An Sheng didn't have to attend court for two days, and the happiest person about this was naturally A Mei.
The marks on An Sheng's face were no longer so obvious. As the Commander, he still needed to be present at the Inner Depot to oversee and make final decisions on important matters.
A Mei was secretly rejoicing, already pondering their plans for the next two days. Hearing suddenly that her husband still had to return to the Inner Depot, the light in her watery eyes instantly dimmed. She knew her husband was busy and that she shouldn't hold him back, so she forced a calm smile and said insincerely, Oh, then you should hurry and get to work.
An Sheng stared at A Mei's pitiful, reluctant appearance, and his heart instantly softened.
Alright, look at your disappointed face, you can't even hide it. Stop staring at me like that. Today, I will take you with me to the Inner Depot.
A Mei's eyes lit up. Can A Mei go too?
An Sheng smugly lifted his chin. Why couldn't you? At the Inner Depot, my word is law.
In the past, when he left the capital on official business, An Sheng would also bring A Mei along while handling his duties and errands.
But, A Mei thought to herself, back then was different from now.
Now that her husband had become a high-ranking official, the Inner Depot felt like a formidable government office in her mind. Would it be inappropriate for her to tag along?
Thinking of this, A Mei naturally wanted to follow her husband, but feeling it was against the rules, she said coyly, Would it be inappropriate for you to bring me along? Will others gossip about you?
An Sheng gave a cold scoff. Have I ever been short of people gossiping about me? What does this amount to?
That's right! What her husband said made perfect sense! A Mei quickly came around and happily announced that she was going back to their room to put on her makeup so she could go out to the Inner Depot with him.
An Sheng narrowed his long, slender eyes, staring at A Mei's delicate and beautiful face. The corners of his lips curled up slightly. Go fetch your makeup box. I will personally apply your makeup for you.
A Mei's bright eyes were filled with surprise and novelty as she asked, Do you know how to apply makeup?
An Sheng hummed in acknowledgment and casually explained, There was a time in the past when I also needed to wear powder and rouge.
A Mei suddenly remembered the first time she entered the palace to see her husband. He had been leading a few young eunuchs, and their faces were all very pale. It must have been because they were wearing powder.
Suddenly, she felt a bit puzzled. Just as she was about to speak, An Sheng saw through her thoughts.
An Sheng spoke slowly, Most eunuchs in the palace dress up like that, it's just that my complexion is naturally paler. Over the past few years, my status has risen, so I can do as I please and no longer have to engage in such useless, flattering acts.
Oh, so that's how it is. A Mei understands.
Saying this, A Mei stood up, her face full of anticipation, her eyes curving into crescents. Husband, wait for me for a moment. I will go fetch the makeup box right now.
A Mei sat quietly and obediently on the chair, facing An Sheng. An Sheng, with a face full of tenderness, focused intently on drawing her eyebrows. His technique was gentle and skillful, tracing the lines delicately.
A Mei felt it closely; every stroke of her husband's movements seemed to brush against the tip of her heart, tickling and trembling, carrying an endless love that belonged only to him.
Finally, An Sheng set down the eyebrow pencil.
A Mei's small face was flushed, her watery eyes blinking. Husband, how is it? Does it look good?
An Sheng lowered his eyes to look at A Mei's charming face, unable to tell for a moment if that touch of crimson was from shyness or the original color of the rouge.
He spoke slowly, It looks good. My wife is truly beautiful.
A Mei was delighted in her heart. She gently pursed her lips, but couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from slowly spreading into a smile. Her face was full of shy yet restrained joy.
An Sheng took in A Mei's expression, and a hint of sweetness likewise welled up in his heart. He softly recited a line:
Having finished her makeup, she asks her husband in a low voice, are my eyebrows drawn to the latest fashion?
A Mei had never read this poem. She blinked. What does that mean, Husband?
An Sheng let out a low chuckle. It's nothing. I just suddenly remembered this line of poetry; it fits the occasion well.
Saying that, An Sheng reached out and held A Mei's small hand, pulling her up. Alright, my lady has finished dressing up. Can you go out with me now?
