Chapter 562 Another Invitation from the Prince of Ning's Mansion Arrives

Shen Wantang knew that he wanted to curry favor with the Duke's family. Even if Gu Qianhan had a more serious problem, let alone that Gu Qianhan was gay, Shen Guannian would still make her marry. She was just a tool for him to climb the social ladder.

Shen Wantang shook her head and ignored Shen Guannian.

When she arrived at her courtyard, she quickly put all the boxes into the chest and locked it with a snap.

Her speed and fluidity left Shen Guannian speechless!

He looked displeased: "Tang'er, what are you doing? Why did you lock everything inside? Are you trying to keep your father away?"

Shen Wantang forced a smile: "Father, what are you saying? Why would I be wary of you? You wouldn't take my things. I'm just guarding against thieves!"

Shen Guannian had a guilty conscience and felt that Shen Wantang's use of the word "thief" was an insult to him. But now that she said it, he really couldn't openly ask her for her things.

He clenched his fist, barely suppressing the greed in his heart. There's plenty of time in the future!

He can just keep this with her for now; it'll give him a good reputation! Otherwise, if he really took her things and the Duchess found out, he wouldn't look good, would he?

After figuring this out, Shen Guannian's expression softened: "Then you better keep a close eye on your things, or don't come crying to me if you lose them!"

After he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves, turned around and left with a cold face.

Seeing him leave, Dujuan asked in disbelief, "Miss, is Master really gone just like that? You've managed to keep all your treasures?"

Shen Wantang reopened the chest and took out the contents to examine them: "I don't think he's shameless enough to snatch my things. Our Lord Shen still has the pride of a scholar and wouldn't do anything too undignified."

"Moreover, Madam Gu specifically instructed her nanny to say that the items were for me alone, so Father couldn't do too much of a show of it openly. He still wants to curry favor with the Duke's mansion and wouldn't ruin his own future."

Dujuan looked at the treasure in the box with excitement: "Miss, the Duchess seems to like you very much! She's given you a thank-you gift and taken special care of you. She's such a kind person!"

Shen Wantang smiled. The little maid was still too naive. Was this what a good person was like?

She picked up a bright, round pearl and sat by the window, looking at it as she said, "The thank-you gift from Madam Gu is indeed quite expensive. Normally, sending some rouge and powder, a piece of cloth, and a bracelet would be enough, but Madam Gu has given so much. This is not reasonable."

Du Juan belatedly realized, "Could this be yet another test from Madam Gu for you?"

"Maybe. She might want to see if I can hold onto what's mine, or she might want to take this opportunity to see my reaction, or maybe it's just..."

Shen Wantang paused.

Du Juan asked疑惑地问道：“What could it be?”

Shen Wantang gently shook her head. She felt that it was possible that Gu Qianhan had said something that made Madam Gu so willing to part with it.

The jade bracelet and pearls that Madam Gu sent were of the highest quality; otherwise, Shen Guannian would not have had the idea of ​​snatching them away.

Such exquisite items do not match her achievements.

——

Two days later.

The Shen family received an invitation from the Prince of Ning's residence.

The invitation stated that the princess felt a connection with Shen Wantang and specifically requested that Madam Qi bring Shen Wantang to the palace as a guest.

As for Shen Mingxuan, Princess Ning didn't mention her at all.

Shen Guannian held the invitation, looking at it again and again, so happy that he couldn't bear to put it down.

"Excellent! This is wonderful! My daughter, Shen Guannian's daughter, has actually won the favor of the Princess Consort of Ning, and with the Duchess's fondness for Tang'er, it's truly a case of 'a daughter in one family, a hundred families vying for her'!"

Madam Qi glanced at Shen Wantang sitting next to Shen Guannian and said sarcastically, "What are you saying, sir? The Duchess was just thanking Tang'er for saving her; she didn't mean anything by it."

"That's not necessarily true!"

Shen Guannian disliked her dampening his enthusiasm and said with a proud expression, "My Tang'er is as beautiful as a flower, has such an outstanding temperament, and is also skilled in medicine and can save lives. Who wouldn't like her? Who wouldn't want to marry her? Not to mention the Duchess of the State likes her, even the Second Young Master Gu would be captivated by Tang'er!"

Madam Qi pouted: "Master hasn't forgotten, has he? That Second Young Master Gu is a homosexual! It's all over the place, he's a homosexual! He doesn't like women, so Tang'er's beautiful face is just wasted on a blind man!"

Shen Guannian's face turned cold: "What's wrong with you today? Why do you argue with everything I say? Do you have some grudge against me? Are you trying to annoy me?"

