Chapter 13 How could this prince be asleep?

In the courtyard where Chen lived.

Shen Qingshuang nestled in Chen's arms, crying her heart out.

"The Sixth Prince originally favored my calligraphy, but that bastard Chen Chu insisted on showing off. Father was also biased and even made him help the Sixth Prince copy scriptures."

“I was so angry that I said a few words to him, and then he started hitting me.”

"Mom, look how swollen my face is! I don't care, you have to teach him a lesson for me."

Looking at the symmetrical handprints on her daughter's face, Mrs. Chen gritted her teeth in anger.

"Don't worry, Mother will definitely help you get revenge."

After coaxing Shen Qingshuang, Madam Chen sent someone to invite Marquis Changning, and tearfully applied eye drops to Shen Chu's eyes.

"Although an elder brother is like a father, he went too far. Qing Shuang is a girl. If she is disfigured, how will she ever get married?"

Marquis Changning glanced at Shen Qingshuang's swollen face and frowned. "I have already punished him by confining him to his room to reflect on his mistakes. In two days, he will apologize to Qingshuang."

Chen wiped the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.

"We are all family, so whether or not I apologize is secondary. It's just that I'm worried."

What are you worried about?

"I understand that Your Highness has high hopes for A-Chu, but he has not been raised by us since childhood, so he is somewhat lax in manners and etiquette."

Chen glanced at the Marquis of Changning's expression and said softly, "He hasn't entered officialdom yet, so it's fine for him to make a fuss at home. We, as elders, shouldn't really take him seriously."

"I'm afraid that if he becomes an official, he'll become arrogant and disrespectful, daring to contradict any important person. Wouldn't that bring trouble to the family?"

Marquis Changning's expression darkened slightly.

Madam Chen sighed, "In the end, it's because he was away from home since childhood, which inevitably led to a lack of manners. He relied on his talent and the Marquis's favor towards his concubine, which is why he acted so arrogantly."

"Your Excellency should take this opportunity to properly instruct him, lest he become uncontrollable in the future..."

Marquis Changning frowned deeply; he could feel that Shen Chu was becoming increasingly out of his control.

It seems we have to teach Chen Chu a harsh lesson so he can face reality.

----

After copying scriptures all morning, Chen Chu's mind calmed down considerably.

At noon, the kitchen only brought two vegetarian dishes and a bowl of dry rice.

By evening, all that was left was a bowl of brown rice and a plate of blackened green vegetables.

Hongxiu said angrily, "How can we eat this food? The young master has only been punished with confinement for a few days, and the kitchen is already so eager to flatter him and belittle him?"

Shen Chu chuckled lightly, "Do you think the kitchen would dare to do this without the Marquis's permission and the Madam's instructions?"

Hongxiu was even angrier. "How could the Marquis treat you like this?"

Shen Chu sneered.

Marquis Changning was using this tactic to remind himself that he was the only one with real power in the Marquis's mansion.

Anyone who disobeys him will find it difficult to even survive in the Marquis's mansion.

"Everything in this house, everything we eat and drink, is part of Aunt Qiao's dowry. Why is it that the young master eats coarse food and vegetables while they eat and drink well?"

"Young master, shall I go and give the old woman in charge of the kitchen a beating?"

Shen Chu chuckled: "Don't rush, your time to make your move will come."

"Young master, tell me your plan."

"Keep it a secret. Take these vegetables to Aunt Qiao's courtyard first. Do you know what to say?"

Hongxiu's eyes darted around. "I understand. Young master, just you wait."

Hongxiu quickly packed the brown rice and black vegetables into a food box and went to find Aunt Qiao.

Shen Chu was confined to her quarters, but she could move freely within the inner courtyard.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Hongxiu returned carrying a food box.

"I went there and cried for a while. Aunt Qiao gave us her food first and also gave us a hundred taels of silver."

When I returned, I saw Aunt Qiao leading some people to the kitchen with some black cabbage.

Hongxiu took out two dishes and a soup, still warm from the food box, along with a silver note worth one hundred taels.

Shen Chu hummed in agreement and sat down to eat.

"Go to the kitchen and check on your aunt's condition."

After the meal, Hongxiu returned.

"Young master, Aunt Qiao slapped Granny Yang, who was in charge of the kitchen, twice. The Marquis arrived shortly after."

Granny Yang knelt on the ground and cried out for justice, but the Marquis reprimanded his concubine with a stern face.

Later, the Marquis went directly to the Madam's courtyard, where the concubine wept bitterly.

Hongxiu rested her chin on her hand, looking on with a gossipy expression.

