Chapter 102 The Abandoned Eldest Daughter Makes a Comeback (26 chapters)

When Xiao Chengxu arrived, Shen Yunzhen was having someone sort through the various treasures and antiques that Xiao Yuheng had sent over.

When she chose to go to the palace with Xiao Yuheng, she never expected such an unexpected joy.

This batch alone was far more generous than all the things Xiao Chengxu and Xiao Chengze had ever given her in the past.

Putting everything else aside, these treasures alone are enough to make her make a special trip to the palace.

Originally, Shen Yunzhen only planned to stay in the palace for a few days and then find an opportunity to leave. Now she changed her mind and decided to stay longer and take more things.

After all, Shen Yunzhen is a money-loving person at heart.

Just then, Bihe hurried over to Shen Yunzhen's side, leaned down slightly, and whispered in her ear:

"Miss, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived and is currently at the side gate. Would you like to see him?"

As expected of someone who could stand alone in the Eastern Palace, Bihe quickly grasped the intricacies of Lanyue Palace and gained a general understanding of its people and things.

Of course, it was also thanks to the fact that the people of Lanyue Palace had been warned by Xiao Yuheng many times, and had long since shrunk their necks and become extremely obedient.

"Xiao Chengxu is here?"

Shen Yunzhen was a little puzzled, but after thinking for a moment, she said, "Let him in."

When Xiao Chengxu stepped into Lanyue Palace, Shen Yunzhen was leaning against a carved sandalwood couch, gently playing with a string of South China Sea pearls with her fingertips, her expression languid and charming.

Xiao Chengxu was stunned for a moment, but quickly came to his senses. He stepped forward, his voice urgent and excited, full of deep affection.

"Yun Zhen!"

Shen Yunzhen asked curiously, "How did you get here? Didn't Xiao Yuheng stop you?"

Even though Lan Yue Palace is close to Xiao Yuheng's bedroom, it is still part of the inner palace. In the inner palace, even though Xiao Chengxu is the crown prince, he cannot wander around at will, let alone enter other people's palaces.

Xiao Chengxu stared greedily at Shen Yunzhen, carefully observing her expression.

Seeing that her face was rosy and her eyes still held joy, without any sign of grievance or sadness, Xiao Chengxu's heart finally settled down a little.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart, but his voice still carried a hint of undisguised bitterness.

"It was my father who sent me here."

The moment the words left his mouth, an endless bitterness surged within him, spreading throughout his entire body.

He was ultimately too weak; he needed his father's permission to even see his beloved.

Shen Yunzhen tilted her head in confusion, not quite understanding what tricks the father and son were playing.

Shen Yunzhen was naturally aware of Xiao Yuheng's thoughts, after all, the power of love and desire surging from his body was genuine.

Shen Yunzhen had some guesses as to why he brought her into the palace; it was nothing more than his possessiveness, wanting to have her all to himself.

After all, as the ruler of a country, he held supreme power and had enough capital to seize things by force, which is why he chose to bring her into the harem.

But the current situation makes Shen Yunzhen wonder if she has guessed wrong. Otherwise, why would Xiao Yuheng allow Xiao Chengxu to come to Lanyue Palace?

"What does your father want with you?"

Xiao Chengxu shook his head. He didn't know what the other party was thinking, that would lead to such contradictory actions.

He sat down next to Shen Yunzhen, a dark emotion flickering in his eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke softly:

"Yunzhen, tell me, did Xiao Yu... Father Emperor force you to do anything?"

Shen Yunzhen shook her head: "No."

If Xiao Yuheng had expressed those feelings to her, she wouldn't have agreed to enter the palace.

After all, she really had no interest in men who had been with other women.

Whether it's emotions or physical intimacy, things should be pure and clear, untainted by any other taint; that's the best.

Xiao Chengxu murmured, "That's good, that's good..."

If Xiao Yuheng really did something to Yun Zhen, he would go crazy. Even if the other party was his father, he would take revenge on him at all costs, even if it meant being crushed to pieces!

"Then...did Father Emperor say anything else to you?"

Shen Yunzhen countered, "What do you mean by 'others'?"

The afterglow of the setting sun, like crumpled gold leaf, poured freely from the carved window lattice, covering Shen Yunzhen without reservation. Under this warm light, Shen Yunzhen was like a fairy who had mistakenly entered the mortal world, surrounded by a dreamlike halo, beautiful in a hazy and lush way.

