Chapter 98 The Abandoned Eldest Daughter Makes a Comeback (22 chapters)
"Knock knock".
Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door.
Bihe looked at Shen Yunzhen, and seeing her nod slightly, she moved her feet lightly and opened the door.
As soon as the door opened, Bihe froze on the spot.
"Eunuch Li, what are you doing here?"
The person who came was none other than Eunuch Li Degui, who had always been by His Majesty's side.
Bihe, who had once served in the Eastern Palace, had seen Li Degui more than once, but those were in the palace.
He's outside the palace now, and his presence here speaks volumes.
Thinking back to what happened in the private room, Bihe's heart pounded like a drum, and cold sweat broke out on her back.
Li Degui smiled and said, "Miss Bihe, my master invites Miss Chen to the next room for a chat."
Bihe stood frozen in place, at a loss for what to do.
Seeing Bihe standing blankly at the door, Shen Yunzhen couldn't help but ask, "Bihe?"
Bihe hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Please wait a moment, Eunuch Li, I will go and inform the young lady now."
After saying that, she closed the door behind her, quickly went to Shen Yunzhen's side, and whispered:
"Young lady, Eunuch Li, who serves His Majesty, requests that you come to the next room for a chat."
Shen Yunzhen frowned slightly: "Eunuch Li invited me over?"
"Yes." Bihe's expression was solemn, and her voice was even lower, almost a whisper, "Miss, it should be His Majesty who has arrived."
Shen Yunzhen also guessed the same thing.
Bihe panicked: "Miss, why did His Majesty invite you over? Could it be that he overheard what we just said?"
Shen Yunzhen denied it: "It shouldn't be."
To ensure that no one disturbs each other, the soundproofing here is very good. With the door closed, you can hardly hear any outside noise. Shen Zhengde also deliberately kept her voice down, and it wasn't loud. Unless someone is eavesdropping directly at the door, it's impossible for it to get out.
"They probably came for Xiao Chengxu and Xiao Chengze."
The old emperor had only three sons. The one he placed the most hope in visited her every day, while the other moved into her residence as a servant. How could this not make him take notice?
To be honest, Shen Yunzhen was quite surprised that the old emperor was only now coming to find her.
Bihe panicked even more. As Shen Yunzhen's personal attendant, how could she not know how His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince behaved in front of the young lady?
That's why she was worried.
"Girl? What should we do?"
Shen Yunzhen stood up: "Since His Majesty has summoned me, let's go."
She did not grow up in a feudal society and had no reverence for imperial power. She was not without options, so Shen Yunzhen did not feel uneasy or anxious.
Bihe suppressed her worry and panic and followed behind Shen Yunzhen. After taking only two steps, her gaze suddenly fell on the actors standing to the side, their faces filled with doubt and worry.
Bihe suddenly grabbed Shen Yunzhen's hand, "Miss!"
She took a few deep breaths, as if she had made a tremendous decision.
"Why don't you not go? I'll buy you some time and have the guards take you out the window to find His Highness the Crown Prince."
If His Majesty were to see this, he would surely hold the young lady accountable!
Shen Yunzhen patted Bihe's hand reassuringly, "It's okay, don't worry, I won't be hurt."
The old emperor himself came to her door, so he definitely wouldn't let her escape, and besides, she didn't want to run away.
From the very beginning, she never hid her true nature. Although Xiao Chengxu covered up some of her outrageous behavior, it could not be hidden from the old emperor.
Shen Yunzhen found it strange that so many talented people had been sought out by the old emperor.
"Can……"
"It's alright, don't worry."
Shen Yunzhen was not worried about her life. Although she was being suppressed, she could still survive.
Bihe bit her lower lip and slowly released her hand.
Li Degui waited outside the door for a long time, but he showed no impatience. He stood obediently outside the door, his chubby face looking all smiles.
Upon seeing Shen Yunzhen, he bowed slightly and gave a salute, his attitude unusually respectful.
"Miss Chen, our master is waiting for you in the private room next door. Please come this way."
Shen Yunzhen nodded: "Let's go."
Li Degui led Shen Yunzhen to the private room next door.
Several guards stood solemnly at the entrance of the private room. Upon seeing the three people, one of the guards pushed the door open.
Li Degui stood to the side and gestured "please" again.
"Miss Chen, please come in."
Shen Yunzhen glanced at him and stepped inside.
Bihe wanted to follow, but Li Degui stopped her.
“Miss Bihe, the master only said he wanted to see Miss Chen, so please wait here for a moment.”
"this……"
Seeing this, Bihe couldn't hide her anxiety. She subconsciously raised her head, but then stiffly lowered it again, thinking about who was inside.
