Chapter 27 Mid-Autumn Festival

"Okay." Ling Chenyi stood up, staggering to the side because of the pain in his foot.

"You should slow down." The princess glared at him. "Every time you go to the military camp, you are exhausted. You don't know how to take care of yourself. The general is here. How can it be your turn to go out in person?"

The nanny beside the eldest princess stepped forward to help Ling Chenyi but was rejected, "I'm fine, I just got anxious for a moment."

The eldest princess said nothing more and walked out with Mrs. Shen, and the others followed behind.

Shen Anan and Ling Chenyi were at the back, while Shen Changhe and the Fourth Prince were a few steps ahead, seemingly discussing business.

After sending the person to the carriage and driving away, Mrs. Shen breathed a sigh of relief, "Finally sent them away, let's go back too."

"Yeah." Shen Anan responded, and the mother and daughter turned around and saw Shen Changhe staring at Shen Anan, looking thoughtful and ugly.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Shen asked.

"How is the marriage negotiation between my younger sister and the Meng family going?"

Mentioning this, Madam Shen got angry and said as she walked, “It didn’t work. Madam Meng is a very particular person, and our family can’t afford her.”

Hearing this, Shen Changhe breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."

"What's wrong? Why do you suddenly think of asking this?" Shen Anan asked puzzled.

"I was just discussing business with the Fourth Prince, and accidentally mentioned the Censorate's Mansion. According to the Fourth Prince, the men of the Meng family are not good people."

"Hmm?" Mrs. Shen turned around, "What's going on?"

Shen Changhe said, "A few days ago, the Fourth Prince's men were doing business in the brothel and captured a singing girl. It was verified that she was a woman kept by the Chief Censor."

"He appears to be upright and dignified on the surface, but in private he is greedy and lustful. Although his wives and concubines are in compliance with regulations, he secretly keeps many concubines and prostitutes. There are countless illegitimate children in the mansion. The atmosphere is full of corruption, and his sons have almost completely learned his lustful habits."

I’m afraid that Mr. Meng isn’t going to be any better. After all, there aren’t many people in this world who can stay clean even in the mud.

Mrs. Shen felt a little cold after hearing this, "Fortunately, she didn't agree. With such a family, Mrs. Meng actually had the nerve to come to my Shen Mansion to pick and choose. They are really a family of tigers and wolves."

"When we meet again in the future, mother must find out everything first. Don't do it like today, which almost harmed my An An."

——

On the silent road, the wheels of the carriage moved forward, making an especially loud sound in the quiet night.

Ling Chenyi glanced at Xiao Yuan who was riding a tall horse at the side and asked, "Why did you say those things to Master Shen just now?"

"What did I say?" Xiao Yuan raised his eyelids.

"You knew that the Shen family was negotiating a marriage with the Meng family, but you still said this. Aren't you deliberately trying to mess up other people's marriages? What on earth are you thinking?"

Xiao Yuan, "Seek truth from facts and tell the truth."

Ling Chenyi narrowed his eyes, "Really? Xiao Yuan, you don't... have any special feelings for Miss Shen, do you?"

Xiao Yuan's grip on the reins tightened, and his heart seemed to tremble suddenly, "Shen Changhe is the commander of the Imperial Guards. It will be beneficial to the situation if we win him over."

"Oh." Ling Chenyi smiled without comment, but glanced at Xiao Yuan meaningfully.

Xiao Yuan glanced at him coldly, then suddenly turned his horse's head and headed into a small alley.

The princess heard the noise and lifted the carriage curtain and asked Ling Chenyi, "Where did he go?"

"Let's go back to the Prince's Palace. This alley is closer."

——

In the Begonia Garden.

Shen Anan stood in front of the window, looking into the dark night. The candlelight reflected on the window paper lengthened her already slender figure.

"Girl." Mo Xiang put a cloak on her.

“Are you unhappy about what Mrs. Meng said?”

"Insignificant people are not worthy of disturbing my thoughts." Shen Anan's voice was flat and nonchalant.

She was just wondering if she was going in the wrong direction.

She only wanted to marry someone from a noble family with good character and family background, break away from the fate of her previous life, and live the life of an ordinary woman, supporting her husband and raising children, and living in harmony with her husband.

But today I realized that it seems that the picky attitude towards women in marriage has never changed. The picky attitude has nothing to do with who you married, but simply because she is a woman.

She was not worried that she would not be able to deal with her mother-in-law, but she felt that if she were to choose again and still do the same thing, then what was the point of her changing?

Change a new person, create a new disaster, and go through it all over again?

The wind blew slowly outside the window. She pulled a chair and sat down, falling into silence for a long time.

Suddenly, she whispered, "Mo Xiang, do you want to go back to Jiangnan?"

Mo Xiang smiled and said, "Wherever the young lady is, I want to be there. The capital and Jiangnan are no different to me."

"I want to go back to Jiangnan." Shen Anan said.

Mo Xiang pursed her lips, "Miss, are you missing the old lady? Why don't you tell the lady and ask her to send someone to bring the old lady back?"

Shen Anan shook her head gently, "Grandma won't come back."

"But...I'm afraid the Imperial Concubine will not agree to let the girl go back, and neither will the Madam and the Master."

Of course Shen Anan knew that her mother had chosen among the officials in the capital just to keep her in the capital, so how could she bear to let her leave again.

"But - if I find a husband, what if I have to go to Jiangnan?"

Mo Xiang was startled, "Madam won't tell the girl about the family in Jiangnan."

Shen Anan looked back and smiled, "Not looking for Jiangnan, but you can put it outside."

She wanted to live her life quietly and comfortably, rather than being confined in the backyard and experiencing a new tragedy all over again.

Before Mo Xiang could figure out what the girl meant, he saw her stand up and he hurried forward to support her.

"It's getting late, young lady, you should go to bed early. The day after tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the mansion will be bustling tomorrow."

"Um."

It was at the Shen Mansion that she truly had a Mid-Autumn Festival with her family, but compared to when she was in Jiangnan, it always lacked joy and anticipation.

If it is compared with the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Fourth Prince’s Mansion in the previous life, it is always a thousand times better. People should always be content.

The next morning, the mansion was busy, and only the Begonia Garden was still quiet. Madam Shen knew that she had a habit of sleeping in, so she arranged for the steward not to disturb her.

When Shen Anan woke up, the sun was already shining on the window lattice desk.

Mo Xiang heard the sound and came into the room to help her change her clothes and do her makeup.

"The young lady is finally awake. The lady and the young master have been waiting for you for a while."

"What are you waiting for me to do?" Shen Anan looked puzzled.

"Miss, you forgot that there is a noble concubine in the Shen Mansion. Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the rules, you must go to the palace today to give her a festival gift."

Shen Anan suddenly remembered, yes, other families can send housekeepers to send, but only in the palace, the mother has to go in person.

"Why didn't you wake me up? What's the point of leaving mom and big brother waiting?"

Mo Xiang stuck out her tongue, "Madam specifically told me not to wake the girl up."