Chapter 3 Rejection of Marriage You said you wanted to marry me, does it still count?
He was dressed in a hideous python robe, with a flourishing scene of flowers behind him. The sunlight fell into his raven-black eyelashes, casting an obscure shadow in his eyes.
The crowds of people around him surged, but he remained standing there, just staring at her deeply.
Shen Xingwan couldn't figure out what he was thinking, but suddenly remembered his cruel methods in the past. She was shocked and frightened, and her heart started beating wildly.
She lowered her eyes and turned away, trying to hold her breathing, and slightly turned sideways to try to bypass him and blend into the crowd.
The restless crowd was rushing towards the lakeshore. Shen Xingwan was standing at the very shore and was almost hit.
The Jinyiwei rushed over with a gust of wind and jumped into the lake beside her to rescue her. The handle of the Xiuchun sword was about to hit her face. She instinctively raised her hand to block it, but in the next second, she was pulled into a warm embrace.
The girl's soft body hit the solid chest, the gold embroidery thread of the dragon robe brushed against her cheek, and she smelled the cool and crisp scent of him.
His heart seemed to skip a beat, and his neck to ears instantly felt hot. Shen Xingwan hurriedly broke free, not daring to look back, and hurriedly merged into the bustling crowd.
Shen Xingwan calmed himself down and looked at the situation in the lake.
Tang Lin'er had been rescued. Her hair was loose and stuck to her cheeks. She was being carried to the shore by two Jinyiwei.
Shen Xingwan frowned slightly and looked to the other side, only to see that the third prince had also been rescued by the Jinyiwei, and the empress dowager was concernedly telling him to change his clothes.
She thought to herself that in her previous life, it was the Third Prince who jumped into the lake and struggled to swim over to save her. Now that he had jumped, why didn't he go to save Tang Lin'er himself?
As soon as Tang Lin'er got ashore, she shook off the Jinyiwei's hand, staggered to her feet, and looked back at the third prince with resentment.
The Third Prince was being accompanied by the Queen Mother herself as he went to change his clothes, and he didn't even spare a glance at Tang Lin'er.
Shen Xingwan was a little dazed. If she hadn't heard the conspiracy of the two people with her own ears and knew the inside story, she would have thought that the two people fell into the water accidentally and had no connection with the other party.
The accident was ultimately concluded to be caused by the pebbles used to pave the bank being too slippery. The Queen Mother punished many workers for their crimes, but as the banquet was in full swing and bloodshed was not to be seen, no one was executed and the matter was simply left unresolved.
The mood for flower-viewing and garden-wandering was ruined, so the empress dowager directly gave a banquet and everyone took their seats one by one.
Tang Lin'er also changed her clothes, re-combed her hair, and stayed by Shen Xingwan's side, pouring tea and serving food for her.
Shen Xingwan saw her with her head down and red eyes, knowing that she had been crying secretly, so she reached out and patted her arm, and said softly, "I'm sorry, sister. The Queen Mother is here, so it's not easy to let you go. Sister, please be patient for a while."
Tang Linger's nose turned red, and she lowered her head even lower. She only responded muffledly, "I dare not."
After three rounds of drinks, the Queen Mother finally came straight to the point. She looked at the Third Prince, turned around and summoned Shen Xingwan with a smile.
Shen Xingwan stood up calmly, left her seat and walked to the Queen Mother, bowing, "Your servant Shen Xingwan pays respect to the Queen Mother. May the Queen Mother be blessed with longevity and good health."
"Stand up." The Queen Mother smiled and raised her hand to support him. "Good boy, come closer and let me take a closer look."
Shen Xingwan stood up and walked forward a few steps. The Queen Mother looked at her appearance and nodded, "She is indeed stunning, delicate but not coquettish. Very good, but has she read a book?"
“In reply to the Queen Mother, I was chosen to be Princess Guang’an’s study companion since I was young, and I studied with the princess.
The Queen Mother looked at her carefully again, as if she was very satisfied. She took her hand kindly and said, "I think you and Zilin are a perfect match. He even fell into the water with your maid today, which shows that you are destined to be together. Zilin, come and toast your sister."
Shen Xingwan felt as if a needle had pricked her heart, causing a dull pain. If this could be considered fate, then it was definitely a bad fate.
