Chapter 21 The siblings, enveloped in his warmth, gently surrounded him...
Shen Xi had only gone halfway when her knees became unbearably painful, so she stopped to rest for a moment. When she looked up again, Jiang was already chatting enthusiastically with a noblewoman, and had no time to pay attention to her.
Fortunately, she calculated the time and realized it was still early before the banquet started, so she felt relieved and moved to the pavilion behind the artificial hill to rest.
Qingqiu gently massaged her knees: "Miss, I'll go to the clinic to ask about that prescription when I get back. Dragging this out isn't a solution; what if it really is..."
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but Qingqiu was unwilling to continue, fearing that her words might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Shen Xi smiled nonchalantly: "Okay, whatever you say."
"We've walked for so long today, how can you possibly endure this? This palace banquet is really ill-timed," Qingqiu complained subconsciously.
Shen Xi frowned and stopped her from continuing: "Be careful what you say."
Although she was puzzled as to why everyone had to bring their families to palace banquets, thinking about it in her heart was one thing, but saying it out loud was another.
Qingqiu also realized something was wrong: "This servant knows she was wrong."
"Don't you realize you're wrong?"
Suddenly, a clear and charming female voice fell along with Qingqiu's words.
Shen Xi and Qing Qiu exchanged a surprised glance and looked in the direction of the sound.
Behind the interlacing shadows of the artificial rocks, figures appeared, with one figure in magnificent attire standing tall, surrounded by a crowd of admirers. Adorned with gold and jade, she was clearly pampered and spoiled. With her chin slightly raised, she looked down at the person slumped at her feet.
The man was about the same age as her, but dressed much more simply, with only a hairpin lightly tied behind his ear. He lowered his head and listened silently as she vented her dissatisfaction.
After a brief standoff, the old nanny hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed the young girl in her magnificent palace dress, carefully advising, "Fifth Princess, it's getting late. If we don't go back soon, the Empress Dowager will be worried."
Upon hearing this, the Fifth Princess frowned, unwilling to let it go: "But she offended me first, why should we just let it go like this!"
Having served in the palace for many years, the old nanny was a shrewd woman; how could she not see that this little rascal was being unreasonable?
But the fifth princess was, after all, the only child left behind, and both the emperor and the empress dowager doted on her. So they could only go along with it: "Your Highness, the thirteenth princess cannot speak. Why bother arguing with a mute?"
The Fifth Princess persisted: "So what if she's mute? Does being mute give her the right to disrespect me? I don't care, she must kneel and kowtow three times and admit her mistake, or I'll drag her to the court flogging department and beat her!"
The old woman glanced at the ground and was immediately troubled. This thirteenth princess's birth mother was an unknown palace maid. Not only was she of low birth, but she herself was born unable to speak. She had been abandoned in the cold palace for so many years to fend for herself, and yet she had managed to survive.
But no matter what, the title of princess still exists, and the nanny wouldn't be foolish enough to actually do anything to the fifth princess. If she were to offend the emperor, it would be a responsibility she couldn't bear.
Just then, someone walked by and said, "Little Wu, what are you doing here? The Empress Dowager is sending people everywhere looking for you."
The newcomer walked with a leisurely gait, holding a jade-shaped folding fan, and slowly strolled closer without even looking at the person on the ground.
The Fifth Princess instantly went from anger to joy, quickly ran forward, took his arm, and exclaimed excitedly, "Fourth Brother! Why aren't you with Father Emperor? Why are you here instead?"
Shen Xi, who was behind the artificial hill, saw the person's face clearly and was startled when she heard the address. She had personally seen this person discussing matters with Xie Chengyan at Wangxian Tower.
Is it actually the fourth prince?
This person has always been idle and inactive, never participating in factional struggles, and has no intention of assisting the Crown Prince. So why is Xie Chengyan walking with him?
Shen Xi hurriedly retreated, hiding his figure in the crevices of the artificial hill.
"Isn't it all because she's looking for you?" Chu Chengji glanced at the artificial hill beside him, his tone languid. "The Empress Dowager hasn't seen you for a long time, so she couldn't sit still any longer. That's why she sent me out to look for her too."
