Phoenix Cries Return to Court

Inside the carriage, Lin Xihe was panting heavily, staring intently at her surroundings.

The interior of the carriage was incredibly spacious, with a soft sable fur coat covering the seat. In the corner, a cedar incense burner with a glass lid burned, its smoke curling upwards and filling the air with fragrance.

The man in black was resting with his eyes closed against a brocade pillow. It had been a year since we last met, but his face was still the same. His black hair was neatly tied up with a white jade crown, except for a strand of white frost at his temple, which was particularly eye-catching. He exuded a cold aura that kept strangers at bay.

Lin Xihe's heart stirred slightly, and she had just opened her mouth when the man coldly uttered two words, "Kill him."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a crisp "whoosh" sound came from outside the carriage.

Seeing this, Shen Xihe blurted out urgently, "That pot of Xinfeng wine under the pear tree in the Grand Secretary's courtyard, hasn't it been ten years?"

These words struck Shen Mo like a thunderbolt, causing him to suddenly open his eyes, which had been resting against the soft pillows with his eyes closed.

Those deep eyes suddenly turned red, filled with shock and confusion.

Before Lin Xihe could react, the man moved swiftly and closed in on her, his large, well-defined hand grabbing her slender neck.

Lin Xihe's breathing suddenly became short and rapid, as if she had exhausted all her resources and was only able to exhale, seemingly about to lose her life.

The urge to introduce himself reached its peak at this moment, and his gaze, no longer concealed, went straight to the person in front of him.

That familiar gaze made Shen Mo's chest tighten. His brows furrowed slightly, but the pressure in his hand didn't lessen at all. His voice was low and hoarse, "Who are you?"

Hearing the commotion inside, the guards outside the carriage quickly lifted the brocade curtain, but before they could even see what was inside, a stern voice roared, "Step back!"

The guard froze, not daring to look any longer, and respectfully agreed.

The brocade curtain fell, and the atmosphere inside the carriage became heavy once again.

Shen Mo stared intently at Lin Xihe with bloodshot eyes, as if trying to see right through her.

The matter of the wine in the courtyard was known only to him and the person who buried it.

How could a common woman know this?

"If you exert even a fraction more force, you will surely die."

"I am..." The words caught in her throat, but she hesitated, as if facing certain death, and forced herself to suppress the surging emotions within her.

"I am the wife of the Minister of War."

"The wife of the Minister of War?"

Shen Mo frowned and carefully examined the person in front of him, repeating in a low voice.

"Impersonating Princess An is a capital offense; it seems you don't care about your life."

Lin Xihe shook her head and met the man's gaze. "I did not impersonate anyone else. I am from the Wen family in the capital, which I am sure you have heard of."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo loosened his grip slightly and sneered, "You dare to trespass on my carriage? You're the first person to do so with such audacity."

He paused, his tone turning serious, "Leaving everything else aside, how do you know about that wine?"

"Your Excellency, though the old friend is gone, some things are not over, and I have done no harm to you. As for who I am... that answer will be revealed in the future."

Although she desperately wanted to tell him everything, she knew that the matter of possession and resurrection was unpredictable and mysterious. Even if she told him now, given her past identity, her future was still uncertain.

Shen Mo paused for a moment, loosened his grip on her neck slightly, and the murderous intent in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a complex and unreadable emotion.

This woman was someone he had never met before, yet he felt a strange, inexplicable sense of familiarity towards her.

He couldn't fathom what she was thinking at all, yet he always felt that some answer was about to emerge.

The only thing that can be clarified right now is that she had a connection with that person, even if it was just a fleeting ripple. For him, life is nothing but loneliness.

Taking advantage of Shen Mo's momentary daze, Lin Xi gently pushed his hand away.

She raised her hand to straighten her slightly disheveled clothes and skirt, turned around with composure, and said to the coachman waiting outside the carriage in a clear and crisp voice, "To the Ministry of War's residence."

After she finished speaking, she turned her head to look at Shen Mo, who had already sat back on the soft couch. "Thank you for seeing me off, sir."

