Chapter 26 She was born to be so dazzling, so proud…
Chapter 26
At the homecoming banquet, the three of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts, and the meal was tasteless and unappetizing.
Shen Yan was already sulking, and when he saw Shen Suining actually serving food to He Hansheng, he immediately felt that he couldn't eat a single bite of the meal, so he put down his chopsticks.
"What? You finished eating so quickly?" Shen Suining asked, puzzled. After putting a piece of vegetarian food on He Hansheng's plate, she put a chicken leg on Shen Yan's plate and said in a low voice, "They haven't even left the table yet, don't spoil the fun."
When Shen Yan saw the chicken leg in the bowl, his brow relaxed a little, and he picked up his chopsticks again.
He looked at the two people sitting opposite him and suddenly asked, "Did you tell your mother?"
Shen Suining paused, "You didn't say?"
"Your marriage is a major event, so of course you should personally inform your mother of the good news."
"How often can I write to Mother? But you, we've only been away from Yangzhou for a little over a month, and several carrier pigeons land on your window almost every day. You have so much free time, why don't you just mention it when you write to us?"
Shen Yan choked for a moment, probably feeling a little embarrassed for having his shortcomings exposed in front of He Hansheng. "Don't you know your mother's temper?"
“I know, that’s why I’m not writing it,” Shen Suining shrugged. “Otherwise, if I let He Hansheng write it, Mother won’t scold him, and we won’t have to argue with each other.”
Shen Yan thought it made perfect sense, and the father and daughter instantly reached a consensus, both looking at He Hansheng.
"..." He Hansheng put down his chopsticks. "I have already discussed it with my mother. On the tenth of next month, Ningning and I will accompany my father-in-law back to Yangzhou to visit my mother-in-law, and we will stay until we return to Beijing after the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Shen Yan glanced at Shen Suining and hesitated, "This arrangement is certainly good, but it's only the end of June, and there's still half a month until the tenth of next month."
“Half a month is enough time for Mother to make her way to Huadu all by herself.” Shen Suining took over the conversation, and the father and daughter exchanged a glance and sighed at the same time.
Seeing the two of them sighing and looking worried, even the usually fearless Shen Suining showed a troubled expression. He Hansheng couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. "Is it because the wedding date was set too hastily and the mother-in-law wasn't taken into consideration, so she... is unhappy?"
“It’s not because of that. It’s just that Ningning’s mother has always valued her highly. If she knew that she had suddenly married into the capital, I’m afraid she wouldn’t be able to accept it.” Shen Yan waved his hand. “But you don’t need to worry about it. Even though your mother-in-law loves her daughter dearly, she won’t hold a grudge against you.”
Shen Suining chimed in, "He'll just take his anger out on me and Dad."
After the meal, Shen Yan called the two of them to his study.
Xun Zong moved the chessboard over and placed it in the middle. Shen Yan pushed the black pieces to He Hansheng and gestured for him to move.
He Hansheng understood, raised his hand to return the greeting, and picked up a piece to play chess.
Upon seeing this, Shen Suining couldn't help but feel indignant on He Hansheng's behalf, "Father is bullying people again. Apart from when you deliberately send your son to please my mother, who else can be more ruthless than you?"
“You don’t know this. Although your father is invincible in your eyes, he lost quite a few times to your Uncle He back then,” Shen Yan laughed and placed a piece. “As the saying goes, a tiger father will not have a dog son. Since I have some free time today, I will naturally have to learn from Yun Chu.”
He Hansheng lowered his head slightly and said respectfully, "This junior dares not."
Xun Zong brought over some tea and placed it beside him. He poured a cup for Shen Suining and handed it to her, saying, "This is Young Master's favorite Junshan Silver Needle tea."
"Thank you, Uncle Xun," Shen Suining said with a smile as she accepted the gift. She glanced at the direction of the study door, which was wide open, but Jiang Yuchu and Shen Fengyu were positioned guarding it on the left and right. "There are quite a few spies in this family. Even drinking tea in the study during the day, they still have to have someone guarding the door."
"Young Master is exceptionally intelligent; even at home, we must be careful."
Shen Suining took a sip of tea and looked at Shen Yan, "Father, is there something you want to say to us?"
"How do you know?" Shen Yan's mind was on the chessboard. He picked up a piece and pondered for a long time before carefully placing it on the board.
He Hansheng quickly placed another piece, and the two continued to exchange moves, with the situation still unclear.
Shen Suining glanced at the chessboard and said in a low voice, "You sent Pavilion Master Wei of Qianji Pavilion to Yunzhou not long ago. He seems to have returned yesterday. If he hadn't discovered something, why would he have revealed his whereabouts to me?"
Upon hearing the words "Yunzhou," He Hansheng's fingertips paused slightly, and the hand holding the chess piece hovered in mid-air for a moment before slowly descending.
Shen Yan saw it clearly and hummed in agreement, not intending to hide anything. "Wei Zhao went to Yunzhou to investigate the peasant rebellion three years ago that led to the unexpected death of the Marquis of Yong'an. He told me that the so-called rioters reported by the Yunzhou prefect to the central government were just a few families who had fled from a village due to famine. Because of the poor harvest that year, they had no food and went to beg in the streets. The so-called large number of people who were difficult to quell was actually only twenty or thirty people, including the elderly, women, and children. They were completely powerless, but they were falsely reported as urgent military intelligence and sent to the capital."