Shen Yunzhen turned around: "Bihe, you wait here for now."
"Yes, Miss."
Bihe watched with concern as Shen Yunzhen entered the private room.
A cryptic look flashed across Li Degui's face as he turned and closed the door himself.
The layout of this private room was much the same as the one next door. Shen Yunzhen walked past the screen and went inside, familiar with the place.
She looked around but didn't see anyone else, only a man in white sitting by the bed.
To Shen Yunzhen's surprise, the man was unexpectedly young.
Perhaps influenced by the movies and TV shows she had seen, she subconsciously thought that even if the emperor wasn't very old, he should at least look aged and weathered by time. But to her surprise, he didn't look old at all.
He appeared to be in his early thirties, with striking eyebrows and bright eyes, an exceptionally handsome face, and an upright posture. Sitting there quietly, he resembled a majestic mountain, exuding an undeniable air of authority.
The man toyed with his teacup with his long, slender fingers, his head slightly lowered, a deep look on his face, as if he were lost in thought.
Hearing footsteps, he put down the teacup he was playing with and looked up at Shen Yunzhen.
His eyes were deep, like a bottomless abyss, yet also seemed to hold immense power, inspiring awe in people.
In an instant, his eyelids drooped slightly, all his sharpness disappeared, and his entire demeanor softened, like a gentle and refined gentleman.
Of course, Shen Yunzhen knew very well that this was all an illusion; a person who could rule a dynasty could not possibly be a gentle person.
Shen Yunzhen stood still and gave a slight curtsy: "My lord."
Since he was unwilling to reveal his identity, she decided to pretend she didn't know.
Xiao Yuheng nodded slightly and pointed to the empty seat opposite him: "Come and sit down."
Shen Yunzhen was a little surprised. She didn't expect the old... she didn't expect the emperor to have this attitude.
After thinking for a moment, she walked over and sat down opposite him calmly.
One of her purposes in traveling to various small worlds was to explore them. Since the other party did not intend to make things difficult for her, Shen Yunzhen naturally would not force her way through.
Seeing Shen Yunzhen sit down, Xiao Yuheng picked up the teapot again, poured a cup of tea, and slowly pushed it over.
"Try this year's newly offered Junshan Silver Needle tea and see if you like it."
The sound is like jade that has been soaked in warm water, warm and deep, with a rich texture.
This attitude is so strange. Shen Yunzhen thought the other party would dislike her, but unexpectedly, his attitude was very gentle, and he even poured her tea.
Shen Yunzhen was unsure of what the other party wanted to do, so she decided to wait and see.
She picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and said, "It tastes good."
Xiao Yuheng's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.
"If you like it, that's fine."
Shen Yunzhen picked up her teacup and took another sip: "May I ask what brings you here, sir?"
She didn't want to waste too much time beating around the bush with him, so she simply spoke her mind.
“I rarely go out for leisure, and this time I have come out for the first time. Seeing that you are quite carefree and easygoing, I would like to meet you and experience the wonders of the capital.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Shen Yunzhen's eyes.
"You flatter me, sir. I am merely a newcomer to the capital and my understanding of it is very limited. If you wish to experience the wonders of the capital, there are countless people willing to guide you. I will not embarrass myself by offering my services."
Xiao Yuheng clasped his hands together, leaned back in his chair, and looked rather solemn.
“They are all ordinary people, how can they compare to a young lady?”
Shen Yunzhen slowly frowned, sensing that something was off about the other person's attitude.
Xiao Yuheng turned to look out the window: "I had only heard of such people before, but seeing them today, I am amazed to find that there are such talented and beautiful people in the world. The young lady is straightforward and fearless of the world's opinions. Such grace is rarely seen in this world."
Shen Yunzhen frowned even more deeply, her heart filled with confusion.
If she understood correctly, was he praising himself?
Puzzled, Shen Yunzhen followed his gaze.
Opposite the opera house was a restaurant of similar height. The two buildings were not close, but if you opened the window, you could vaguely see what was happening inside the opposite building.
However, the windows of the private rooms on the third floor of the restaurant across the street were never opened, as if no one was there, while the first and second floors were bustling with noise.
Since there was no one on the third floor opposite, Shen Yunzhen did not have all the windows closed when she came to the theater to have fun.
At that moment, she was surprised to find that a window in the private room on the third floor of the restaurant had been opened at some point, and it was directly facing the private room she had just been in.
Shen Yunzhen suddenly realized: "You were just across from me?"
