Chapter 25 This prince will only give you three days.

"Find a way to stop His Majesty from bestowing a marriage upon me and Shen Qingshuang."

Shen Chu looked up in surprise, "Sixth Prince doesn't want to marry Shen Qingshuang?"

Pei Yuan crushed another petal. "This has nothing to do with you. You just need to tell me if you can do it or not."

Shen Chu unconsciously twirled her index finger. "Her Majesty the Empress will likely try her best to make this happen. It will be difficult to stop her. I'm afraid..."

The current empress is the cousin of Lady Chen, the wife of the Marquis of Changning. If Shen Qingshuang is determined to marry Pei Yuan, Lady Chen will definitely go to the palace to plead with the empress.

Pei Yuan sneered, "Then you can go and explain the Jingguo Temple murder case to His Majesty."

Shen Chu gritted his teeth; after all, this guy had caught him red-handed.

I promise you.

Pei Yuan turned his head and said, "Young Master Shen is very sensible. I am very satisfied."

Looking at the unrestrained smile on his face, Shen Chu took a deep breath and asked, "If I succeed in this, will Your Highness really not use the Jingguo Temple matter to threaten me again?"

How can I trust that His Highness will keep his word?

"Are you doubting that I, the prince, would go back on my word?"

"Your Highness would not dare to do so. May Your Highness grant me a promise?"

Pei Yuan picked up a petal that had fallen on the fish-scale armor, flicked it away gently, and said in a slightly cold voice, "Chen Chu, what right do you think you have to negotiate with this prince?"

Shen Chu gritted his teeth, "If the Sixth Prince continues to use this matter to blackmail me, won't I be subject to Your Highness's control for the rest of my life?"

“Tsk,” Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, “Your suggestion seems pretty good.”

Shen Chu felt a chill run down his spine and quickly put on a smile. "No, Your Highness, I trust you. With Your Highness's upright and honest character, you would never threaten me repeatedly."

"Ha, you sycophant."

Shen Chu smiled on the outside, but cursed inwardly.

You better not give me any leverage over you, hmph.

Pei Yuan straightened up, strode over, and looked down at Shen Chu from his superior position.

"Remember, I will only give you three days."

Shen Chu forced a smile and reluctantly agreed.

Pei Yuan's gaze swept over his face, seemingly quite satisfied.

He stuck the peony in his hand into Chen Chu's hair and said lightly, "This prince awaits your good news."

After saying that, he slowly left with his hands behind his back.

Shen Chu picked up the peony flower and looked at the petals that were almost completely torn off. She couldn't help but secretly wave her fist at Pei Yuan.

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When Shen Chu returned to the Marquis of Changning's residence, she was stopped by Shen Qingshuang.

"What did the Sixth Prince say to you? Did he mention me? Did he say anything bad about me?"

Chen Chu picked at her ear. "Since you're so eager to know, why don't you go ask the Sixth Prince yourself?"

"You..." Shen Qingshuang's face turned red with anger as she pointed at Shen Chu and said, "I must become the Sixth Prince's consort, and you are not allowed to speak ill of me in front of the Sixth Prince."

If the Sixth Prince asks, you must put in a good word for me.

Shen Chu raised an eyebrow. "Are you ordering me around?"

Shen Qingshuang was about to say yes when she saw Shen Chu moving her wrist.

She felt a sudden pain in her face and quickly took two steps back, the words that were on the tip of her tongue suddenly becoming unspeakable.

"I...I'm discussing this with you. You're about to enter the court as an official. If I become the Sixth Prince's consort, it will be helpful to your career, won't it?"

Shen Chu chuckled, "If it's about discussion, then use a discussion-like tone."

Shen Qingshuang was so angry she wanted to stomp her feet.

"Your sister is right."

Marquis Changning walked over with his hands behind his back. "I think the Sixth Prince has a good impression of you. You should speak well of your sister in front of the Sixth Prince and make sure he has a good impression of her."

Chen Chu remained silent.

Pei Yuan has a good impression of her? Her father's eyesight is really not very good.

Hearing that her father was on her side, Shen Qingshuang glanced triumphantly at Chen Chu before leaving.

