Shen Yunjin dared not shout for help, for fear of attracting more people.
She is the future Crown Princess. If someone catches her in a compromising situation with another man, even if she is innocent, she won't be able to explain herself.
So Shen Yunjin immediately took out her token and threatened in a low voice, "I am the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, you see that clearly! If you don't let me go, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!"
"The legitimate daughter?"
Chu Yuning regained her senses and squinted at the token in Shen Yunjin's hand. The token gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and Chu Yuning quickly released Shen Yunjin.
Although he didn't know what trick Shen Yuan was up to, he was worried that his actions might be seen by someone and reach the princess's ears.
So after regaining her senses, Chu Yuning released Shen Yunjin.
He lowered his head and said, "Sorry, I had too much to drink and mistook you for someone else!"
Shen Yunjin glared fiercely at Chu Yuning, then straightened her clothes and ran frantically down the alley.
She ran all the way back to the general's mansion.
Pushing open the gate to the backyard of the General's Mansion, Shen Yunjin bumped into Jiang Shi, who had been waiting behind the gate.
Shen Yunjin was so frightened that she stumbled backward and almost fell off the threshold.
"Mother! What are you doing standing here so late at night?" Shen Yunjin patted her chest and said coquettishly after steadying herself by the door panel, "You scared me to death!"
Jiang was already angry because Shen Yunjin had sneaked out of the manor today, and now seeing her disheveled clothes and messy hair, she couldn't help but frown and say, "You went to see His Highness the Crown Prince again?"
"Mother, I..." Shen Yunjin was about to explain when she looked up and found Shen Wei there as well, and her heart skipped a beat.
Her father was annoyed that she went to see Xiao Yuncheng.
If they catch her sneaking out of the manor to meet Xiao Yuncheng today, they'll probably scold her again!
Startled, Shen Yunjin hid behind Jiang Shi and explained in a low voice, "Mother, I went to Donghuang Mountain to see the peonies today. It's March, the season for appreciating peonies. The peonies on the mountain are blooming so beautifully!"
"Did His Highness the Crown Prince also go to admire the flowers today?" Shen Wei asked.
"Yes!" Shen Yunjin nodded obediently. "But the people who went to admire the flowers were not only His Highness the Crown Prince, but also the Wang siblings, as well as other officials and their families."
It would have been fine if Shen Yunjin hadn't said that, but after she did, Shen Wei's face instantly turned icy.
"You mean the Wang siblings went too?"
Shen Yunjin thought Shen Wei minded her meeting with Xiao Yuncheng in secret, so she deliberately said, "Yes! Wang Shaoyin took Wang Qingxi with him, and we went to the peony garden together."
Shen Yunjin thought that since she had brought up Wang Qingxi as well, her father would definitely not scold her for being shameless anymore, because she wasn't the only one having secret meetings with other people.
Unexpectedly, Shen Wei angrily cursed, "You idiot!"
Shen Yunjin didn't understand why her father was scolding her, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears.
Jiang was still helping Shen Yunjin tidy her clothes. After she finished, she leaned close to Shen Yunjin's ear and asked, "You and His Highness the Crown Prince, did you not cross the line?"
"No." Shen Yunjin glanced guiltily at the tip of her shoe. "Don't worry, Mother, Jin'er knows what she's doing."
Jiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
But just as she breathed a sigh of relief, a thunderclap rang in her ears.
Large raindrops pattered down in the yard along with the thunder.
Shen Wei stared at Shen Yunjin with a gloomy expression and said sternly, "At the morning court tomorrow, I will submit a memorial to the Emperor requesting that you dissolve your engagement with His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Dissolve...dissolve the engagement? Why?"
Shen Yunjin threw herself at Shen Wei in disbelief, her eyes instantly filling with tears. "Father, what do you mean by this? Why do you want to break off my engagement with the Crown Prince!"
Shen Wei didn't explain, only saying, "I'm doing this for your own good! Although His Highness the Crown Prince is of noble status, he is definitely not a good match for you!"
"From today onwards, you shall stay at home and not leave the manor without my permission. If I find you meeting with another man in secret again, you will be punished according to the family rules!"
After saying this, Shen Wei stormed off in anger.
The back gate of the General's Mansion is right outside the courtyard wall of Changfeng Residence, so when Shen Yuan heard the commotion, she came out to take a look and, by sheer coincidence, overheard Shen Wei's intention to annul the engagement with the Crown Prince's Mansion.
After she and Xiao Ling left the mansion today, she asked Xiao Ling to deliver a letter to Shen Wei.
The letter was written by Minister Wang to Xiao Yuncheng, and it briefly mentioned the matter of making Wang Qingxi the principal wife.
It was after reading this letter that Shen Wei decided to break off the engagement with the Crown Prince's residence. After all, Shen Yunjin was his own daughter, and as a father, he certainly didn't want his daughter to suffer.
Shen Yuan also did not want Shen Yunjin to marry Xiao Yuncheng.
The reason is simple: the General's Mansion and the Crown Prince's Mansion cannot form a marriage alliance!
Although Shen Wei has been transferred back from the border, he still commands 30,000 Xuanjia soldiers. Having served as an official for decades, his former subordinates are spread throughout the court and the country. Although the 100,000 Shen family soldiers he trained are no longer under his command, as far as she knows, Shen Wei still enjoys a high reputation among the Shen family soldiers and can command a large following at a moment's notice.
Therefore, the General's Mansion and the Crown Prince's Mansion must never form a marriage alliance!
Shen Wei must never become Xiao Yuncheng's ally!
Seeing that she had successfully thwarted the marriage between Shen Yunjin and Xiao Yuncheng, Shen Yuan opened her oil-paper umbrella, turned around, and returned to Changfeng Residence. She considered herself to have done a good deed.
Xiao Yuncheng was no good man, and Shen Yunjin was lucky to escape with her life by not marrying him!
In the rain, Shen Yunjin cried her heart out. She couldn't understand why her father insisted on breaking off her marriage with Xiao Yuncheng. Didn't he want his daughter to be the Crown Princess, the Empress, and the most noble woman in the world?
Such a wonderful marriage opportunity, which finally fell into her lap, why is she so quick to turn it away?
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