Xiao Chengxu gazed at her, an uncontrollable infatuation welling up in his eyes, but in an instant, that infatuation was replaced by endless pain.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice unconsciously lowered and became a few decibels, with a barely perceptible tremor:

"Did he... say what rank he would give you?"

As soon as he said it, he felt a bitter taste spreading through his heart, as if he had personally torn open the wound in his heart that he least wanted to face.

Shen Yunzhen stared at Xiao Chengxu and burst out laughing, like a spring breeze brushing over blooming flowers, causing the branches to tremble.

Her crimson silk dress perfectly accentuated her slender waist, and the slightly open neckline revealed a small section of her snow-white breasts, which swayed gently with her laughter, adding to her allure.

Her snow-white skin and crimson dress complemented each other, giving her both the alluring beauty of a worldly woman and an ethereal, otherworldly charm. These two contrasting qualities blended wonderfully within her, creating a breathtakingly beautiful and alluring look.

If it weren't for the agonizing pain of losing Shen Yunzhen, Xiao Chengxu would probably have lost his mind long ago.

"Do you think that I will become Xiao Yuheng's concubine after entering the palace?"

Xiao Chengxu's eyes lit up instantly. He leaned forward slightly, staring intently at Shen Yunzhen, his eyes full of hope.

"Isn't it difficult?"

Shen Yunzhen brushed a stray hair behind her ear, her expression languid. "Of course not."

She was naturally not Xiao Yuheng's concubine, and Xiao Yuheng understood this very well, so he never mentioned the matter of rank. Even the people of Lanyue Palace called her "Master" instead of "Empress".

"Then, why did he bring you into the palace?"

Xiao Chengxu was lost in confusion.

Shen Yunzhen rested her chin on her hand and said casually, "Who knows? Maybe I'm going to die soon and just want to be willful for once."

Even though Xiao Chengxu had long since lost any positive feelings towards Xiao Yuheng and even quite hated him, he still felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing such treasonous words.

He didn't take it seriously, still believing that Xiao Yuheng coveted Yun Zhen and that this action was merely to lull Yun Zhen into a false sense of security, intending to proceed gradually.

He said calmly, "My father has always been in good health and does not seem to be nearing the end of his life."

"Maybe."

Shen Yunzhen remained noncommittal; her statement was merely based on the original text, and whether it was true or not was irrelevant.

Xiao Chengxu composed himself, turned to look out the window, and seeing that it was getting late, turned back and carefully instructed:

"Yunzhen, the palace is not like the outside world. There are many rules and people are complicated. If you encounter anything unpleasant, you must tell me."

Xiao Chengxu stood up, preparing to take his leave.

Although he deliberately avoided people when he came, this was ultimately the inner palace, and for the sake of Yun Zhen's reputation, he could not stay long.

He gazed at Shen Yunzhen, his eyes flashing as if he had a thousand words to say.

In the end, he only uttered four words.

"Yunzhen, take care."

Throughout the entire process, Xiao Chengxu never asked Shen Yunzhen when she met Xiao Yuheng, or why she chose to follow Xiao Yuheng into the palace.

"You're just going to leave?"

Xiao Chengxu was taken aback. "Yun Zhen?"

Shen Yunzhen stood up gracefully, walked to him, and gently touched his chest with her fair, jade-like fingers.

"Did you come here just to spout this nonsense?"

Her approach made Xiao Chengxu's heart race, and the faint fragrance emanating from her body made him feel somewhat dazed.

He instinctively took a step back, his voice slightly strained.

"Yunzhen, this...this is the palace..."

Shen Yunzhen raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes: "So what if it's the palace? Are you scared?"

Xiao Chengxu felt a pang of pain in his heart from her words and quickly explained, "I'm not afraid, I just... I just don't want you to be in danger."

Shen Yunzhen chuckled softly, then suddenly reached out and hooked her arm around his belt, pulling him closer to her: "When did you become so timid?"

Xiao Chengxu was caught off guard by her sudden action. He wanted to back away, but he couldn't bear to push her away.

His voice was somewhat low and hoarse, full of restraint.

"If someone finds out..."

"So what if we find it? It's not a big deal."

Shen Yunzhen's voice was full of unbridled joy, clearly showing that she had no reservations about being in the harem.

She really didn't care about any of that. If she wanted it, she would do it. Why bother with anything else?

Xiao Chengxu has been extremely busy lately. Of course, he now understands that this is Xiao Yuheng's conspiracy, but it is true that he has reduced his intimacy with Shen Yunzhen.

