Chapter 336 Your Highness, You Are So Kind
Shen Xu stiffened his neck, his face full of disdain.
"Of course it's you imitating her, you don't mean to say that Wanqing is imitating you, do you?"
Shen Xu put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily, as if he had told the biggest joke in the world.
"It's really funny. Wanqing has loved pearl hairbands since she was a child. She has a whole box full of pearl hairbands."
On the contrary, you never wear pearl hairbands on ordinary days, but you brought one to the palace today. I wonder what your intentions are.”
Shen Xu looked Li Nanke up and down, and curled his lip.
"You're not trying to get my attention on purpose, are you?"
Li Nanke...
As expected, Shen Xu was just as self-righteous, self-absorbed, and arrogant as he was in the dream!
Disgusting!
"Your Highness can inquire about it. When I wore the pearl headband, Zhao Wanqing was still squatting somewhere."
As for why I don't usually wear pearl hairbands...
Li Nanke sneered inwardly.
It was all to avoid Shen Xu, afraid that he would recognize her as the one who saved him at the Xiangguo Temple fair.
She didn't want to have anything to do with Shen Xu anymore!
Thinking of this, Li Nanke became even less inclined to pay attention to Shen Xu.
"The pearl headband isn't Zhao Wanqing's exclusive property. I can wear it whenever I want."
As for whether it will attract your attention...
She mimicked Shen Xu's disdainful look, sizing him up and down, and gave a light sneer.
"What is it about Your Highness that attracts me and makes me want to go to such lengths? Is it Your Highness's dark complexion? Or Your Highness's awkward Bianjing accent?"
Shen Xu was so angry that he jumped up and down, glaring at Li Nanke with uncontrollable rage.
"You...you dare speak to me like that, Li Nanke? This is utter disrespect! You..."
"Oh dear, Your Highness, I was just speaking the truth. Why are you angry? If Your Highness is angry, why don't we go to His Majesty and have him judge the matter?"
"Perfect timing, Your Highness, explain to His Majesty why you're seeking out Zhao Wanqing, who should be keeping vigil for the Imperial Concubine at this time?"
"You...you!"
Shen Xu's face turned as red as an eggplant, but he was too guilty to refute her.
Li Nanke snorted and turned to walk away.
Shen Xu was left gritting his teeth in anger as he watched her retreating figure.
"Your Highness."
A series of hurried footsteps came from behind, followed by Zhao Wanqing's joyful shout.
Shen Xu pursed his lips and turned around.
Zhao Wanqing wore a light purple pleated skirt, her hair styled in neat double buns. As she ran over, the pearls on her black hairband swayed from side to side.
The object swayed until it reached her, where Zhao Wanqing stopped and looked up at Shen Xu.
"Has Your Highness arrived long ago?"
Shen Xu's face was still full of anger. He thought that if Zhao Wanqing hadn't asked him to meet here, he wouldn't have run into Li Nanke, and he wouldn't have been ridiculed by Li Nanke.
Therefore, he spoke to Zhao Wanqing with a slightly muffled tone.
"Why are you so late? What do you need me for?"
Zhao Wanqing was startled by his harsh tone and timidly tugged at the purse tied around her waist.
She cautiously peered at Chen Xu's face, asking nervously and helplessly, "Your Highness, what's wrong? Did I make you angry?"
Her eyes were like those of a startled fawn, filled with obvious panic.
Shen Xu's heart softened a little, and he tried to calm his expression.
"It wasn't you, it was Li Nanke I just ran into..."
He angrily relayed Li Nanke's words, but concealed the fact that Li Nanke had ridiculed him.
"I just saw that she was wearing the same pearl headband as you, and I said she was imitating you. She was not convinced and said that you were imitating her."
"Ha, what a joke! Wanqing, do you think she's imitating you?"
Zhao Wanqing's eyes flickered, and she lowered her eyes in a panic, not daring to meet Shen Xu's gaze.
She gave a forced, bitter smile and said, "Never mind, Your Highness, don't take it to heart by taking it to heart by Cousin Ke'er. She said I was imitating her, so that's it."