As if he had been prepared long ago, the Third Prince came over with his cup in hand upon hearing this. He smiled heartily and said softly, "Hello, Sister Xingwan. I have heard of your good name for a long time. Zilin is honored to serve you."
Shen Xingwan raised her eyes, and Wei Zilin appeared before her with high spirits.
One has to admit that he was indeed born with a good-looking appearance. Even though he was only wearing the lake blue uniform of a prince, he still stood out among the other princes.
Those gentle and affectionate eyes were looking at her deeply, as if they were gazing at their most beloved lover.
Shen Xingwan was impressed by his good acting skills.
If I hadn't actually lived my life again and knew his past life, I would probably have developed some good feelings towards him.
But now, she just felt sick.
Without accepting the wine cup offered by the little palace maid, Shen Xingwan bowed and said, "Thank you very much, Third Prince, for your kindness. However, I am not blessed enough to enjoy it. I'd better save this fine wine for a more blessed lady."
Everyone knew that the Queen Mother's gift of wine was an attempt to bring the two together.
In her previous life, because the Third Prince risked his life to save her, Shen Xingwan developed some affection for him and accepted the glass of wine.
Now she regarded this glass of wine as poison. Whoever wanted to take it could take it. She would never make the same mistake again.
The Third Prince had not expected that she would reject him in public. After all, he was young and looked a little embarrassed. The tips of her slender, bony fingers turned slightly white, and she almost crushed the jade cup.
He pursed his lips and looked at the Queen Mother with a frown.
The Queen Mother seemed to be very surprised, but she immediately put on a kind smile and tried to persuade her: "The little girl is shy and it's normal for her to be shy. Zilin is a good kid. You can get to know each other better later..."
Shen Xingwan did not refute, but just smiled, bowed and left according to the rules.
Of course, she was not stupid enough to refute the empress dowager in public. That was a capital crime. After all, the Empress Dowager Zhang was known for her cruelty.
Brutal...
It seemed as if something emerged like a silk thread, lingering in Shen Xingwan's mind.
Empress Dowager Zhang...
Concubine Zhang...
The Third Prince...
Suddenly, as if an inspiration came to her, she suddenly figured out the key points.
The third prince’s biological mother, Concubine Zhang, was the niece of Empress Dowager Zhang.
In the future, when the Nine Dragons competed for the throne, Empress Dowager Zhang would naturally support the prince from her mother's family.
Empress Dowager Zhang is so cruel, but she just let such a serious accident as the prince falling into the water go by so lightly. This is totally unlike her style.
Then, there is only one possibility, that Empress Dowager Zhang also knew about and participated in this conspiracy.
As if a basin of ice water was poured on him in the dead of winter, Shen Xingwan felt a chill down his spine.
She understood that what the Zhang family wanted was not her, but the family power behind her.
Shen Xingwan sat back in his seat, feeling somewhat depressed, and no longer in the mood to feast and drink.
She raised her eyes and looked around, intending to find an excuse to return home early. When her eyes swept across the men's seats, she met a burning gaze.
Regent King Yan Jinghuan was sitting leisurely at the chief seat, with a faint smile on his lips, as if he was in a good mood. When their eyes met, he lightly raised the cup in his hand to toast her from afar, and without waiting for her response, he raised his head and drank.
A drop of crystal wine slid down the Adam's apple, along the jade-colored skin and disappeared into the abstinent and tightly bound collar.
Shen Xingwan's face flushed and she quickly looked away, only to see that the Third Prince Wei Zilin was also staring at her intently, his brows furrowed, observing her with a thoughtful and inquiring look.
She turned her face away, not wanting to see him, and turned back to tell Feiyun to prepare the car, but saw Tang Lin'er looking at the men's seat with a look of grievance and resentment on her face.
You can imagine who she is looking at.
Shen Xingwan felt a little headache, thinking that he must go back and try to bring this couple together so that they can become a pair of loving ghosts and never be reborn.
Shen Xingwan left the party early and returned home on the pretext of feeling unwell and fearing catching a cold.
Tang Lin'er was a little distraught and had no choice but to leave with him in disgust.
Before they had taken a few steps, Tang Lin'er cried out that she had a headache from falling into the water and wanted to rest for a while before going back. Shen Xingwan naturally understood that she wanted to find the third prince, so he readily agreed and took Feiyun back home alone.
