Important secret?

Shiiyun frowned.

If Shen Zhi has any important secret, it must be related to Princess Yunhua.

"I'll go down and have a look."

Tan Zhi was locked in the secret room of the woodshed. Zhuiyun came to the woodshed, pushed away the wood piled in the corner, opened the entrance to the secret room, held a candle lamp, and walked along the old wooden ladder. Go down slowly.

The secret room was dark and cold, with no windows, and only two lamps hanging on the wall burned with weak firelight.

A thin figure was projected on the wall.

The man's limbs were shackled with iron chains, and his whole body seemed to have no bones, and he lay limply on the ground.

When Tan Zhi heard the noise coming from above, he raised his heavy eyelids and looked at the wooden ladder with hope.

However, when he saw the face of the visitor clearly, he looked disappointed and lowered his eyes feebly.

Zhuiyun walked to his feet, squatted down, and shined the candle lantern in her hand towards Tan Zhi.

Tan Zhi's eyelids were pierced by the fierce light.

"I heard that you have something important to tell Mrs. Shen?" A smile appeared on Zhuiyun's lips, and he said casually: "Tan Zhi, don't you understand your current situation? No one in the Shen family wants to see you now. You, especially Mrs. Shen. If you have a secret, if you tell me, maybe I will let you go and let you see Princess Yunhua for the last time."

Tan Zhi's eyes were distracted as he was escorted in . When he was in prison, it was the man in front of him who secretly took him out of the prison and imprisoned him in this secret room.

At first, he thought the princess sent someone to rescue him, but unexpectedly, the man sentenced him as soon as he arrived and forced him to question him about the princess. Tan Zhi didn't know the identity of this person, but he could tell that he was an enemy rather than a friend of the princess.

Afraid of injuring the princess, he chose to swallow the poison sac hidden in his mouth. Little did he know that this person had been on guard and was rescued by him before the poison was released.

"Who are you...?" Tan Zhi's voice was dry and hoarse, "I will only tell Zhen Niang the secret."

Zhui Yun stared at Tan Zhi's dejected face and said with a smile, "I know Aunt An, too. I know Princess Yunhua, and even the young master you talk about. If you are willing to cooperate with me, I will let you meet your young master, how about it?"

Tan Zhi twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, he almost gave up before. Asking this person to talk to him, he would not believe a word this person said at this time.

"I want to see Zhenniang."

Zhuiyun narrowed his eyes.

This man's body was too weak. He couldn't give him medicine or torture him, and for a while, he couldn't do anything with him.

Why does he have to see Shen Yizhen?

What else could be the secret related to the Shen family and Shen Yizhen?

Zhuiyun always felt that this secret, which Tan Zhi would rather die than tell, but now suddenly wanted to tell Shen Yizhen, should be very important.

"Okay." He stood up, looked at Tan Zhi condescendingly, and said, "I will invite Mrs. Shen to come tomorrow."

Tan Zhi was a little surprised.

I thought that this person would get angry and humiliate him if he couldn't find out the secret, but he didn't expect that he would agree so readily.

The secret room soon returned to silence.

Tan Zhi looked at the two weak lights on the wall that seemed to be extinguished in the next moment. His breathing was slightly rapid. Now he could only place his hope of being rescued on Zhen Niang.

Zhen Niang was so angry because he treated Zhao Zhao badly and allowed Zhang's mother to murder Zhao Zhao. If she knew that Zhao Zhao was not her daughter, she might have saved him because of her past friendship.

Tan Zhi closed his eyes, wanting to sleep but unable to do so. As soon as he closed his eyes, he remembered the disappointment in Shen Yizhen's eyes when he took away those account books and letters from Sanshengtang.

Tan Zhi repeatedly explained to her that what he did would not only not harm the Shen family, but would also help the Shen family to a higher level in the future and become the largest businessman in Dayin.

But the more he talked, the more disappointed she became, as if she was looking at a stranger.

In the silence, her words rang in my ears again.

"My father took you as his son, trusted you, cultivated you, and handed the Shen family into your hands. Is this how you repay him?"

"Shen Zhi, you are not worthy of being a member of the Shen family."

"From today on, you are no longer Shen Zhi . Family. I will send you to the government, and the government will convict you. The Shen family will not be your scapegoat."