"That prefect who gave the false military report?"
“He’s dead,” Shen Yan calmly placed his piece. “He died in an accident on his way to Yunzhou to clear the name of the Marquis of Yong’an, without leaving any clues.”
Shen Suining fell into deep thought. Qianji Pavilion was the intelligence department of Shuyu Manor, and it was known in the martial arts world for its ability to find out the untold stories of the world. Even though the pavilion master Wei Zhao personally took action, he could not find many clues. It seemed that the relevant people had already been destroyed and their bodies destroyed.
Shen Yan glanced at He Hansheng, "You don't seem surprised by this."
He Hansheng remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "My father was not a careless person and would not easily fall into an ambush. As early as after the news of his death reached the capital, when I went to look for his remains, I personally investigated this matter in secret."
"That was shortly after the incident. Do you have any other clues?"
He Hansheng shook his head. "Just as my father-in-law said, Liu Chunying, the prefect of Yunzhou at the time, died unexpectedly not long after the urgent report reached the court. We could only find out about the situation of the refugees from a few ordinary people. It was roughly the same as what my father-in-law just said. However, when I went to the place where my father ambushed us, it was a mountain pass surrounded by mountains on two sides. It was extremely narrow, and at most only one group of people could pass through. When I went there, the scene had already been covered up, and I couldn't find any other traces."
Shen Yan remained silent, seemingly restraining his emotions.
Seeing his distress, He Hansheng said softly, "Since my father-in-law has already avoided trouble, he shouldn't have gotten involved in this matter. His spirit in heaven probably wouldn't want to see you so distressed."
“You child, you’re actually trying to comfort me,” Shen Yan smiled bitterly, grabbing a handful of chess pieces and holding them tightly. “Your father and I are both soldiers who fought our way out of the battlefield. We can only die on the battlefield, not in our schemes.”
"father in law……"
“That’s enough, you don’t need to persuade me anymore,” Shen Yan interrupted He Hansheng and looked at Shen Suining. “Ningning, I have a few fine bows in my room that I brought from Yangzhou. They were all carefully crafted by Linrong Pavilion. You and your Uncle Xun can go and pick one out. Consider it a small token of my appreciation as your father-in-law.”
Shen Suining understood that this was an attempt to get rid of her, and grumbled with dissatisfaction, "Why do you have to say things to me in private? You're being so distant."
Although she was unhappy, Shen Suining still obediently got up and followed Xun Zong to Shen Yan's room.
He Hansheng noticed Shen Yan's worry and asked directly, "Is Father-in-law worried about Ningning?"
“Since you’ve figured it out, I probably don’t need to say more,” Shen Yan breathed a sigh of relief. “Ningning is straightforward and has a bit of a temper. Such a personality might be fine for venturing into the martial world, but in the capital, she’s most vulnerable to being tricked by others. His Majesty’s insistence on arranging the marriage and keeping Ningning in the capital is simply to keep me in check. Given Ningning’s personality, I’m afraid she might do something impulsive because of this.”
“I understand, Father-in-law. Ningning is not only the lady of my Yong'an Marquis’s mansion, but also my wife. I will certainly protect her.”
"It's good that you understand," Shen Yan hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Did Feng Yu tell you that Ningning has no sense of pain?"
He Hansheng nodded, "There were some things that I handled improperly, and I hope my father-in-law will not take offense."
“It is my fault for not raising my daughter properly. If Ningning throws any tantrums, I hope you can be more lenient with her for the sake of my friendship with your father,” Shen Yan said solemnly, cupping his hands as if entrusting her with a task. “Ningning is different from ordinary women. She has been roaming the world since she was a child. She is not a hothouse flower that needs constant care. She can single-handedly support half of Shuyu Manor and may even become a future asset to the Marquis’s manor. However, like her mother, she has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She responds better to gentleness than force. If you treat her well and go along with her wishes, even if she doesn’t say it, she will definitely treat you with sincerity and regard you as her life.”
“I understand,” He Hansheng bowed and returned the greeting, “Thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law.”
...
When He Hansheng came out of the Pu She, it was already dark. Shen Suining was already sitting in the carriage waiting for him.
He lifted the curtain and got into the carriage, where he saw the candlelight flickering and Shen Suining leaning against the carriage wall, engrossed in reading a storybook.
"Aren't you going to say hello to your father?" He Hansheng sat down not far from her.
Shen Suining turned to the next page of the storybook without looking up. "My father is a very sentimental person. If I had said goodbye to him before I left, he would probably have been hiding under the covers and secretly wiping away tears tonight."
He Hansheng agreed with this point, saying, "My father-in-law is a man of strong emotions."
Shen Suining glanced at him briefly, then quickly looked away. "So, how did your last game of chess go? Who won?"
“Of course, my father-in-law is better.”
