When the hour of the rat struck, Shen Yunxuan arrived at the Suixin Wine House. Just as he reached the entrance, someone stopped him. "Lord Shen, my master dislikes having outsiders present."
Shen Yunxuan glanced at the man speaking, then turned to his guards and said, "You all go back."
"My lord..." the guards were reluctant.
"Go back. Since he dared to accept the invitation, it means he won't have any opportunity to strike at me."
Seeing that Shen Yunxuan's mind was made up, the guards could only obey and retreated. Shen Yunxuan looked at the man and said coldly, "Now, can you take me to see your master?"
The man smiled and said, "Lord Shen, please."
The man led Shen Yunxuan to a private room on the second floor and pushed open the door, saying respectfully, "My lord, please."
Shen Yunxuan walked in. There was no one else in the room. Just as he was about to question the man who brought him, he suddenly heard a movement from within. He walked forward and whispered, "Shen Yunxuan has come for the appointment. You should show yourself now."
With a thud, Shen Yunxuan saw a slender figure behind a screen. Before he could react, his mind was solely on Lady Zhou. He quickly stepped forward, kicked open the screen, and saw a bound woman behind it.
He stepped forward, his voice filled with anxiety and concern, "My lady..."
The woman froze, then looked up. Shen Yunxuan saw an unfamiliar face and quickly retreated, saying coldly, "Who are you? Where is my wife?"
"You... who are you?" Ming Yu felt that although the man before her was exceptionally handsome, the killing aura emanating from him made her involuntarily shrink back.
"I'm asking you! Where is my wife?" Shen Yunxuan's face was extremely cold.
Ming Yu felt as if she could not breathe, "Who are you? I don't know the wife you speak of!"
Shen Yunxuan sneered, "You lured me here but dare not show your true face? Do you think I, Shen Yunxuan, am so easily fooled?"
Ming Yu trembled all over. Before she could think further, her neck was firmly gripped by the man.
"Let... let go of me, you madman..." Ming Yu felt suffocated, unable to breathe.
She couldn't die. She hadn't avenged her family yet. She couldn't die.
A tear slid down, dripping onto Shen Yunxuan's hand. He froze. Looking at the tear on his hand, his violent anger was washed away. He released his grip.
Ming Yu gasped for air, lying on the ground, completely unable to move.
Shen Yunxuan also regained his composure and said coldly, "Have you been here all along?"
Ming Yu quickly nodded.
Shen Yunxuan frowned. "Haven't you contacted anyone?"
Ming Yu shook her head.
Hearing this, Shen Yunxuan got up to leave. Ming Yu quickly crawled forward and pleaded, "Young master, will you take me with you?"
When Shen Yunxuan returned to the Shen mansion, Ming Yu was stunned. "You... you are the powerful Lord Shen?"
Shen Yunxuan looked back at Ming Yu and asked, "You know me too?"
Ming Yu replied, "Everyone knows you. Your name is known far and wide."
"You can live here!" Shen Yunxuan said coldly.
"Lord Shen, where are you going?" Ming Yu asked, unwilling to give up.
"To the palace." Shen Yunxuan left without looking back, throwing out that single sentence.
It wasn't until Shen Yunxuan reached the palace gate that he realized the girl had been following him.
"Miss, didn't I tell you to stay at the mansion?"
Ming Yu looked wronged. "No one is there, and I dare not stay alone."
Shen Yunxuan frowned. Ming Yu suddenly knelt on the ground, pleading, "My lord, I'll do anything, even serve as a beast of burden, just let me serve you!"
Back in the imperial study, Shen Yunxuan was somewhat bewildered. How had he agreed to let a strange girl follow him into the palace?
Perhaps it was his overflowing sympathy?
Soon, Shi Lang provided him with an answer.
"My lord, that girl's eyes resemble His Majesty's..."
Shen Yunxuan heard this and was taken aback.
Shi Lang, realizing he might have said something wrong, was about to find another topic to gloss over it when Shen Yunxuan spoke, "Yes, they are very much alike."
A rumor Shi Lang had once heard suddenly flashed through his mind. It was said that Lord Shen had once been fond of His Majesty.
Now, it seemed the rumors were not entirely baseless, and there might be some truth to them.
While searching for Lady Zhou, Shen Yunxuan also sent people to monitor Ming Yu.
Meanwhile, Ming Yu was counting the silver notes she had obtained from the maid. She couldn't help but feel that earning money was so much easier now. She never imagined that mere personal belongings of Shen Yunxuan could be sold for money.
What's more, the maid had also said that if she could bring Shen Yunxuan's personal items, she could sell them for cash.
Ming Yu hadn't expected to find a way to make money so quickly.
However, there was still some risk. If Shen Yunxuan found out, she felt she might not be able to escape unscathed. But then again, what business opportunity came without risk?
Tonight, she decided to scout Shen Yunxuan's den again and see if she could steal some clothes.
After finishing her own tasks, Ming Yu returned to her room and changed into a black outfit. Times had changed. After the previous incident of lost clothing, Shen Yunxuan must surely be more vigilant.
However, she had done her homework. Shen Yunxuan usually stayed in the imperial study late into the night to review the day's memorials. She could take this opportunity to sneak into Shen Yunxuan's room in the palace for her activities.
Once the hour of the dog struck, Ming Yu was already waiting outside Shen Yunxuan's door. As expected, at the first quarter of the hour of the dog, Shen Yunxuan left.
After Shen Yunxuan was no longer in sight, Ming Yu stealthily approached and pushed open the door. The room was dark. She dared not light a candle, wouldn't that be confessing her guilt?
She fumbled her way to Shen Yunxuan's bed, searching for clothes on the bed. Perhaps Shen Yunxuan was wary, but she couldn't find any of Shen Yunxuan's clothes. However, she did find a purse.
She tucked the purse into her sleeve. Thinking that time was running out, she left Shen Yunxuan's room. Just as she was about to return to her own room, she suddenly heard shouting not far away, "Assassin! Assassin!"
Ming Yu thought to herself, "Who would dare to assassinate someone in the imperial palace? How bold must they be?"
Successfully returning to her room, Ming Yu opened the purse. My goodness, there were several silver notes in it. Counting them, she found there were over five thousand taels.
Could this be all of Shen Yunxuan's fortune? She felt a pang of guilt, but then she thought that if it weren't for him, she wouldn't have come to the palace, so she considered it as his compensation.
After putting away the money, Ming Yu knew that she had the funds and was familiar with the layout. The next step was her escape.
The palace guards patrolled the entire palace every two hours, and there were also inspections every five hours.
If she wanted to escape the palace, she would have to find a time when neither patrol was present.
But now she was effectively Shen Yunxuan, constantly under his watchful eye. How could she successfully escape from here?