Tan Zhi closed his eyes in pain and comforted himself. As long as the young master can succeed, he will be a great hero. Then he can return to the Shen family in glory.

One day without sleep.

I don't know how much time passed before Tan Zhicai finally heard footsteps coming from the ground above his head.

He raised his eyes and stared closely at the entrance of the secret room. When he saw the familiar figure walking out of the dim light, he couldn't help but feel excited.

"Zhen Niang!"

Shen Yizhen looked at his limbs tied by iron chains and couldn't help but ask Zhuiyun: "Sir, is this?"

Zhuiyun said: "In order to prevent the master behind Tan Zhi from kidnapping him Go away, or kill him secretly, I can only hide him here from the prison. Not long after Tan Zhi came here, he wanted to commit suicide by taking poison. Fortunately, I rescued him, which was helpless. "Excuse me."

Shen Yizhen nodded lightly and asked no more questions. She turned to look at Tan Zhi and said, "You said you have something important to tell me. I'm already here. What's the matter?" "

Tan Zhi didn't answer and glanced at Zhuiyun.

Zhuiyun smiled and said, "Ms. Shen, I'll wait in the woodshed. If this guy makes you unhappy, just call him." He gave Tan Zhi a warning look, walked up the wooden ladder, and returned to the woodshed. went.

There were two secret guards in the woodshed. Zhuiyun didn't stop. He glanced at the two secret guards, then opened the wooden door in the diagonally opposite corner and followed another wooden ladder down to the secret room.

It turns out that there are two secret rooms hidden under the woodshed. The two secret rooms are next to each other. The wooden wall in the middle is hollow. When you open the shutter, you can hear the conversation in the other secret room.

After Zhui Yun left, Tan Zhi waited for a moment before slowly speaking: "Zhen Niang, I have never wanted to harm the Shen family, and I have never wanted to harm you. You believe me, as long as some time passes, I will If the young master succeeds, our Shen family can become the number one imperial merchant in Dayin."

Shen Yizhen looked at Tan Zhi intently and smiled suddenly: "I thought you really had something important to tell me, but I didn't want to. This is the same cliche. You are not doing it for the Shen family, you are just doing it for your own selfishness. Tan Zhi, let me ask you again, who is the master of you and Mother Zhang? Why did that person instigate Mother Zhang to harm Zhaozhao?

"Zhenniang, I can't tell you who they are. If I tell you, not only will you be in danger, but the young master may also be ruined. I can't take the risk." It

's now, but he is still so stubborn. , and never even felt half guilty about Zhaozhao.

Shen Yizhen immediately lost the desire to talk to him.

"Tan Zhi, just stay here and continue to keep your secret for your master. I won't accompany you anymore." She stood up and walked towards the wooden ladder without looking back.

How could Tan Zhi let her go?

The iron chain clanked, and he threw himself forward, shouting loudly:

"Zhenniang!"

"Zhaozhao is not your daughter!"

In another secret room separated by the wall, Zhuiyun narrowed his eyes and held his breath lightly. Take a breath.

The next moment, Shen Yizhen was heard saying angrily: "What are you talking about?"

"Zhaozhao is not your child." Tan Zhi looked at Shen Yizhen and said anxiously: "Your child was born with the umbilical cord around his neck and he was not alive. Come down. The two Wen Pos and Grandma Zhou knew about this, and it was Grandma Zhou who took care of the stillbirth."

Shen Yizhen stared into Tan Zhi's eyes for a moment.

Tan Zhi swallowed and said in a hard voice: "I was afraid that you would be sad, so I found a child to replace your daughter."

Shen Yizhen remembered the day of delivery, when Granny Wen took out the child, Grandma Zhou His complexion did change.

At that time, she had severe abdominal pain and soon fell unconscious.

For the next month, she was in a state of confusion. When she woke up, she realized that she was bleeding postpartum, and she was finally rescued.

The first thing after waking up was to see the child. At that time, Aunt Zhou came in with Zhao Zhao in her arms. At that time, Zhao Zhao was very weak and cried like a cat.

As soon as he reached her arms, he opened his hand and held her thumb tightly, smacking her little mouth.