"You let him win, didn't you?" Shen Suining laughed. "With my dad's skills, he's only good enough to play against someone like my mom who's just a beginner and doesn't know the ropes. But he refuses to admit it, insisting that his chess skills are superb and invincible, and that he's never lost to anyone except Lord He. Every time I play against him, if I win, he says I cheated, and if I lose, he says I don't respect him. He's unhappy no matter what. I can only let him win, but I can't let him win too obviously. It's a real headache."
He Hansheng sighed, revealing a look of shared misfortune.
Shen Suining froze, somewhat incredulous, "You... your father doesn't know how to play chess either..."
"Hmm..." He Hansheng pressed his temples, seemingly somewhat helpless, "It's exactly the same. I can't beat him, so I can only rack my brains to make myself lose in a more dignified way."
Shen Suining suddenly realized, "No wonder you were so good at passing the pieces just now, you've been practicing for a long time."
The two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed simultaneously.
“Otherwise, they could become sworn brothers,” Shen Suining laughed so hard she couldn’t stand up straight. “But my father-in-law is still slightly better than my father. When my father plays seriously, the only one he can beat is my mother.”
He Hansheng gazed at Shen Suining, whose eyes were practically slits with a smile, seemingly thoroughly enjoying the rare warmth and harmony between the two.
"Oh, right," Shen Suining stopped laughing and suddenly remembered something, "You...you don't mind that my father secretly sent someone to investigate the cause of my father-in-law's death, do you?"
How could this be?
“That’s good,” Shen Suining picked up the storybook again. “He probably didn’t know you had already become suspicious, but now that he does, he should discuss it with you. Qianji Pavilion doesn’t know much about the network of relationships in Huadu. If you really want to investigate what happened three years ago, I’m afraid you’ll have to take the lead yourself. If you need, I can send some people to you.”
Over the years, He Hansheng has also secretly cultivated a lot of his own power. However, since his identity is in the open, his every move is closely watched. Shen Suining's people, on the other hand, are mostly in the shadows and can be more helpful to him.
His heart warmed, and he sincerely said, "Thank you."
“We’re family, so let’s not be so formal,” Shen Suining said, flipping through the storybook, multitasking. “By the way, have you found out who poisoned the Qionghua Dew last time?”
"The wines at Zuixianlou are all transported into the city from wineries on the outskirts. There are many people and eyes in the wineries, and the wines have to go through several transfers on the way into the city. There are too many opportunities to make a move, but we haven't found anything yet."
“It is indeed a bit tricky,” Shen Suining paused in her turning of the pages, as if she was thinking. “Do you have anyone you suspect? If you can’t find anything by following the clues, you can assume a correct answer first and then look for clues to prove it. That’s one way.”
He Hansheng was silent for a moment, then said, "This method is probably not going to work."
"Why?"
“There are many people in the capital who are targeting me,” He Hansheng said frankly. “If we follow your method, it would be no less than sorting out everyone in the entire capital.”
"..." Shen Suining closed the storybook and looked at He Hansheng with a meaningful look. "It's normal. It's a miracle that you've survived this long with your personality. It's a miracle that your opponents didn't kill you. They're kind of them."
"After enduring it for several days, you finally caught me off guard and gave me a chance to ridicule you," He Han laughed out loud. "Happy now?"
"Stop flattering yourself. It's not like I'm eager to talk to you," Shen Suining rolled her eyes at him and lifted the carriage curtain. "Feng Yu, send a message to Xiao Jiu tomorrow and tell her to bring her team to see me."
Shen Fengyu was somewhat surprised, "Young Master, Xiao Jiu and the others are the trump cards that Madam left for you to protect your life in the capital. They are not to be used unless absolutely necessary, you..."
"The poison has already been administered to the Marquis of Yong'an's residence, so why isn't it necessary? Do we have to wait until our lives are hanging by a thread before we talk about saving our lives?" Shen Suining took out her young master's token from her waist and handed it to Shen Fengyu. "Just in case, you go find her yourself."
Once the token was issued, Shen Fengyu knew there was no point in trying to persuade her further, and could only agree.
"You..." He Hansheng, who had witnessed the whole thing, had a slightly complicated expression. "I can still handle it now. You should keep the life-saving charm your mother gave you for now."
"Don't misunderstand me. I just don't want Sister Miao to stay by the Princess's side forever. Besides, if the person who poisoned me isn't found out, it will eventually be a hidden danger for me as well. I don't want to be poisoned to death before I can settle things with you."
“However, He Hansheng,” Shen Suining suddenly called out to him, her expression somewhat smug, “don’t you feel now that you’re incredibly petty compared to me? And aren’t you now extremely regretful that you didn’t get along with me better from the beginning?”
The moment the carriage stopped in front of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion, the sound of the wheels ceased, and the world seemed to fall silent, with only the candlelight still flickering gently.
He Hansheng stared at the smug expression on the man's face.
To be fair, her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, seemingly born with a natural talent for love. Now, the candlelight, like stars falling into her eyes, added a subtle curve that made them even more captivating.
It seems that she was born to be so dazzling, so proud, and so beautiful.
But what He Hansheng was thinking at that moment, he probably didn't even know himself.
He just chuckled softly and muttered to himself, "It's not too late now."
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