Chapter 271 Scammed
"It's you?"
Shen Xu was taken aback, looking Li Nanke up and down, a hint of doubt appearing in his eyes.
"Is this headband really yours?"
Li Nanke nodded vigorously, stretched out his hand, and deliberately made a show of impatience.
"It's mine, give it back to me quickly! The pearls on it are big and round, more valuable than that gold-plated ball, right?"
She deliberately stared intently at the pearl hair ribbon in Shen Xu's hand.
Shen Xu suddenly withdrew his hand, which was halfway outstretched, and stared at her warily.
"You're lying! This pearl hairband isn't yours at all!"
Li Nanke rolled his eyes.
"I told you it wasn't because you didn't believe me, and now I'm telling you it's because you still don't believe me. Are you out of your mind?"
Shen Xu's face darkened.
He had been wandering among the common people for six years and had suffered a lot of hardship. His skin was already dark, and now his face darkened, making him look even more unsightly.
She said angrily, "You dare to insult me? Do you know who I am? It's one thing that you don't greet me, but you even dare to deceive me?"
Let me tell you, I am...
Li Nanke's expression suddenly changed, and he shouted loudly behind him.
"His Majesty!"
Shen Xu subconsciously turned around.
Li Nanke jumped up in a flash, snatched the hairband from his hand, and ran away in a flash.
Shen Xu realized he had been tricked and turned around, only to see Li Nanke's headband flash by and disappear behind a sea of flowers.
He stomped his foot in frustration.
Damn it, I've been scammed!
Looking at that retreating figure, Shen Xu looked down at the pearl hairband in his hand and couldn't help but frown.
The figure looked so familiar that he had the illusion that the pearl headband should have been worn on her head.
That's strange!
Shen Xu pursed his lips, stuffed the pearl hairband into his pocket, broke off a sprig of pure white winter plum blossom, and then left the flower room in a sullen mood.
He came to the flower room to pick flowers for Empress Xue.
To show his filial piety, he specially dismissed the gardeners and the eunuchs and maids who came with him, and picked the flowers himself.
As he left the flower room with the pure white winter plum blossoms in his arms, the eunuchs and palace maids who had followed him immediately came to greet him.
Someone accepted the pure white wintersweet and placed it in a vase that had been prepared beforehand.
Someone brought him a black fox cloak and immediately draped it over his shoulders to protect him from the cold wind.
Someone even placed a warm hand warmer in his hands, saying, "Your Highness, it's cold outside, be careful not to catch a cold."
This has been Shen Xu's daily routine for the past month or so.
Surrounded by attendants, living a life of luxury and privilege, with servants at their beck and call, they could have whatever they wanted.
This life is like heaven and earth compared to the years of wandering he had endured before.
Shen Xu pulled his cloak tighter, reminding himself once again that he was now the most honored prince of the Great Chu, and would never be the same as before.
"Who else went into the greenhouse just now?"
He turned to ask the gardener standing at the door.
The gardener quickly bowed and said, "It was Princess Zhaokang who led the Princess of Fu'an to pick flowers. They went in about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before Your Highness."
"The Princess of Fu'an?"
He murmured softly.
The quick-witted eunuch stepped forward to explain, "It is Li Nanke, the daughter of the Marquis of Anping's heir, who performed meritorious service a few days ago."
Princess Fu'an also played a role in finding His Highness, so His Majesty specially decreed that she be granted the title of Princess Fu'an.
This was the first time Shen Xu had heard about this.
He has been staying in Empress Xue's Ninghui Palace these days, recuperating while listening to Empress Xue introduce him to high-ranking officials and nobles in the court.
Empress Xue never mentioned the Marquis of Anping's residence, nor did she mention the Princess of Fu'an.
"What merits did she achieve? Tell me about them."
The eunuch immediately recounted what he knew.
"...At that time, she told His Majesty that he would definitely find the First Prince the next morning, and unexpectedly, he actually found him the next day."
His Majesty was overjoyed and specially bestowed upon her the title of Princess of Fu'an County.
Shen Xu was taken aback.
"Just because she happened to be right about my return, she got the title of county princess?"
“Yes, the Marquis of Anping’s mansion is a dilapidated mansion. If Li Nanke hadn’t been granted the title of County Princess, she wouldn’t have been qualified to attend the banquet at the palace.”
A knowing glint flashed in Shen Xu's eyes.
So he came from a poor family. No wonder his eyes changed when he saw the pearl hairband.
Is the intention to deceive them and keep the pearls for themselves?
It seems I really mistook someone for someone else.
The person who saved her must be Zhao Wanqing from the Zhao family; there was no one else.
"Your Highness!"
A timid cry came from not far away, followed by a loud, boisterous voice.
"Royal brother."
Shen Xu looked up and saw Princess Zhaoning leading Zhao Wanqing toward him.
He instinctively went to meet them, but as soon as he lifted his foot, he suddenly stopped and realized something was wrong.
Having spent several years wandering among the common people and enduring countless hardships, he developed an extremely keen ability to read people's expressions and moods.
The girl named Li Nanke didn't ask him who he was from beginning to end.
If a stranger pulls your hair, shouldn't the normal reaction be to first ask who the person is and why they are pulling your hair?
Li Nanke only asked why she pulled her hair.
That means she knew his identity and even recognized him, but deliberately pretended not to know him!
"What are you thinking about, Your Majesty? Why won't you answer when I call you?"
Princess Zhaoning ran over and grabbed his arm.
Shen Xu snapped out of his daze, smiled, and shook his head.
"I wasn't thinking about anything. What brings you all here?"
"When the Empress Dowager saw that you hadn't returned, she sent me to look for you."
Zhaoning Road.
Zhao Wanqing timidly bowed to Shen Xu, her fair face flushed with pink.
"Your Highness, I, Zhao Wanqing, greet you."
Shen Xu's gaze fell on Zhao Wanqing's head, on which two red ribbons hung down from each side of her neatly combed double buns.
Each hairband had a thumb-sized pearl hanging from its bottom, which shone brightly under the light.
It's exactly the same as the one he's holding!
Shen Xu glanced at it a few more times without realizing it, thinking to himself that he must have been having a hallucination that day.
The people who saved him were Zhao Wanqing and Madam Zhao; there was no one else!
He smiled and raised his hand to Zhao Wanqing, "No need for formalities, you are my savior."
A hint of joy flickered in Zhao Wanqing's eyes.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Princess Zhaoning pulled Zhao Wanqing back.
"See? I already told you, you are my brother's savior, there's no need to be so formal."
Zhao Wanqing shook her head and spoke softly.
"Rules cannot be disregarded. I am merely the daughter of a fourth-rank official, of lowly status. I should bow to Your Highness."
Princess Zhaoning pouted.
"Speaking of this, I am very angry. It was clearly you and Madam Zhao who saved my brother, but Father Emperor inexplicably bestowed the title of County Princess upon Li Nanke."
In my opinion, you should be granted the title of County Princess.
Zhao Wanqing was startled and quickly waved her hand.
"Princess, please don't say that. Saving His Highness is my duty. I dare not accept any reward."
Shen Xu, however, felt that Princess Zhaoning's words made a lot of sense.
“Zhao Ning is right. Just because you saved me, the position of county princess should be yours.”
"Alright then, during the palace banquet later, I will personally ask my father to bestow upon you the title of County Princess."
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