Chapter 1 She's Not Getting Married
In the palace with carved beams and painted rafters, there were clinking glasses, singing and dancing, and the celebration banquet for the Fourth Prince's successful suppression of bandits was still going on.
On each pillar is engraved a swirling, lifelike golden dragon, proclaiming the majesty of Jin Zhao Yucui's celestial family.
As the daughter of the Grand Commandant and the niece of the Imperial Concubine, Shen Anan was also called back from Jiangnan, thousands of miles away.
It’s a pity that she was reborn a little late, and when she woke up, she was in the current situation. Everything was so surprisingly similar.
"Your Majesty, you promised me~" On the throne, Concubine Shen was pulling the emperor's sleeve and acting coquettishly.
"I have no children. If Your Majesty does not even give me this hope, how can I live when I am old?"
"Okay, okay, I promise you." The emperor glanced at the imperial concubine lovingly and cast his eyes on Shen Anan who was sitting below him.
Shen An'an was so worried that he wished he could disappear right there.
In her next life, she doesn't want to marry the Fourth Prince again and become the evil person who breaks up a couple in love, corrupted by unrequited love and jealousy, with a hateful face, scheming and full of evil!
Even my father, who was honest and upright, was ashamed to stay in the government and retired to his hometown in his prime.
Before the emperor could speak, she stood up suddenly and said to Madam Shen, "Mother, I feel a little unwell and want to go out for some fresh air."
"What's wrong? You were fine just now. What's wrong?" Mrs. Shen's beautiful face was full of concern.
"Your aunt and the emperor are watching you. This is your first time back in the capital, so you must observe the rules and manners. If you can bear it, bear it for now. Your mother will accompany you out later."
Shen Anan pursed her red lips, she knew what her aunt and the emperor would say next, so she couldn't wait to leave.
But things don't always go as planned. Under the repeated urging of the imperial concubine, the emperor said indifferently, "My dear Shen, how could I not know that you have such a beautiful daughter? Are you hiding her in your boudoir because you are afraid that some boy will take a fancy to her and deceive her?"
Shen Wen, who was sitting below him, immediately stood up and said, "Your Majesty, you are joking. It's not that I am hiding something, but my daughter went to Jiangnan with her mother when she was young. She didn't grow up in the capital. She just came back a few days ago."
"So that's why. No wonder she is so gentle and beautiful. The local environment and soil nurture the local people. She has some of the charm of a Jiangnan girl." The emperor praised her for a few words and asked, "How old is Miss Shen this year? What skills do you usually learn?"
If one wants to marry into the royal family, one cannot be a fool with nothing in appearance, let alone his fourth son, who is a man of talent and beauty, with outstanding appearance. All the ladies in the capital are vying to marry him.
Shen Anan clenched her hands in her sleeves and glanced at the distinguished man who was surrounded by people opposite her.
The man's nonchalant eyes happened to be cast towards her, cold and indifferent, with nothing in them. In just a short moment, he withdrew his gaze, as if nothing in the world was worthy of his attention.
In her previous life, she was attracted to him who was so unattainable. She was shocked and crazy. At first sight, she paid for his whole life.
"Your servant, Shen An'an, is sixteen years old." She walked to the center of the palace and knelt down, her eyes lowered. "The scenery in the south of the Yangtze River is beautiful, and the customs and people are interesting. Your servant has been enjoying it and has been playing for several years. She has not learned any skills."
The hall fell into silence.
Everyone looked at her in disbelief, and the ladies even widened their eyes.
Could this Miss Shen be stupid? The emperor praised her so much at the celebration banquet for the Fourth Prince. Wasn’t the meaning obvious enough?
She actually said that she had never learned anything?
The ladies who were jealous and stirring their handkerchiefs just now were now looking at Shen Anan like a fool. That was the peerless and charming Fourth Prince. Even if she could become a concubine in the mansion, she would wake up laughing in her dreams. But she just ruined him like this.
"An An, what nonsense are you talking about?" Concubine Shen's face changed. She had finally asked His Majesty for this marriage.
Shen Anan knelt on the ground in an orderly manner, with his head bowed low, and said nothing.
"In this capital city, there are girls who don't want to marry you? Tsk tsk tsk, this is really strange. I want to study what kind of freak this girl from the Shen family is."
Li Huaiyan held the wine glass and nudged Xiao Yuan beside him with his elbow, with a look of surprise on his face and a hint of gloating in his eyes.
Xiao Yuan played with a white jade ring expressionlessly, not even glancing at Shen Anan in the hall.
"That's right. After all, you are cruel and boring, dull and unromantic. If I were a girl, I would stay away from you."
Xiao Yuan finally spoke, his voice cold and threatening, "If you want to be a girl, I can ask Eunuch An to help you. He is quick and decisive, and is well-known in the palace for his skills."