"I heard that the Marquis only goes to the Madam's courtyard on the first day of each month, and spends the rest of the time staying at his concubine's place."

It seems the Marquis is truly determined to teach the young master a lesson this time; he's even refusing to give the concubine a kind look.

Shen Chu was not surprised.

The next day, Shen Qingshuang entered Xizhao Hall with two maids.

"I'm in a good mood today, so I've come to bring you your meal myself."

She slightly raised her chin, and the maid behind her took out the food from the food box.

There was only a dry steamed bun with black spots, plus a bowl of brown rice porridge, in which there were clearly visible stone fragments.

“Since your father told you to stay home and reflect on your mistakes, you should eat vegetarian food to calm your mind.”

Hongxiu was furious. "How can the young master eat this? It's not even as good as what the servants eat."

Shen Qingshuang glanced at Chen Chu with disdain and sneered, "A lowly bastard like you dares to call yourself a young master? Don't you know that your aunt is about to fall out of favor?"

Haha, what's so great about passing the imperial examination? Without the support of the Marquis's family, you're nothing.

You think your aunt will still come to give you money to buy food? Ha, no, you can expect to be eating coarse grains and wild vegetables from now on.”

Shen Qingshuang pushed the brown rice porridge with added ingredients forward, smiling maliciously, "Today's meal was specially prepared for you, eat it while it's hot."

Shen Chu glanced at her indifferently, "Doesn't your face hurt anymore?"

Shen Qingshuang's face stiffened, and she subconsciously took a step back.

It took her two days to recover before the swelling on her face subsided, and her skin still hurts a little.

The thought filled her with hatred, and she vowed to teach Chen Chu a lesson today.

Shen Chu sneered, "Since my sister kindly brought me food, how can I, as her older brother, not appreciate it?"

"Hongxiu, serve the young lady her meal."

"Okay."

Hongxiu had a very loud voice, and with two quick chops, she knocked out Shen Qingshuang's maid.

Shen Qingshuang turned deathly pale with fright and shrieked, "What do you want to do?"

Shen Chu smiled and said, "I'll treat you to dinner."

Shen Qingshuang was frightened by the coldness in his eyes and instinctively tried to run out the door.

With a flick of his foot, Chen Chu closed the door.

She crossed her arms and blocked the doorway.

Hongxiu pressed Shen Qingshuang down into a chair, picked up the brown rice porridge on the table, and poured it directly into Shen Qingshuang's mouth.

"Cough cough..."

Shen Qingshuang choked so badly that tears streamed down her face. She shook her head desperately, trying to spit it out, but Hongxiu pinched her chin and forced her to swallow the porridge mixed with pebbles.

Hongxiu only let go of the bowl of porridge after she finished feeding him.

Shen Qingshuang collapsed to the ground, trying to vomit, but found that nothing came out.

Her face turned pale with fright.

There were not only pebbles in the porridge, but also a mouthful of phlegm she spat out; it was disgusting.

"You bastard, you...you just wait, I won't let you get away with this."

She clutched her stomach and staggered away.

Meanwhile, at the Sixth Prince's residence.

Pei Yuan stared blankly at the dozens of purses piled high on the table, then at the purse in his hand.

"Are you sure none of the ingredients are the same?"

Sun Yan shook his head. "The calming medicine prescriptions we collected from various prefectures are common to the imperial physicians. The calming medicine prescription in Your Highness's purse is unique. The herbs are ground too finely, so the imperial physicians cannot distinguish the complete prescription, but they can be sure that the ingredients are different."

Judging from the fabric, the purse in His Highness's hand is made of Shu brocade, which was popular more than ten years ago and is rarely used now.

Pei Yuan frowned. "So you can't find any information about the woman from that night?"

Sun Yan seemed to remember something and pursed his lips.

"Speak if you have something to say."

Sun Yan said, "My subordinate learned that Scholar Shen was also drugged that night. If two people who have been drugged meet, what if..."

Pei Yuan's eyes were as cold as knives.

Sun Yan was startled and immediately shut his mouth.

Pei Yuan's voice was as cold as if it came from hell, "You know that I hate homosexuals the most. Even if I am drugged, I will not sleep with a man."

Besides, that man is Shen Chu. Get down and punish yourself with ten strokes of the cane! Then investigate the identity of the woman from that night.

"yes!"

Sun Yan left.

Pei Yuan held the purse to his nose; the delicate medicinal fragrance eased his agitation somewhat.

Ha, how could he possibly be asleep?

He wouldn't even glance at Shen Chu if she were completely naked.

Absolutely not!