Chapter 288 He killed him
The day was auspicious for marriage, as the snow had cleared up and the sky had cleared.
The only legitimate daughter of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy is getting married today. She is marrying the eldest son of Minister Shen, the Vice Minister of Works. The two families are considered a good match.
To say that Lord Shen was once a poor scholar who has managed to get to where he is today is a bit of luck. Heaven secretly helped him, allowing him to meet Madam Shen, who fell in love with him at first sight, when he was down on his luck. With the support of Madam Shen and her family, he was able to study and pass the imperial examinations, and step by step he achieved his current success. His son is also promising, having entered the Hanlin Academy, bringing glory to the Shen family.
Now, they've become in-laws with Lord Song. The Song family is a prominent family in the capital, and they're also related by marriage to the equally prominent Qi family. Lord Song's wife is the eldest aunt of the Qi family. With this kinship, the Shen family's status in the capital has risen considerably.
When Meng Jinyao arrived at the Song family home, Song Xinning had already finished dressing up, her face showing the joy and shyness of a bride, talking with a group of her peers.
She greeted everyone and then handed the dowry gift to Song Xinning: "Ah Ning, I wish you and Young Master Shen a long and happy marriage and many children."
Upon hearing the words "May you have a son soon," Song Xinning's already rouged face turned even redder. She accepted the dowry gift, which was contained in a rectangular wooden box, with both hands and replied with a smile, "Thank you, Ayao."
Soon after, Princess Jingning arrived and presented Song Xinning with a dowry gift.
When the wedding procession arrived at the Song family home, everyone saw Song Xinning's fiancé, Shen Shuxian, a 22-year-old man with a gentle and refined demeanor. He was much more mature than a teenager and was also handsome, making him a perfect match for Song Xinning.
Watching the wedding procession depart in a grand procession, Meng Jinyao couldn't help but smile. Her best friend was getting married to her childhood sweetheart, with whom she shared a deep affection. She estimated that in another year or two, a beautiful and adorable child would be calling her Aunt Meng.
Princess Jingning said in a low voice, "A-Ning's future husband is handsome and seems quite good."
Meng Jinyao replied, "Young Master Shen is quite good. Madam Shen and Madam Song have known each other for a long time, so Young Master Shen and A Ning are childhood sweethearts. They were supposed to get married last year, but the Song family couldn't bear to part with their daughter, so he waited for more than a year."
Princess Jingning looked envious, but after a moment her head drooped again.
Seeing this, Meng Jinyao asked, "What's wrong?"
Princess Jingning said wistfully, "Seeing my friends of similar age getting married one after another, I suddenly feel a little worried. I don't know what kind of person my mother will find for me. I will be sixteen after the New Year, and my marriage should be settled next year, or at the latest the year after.
Meng Jinyao gently comforted her, "Things will work themselves out. Don't overthink it. The Princess will definitely find you a suitable husband."
Princess Jingning pursed her lips, her tone revealing helplessness: "Let me tell you a secret, I don't dislike the ones she chose for me, but I don't like them either. I don't have that kind of heart-fluttering feeling that you hear about in the stories. I just rejected a young man that my mother had chosen for me a few days ago."
Meng Jinyao asked, "Why did you refuse?"
Princess Jingning replied in a low voice, "He's good in every way, except he's a bit short. He's only about three inches taller than me when we stand together. Besides, he's already twenty years old, so he probably can't grow any taller anymore. I'm not even sixteen yet, and I reckon I can still grow a bit more. What if I grow taller than him by then?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao was stunned. She subconsciously estimated Princess Jingning's height and found that she had grown taller than half a year ago, already two inches taller than herself, and would definitely grow even taller.
Princess Jingning noticed the envy in her eyes and said helplessly, "Why are you envious of me?"
Meng Jinyao said dejectedly, "I envy you for being taller than me, and it looks like you can still grow taller. I don't think I've grown any height this year."
"Why does a young lady need to be so tall?"
Princess Jingning glared at her and said with annoyance, "Look at you, so petite and delicate, you're only about the height of the Marquis's shoulder. You're so small and sweet, and when you lean against the Marquis, you look like a little bird clinging to him. But as I grow taller, I won't be a little bird clinging to him anymore, but a roc spreading its wings in front of my husband. Then he'll be the one clinging to him. I don't want to grow taller."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao couldn't help but chuckle: "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean by 'a roc spreading its wings'? No matter how tall you are, you're still a delicate young lady. If a situation like a roc spreading its wings were to occur, it would be because the other person is too short, not because you're too tall."
Upon hearing this, Princess Jingning felt a sudden sense of relief and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, it's just that he's too short. I need to find someone tall." Just as she finished speaking, she remembered something and asked, "Ayao, have you heard about what happened at the Duke of Shen's mansion?"
Meng Jinyao nodded slightly. Although it happened the day before yesterday, she had heard about it.
I heard that the second son of Duke Shen and his second wife died, and was killed by wolves. His face was gnawed so badly that he was unrecognizable. Fortunately, he was wearing many clothes in winter and was wrapped up tightly, so his flesh was mostly protected.
The Duke and Duchess of Shen were devastated. The Duchess of Shen only had this one child, and she fainted on the spot when she saw her son's body.
Although Duke Shen did not faint, he was in no better shape. Within a year, he had lost his only two legitimate sons, and the remaining illegitimate sons were all useless. Previously, his eldest son, Shen Yunzhou, had encountered danger and his fate was unknown. Because his body had not yet been found, he could not accept the loss of his excellent eldest son and sent people to continue searching in secret. The Duke's mansion did not leak the news of this until yesterday.
However, both Meng Jinyao and Princess Jingning knew that Prince Shen Yunzhou was not dead. They had saved him when he was on the verge of death. Prince Shen was in the capital, but he had not shown himself.
Princess Jingning: "Ayao, do you think... he might have killed him?"
Although she didn't explicitly say who it was, Meng Jinyao knew who the "he" she was referring to was. After recovering from his injuries, Prince Shen had been in the capital and hadn't returned home, nor had he let his relatives and friends know that he had returned. Now, the Second Young Master Shen had been killed by wolves by such a coincidence, it was hard not to be suspicious.
Meng Jinyao looked around and, seeing that no one was coming, lowered her voice and said, "Ayan, sometimes when people are pushed to the limit, they won't show mercy, because being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself."
Princess Jingning paused, and the handsome face of Shen Yunzhou flashed through her mind. She immediately shivered. How could someone so good-looking be so ruthless?
The next moment, she thought of when she found Shen Yunzhou, he was on the verge of death, and the injuries on his body must have been the scheme of her stepmother and the second young master Shen.
If she were Shen Yunzhou, even if she escaped death, she wouldn't let those who tried to harm her get away with it.
Thinking about it this way, she felt that Shen Yunzhou's actions were reasonable. If others wanted her dead, then she should kill them first to prevent them from having the opportunity to attack her again.
Meng Jinyao glanced at her and instructed, "Ayan, some things are just speculation. Don't mention anything without evidence to anyone. Let's keep this to ourselves. If you see him again in the future, don't ask about it. Just pretend you don't know anything, understand?"
Princess Jingning knew that she was doing this for her own good, and nodded hurriedly: "Don't worry, Yao, I won't say anything out of line. Other people's business is none of our concern. Let's just treat it as gossip."
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