Shen Yunzhen is the embodiment of love and desire, naturally enjoying the feeling of being bathed and galloping in love and desire, not to mention that Xiao Chengxu also possesses 'dragon energy', which has greatly benefited her.

Now that Xiao Chengxu can no longer enter the palace all the time, what is there to hesitate about?

So what if she's in the imperial harem? She's not willing to be bound by these pointless shackles.

Xiao Chengxu was instantly ignited by her words, a burning heat surging into his heart, and the intimate scenes of the past between the two of them flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

His breathing suddenly quickened, and he involuntarily took a step forward.

Just then, Xiao Chengxu's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the decorations inside the hall. He shuddered, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, and his rationality returned instantly.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to suppress the surging desire in his heart.

It doesn't matter what happens to him, but we absolutely cannot put Yunzhen in danger.

This is the imperial harem. Even though her father did not grant her a title, she was no longer free in name only because she was here.

If rumors were to spread that she had an affair with him while in the harem, the gossip would be enough to overwhelm her.

Thinking of this, Xiao Chengxu's face turned deathly pale, and his hands clenched involuntarily until his knuckles turned white.

A sense of powerlessness rose within him, along with a deep-seated hatred for his own incompetence.

Under the shadow of imperial power, he was so inadequate even in protecting his beloved.

"Yunzhen, please don't do this..."

He held Shen Yunzhen's hand, wanting to gently push him away, but when he touched that softness, his hand seemed to have its own ideas and subconsciously gripped it tightly.

"Huh? Don't do that?"

Shen Yunzhen looked at her hands, then gave him a teasing look.

Xiao Chengxu's throat felt like it was choked by something, so dry he couldn't utter a complete syllable, "Yun Zhen, I..."

His gaze lingered on Shen Yunzhen's face, greedily wanting to etch every inch of her features into his heart, but reason was pulling him back frantically.

Shen Yunzhen found his reaction hilarious. Her eyes lit up, and a mischievous thought popped into her head. She couldn't resist teasing him a bit.

She casually placed one hand on his shoulder and leaned forward slightly.

"What do you mean by 'don't do this'? Huh? Tell me?"

The warm breath sprayed onto his neck, creating ripples.

Her voice, like a bewitching spell in spring, gradually eroded Xiao Chengxu's rational defenses.

Xiao Chengxu felt a battle raging within him, torn between his burning love for Shen Yunzhen and his worry for her safety.

"Yunzhen, I'm afraid of harming you." He managed to squeeze out these words, his voice filled with pain and struggle, "I can't disregard your safety..."

Shen Yunzhen took a few steps back. "Is that so? Then you can leave. I'll go find Xiao Yuheng..."

She naturally wouldn't go looking for Xiao Yuheng, but at this moment, it didn't stop her from mentioning his name.

What she didn't admit was that another reason she chose to enter the palace was to see how her presence would cause a rift between Xiao Yuheng and his father.

This was a quirky sense of humor inherent in her, and also a way of finding some fun because life was too boring.

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Chengxu screamed out in a frenzy.

"No! Yunzhen, you can't go to him!"

The name Xiao Yuheng is now an absolute taboo for Xiao Chengxu, especially since it came from Shen Yunzhen's mouth under these circumstances. This has greatly provoked Xiao Chengxu, and his already shaky rationality has collapsed instantly.

He suddenly grabbed Shen Yunzhen and pulled her into a tight embrace, his burning lips instantly covering hers, pressing and sucking hard.

The kiss was filled with reckless madness, as if he wanted to merge Shen Yunzhen into his own body, thus asserting his exclusive ownership.

His hands gripped her waist tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he were afraid that if he let go, she would disappear from his world and fall into Xiao Yuheng's arms.

Shen Yunzhen raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not resist, and hooked her arms around Xiao Chengxu's neck.

Her tongue deftly probed in, intertwining with his, challenging his last shred of reason.

The air inside the hall grew increasingly hot, and an ambiguous atmosphere permeated the space between the two.

Shen Yunzhen's clothes slipped slightly during the tugging, revealing her snow-white shoulders, while Xiao Chengxu's breathing became heavier and heavier, his hot breath spraying onto her skin.

His hands wandered uncontrollably over her back, moving upwards from her slender waist, feeling every curve of her body.

Just as the two were lost in their own world, a soft sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.

Xiao Chengxu froze, but at this moment he was already blinded by desire. He subconsciously held Shen Yunzhen even tighter, as if he wanted to use his body to shield her from all danger.

"Someone's coming, aren't you going to let go?"

Shen Yunzhen spoke slowly, her voice carrying a hint of languid allure.