Chapter 292: The Silent Princess of the Political Marriage 7

The next day, during breakfast, Xie Shizhu unexpectedly noticed that there was meat on the table.
When the other concubines saw the meat on the table, shock filled their faces as they all looked towards Song Yan.
宋砚温柔一笑，轻声道：“这几日俸禄下来了，用膳吧。”
话音一落，谢时竹拿起筷子，夹了一块肉。
正在吃的时候，她察觉到了这四位妃子看向自己的目光都不太友善。
系统沉默几秒说：【宿主，你别被针对了。】
谢时竹叹气，虽然这些人平时比较势利眼，但想到她们的胳膊与腿都被砍了下来，做成人.棍。
她的心里只剩下同情。
*
下午的时候，谢时竹正在洗衣裳，毕竟她也没什么丫鬟。
衣裳什么的都是她自己动手清洗。
谢时竹蹲在地上，双手搓着衣服，顶着大太阳，额头满是汗。
Suddenly, a concubine walked arrogantly to her, carrying a wooden basin in her hand, with clothes inside.
This is Shu Fei, Chao Lan's follower.
Shu Fei threw the basin in front of her, causing several pieces of clothing to fall out and scatter on the ground.
“哑巴，给本宫把这几件也洗了。”姝妃居高临下地看着她，目光满是轻蔑。
谢时竹低头看着颜色鲜亮的衣裳，沉默几秒，然后抬起脑袋诧异地盯着姝妃。
Princess Shu Fei sneered and said, "What are you looking at? You're idle anyway."
In the plot, Princess Shu Fei often receives requests from Chao Lan to come and occasionally assert dominance over Xie Shi Zhu.
可谓是狐假虎威。
原主忍辱负重，为了使命，也不跟这几个人计较。
闻言，谢时竹垂下脑袋，捡起地上姝妃的衣裳，乖乖地放进自己的盆中。
Princess Shu Fei looked at her familiar appearance and felt much relieved.
Xie Shi Zhu bent down, his hand just rested on the clothes in the basin, and the next second he lifted the basin and directly placed it on Princess Shu Fei's head.
姝妃一愣，眼前一片漆黑，眼底满是震惊，似乎不敢相信谢时竹会如此大胆。
盆里的水顺着头发流向了脚底。
姝妃愤怒的声音从盆里闷闷地传了出来：“谢时竹，你想死吗？”
She wanted to struggle, but Xie Shizhu seemed gentle and weak, but his strength was immense. She had no way to break free.
Then, footsteps appeared, gradually becoming clearer, and the voice of the Crown Prince entered Concubine Shu's ears.
“今日是中元节，按照彦国的习俗，晚上要放河灯……”
宋文彦从不远处走来，一双狭长的眸子紧紧盯着谢时竹，目光又缓缓移向她的腰间，发现并没有香囊后，他眼底闪过些许诧异。
不是谢时竹拿的，那难道是丢在了哪里？
谢时竹在看到太子后，赶忙松开手，弯腰给他施礼。
这下姝妃终于能挣脱开来，她将脑袋的盆取下来随意往一边一扔。
随即就听见砰一声，刚想讨好向太子行礼时，就感觉到空气有些凝结。
姝妃连忙看向太子，看到太子脸色忽然阴沉，她吓得赶紧跪在地上。
因为她不小心把盆扔在了太子的肩膀上，砸到了太子。
“殿下饶命……”
宋文彦微微蹙眉，冷着声音说：“滚。”
说完后，姝妃吓得浑身一抖，也没有心思去教训谢时竹，快速从地上爬了起来，灰溜溜地落荒而逃。
谢时竹趁着这个时候，赶紧对太子比划道：“既然要去放河灯，那臣妾先去准备。”
说完后，她转身就走，太子刚想说什么，身后就传来宋砚的声音。
宋砚脸色极度苍白，缓慢地来到他的面前，轻声道：“太子，今日来王府有何事？”
宋文彦上下打量他一番，随后不紧不慢说：“这就与你无关，你还是好好在王府养身体，万一那天一命呜呼了，你府中的几位妃子不得伤心欲绝？”
说完后，他脸上的嘲弄呼之欲出。
昨天晚上竟然被宋砚躲过一截，真是让他觉得可惜。
不过，宋文彦想通了，宋砚不过是一个将死之人。
与其一直针对他，不如把时间放在其他王爷身上。
他已经解决掉了翼王，现在就只剩下三个皇子。
前几日，他花重金让人联系到了令天下人闻风丧胆的刺客，去刺杀翼王。
He specifically came to the theater again to personally confirm the death of the Wing King.
Unexpectedly, before he could even see the legendary assassin, the Wing King had already breathed his last.
Since birth, Song Wenyin has never admired anyone, only this assassin who he respects with awe.
He makes decisions decisively and has strong martial arts skills.
But he can't see the legendary assassin at all, so he can only communicate through intermediaries.
This sense of mystery makes him even more admiring.
