Chapter 402 The Shen Family
After Li Mingxiu finished speaking, Lin Changning, along with the other two, got up and quietly followed behind Li Mingxiu.
Even though Li Mingxiu and his companions are always accompanied by guards and bodyguards at such private banquets, accidents can still happen. Therefore, Lin Changning stays with them to ensure their safety.
Following Li Mingxiu to the inner courtyard, Lin Changning and Qi Rong went to meet the noble ladies chatting there. After exchanging a few polite words with the princess of the royal palace, they were dismissed.
Lin Changning followed Li Mingxiu to a garden behind the inner courtyard. When they arrived, they found that several maids had already set up a pavilion. Lin Changning squinted and looked around. In the middle of the lake in the distance, there was a long pavilion with a canopy.
The sound of women laughing and joking came from inside. Lin Changning glanced at the pavilion knowingly. The two pavilions were not far apart, and if she lifted the curtain, she could see the people outside.
A group of unmarried young women were waiting in the pavilion. Through the faint curtains, Lin Changning could vaguely see some of the women pointing and whispering at them.
"Tsk, how about we play a game of 'Flying Flowers'?"
Lin Changning shook his head vigorously: "Your Highness, you can play with those things. I don't really understand them."
Qi Rong looked at Lin Changning and shook his head as well: "Big brother knows, I've never liked those things since I was little."
Li Mingde sat on the stone bench, propping his head up with his hand: "I won't either."
Li Mingxiu shrugged: "Why did my mother call us out? You all know perfectly well. We can't just stand here staring at each other, can we? We should play some pitch-pot, right?"
Lin Changning's little head clicked, her eyes lit up, and she suddenly looked at Li Mingxiu and said, "The young master hasn't practiced his swordsmanship today, so why don't we..."
"I think it's a good idea!"
"No!"
"No!"
Qi Rong looked on with amusement at the two who hurriedly refused, "I think Changning makes a good point. We've got nothing else to do anyway, so we might as well practice our swordsmanship."
Li Mingxiu shook his head: "No, no, there are still many young ladies in the pavilion in the middle of the lake across the lake. It would be an insult to their elegance to be wielding swords and spears. We mustn't frighten them."
Lin Changning smiled as he looked at Li Mingxiu, who was making excuses: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will definitely go easy on you and make sure you have the image of being a highly skilled martial artist."
Li Mingxiu curled his lip: "Go away, we don't do things that involve deception."
Li Mingde shook his head, then suddenly saw the eunuch who had been constantly looking around beside the King of Chu walk over to the small garden. As if something urgent had happened, he patted Li Mingxiu's arm and said something.
“Mingxiu, look, isn’t that the eunuch next to Uncle Jiu?”
Li Mingxiu turned his head and looked in the direction Li Mingde pointed. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the case.
Li Mingxiu turned to the maid in the pavilion: "Go ask Eunuch Ye if something is wrong. He seems a little anxious."
After bowing to Li Mingxiu, the maidservant trotted over to Eunuch Ye.
A moment later, he led his men over. Ye, the eunuch, looked anxious and hurriedly ran towards Li Mingxiu.
Upon arriving at the destination, he said somewhat anxiously, "Oh dear, my young master, I've been looking for you for ages!"
As she spoke, she met Li Mingxiu's somewhat puzzled gaze, quickly walked closer to him, covered her mouth, and whispered a few words in his ear.
Li Mingxiu's eyes suddenly widened, and he abruptly stood up from the row of stone tables: "What did you say! How could he!!"
Realizing that many people were looking over, Li Mingxiu lowered his voice and said, "I understand, I'll go over now."
Qi Rong noticed that Li Mingxiu looked unwell and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Li Mingxiu's face remained as black as the bottom of a pot. He winked at Qi Rong and said, "Let's go back to the main hall first. There's something urgent. I'll tell you on the way."
As they spoke, Qi Rong and Li Mingde stood up together and prepared to leave with Li Mingxiu. Li Mingxiu looked around, his brows furrowed. He turned his head and saw Lin Changning stuffing pastries into his mouth. He said in a deep voice, "Xiao Liu, come with us!"
Lin Changning swallowed the pastry in his mouth, grabbed a cup of tea from the table, downed it in one gulp, patted his chest, nodded, and followed the three of them toward the main hall.
After the group reached a secluded spot, Qi Rong frowned again and asked.
"What exactly happened?"
Li Mingxiu's expression was not good: "Do you still remember when Father asked the Shen family for troops a while ago?"
Qi Rong nodded: "I know, didn't they say the Shen family would send troops?"
Li Mingxiu nodded: "Yes, they have already agreed to send troops as promised by Father. However, just now, the Shen family son arrived at the Prince's residence and openly asked for Third Sister's hand in marriage!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Rong frowned even more deeply: "You mean Third Sister?"
Li Mingxiu nodded with a stern face: "Yes, Third Sister."
Qi Rong was puzzled, and Li Mingde also frowned, not understanding why the Shen family would ask for Ming Shu, who was already married.
Li Mingde didn't understand, and Qi Rong didn't understand either.
Lin Changning frowned and asked, "Is there something wrong with this young master of the Shen family?"
At this point, Li Mingxiu's face darkened: "Little Six was right. This eldest son of the Shen family has lost two legitimate wives, has countless concubines in his harem, and has an unknown number of illegitimate sons."
Lin Changning spat, "This kind of trash dares to come to the Prince's mansion? Why doesn't Your Highness throw him out?"
At this point, Li Mingxiu ground his back teeth: "The uprising is imminent, and the Shen family said they would provide 5,000 troops to help us. If we launch an attack, those 5,000 Shen family troops..."
At this point, Li Mingxiu angrily slammed his fist against the wall: "Ah Shu has only been back for a short time, how come she keeps running into things like this?"
Li Mingde cursed, "Damn the Shen family! Aren't they taking advantage of our misfortune?!"
Qi Rong frowned, seemingly pondering if there was any way to break the deadlock.
Li Mingde hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Li Mingxiu before turning to Lin Changning and saying, "Perhaps, we could just tell the Shen family that A-Shu has already been betrothed to someone else?"
Li Mingxiu's eyes lit up, then his gaze darkened: "Where am I supposed to find a fiancé for Shu'er at this point?"
Qi Rong pursed his lips: "I'll just say that Ashu has already promised herself to me."
Li Mingde shook his head: "Neither you nor I will work. Everyone knows that Uncle Jiu treats you like his own son, but the Shen family won't believe it."
After they finished speaking, Li Mingxiu and Li Mingde's gazes involuntarily shifted to Lin Changning, who was rubbing his chin and thinking of a solution.
"Xiao Liu, you?"
Lin Changning looked up at the two people's somewhat strange gazes, feeling a little confused.
"Huh? What's wrong with me?"
Li Mingxiu gritted his teeth and pulled Lin Changning forward: "I won't be picky anymore, you're the one. When we get to the banquet later, I'll tell you that you and Ashu are engaged! Just agree!"
Lin Changning turned pale with fright upon hearing this, clutching his sleeve in terror and crying out, "Me? I! I can't do it!! Your Highness!!! Let go!! I really can't!!"
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