Chapter 95: Mutual Love
After his mother left, the Qi family was gone overnight, and he tried his best to call the only heir of the Qi family back to the capital but failed.
He had too many questions that needed to be confirmed.
—
After receiving the letter, Shen Anan and Madam Shen went to the door to wait. Seeing the carriage approaching from afar, Madam Shen couldn't stop crying and went to greet it.
"Husband, He'er."
“Madam.” Shen Wen got off the carriage and held Madam Shen’s hand. He was still wearing the official robe he wore when he left, which was already wrinkled beyond recognition. “Let’s go, let’s go home and talk about it.”
"Okay, okay, okay." Mrs. Shen raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and looked at Shen Changhe who came down next, "He'er, are you okay?"
"The child is fine."
Neither the father nor the son were injured, but their faces showed signs of fatigue and exhaustion.
"Hurry, hurry back. I asked someone to prepare some hot springs and food. It's so cold, hurry back and warm up."
The family of four returned home quickly.
"An'an, what's wrong with you?" Shen Changhe took a step behind and asked Shen An'an who followed behind him without saying a word.
"Nothing." She lowered her head, but her voice had a strong nasal tone.
Shen Changhe reached out and rubbed her head, "Be good, Dad and I are fine."
Are you okay? If she was fine, why didn't she take a bath or change clothes for two days? What happened in the palace in the past two days?
"Yeah." She didn't ask and forced a smile.
The maids and servants in Longxiang Pavilion were busy as they kept their feet on the ground. Shen Wen and Shen Changhe came out after bathing, changing their clothes and combing their hair. The meals had already been set, which were all the usual meals for the father and son.
"Let's eat first. We'll talk about it after dinner." Mrs. Shen said, tears flowing like a flood that could not be stopped.
"Madam." Shen Wen held her hand and sat down beside him, "Okay, don't cry, didn't your husband bring He'er back safely?"
“Yeah.” Mrs. Shen wiped her tears hard and stood up to serve porridge to the father and son personally.
Shen Changhe stopped talking and concentrated on eating. Mrs. Shen's eyes turned red. After the father and son finished their meal, she said, "Husband, have you not eaten in the palace these two days?"
More than half of the food on the table had been eaten. When had my husband and He'er had such a good appetite?
Shen Wen and Shen Changhe were both silent, rinsing their mouths and wiping their hands on the tray brought by the maid.
Shen Anan bit her red lips tightly. Her father was a first-rank official after all. How could the emperor treat him like this? !
"Not long after Concubine Ning was banished to the cold palace, the emperor suspected us. The emperor's mind is unpredictable, so it is normal for us to suffer a little and give us a warning."
As soon as they entered the palace, they were taken by the eunuchs to a side hall next to the imperial study. They waited for a day and a night before the emperor appeared. If Shen Wen had not been an official for several years and knew a little about the emperor's temper, it would have been difficult for him to come back today.
Not to mention food, no one even offered a glass of water in the side hall.
The more Madam Shen thought about it, the angrier she got. “Noble Concubine Shen is going too far. Is it that what she wants to see you and He’er in trouble?”
Shen Wen shook his head and said nothing, "Now that the emperor has become suspicious of our Shen family, we may have some difficulties in the capital in the future. Madam, you need to do what I told you a few days ago as soon as possible."
"Okay," Mrs. Shen looked at Shen Anan deeply, which was what she meant. Before the Shen family completely collapsed, she should arrange a proper place for Shen Anan and marry her off.
Shen Wen did not describe his experiences in the palace in detail, but the father and son's miserable and haggard appearance when they returned was enough to frighten people. It was definitely not as simple as being locked up in a side hall.
"Dad, Mom." Shen Anan suddenly said, "My daughter has something to tell you."
"The Fourth Prince and I are in love with each other. I want to try getting along with him."
The faces of several people changed at the same time. Shen Wen stood up and said, "An An, do you know what you are talking about?"
He had heard about his daughter and the scholar. It had only been a short time, so how come she was saying that she was in love with the Fourth Prince?
Mrs. Shen was also shocked. The mother and daughter lived together day and night, so how come she never knew about it?
"An An." Shen Changhe asked in a deep voice, "You and the Fourth Prince are together because of our Shen family..."
"No." Shen Anan smiled, "The Fourth Prince is a rare talent, extremely intelligent, and the best among the men in the capital. It is very likely that he will be able to marry into the Nine Provinces in the future and be loved by girls. Isn't that normal?"
"Brother, I am also one of the many women, and... he treats me well."
"An An, do you know what you will face if you marry into the royal family? Your aunt is a lesson for you. Do you want to repeat the same mistake again?"
Mrs. Shen's anxious eyes were filled with tears again.
Shen Wen's face turned pale. "No, if that's the case, there's no need for the emperor to suspect us. Our Shen family is definitely the Fourth Prince's ally. There's no way we can argue!"
"Dad," Shen Anan pursed her lips, "Let's not talk about whether the Shen family can stay out of it. If my daughter insists, can you really watch it and not help him? Is it possible that if you stay out of it, will the ministers and the emperor believe it?"
Several people fell into silence.
"My sister is right. No matter what we do, in the eyes of the emperor, we are all on the side of the Fourth Prince. If we keep giving in, he will abuse us even more unscrupulously. Father, we men are not afraid of death, but what about mother and sister? Are you willing to let them go?"
