However, Fang said helplessly, "What can a girl like you do? The Shen family has fallen on hard times. Those who used to fawn over us no longer associate with us, and those who didn't fawn over us are now beyond our reach."

As she said this, she became more and more regretful. If she had known this would happen, she should have arranged her daughter's marriage much earlier.

She stroked her daughter's hair with affection and said, "You can't count on your father. He can only find you a sixth or seventh-rank martial artist. Your brother is useless too, he only knows a bunch of scoundrels. Only your second sister is somewhat reliable. No matter what her situation is in the Prince of Qin's mansion, those people will still have to show her some respect because of her status as the Princess of Qin. If you coax her a bit in the future and accompany her to a few banquets, you'll eventually find a good husband."

Shen Muyu chuckled coldly, "Look at her putting on this pitiful act, how could she possibly help me? I bet she wishes I'd stay at home until I'm twenty and still be an old maid. Besides, going to the banquet is easy enough, I can go myself!"

After saying that, he refused to listen to Qin's advice any further and stormed back to his own courtyard.

"You don't even have an invitation, what are you going to bring?" Fang was so angry when she saw that she didn't turn her head back that she slammed her hand on the table.

Shen Muyu hurriedly returned to the courtyard without looking back and ordered her personal maid to bring out the box of letters that she had previously put away.

That was a box of items that Shen Youying had sent back to the Lu family, but which was thrown out by the Lu family's gatekeeper. Besides the letters, there was also a gilded and kingfisher feather peacock hairpin, which was clearly a token of love between the two.

Shen Muyu picked up the hairpin and shook it. Staring at the swaying tassels, her expression changed for a moment. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she summoned her personal maid, Dongqing.

"Close the door." Shen Muyu placed the hairpin on the table, laid out the box of letters, and began to pick and choose.

Has Lu Minghe come today?

Dongqing thought for a moment and said, "It seems they've arrived. Today is Princess Qin's homecoming, so the Lu family's carriage doesn't dare to get too close. It's stopped under the peach tree at the corner."

During this period, Lu Minghe would come to the Shen family every day, but he would not visit the door. He would just stand alone not far away for one or two hours at a time.

"He's putting on quite the act of being devoted." Shen Muyu curled her lip and said, "Then let me see how much his devotion is worth."

Shen Muyu pulled out a letter from the pile and handed it to Dongqing, instructing, "Go and deliver this letter to Lu Minghe quietly, so no one finds out."

Dongqing accepted the letter and quietly sent it out through the side gate.

After drinking two cups of tea, Shen Muyu returned.

"How so?" she asked, looking at Dongqing with a hint of excitement.

Dongqing replied, "Young Master asked me where this letter came from, and also asked if it was convenient for you to meet at Fanlou at 1:45 AM tomorrow."

They've taken the bait.

Shen Muyu laughed, put the letter away in the box, and handed the hairpin to Dongqing: "Find another box to store it in." She added, "Go tell Mother that I'm in a bad mood and want to go out tomorrow to pick out some rouge and face powder."

After sending Dongqing away, she looked at the beautiful spring day outside and thought to herself that it was fortunate that she had been careful and hadn't given in to her momentary weakness by returning the box of letters to Shen Youying.

She reached out and plucked a peach blossom that was extending towards the window, flicked the blossom off with her fingertips, and chuckled, "You've done the first thing, so don't blame me for doing the fifteenth."

*

Around dusk, the prince's carriage arrived.

Shen Youying reluctantly got into the car, and looking at her father with graying temples, she couldn't help but tear up.

Even though they had only been apart for two or three days, she felt that her father had aged a lot.

She jumped down from the carriage without even stepping on the stool. Shen Mingjiang quickly stepped forward to catch her and scolded, "Be careful not to fall."

Shen Youying raised her face and smiled at him, then gave him a very light hug.

When she was little, she never liked to step on the horse stool when getting off the carriage. Anyway, her father would always catch her if she jumped off the carriage.

At that time, in Shen Youying's eyes, her father was as tall and unshakable as a mountain.

But now, even his father, who was as imposing as a mountain, has temples covered in white frost.

Shen Youying grasped his hand, her expression serious as she instructed, "I know there are many things to do at home, but even if the sky falls, we, father and daughter, should hold it together. Father, you must take care of yourself. I'm doing well at the Prince's Mansion, but I'm always worried about you."

Looking at his youngest daughter's solemn face and red eyes, Shen Mingjiang smiled somewhat helplessly: "Your father can still wield a gun, he's in good health, there's no need for you to worry about him."

"Anyway, Father will listen to me." Shen Youying gave a few more coquettish instructions before reluctantly leaving.

Shen Mingjiang stood at the door without moving, watching the carriage of the Prince of Qin's mansion drive away until it turned out of the alley before returning to his mansion.

As she prepared to leave home again to return to the Prince of Qin's residence, Shen Youying lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the bustling crowd outside the street with a touch of melancholy. She sighed softly, "I really want to stay at home forever."

Her father was in good health, and her elder brother was safe and sound. Even if they stopped being officials, she would be willing to move the whole family to Tianshui Lane or to a manor in the suburbs of Beijing.

It's better than staying in the Qin Prince's mansion, living in constant fear and walking on thin ice.

Danzhu gently comforted her, "What kind of girl stays at home all the time? People will laugh at her for being an old maid."

"But Father and my elder brother will certainly not despise me."

Shen Youying muttered a rebuttal, leaning against Danzhu's shoulder: "If I could stay by Father and Brother's side forever, being an old maid wouldn't be bad. Maybe Father and Brother would even find me a few handsome young men."

Bai Luo covered her mouth and laughed: "Oh, so you were pretending to be an old maid, you were actually thinking about a handsome young man."

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