As soon as I entered the mansion, I heard laughter as loud as silver bells. A little girl was running happily with a windmill as if she had got some treasure. She kept looking back and bumped into Shen Xingwan.
The little girl was hit hard and the windmill fell to the ground. She was about to fall down. Shen Xingwan reached out and grabbed her and steadyed her small body.
Feiyun reached out and picked her up. Just as she was about to speak, a woman in plain clothes chased out from a distance. She hurried over and knelt on the ground, begging for mercy. "Little Lingling is ignorant. She ran in front and bumped into the young lady. It's all because of me who didn't take good care of her. Young lady, you..."
Shen Xingwan raised his hand to stop her from talking, then squatted down and touched the little girl's red face.
It was hot, and the little girl ran quickly, panting, looking very lively.
Shen Xingwan felt a lump in his throat and couldn't help but hug her. This was the little girl who was hacked to death, the cook's little daughter.
The image of her being hacked to death in her previous life gradually overlapped with her current vivid image. Shen Xingwan's face was pressed against her tender chest. He heard her slightly rapid heartbeat, and his vision gradually blurred.
"Did you hurt Miss?" The cook was very anxious. She put her hands together and bowed repeatedly, "I'm sorry Miss, I'm sorry Miss, I, I..."
Shen Xingwan picked up the small windmill on the ground, brushed off the dust, put it in her little hand, and smiled at her, "Go and play, and let your mother make you some steamed sugar-coated cheese later, okay?"
Little Lingling's face lit up with joy, but then she became a little shy and glanced timidly at the cook. "Go ahead."
Shen Xingwan stood in the courtyard for a long time, watching the cook, who was grateful profusely, walk away with Little Bell.
She wiped the warm tears from her face, adjusted her expression, and turned to go to her mother's yard.
"Mother!"
Shen Xingwan walked through the corridor with faster and faster steps. From a distance, she saw her mother sitting in front of the stained glass window with her head down, embroidering something. She couldn't help but let out a soft cry, ran over, pushed open the door, and threw herself into her arms.
The Prime Minister's wife was thrown to one side and quickly raised the needle and thread in her hand, "My son! Be careful, I will pierce you carefully."
Prime Minister Shen, who was sitting aside reading a book, had tenderness in his eyes, but a stern expression on his face, "You are becoming more and more unruly."
Shen Xingwan couldn't stop her tears from streaming down her face. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times respectfully.
"The daughter kowtows to her parents and thanks them for raising her." I will never let you down in this life!
Mrs. Shen saw this and quickly got off the bed to pull Shen Xingwan up, took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears, "What's wrong? Why are you crying like this for no reason? Did someone bully you? Tell mother, no one can bully you."
Shen Xingwan burst into tears, shook her head and hugged her mother.
Madam Shen felt very distressed and glanced at Prime Minister Shen, "You are too strict. Look how wronged the child is."
Prime Minister Shen was speechless, lowered his eyes awkwardly and turned another page of the book.
Shen Xingwan had just helped his mother sit down when the servant outside came running in to report, "Master, someone has come from the palace. It's the chief steward Guo. He said he's here to deliver an imperial decree."
Prime Minister Shen's face turned stern, and he immediately stood up and said, "Please come in."
Prime Minister Shen and his wife hurriedly changed into their official uniforms and imperial robes, and went out with everyone in the mansion to kneel and receive the imperial edict.
Guo Da Zongguan was the chief eunuch beside the emperor. When he saw Prime Minister Shen, he put on a smile and said in a shrill voice, "Congratulations to Prime Minister Shen. Please accept the order quickly."
Prime Minister Shen led a group of people to kneel on the ground, and General Manager Guo slowly unfolded the bright yellow imperial edict.
"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims that the daughter of Prime Minister Shen Zishan is virtuous, diligent, gentle, kind, gentle, and a good wife. She is hereby granted the title of the principal wife of the Third Prince Wei Zilin. I decree this."
After the eunuch chief steward Hong Sheng finished reading the imperial edict, he walked to Shen Xingwan and held the imperial edict above her head with both hands, "Miss Shen, please accept the edict."
Shen Xingwan stood up and said word by word: "Your Majesty, please forgive me for not being able to accept your order."
"Um?!"
Chief Steward Guo frowned and said again, "Miss Shen, please accept my order."
Shen Xingwan glanced at the astonished crowd.
"Forgive me, I cannot accept your order."
