Chapter 483 - Proper Palace Intrigue (22) (1/2)

Shi Sheng leaned against the wall, her gaze landing on the bookshelf in front of her, but her mind was filled with what Ming Jin said that night.

‘Does he have his memories? No, that can’t be right.’

Shi Sheng shook her head.

‘He wouldn’t have kept silent about having his memories. So…it must just be because we went through so many worlds that he feels attracted to me?’

The night she stripped Ming Jin down, she knew that he was Feng Ci. Because she’d felt that faint aura on him.

Ever since the world with Qin Ge, she’d begun to get this feeling, though it was even fainter back then.

‘So this’ll grow stronger the more worlds we go through?’

Thud!

Something fell to the floor, the crisp sound breaking Shi Sheng’s train of thought. She turned to the source of the noise.

A small child was currently leaning out from behind a bookshelf, his watery eyes staring at her.

When Shi Sheng looked over, he immediately turned and fled.

Shi Sheng, “…” ‘Do I(bbb) look that scary? Honestly!’

Shi Sheng chucked the book in her hand back on the shelf and turned to leave. But her hair accidentally got entangled with one of the scroll paintings behind her, the force causing the entire painting to be pulled off the wall.

“Hss—” ‘*flip table* It really rains when it pours, huh?!’

Shi Sheng untangled her hair, and as she did so, her gaze swept to where the painting had been hung.

Shi Sheng’s eyes suddenly lit up. She’d only been looking at books before, but there were also paintings and walls to check here!

Shi Sheng inspected the wall closest to her, but found nothing that stood out.

She searched all the paintings in Jade Tower, but couldn’t come up with any findings. ‘I wanna hack System. Fuck! Just what is Jade Tower referring to?’

Shi Sheng was making no progress whatsoever.

It was at this time that a rumour suddenly sprung up. About her and Ming Jin. Apparently, someone had witnessed them meeting in secret.

Though she was already the State Teacher (at least in name), in the eyes of these people, she was still formerly Yuwen Xun’s concubine—how could she get involved with other men? This was simply unacceptable! This behaviour was usually punished by drowning the parties involved in a pig cage!

As a result, proposals impeaching Shi Sheng were sent to Yuwen Xun like nobody’s business.

“Your Majesty, I just knew Zhuang Qiong and Ming Jin’s relationship wasn’t that simple. He spoke up for her last time, and now there are even rumours like this.”

Yuwen Xun tossed the impeachments aside, exhaustion evident from his face. “Xi Liang hasn’t been behaving recently. Has Ming Jin made any moves?”

‘Inner strife and external problems… I haven’t dealt with the Zhuang Clan yet, and Xi Liang is already starting to grow restless.’

“Answering Your Majesty: no.”

“Keep a close eye on him.”

“Your Majesty, then about this matter…?” De-gonggong asked tentatively.

Yuwen Xun massaged his brows, speaking in a cold voice, “Ignore it for now.”

He didn’t wish to touch this Zhuang Qiong for now. After thinking carefully of what happened previously, the invisible yet impenetrable barrier, as well as the sword that appeared from nowhere…he felt that this woman wasn’t one to be messed with.

‘Since the two of them are getting involved, then if I can find a way to get rid of both of them at the same time, it’d be the best-case scenario. If I can’t…’

……

Rumours spread throughout the palace. Even the commoners outside had caught wind of it.

It was already scandalous enough for one of the Emperor’s concubines to become State Teacher, but now to be having an affair with someone else? Wasn’t that just asking to be spoken badly of?

The Zhuang Clan was also involved in the badmouthing. If women in an ancient era didn’t uphold tradition, they’d be drowned in spit.

Zhuang-fu had recently been having a rift with the Emperor, so he hadn’t had it easy to begin with. With this matter to top things off, naturally there were people at court who wanted to take advantage of it to suppress him.

Compared to all these people, the two leads in these rumours, Shi Sheng and Ming Jin, were much calmer.

Ming Jin was a shut-in who didn’t leave the house or see anyone.

Shi Sheng spent the whole day cooped up in Jade Tower, as if she was trying to find a flower by staring long enough.

Though she didn’t find a flower, she did see someone.

Yuwen Jing, Yuwen Xun’s precious kiddo.

For some reason, this kid would always sneak in while Shi Sheng was in Jade Tower. But when she looked at him, he’d run away.

“Sonny, come over here.” Shi Sheng beckoned the Yuwen Jing who was hiding behind a bookshelf over, and took advantage[1] of him at the same time.

Yuwen Jing’s eyes widened and he pointed the index finger of his pudgy hand that still had baby fat at himself.

“Does it look like there’s anyone else around?”