Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 56.2
As the saying goes high officials suppress the lower officials1(In real life, we often hear people complain like this, that is, “a senior official can crush someone.”. The general idea is that in the officialdom or workplace, people at a lower or lower level often exhibit a submissive, patient, and submissive image in front of higher-level people – even though they are very dissatisfied, they still dare not make any resistance.), but when it comes to officials like Zhou Shu’an who are directly appointed by the Emperor and hold real power, Li Di dare not show his official authority.
“Lord Zhou.” Li Di compiled.
Zhou Shuan bent down, picked up the money bag and put it back in Li Di’s hand. He did not ridicule him but said directly: “Assistant minister Li, this is an order from the Emperor.”
Shen Shu turned around and said, “Lord Zhou, can I go in first?”
Zhou Shu’an nodded, turned around and took the key to open the lock.
There was only Marquis Yunyang in this special cell. He was sitting on a long narrow bed, his white hair a little messy. Although he was despondent, it was hard to hide the gentle elegance on him.
“Father.” Shen Shu walked over and her eyes immediately turned red, “How are you?”
To be honest, the situation here was obviously much better than she expected.
After looking at each other for a long time, Marquis Yunyang moved his fingers slightly and said in a hoarse voice: “Shen Shu.”
He was in prison but his children were outside.
The worry and longing in his heart increased day by day, but when he finally saw them, he didn’t want his children to see him like this.
Marquis Yunyang raised his hand and touched his sideburns.
Marquis Yunyang pointed to the medicine jar on the table and said to Shen Shu, “Someone sent a doctor here a while ago.”
Shen Shu was stunned.
Before today, the Emperor clearly did not allow anyone to visit him, so the offense of visiting privately and sending a doctor to the prison was not a small one.
Seeing her stunned, Marquis Yunyang couldn’t help but feel his heart sinking and said with difficulty: “Zhen’er, where is Shen Zhen?”
Shen Shu held back the tears welling up in her chest and said softly: “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s illness has improved. Father, everything will be over soon.”
Their eyes met, Marquis Yunyang’s lower lip trembled, “It’s all my fault.”
Time was running out, so Shen Shu asked him directly: “Father, where are your initial construction drawings?”
“Shu’er, His Highness will come tomorrow. You don’t have to worry about these things anymore.” Marquis Yunyang paused and said, “Just live your life well.”
The warden reminded her from the side, “The time is up.”
Shen Shu clenched her fists and whispered in her father’s ear: “Don’t believe anything Li Di says.”
Shen Shu came out and Li Di went in.
Zhou Shu’an was flipping through several cases awaiting trial in the prison. Shen Shu came and asked, “I dare to ask Lord Zhou, how the doctor came in a few days ago.”
Zhou Shu’an lowered his eyes and turned another page, “I once owed a favor and had to pay it back, so I let the doctor in.” To be able to speak favoritism so straightforwardly, one can imagine how confident this person was.
Throughout the entire Jin Dynasty, if Zhou Shu’an owe anyone a favor, Shen Shu could count them with one hand and one of them was Lu Yan.
“Thank you, Lord Zhou, for informing me.” Shen Shu said.
Then there was silence.
She doesn’t know why, just now a quarter of an hour was so short inside, but now when she is outside, a quarter of an hour feels extremely long.
Time passed slowly and Zhou Shu’an suddenly closed the case file in his hand and looked at Shen Shu, “Don’t Madam Li also owe me a favor?”
Shen Shu frowned and asked, “When?”
Zhou Shu’an walked slowly to her side, his eyes darkened and he said in a deep voice: “The Medicine shop.”
When this matter was mentioned, Shen Shu’s heart trembled. It seemed that he was the one who reported him to Jingzhao Prefecture that day.
In fact, Shen Shu also knew in her heart that if she really poisoned Li Di, even if she could hide it for a while, she would not be able to hide it for the rest of her life. If the Sixth Prince pursues her, sooner or later she will die.
She took half a step back and said calmly: “What happened that day was just a misunderstanding.”
Zhou Shu’an did not expose her and said unhurriedly: “Really?”