"Prime Minister Shen?" Chief Steward Guo gritted his teeth.
Prime Minister Shen looked up at Shen Xingwan and was about to speak when Shen Xingwan leaned over and kowtowed, "I have made up my mind. I beg Your Majesty to take back your decision."
"you!"
Guo Da Zongguan's face flushed, and he laughed in anger, "Okay, okay, okay." He turned to look at Prime Minister Shen, "You really gave birth to a good daughter. I will go back to the palace to report now."
"Eunuch Guo!" Prime Minister Shen stood up to stop him, but Chief Eunuch Guo quickened his pace and left in a huff.
Mrs. Shen's eyes went dark immediately and she almost fainted. Shen Xingwan hurriedly hugged her to prevent her from falling.
There was a rustling of voices among the people, and some of the timid servants began to cry quietly.
"Alas! What on earth are you trying to do?! Disobeying the emperor's order is a crime of deceiving the emperor. Don't you know that it will bring disaster to the whole family?!" Prime Minister Shen stamped his feet and shouted, "Quickly prepare the horse! I want to go to the palace to apologize!"
Shen Xingwan let go of Madam Shen, told Feiyun to send his mother to rest, dismissed everyone, stood up and went forward to hold Prime Minister Shen.
"Don't be impatient, father. Your daughter has her own reasons for doing this."
Shen Xingwan explained hastily, "At the flower viewing banquet in Cheng Garden just now, I clearly rejected the Queen Mother's matchmaking between me and the Third Prince. My daughter just returned home, and the imperial edict came right after. It is obvious that the Queen Mother has set her sights on our Shen family and wants to force the Shen family to help the Third Prince."
Shen Xingwan grabbed her father's sleeve and pleaded, "My daughter really doesn't want the family to get involved in factional disputes. The Third Prince is not a good man, and the Queen Mother is cruel. If he is included in the Third Prince's lineage, the Shen family will be in danger."
Prime Minister Shen was silent for a long time, raised his hand and patted Shen Xingwan's shoulder, feeling very emotional, "I didn't expect you to have such insight, my little daughter, you have grown up."
"But with family backgrounds like yours and mine, we are no longer in control of ourselves." Prime Minister Shen sighed, "Our Shen family is deeply rooted in the court, our power is at its peak, and our achievements are greater than our master. If we cannot be used by the imperial power, we will be destroyed."
He held Shen Xingwan's shoulders tightly, "You are young after all. You only see the danger of being caught up in party disputes in the future. If you disobey the order, you will lose your head today."
"Father, I..." Shen Xingwan panicked. Suddenly, she hated herself for wanting to get the upper hand. She had just seen the imperial decree granting marriage. Thinking of her past life, she had rejected it out of anger.
Prime Minister Shen sighed and finally comforted her, "Go and take good care of your mother. She is timid and is threatening her. I will go to the palace to resign now, and also resign as a general for your brother and hand over his military power. In this way, there may be a glimmer of hope. I beg the emperor to let us retire and return home."
"Father!"
Shen Xingwan felt heartbroken, as she knew her father was the most honest and upright prime minister, loyal to his country and devoted all his ambitions to the country. Her brother was also a young general, ambitious on horseback, who fought in the army for many years to get the position of general. He guarded the border for many years to protect the Wei State and repelled powerful enemies several times.
Is my future and ambition going to be ruined because of her?
What's the difference between letting her father and brother, who are so proud, live in the countryside and killing them?
She couldn't let this happen!
She clenched her fists, thinking quickly in her mind about what to do and what to do right now to reverse the current situation.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in her mind.
Her heart suddenly moved, and without caring about anything else, she pulled her father's red-maned horse, tightened the reins, climbed on the horse, squeezed the horse's belly hard with her legs, and rushed out the door.
Ignoring the exclamations and voices of obstruction coming from behind him, Shen Xingwan whipped the horse whip hard and galloped forward like lightning.
She rode at full speed all the way, and by the time she arrived in front of a luxurious mansion, her hair was already disheveled and she looked a little dishevelled.
Her hands were red from pulling the reins, and she almost couldn't hold on to the reins and fell off the horse.
She finally managed to stand firmly, but her legs were a little weak from the shaking. She stumbled over, grabbed the lion-bite copper ring, and knocked on the door.
"Yan Jinghuan, you said you wanted to marry me, does that still count?"
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