The night had grown deep.
Shen Yu studied the massage and manipulation book she had gotten from Su Lianyue by the dim light of a red oil lamp, gesturing at the air as she learned the techniques on its pages.
Suddenly, the door to her room opened, and Cui Yujing entered carrying tea.
“All washed up? Do the new clothes fit well?”
Cui Yujing had changed into the new clothes and washed herself clean.
Shen Yu finally got a clear look at what this girl truly looked like.
Just as Shen Yu had guessed, she was a very pretty young girl—delicate features, fair and clean skin, a slender figure.
One look told you she was a pampered young lady from a noble family.
“They fit well. This servant thanks you for your generous gift, Master. Let me brew you a cup of tea.”
Cui Yujing’s voice carried a hint of timidity.
She carefully approached Shen Yu with the tray, the shackles on her feet producing crisp, clashing sounds with every step.
In the quiet room, they seemed especially sudden and jarring.
Shen Yu instinctively glanced down.
On each of her feet was a cangue—a heavy metal chain attached to an iron ball weighing about a dozen catties.
The ball was engraved with official inscriptions, explaining why she had been punished and sentenced to wear these restraints.
Both ankles bore these devices, making movement extremely difficult.
Their main purpose was to prevent the prisoner from escaping, and secondly, to inform others that this person was a criminal deemed unforgivable by the Imperial Court, serving to warn and humiliate the offender.
But Shen Yu felt it was unnecessary.
Such crude iron chains rubbing back and forth against the ankle could easily cause irreversible damage to the already fragile joints.
Moreover, they had come to Mu’en Hall to work.
Wearing two such large iron balls made walking a struggle—how could they possibly do any work?
For now, though, Shen Yu had no way to remove these devices.
She didn’t have the key, nor did she have any suitable tools on hand to break such thick chains.
“Since you’re here, make the best of it. Settle in properly at Mu’en Hall and work hard—I won’t treat you poorly. As for the shackles on your feet, they’re ultimately inconvenient. Don’t worry, I’ll find an opportunity to petition His Majesty and ask her permission to remove them.”
Cui Yujing felt a surge of gratitude in her heart.
Though Shen Yu said nothing more, Cui Yujing understood.
At least here, she was being treated like a human being.
She carefully handed the brewed tea to Shen Yu.
Shen Yu took a sip.
She had to admit, this noble lady’s tea-brewing skills were truly something.
After all, the noble families spent their days enjoying tea, reciting poetry, and composing couplets—everything they did radiated elegance.
Unlike Shen Yu.
Back in Qingfeng Village, when she drank her grandfather’s high-mountain Jinluo Spring tea, she would blow on it directly from the teapot spout.
‘What’s all this savoring business? Isn’t tea meant to quench your thirst?’
Grandfather always said that while her style seemed bold, this was, after all, tea—a fine thing meant to be savored with care.
Shen Yu had dismissed this, thinking her grandfather’s tea was just average and not worth savoring at all.
But the truth was, after leaving Qingfeng Village and tasting the palace tea as well as the tea brewed by the noble lady Cui Yujing, Shen Yu finally understood… that rebellious old man, her grandfather—what did he know about tea?
His idea of “savoring tea” was like Zhang Fei trying to do embroidery.
Now that she thought about it, next time she should get some good tea from the palace and send it to the old man, let him taste the fine things that Dog Emperor drank every day.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Cui Yujing was anxious and fearful.
She understood perfectly well what the shackles on her feet represented—this was part of her punishment.
How could she dare to ask Shen Yu to petition the Emperor on her behalf?
If she mishandled this and angered the Emperor, it wouldn’t be just a matter of wearing shackles.
The Son of Heaven’s wrath could spill blood for a thousand miles—that was no joke.
But Shen Yu’s concern touched her deeply.
After all, in this past month, she had endured inhuman torture.
Traveling by night and camping by day, she was locked in a cage like livestock, transported back and forth between her hometown and the Capital.
The Fenglin Guards escorting her never treated her like a human being.
After her family was raided, everyone in her hometown looked at her with completely different eyes.
Cui Yujing felt as though she had been abandoned by the entire world.
Even the women of her clan, whom she had tried so hard to protect along the way, blamed Cui Yujing for their misfortune.
When she gave them her rations and spoke up for them, they showed her no gratitude whatsoever.
Cui Yujing was helpless, but she had nothing to say.
And so, trembling all the way, she arrived in the Capital.
Cui Yujing had thought she would be greeted by a brand-new hell.
But surprisingly, after arriving at Mu’en Hall, Administrator Shen Yu turned out to be a rare person who understood reason.
She gave her and her little sister a full meal, new clothes, helped her rescue the women of her clan, and even said she would help remove the shackles from her ankles…
Forget whether Shen Yu could actually help her remove those iron shackles—the fact that she even had that intention was enough to make Cui Yujing weep with gratitude.