Shen Chu also cupped his hands in farewell, saying, "Your son takes his leave."

"stop."

Marquis Changning called out to her with a displeased expression, "Why are you running? Didn't you promise me you'd go to the Hanlin Academy?"

Why did you presume to say to His Majesty today that you wanted to go to the Censorate?

Shen Chu looked completely innocent. "His Majesty asked me where I wanted to go. Does Father want me to deceive the Emperor?"

"Otherwise, I'll go and ask His Majesty for my resignation now, saying that Father wants me to go to the Hanlin Academy?"

He made a move to turn and leave.

"You come back here right now."

Marquis Changning's face turned ashen with anger. "Are you out of your mind? Why would you give up a perfectly good fifth-rank position to become a sixth or seventh-rank Hanlin scholar?"

"But the father wants his son to become a Hanlin scholar."

Marquis Changning choked, barely managing to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "I am also very happy that you are appointed as a fifth-rank censor."

Shen Chu: "Oh, as long as Father is happy."

Marquis of Changning...

He really can't stand hearing the words "just to make his father happy" anymore; it makes his temples throb with pain.

Taking a deep breath, Marquis Changning said, "Tomorrow, a banquet will be held at home to entertain those who come to offer their congratulations. You should be humble tomorrow and remember not to be arrogant."

"Yes, thank you, Father."

“You’re about to go to court, so you can’t bring your maid with you. It’s not proper. I’ll give you Changsong, who serves in the study.”

Shen Chu raised an eyebrow. “Father need not worry. Hongxiu is perfectly capable of handling this matter.”

Marquis Changning was very displeased, and once again felt that he could not control Shen Chu.

"Why do you, a scholar, always take in wandering江湖人 (jianghu people)?"

"People of the martial arts world can protect my son's safety. Even if there are assassins trying to kill him or archers attacking him again, my son won't lose his life, right?"

Marquis Changning felt even more distressed after being choked up, and left with a sullen face.

Shen Chu smiled slightly, turned around and stuffed a handful of loose silver into the hands of the two maids, gave them some instructions, and then returned to Xizhao Courtyard.

Hongxiu was happily eating a plate of peanut candy in the courtyard. When she saw her return, she said happily, "Congratulations, young master, on successfully entering the Inspectorate."

Shen Chu smiled. Entering the Inspectorate was only her first goal; she still had many things to do later.

"When I go to court to serve in the future, you can stay by my side when you're not busy."

Hongxiu popped a peanut candy into her mouth and blinked.

"Huh? Do I have to wear a white cloth to disguise myself as a servant? I'm afraid I'll become the first woman in history to be strangled to death while dressed as a man."

Shen Chu was amused.

"It's not that exaggerated. I've been strangling myself for over two years and I haven't died yet."

Hongxiu curled her lip and glanced at her chest. "How can we be the same? You're so shaky when you run."

I was looked down upon.

She tapped Hongxiu on the head in an annoyed tone, "Eat less peanut candy, or you'll become fat."

Hongxiu calmly held the peanut candy and said, "Then I'm also a big-breasted fat girl."

Chen Chu...

She picked up a piece of peanut brittle and sat down to eat it with Hongxiu.

Biting into the crispy peanut brittle releases a sweet sensation that spreads throughout the mouth, instantly dispelling the gloom in one's heart.

"What are you thinking about? You're even distracted while eating peanut brittle?"

"I'm thinking about how to stop His Majesty from bestowing a marriage upon the Sixth Prince and Shen Qingshuang."

"Cough cough." Hongxiu choked on the peanut brittle, patting her chest while staring at Chen Chu in disbelief.

"If the Marquis and Shen Qingshuang knew that you secretly prevented this marriage, they would definitely hate you to death."

Shen Chucai was not afraid of Marquis Changning and Shen Qingshuang.

What puzzled her was that if Pei Yuan didn't want to marry Shen Qingshuang, why didn't he refuse His Majesty himself, instead of making her do it indirectly?

Doesn't His Majesty dote on Pei Yuan? Would he really disregard his wishes and force a marriage?

Hongxiu asked, "Young master, have you decided how to stop this marriage?"