Shen Mo squinted, watching with a complicated expression as the person in front of him sat down on the soft couch next to him with familiarity and naturalness. The person then picked up a teacup and slowly poured himself a cup of hot tea, without saying anything to stop him.

Seeing that his murderous intent had subsided, Lin Xihe felt a little relieved. She held the familiar Chai kiln celadon teacup and took small sips. Most of the items from Chai kiln were imperial tributes, and the Grand Secretary's mansion was filled with imperial treasures.

Unexpectedly, when he used the palace items again, it was because of his favor. While sipping the drink, he would occasionally steal glances at the silent minister beside him.

The coachman waited quietly outside for a moment, and seeing that there was no further movement inside the carriage, he immediately understood. Soon after, the carriage slowly started moving.

The carriage was quiet, filled with the aroma of tea.

Shen Mo tried his best to find the answer that was about to emerge amidst his chaotic thoughts.

Fragments of the past floated up in his mind like a scroll, sometimes hazy, sometimes clear, lingering and stirring his heart, making it difficult to calm down for a long time.

The sharpness in his eyes vanished completely, as if he were seeing that old friend again through the person in front of him, and a tenderness and longing that should not have appeared quietly emerged in his deep eyes.

In the shadows, Mo Bai hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't hold back any longer. He leaned closer to the person beside him and whispered, "Young Grand Secretary, shall we continue the pursuit?"

Shen Jue remained silent, watching the departing carriage with an even colder look in his eyes and a myriad of doubts in his heart.

He had never seen anyone so brazenly enter his father's carriage and emerge unharmed.

This woman is incredibly capable and has the protection of the Shen family. At this time, we must not act rashly against her.

……

It's no coincidence that things happen; it seems as if Lin Xihe was born to be He Guangzheng's nemesis.

The Grand Secretary and He Guangzheng's carriages bumped into each other right in front of the Minister's residence.

The servants of the He family were arrogant and were about to step forward to teach them a lesson. Before they could even utter a word of insult, He Guangzheng squinted and took a look. When he saw who it was, he almost lost his mind.

He didn't even get a firm footing on the carriage seat before tumbling off and leaping forward, heading straight for Shen Mo's carriage, stopping abruptly in front of the brocade curtain.

"Shut your mouth!" he shouted, then strode quickly over, bowed deeply, and adopted a posture of listening attentively to instruction, his face filled with admiring respect. "Your Excellency! I was blind and ignorant, unaware of your presence at my humble abode, and failed to greet you properly..."

Before he finished speaking, the brocade curtain was lifted.

Lin Xihe leaned against the car, staring at him with a half-smile, "Why such a grand gesture? You're being a bit too formal, sir."

He Guangzheng was stunned, frozen in place, his face turning bright red.

Shen Mo gently set down the teacup, clearly intending to observe from the sidelines.

The driver, being very perceptive, respectfully helped Lin Xihe out of the carriage. She stared intently at He Guangzheng, unwilling to miss a single expression on his face.

As she walked to his side, her expression was inscrutable, and a faint fragrance drifted into the mansion.

The brocade curtain fell again, and the carriage sped away, leaving He Guangzheng standing there.

The person in the car didn't give him a single word from beginning to end.

……

Meanwhile, in a hidden room within the Heavenly Crafts Pavilion, the shop assistant who had greeted Lin Xihe earlier stood with his head bowed before a six-panel screen.

The screen is extremely luxurious, with silk as the base and red gold thread embroidering a landscape of thousands of miles. The overlapping peaks and the vast expanse of misty waters are all lifelike, and the stitches are fine and natural, making the inner room even more elegant.

Behind the screen, a fragrant breeze wafted through the air. A beautiful woman lay lazily on the couch, her delicate hands, adorned with red nail polish, resting listlessly on the long pear wood table as she flipped through the open account books.

"Interesting." As he recounted the events in the shop, a voice drifted out from behind the screen, "People only say that Grand Secretary Shen is cold and heartless, but if he meets the right person, he will show tenderness and compassion."

She pondered for a moment, then parted her lips again, "Send someone to keep a close eye on her. But such a remarkable person shouldn't be treated lightly."