Mrs. Shen couldn't help frowning. "Miao'er, you don't know. Although the Night Shade Department holds great power, its leader has always been an official highly regarded by the emperor. Take Shen Yi for example. Although he keeps a low - key demeanor, he has quite a say in front of the emperor."
"Think about your uncle back then. He was a well - known figure in the capital. Even the Second Prince, who is currently in the limelight, would show him due respect."
Shen Miao naturally knew all these things that Mrs. Shen was saying. She couldn't help thinking that it was precisely because of the power of her father and brother in the Night Shade Department and their favor in front of the emperor that Shen Li dared to openly entangle with the Fourth Prince before.
Seeing that Shen Miao was just in a daze and didn't say a word, Mrs. Shen took her hand and advised, "Miao'er, mother advises you. It's okay to have some petty squabbles in the inner courtyard, but don't have any ideas about the Night Shade Department."
"Look, it's been years since the eldest branch left. Mother has only given Shen Li a little lesson in terms of food, clothing and daily necessities. I've never dared to do anything to Shen Yi. It's just because I'm afraid of the Night Shade Department. Shen Yi is not as easy to bully as Shen Li. He has been smart and resourceful since childhood, with a deep - seated mind. He can calculate a person's life without even blinking an eye. You mustn't have any plans against him!"
Mrs. Shen exhorted Shen Miao earnestly for a long time. Shen Miao nodded in agreement on the surface, but she didn't really care in her heart. She was still thinking about how to bribe someone in the Night Shade Department or plant an informer there so that the Night Shade Department could also work for her.
On the other hand, Shen Li also got the news that Shen Feng had come to the Shen Mansion again today.
"Mingyue, what was Uncle's expression when he left?"
Mingyue thought for a moment and said, "I saw that Uncle walked out of the East Courtyard in a hurry with an unhappy look on his face. It seemed that his conversation with the people in the East Courtyard didn't go well."
Shen Li curled her lips slightly, but there was no trace of a smile in her eyes. "Humph! A greedy wolf with an insatiable appetite! How could Mrs. Shen and Shen Miao let Shen Feng rely on them? It's natural that they'll make a clean break as soon as possible!"
Jiaoyue asked with a worried look on her face, "Miss, if so, won't our plan fail?"
Shen Li waved her hand confidently and said, "Don't worry! Even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. How could Shen Feng, a greedy wolf, let Mrs. Shen go so easily? Next, let's just wait and watch the show!"
On the other side, Shen Feng returned to the Shen Mansion full of anger. He directly handed the box to Mrs. Liang without saying a word and then turned around and went out again.
Mrs. Liang opened the box with great joy on her face, but only saw seven thousand taels of silver notes, far less than the fifteen thousand taels she had originally expected.
"How stingy my elder sister - in - law is! She didn't even give half of the silver we asked to borrow. What can seven thousand taels of silver do?"
Although Mrs. Liang said so, she carefully put away the box. She had made up her mind that since Mrs. Shen was so petty, this silver was no longer a loan from Mrs. Shen. It should be regarded as a gift from Mrs. Shen to their family.
They were all family. Anyway, she was determined not to return this silver.
...
Early this morning, as soon as Xuanyuan Jue arrived at the Xuanyuan Pavilion, a subordinate came in to report.
"Your Excellency, our spies reported that last night there was a large - scale movement of troops in the Panhu Stronghold, showing signs of leaving the stronghold."
"Have you sent someone to follow them? Which direction did they go?" Xuanyuan Jue stood in front of the window on the second floor of the Xuanyuan Pavilion with his hands behind his back and looked at the subordinate.
"Our spies have followed them and left marks along the way. But for fear of exposing their whereabouts, there has been no further news so far."
Xuanyuan Jue nodded and instructed the subordinate, "Take a team of men and follow the marks along the way. As soon as you find traces of the Panhu Stronghold's troops, send someone back to report."
"Has there been any news from our informer in the Panhu Stronghold?"
The subordinate lowered his head and took out a small rolled - up note from his sleeve and handed it over.
After reading it, Xuanyuan Jue showed a faint smile on his face and tapped his palm with his finger. "This might be an opportunity!"
These days, Shen Li had been feeling bored in the Shen Mansion, so she asked the servants to pack her luggage and planned to stay in the Night Shade Department for a few days.
When she arrived at the Night Shade Department, she put down her luggage, then secretly slipped out of the Night Shade Department with Hanyue. There were not only many mechanisms in the Night Shade Department, but also several exits. It was so easy for her to leave the Night Shade Department without attracting others' attention.
This time when she went out, she, Hanyue and Jiaoyue even changed into men's clothes and made special disguises. Shen Li not only thickened her eyebrows but also glued on a small moustache.
When they arrived at the door of the Xuanyuan Pavilion, she saw that there were not many customers inside.
She had been to the Xuanyuan Pavilion several times. Although on the surface it was just a shop selling weapons opened by Xuanyuan Jue, Shen Li always felt that there was more to it.
"Hey, welcome, two guests! Have a look. There might be a weapon you like here!" A junior waiter in the Xuanyuan Pavilion immediately stepped forward to greet Shen Li and Hanyue warmly when he saw them enter.
Shen Li just nodded indifferently, didn't stop walking, bypassed the main hall with only tables and chairs for guests to rest and drink tea, and walked inside.
Shen Li walked around the first floor. She saw that the weapons on display were all heavy swords, guns, arrows, and none of them were suitable for a woman.
Just as Shen Li finished browsing the first floor, Xuanshu came down from the second floor and stood beside her, saying, "Sir, can't you find a satisfactory one on this floor? How about going upstairs to have a look?"
Looking at Xuanshu's smiling face, Shen Li pretended not to know him and reluctantly nodded. "Okay!"
As soon as Shen Li stepped onto the stairs, Xuanshu suddenly turned around and winked at Jiaoyue behind Shen Li.
Jiaoyue also pretended not to recognize him like Shen Li and followed her onto the stairs.
When Shen Li reached the second floor, she found that there were even fewer people here. Apart from the few of them who had just come up, there were only two shop assistants. However, the weapons on the second floor were of better workmanship than those on the first floor.
Shen Li even found several weapons suitable for women, such as the blood - jade bracelet in her hand.
The bracelet was completely red like blood without any impurities. There was a carved gold pattern on the outside of the bracelet as decoration. When worn on the hand, it made the skin look like snow, looking just like a woman's jewelry.
But Shen Li had grown up in the Night Shade Department since childhood and had extensive contact with hidden weapons. After a careful examination, she still found the difference of this bracelet.
On the side of the bracelet with the inlaid pattern, she found three small holes like needle - eyes and the mechanism to open them. As soon as the mechanism was triggered, three silver needles would be shot out at the same time. It was really a suitable hidden weapon for a woman.
"I wonder what you think of this bracelet? Can it catch your eye, sir?" Just as Shen Li was examining the bracelet, a sound of footsteps came from behind her.