In the flash of lightning, Shen Yizhen seemed to have thought of something, gritted her teeth and said: "When Zhao Zhao was four years old, those rumors in the Hou Mansion were caused by you and Zhang's mother?"

Tan Zhi hesitated and said: "Yes, I am afraid of you. I have a deep relationship with her, and it will be painful when I know the truth in the future, so I took her away from the Hou Mansion."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tan Zhi felt a strong wind coming straight towards the door, and a heavy slap fell on his right face. .

Shen Yizhen's hands trembled, "Whose child is Zhaozhao? You have arranged for Zhang's mother to be with her since she was born. Do you want to kill her?"

"I don't know whose child she is." Tan Zhi muttered: "I only know that this child will leave you sooner or later."

The princess needed to give Zhaozhao a false identity. It happened that Zhenniang was pregnant with the child. She originally wanted to exchange the two children, but she didn't expect Zhenniang to give birth to a stillborn baby. But that's why, with almost no effort, he asked Aunt Zhou to send Zhao Zhao to Zhen Niang and hide the secret for him.

He just didn't want Zhenniang to be sad and miserable in the future, so he designed Zhao Zhao to come to Yangzhou Mansion.

Shen Yizhen pulled out a golden hairpin from her bun, stabbed Tan Zhi in the neck, and said, "Who wants to harm Zhao Zhao? Tan Zhi, if you don't tell me today, I will kill you!"

A stabbing pain hit his neck. , blood beads popped out from the tip of the hairpin.

Tan Zhi said in a panic: "Zhenniang, Zhaozhao is not your child. If you don't leave her, sooner or later you will be harmed by her and harm yourself!"

"You said she is not my child, so that means she is not? She is It's not my child, no one needs to tell me!" Shen Yizhen pushed the hairpin in her hand forward, letting the blood stain her fingers, and said sternly: "Who is your master? Who wants to harm my son? Zhi, do you think I dare not kill you?"

Tan Zhi was frightened for a moment by the look on her face.

He and she grew up together since childhood and have known each other for more than thirty years. Even though they have never been married, they still have a close relationship as brother and sister. Back then, the two of them had sworn together in the ancestral hall to restore the Shen family to its former prosperity.

Rong Shu had been away from Beijing for nine years and had only been raised by her for ten years. How could she kill him for a child of unknown origin?

Tan Zhi had never seen Shen Yizhen show such an attitude.

At this moment, she really wanted to kill him!

"Zhenniang, Zhaozhao is really not of your blood!" Tan Zhi begged: "Go find Aunt Zhou, she knows it!"

Shen Yizhen held the golden hairpin in her hand tightly and used all her strength to pull it. He controlled himself not to pierce Tan Zhi's throat.

"Tan Zhi, how dare you let her down like this? She has always treated you as her uncle! What did you think of her? As a thing that can be thrown away at any time? Even if she is not my blood, she is still my Zhaozhao !" Her eyes gradually turned red, "If you and your master dare to harm my son again, I will kill you!"

"I know I can't help Zhao Zhao, but I have tried my best during Zhao Zhao's nine years in Yangzhou. Try your best to let her live the life she wants. "

How can an ordinary official's daughter be so free?

If you want to go to Chunyue Tower, go to Chunyue Tower. If you want to go to Ciying Lane, go to Ciying Lane. If you want to talk about business with him, then follow him to talk about business.

It was precisely because he felt guilty, and because he knew she wouldn't live long, that he indulged her like this.

Tan Zhi smiled bitterly and said, "Brother, I didn't know you would be in such pain. Just kill me. Zhenniang, I will treat it as my brother's apology to you."

How could there be such a shameless person in this world?

The veins on Shen Yizhen's forehead jumped, and she squeezed the golden hairpin in her hand.

Just then, there was a slight sound in the air, and a stone knocked off her golden hairpin.

Zhuiyun hurriedly walked down the wooden ladder and said warmly: "Anyone who commits injustice will be punished by his own death. Madam Shen does not need to dirty her hands."

