Chapter 18: Someone in My Heart
"I called you here because of that painting." The eldest princess signaled the maid to present the painting of autumn chrysanthemums on the table to Xiao Yuan.
"Look, this was painted by Miss Shen."
Xiao Yuan raised his eyes nonchalantly, and finally reached out to take it and glanced at it.
"I originally wanted to give the painting to Miss Duan San, but... I felt that Miss Shen's painting was better."
"Yeah," Xiao Yuan responded lightly without taking his eyes off the scroll.
The princess was stunned. She never thought he would be so easy to talk to. "How about... if you have any personal belongings, I'll give them to Miss Duan San for you."
Xiao Yuan paused, raised his eyes and looked at the princess, a little puzzled, "What do you want to give it to her for?"
"... Didn't you give that painting to Miss Duan? I never thought that Miss Shen would appear in the middle. Her painting skills are so good that I can't even show partiality to her."
"Who said I was sending it to Miss Duan San?" Xiao Yuan raised the corner of his lips.
Now it was the eldest princess' turn to be puzzled, "If it's not for Miss Duan San, then who is it for?"
He had never been involved in these little things, and thought that he had taken the initiative to mention Miss Chongduan this year. After all, if Miss Shen had not suddenly appeared, she would have been the first.
"Since it's a prize, of course it should be given to the winner." Xiao Yuan stood up with the scroll in his hand. "I still have some things to do in my house, so I won't talk to my aunt anymore. Goodbye."
"Well, okay." The eldest princess nodded, but suddenly felt something was wrong.
"Yuan'er, my painting."
But the person has already walked far away, or maybe he heard it but pretended to be deaf.
Ling Chenyi was leaning on the corridor, and raised his eyebrows when he saw him coming out with a scroll.
“Is this Miss Shen’s painting?”
Xiao Yuan nodded lightly and walked out.
Ling Chenyi suddenly pulled it away from his hand and said, "Let me see it."
Like his mother, he values talent.
"Wow, tsk tsk tsk, his skills are almost as good as yours." Ling Chenyi stared at the butterfly on the chrysanthemum, exclaiming in amazement repeatedly, and looked at it for a long time without taking his eyes off.
"The Shen family girl actually has such talent, she is truly a hidden talent."
As he was staring at it blankly, the scroll was suddenly taken away.
Xiao Yuan lowered his eyes, rolled up the scroll, and handed it to Qingfeng for safekeeping.
"Hey, I haven't seen enough. This is my Yongning Marquis Mansion's property after all. You can take it away, but you can't even show it to me."
Xiao Yuan glanced at Ling Chenyi and said, "This was obtained through an equal exchange. When did it become the property of your Yongning Marquis Mansion?"
“…”
Ling Chenyi couldn't argue with him, but his eyes lingered on Qingfeng's arms, making Qingfeng tremble with discomfort.
"Has any news been sent back from Jiaguan recently?" Xiao Yuan asked in a deep voice.
Ling Chenyi came back to his senses and shook his head, "Not yet. I sent someone there urgently, but they haven't come back yet."
"Um."
Ling Chenyi sighed again, worry on his face, "Now that everything is stable, I don't know when Jinping will be able to return to Beijing."
"Stability means no need for guarding. The reason he can't come back is just that someone doesn't want him to come back." Xiao Yuan said in a cold voice.
Qi Jinping is his uncle and the only remaining bloodline of his maternal grandfather's family.
Ling Chenyi frowned, and the two of them walked into a narrow bluestone path. When there was no one around, he spoke in a low voice, "The emperor is suspicious, not only you, but also the second and third princes. He must be afraid of troubles in the capital."
The forces of the other two princes were also restricted. Moreover, Qi Jinping held military power. If he were to be together with Xiao Yuan, it would be a hidden danger to the emperor.
Xiao Yuan sneered and said nothing more.
People always talk about wealth and luxury in the royal family. Many people dream of being born into a royal family, but how can they know how desolate it is?
The king is not the king, the minister is not the minister, the father is not the father, the son is not the son! !
After sending Xiao Yuan to the carriage, Ling Chenyi returned to the princess's courtyard, still thinking about the painting all the way.
Xiao Yuan was a stingy person and refused to even look at him.
"Young Master." On the corridor, the maid bowed to him and lifted the pearl curtain.
Before Ling Chenyi stepped into the door, he heard the eldest princess talking about her marriage with Hua Sheng. It was obvious that she was very satisfied with the scholar.
Hua Sheng lowered her eyes, her face pale, "A daughter always listens to her mother, everything is fine."
"Whatever you say is fine. This is your lifelong event, you have to like it." The eldest princess looked melancholy. Even if she had to marry down, she didn't want to let her daughter down too much.
Hua Sheng pursed his lips and smiled a little forcedly.
After all, she can't marry the person she wants to marry, so what does it matter who the others are?
"As long as the person is of noble character and has a simple family, I won't be picky about my daughter."
The princess looked at her daughter and suddenly felt sad. "This young master Zhang's family can't even be called a poor family. They are just ordinary farmers. But fortunately, they are honest and kind. Your father and elder brother will promote him to a higher position in the future, so he should be able to live a decent life."
"All good." Hua Sheng nodded lightly.
Seeing that the two of them had made such a hasty decision, Ling Chenyi frowned and tried to stop them, "That scholar won't do."
