"Sister-in-law?"
Perhaps Su Nansheng's expression was too terrifying, so Chen Mingzhu also stopped smiling and looked at her seriously.
Su Nansheng realized her gaffe and then made an excuse:
"If Uncle finds out that you've rummaged through his study, will he punish you?"
"Don't worry about this. Father only keeps me away from the study when he's discussing matters with others. He doesn't care about me at other times."
Chen Mingzhu said indifferently.
Not only would Father not punish her, but he would even wish for her to go to the study and pick out a few books to read.
Su Nansheng nodded and then looked down at the river - dredging project plan.
Counting the ones in the wastepaper basket, there are already five out of the ten strategies. She wondered how many of them Shao Tan had already got.
She had to find a way to stop him from stealing more strategies from Chen Xuan.
She suddenly looked at Chen Mingzhu. "Shao Tan must not be allowed to have late - night talks with Uncle in the next few days."
Chen Mingzhu crossed her arms in front of her chest and said helplessly:
"But they're discussing official business. It's not appropriate for me to stop them."
It was true that she disliked Shao Tan, but she couldn't let her petty feelings interfere with the important affairs of the court.
Su Nansheng knew that Chen Mingzhu didn't realize the current crisis, but it was not convenient for her to explain clearly. She just looked at Chen Mingzhu more seriously and said:
"Mingzhu, Uncle must not be allowed to meet him again."
Chen Mingzhu was taken aback for a moment, and then slowly put down her crossed arms:
"Is it that serious?"
The last time she saw Su Nansheng looking like this was when she discovered that Lady Zhou was two - faced.
Su Nansheng didn't know how to explain, so she just nodded solemnly.
Fortunately, Chen Mingzhu didn't ask for the reason. She just rolled her eyes and said:
"I have my own way. Watch how I break up their master - disciple relationship."
Her tone was relaxed, and a smile reappeared on her face. She seemed ready to overcome any difficulties.
Su Nansheng looked at her with a smile, but in her heart, she disliked Shao Tan even more.
She hated betrayal and the feeling of having her sincere heart betrayed.
...
In the bedroom of Yurong Courtyard, the windows were wide open, and a gentle sound of the zither drifted out.
The sound of the zither was low and melodious, ethereal like the music from the heavens. However, the lingering tune was too plaintive, making one want to cry upon hearing it.
Concubine Li gritted her teeth and stared at Su Hele, who was playing the zither. She wished she could get out of bed and slap her.
Just now, Su Hele, who was told by the doctor of the Liu Mansion to stay in bed and recuperate, had taken the initiative to come and attend to Concubine Li. Naturally, Concubine Li readily agreed.
But after she entered the room, Concubine Li noticed that she was carrying a yaoqin in her arms.
She said that since she was unable to do the strenuous tasks of serving others now, she could only play a tune on the zither to comfort Concubine Li's heart.
After saying that, without waiting for Concubine Li's reaction, she started playing on her own.
If the sound of the zither could really cheer Concubine Li up, it would be fine. But unfortunately, the tune was so plaintive and lingering that it was inevitable to make people think wildly.
She was just ill, not dead!
Thinking of this, she picked up the teacup beside her and threw it straight at Su Hele's face:
"Is this how you attend to the sick?"
Su Hele was immersed in the sad and plaintive atmosphere of her own playing. Suddenly, a teacup came flying towards her. She couldn't react in time and was hit on the forehead.
The lukewarm tea mixed with tea leaves trickled down her forehead, soaking her clothes and reddening her eyes.
She looked down at the light - yellow tea stains on her clothes and the broken teacup on the ground. Suddenly, she tightened the strings of the zither with such force that one of the strings snapped.
With a "buzz", the broken string hit the back of Su Hele's hand, instantly leaving a bloody mark.
But she seemed not to notice. She stared fixedly at Concubine Li:
"I've taken the initiative to come and attend to you. Why do you still torture me like this, Concubine?"
Her face was cold and gloomy, no longer the calm and composed look of the past.
Seeing this, Concubine Li was very pleased and laughed:
"You even dare to ask why. You're really shameless. Do you think this is torture? Let me tell you, this is just the beginning."
Hearing this, Su Hele squinted her eyes, then slowly stood up and turned to leave.
"Stop! Did I allow you to leave? Stop her!"
Concubine Li had just shouted forcefully when she suddenly felt short of breath. She quickly grabbed the bedrail.
Seeing Nanny Du step forward to block her way, Su Hele didn't struggle. She just pulled out the hairpin from her hair and let her long hair fall over her shoulders.
Concubine Li thought that Su Hele was going to threaten them with self - harm again. She sneered and was about to urge her to do it quickly.
Then she saw Su Hele push aside her hair to reveal the swelling on the back of her head and said:
"You can try to stop me. But if I accidentally faint and hit this swelling again, and my blood splatters everywhere, I'd like to see how you'll explain it to others."
Nanny Du paused and looked up at Concubine Li. The latter kept a gloomy face and didn't say anything.
Seeing this, Nanny Wang said:
"Concubine, since the Second Young Mistress is feeling unwell again, why not let her go back and rest first?"
Su Hele knew that she was giving Concubine Li an excuse to back down. She raised her chin and walked away.
After she left, Concubine Li was so angry that she slapped the bed board:
"She even dared to threaten me!"
Seeing that she seemed to be out of breath again, Nanny Wang quickly said:
"It's just a skin injury. It will heal in a few days. You can settle the score with her after she's completely recovered."
She had carefully asked the doctor of the Liu Mansion. Su Hele's head injury could be serious or minor. If they really accidentally caused her death, the consequences would be unimaginable.
After all, the injury was caused by He Jin. A newly - wedded husband beating his wife to death?
Just thinking about such a thing made one's hair stand on end.
"Humph, I'll bear with her for a few more days. After her injury heals, I'll see how she can still be so arrogant."
Concubine Li's voice was cold and sinister, which made people shiver.
...
Su Nansheng sat quietly on the arhat bed in the study, tapping the red - wood table lightly with her index finger. Her face was cold and solemn.
To deal with Shao Tan, it was obviously not enough just with her and Chen Mingzhu. She also had to rely on He Xun's strength.
So she had finished dealing with the trivial matters in her hand early today and was just waiting for He Xun to come back.
Su Nansheng looked at the rice paper on the table again. As for how to talk to He Xun...
Just as she was thinking, she heard the door open, and He Xun's voice came immediately:
"Are you feeling unwell?"
He came back earlier than usual today. When he heard that Su Nansheng had been waiting for him in the study, his first intuition was that something was up.
Su Nansheng poured a cup of tea. After He Xun sat down, she handed the tea to him:
"I'm fine. But why did you come back so early today?"
He Xun took a sip of the tea. The tea was sweet, and the slightly hot temperature just soothed his somewhat restless mind.
"I had a casual chat with Uncle when I left the court today. He was discussing the water - control strategies with Shao Tan."
Actually, he had just asked out of caution at first, but he didn't expect that Chen Xuan was really involved with Shao Tan in this matter.
Thinking of what Su Nansheng had said, he felt inexplicably worried.
Su Nansheng looked up in surprise. "You just asked directly?"
Didn't the affairs in their officialdom always involve all sorts of twists and turns, half - truths and half - falsehoods, and secret speculations?
Seeing her like this, He Xun couldn't help but shake his head:
"He's my uncle. What can't I ask? Moreover, since my wife is so worried, I naturally have to ask directly."