Fifth Princess Chu Yi playfully stuck out her tongue and said wittily, "Alright, let's go back with Fourth Brother."
Chu Chengji raised his hand and gently stroked the bridge of her nose: "Don't run around today, I don't want to come out looking for you again."
"Okay, Fourth Brother, you're so long-winded!"
Chu Yi instantly forgot about the mess behind her and left directly with Chu Chengji. The old nanny finally breathed a sigh of relief and, not wanting to cause trouble for herself, hurriedly followed the little darling.
After the group had gone far away, Princess Chu Tingshuang slowly got up from the ground. Her clothes were inevitably stained. When she raised her hand, she was restrained by the pain and couldn't help but frown. Only then did she realize that her elbow had been scraped and was bleeding slightly.
But she only glanced at it indifferently, seemingly unconcerned, as if it were commonplace. She casually brushed the mud off her clothes and gave up when she saw it was of no use.
Suddenly, a plain handkerchief was handed to me.
She looked up in surprise and saw an unfamiliar face. The features were clear and bright, and the clothes were tasteful yet understated, more elegant than Chu Yi's gold and jade attire. The only bright spot was a crimson ribbon hanging from her black hair.
Seeing that Chu Tingshuang didn't move, Shen Xi handed the handkerchief forward again: "Wipe yourself."
Chu Ting Shuang eyed Shen Xi warily, remaining silent, tilting her head slightly, and raising an eyebrow to express her confusion.
Shen Xi, recalling that she had just been unable to speak, pointed to her elbow: "Your Highness, can I help you?"
Chu Tingshuang didn't appreciate it. She turned away from her movements, stared at her with her dark pupils for a couple of seconds, and then turned and left without any reaction.
They didn't care about her help at all.
Upon seeing this, Qingqiu immediately became angry: "How can there be such a person?"
Shen Xi didn't mind. She put away the handkerchief. It was just a moment of pity. If she didn't appreciate it, that was her business. Shen Xi didn't care.
As he lowered his eyes, a glance out of the corner of his eye revealed a hairpin lying on the ground. It wasn't a fashionable style, and it looked old-fashioned. He figured it must have been left by the thirteenth princess.
Shen Xi bent down, picked it up, and handed it to Qing Qiu: "Take it to the Thirteenth Princess."
Qingqiu already had a bad impression of her, and thinking about having to leave Shenxi alone again, she hesitated and said, "Miss, you..."
"It's alright, I'll head to the main hall first. If I delay any longer, I might miss the appointed time."
Qingqiu couldn't refuse, so this was the right thing to do.
*
Inside the hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense. Before the emperor arrived, people gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.
Shen Wangchen pressed his temples hard again and clenched his teeth. For some reason, he had been feeling dizzy since he stepped into the hall, and the longer he stayed, the worse it became. Now, his head was throbbing with pain.
He is always cautious in such situations, and he never touches the food or drinks unless absolutely necessary. Up until now, he has not even touched the tea on the table.
"What happened?"
Shen Guangjun noticed that something was wrong with him; his face was pale. He asked in a low voice.
Shen Wangchen shook his head with effort: "It's probably because it's too stuffy here, I feel a little dizzy."
Just as he finished speaking, a scholar-like figure happened to pass by and suggested, "It's still early, why don't you go out for some fresh air and rest for a while, young Master Shen?"
Shen Wangchen was about to refuse, but the other party did not give him the chance and summoned a palace maid: "Take Lord Shen to the side hall to rest for a while."
The dull pain in his head left Shen Wangchen no time to refuse. He recognized the other party as a retainer of Prince Tan and used the last bit of clarity in his mind to make a calculation.
The Shen family was just an insignificant nobody, not even worth Tan Wang's time to scheme against. So he lowered his guard a little and, under their arrangement, was half-helped and half-invited out of the main hall.
Seeing him leave, Prince Tan, standing below the Danbi steps, frowned deeply.
The retainer calmed Shen Guangjun down with a few words, then returned to Prince Tan's side with composure, lowering his voice.
"Your Highness, rest assured, that person was an accident. Perhaps he was born with an overly sensitive sense of smell. This medicine was specially tested on hundreds of people. It seeped into their bones and blood without them even realizing it, and only took effect after an hour when stimulated by alcohol. Ordinary people would never experience the effects so early."