Shen Wen frowned, tightened his grip on Madam Shen's hand, and looked up at his children, "But she said a few days ago that she liked that scholar."
It's not like you're buying a piece of meat, how can you just change it?
Shen Changhe was silent for a moment, and said to Shen Anan, "Anan, Dad and I are here for everything, you..."
“Brother,” Shen Anan looked at him with a smile, “Didn’t you say that he has feelings for me? In the Second Prince’s Mansion, he tried his best to save me, so how could I be indifferent?”
"Dad, Mom, Big Brother, I have made up my mind about Xiao Yuan and I will not give up on him."
…
Coming out of Longxiang Pavilion, Shen Changhe stopped Shen Anan who was about to return to Haitang Garden, and the brother and sister went to the pavilion in the garden together.
The winter wind was cold and harsh, and Shen Changhe blocked a lot of the cold wind for Shen Anan.
"An An, are you looking for the Fourth Prince?"
"Yeah." Shen Anan didn't lie, "You and Dad haven't returned yet, and the families that we used to be on good terms with are avoiding Mom. I want to find out about you, so I can only go to him."
Shen Changhe did not speak, but his face was full of self-blame, "An An, matters between men and women cannot be used as bargaining chips. I have my elder brother and father at home, so I don't need you to..."
"Brother." Shen Anan patted his shoulder helplessly, "I want to save you, but Xiao Yuan is indeed a very courageous man. He is the best choice for me."
"Oh, by the way. Miss Lin was very worried about you when she left. Don't forget to write her a letter after you go back to let her know you are safe."
After she finished speaking, she stood up and left the pavilion. The wind was howling loudly, and Shen Changhe sat for a long time without moving.
It was not until the servant reminded him that he dragged his stiff body back to the yard. He immediately asked the servant to grind ink and handed a letter to Lin Yurou.
But it's strange that I used to receive a reply within half an hour, but today I waited until late at night and there was still no news.
The news that the father and son of the Shen family were imprisoned in the palace spread among the officials. Although no one talked about it openly, their colleagues and subordinates, and those who used to curry favor with them, now began to avoid them intentionally or unintentionally.
Especially during the morning court sessions for several days in a row, when the Emperor had relentlessly rebuked the Shen family, those people dared not talk to or associate with the Shen father and son, and they also stopped sending invitations to various banquets to Mrs. Shen.
During the morning court session that day, Shen Changhe stopped Lord Lin on the deserted palace road and respectfully performed the salute of a junior.
"Master Lin."
In the past, Lord Lin would immediately help him up with a smile on his face, but today he looked around in panic.
"Don't worry, sir. This place is remote and no one will see us."
Lord Lin's face flashed with embarrassment, "Master Shen, what's the matter?"
"Junior...I want to ask how Miss Lin is doing these days?"
"Oh, good, good, she is fine, but she has caught a cold recently and cannot leave the house."
Shen Changhe looked at Master Lin who couldn't wait to leave, his eyes darkened, and he stepped aside to make way, "Master, take care."
Lord Lin immediately took a step, but after a few steps, he hesitated and turned back, "Master Shen, it's not that I don't want to be righteous, but the Shen family is in the center of the storm, and I, a small member of the Imperial Academy, can't really help. In the next few days, you should try not to associate with Rou'er, and wait until the storm is over before talking."
Shen Changhe wanted to ask whether this was Miss Lin's intention or his own, but he swallowed the words back and cupped his hands in response, "Yes."
"Don't worry, Master Lin. I will definitely not implicate Miss Lin."
"Okay." Lord Lin's face turned red with embarrassment, and he quickened his pace and left.
Shen Changhe stood there without moving for a long time, until he felt gravity on his shoulder and someone was standing behind him.
"The Fourth Prince." He tried hard to smile.
"Come on, let's leave together."
"Okay." After hesitating for a moment, Shen Changhe nodded.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the two walked out of the palace side by side and left the imperial palace. Many ministers watched them secretly on the way, but did not dare to say a word.
Shen Changhe got on the Fourth Prince's carriage and remained silent. Although he didn't show it, Xiao Yuan could feel his depression.
"Everyone in the world seeks benefits and avoids harm. Once we get through this difficult time, everything will be back on track."
"I know." He did not blame Lord Lin. At this critical juncture, anyone except Xiao Yuan who had anything to do with the Shen family would be in trouble, let alone a civil servant from the Lin family who had no real power.
He was just wondering what that kind and bright girl was thinking, and whether he should be more sensible and take the initiative to cancel the engagement.
But when he thought about this, he couldn't control the bad feeling, and the indescribable emotion made him uneasy.
"Let's go to Ke Lai Restaurant and have a drink. After all, there are many people watching you and I leave together."
Shen Changhe hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
In the best private room, the waiter served some appetizers and liquor and then left. Shen Changhe drank several glasses of liquor and suddenly asked, "My sister said that she and you are in love."
"Yeah." Xiao Yuan's hand holding the wine cup froze in mid-air for a long time before he lowered his eyes and responded faintly.
"Is that really the case?" Shen Changhe stared at him, "Fourth Prince, are you guys doing a deal or are you in love?"
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