"Don't worry, sir. I am not planning to kill him. It is too easy for him to let him die like this." "

Shen Yizhen picked up the gold hairpin on the ground, wiped the blood stains on it with a handkerchief, and then said, "What Tan Zhi said to me just now was a private matter, and he did not mention his master." Looking at her, he saw that her expression had calmed down, and he nodded and said, "It doesn't matter, his master will show up sooner or later. Madam Shen, do you want me to send someone to take you back to Shen Garden?"

Shen Yizhen said, "No."

Slowly inserting the gold hairpin into her bun, she said: "The Shen family's carriage is waiting at the Chunyue Tower. I want to go to the Chunyue Tower first."

Zhuiyun knew what she was going to do, and Aunt Zhou was there now. In Chunyue Tower.

So she didn't try to hold her back, and sent two people to follow her to take her safely to Chunyue Tower.

After Shen Yizhen left, he turned to stare at Tan Zhi and said sarcastically: "Now that the young master has entered the East Palace, your good princess has not sent anyone to look for you and Mother Zhang until now. Obviously, I've given up on you. Don't worry, I will save your life and give you a chance to ask Princess Yunhua why she didn't save you."

Tan Zhi's eyes widened.

what did he say? The young master has already entered the East Palace?

Zhuiyun didn't give him a chance to ask questions. He opened his jaw and fed a pill directly into his mouth.

Tan Zhi struggled to swallow, so Zhuiyun slapped the back of his neck hard, and the medicine slipped down his throat.

After a while, Tan Zhi's body softened and he passed out completely.

Shiiyun kicked him hard on the shoulder, kicked him back to the wall, and hurriedly left the secret room.

What Tan Zhi said just now is most likely true. This news cannot be delayed and must be sent to the master now.

As soon as Shen Yizhen arrived at Chunyue Tower, she summoned Nanny Zhou.

Aunt Zhou saw that her eyes were red, and her heart tightened, and she hurriedly said: "What's wrong with the girl? But what did Tan Zhi say about Killing Thousand Swords?"

Shen Yizhen looked into Aunt Zhou's panicked eyes and said : "Mammy, that child, where are you buried?"

As if being poured down by a basin of ice water, Grandma Zhou immediately understood who Shen Yizhen was asking.

As soon as her heart dropped, she knelt down tremblingly and said, "Girl, I didn't mean it. You just experienced the pain of losing your father. If you experience the pain of losing your son again, I'm afraid you won't be able to survive it." Then I listened to Tan Zhi and gave you a baby."

Shen Yizhen supported Aunt Zhou and said, "I don't blame you,"

Aunt Zhou said with tears in her eyes. Buried her in the ancestral land of the Shen family, next to the old man’s tombstone.”

"It's good. With her father by her side, she won't be afraid underground." Shen Yizhen endured the grief in her heart and said, "Don't talk to Zhao Zhao about this matter. Apart from you, there is no one else." Who knows?"

Mammy Zhou nodded quickly: "The two women who delivered the baby are dead. Apart from the old slave, only Tan Zhi and Mother Zhang know about this."

Shen Yizhen nodded: "Mammy, go back to Shen for me. Yuan packed up, I went to the ancestral land to build a tombstone for the child, and then returned to Shangjing."

Grandma Zhou was shocked: "The Shen family is so unstable now, how can the girl leave at this time?"

"It doesn't matter, it's the Shen family's . The big shopkeepers are all from my father. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have taken away the power from Tan Zhi so easily. With them here, the Shen family wouldn't be in chaos."

Shen Yizhen paused slightly and said through gritted teeth. Someone wants to harm Zhaozhao, and I can't ask Zhaozhao to take the risk of coming to Yangzhou Mansion. I am her mother-in-law, and I want to go back to protect her."

Shen Yizhen set off only two days later than Zhuiyun.

But just two days of delay caused her to encounter heavy snow and blocked the road halfway, and she was trapped in Huaizhou.

It is approaching the end of the year, and the snow is getting heavier and heavier. It is not yet known when the road will be accessible. Shen Yizhen and Lu Shiyi took the caravan out to find a way out, but unexpectedly they met an old friend.

"Ms. Shen, please come here safely." Liu Yuan opened the curtain of the carriage and said with a smile: "We are here to take you back to the capital on the order of the prince. You two don't have to worry about Miss Rong's safety. The girl is in the East Palace now, and her Royal Highness is protecting her. She will be fine. "