Chapter 49: It Was Targeted at Her

Hearing this, Lin Yurou turned her head and looked at Shen Anan.

This is a banquet at the Second Prince's Mansion. Who would dare to do such a shady thing?

Besides, Chen's cousin is not a meddlesome person, so how could she easily argue with others?

Lin Yurou shook her head slightly at Shen Anan, and then looked at the little maid with a meaningful look.

After passing through the corridor, the maid led the way to a shorter bluestone path. There were not many people on the road, not even a maid or servant sweeping the floor was seen.

The two of them frowned more and more.

“Miss Shen, I can go check it out by myself. If Madam Shen can’t find you, she will definitely be worried.”

Shen Anan paused and looked up at Lin Yurou.

No matter what the two of them thought in their hearts, it was just speculation now. Besides, apart from Duan Mengmeng, they didn't think that anyone else would treat them well in the Second Prince's Mansion.

After all, there are so many people around, and they don’t have any enemies.

Lin Yurou was still worried about her cousin Chen, afraid that it might be true, but she was also afraid that something might happen, so she didn't want Shen Anan to follow her.

Lin Yurou is already considered half a member of the Shen family, so Shen Anan naturally can't let her take risks alone.

"It's okay. Let my maid go and report it."

She turned around and winked at Mo Xiang.

Mo Xiang nodded and immediately turned and left.

"How far is it?" Lin Yurou couldn't help but ask.

"It's just ahead." The little maid was sweating and her feet were running fast. She really looked worried.

Turning out of the bluestone path, the direction the maid pointed to was the waterside arch bridge, where many maids and servants were standing, sweeping the floor, and there was no one else around.

The two of them felt depressed and looked at the little maid at the same time, "Where is the person?"

"I think it was the Second Prince's wife's order to disperse the crowd. Miss Chen is a noble girl, so they must be afraid that some ignorant servants would bump into her."

This statement is indeed reasonable.

No matter whether it is a servant or a maid, there is no guarantee that some of them would want to become a phoenix. If any servant takes the opportunity to go down to the river to rescue or gets close to Miss Chen, it will be troublesome.

"Wait a moment, young lady. I will go and ask."

The little maid bowed and walked quickly towards the water pavilion.

Lin Yurou was a little anxious, but her mind was very clear, "I always feel a little uneasy, Miss Shen, if there is anything wrong later, you should leave quickly and go find Madam Shen and my mother."

"What about you?" Shen Anan asked.

Lin Yurou smiled and said, "I am older than you and grew up in the capital. I know the evil ways of those girls and can handle them."

Neither the Lin family nor the Shen family had any grudges against the Second Prince's Mansion. Given the identities of the two, especially Shen Anan, it seemed that the Second Prince had no reason to do anything bad to them.

Lin Yurou just thought that Duan Mengmeng was holding a grudge and brought them here to seek revenge.

Shen Anan's eyes fell on Lin Yurou's calm and beautiful face.

She looked around vigilantly, and silently protected Shen Anan behind her.

Shen Anan lowered her eyelids, and her heart felt slightly warm.

Soon, the maid came back and said, "Miss Lin, Miss Chen has been rescued by a woman who is familiar with water. She is now in the back room. I will take you there."

"Yes." Lin Yurou followed the maid for a few steps, and suddenly turned back to Shen Anan and said, "Miss Shen, don't go with us. The banquet is about to start. Don't make Madam Shen anxious."

Shen Anan paused.

Lin Yurou tilted her head and blinked at her, giving her a reassuring look.

Although she appears to be gentle, docile, quiet and modest, she is not a useless soft persimmon.

Shen Anan watched her walk away with the maid, her brows furrowed tightly.

The water stains and mess on the arch bridge didn't look like a play, indicating that the incident really happened, or maybe they were just overthinking it.

But she was still worried, so she turned around and wanted to go to the garden to find a few girls to go with her, as it would be safer with more people.

As soon as she turned around, a servant suddenly came out from the darkness and stopped in front of her, “Miss Shen, my prince’s wife wants to see you.”

Shen Anan's expression darkened instantly, and he glanced at the waterside pavilion room that the servant pointed to.

"Isn't the Second Prince's wife in the banquet hall? I'll be there soon."

She took a few steps forward, and the servant stepped forward and blocked her way. "Ms. Shen, please don't let my dirty hands soil your body."

Shen Anan's fingertips slowly curled up, staring at the servant's calm and indifferent face, her heart tightened slightly, and her face was extremely gloomy.

It turned out that it was directed at her!

The second prince's wife? I’m afraid the person there is not the Second Prince’s Consort.

