Chapter 11 He Came to Say Goodbye

Taking a sharp breath, Zhanlu quickly bowed his head. “Master, please judge wisely! This servant has absolutely no intention of overstepping his bounds!”

Slowly placing the jade pendant back at his waist, Shen Zaiye turned to gaze once more at the moon in the sky.

“If you had any improper intentions, I wouldn’t blame you,” he said calmly. “That woman’s charm is far too powerful; few can resist it.”

Even he might have been caught up in it. Otherwise, why would he be gazing at the moon through the window instead of sleeping in the middle of the night?

His heart stirred slightly. Zhanlu looked up, casting an incredulous glance at his master twice before lowering his head and saying, “There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Ask away.”

“You seem to treat Lady Jiang differently.” Zhanlu lowered his voice. “You’ve been acting somewhat out of sorts since the Harmonious Wind Dance. Why is that?”

Shen Zaive remained silent.

Tonight’s moon shone bright and clear, its light almost dizzying to behold, as if in the blink of an eye one could travel back to the day of Jiang Taohua and Mu Wuxia’s grand wedding.

The marriage between the princess of Zhao and the King of Nan was of little concern to anyone in the great kingdom of Wei, so the escort party consisted of only a dozen or so guards—slack and careless. Consequently, when Qin Sheng’s wild wolves, which he had raised for days in the capital, suddenly appeared, they scattered the guards in panic.

After the chaos erupted in the crowd, some were tasked with holding back Jiang Taohua’s personal maidservant, while others quietly guided her, creating an opportunity for her to flee in the direction of Hefengwu.

Jiang Taohua was clever, dropping many colorful pebbles along the way. Unfortunately, the person was right behind her, picking up every pebble she dropped and scattering them elsewhere, ensuring no one would find her before everything was settled.

Everything was going according to his plan. If he could make Jiang Taohua lose her innocence in the brothel, Prince Jing would inevitably be held accountable, earning him the emperor’s reprimand and creating a rift. As for Prince Nan, not only would he avoid marrying this princess skilled in seduction, but he would also receive the emperor’s rewards. As for himself, he was in the dark, and Prince Jing couldn’t blame him.

However, when he stood on the second floor and saw the woman inadvertently raise her face, he suddenly changed his mind.

How dull it is to kill two birds with one stone—killing four birds is the real skill. Since this woman possesses such breathtaking beauty, why not let him experience it firsthand? Afterwards, Prince Jing would not only have to bear the consequences himself but would also owe him an explanation—achieving four goals with a single move.

He only appears to indulge in women on the surface; he isn’t truly obsessed with beauty. Yet, perhaps having suppressed his desires for too long, and since everyone must die eventually, it might be better to indulge with him for once.

God only knows why he had such a wild thought at that moment. Could it be that every abstinent person harbored a libertine within? Shen Zaiye couldn’t figure it out, nor did he intend to dwell on it. After all, everything was still proceeding according to his plan.

However, from the moment he stepped into that room, something seemed to have slipped from his control, heading in an unpredictable direction.

The prime minister’s rear courtyard housed all kinds of women—enchanting, dignified, lively, and witty. Yet, he had never encountered anyone like Jiang Taohua.

Snow-white arms peeked out from the wide sleeves; the crimson brocade quilt contrasted vividly with her skin, utterly alluring. Coupled with her seductive gaze, the blend of struggle and desire instantly caused him to lose control. She clearly wasn’t the most beautiful, but her eyes seemed to hold a whirlpool, pulling him in little by little, with no way out.

Perhaps because Jiang Taohua was using her charm technique, he was off guard, thus indulging and sinking. If not for a sliver of reason still lingering in his mind, he would have answered whatever she asked.

How could such a woman be allowed to continue living?

“Why I lost my composure is not important at all.” Gathering his thoughts, Shen Zaiye smiled faintly: “You only need to know that she will no longer appear and will not cause me any trouble—that is enough.”

“…Understood.” Zhan Lu pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then glanced at him: “Yesterday, when you returned to Linwu Courtyard in the middle of the night, Lady Gu sent someone to keep an eye on you.”

“That woman is just too calculating.” Waving his hand dismissively, Shen Zaiye relaxed with a sigh. “Let her be, anyway, after tomorrow, she won’t be able to do much.”

“I understand, sir.”

Rising to close the window, Shen Zaiye tidied up and settled into bed to rest. However, perhaps because he was overthinking things, he actually dreamt of Jiang Taohua.

That woman was wearing a long dress embroidered with peach blossoms, wrapped in a pink robe, leaning against a peach blossom tree as she smiled at someone. The figure before her was unclear in appearance, yet held a paintbrush and was slowly painting her.

Even in his dream, Shen Zaiye frowned, thinking that such a dissolute woman was fortunate not to have married the Prince of the South.

The moon sank westward, and the sky gradually brightened. By the time it was the hour of Chen, Jiang Taohua rose and began to dress.

She put on the luxurious gown prepared by Shen Zaiye, but before that, she wore a simple dress underneath. For her hair, she used light accessories for securing, while the heavier ones were only used for decoration.

“Ah,” Taohua couldn’t help but sigh as she looked at herself in the mirror. “With such a face of a peerless beauty, why must I always dress up while preparing to flee for my life?”

Qingtai, with dark circles under her eyes, stood behind her. After glancing around, she said, “I’ve already obtained the map, and the silver fragments are ready as well.”