Upon hearing this, King Tan cautiously glanced around and, seeing that no one else seemed amiss, breathed a sigh of relief.
Little did they know, Xie Chengyan had seen all their movements. He sat down beside the Crown Prince with his father, but his gaze was silently sweeping across the entire hall, seemingly unintentionally glancing at every unusual movement.
However, after looking around again, he still couldn't see that figure, and gently rubbed his fingertips together.
He didn't notice when he saw the little maid named Qingqiu enter the hall and quietly head towards the women's seats.
But after only a moment, the little maid hurriedly ran out again. Xie Chengyan frowned and glanced at the women's seats again, but that person still hadn't appeared.
"With Chengyan here, why don't we join forces..." Crown Prince Chu Chengbo was still enthusiastically planning the winter hunt when he saw Xie Chengyan suddenly get up and asked in surprise, "Hey, Chengyan, where are you going?"
Xie Chengyan nodded slightly: "Your Majesty has not arrived for a long time, so I will go out and take a look."
Chu Chengbo was taken aback upon hearing this, then nodded: "Indeed, why is Father Emperor so late today?"
Amidst the Crown Prince's puzzled murmurs, Xie Chengyan said no more, turned around, and strode away from his seat.
After parting ways with Qingqiu, Shenxi continued along the palace road they had come from toward the main hall. Fortunately, there weren't many twists and turns, and the golden hall was soon in front of them.
But just under the last section of the corridor before the main hall, Shen Xi bumped into Shen Wangchen.
In public, he always appeared gentle and composed, but at this moment, Shen Xi could clearly see that his brows were furrowed, his two fingers were pressed tightly against his temples, his expression was pained, and his steps were unsteady, unlike his usual clear-headed state.
Shen Xi was startled and stopped in his tracks: "Big Brother?"
Hearing the familiar soft call, Shen Wangchen looked up at her, his eyes clouded. He became increasingly disoriented, feeling as if a thread was pulling him down, his mind hazy, everything before him like a dream.
Hallucination?
It was indeed an illusion; he actually saw Shen Xi, his half-sister by name.
But everyone in the Shen family knew that she was an illegitimate child whose father was unknown. For the sake of the Shen family's reputation, her father kept this secret to himself, insisting that Shen Xi was his biological daughter, and thus cut off all possibilities between him and her.
For the sake of their reputation, they could only live their lives as siblings.
They are imprisoned there, with no hope of ever escaping.
He hated all of this, hated the Shen family, hated the so-called reputation, but he couldn't escape or avoid it.
As Shen Wangchen thought this, he suddenly felt the unbearable pain subside. In his blurred vision, the world lost its color, leaving only Shen Xi and the red ribbon behind her, which was being lifted by the breeze.
By the way, this was his hallucination.
In this illusion, he didn't care about siblings or human relationships; only here could he truly be in control of everything.
Driven by instinct, Shen Wangchen stepped forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Before Shen Xi could even speak, she felt a heavy weight pressing down on her and staggered back several steps.
With a bang, the door to the side hall behind them was kicked open, and Shen Wangchen forcefully pushed her inside before locking it behind him.
Shen Xi realized something was wrong and immediately began to struggle violently.
"Shen Wangchen! Are you insane? What are you doing! This is Yuqing Palace!"
But Shen Wangchen had long lost his reason and was sinking deeper and deeper into this illusion, making all of Shen Xi's resistance seem justified to him.
This is the real Shen Xi; even in his hallucinations, he will not obediently listen.
With lowered eyes and a slight smile, Shen Wangchen led the person down onto the soft couch.
Shen Xi instantly curled up into a ball, looking at him in disbelief, but his eyes were already glazed over, showing no sign of clarity.
Before she could escape, Shen Wangchen leaned down and pressed down again. The natural difference in strength made any move by Shen Xi seem like a drop in the ocean.
"Shen Wangchen!" In the midst of the chaos, Shen Xi slapped him hard across the face.
But Shen Wangchen seemed oblivious, easily pressing down on that hand and clasping it tightly above his head.
