Xu He was someone he had invited out of seclusion several times. Logically, he shouldn't have betrayed him, but what if?
Xu He had done so many things for him and knew so many of his secrets. If he were to defect, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Thinking of this, the King of Jin broke out in a cold sweat.
No, he couldn't let Xu He get close to Shen Qing anymore!
The King of Jin was about to call someone immediately, but the words were on the tip of his tongue when he swallowed them back and sat down again.
A strategist's mind was the most sensitive. If Xu He knew that he suspected him, he would surely be heart - broken. By then, he might defect even if he originally had no such intention!
No, he couldn't be so obvious.
Although he thought so, the King of Jin still unconsciously became on guard against Xu He. Once you had something to hide from someone, it was hard not to be nervous when you saw them.
Ordinary people might not notice, but Xu He was meticulous and good at observing people's expressions. How could he not notice that his lord's attitude towards him had become much colder and that the trust was obviously not the same as before?
A gentleman would die for his bosom friend. Now that the one who understood him no longer trusted him, Xu He's heart turned cold. Thinking of the current situation, he felt sad. He couldn't fall asleep at night, so he had to go to the attic, lean against the pillar and sigh.
Then, on a sudden impulse, he did another divination.
The divination result almost made him sit down on the ground in shock. He almost suspected that he was seeing things because of his old age.
But when he sat down again, rubbed his eyes and looked, the divination result was still the same as what he had seen just now.
However, it was completely different from what he had divined a few years ago!
A few years ago, he divined that the world would be in chaos, and the light of the imperial star was gradually dimming, which was obviously a sign that the throne would change hands. Moreover, the divination indicated that the true lord was in the south. That was why he had accepted the King of Jin's invitation and come down the mountain.
But now, there had been earth - shattering changes.
Xu He staggered out and observed the celestial phenomena again. The imperial star was bright, a sign of auspiciousness. And the light of the star that originally indicated the true lord was now covered by the newly shining imperial star and couldn't compare to it.
Xu He held his breath. He inexplicably remembered Shen Qing's words, "Can you be sure that your divination is accurate, sir?" At that time, he had vowed that he would never be wrong, but now the result was a slap in the face.
No, he wasn't wrong. Instead, the celestial phenomena had changed.
The celestial phenomena wouldn't change for no reason. There must be something he didn't know, or someone.
He didn't know about these yet, but what he knew now was that he might have to change his allegiance.
Xu He didn't sleep all night. The next day, he went to see Shen Qing with two big dark circles under his eyes, which startled Shen Qing.
"Mr. Xu, what's wrong?"
Xu He dismissed the guards. Since they had tortured Shen Qing, the King of Jin had strengthened the guards around her.
This was also a form of surveillance on him.
Xu He sighed. Just as he was about to say something, Shen Qing motioned him not to speak and pointed outside.
It meant that someone was eavesdropping.
Xu He's eyes turned cold. His sadness deepened. There was nothing more discouraging than the lord's distrust.
Shen Qing rummaged under the quilt and took out a charcoal pen, which Concubine Song had secretly sent in.
Xu He felt a bit ashamed. He took the charcoal pen and wrote a sentence on the ground.
"I wonder if what Miss Shen said to me before still counts?"
Shen Qing was slightly taken aback. Although she had guessed it, she was still surprised at how quickly Xu He had made a move.
However, the King of Jin had also acted quickly. He hadn't arranged anyone to eavesdrop before. If she hadn't been vigilant, Concubine Song might have been exposed.
She nodded. "Naturally."
Xu He then wrote, "If I submit, can Miss Shen guarantee that after the matter is over, I can return to the mountain safely and live out my remaining years in peace?"
A sly smile flashed across Shen Qing's eyes for a moment. She took the charcoal pen from him and wrote on the ground, "That won't do."
Xu He stared at her with wide eyes.
Shen Qing continued to write, "Mr. Xu is a man of great talent and should be highly regarded. It would be a pity to return to the mountain."
Come on, it was not easy for her to poach him. How could she let him go?
Xu He truly experienced the ups and downs of emotions. He didn't know whether to laugh at Shen Qing for teasing him or at himself.
"Is Miss Shen so confident that His Majesty will highly regard me?"
Shen Qing immediately understood his concern. After thinking for a while, she wrote on the ground, "I built the Wenyuan Pavilion."
These short words made Xu He look at her with respect.
He had also speculated about the ownership of the Wenyuan Pavilion and was more inclined to think that His Majesty wanted to use the hand of the King of Rong to gather the power of the aristocratic families and promote the poor scholars. He also wondered why His Majesty would entrust such an important matter to the King of Rong, a half - grown child.
After all, once such an organization was established, it would become a thorn in the side of many people. Although the King of Rong had borrowed grain from the south of the Yangtze River and was considered to be brave and resourceful, he had never been in the court, so he must be lacking in courtly tactics.
But if the Wenyuan Pavilion was not established by His Majesty but by Shen Qing...
The information contained in this was too much.
He couldn't quite believe it, but Shen Qing's calm expression made him think it was true.
She had no reason to make fun of him on such a matter, right?
Xu He thought that he might have to figure out one thing. Maybe the person he was going to pledge allegiance to was not His Majesty but the woman in front of him.
Xu He felt no guilt about betraying the King of Jin. He was a flexible strategist. Facing the current situation, this was not betrayal but being a smart person who knew the times.
"I am willing to serve Miss Shen."
The two looked at each other and smiled. They wiped off the charcoal marks on the ground with their feet. Everything was understood without words.
After Shen Qing and Xu He finished their conversation, there were some ambiguous words in between to confuse the eavesdropper. Before Xu He left, Shen Qing wrote a character "Song" on the ground.
She knew that Xu He would understand.
Xu He really didn't let her down. That night, he met with Concubine Song's people. It was only then that he knew that Shen Qing had been quietly playing such a big game of chess.
"I understand. Tell your master to rest assured."
...
On this day, after the mansion doctor had finished checking Concubine Song's pulse, he went to the courtyard of the Princess of Jin immediately.
The mansion doctor was naturally one of the Princess of Jin's people. As soon as he saw the princess, he knelt down in cold sweat and pleaded for forgiveness. "Your Highness, please forgive me. I diagnosed that Concubine Song was pregnant a month ago, but when I checked her pulse again today, I found that Concubine Song was not pregnant!"
"What did you say?" the Princess of Jin exclaimed in shock. Everyone in the mansion, even the dogs, knew that Concubine Song was pregnant this past month, but he said that Concubine Song was not pregnant?
"Do you mean that you misdiagnosed, or that Concubine Song faked her pregnancy?"
The mansion doctor of course couldn't say that he had misdiagnosed. "Your Highness, please forgive me. When I checked the concubine's pulse last time, her pulse was definitely slippery. But there are some other reasons that can also cause a slippery pulse. So I thought at that time that she was pregnant, and I needed to wait for some time to confirm."
"Since she's not pregnant, why are you just saying this now?!" The princess's voice was faintly angry.
The mansion doctor quickly kowtowed. "Your Highness, please forgive me! I went back to my hometown to visit my relatives a few days ago and wasn't in the mansion. I just found out about this! Moreover, when I checked the concubine's pulse last time, I vaguely noticed traces of medicine in her body. But the concubine has a weak constitution and has been taking medicine all year round, so I didn't pay much attention to it. Now that I think about it..."
The Princess of Jin slapped the table angrily. "Good for Concubine Song! She dared to fake her pregnancy to win the lord's favor and made the lord and me look like fools!"