Chapter 8 — Kieu Hoa went to the wrong door, I don't want to go back

He gave the wooden box to Thanh Chi.

“Remove the phoenix crown.”

Thanh Chi was stunned. Co Hoai Nghien said:

"Tomorrow I still have to go to the palace. If I let the phoenix mandarin press on my neck tonight, I won't be able to kneel when I kneel."

I look at him.

“Is Lord Gu concerned about me?”

His expression remained unchanged.

“If you fall in my palace, it will only be one more trouble.”

I couldn't help but laugh.

“Master Gu's speech is truly touching.”

He looked at me for a moment.

"The voice 'husband' you called in front of the palace gate today, it's best not to mention it tomorrow."

I raised my hand to support the phoenix coffin and slowly said:

“What if His Majesty asks?”

“Just tell the truth.”

“Then I will say, Master Gu did not deny it.”

Co Hoai Nghien's eyes turned slightly cold. Thanh Chi was so scared that she lowered her head. Only I still calmly looked straight into his eyes.

“If Master Gu is afraid of being implicated by me, then he should throw me out now.”

"There is an edict from your Majesty, I cannot throw it."

“Then we can only keep it temporarily.”

He was silent for a moment.

“Tham Duong Ninh, you are braver than I thought.”

“The coward has been carried to the Luc family today.”

Co Hoai Nghien looked at me and suddenly asked:

“Aren't you afraid that my place is another prison?”

I took off a golden brooch from the phoenix crown, and the pearl necklace gently fell into my palm.

“So why did you still come in?”

I raised my eyes to look at him.

“Because in your prison, there is no mother-in-law, no brother-in-law, and no sister-in-law.”

Co Hoai Nghien was silent for a moment. The light in the hallway shined on his profile, and for a moment there was a bit more gentleness. Before turning to leave, he suddenly said:

“Don't sleep too much tonight.”

My heart suddenly tightened.

“What does Master Gu mean by saying that?”

He didn't turn around.

“Someone who can kill Manager Liu today may not only want to kill him alone.”

After Thanh Chi heard Co Hoai Nghien's words, her whole body stiffened next to the door. When closing the door, her hands were shaking so much that she bolted the door twice before finishing it. I sat in front of the bronze mirror, letting her remove the phoenix crown for me. Each golden hairpin was taken off one by one, the pearl string fell from her hair into her palm, the jingling sound rang out especially clearly in the quiet room. Thanh Chi asked softly:

“Miss, does Master Gu know something?”

“What he knows may not be more than we know.”

“So why did he tell you not to sleep too much?”

I looked at my face covered by a thick layer of makeup in the mirror.

“Because today's game isn't over yet.”

Thanh Chi's hand holding the comb paused. I asked her:

“After I entered the Thai Pho palace, who was the most anxious person?”

"Doubt."

“Master?”

“Not sure yet.”

She frowned and thought for a moment.

“So who is it?”

I slowly took off my earrings.

“The one who arranged for the palanquin to go to the wrong door.”

Thanh Chi's face turned pale.

“Does he want someone to enter the Thai Pho palace?”

“I thought so too at first.”

I put the earrings on the altar.

“But if the purpose is just to bring me to the Thai Pho palace, Manager Liu does not need to die.”

“Now that you are dead, the red cloth pulls me in, the military card pulls the Luc family in.”

“It's like someone tied three strings together, waiting for tomorrow to come to the bow and pull one female."

Thanh Chi asked softly:

“So who will be strangled to death?”

I raised my eyes.

"It remains to be seen who your Majesty will look at first."

This statement was somewhat blasphemous, Thanh Chi was so scared that he quickly covered his mouth. I gently patted the back of her hand.

“It's just the two of us here, what are we afraid of?”

Even though I said that, I still stood up and pushed the window open a small crack. There are two guards in the yard on guard. There weren't many lights in the Thai Pho palace, darkness fell between the rows of coniferous trees, making it extremely dark. From afar came the sound of bell drums. Then another sound. Thanh Chi helped me change out of the heavy robe and took out a light-colored robe from the wooden box. That outfit must have been temporarily prepared by the Thai Pho palace. The fabric was soft and not scented at all, only the smell of clean wood in the chest. I had just finished tying the laces when there was a sound outside the door. Not a knock on the door. It was like something gently touched the door. Thanh Chi was startled. No one responded. I signaled her to be quiet, and at the same time reached out to pick up the golden brooch on the court. The tip of the brooch is sharp, reflecting a cold ray of light under the light. There was another sound outside the door. This time it's even smaller. Like fingernails gently scratching the grain of wood. Thanh Chi's face was pale and bloodless. I lowered my voice.

“Don't speak up.”

Suddenly a soft female voice came from outside.

“Miss Shen, this servant brought the soup to calm the gods.”

The Thai Pho Palace has no female relatives, even maids are rare. Co Hoai Nghien had just reminded me not to sleep too much. When I turned around, someone brought me a sedative soup. This... can't help but be too thoughtful.