“…”
Li Huaiyan drank the wine in his arms in one gulp and stopped talking.
If we don't agree, then not even a single word is enough. No, not even a single word is enough.
The imperial concubine tried to make amends in a soft voice, "An An is young and has never seen the emperor. She spoke nonsense. My mother was the most talented woman in Jingdu Shuanghua Middle School. How could a girl raised by her know nothing?"
The emperor looked better. Madam Shen's talent was the best in Kyoto in her time. It would be unacceptable if the granddaughter she had personally trained turned out to be a fool.
"I heard from your aunt that you are good at playing the zither. Today, at Yuan'er's celebration banquet, would Miss Shen be in the mood to sing a song to congratulate him?"
Shen Anan’s heart tightened.
In her previous life, she presented him with a piece of Yangguan Sandie and won the whole room’s applause.
But when he got the response, he only received a faint thank you. Even when the emperor wanted to bring them together and asked him to play the zither and flute together, he ruthlessly refused.
That day, she was content and happy that she got what she wanted, but also disappointed by his indifference and ruthlessness, which made her lose face among the ladies in the capital.
Concubine Shen winked at her, waiting expectantly for her to stun everyone.
Shen Anan's breathing stagnated, and she boldly refused, "Your Majesty, I do know a little about the zither, but it's a pity that my hand was injured today and I can't play the zither. I disappoint your Majesty."
She turned her head again and saluted towards Xiao Yuan, "I congratulate the Fourth Prince on his great victory in suppressing the bandits. I hope that the Fourth Prince will be brave and strong, and be invincible. I hope that he will make more great achievements for Daliang and protect the people."
Xiao Yuan paused while turning the white jade ring, and finally raised his eyes to look at the beautiful little face.
But Shen Anan turned his head back directly.
She hadn't expected anything polite to come out of his mouth.
This was the first time that when Xiao Yuan looked directly at someone, the other person had his back facing him.
Li Huaiyan burst out laughing, then quickly straightened his lips under Xiao Yuan's cold gaze.
Concubine Shen was so angry that she couldn't breathe properly and her face turned blue.
What happened to An An today? She had clearly given her all the instructions when she was at home, so how could such a mistake happen at the critical moment?
The emperor looked at Shen Anan meaningfully.
It is really strange that there is a woman who is unwilling to marry the fourth son.
"How did your hand get hurt? Eunuch An, call the imperial physician to take a look at Miss Shen." He said in a very calm tone.
Shen Anan's heart skipped a beat, and in panic he looked up at the emperor on the throne.
She is a man of great ability and has a broad vision. Her expressionless face cannot conceal her noble and sharp aura. She has the world in her mind and is cold, resolute and dignified. How could a king allow a mere subject like her to fool him again and again and cover up her mistakes with cunning words?
At this moment, Commander Shen's expression changed. He quickly stood up and walked to the center of the hall and knelt down. "My little girl..."
As soon as he said this, he heard a very small sound, which was the sound of a sharp blade cutting through flesh.
Shen Anan hid her hand in her sleeve and used the handkerchief in her sleeve to hold the wound. She lifted her wide sleeves, which were stained with blood. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."
Commander Shen was stunned when he saw his daughter's handkerchief stained with blood.
The emperor saw that there was indeed an injury and frowned, "Why don't you bandage it? It's hot, it would be better if it doesn't get inflamed."
Shen Anan endured the pain and said as if nothing had happened, "I accidentally scratched myself on the way to the banquet just now, and in a hurry I grabbed a handkerchief to wrap it up first."
“Well, let the imperial physician take a look later.” The emperor waved his hand, indicating that Shen Anan could return to his seat.
After tossing his son around for so long, he no longer had the interest to grant him a marriage. Concubine Shen had a stiff face and knew better than to mention it again.
Shen Anan breathed a sigh of relief, thanked her, and returned to sit next to Mrs. Shen.
Without looking up, she could feel Concubine Shen's slightly focused gaze, which was filled with deep displeasure.
Mrs. Shen took her hand and consoled her with concern, but Shen Anan made up an excuse to get away with it.
"Oh my god." Li Huaiyan was stunned and couldn't help but exclaim.
The emperor on the throne couldn't see it, but he and Xiao Yuan saw Shen Anan's little action very clearly.
Is the thing shining with cold light in the girl’s sleeve a hairpin? In order not to marry Xiao Yuan, she was really willing to risk her life.
"Xiao Yuan, how do you feel about being despised like this?"
Xiao Yuan put down the jade ring and glanced over with a cold gaze. Li Huaiyan immediately shuddered and immediately turned his head to laugh with the people beside him, "The wine and drinks today are good... and the food is also good, you should eat more."
"..." The man smiled awkwardly.
I thought to myself, didn’t you just say that even dogs wouldn’t eat it?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
