the remnants, he immediately started to inquire about your news everywhere. Finally, he learned that you were teaching disciples at the Changkong Academy. Our master was afraid that you didn't want to see him, so he didn't dare to barge in rashly. He could only send you the Chinese angelica root every month, hoping that after you saw the medicine, you would come back. But over the years, all he got was nothing."
Hearing this, Zhao Shuning was also a little absent - minded.
Then she said, "Shadow, you know very well that my relationship with your master was just a game. He deceived me. It's already good that I didn't go after him for an account."
"Yes, my master did deceive you, but isn't your punishment for him a bit too harsh? Over the years, my master has never taken a concubine or accepted a woman. He's only had you in his heart."
"Why didn't he take a concubine?"
Shadow snorted.
"Maybe you've forgotten what the master said to you back then. The master said that as long as you were by his side, he could promise you that he would only love you in his whole life and would never let any other woman share even a bit of his love for you."
Zhao Shuning was stunned.
Gu Hanxun did seem to have said this.
However, she seemed to have immediately refused.
At the very beginning, Zhao Shuning had said that their relationship was just a cooperation. She had someone she liked.
And that person wasn't Gu Hanxun.
She had made it very clear. She couldn't be responsible for Gu Hanxun just because of his deep love.
"However, it's good that the Lady of the Lord of the Nation has finally come to her senses and come back. The Lord of the Nation will surely be very happy to see you."
"And—"
Shadow was about to continue talking.
Zhao Shuning suddenly regretted it.
It seemed that she still didn't know Shadow well enough. She thought he was a taciturn person, but once he opened his mouth, he just wouldn't stop.