"Master, you've wronged me. How could I possibly have any complaints against you? I was just trying to be kind and remind you not to be too optimistic. The Duke's mansion is a huge pit of fire. Although Tang'er isn't my biological daughter, she's closer to me than my own. I don't want to push her into that pit of fire."

"How could the Duke's mansion be a pit of fire?! Stop spreading alarmist rumors. Is there any family in the world richer than the Duke's mansion? It's a paradise! Didn't you see the thank-you gifts the Duke's mansion sent? Such a generous gesture! If Tang'er can marry into it, she'll have endless blessings in the future!"

"Master, I didn't say the Duke's mansion was poor. I meant that the Second Young Master Gu is a homosexual. Tang'er won't have a good life if she marries him. She'll only live like a widow!"

"What nonsense are you spouting! Don't be so rigid and old-fashioned. In a family like the Duke's mansion, isn't it normal for the young masters to be a bit frivolous? Being fond of men is just a temporary affectation, it's not a big deal at all! I think the Second Young Master Gu is already very self-disciplined. The young masters of other families are really into all sorts of things!"

After Shen Guannian finished speaking, he turned to Shen Wantang and said, "Tang'er, don't listen to your mother's nonsense. She's just a woman and doesn't understand anything! The Duke's Mansion is definitely a very good family. Now it's not a question of whether we want to marry into it or not, but whether they want to marry you or not!"

Shen Wantang looked obedient: "Father is right. Father is knowledgeable and experienced, unlike us women who live in the inner quarters. So I will listen to Father."

Hearing her say that, Shen Guannian felt immediately pleased: "Good! My daughter has good judgment; she knows that trusting me is the right thing to do! Women don't understand anything; you don't need to listen to a single word!"

Qi Shi, standing to the side, turned green with anger. She said, "Since Master is so determined to marry Tang'er into the Duke's Mansion, then she doesn't need to go to the Prince Ning's Mansion anymore! I'll take my Xuan'er instead!"

"How can that be! Tang'er must go. The Duke's Mansion hasn't come to propose marriage yet, it's not even close to being settled. We certainly can't give up on the Prince Ning's Mansion! We have to have our hands on both sides!"

——

The next day, at Prince Ning's residence.

Ultimately, Qi's word was not enough, and she still brought Shen Wantang with her.

Of course, besides Shen Wantang, she also brought Shen Mingxuan.

Princess Ning didn't care that Lady Qi had brought several girls, as long as she brought Shen Wantang.

Before the group had exchanged more than a few words, Xiao Qingyuan arrived.

Upon seeing Shen Wantang, he frowned: "Why did Mother summon her again? My mind hasn't changed, don't you know? I will not marry Shen Wantang!"

Princess Ning looked at him reproachfully: "I just get along well with the girls from the Shen family, so I asked them to come and keep me company. What does it have to do with you?"

"Come here quickly and greet the two young ladies. Standing there like a block of wood, people will think that our Prince Ning's heir has no manners at all! Don't embarrass me!"

Xiao Qingyuan's gaze fell on Shen Wantang's face. She was just as beautiful, composed, and quiet as she had been in her previous life.

He had been repeatedly rebuffed and frustrated by Liu Nanshi these past few days. Liu Nanshi seemed to dislike him, and she didn't respond at all, whether he wrote letters or visited her in person.

In comparison, Shen Wantang's proactive approach made him feel better.

He walked over, first paying his respects to the elder, Madam Qi, and then to Shen Wantang and Shen Mingxuan.

After exchanging greetings, he casually found a place to sit down.

Princess Ning was pleasantly surprised to see that he didn't turn away in a huff; it seemed that he wasn't as averse to Shen Wantang as she had imagined.

To make her son feel a sense of urgency, she turned to Shen Wantang: "I heard that you saved the Duchess at Fazhen Temple? You're also skilled in medicine?"

Shen Wantang smiled slightly: "I wouldn't call myself an expert, I just learned a little bit. It just so happened that the Duchess was feeling a little unwell, so I gave her a few acupuncture needles, but it wasn't exactly a lifesaver. The Duchess is in good health, and she would have been fine even without me. It was just a coincidence, and I didn't really help much."

Princess Ning nodded secretly as she listened.

She did not take credit, nor was she complacent. She was humble and kind, and her words were tactful and left no room for criticism. She did not use Madam Gu's illness to elevate herself. On the contrary, she spoke well of Madam Gu, saying that she was in good health.

