Chapter 269 Could it be that Shen Chu likes Pei Yuan? We beg Your Majesty to grant us a marriage.

Before Shen Chu could react, Luo Heng continued:

“I know you have your own ideas and things you want to do, and I won’t stop you.”

But it's dangerous for you to fight alone in the court. I will stay by your side, waiting for you and protecting you.

Whenever you're tired or weary, I'll be there to support you.

I only ask of you, if one day you regain your female identity, can we...?

Shen Chu was somewhat taken aback, and after the initial shock came a sense of unease.

Although they had sworn brotherhood together and gone through some things together, they had only known each other for a little over four months.

How could Luo Heng like her?

She stiffly withdrew her hand, somewhat hastily interrupting Luo Heng.

"Brother, I've always considered you my elder brother; I've never thought of anything else."

Besides, I am now an official appointed by the imperial court, and the future... is uncertain. I will not consider matters of personal affection for the time being.

Luo Heng's expression changed slightly. He clenched his hand on the table, then casually put it back.

He rubbed his face and burst into laughter.

"Haha, Ah Chu, you didn't actually take what you just said seriously, did you? I was just kidding."

He looked at Shen Chu with a smile on his face.

“Your escape from the fire this time was extremely dangerous. I was afraid it would leave you with a mental block, so I tried to tease you in various ways.”

Ah Chu, don't misunderstand, I didn't mean anything by it. This jade Buddha is really a peace charm I prayed for you.

"Take this. I'll get one for Chengxuan and Ajun another day, and we'll each have one then."

As he spoke, he picked up the jade Buddha, stood up, and approached Shen Chu.

"This was personally blessed by the abbot of Jingguo Temple. Listen to me, I'll put it on for you."

Chen Chu thanked him for his kindness and reached out to take the jade Buddha.

"As the saying goes, men wear Guanyin and women wear Buddha. This jade Buddha is engraved with Maitreya Buddha, and it usually appears in pairs with the smiling Guanyin."

If I'm not mistaken, this should be a pair of jade Buddhas separated from each other.

Luo Heng paused for a moment.

Shen Chu placed the jade Buddha into the box and, with a smile, returned it to Luo Heng's hand.

"If I were a man, I would happily accept a smiling Guanyin statue if my elder brother gave me one."

But since my elder brother knows I am a woman, it would be really inappropriate for him to accept this pair of jade Buddhas.

"I appreciate your kind offer, brother. Please take the jade Buddha back with you. When you meet a girl you like someday, you can give it to my future sister-in-law. Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Luo Heng tightened his grip on the box slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then smiled.

“What A-Chu said is polite. I will take back this jade Buddha and give A-Chu a laughing Guanyin another day.”

Ah Chu can't refuse to accept it then.

Chen Chu breathed a sigh of relief.

“Okay, Ah Chu will definitely accept it. We’ll also invite Cheng Xuan and Ah Jun to bring the same jade Buddha.”

-------

When Shen Chu returned to Rongbaozhai, he threw the box containing the jade Buddha onto the table with a sullen face.

The box slammed onto the table with a dull thud.

The two became even more upset.

A slender, delicate hand reached out, took out the jade Buddha, looked at it, and chuckled.

Luo Heng frowned and looked over with displeasure.

"Why are you here? Is the Crown Prince's palace very quiet these days?"

Wanqiu bent down and sat opposite her, sighing with a smile.

"The Crown Prince has been imprisoned in the Eastern Palace. At this time, who would dare to go to the Eastern Palace?"

Now, even the buzzing of mosquitoes can be heard clearly in the East Palace.

The crown prince, fearing that more incriminating evidence would be uncovered against him, dismissed all the maids and servants.

Wanqiu pointed to the bundle on the ground, "Well, this servant has no choice but to pack up and come to rely on you, young master."

Luo Heng pondered for a moment, "Very well, the reason I let you enter the Eastern Palace was to pave the way for my business and to find out more information."

Now that my position in the Luo family is secure and I've found out who my enemies are, there's little point in you staying in the Eastern Palace any longer.

I'll have the servants arrange a room for you in a bit; you can settle in first.

Wanqiu's eyes brightened, but she quickly concealed her emotions and smiled as she shook the box in her hand.

"The young master's jade Buddha hasn't been given away yet. It seems that this young master Shen is much smarter and more cautious than I imagined."

Luo Heng's face immediately turned extremely ugly.

"You're happy that I didn't deliver the item?"

Wanqiu shook her head. "No, but Young Master seems very unhappy. You haven't really fallen for Chen Chu, have you?"

"How could that be?" Luo Heng denied it outright. "I know very well what I want. I want Pei Yuan to suffer a fate worse than death."

Before I avenge this great wrong, I will not discuss any personal matters, not even those of my lover.

A complex expression flashed across Wanqiu's eyes.

"If you don't like Chen Chu, why do you look so unhappy, young master?"

Luo Heng's eyes flickered slightly.

"I just don't understand. In terms of appearance, I'm not bad-looking, am I? In terms of temperament, I'm steady, considerate, and attentive to others."

What's more, we share a secret: someone like me, with such deep affection, was rejected by Shen Chu.

I'd like to see what kind of person she actually likes.

Luo Heng stroked his chin, a hint of conquering desire rising in his eyes.

"Does she like someone like Pei Yuan? What makes me inferior to Pei Yuan?"

Wanqiu listened quietly to him finish speaking, then shook her head and said, "In this servant's eyes, the young master is naturally the best."

Now that Shen Chu has rejected you, what do you plan to do, young master?

Luo Heng stroked his chin, remaining silent.

According to his observation, although Shen Chu rejected him, she also did not agree to anything from Pei Yuan.

As long as Pei Yuan doesn't discover her true identity as a woman, he has plenty of room to maneuver.

His gaze fell on the Maitreya Buddha on the jade Buddha, and a smile appeared on his lips.

You want to laugh at Guanyin, right?

Then let's give Shen Chu a Laughing Guanyin statue.

------

The next morning, before Shen Chu had even left the house, Li Anning arrived with his entourage.

Four servants followed behind, carrying two full boxes of tonics and medicinal herbs.

"These are all for Lord Shen to replenish his energy and calm his mind. I personally selected them; they are all top-quality medicinal herbs."

"So this is the great gift Miss Li mentioned yesterday. Your family is too kind. So many precious medicinal herbs. I, Chen Chu, am truly unworthy of such a gift."

Upon hearing this, Li Anning blinked and couldn't help but laugh.

"That's not the big gift I was talking about."

Shen Chu asked in confusion, "These medicinal herbs are already valuable enough, could there be some other great gift?"

Li Anning nodded, "This grand gift needs to be delivered by my father and brother in person."

Chen Chu was completely confused.

"What kind of grand gift requires both the Marquis and the Heir Apparent to deliver it?"

Li Anning fiddled with the long whip at her waist, a blush rising on her face, displaying the quintessential girlish charm.

But she wasn't one to be coy, and after her initial shyness, she spoke frankly:

“My father and brother went to the palace to see His Majesty and begged him to grant us a marriage.”

What?

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in his ears, leaving Shen Chu stunned and speechless.

Is she having such a lucky streak in love lately?

No, that's not the point.

The key point is that His Majesty must absolutely not grant us a marriage.

Once the marriage is arranged, she's finished.

With a look of anxiety, Shen Chu asked Li Anning, "How long have the Marquis and the Heir Apparent been in the palace?"

Li Anning said, "They entered the palace before I left, and they should have already met His Majesty by now."

Shen Chu's legs went weak!

We're doomed!