Seeing that all resistance was futile, Shen Xi panicked instantly, a sense of despair welling up from the bottom of her heart. She turned her head to look for any weapon she could use.
Suddenly, her blank mind came to its senses, and with her other hand, she yanked out the hairpin with a hidden blade in her hair. With a flash of cold light, Shen Xi was left only with the instinct to survive. Without thinking, she raised it high towards Shen Wangchen's neck.
He then closed his eyes and stabbed down without hesitation.
But the next instant, she felt a gust of wind pass by, and suddenly felt resistance on her hands. The weight pressing down on her body also disappeared in that instant.
With a muffled thud, as if something heavy had fallen, the palace doors, which Shen Wangchen had just locked, swung open. Amidst the biting winter wind, she caught a whiff of the ebony's fragrance.
She opened her eyes trembling. His broad figure blocked the cold wind that rushed in. He leaned down slightly, and the cloak behind him cascaded down his shoulders and back, enveloping her in warmth.
She heard the soft sound of blood dripping to the ground, and Shen Xi looked down in a daze. Xie Chengyan had actually blocked the blade she was about to stab at Shen Wangchen with his bare hands. Her palm trembled, and she subconsciously let go of the hairpin.
Xie Chengyan lowered his eyes, took the blood-stained dagger and tossed it aside, sighing in a slightly cool voice: "Didn't I tell you, you have to hold onto what you're holding tightly?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a tear suddenly fell, hot and scalding, landing on his palm, mingling with his blood, and meandering down his fingertips.
Xie Chengyan paused abruptly.
Before Shen Xi could recover from the shock, his eyes remained unblinking as tears unexpectedly dripped into his palm.
He subconsciously reached out, wanting to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes with his fingertips, but the moment he touched them, Xie Chengyan paused, turned his wrist away, and instead used the clean back of his fingers to gently wipe away the tear.
He is not Shen Wangchen.
He knew perfectly well that the person in front of him was Shen Xi, his future sister-in-law.
But what has Xie Wenlang, that good-for-nothing, done?
In his past life, he failed to protect her, forcing her to jump off a cliff and commit suicide. In this life, he not only failed to obtain a marriage contract, but also remained oblivious when she was in danger, enjoying himself freely from behind several palace walls.
Xie Chengyan felt an unprecedented, indescribable emotion surge in his chest, which he forcibly suppressed, his eyes darkening.
This was the last time he would help her.
A note from the author:
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The next chapter is going to be a paid chapter! There will be a 10,000-word update tomorrow morning! [droopy-eared bunny head]
I've gently placed down two pre-orders; please add them to your favorites (Please, just one of them! [Please])
"She Won't Be the White Moonlight" [A sly, mad dog forcibly takes away a gentle married woman]
When Cheng Zhuoyan accompanied her husband to the capital for business, she inadvertently offended Lu Sui.
Lu Sui was the Marquis of Dingyuan in the current dynasty. At a young age, he became a close minister of the emperor, enjoying immense prestige and maintaining his integrity.
The only thing he looked at was his unexpectedly dark gaze.
It was only later that I learned that Lu Sui had been engaged to Meng Jingtang, the youngest daughter of Prince Duan. Unfortunately, the Prince's family was loyal and brave, and many years ago, the entire family died for their country, with no one surviving.
That person was the white moonlight in his heart.
And she looks exactly like Meng Jingtang.
She thought the two were just connected by a coincidence, but on the day she left the capital, Lu Sui used swift and decisive means to detain her husband.
In the dim light, Lu Sui leaned down and stroked her face inch by inch with his fingertips: "I can let him go, but you stay and be my wife."
"Keep me here because I look like her, right?"
Lu Sui's eyes churned, and the two fingers gripping her chin tightened suddenly: "No."
Cheng Zhuoyan naturally didn't believe it.
She knew that Lu Sui regarded Meng Jingtang as a celestial being in the clouds and the moon, while she was nothing but mud on the ground and roadside grass, contemptible and clumsy, not worthy of being presented on stage, and barely even a substitute.
But in the end, she was forced to submit to him.
From then on, he lowered his status and followed Lu Sui's preferences, forced to imitate Meng Jingtang's every move.