After a quarter of an hour, Li Di came out. He glanced around and saw Zhou Shu’an looking down at Shen Shu. As a man himself, Li Di knew that a woman of Shen Yan’s caliber wouldn’t make anyone less interested in her even if she was married.
He walked up to Shen Shu, put his hands around her waist and said softly: “Xiao2(An endearing way to call the people who are closer to you, xiao means little) Shu, let’s go.”
Shen Shu stiffened and stared at him but Li Di’s hand tightened.
After the two of them walked out of Dali Temple Prison, Zhou Shu’an asked Chu Yi3(Zhou Shuan’s bodyguard, Chu Yi) beside him calmly: “Have you prepared all the evidence for the embezzlement case? His Royal Highness will try the case in person tomorrow.”
“Replying to my lord, everything is ready.” Chu Yi has been with Zhou Shu’an for several years, but he rarely sees him taking the initiative to talk to others. Thinking of the scene just now, he was really curious and asked: “My lord, have you met Madam Li before?”
Zhou Shu’an nodded solemnly, “I’ve seen her a few times.”
The year he first met her, a plague happened to be spreading outside Chang’an City. He came to the capital to take the exam and on the way he met Shen Shu, who had entered the city together.
A carriage with gold silk gauze hanging around it drove past him and stopped slowly. The people inside opened the curtain and came out.
“What’s going on up front?” asked a very soft voice.
“Young Lady, a plague has spread to Chang’an. The city has been closed early today. If you want to enter the city, you have to wait until tomorrow.”
She glanced into the distance, “Then find an inn to stay as soon as possible.”
Shen Shu brought many attendants and a huge group of people entered the inn together.
There were many people begging for food outside the city. Rich and wealthy people like Shen’s family, indeed, attract attention wherever they go.
She had many attendants so the ruffians did not dare to come up and rob her, so they encouraged a few poor children with disabled legs and feet to come up and ask for money.
“Noble person, noble person, I haven’t eaten for three days and I can’t walk anymore…” The boy was disheveled, his face was so thin that it was sunken, and his eyes were as big as copper bells.
“It doesn’t matter if I don’t eat, but I have a sister and she is just three years old. Please help me.”
Seeing this, Qingxi immediately took out her money bag and waited for Shen Shu to speak.
Unexpectedly, Shen Shu pretended not to notice and walked around.
She wore a floor-length skirt with goose yellow begonia patterns, a plain white jacket with gold on it. A gold hairpin with pearls and stones on her head and a blood jade bracelet on her delicate wrist, which made her skin look whiter.
There was a sense of pride and charm between her eyebrows, which was indeed the style of a powerful woman.
A hibiscus face4(Hibiscus face, pronounced fú róng miàn, is a Chinese word that refers to a beautiful person’s appearance.) but cold-hearted,
There was a trace of sarcasm on Zhou Shu’an’s lips.
Early the next morning, Shen Shu went downstairs and whispered, “Can we enter the city now?”
“Yes, I handed over the household registration card. When the gatekeeper heard that we were from the Yunyang Marquis Mansion, he nodded without saying a word.”
“Before you leave, take the food and silk cloth left in the carriage and share them with the children.”
Qingxi asked doubtfully: “Since the young lady wanted to give food to those children, why didn’t you give it to them yesterday?”
“As the saying goes, the people don’t worry about scarcity but inequality. If we had given it yesterday, I don’t know how many people would have come today. Then we might not even be able to get out of the inn.”
“Okay, let’s go quickly.” Shen Shu tugged on Qingxi’s sleeves.
Hearing this, Zhou Shu’an raised his lips, not sure whether he was laughing at her or at himself.
However, the next time he heard her name, it was from those candidates.
“Hey, did you hear that? The eldest daughter of the Yunyang Marquis Mansion exchanged gengtie5(written marriage proposal noting hour, day, month and year of one’s birth) with Li Di, the same Li Di who had a drink with us a while ago.”
At that time, she had become another person’s wife.
T/N – Hiii Guys! I am so sorry I won’t be able to update for around 4 weeks cuz I have exams. Will be back soon asap!! Thankyou for your understanding!!🙏
