Xiao Youzhi raised an eyebrow slightly, keenly sensing the hostility in his words. A slight smile played on his lips as he replied unhurriedly, "Lord Shen, that's a strange question. This is Chunfeng Tower; if I'm not here, where else could I be?" His tone shifted, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, "As for Lord Shen, I just saw you strolling through the lantern festival with Princess Danyang, laughing and chatting happily. Could it be...?"
"Young Master Xiao, watch your words!" Shen Qinghe abruptly interrupted, his expression slightly grim. "How dare you so casually comment on the Princess's reputation?"
Xiao Youzhi chuckled lightly: "Who in the capital doesn't know about Lord Shen's affair with Princess Danyang? I merely happened to witness it and casually mentioned it, yet Lord Shen is so enraged, as if it were a true story."
"You!!!" Shen Qinghe was furious, her jade-like face flushed red.
"Alright." Meng Zhao interrupted at the right moment. She looked at the empty street and then glanced at the two people who were at each other's throats. "It's getting late. Since we've run into each other, let's go back together." After saying that, she turned around and got into the carriage.
Shen Qinghe was left behind. As she turned around, she glared fiercely at Xiao Youzhi. Xiao Youzhi narrowed his eyes, seemingly sensing something, and his expression gradually darkened.
Inside the carriage, Meng Zhao lowered his eyes and fiddled with the palace lantern in his hand, trying to see how it was made, while Shen Qinghe beside him stared intently at the palace lantern, his eyes surging with undisguised disgust.
"Why not refuse him?" he suddenly asked, his voice low and carrying a hint of suppressed coldness.
Meng Zhao paused slightly, glanced at him, clearly not wanting to answer the question. Shen Qinghe's eyes darkened, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips. "You always say I'm a nuisance, but what about Xiao Youzhi? How much do you really know about him?"
Meng Zhao paused. To be honest, aside from knowing a little about the Xiao family's business, she didn't know much about Xiao Youzhi as a person. But she didn't want to appear timid in front of Shen Qinghe.
"Aren't you overthinking it? There's nothing between him and me for now."
"Temporarily?" Shen Qinghe suddenly chuckled, a laugh like spring water chilled to the bone. "So you mean, what might happen in the future?"
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the carriage curtain, casting dappled shadows on Meng Zhao's face. She took a deep breath and began listing her reasons to him: "First, I have no intention of living a solitary life. Second, Xiao Youzhi is handsome and wealthy; his conditions are excellent. Third," she paused, looking directly into Shen Qinghe's eyes, "he's unmarried, and I'm unmarried. It doesn't involve any ethical or moral issues. What's wrong with me considering it?"
Shen Qinghe's eyes suddenly darkened, like the sea before a storm. "He's unmarried. Are you sure?"
Meng Zhao paused, "What do you mean?"
"Do you think a family of Xiao's stature wouldn't have arranged a marriage for its eldest son?"
She had indeed wondered before why Xiao Youzhi, at twenty-five, was still unmarried. But as far as she knew, he was indeed unmarried. So she said, "If he were engaged, the news would probably have spread throughout the capital long ago."
"Heh," Shen Qinghe chuckled lightly, "The reason there's been no news from the capital is because both of his fiancées passed away shortly after their engagements."
Meng Zhao's pupils contracted slightly. Shen Qinghe continued, "His first fiancée was the eldest daughter of the Lin family in Suzhou, whom he had been betrothed to since childhood. However, before she turned sixteen, she accidentally fell into the water, and her body was never found. His second fiancée was even more bizarre. They had just matched their birth dates and the betrothal gifts hadn't been exchanged when she suddenly fell seriously ill and died. Do you think there really are such coincidences in this world?"
Seeing Meng Zhao remain silent, Shen Qinghe softened his tone, speaking with a persuasive tone: "I know your personality; you love freedom and yearn for boundless horizons. But the Xiao family is a ruthless cage that devours people without spitting out their bones. There are countless power struggles among his dozen or so siblings. If you really go crazy and want to go with him, you'll only get yourself into endless trouble."
Meng Zhao was speechless. Why did all the people she encountered seem to be entangled in a bunch of complicated and messy problems? Weren't there any families like hers, where the children were only children, the parents were loving, and the family was harmonious?
Why don't we go find Qiao Yanhe? Look at the well-behaved and handsome young man she was with today. She should have a suitable one. Thinking of this, Meng Zhao couldn't help but chuckle.
Shen Qing was startled by her sudden laughter and frowned, asking, "What are you laughing at?"
Meng Zhao waved his hand, "It's nothing. I was just curious. Is the Zhan family so leisurely these days that Lord Shen has the time to inquire about such trivial matters?"
Shen Qing was speechless at her words, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. "I'm doing this for your own good, to help you see what kind of people are around you."
"Thank you then, but I'll find out about my own affairs myself. You should focus more on your own business in the future."
Shen Qinghe suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly said, "Today's trip with Princess Danyang was at His Majesty's behest, and I really couldn't refuse. However, before leaving, I specially invited His Highness the Crown Prince to accompany us, and there were people present the whole time. I didn't even touch her sleeve." As he said this, he recalled the conversation between Meng Zhao and Xiao Youzhi earlier, and a sense of grievance welled up in his heart.
After pausing for a moment, she continued, "But don't worry, Princess Danyang returned disappointed today, and she'll probably get tired of me soon..."
"Enough." Meng Zhao suddenly raised his hand to interrupt, a hint of weariness in his eyes. "These are all your own affairs; you don't need to explain them to me."
Shen Qinghe's expression immediately dimmed, and her jade-like face looked particularly lonely in the moonlight. However, when she saw Meng Zhao put down the palace lantern that she had been playing with, a hint of relief flashed in her eyes.
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