However, Lu Sui covered her eyes, his breath hot and his malice making her unbearable, but his tone was cold: "She's all form and no spirit. She's never been like this before."
*
Cheng Zhuoyan gritted her teeth, enduring all the ridicule for her poor imitation, and occasionally she would secretly pray: "Whether it is true or not, just forget about her."
Only then can she feel better.
Until one day, Lu Sui was drunk and, in his hazy state, he grabbed her wrist: "Mingyou, don't go."
Mingyou was Meng Jingtang's childhood name.
Meng Jingtang was ultimately a mountain she could never overcome.
After plotting for many days, Cheng Zhuoyan finally escaped from her prison and returned home to find her husband.
However, upon opening the long-awaited gate, one sees the Marquis's soldiers, their armor gleaming coldly against the snow, crowding the entire courtyard.
Behind the gleaming swords and spears, only one person stood with his hands behind his back, his face ashen—it was Lu Sui.
That night, the red candles flickered, her clothes were disheveled, and he gripped her ankle tightly as he leaned in, his eyes fierce.
"These legs are really disobedient."
"You care about him that much? Since you haven't learned your lesson, then tonight you'll use your body to remember who your husband is."
*
Lu Sui knew very well that every time Cheng Zhuoyan said "forget her," she was saying goodbye to him.
But he refused.
They could only be separated by death, not by life.
Consumption Guide:
1. Double C, he
2. Early on, it's a story of forceful acquisition; later, it's a dramatic tale of chasing after one's wife. Readers beware of this melodramatic plot.
3. The male and female leads are not perfect characters.
4. No stand-ins, always 1v1
--------------------------------
After being coveted by her elder brother for many years, [pseudo-siblings] [forced marriage]
Pei Wan was the youngest daughter of the Pei family who had been separated from her family since childhood. She had not received proper upbringing from a noble family and her behavior was not very elegant. On the day she was recognized by her ancestors, the entire Pei family came to laugh at her.
She huddled timidly in the corner, surrounded by relatives and elders, but she only remembered one person—Pei Xun, her eldest brother.
Pei Xun was a man of few words, young and promising, unlike his other brothers who were immature and always liked to bully her.
He was steady and composed, as steadfast as a pine tree and as pure as jade. His gaze toward her was always calm and serene, as if he saw thousands of people as if they were plants and trees. He was the elder brother whom everyone respected.
Pei Wan looked up to him in return, approaching him cautiously, unable to drive him away or push him away.
More important than the admiration in her heart was that no one dared to bully her when she was by Pei Xun's side.
Over time, she became Pei Xun's little shadow, always following this elder brother who didn't like to laugh.
Even though he was the strictest person in the Pei family towards her.
If anyone makes even the slightest mistake, he will take out that ruler, slowly clench it in his palm, and press down with his merciless gaze: "Kneel down, and put your hand out."
She was most afraid of him looking like this.
If you write a word wrong, you'll get a slap on the palm.
If you come back late from playing with your second brother, you'll get a spanking.
She was punished by having her hands slapped for helping her sister deliver a letter to the young master of the Shen family.
Pei Wan had no choice but to try every possible way to please Pei Xun in order to avoid being punished.
When the truth that she was not of Pei family blood was revealed, Pei Wan felt a chill run down her spine. Given her elder brother's strictness, her hand was likely to be crippled this time.
Just then, Pei Wan heard that Pei Xun had made a marriage agreement and would soon be marrying his elder sister-in-law. Without hesitation, she left a letter wishing the two a long and happy marriage, and then secretly fled the capital.
*
That night, Pei Wan returned home under the moonlight.
Pushing open the door, she saw Pei Xun, who was supposed to be getting married in the capital.
His expression was indifferent, and in his well-defined hands he held the ruler he used to punish her, just as he used to coldly reprimand her when she made a mistake.
To her alarm, the ruler suddenly struck her.
"My little sister has grown up and now she wants to leave her brother."
"But do you think I'll always be your good older brother? Tell me, how should I punish you this time?"
Consumption Guide:
① 1v1, both partners are virgins, happy ending
② Forced acquisition and robbery plot, melodramatic warning.
③The dynasty is fictional; please do not delve too deeply into its details.
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