Prince Yueqing thanked the two of them, took a step forward, then turned back and pointed at the painting on the ground.
"Such a beautiful painting, why did the two girls burn it?"
The two looked at each other and sighed, "This is the eldest daughter. Unfortunately, she disappeared for some reason. The lady was afraid that the master would be sad, so she ordered the portraits to be burned."
Gone?
Prince Yueqing sneered in his heart. He didn't believe that there was such a coincidence, and he didn't see that Chen Huai was sad at all.
Otherwise, with Shen Huai's ability, it is impossible that he didn't know that his daughter was in Fengyue Tower.
But Fengyue Tower is in the capital, why doesn’t Yanran come back by herself?
I went to Chen Huai's study with doubts. When Chen Huai heard the report, he came out in person to welcome the person in.
Chen Huai closed the study door and knelt on the ground to apologize without waiting for Prince Yueqing to speak.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. I don't know why Qi An has not left the Dali Temple yet."
Logically speaking, the late emperor had abolished the serious crime of killing nine generations of a clan, so the emperor could not have any reason to keep him in custody.
"I don't know?" Prince Yueqing sat down in front of the long table, staring at Chen Huai with a half-smile in his eyes, "Isn't the Dali Temple Minister your father-in-law? You can find out by asking."
Chen Huai's face showed a bitter expression. "Your Highness said he didn't know. I heard that the person in charge of this matter was the newly appointed Dali Temple Shaoqing, not my father-in-law."
"Besides, my father-in-law didn't like the Shen family very much after his wife died. Plus, the eldest daughter's whereabouts are unknown. If it weren't for the wife I married later, I'm afraid the Du family wouldn't even recognize me as their son-in-law."
Prince Yueqing simply nodded, and after a while he spoke, "It's easy for Lord Shen to ask for my forgiveness. Why not give your daughter to me as a concubine?"
"This," Chen Huai declined cautiously, "Yu'er is too delicate to be of interest to His Majesty. If Your Majesty likes her, I will find her for you."
Yu'er has been spoiled since she was a child, and Prince Yueqing is a cruel man. How could he bear to let his little daughter suffer?
Prince Yueqing chuckled, "Your little daughter is certainly not worthy of my attention, but don't you still have your eldest daughter? Otherwise, I doubt whether you are sincere in wanting to help me."
Hearing that they were not asking for his youngest daughter, Shen Huai breathed a sigh of relief, but when he heard about his eldest daughter, he began to have a headache again. He didn't even know whether his eldest daughter was dead or alive, so how could he know where she was?
But if I don't agree, I'm afraid King Yueqing won't let me go.
"Your Highness, I don't know where my eldest daughter has gone."
"I don't know?" Prince Yueqing stood up. "Is it that Lord Shen didn't put his heart into it? I'm waiting for Lord Shen to send my daughter to my palace. Otherwise..."
…
In Du Lin's yard.
Shen Yuzheng muttered with dissatisfaction, "Mom, do you think that bitch's daughter is dead now? You obviously hate her so much, and Daddy doesn't like her either, so why are you still worried that Daddy will be sad when he sees his portrait?"
Du Lin held her daughter's hand and said disapprovingly, "Didn't mother teach you not to show your joy on your face? Your father can hate her, but we can't say it out loud, understand?"
She knew too well what Shen Huai liked about her. Doing this would not only win Shen Huai's favor, but also make that bitch and her annoying daughter disappear together.
In this way, my daughter can become the eldest daughter of the Shen family and the only granddaughter of the Du family.
"I understand," Shen Yu nodded obediently, "the bitch's daughter will no longer occupy the position of the eldest lady after her death."
At this time, hearing people outside say that Chen Huai was coming, Du Lin winked at her daughter, then stood up with a smile to greet Chen Huai.
"How did you find time to come here, Master? I thought you were seduced by that vixen."
Du Lin's words, which seemed to be both resentful and angry, made Chen Huai smile and walked forward to take her hand. "I didn't go. A foxy girl is no match for a good wife like you."
The two of them entered the room talking and laughing. After Shen Yu greeted them, he stood up and poured tea for them.
"Our Yu'er is really becoming more and more sensible."
Shen Yu raised her chin slightly, "My daughter has always been very sensible. My mother was afraid that my father would be sad, so she burned all the portraits of my elder sister. My daughter also wants to think about her father like my mother does."
Chen Huai looked at Du Lin with a distressed look on his face, "Thank you for your hard work over the years. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid the Du family wouldn't even recognize me."
"Master, as long as you know that everything I have done for you is worth it."
Shen Huai only sat for a while before standing up and leaving.
When passing by the corridor, I happened to see Qingrong being scolded by the maid in the garden.
"Bitch, this is the lady's garden, how can you come here?"
Qingrong heard the approaching footsteps and curled her lips imperceptibly.
Then he said aggrievedly: "I just want to take a look. If it doesn't work, I'll leave."
The maid was furious and spat, "A foxy girl is a foxy girl, she acts like I'm bullying you."
As he said this, he raised his hand and wanted to touch Qingrong's face.
"Stop." As soon as Shen Huai's voice came out, the maid quickly withdrew her hand and saluted in fear and trepidation.
"Master," Qingrong raised her head, tears streaming down her face, looking so pitiful.
"I am the one given to you by the Emperor. I have no choice but to come to the Chen Mansion. If you and your wife don't want to see me, I will go back to my own courtyard."
Her appearance was already endearing, and her cat-like crying made Shen Huai unable to utter a word of blame.
"Don't be disrespectful to Aunt Rong in the future, otherwise I won't care whether you are Madam's maid or not."
After all, he was sent by the emperor. If the emperor makes a fuss about it, he will definitely be in big trouble.
I haven't figured out Qingrong's background yet, so I can't offend her easily.
The maid was indignant, but she didn't dare to refute.
"Thank you, Master, for taking charge of this concubine. From now on, I will stay in the courtyard obediently."
After saying this, Qingrong wiped away her tears and ran away feeling aggrieved.
In an instant, the sweet fragrance from her body penetrated into Shen Huai's nostrils.
Chen Huai looked at the slender figure going away, and when he came to his senses, he found a handkerchief lying at his feet. He bent down to pick up the handkerchief on the ground. The familiar fragrance made him know who dropped it without asking.
He tucked his handkerchief into his sleeve and turned away.
…
"Auntie, how can you say you won't go out in the future? How can you still be favored like this?"
Returning to the remote courtyard, the maid said with some regret.
Qingrong just drank her tea quietly without saying anything.
She said she would not go out in the future, but the handkerchief she dropped on purpose was not just for fun.
Chen Huai had only two choices after picking up the handkerchief: either give it to her or get rid of it directly.
After all, the maid will definitely tell Du Lin about what happened in the garden just now. Given Du Lin's temper, she will definitely start making trouble again, and then push Shen Huai to her.
As Qingrong expected, the maid did tell Du Lin about this matter.
"Madam, I just said a few words to that bitch, and she started crying, as if I had bullied her."
The maidservant felt more and more aggrieved as she spoke. She was a maidservant in Du Lin's courtyard, and had never been scolded like this by the master before.
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