Ink Burns

Chapter 245 Collusion with the Enemy
Guanzhai was deserted and quiet. The double doors were sealed with the official seal of the Censorate. The shopkeeper and his errand boy had been detained by the Censorate early that morning and could not be released until the matter was settled.

The once bustling bookstore and gallery are now covered with fallen leaves, which, when swept by the wind, resemble a desolate game of chess.

Shan Yue turned past the entrance of Guan An Zhai and did not enter the courtyard next to Guan An Zhai with a copper wind chime hanging there. The gatekeeper was the old woman who had delivered a letter to Xue Nan's mansion the day before. She looked very solemn, with her head down and eyes lowered. Her hands hung at her sides, her body was straight, and her feet were slightly apart, with her toes like two tightly pried nails, firmly welded to the ground.

Her demeanor was exactly the same as that of Granny Liu, who was sent by the Liu family to teach her.

They came from the palace.

Shan Yue withdrew her gaze, a faint, polite smile on her face. She spoke to Zhou Fangniang opposite her in a tone that was neither too close nor too distant, with heavy respect and a hint of flattery: "It's the first time I've known that this small house next to Guan'anzhai is also ours."

Hearing Shan Yue's tone, Zhou Fangniang felt much relieved: she had been afraid that Shan Yue would speak in his usual familiar and casual manner.

That would be terrible.

This Granny Ruan was newly assigned by Jing'an to serve her; it was more like surveillance than service. If Granny Ruan discovered her closeness with Shan Yue, wouldn't it reach Jing'an's ears? The previous nanny was also sent by Jing'an and had been with her for many years, only to be eliminated by her in a muddled way, in league with Shan Yue and Xue Xiao. She hadn't felt uncomfortable being watched before, but now that no one was watching her these days, the contrast made her previous behavior seem bad and her current behavior good.

These past few days, if she didn't think about where Su Ge'er had gone, would be the best she'd had in years. Chang Lin was half-dead and might leave at any time. The Chang family had lost its leader and was wary of Su Ge'er's possible return, so no one bothered her. Even in its decline, the Chang family was still a clan that had prospered for decades. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Now that things were in chaos, she had to take advantage of the chaos to make the most of it.

Zhou Fangniang, maintaining her composure, turned her neck and looked around.

The room was surrounded by tall cabinets and boxes, which contained many paintings and scrolls. This was the storeroom of Guan'anzhai, where many famous paintings and ancient books were kept.

"A cunning rabbit has three burrows; if we had let them all go to Guan Anzhai, we would all be doomed now."

Zhou Fangniang waved her hand impatiently, not wanting to talk to Shanyue any longer, and went straight to the point: "What you've been doing these days is not pleasing at all—when did that mad dog Xue Xiao even know about 'The Seduction Technique'? How long has he known it? How much does he know? Has he ever suspected you? I didn't put you by Xue Xiao's side to enjoy yourself, you have to do things! If there's any clue, you have to tell me, tell the Grand Princess!"

Shan Yue blinked rapidly, fanning herself, and said timidly with tears in her eyes, "He's never home. I'm in the inner courtyard, and his study is in the outer courtyard. Even when he's receiving guests, he has to go out. He has a bad temper and is stubborn. He's always had that old nanny Su keep an eye on me. After all, I was chosen by Madam Zhu first, so it's understandable that he might have suspicions about me."

There were two loud thuds outside, like someone was banging on the door with stones.

Zhou Fangniang immediately turned her head to look.

Shan Yue hurriedly called to Huang Zhi, "Go and take a look."

The unfamiliar-looking Granny Ruan beside Zhou Fangniang grabbed Huang Zhi, her eyes filled with wariness, and spoke in the manner of someone from the palace: "You just stand there quietly." With that, she opened the door wide and went out to see for herself—that's how it is in the palace, you can know a person's face but not their heart, and no one else's work is as trustworthy as your own.

As soon as Granny Ruan stepped out, Zhou Fangniang looked around warily, then lowered her head and said, "The Grand Princess is suspicious of you, afraid that you are harboring bad intentions and want to overturn 'Qingfeng's' table. She has ordered people to investigate your background!"

Shan Yue's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face. She immediately bowed and explained, "Why? Is it because of that 'Tethering Influence'? Heaven and earth bear witness, I know nothing! That Physician Cheng is a confidant of Lord Bai of Songjiang Prefecture. It was Lord Bai who sought him out to quell the epidemic back then. I've never even met Lord Yao of the Censorate or Lord Chang of your household! Could it be that Your Highness thinks I betrayed you? That I poisoned you? Think about it, if I had betrayed you, and Physician Cheng had examined my pulse, wouldn't I also have been poisoned by 'Tethering Influence'? If Xue Xiao knew this, would I still be sitting here alive?" "It was my fault for conspiring with Xue Xiao to plot against you. You and I are the same kind of people. You know we have no choice! We take whichever path makes our lives better. What I did with Xue Xiao was just a pretense, fooling around with trivial matters. Would I dare to expose myself as 'Qing Feng'? Would I dare to overturn the table?"

Shan Yue spoke very quickly, softly and rapidly, like marbles from a slingshot, leaving Zhou Fangniang completely bewildered.

She dared not say anything else, but she knew best where Chang Lin's poison came from.

Zhou Fangniang waved her hands repeatedly: "I know, I know! We're all in the same boat, who's better off than whom!"

"Then why does Your Highness suspect me? Is it because I am useless and cannot keep an eye on Xue Xiao?" Shan Yue asked repeatedly.

“That mad dog has the sharpest nose; he sniffs around and digs until he finds bones! A bunch of high-ranking officials and nobles couldn't keep an eye on him, and they're relying on us to guard against him? They must have had their brains crushed at birth.” Zhou Fangniang quickly patted Shan Yue's hand, comforting her, “Thinking too much is useless. Your Highness has always been a thinker; I can never understand you. I'll just remind you one thing: if there are any clues about the past, quickly smooth things over, lest the Grand Princess discover something dirty!”

check.

To what extent can it be investigated?
Shan Yue pursed her lips slightly.

“And the Liu family.” Zhou Fangniang lowered her voice even further: “The Grand Princess has already summoned the Liu family to the capital. Your nominal parents will inevitably have to go to Xue Nan’s residence with you. I know you are not a real daughter of the Liu family, and the Liu family is not of one mind with you. You should prepare in advance and be more vigilant.”

There was a chill on the mountain and moon.

Liu family.

The Liu family has come to Beijing?

That was truly a stroke of genius.

She couldn't refuse the Liu family's entry into Xue Nan's residence; at the very least, she couldn't refuse the Liu family's female relatives' request for lodging. In fact, if she wanted to continue working for "Qing Feng," she had to help the Liu family persuade Xue Xiao—just like she had to cooperate with "Qing Feng" to make Xue Xiao observe mourning for his parents.

Once the Liu family enters the Xue household, there will be so much they can do.

Shan Yue pursed her lips: "Then I'll prepare the necessary tasks and welcome them properly."

Out of the corner of her eye, Shan Yue saw Granny Ruan approaching with a sullen face. She lowered her head and steered the conversation back to what she wanted to know: "Xue Xiao has come with great force this time, holding evidence in his hands and determined to investigate. He just finished examining a fourth-rank official yesterday. If this continues, it will be clear who in the court has been poisoned by the 'Tethering Intent'. If he encounters someone who is spineless and loose-lipped, can 'Qingfeng' still be protected? It will be a catastrophic disaster. Does the Grand Princess have a plan to deal with this?"

One more update.