A Mei pursed her lips and hummed in agreement, letting her husband lead her out of the manor.
The Inner Depot was not close to the imperial palace or the An Manor. An Sheng usually traveled by carriage. It was fine outside, but once they got into the carriage, A Mei leaned close to An Sheng, pestering him to tell her what he usually did at the Inner Depot.
An Sheng downplayed the severity, speaking concisely and eloquently, The Inner Depot's main duty is to supervise the officials. In layman's terms, it is an independent, privileged investigative agency. We have informants all over the country. Ordinarily, we are responsible for monitoring, arresting, and interrogating subjects. More importantly, we handle tricky cases for the Emperor. Those cases that the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicature and Revision cannot handle or cannot openly address are all taken over by the Inner Depot.
As the Commander of the Inner Depot, I must review all important cases and report them to the Emperor, handling and supervising various cases according to his imperial decrees.
A Mei listened earnestly and couldn't help but ask, Then do you also go around killing people and confiscating their homes?
An Sheng gave a light snort. Naturally. Interrogation by torture is inevitable, and confiscating properties is a common occurrence.
A Mei was startled by this, her expression turning solemn.
An Sheng raised an eyebrow. What, are you scared again?
A Mei swallowed hard. It's not that I'm scared, it's just, it's just...
A Mei stammered for a good while but couldn't get the words out. She changed the subject: Husband, do you extort confessions through torture and force innocent people to plead guilty? I've heard before that even a good person loses half their life just walking into a government office.
An Sheng chuckled. A flash of cold-blooded cruelty crossed his eyes, but he quickly lowered his gaze to hide it. When he looked up again to meet A Mei's ignorant and curious gaze, his deep dark eyes held a calmness she couldn't understand. You are still too naive. Many things are too complex for me to explain clearly to you, and you couldn't truly understand them anyway. You just need to remember that if those cases make it to my Inner Depot, they belong to the realm of 'better to kill by mistake than to let a guilty one go.' I have struggled to survive in an environment of deception and life-or-death struggles since childhood. In this lifetime, I can never become an upright and just official.
An Sheng reached out and comfortingly patted A Mei's arm. His slow, low tone carried a helpless cruelty. I've told you before exactly what kind of person your husband is. So you must know, aside from how I treat you, you shouldn't harbor too many beautiful illusions about how I deal with the outside world. Do you understand?
A Mei hummed in agreement, her small face serious and earnest. A Mei knows.
Suddenly, A Mei shed her somber mood. Beaming with smiles, she looked at An Sheng, her eyes full of emotion and determination. A Mei truly understands. I wasn't afraid just now, only surprised. I believe that whether my husband is good or bad on the outside, it is all for yourself and for our family. I once read a saying that goes, 'Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him.' I strongly agree with it, even if saying so might be very selfish.
"But A Mei's heart is truly very small, so small that it can only hold you, my husband. Therefore, no matter what kind of person you are or what you do, A Mei will always stand by your side."
A Mei reached out to grasp An Sheng's large hand, enunciating every word clearly, "Whether you are a loyal subject or a treacherous official, A Mei does not care. Because you are A Mei's husband."
An Sheng gazed deeply at A Mei. After a long time, he let out a deep breath. His overly calm face concealed a fervent madness that A Mei could not detect. He spoke slowly, "I am very pleased that you think this way."
Hearing An Sheng's words, A Mei suddenly felt a little shy. She lowered her head and spoke softly, completely baring her heart to An Sheng, "A Mei truly loves you so much, Husband. As the saying goes, wed a rooster and follow the rooster, wed a dog and follow the dog. So A Mei will cling to you for this entire lifetime. Godfather once told A Mei that as husband and wife, we share in each other's glory and suffer in each other's ruin. A Mei is very timid, but as long as you are here, Husband, A Mei is not afraid of anything. Sometimes A Mei thinks, even if one day we both die a terrible death, it would still be wonderful for A Mei and Husband to be a ghost couple in the underworld."
As she spoke, the bright gaze of A Mei's eyes shimmered right into the very depths of An Sheng's heart.
"Husband, don't you think A Mei is right?"