But Princess Ning already knew that Madam Gu had indeed fainted at Fazhen Temple, and that the monks and doctors at Fazhen Temple had tried everything but to wake her up. It was Shen Wantang who had revived her.

But she spoke of it very casually, and Princess Ning immediately felt a sense of goodwill towards her.

Just as she was about to ask how she learned medicine, Qi Shi suddenly said, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but because Tang'er unintentionally saved the Duchess, the Duchess took a liking to the child immediately and even specially ordered someone to send her a thank-you gift!"

"Oh my, you have no idea how valuable that gift was! Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a betrothal gift!"

“Our whole family was stunned. My husband and I were both terrified and thought about sending those valuables back to the Duchess.”

"But Tang'er is so big-hearted. She likes those things so much that she won't let go of them and says that they are all her due. We can't persuade her otherwise, so we have to let her leave them behind."

Princess Ning was taken aback: "Is that so?"

She knew that Madam Gu had given Shen Wantang a thank-you gift, but she didn't know that Shen Wantang was clinging to the gift and refusing to let go.

Could it be that this Miss Shen is a two-faced person? On the surface, she appears serene and indifferent to fame and fortune, but in private, she is a greedy and despicable villain?

Seeing that Princess Ning's expression had changed, Madam Qi was secretly pleased. She continued, "If it were our Xuan'er in this situation, she would never covet such a small thing. Xuan'er has always been different from Tang'er. She doesn't love gold and silver or worldly things, nor does she pursue fame and fortune. She just likes playing the zither and painting, cultivating her character."

"Tang'er is... she's very greedy. She always likes gold and silver and worldly things. Maybe I didn't teach her well! She was born to a concubine, so there's a distance between us. We're not close, so I can't hit or scold her. I can only coax her."

"Oh dear, look at me, why do I say everything? Your Highness, please don't take offense. I'm just a straightforward person, I don't know how to beat around the bush. I felt close to Your Highness as soon as I met you, and I didn't treat you as an outsider, so I didn't avoid talking about family matters."

Princess Ning glanced at her, said nothing, and simply left Lady Qi standing there.

She didn't think this Qi woman was any good. Not only was Qi woman not very bright, but she was also not very cunning. She openly belittled the concubine's daughter and praised the legitimate daughter in front of her. Even a blind person could see what she was thinking.

But just because Qi Shi is bad doesn't mean Shen Wantang is good. Perhaps influenced by her, Shen Wantang has also gone astray.

Princess Ning frowned slightly, her initial goodwill vanishing. She felt she should reconsider the marriage.

People from humble backgrounds are likely to lack both knowledge and magnanimity! Just look at the Qi family's character to know.

The reason they chose the Shen family's daughter earlier was simply because Xiao Qingyuan had become a monk, and slightly better families were unwilling to marry their daughters into the family to live a life of widowhood.

But now that his son has come home, although his reputation is still not very good, he is no longer as unpopular as before.

She could have easily chosen a girl from a higher social standing and a better family background for her son.

As Princess Ning was pondering this, she suddenly heard her son say coldly, "How can gold and silver be considered vulgar? What's wrong with liking gold and silver? Gold and silver are clearly the most useful things in this world. Without gold and silver, we can't move an inch! Without gold and silver, we'll all starve to death!"

Qi was stunned by his rebuke.

Something's not right. Xiao Qingyuan's current behavior doesn't match the information she received!

She spent a large sum of money to bribe a maid in the Prince's mansion. The maid told her very clearly that Xiao Qingyuan regarded gold and silver as dirt. He disliked vulgar people, especially women who loved money. He liked those who were aloof, who could compose poems and paint, and who were detached from worldly affairs.

Judging from what Xiao Qingyuan is saying now, it seems that he also has an extreme fondness for gold, silver and other worldly things!

"Since Madam Shen looks down on gold and silver so much, why does she still wear a gold hairpin in her hair?"

"Your Highness has misunderstood. That's not what I meant. I meant..."

Xiao Qingyuan coldly interrupted her: "Shen Mingxuan not only wore a gold hairpin, but also a gold bracelet. If she really didn't like these things, she should have thrown them away! Pretending, acting hypocritically, it's disgusting! Shen Wantang is much more open and honest, and openly admits that she likes gold and silver!"

Shen Mingxuan's face flushed red and then turned pale as she was scolded.

She was furious and glared at Madam Qi, signaling her to stop talking.

She knew that Princess Ning liked gentle and graceful women, so she sat there obediently with her head down, pretending to be quiet. But after pretending for a long time without saying a word, she was scolded by Xiao Qingyuan!

How could there be such a cruel mother to her daughter?!