She was born into a noble family, unlike me, whose father came from a poor family in a small town.
Even though my mother loved me dearly and sold her dowry to buy me many pearls, to others I was just imitating my cousin, Xi Ke'er.
Her aggrieved and forbearing appearance aroused Shen Xu's protective instincts and reminded him of the suffering he had endured while living among the common people.
At that moment, he patted his chest and declared loudly, "What's so great about the Marquis's mansion? I'm still a prince! Don't worry, with me here, she'll never dare to bully you again!"
"real?"
Zhao Wanqing looked up at Shen Xu with a mixture of surprise and delight.
Shen Xu nodded, "Of course."
Zhao Wanqing's eyes reddened.
"Your Highness, you are so kind."
Shen Xu's face flushed slightly from the praise, and he awkwardly changed the subject.
"You still haven't told me what you want to see me about?"
Zhao Wanqing opened her mouth.
It wasn't her who was looking for Shen Xu; it was her mother, Song Hui, who brought her to the palace to keep vigil and forced her to come and find Shen Xu.
She said it was inappropriate for her to come to see Shen Xu while keeping vigil.
The mother disagreed, saying, "It wasn't the eldest prince's biological mother who died, so how could he be truly grieving?"
"It is precisely at this moment that you go and offer a few words of advice; His Highness will surely remember your kindness."
Remembering Song Hui's instructions, Zhao Wanqing said, "I...I was just worried about Your Highness, so I wanted to talk to you."
"Worried about me? What do I have to worry about?"
"His Majesty has decreed that the Imperial Concubine should be buried with the rites due to an Empress. Since she was an Empress, she is considered His Highness's elder."
In principle, Your Highness should also observe mourning. His Majesty is currently grieving, so Your Highness should be careful in your words and actions, especially in front of His Majesty, and lest you give the impression of being unfilial.
Zhao Wanqing tried her best to repeat what Song Hui had taught her to Shen Xu.
Shen Xu initially didn't take it seriously, but his expression changed slightly after hearing it.
The fact that Consort Wang was buried with the rites due to an empress greatly angered his mother, Empress Xue, who nearly smashed all the porcelain in his bedchamber.
Not only that, the Empress Dowager also forbade him and Princess Zhaoning from paying respects at the spirit tablet of Consort Wang.
He originally intended to follow Empress Xue's wishes, but Zhao Wanqing's words reminded him that he could not only care about his mother, but also about his father, the Emperor.
"Wanqing, what you said makes sense. I know what to do. You should go back and keep vigil. I'm going to Daqing Hall."
Shen Xu waved to Zhao Wanqing and left in a hurry.
"Oh, Your Highness, I...I still have something to say."
Zhao Wanqing rushed forward, but Shen Xu ran off in a flash, not even hearing her last words.
She stomped her feet dejectedly.
She knelt for the entire vigil, until her knees were swollen, but His Highness didn't offer her a single word of concern.
Zhao Wanqing went back dejectedly with her head hanging low.
He went back to kneel in mourning again and saw Li Nanke kneeling diagonally opposite him looking over.
When their eyes met, she looked away guiltily.
Li Nanke pursed her lips and ignored her.
For seven consecutive days, Li Nanke followed Song Yi to the palace early every morning to keep vigil, and only returned home after dark.
Seven days later, the period of mourning ended, and Shen Cong and the Ministry of Rites finally reached a conclusion: Consort Wang's body would be laid to rest at Xiangguo Temple.
The emperor initially disagreed with the matter, but Prime Minister Wang knelt outside the Daqing Hall and pleaded tearfully, so the emperor had no choice but to agree.
On the day the coffin was moved to Xiangguo Temple, the emperor led all the civil and military officials to personally pay homage to Consort Wang, prostrating themselves before the coffin and weeping bitterly.
The moment the coffin was lifted, the emperor swayed, spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed limply to the ground.
"His Majesty!"
"Quickly summon the imperial physician."
The entire mourning hall was in complete chaos.
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