Living a peaceful life with her family and being a carefree young girl.
Wasn't this exactly what Su Yuanyuan had in mind?
She just feared that there were people in Shengjing City who wouldn't let them live in peace. Otherwise, why would they be staying in this villa in Yandang Mountain today?
She said leisurely, "It's hard to say. Maybe the result of his divination is true, and it's quite possible that my father really has the ability and intention to be a traitor."
Cang Xuan was once again taken aback by her astonishing and bold thoughts. He couldn't help but say in a deep voice, "Do you know what you're talking about?"
"Aren't you afraid that if your words get out, it will bring disaster to you and the Duke Yong's Mansion?"
There was not a trace of fear on Su Yuanyuan's face. "Your Liuyun Pavilion has such good intelligence. You should know what happened in Shengjing City today."
Cang Xuan said, "Shengjing City was really bustling today. Hundreds of the Capital Guards and commoners knelt in front of the palace gates, petitioning the Emperor to pardon the head of the Yan family and restore him to his position as the commander of the Capital Guards."
"Look, the Yan family has been in charge of the Capital Guards for years, maintaining the safety of the capital region. They are definitely loyal officials. However, with just an imperial edict from the Emperor stripping him of his official title, they incited the soldiers under their command and the commoners to put pressure on the sage Emperor in front of the palace gates, attempting to defy the imperial order. This is clearly the act of a treacherous official."
"How can we define who is loyal and who is treacherous? Who can say for sure?"
"Maybe those whom everyone wants to execute as treacherous villains are actually the truly loyal ones."
She blinked as she spoke.
Su Yuanyuan naturally believed that her father was an absolutely loyal official. But if the situation forced the Duke Yong's Mansion to take that path, she would never back down. She would surely stand with her family.
"Rather than discussing these things that are unlikely to happen, let's guess whether our Emperor will be moved by the crowd and withdraw the edict against the Yan family, driving them out of Shengjing City." She smiled.
Cang Xuan smiled and said, "What do you think?"
In the past, our sage Emperor would surely not be able to withstand the pressure from all sides and would choose to appease the restless aristocratic families. But now, it's hard to say...
Su Yuanyuan remembered that during the Autumn Festival Banquet, the Emperor had punished Su Zeqian and demoted him to the position of a judge in the Ministry of Justice just because of a few words from the Grand Secretary. The Emperor relied so much on the Grand Secretary that he would surely seek his opinion on the matter of the Yan family.
The Yan family made a wrong move from the start. If they wanted to stay in Shengjing, seeking the help of the Grand Secretary was the fundamental solution.
With the Grand Secretary speaking well for them in front of the Emperor, why worry about not being able to turn the situation around?
"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman gains." She said firmly, "I guess the Yan family's plan is doomed to fail."
At this moment, Cang Xuan regretted that he hadn't brought any wine with him when he came out.
The more he got in touch with her, the more he found that their thoughts coincided.
He had never thought that he would have the thought of "regretting not having met earlier" towards a woman.
The so - called finding a bosom friend was probably like this.
Remembering her exquisite piano skills, he lifted the corner of his lips and smiled. His eyes were full of vitality. "If you really guess right, I'll give you a gift."
Su Yuanyuan's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Cang Xuan said, "Really."
Suddenly, as if she had noticed something, her eyes widened slightly. "Wait! Don't move!"
She leaned towards him, her eyes fixed on his face without blinking.
Watching her beautiful little face getting closer and closer, the firelight reflected in her eyes, making her black - and - white eyes as bright as stars. He couldn't help but hold his breath.
Suddenly, the firewood made a "pop" sound. He felt his heart skip a beat, and that suffocating feeling came back again.
At this moment, he saw his own reflection in her eyes.
An ordinary face that would be lost in the crowd.
He secretly clenched his fists and was about to push the approaching girl away when the girl reached out her hand and touched his face. She said curiously, "Your face seems to be peeling..."
Cang Xuan was shocked. By the time he reacted, he had already struck the girl's sleeping acupoint.
Drowsiness hit the girl. Without much thought, she fell asleep. Her body slumped down softly and was caught in the man's arms.
Just having the girl in his arms like this, he could feel that she was so soft that it seemed she would break at any moment. She also had a refreshing fragrance that didn't make him feel uncomfortable.
He picked up the girl wrapped in his robe, carried her back to Huaiyan Villa, laid her on the bed, covered her with the brocade quilt, and then left.
His coming and going didn't alarm the maids in the room, let alone the others in the villa.
Back at the mansion hidden deep in the dense forest, Cang Xuan took off the human - skin mask on his face and threw it to Tian Shu. "Make a brand - new mask according to this model. It almost revealed our secret after only being used a few times. If you continue to be so perfunctory, I'll transfer you to the Horse - Rearing Hall to feed the horses."
Tian Shu wailed, "My lord, I'm wronged..."
This was not a problem of improper maintenance at all. It was... it was just that his lord had used it too frequently recently. No matter how good the human - skin mask was, it couldn't stand such abuse!
But Cang Xuan had already entered the house and ignored him.
Cang Xuan lay down in the room, trying to fall asleep, but he couldn't feel sleepy at all.
He raised his hand and pressed on his still - pounding heart. He sat up, opened the door, walked out, and then turned into another room.
...
That night, some people slept soundly without a care, some tossed and turned with worries, and some were haunted by nightmares and couldn't be freed...
In a quiet room, the Emperor lying alone in the bed frowned tightly, his face full of pain.
He dreamed of the Eastern Palace again, dreamed of the sea of fire.
The fire surrounded him, blocking all his ways out. The scorching air and the choking thick smoke made it hard for him to breathe.
"Ce Lang, save me, save me..." Faintly, he heard a woman's painful sobs. The sound grew louder and louder, like a ghost trying to bewitch him to rush into the sea of fire in front of him.
Although he knew it was very likely a trap, he still searched around like a madman.
"A Yun, don't be afraid. I'm here to save you! I will surely save you out!"
The fire burned his hair and clothes, making his skin burn with pain. But no matter how hard he searched, there was only fire all around, and no human figure.
The woman's cries became more and more miserable, and finally gradually weakened until they disappeared.
The fire suddenly receded, leaving only a black - burned ruin in front of him and a body whose face couldn't be recognized. And on the hand of the body was the phoenix bracelet they had worn when they got married.
He knelt on the ground, his body burned to a bloody mess by the fire. He hugged the body tightly and let out a mournful wail.
"A Yun, don't leave me..."