The servant remained calm, his eyes staring at Shen Anan like a venomous snake, “Miss Shen, your maid Mo Xiang is also waiting for you inside.”

Shen Anan pinched her palm with her fingertips, hooked her little finger in her sleeve, and then turned around expressionlessly, "Lead the way."

"Yes." The servant took half a step forward and made a gesture of invitation to Shen Anan, while others followed Shen Anan half a step behind to prevent him from escaping.

Shen Anan raised her long sleeves and then dropped them before walking towards the waterside pavilion room.

At this time, all the maids and servants on the arch bridge had disappeared. There was no one left. The entire water pavilion was quiet, almost eerie.

After going up the steps, the servant took a step forward and opened the door. "It's inside, come in, young lady."

Shen Anan glanced at the dim room and turned back to look at the servant.

That look was indescribably cold and depressing.

The servant frowned and was about to say something when he was suddenly kicked hard in the abdomen and rolled down the stairs.

As Shen Anan moved her feet, several black figures appeared in the courtyard one after another at the same time. The gloomy and cold aura, with a fierceness, surrounded the wing room.

Secret guard!

Shen Anan narrowed his eyes and retracted his feet without leaving a trace.

She stood on the steps, looking down at the servant lying on the ground in agony, and said in a domineering tone, "I am the daughter of the Grand Commandant. How dare you, a lowly servant like you, speak disrespectfully to me? Believe it or not, I will chop off your dirty hands."

The servant's head was covered in cold sweat from the pain, and his eyes became increasingly sinister as he looked at Shen Anan.

He spoke so harshly just now, but she didn't say anything. He thought she was a soft persimmon, but it turned out that she was waiting here.

However, those secret guards quietly retracted their swords.

The leader said calmly, “Miss Shen, you have taught the person a lesson, it’s time to go in.”

Shen Anan said nothing more, snorted coldly, and walked into the wing room.

The servant got up from the ground and stared at the room with a vicious look.

Once she marries into the Second Prince's mansion, he will definitely avenge this kick.

"She belongs to the master. Be careful of your behavior." The leader of the secret guards warned the servant coldly.

The servant half lowered his head, said nothing, and limped away.

As soon as Shen Anan entered the room, she smelled a strange fragrance, which made her throat feel blocked and itchy within a few breaths.

She walked over and tried to push open the window frame, but except for the small window at the back, the others were nailed shut and could not be pushed open at all.

She was afraid that the scent might be something mysterious, so she stayed by the small window, trying to stay away and breathe in less of the fragrance in the room.

She leaned her arms against the small window and looked back at the furnishings in the room.

There weren't many things in the place, but it was luxurious. The colors were darker and it was obvious that it was not a place where women lived.

The two sides were separated by curtains, and the half-circled floor-to-ceiling screen should have inner and outer cabinets. Before Shen Anan came in, she looked at the layout of the water pavilion and it should be connected from north to south.

This place is remote and quiet, combined with the secret guards and the furnishings in the house, Shen Anan had a vague answer in his heart.

But with so many officials and their wives present at the banquet, she couldn’t figure out what the Second Prince was trying to do.

Dad holds nearly half of Daliang's military power. How dare he plot against her openly?

Isn’t he afraid that the Shen family will come after him?

While thinking, there was a sudden movement in the room. Shen Anan immediately became alert and looked in the direction of the sound.

The area covered by the curtain should be the inner room. There is someone there. Is it the second prince?

Her eyes darkened, and she guessed what the Second Prince was planning, but she also felt that anyone who could survive to this day would not be so stupid as to openly offend the Shen family.

After all, the purpose of marriage is to gain help, not to make enemies.

In his previous life, he was also Xiao Yuan's strong rival. He was able to gain a foothold and compete with Xiao Yuan by using any means necessary and being ruthless.

Shen Anan stood there without moving, waiting for a long time, but the sound continued one after another, like a weak groan.

She also heard that the voice was probably made by a woman.

Is there any girl from another family here? Could it be that the Second Prince wants to use the noble families and officials to rebel?

Thinking of this, Shen Anan covered her lips and nose with a handkerchief and walked over slowly.

The woman's voice was broken.

The curtains hung to the ground, floating slightly. One could faintly see a shadow curled up on the bed behind the curtains, slowly moving outwards.

Shen Anan's breathing stagnated, and he slowed down his pace and opened the curtain.

After seeing the scene in the house clearly, her heart relaxed a little and her brows were tightly furrowed.

On the bed, the woman half-opened her eyes, her expression a little distracted, obviously under the influence of drugs, but still maintaining a trace of clarity, she tried her best to move under the bed,

Hearing the noise, the woman raised her eyes and looked forward. Her eyes froze and she was panicked for a moment.