Ever since her family fell from grace and her titles were stripped, this was the first time she had felt kindness, had felt a sense of belonging—a home.
“On ordinary days, there isn’t too much work at Mu’en Hall. Mainly, we see patients from the surrounding area, inventory the medicinal herbs in the hall, and prepare finished pills according to prescriptions for backup. None of it is very heavy work…”
Shen Fu introduced the daily work of Mu’en Hall to Cui Yujing, her tone casual, as if Cui Yujing weren’t a criminal but a proper employee.
“Yin Qiu has a good grasp of things in the hall, but she’s still a novice. You have experience in medicine and pharmacy, so you can take her under your wing. Also…”
Before Shen Yu could finish speaking, she suddenly heard a frantic knocking at the courtyard gate of Mu’en Hall.
Someone knocking this late at night—Shen Yu didn’t need to think twice.
It had to be someone from the palace.
“Let’s leave it here for now. Get some rest early.”
Shen Yu put down the book in her hands, put on her clothes, and went to the courtyard to open the gate.
When she opened the door, Shen Yu was stunned by what she saw.
Usually, if anyone came knocking this late, it was Eunuch Li, either because the Empress had a headache or a fever, or because she was too restless to sleep.
Nothing too urgent, and Shen Yu had gotten used to it.
But tonight was different…
Tonight, the small alley outside Mu’en Hall was densely packed with fully armed Fenglin Guards.
They held lanterns high, illuminating the entire alley like broad daylight.
Their armor and the blades at their waists gleamed coldly under the light.
Such a display sent a chill down Shen Yu’s spine.
“Administrator Shen, please come with us. His Majesty has an urgent decree requiring your immediate presence at the palace.”
Yao Huan, the Thousand Household commander of the Fenglin Guards standing before Shen Yu, displayed his identification badge and spoke with a stern expression.
Shen Yu looked at the Fenglin Guards outside, somewhat hesitant.
“What happened?”
Shen Yu asked instinctively, but the other party clearly had no intention of explaining.
“You’ll find out once we arrive. You don’t need to bring anything—just come with us.”
The moment Yao Huan finished speaking, two masked Fenglin Guards escorted Shen Yu onto a carriage.
The carriage sped along and soon entered the Imperial Palace.
What surprised Shen Yu was…
normally at this hour, the palace gates would already be locked, and no one could enter or leave.
Every time the Empress couldn’t sleep or felt unwell at night, Shen Yu would have to climb over the wall with Eunuch Li’s help, avoiding the palace patrols.
It always felt like she was sneaking around to have an affair with the Empress…
But tonight, the palace was different.
Though it was already well past midnight and the gates should have been locked, they stood wide open.
Lanterns lit up the entire palace as if it were daytime.
Shen Yu sat in the carriage, watching the countless Fenglin Guards, Imperial Guards, palace maids, and eunuchs hurrying about, not knowing what they were busy with.
The atmosphere was incredibly tense.
Shen Yu dared not ask anything, dared not say anything.
She felt something terrible had happened.
Sure enough, when Yao Huan brought Shen Yu before the Empress, the Empress’s ashen face confirmed all of Shen Yu’s suspicions along the way.
On ordinary days, whenever the Empress saw Shen Yu, even if she was exhausted from reviewing documents to the point of delirium, her expression would subconsciously soften the moment she saw her.
But not this time.
The Empress’s expression was severe.
Even when their eyes met, her face remained dark as iron.
“Your Majesty, we are powerless in this matter. That Centennial Vaccine was never properly verified. Princess Yulan is young and weak. The Imperial Academy of Medicine has exhausted all its efforts but still cannot save her.”
“Your Majesty, we humbly advise you… please suspend the promotion of this Centennial Vaccine for now. This vaccine is nothing but exotic tricks, heresy and evil! Princess Yulan is the clearest warning to us! Our great empire is vast, with a massive population—how many children share Princess Yulan’s constitution! If they all receive this vaccine and suffer the same sudden fate…”
“Enough!”
The Empress’s voice boomed like a great bell.
At her command, the entire room fell silent.
Shen Yu looked bewildered at the scene before her.
The imperial physicians in the room also noticed Shen Yu being brought in by Yao Huan.
Though each kept their heads bowed, the glances they shot toward Shen Yu were filled with hostility…
“Your Majesty, your subject Shen Yu greets you. May you be in good health.”
“Rise, Minister Shen.”
The Empress took a deep breath, her voice carrying a hint of restraint.
“Your Majesty, why have you summoned me at this late hour?”
“Princess Yulan has passed away.”
When the Empress said this, her voice was clearly trembling.
Shen Yu was equally bewildered.
Princess Yulan had died…
What did that have to do with her?
She didn’t know any resurrection spells.
This Princess Yulan—Shen Yu had heard about her when she and the Empress were chatting… no, chatting late at night.