“Yes.” Taohua nodded. “You handle things, and I’m at ease.”

After admiring herself in the mirror for a while, Jiang Taohua adjusted her outer robe, stood up, and was just about to go out when she saw Shen Zaiye actually stride in.

“Young master?” Shocked, Taohua blinked. “You don’t have court today?”

His face looked rather unwell, as if he hadn’t slept well. Rubbing his temples, Shen Zaiye said, “The memorial was submitted. Today is my day off.”

“Oh… Then will you accompany me to the North Gate Pavilion?”

“No, I have other urgent matters to attend to later.” After glancing at her twice, Shen Zaixia smiled gently: “I just came to see you before you leave.”

Before the execution.

On the surface, Peach Blossom smiled, but inside she was roaring and screaming! How straightforward could he be? He specifically said he came to see her before the execution—sure enough, she hadn’t been mistaken. No matter what, she had to escape today!

“Why are you so nervous?” Taking two steps closer to her, Shen Zaichui lowered his gaze, his eyes exceptionally gentle: “Are you very afraid of Prince Jing?”

Compared to Prince Jing, I’m more afraid of you.

Peach Blossom chuckled softly, slightly bending her knees: “With my lord backing me up, this humble concubine is not afraid.”

“Yeah.”

Nodding in acknowledgment, Shen Zaichui sat directly in the main seat without saying anything else, simply picking up the teacup placed by Qingtai, leisurely skimming the foam with a gentle motion.

He kept silent, and Peach Blossom didn’t know what to say either, so she sat there with him in silence. But since he wasn’t leaving, she couldn’t possibly leave first, so all she could do was watch as time slowly passed by.

The tea grew cold. Shen Zaikou didn’t take a single sip, setting the cup down instead and gazing deeply into Peach Blossom’s eyes. “Be careful on the road,” he said.

Their eyes met. Peach Blossom froze for a moment, tilting her head before suddenly smiling at him with an innocent expression. “Is my lord worried about this humble one?”

“You can tell?” Shen Zaikou chuckled softly.

“Well, your eyes are filled with reluctance and hesitation.” Peach Blossom’s eyes sparkled with brightness, as if she had discovered some treasure, looking at him joyfully as she said, “In just a few days, my lord, you have grown so deeply fond of me. I have no regrets.”

Pursing her lips, Shen Zaichui lowered his gaze, as if carrying the relief of farewell, and waved his hand, saying, “Go on.”

“I take my leave.” Jiang Taohua rose and curtsied, her eyes never leaving him until she turned around.

Qingtai was waiting for her at the door, and when she emerged, she casually glanced into the room.

The Prime Minister on the main seat still gazed at the back of his master; that look in his eyes… it was rather peculiar.

“Let’s go,” Peach Blossom whispered softly.

Turning around, Moss led her all the way to the side gate. Only after they boarded the carriage did she ask, “What happened to the Prime Minister?”

Straightening her sleeves, Peach Blossom said calmly, “About to bid farewell to the woman he spent a delightful night with not long ago, his conscience is uneasy.”

Huh? Moss was stunned.

With a sneer, Peach Blossom murmured, “I didn’t mention it earlier, but there was reluctance, hesitation, and above all, ruthlessness in his eyes—clearly bidding me a final farewell. Yet… for him to specifically come and sit with me for so long, it seems the Prime Minister isn’t entirely heartless.”

He knew she would die, which was why he no longer concealed his emotions. If she were a bit more naive, she might have truly believed he was just reluctant to see her leave. But the reality is, there’s no need to hide anything from someone about to die.

Last night before falling asleep, Peach Blossom had been furious. After all, she was a princess—how could he decide to kill her so casually? What if it affected diplomatic relations between the two countries?

But then she figured it out. Shen Zaiye was truly a very clever man. If he sent her to meet Prince Jing, she would surely die in front of Prince Jing, so it wouldn’t be his fault at all; the blame would rest entirely on Prince Jing.

Looks like in their past lives, she and Prince Jing might have teamed up to dig up his ancestors’ graves. What kind of deep-seated grudge could this be?

Qingtai frowned, gently squeezing her mistress’s hand, then lifted the curtain slightly to look outside.

The carriage driver was from the Prime Minister’s estate, and there were four guards by the carriage. They had been quietly replaced last night—two of them were their own people who had followed them from the State of Zhao. All they had to do was wait for the right location, and they could escape.

Jiang Taohua studied the map, her finger landing on a street corner. “Here. It’s the closest to that side.”

“Understood, ma’am.”

The coachman was skilled in martial arts. Taking on this task, he figured that with only two weak women in the back, there shouldn’t be any surprises. As long as they reached the North Gate, he could complete the job and go back to claim his reward.

So his mood was quite cheerful the entire way, even humming a little tune.

“Di-li-lang-ge-lang-ya, lang-ge-li-ge-lang…”

“Nice tune!” As the humming ended, surprisingly, someone nearby was clapping in applause! The coachman happily turned his head, only to see Qing Tai smiling at him before landing a punch right in the face!

The impact was so great that he was thrown straight off the carriage, knocked unconscious.

The two guards beside the carriage were startled, but before they could even react, they were simultaneously knocked out by two other guards.

    “Great job!” Peach Blossom cheered as she watched, then quickly removed her embroidered robe and the extra hair ornaments, and pulled out a bottle of pig’s blood.