Immediately, his face was sharp, "Shen Anan, why is it you? Are you trying to hurt me? What do you want to do?"

Shen Anan's almond-shaped eyes regained their calmness, and she looked at Duan Mengmeng with a faint gaze, without the slightest intention of stepping forward to help.

After just a moment, she shifted her gaze away from Duan Mengmeng and looked around the bedroom. The room was not big, but it exuded luxury everywhere. Even the quilt was made of the finest satin and sewn with gold thread. Perhaps only the second prince could enjoy such treatment.

There was no one else in the room except Duan Mengmeng.

She thought that it was because she was obedient and did not resist that the secret guards did not drug her.

While thinking, Duan Mengmeng had already climbed up from the bed and staggered to the ground.

“Chen An’an, this is the Second Prince’s Mansion, how dare you plot against me?”

Shen Anan frowned and gave her a look as if she was a fool, even doubting how she had lost to such a fool in her previous life.

"What's that look in your eyes? I'm warning you, the Second Prince treats me differently. If you dare to act rashly on his territory, he won't let you go."

Duan Mengmeng originally wanted to scare Shen Anan, but she suddenly raised her eyes and looked at her, with an indescribable weirdness in her eyes.

Duan Mengmeng instinctively took a step back.

Shen Anan narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean when you say that the Second Prince treats you differently?"

"What do you think?" Duan Mengmeng straightened her messy dress and hair, with a look of pride on her face.

She is the most talented woman in the capital. Isn't it natural that she is sought after by men?

Shen Anan half lowered her eyes.

Her guess was confirmed, and her face became extremely cold.

The second prince had a good plan and even dreamed of achieving the best of both worlds by advancing on both land and sea.

Seeing Shen Anan's silence, Duan Mengmeng also realized that something was wrong. The anger and surprise she had just suddenly seen when she saw Shen Anan slowly faded away, and her rationality returned a little.

She leaned towards Shen Anan, her beautiful face turned slightly pale, and she swallowed, "Shen Anan, what are we doing..."

Shen Anan glanced at her and ignored her.

"What about Miss Lin? Aren't you two together? And she's your future sister-in-law, so I don't think she'll abandon you, right?"

Shen Anan said in a mocking tone, "Miss Duan Er is still your biological sister, where is she? Why didn't she come to save you?"

Duan Mengmeng choked up for a while before saying, "We had some unpleasantness and she left."

She was feeling extremely regretful at this moment. If she had known this would happen, she would never have driven Duan Yingying away.

Shen Anan glanced at her sideways and ignored her. It was obvious that with Duan Yingying's personality, she would not leave her on her own initiative unless she spoke too harshly.

Shen Anan pushed away Duan Mengmeng's hand that was trying to grab her sleeve and moved closer to the window frame.

She shook it hard, but the window frame didn't move at all, as if it was nailed firmly.

She turned to look at Duan Mengmeng and asked coldly, "What is your relationship with the Second Prince?"

"What do you mean?" Duan Mengmeng was immediately furious and her eyes widened.

"I have nothing to do with him. He is the one who likes me. I only have my senior brother in my heart. Don't try to ruin my reputation by talking nonsense in front of my senior brother."

Shen Anan frowned impatiently.

At this time, why is her mind still filled with thieves and prostitutes?

She half lowered her eyelids in thought.

Therefore, the Second Prince captured Duan Mengmeng because he loved her but could not have her, and he captured her for the military power of the Shen family.

"We only have half an hour to get out."

Duan Mengmeng pursed her lips. She knew that once the banquet was over, they would have no chance of escaping.

"You and I are the daughters of important officials. How dare he do that? If my senior brother had come today, he would have noticed something was wrong."

Shen Anan was already upset, and now she was even more upset when she heard her mention Xiao Yuan.

"If there is no other way, just shut up."

Duan Mengmeng's tearful eyes froze for a moment, and she rarely retorted.

Her scheming and tricks can only be considered cleverness, and she would be panic-stricken if she really encountered such a thing.

Duan Mengmeng glanced at the window frame, then suddenly ran over and shook it vigorously, "Is there anyone here? I want to see the Second Prince."

She was making a lot of noise and kept on making a lot of noise for a while before there was a response from outside.

The one who spoke was the servant who was kicked by Shen Anan before, "My master is not here. If the girl doesn't want to continue lying down, she should be quiet."

His tone was particularly cold and contained a hint of sneer.

"How dare you." Duan Mengmeng immediately got angry. "Even the Second Prince has never spoken to me like that. What are you, a servant?"

The second prince liked her and spoke to her in a gentle and soft voice every time they met.