宋砚虚弱一笑，表情有些无奈，说起话来有气无力：“多谢太子关心。”
宋文彦脸色沉了下去，心想，谁他妈关心你啊？
真是好赖话听不出。
宋文彦不屑瞥了他的一脸柔弱，在心底有些看不起他，一个男人虚成这样，有何本事。
这种人给他机会当皇上，他也没能力坐上皇位。
想到这里，宋文彦也懒得在王府待下去，挥袖离开。
Song Yan turned around and looked at Song Wenyan's gradually distant figure, softly saying, "Your Highness, take care."
直至宋文彦的身影从宋砚眼前消失，他才收敛住笑容，眸底早已经没了方才的温柔，只剩下一片漆黑。
*
王府中的管家在一个角落等待着太子，待太子现身后，他连忙一脸讨好，说：“太子殿下，这一段时日奴才观察了贤王，他确实是病了，每日都要喝药维持生命。”
宋文彦已经对于宋砚不太注重，有些心不在焉说：“以后不用向本王汇报了。”
说完后，管家脸上露出一丝茫然。
宋文彦取出银子随手扔在地上，然后看着管家像是狗一样爬在地上捡起银子，像是珍宝一样地用袖口擦擦，藏进了袖口里。
他嘴角勾起嘲弄的弧度，在这么穷酸的王府里，这点碎银而已，就能让一个管家出卖自己的主子。
宋文彦转过身，径直从管家讨好的眼神中离开。
待宋文彦走后，管家小心翼翼地将银两捂好。
随后，管家脚步轻松地往自己的屋子里走去。
经过了府中的一个小桥，刚走到一半，就感觉背脊有一阵刺痛。
紧接着，他自己也没有想到下一秒他就已经失去知觉，成为一具尸体。
管家睁大眼睛，死不瞑目地瘫倒在桥上。
宋砚不紧不慢走向桥上，弯腰看着以惊愕状态死去的管家，他薄唇扬起凉薄的笑意。
这就是背叛他的下场。
不过，最近这一段时间，管家也帮了他一个大忙。
要不是他尽心尽力在管家面前演一个时日不多的病秧子，再加上没有管家的出卖，或许太子也不会这么快就相信了他。
宋砚抬起脚准备把管家踢下河，突然想到了什么。
他弯下腰，伸出骨节修长的手从管家的袖口取出银子，又不疾不徐塞进自己的衣内，这才将管家踹进了水里。
*
没一会儿，就有人发现管家的尸体浮上水面。
王府的丫鬟与奴仆纷纷聚集在河边，捂着嘴巴。
奴仆将管家的尸体捞了上来。
At this moment, Song Yan appeared behind everyone with a pale face. He was unaware of what had happened and, seeing these people gathered together, he softly asked, "What are all of you doing here?"
As soon as the words fell, someone turned around and reported to Song Yan, "My lord, the steward... drowned."
Upon hearing this, a look of astonishment flashed across Song Yan's handsome face. His complexion turned even paler than before. He quickly took out a handkerchief and coughed a few times, walking unsteadily towards the steward.
他凝视着管家已经泡的发白的脸，缓缓闭上眼睛，声音有气无力道：“以后从桥上走过的时候注意脚下，现在满是石苔，很容易掉进河里。”
After listening to his words, a group of servants nodded earnestly.
各个心里觉得王爷心肠很好，换做其他王爷，一个仆从的命而已，根本不会在意。
现在王爷还担心他们跟死去管家一样发生意外。
宋砚让人处理完一切后，又从这里离开。
*
谢时竹正在打扫卫生，今天晚上过后，就是她的死期。
At this moment, she was diligently sweeping the floor with a broom, just to let Song Yan see her diligence.
谢时竹还特意选到了莲花池的位置。
因为这是宋砚每日必来的地方。
虽然是莲花池，但池子里没有一个莲花，池水干净透彻，只不过汤池有点像莲花，所以才被命名为莲花池。
忽然，谢时竹听见了脚步声，她本来还坐在地上偷懒，在听到脚步声后，立马站起身，拿起扫帚，扫着地。
还没有等到宋砚，她就听到‘咕咕咕’的鸟叫声。
下一秒，一只雪白的鸽子飞到她的肩膀，挥动着翅膀。
谢时竹看到这只鸽子微愣。
然后，这只鸽子很热情地扑腾着翅膀，一只羽毛掉落在地上，谢时竹弯腰捡的时候，鸽子又自动飞走。
She suddenly remembered that the original owner died tonight.
至于死的原因并没有说明，但谢时竹突然心里明白了。
When Xie Shizhu stood up, she had already guessed that the pigeon that had flown onto her shoulder just now was the tool used by Song Yan as an assassin for the trade.
No, she has to leave quickly.
Xie Shizhu was just about to throw away the pigeon feather in his hand when he heard footsteps behind him.
看到谢时竹这个时间点待在莲花池里，宋砚脸上闪过些许异样，随后问道：“你在这里做什么？”
然后，他不疾不徐走到谢时竹面前，低头往她手上看了一眼，瞧见雪白的鸽子毛，宋砚眼底掠过一秒的波动，很快消失不见。
尽管宋砚的声音很轻，很柔，悦耳磁性，但谢时竹肩膀止不住抖了一下。
如果她没有猜错的话，这根羽毛就是她死亡的原因。
谢时竹抬头看着眼前这个温文尔雅、明眸善睐的男人，又低头看着自己手上的羽毛。
整个人陷入长久的沉思。