Chapter 745: 742: Master_1

Chapter 745: Chapter 742: Master_1

Miss Shen straightened up and hurried out of the side room, covering her arm. She bowed to Bai Qingyan, who had a somber expression on her face.

“Bai Qingyan!”

“Did you injure your arm?” Bai Qingyan turned to ask the mansion physician. “Is it serious?”

The physician who followed behind Miss Shen quickly replied, “It’s just a surface wound, it’s not serious.”

“Bai Qingyan, I have important news to report.” Miss Shen spoke solemnly.

“Let’s go inside first…”

Bai Qingyan supported Miss Shen as they stepped into the main room. She heard Miss Shen say, “I saw our master! Master… seems not to recognize me anymore. If I hadn’t recognized him, I might not be alive now! Master he…”

Miss Shen’s voice carried a slight tremble.

For so many years, everyone thought the master was dead. Unexpectedly, the master was still alive… and in Dadu City.

Miss Shen had blamed Xiao Ruohai for the master’s death all these years. She never expected that the master was actually alive.

During the fierce battle earlier, if it weren’t for her shock when she recognized the master and called out to him loudly, making him stop… her arm might have been gone.

But, the master’s gaze was also confused as he looked at Miss Shen. He appeared to be in pain, clutching his head as he ran away, leaving his sword behind. Miss Shen couldn’t catch up to him. She could only bring back the master’s short sword.

“Are you sure you didn’t mistake anyone? Is it truly Master Shen Bozhong?” Bai Qingyan helped Miss Shen sit down, unbuttoning her cloak as she asked.

Miss Shen took out the master’s short sword from behind her. “Look, Bai Qingyan, this is master’s short sword!”

Bai Qingyan picked up the short sword and walked to the window, examining it in the light. The entire sword was black, and the patterns on the blade were indeed Shen Bozhong’s.

Miss Shen walked to stand behind Bai Qingyan. “Master’s identity is secretive. In the Bai family, besides the Crown Prince and you, no one else knows. If master has been in Dadu City all these years without anyone knowing, it’s not impossible! But… I’m puzzled about who can command or control the master to kill me! Apart from the Li family, I can’t think of anyone else.”

Putting aside the master for now, Miss Shen had just encountered Li Mingrui’s schemes against Bai Qingyan in prison. Shortly after, someone came to assassinate her. It was clear who was behind it.

Miss Shen even suspected that the master was ordered by Li Mingrui to kill her. With master’s skills, hiding in prison without being noticed was easy. Master came so quickly that the order must have been given by Li Mingrui himself.

“Bai Qingyan, Master should now be under Li Mingrui’s control, and he is probably in the Court of Judicial Review’s prison. Otherwise, he wouldn’t return so quickly!” Miss Shen clenched her fists, her face full of killing intent. “I don’t know what the Li family has done to master!”

“Don’t worry. If it really is Master Shen Bozhong, I will definitely bring him back.” Bai Qingyan patted Miss Shen’s shoulder and assured her. “Someone, prepare the carriage… we’re going to the Left Prime Minister’s mansion.”

Bai Jinxiu, carrying Wang Geer, had just crossed into Qinghui Courtyard’s main entrance when she heard Bai Qingyan was going to the Left Prime Minister’s mansion. She quickly turned, signaling Cuibi to take Wang Geer to her mother’s courtyard.

“Second Young Lady…” Zhenming stepped forward and bowed to Bai Jinxiu.

Bai Jinxiu nodded, lifted her skirt, and ascended the porch steps. Zhenming hurriedly held the curtain for Bai Jinxiu.

“Eldest Young Lady…” Bai Jinxiu unfastened her cloak as she entered and asked, “Eldest Young Lady, are you going to the Left Prime Minister’s mansion?”

Bai Qingyan nodded while fastening her cloak. “Master Shen Bozhong might be in Li Mao’s hands. I’m going to bring him back!”

“Shen Bozhong? The master of Eldest Young Lady’s foster brother Xiao Ruohai and Miss Shen?” Bai Jinxiu looked towards Miss Shen.

Miss Shen nodded.

“I will go with you!” Bai Jinxiu said.

Bai Qingyan shook her head. “Some things are better if you don’t know. Let Qingzhu accompany me.”

Miss Shen nodded and said to Bai Jinxiu, “Second Young Lady, don’t worry. I will take care of Bai Qingyan.”

Bai Qingyan tied her fox fur cloak and told Bai Jinxiu, “You take enough guards with you and go with Little Seven to visit the Crown Princess Consort. Remember to bring generous gifts.”

Li Mansion.

Li Mao had just returned from the Imperial Palace. The Emperor had reassured him, saying he wouldn’t take Li Mingrui’s life and didn’t care if Li Mingrui had framed the Princess of Zhen. To protect King Liang, the Emperor had already let the Crown Prince quietly handle it.

This meant that Li Mingrui would be released in a few days.

Li Mao’s legs were weak when he came out of the palace, but he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, Li Mao more clearly understood the nature of imperial power. A desire that once lurked in his heart and had been suppressed surged up again.

Even if he had supported the Second Prince to the throne back then, he would still have been a minister. Whether he could become a powerful minister was uncertain, and the power of life and death was still in the Emperor’s hands.

He had always wanted to sit on that position and taste the feeling of being above thousands, even if it was just for a day.

What a pity!

Sometimes he greatly envied Bai Weiting, who commanded the fearless Bai family army, but he also thought Bai Weiting was incredibly stupid for not rebelling when he held such power, willingly serving under a foolish Commandery Princess of the Lin family. It was simply a waste of talent.

Li Mao’s carriage had just stopped in front of Li Mansion when the steward reported that the Princess of Zhen had personally come.

Li Mao was startled. Bai Qingyan visiting could only mean trouble. Li Mao hurriedly lifted his robe and entered Li Mansion, heading towards the main hall.

With his weak spot gripped in someone’s hand, how could Li Mao not treat Bai Qingyan cautiously?

He saw Bai Qingyan drinking tea in the main hall, a woman in sturdy attire holding a sword standing vigilantly behind her. Li Mao took off his cloak and handed it to the steward, smiling as he approached Bai Qingyan. “I didn’t know the Princess of Zhen was visiting. What guidance do you have for me?”

Bai Qingyan put down her teacup and cast a calm, deep gaze at Li Mao. “Today, I sent someone to visit the Left Prime Minister’s eldest son in prison. Unexpectedly, shortly after leaving the Court of Judicial Review’s prison, they were almost killed…”

She signaled at Miss Shen with a look.

Miss Shen’s face turned cold, showing no fear of Li Mao as she looked at him.

“Princess of Zhen suspects that our Li family did it?” Li Mao’s face darkened. “Princess of Zhen, you mustn’t make baseless accusations.”

“I’m gravely injured and don’t want to argue with you. By sunset today, if I don’t see that old man, prepare to take your entire family to explain to the Crown Prince what it means… that the Emperor failed to recognize the potential of the Second Prince and mistakenly believed in a true dragon, causing the Jin Kingdom to suffer, and that the minister pleaded for the Second Prince to be given the throne for the sake of Jin and his imperial consort mother’s clan.”

Li Mao’s hand suddenly tightened on the chair’s armrest. He struggled to keep his shocked expression in check. This was a letter he wrote to the Second Prince back then, without a single word changed!