Xiao Yuheng did not hide anything and nodded frankly: "In my spare time, I sometimes go there to sit for a while."
So, the other party saw all of her ridiculous behavior just now?
Why would he have this attitude?
Not only did he not get angry, but his attitude was also unexpectedly gentle.
Although Shen Yunzhen didn't think there was anything wrong with her having fun, she knew that it was absolutely shocking and unacceptable to people in this world.
In particular, she maintained a close relationship with Xiao Chengxu, and Xiao Chengze devoted his heart to her.
Seeing that both of his sons had fallen into her hands, didn't he feel any anger at all?
Xiao Yuheng seemed to see through Shen Yunzhen's doubts and gently waved his hand, "Miss, you don't need to worry. In my opinion, people should live a carefree and unrestrained life. Those formalities are just shackles that bind people's hearts."
A hint of suspicion flashed in Shen Yunzhen's eyes. She didn't believe that this high-ranking person would accept her way of doing things so easily.
After all, in this rigidly hierarchical ancient society, her behavior was undoubtedly a blatant provocation against traditional etiquette.
"My lord, your ideas are certainly unconventional." Shen Yunzhen narrowed her eyes slightly. "But aren't you afraid that my actions might cause you trouble?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuheng couldn't help but chuckle softly, his laughter revealing a touch of carefree spirit and untamed nature.
"Trouble? In my eyes, there aren't many things in this world that can be called trouble. Just do what you want to do, girl, and don't care about what others think."
Shen Yunzhen stared intently at Xiao Yuheng: "Even if I betray Xiao Chengxu, is that alright?"
Xiao Yuheng paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Okay."
His tone was gentle, yet carried immense weight.
"If that's the case, then why did you come to see me in the first place?"
Shen Yunzhen's attitude became increasingly impolite.
His attitude was so unusual that she wanted to test him and see if she could find out his true intentions.
Xiao Yuheng gave a gentle smile, which carried a reassuring tone.
"Didn't I already say? I just want to meet the young lady and get to know her."
Shen Yunzhen curled her lips slightly, "Since that's the case, then we can call ourselves acquaintances now."
Xiao Yuheng was taken aback for a moment, then said good-naturedly, "Yes, so we are now acquainted. However, since we are already acquainted, it would be inappropriate to accept this title without real knowledge. Would you be willing to exchange names with me, young lady?"
Shen Yunzhen didn't believe the other person didn't know her name, but she still said, "Shen Yunzhen."
"My name is Xiao Yuheng." Xiao Yuheng stood up, took a jade pendant from his waist, and was about to hand it to Shen Yunzhen. Seeing that she did not reach out, he gently placed it on the table.
“This is a token of my love for you, please don’t refuse it. Consider it a testament to our meeting.”
Shen Yunzhen turned her gaze to the jade pendant on the table.
This is a dragon-patterned jade pendant carved from top-quality Hetian jade. The jade is warm and delicate, with a pure texture, and it subtly emits a soft luster under the light.
This jade pendant is too symbolic. If Shen Yunzhen carries this jade pendant with her, who wouldn't know that the current emperor is standing behind her?
Although she didn't know why Xiao Yuheng would do this, Shen Yunzhen did not refuse.
"Then I'll accept it."
Xiao Yuheng stood there for a while longer. Seeing that Shen Yunzhen was sitting there peacefully without making any other moves, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
"In that case, I shall take my leave now."
Xiao Yuheng gave Shen Yunzhen a deep look, then turned and left.
Upon seeing Xiao Yuheng emerge, Li Degui hurriedly went to greet him, immediately noticing that the jade pendant at his master's waist was missing.
It's obvious where this jade pendant went.
Li Degui couldn't help but feel even more awe for the person inside.
You should know that the master has never given away his personal belongings to anyone before; this is the first time.
However, considering that woman's ethereal beauty, Li Degui could understand it.
Even someone as rootless as him felt his heart flutter at the sight of it, let alone His Majesty, a man in the prime of his life.
It's just a pity about His Highness the Crown Prince...
Li Degui shook his head and instructed Bihe, "Take good care of your master. Also, don't tell anyone about what happened today."
After saying that, he hurriedly caught up with Xiao Yuheng.
Bihe was puzzled, but she still agreed, bowed in the direction the group had left, and then hurriedly went into the private room.
"Young lady, are you alright?"
Shen Yunzhen shook her head: "It's nothing."
Bihe looked Shen Yunzhen up and down and saw that she was indeed alright, with no extra wrinkles in her clothes, so she was slightly relieved.
She hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "I wonder what business the master has with you?"
Has anyone ever opposed the young lady and the crown prince?
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