The princess tilted her head to look at her son, a little surprised, "Why not? Didn't you say that guy was good before?"
"It was before." He took a sip of the tea served by the maid and said, "Today I met that scholar in the waterside pavilion. He..."
Ling Chenyi circled the following words in his mouth and finally did not say them out loud.
"It won't work anyway. That scholar already has someone in his heart. Hua Sheng married down from her parents' background. How can she endure such an injustice?"
The princess was stunned when she heard this and looked at her son. "He has someone in his heart. Are you saying that the scholar has someone he likes? Is he engaged? Who is the girl?"
Ling Chenyi frowned.
Whenever his mother mentioned these love stories between men and women, she became more excited than anyone else.
"Yes... a girl from an official family. My son only heard about it. I don't know if the girl is interested, but her family will most likely not agree."
The eldest princess nodded, "That's for sure. If it weren't for the last resort, which girl would be willing to marry someone of lower status? It's hard for my Hua Sheng."
She held her daughter's hand and sighed guiltily.
"Which official family does he belong to? How do you know?" the princess asked again. Ling Chenyi opened his mouth but said nothing in the end.
"My son only heard it once and doesn't know the details."
"Oh." The princess nodded, a little disappointed. "If you already have someone you like, forget it. I'll pick another one. What a pity."
That Jinshi was outstanding in character and talent among all the students, and I'm afraid that the next one might not be as good as him.
"No need." Hua Sheng gently said, "Didn't my brother say that the girl's family would definitely not agree, so it won't work. It doesn't matter if we ask."
Her words made the eldest princess and Ling Chenyi frown at the same time and turn their heads to look at her.
"How can that be? How can I let you suffer such an injustice? Sheng'er, there are many good men. I will pick another one for you."
Ling Chenyi just looked at his sister, his gentle eyes slightly focused, and said nothing.
Hua Sheng smiled and said, "My mother asked me to sneak a peek at the scholar in the corridor today. I think he is really good. Besides, we are not forcing him to do anything. We can ask Master Zhang what he thinks. If he really doesn't want to do it, then we can give up."
The eldest princess frowned and said nothing, looking at her son below her.
"Sister, do you mean that you have taken a liking to that scholar?" Ling Chenyi asked.
Hua Sheng paused, a bitter smile appeared on his lips, he lowered his head and did not answer.
Is it so important whether he likes her or not? For her, being able to live alone in a corner and miss that person for the rest of her life is already the best outcome.
She couldn't be deeply in love with others, so she was lucky enough to be able to treat them with respect.
With such a broken heart, she didn't want to delay others. Mr. Zhang had a lover, and so did she. After getting married, they would live their own lives and miss each other, and no one would be wronged.
Her silence made the Princess and Ling Chenyi misunderstand.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. I'll find a time to ask the scholar then." Ling Chenyi's tone was not very good, but he didn't want to disappoint his sister.
"Well, thank you, brother." Hua Sheng responded, lowering his eyes to stare at the faded purse around his waist, a little absent-minded.
…
Shen Anan came out of the Princess's Mansion angrily, and threw the scroll in her hand as soon as she got on the carriage.
Thinking of Xiao Yuan's playful face, she still felt a burning pain on her face.
"Girl, drink some tea to calm down." Even though Mo Xiang didn't know why the girl was angry.
Shen Anan took it with a sullen face and drank it all in one gulp, only then did he feel that the anger in his heart had calmed down a little.
After a while, Wang got into the car with a smile on her face. She noticed that the atmosphere was not right and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I'm just a little tired and can't muster the energy."
Madam Shen smiled when she heard this, “It’s your first time attending such a banquet, so it’s understandable that you’re exhausted. Just get used to it.”
"Um."
She nodded indifferently, and Uncle Zhong had already driven back home.
"Do you know why the princess asked me to stay?"
Shen Anan raised his eyelids and shook his head in cooperation.
Madam Shen laughed, "You are stunning today. Many ladies have taken a fancy to you. The eldest princess is very good at matchmaking. She has many young men and paintings in her hands. She asked me which one I like and wanted to match you with someone."
"Yeah." Shen Anan smiled shyly.
Mrs. Shen continued, "I think those families are all good. The mothers-in-law are gentle, the backyard is clean, and the sons are talented and don't do anything wrong. I will find a small painting and choose one for you."
"Mom, there's no need to rush my marriage, as if you're afraid that I won't be able to get married." Shen Anan said with a smile, but Mrs. Shen's smile faded.
"Mother would not want you to get married early, but your aunt has been keeping an eye on your marriage. Even if the Fourth Prince is not interested, there is no guarantee that your aunt will not whisper in his ear and come to His Majesty to ask for help."
"Mother thought that since you are unwilling, it would be better to settle it early and stop your aunt from thinking about it."
Shen Anan raised her lips. According to Concubine Shen's personality, even if she was engaged, she would not give up as long as the marriage was not completed.
Mrs. Shen sighed heavily and was a little worried, "You are the younger sister, and your brother's marriage is still uncertain."
When Shen Changhe was mentioned, a hint of self-blame appeared in Shen Anan's eyes.
Her brother was a man of outstanding talent and good looks, full of ambitions, but in his previous life, he resigned from his official position and returned to his hometown with his father because of her. I heard that he finally married a farmer's daughter.
At that time, she was only thinking about how to win Xiao Yuan's heart, and she didn't even know what her new sister-in-law looked like or her name.
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