Chapter Nineteen: Entering the Palace

As soon as Su Zhinian stepped into the estate garden, the steward approached respectfully and spoke.

“Miss, what is Her Majesty the Empress summoning you to the palace for?”

The Empress, now carrying the imperial heir, was the most precious person in the entire palace.

And she had always kept a distance from their lady. Could it be that the Empress Dowager had said something?

Yushu nervously clasped her hands.

Soon, they saw a palace eunuch, not very old, dressed in a deep blue silk robe, looking no different from an ordinary person except for his unusually pale skin.

“Greetings, Eunuch.”

Su Zhinian bowed properly. Li Dewang smiled faintly and bowed slightly in return.

“Madam General, you are very kind. We are here by order of Her Majesty the Empress to invite you into the palace.”

“The Empress has been feeling bored lately and has heard that Madam General is skilled at chess, so she sent me to invite you to entertain Her Majesty.”

“To receive the Empress’s favor is truly my fortune.”

Su Zhinian smiled gently, her demeanor dignified and extraordinary, causing Li Dewang to nod repeatedly.

“Then, General Gu, shall we take her away now?”

Li Dewang smiled at Gu Shijin behind him.

Gu Shijin’s dark eyes fixed on Su Zhinian with a gloomy intensity. He remained silent, causing even Li Dewang to frown impatiently, until he finally spoke slowly.

“Eunuch, please wait and have some tea. I have something to say to Madam.”

“Hurry up, General, don’t keep Her Majesty waiting!”

“Of course.”

Gu Shijin watched Li Dewang leave first. His cold gaze turned to Su Zhinian, and through clenched teeth, he spat out a few words.

“Did you arrange this?”

His expression was as if he wanted to skin Su Zhinian alive.

“What are you talking about, General? I don’t understand.”

Su Zhinian’s face was calm.

She could clearly see the bulging veins at Gu Shijin’s temples.

He was already agitated. Later, when Ren Xixi made a grave mistake, wouldn’t he become even more frantic?

Su Zhinian fixed her gaze on him.

“If you hadn’t arranged this on purpose, why else would the Empress summon you into the palace?”

“Su Zhinian, I’m warning you, if you dare lay a finger on Xixi, I will make you pay!”

Gu Shijin threatened, pointing fiercely at Su Zhinian’s nose.

In recent days, he thought this woman might have changed.

But unexpectedly, she still bore that venomous heart.

Xixi was hidden in the palace now, yet she didn’t even spare her.

---

Su Zhinian was utterly ruthless and vicious!

Hearing Gu Shijin’s words, she showed no fear at all; instead, Yushu’s heart tightened once more.

“If I truly didn’t do anything, would your threats not be in vain, General?” Su Zhinian tilted her head, eyes twinkling with a seemingly innocent smile.

“How dare you?” Gu Shijin’s eyes turned bloodshot as he grabbed her slender wrist tightly.

The force was so strong it seemed like he could crush her bones.

“General, perhaps you are worrying unnecessarily. This is the imperial palace; how could I dare be reckless?”

Su Zhinian shook off his grip with a heavy flick, her tone mocking.

Gu Shijin could snap at any moment, making one suspect he might have rabies.

Watching his nimble retreating figure, Gu Shijin was momentarily stunned.

Xixi was now beside the most favored concubine, Wan Pin, and even the Empress herself probably couldn’t harm her at will.

Gu Shijin pressed his lips together. If Su Zhinian’s entry into the palace could make Xixi realize her mistakes and obediently return, it wouldn’t be so bad.

With this thought, he felt less angry.

“Miss, I truly fear the General might strike you again.”

Yushu breathed a long sigh of relief.

“Don’t worry! I won’t let anyone bully us anymore.”

Su Zhinian pinched her cheek.

“Miss!”

Yushu blushed and stomped her foot in mock anger.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Su Zhinian led the way toward Li Dewang and the others. He stood with hands behind his back, smiling as he saw her approach.

“Madam has arrived.”

“Eunuch Li, let’s go!”

“All right!”

...

Spring lingers, peach blossoms bloom in profusion.

The bell of the ancient temple rang softly, accompanied by a few loud calls.

“You lost again!”

Beneath the peach tree, a gentleman in white stood tall and graceful. His snow-white robes fluttered in the breeze, his black hair cascading like a waterfall, tied with a single white jade hairpin.

He squinted and smiled faintly, his tone helpless.

“Still no luck.”

Helian Yu shook his head. That old man was truly relentless.

He was a chess fanatic; no matter how many masters he invited, it was useless.

The old man said this technique was his unique secret, not to be shared.

Only by defeating him at chess could he be persuaded to treat his leg. Helian Yu had tried many methods but to no avail.

The white-bearded old man across from him stroked his beard, raising a disdainful eyebrow.

“No, no, the move you learned last time was somewhat interesting.”

“All right, that’s enough for today. You may go!”

The miraculous doctor waved his hand and left without mercy.

Helian Yu watched his departing figure with disappointment.

Recently, he heard the old man was about to travel again, and no one knew when they’d meet again.

Moreover, his leg wouldn’t allow such a long delay.

“Your Highness, this miraculous doctor is truly strange. Isn’t healing the responsibility of a doctor? Yet he acts so independently.”

Mu Dong felt sorry for his master. He had visited the doctor many times, but the miraculous healer was impenetrable—like a stone that even warmth couldn’t melt.

This doctor’s heart was colder than stone.

“Well, let’s go back.”

Helian Yu was calmer. He recalled the doctor’s words just now, his eyes flashing.

Indeed, perhaps only she had a chance to win.

“By the way, how is the matter Miss Su mentioned?”

Mu Dong pushed the wooden wheelchair as pink petals drifted from the trees.

“I believe our people should have already arrived at Nanshan Peak by now.”

The temple’s wind chimes rang ethereally in the breeze, as if chanting Buddhist verses.

Helian Yu nodded slightly.

At this moment, below Nanshan Peak, the escort caravan was nervously transporting goods.

“I heard the bandits at Nanshan Peak are particularly fierce. I hope we won’t encounter them today.”

“Spare us the bad luck talk!”

Gu Heng, a guard from the Gu family, had been expelled for a mistake. Although strong and skilled, he was relegated to hard labor.

Being expelled meant he bore a stain on his record.

No one dared employ him except for labor tasks.

Transporting goods was the most lucrative but also the most dangerous job.

Suddenly, a thunderous rumble echoed.

“Watch out! Rockslide!!”