The buzzing of early summer cicadas clung to the weeping willows in front of the Seventh Prince's residence. Shen Ruorou hid in the dappled shadows, her fingertips clutching her handkerchief almost digging into her flesh. Three days had passed since she was publicly humiliated by Xiao Yu, but the joke about "Second Miss Shen's powder is thicker than a prison wall" was still circulating. Even when she went out to buy a pearl hairpin, she could hear the snickering of the jewelry store clerks.
"Miss, why don't we go back?" The maid Xiaolian looked at her pale face and couldn't help but whispered, "His Highness the Seventh Prince is very busy, I'm afraid he doesn't have time to see us..."
"Shut up!" Shen Ruoruo interrupted harshly, the crooked silk flowers on her bun trembling with her movements, "I don't believe it! I'm standing here at the door, he can always see me!" She deliberately changed into a plain and elegant light blue skirt today, with only a light makeup on her face, thinking that she looked pitiful and would definitely arouse Xiao Yu's pity.
As he was speaking, a steady sound of horse hooves came from the street corner. Shen Ruorou's eyes lit up, and she quickly adjusted her skirt and put on the most gentle posture to greet him. However, when she saw who was coming, she almost gritted her teeth - the one walking in front was not the Seventh Prince, but the commander of the guards beside him.
"Second Miss Shen?" The commander reined in his horse, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment, with a subtle hint of contempt. "Your Highness will not be leaving the palace today, Miss, please return."
The smile on Shen Ruorou's face froze, but she still didn't give up: "I... I was just passing by and wanted to ask your Highness some questions..."
"Excuse me?" The commander raised an eyebrow, his tone imitating Xiao Yu's coldness. "Are you asking how to get a dog to retrieve stolen goods, or when should the 'plum blossoms in the corner' bloom?"
"You!" Shen Ruorou was so angry that she was shaking all over, but the other party was the prince's attendant. She didn't even dare to get angry. She could only watch the guards ride past, leaving behind a string of faint sneers.
The sun was setting in the west, and Shen Ruorou's legs were numb from standing in the shade of the trees. Just as she was about to give up, she finally saw that familiar moon-white figure. Xiao Yu was riding a tall horse, followed by two staff members, who were whispering about something.
"Your Highness...Your Highness!" Shen Ruoruo almost rushed out, her skirt sweeping across the moss on the roadside, and she almost fell.
Xiao Yu frowned and reined in his horse, his obsidian eyes fixed on her coldly, as if he were looking at a stone on the side of the road: "Second Miss Chen, how many times have you been blocked in front of this prince's mansion?"
Shen Ruorou quickly bowed, her voice sweet and cloying: "I just happened to be passing by, and seeing your highness's elegance, I couldn't help but..."
"Just happened to be passing by?" Xiao Yu interrupted her, his folding fan swish open, covering half of his face, revealing only a pair of smiling yet cold eyes. "I have heard that Miss Shen has recently become obsessed with 'just happened to be passing by'? For example, passing by my sister's jewelry box and taking a jade bracelet by chance?"
These words were like a slap in the face, instantly draining the blood from Shen Ruorou's cheeks. She waved her hands hurriedly: "Your Highness, you misunderstood! I was keeping the bracelet for my sister..."
"Oh?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, tapping the saddle with the tip of his fan. "She helped put it in the bottom of her own box, and then let the dog fetch it out for public display? Miss Shen's way of 'helping' is quite novel."
The people passing by had already gathered around and burst into laughter when they heard this. Someone pointed at Shen Ruorou and whispered:
"Look at her, she's trying to seduce the Seventh Prince!"
"That's right, a thief who steals things wants to become a prince's consort. Dream on!"
"I heard she even copied poems, even poems that children could recite!"
Shen Ruorou was filled with shame and indignation, but she could only pretend to be calm: "Your Highness, it was Shen Weiwan who framed me! I..."
"Framed?" Xiao Yu sneered, interrupting her defense. "This prince actually thinks that being framed is understandable given that she copied Wang Anshi's poem as her own and chose a 'talented woman' from the wrong season."
"I didn't copy!" Shen Ruorou screamed, her emotions completely out of control. "That's paraphrase! It's art!"
"Art?" Xiao Yu sounded as if he had heard some ridiculous joke, his folding fan clanging against his palm. "This prince is so ignorant that he didn't even know that plagiarizing someone else's poem is called 'appropriation'. So, if I go to a bookshop and bring back a few books, that counts as 'artistic creation'?"
"You..." Shen Ruorou was speechless, tears welling up in her eyes, but she forced them back - she knew that crying in front of Xiao Yu would only make her look more embarrassed.
Xiao Yu looked at her trying to hold on, his eyes filled with even more sarcasm. "Second Miss Shen, this prince might as well tell you something." He leaned closer, his voice soft but clear enough to reach the onlookers. "Even if I need a study partner, I'll have to find someone who can't read."
Shen Ruorou looked up suddenly, unable to believe her ears: "What do you mean by this, Your Highness?"
"What I mean is," Xiao Yu stood up straight, his tone icy, "at least illiterate people won't steal poems, unlike some 'talented women' who can even claim 'Ploughing in the Midday Sun' as their own masterpiece."
"Pfft..." This time, even Xiao Yu's staff couldn't hold back, and quickly lowered their heads and pretended to straighten their robes. The people around them were even more laughter-filled, and some slapped their thighs and shouted, "The Seventh Prince is right! Being illiterate is better than stealing poems!"
Shen Ruorou felt dizzy. Xiao Yu's words were like sharp knives, tearing her last layer of fig leaf to shreds. She thought of the letter her mother had written from prison, her carefully dressed face, and the mocking look on the faces of the onlookers. Finally, she could no longer hold back and burst into tears.
"Your Highness, why do you have to humiliate me like this..." She covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently.
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