Chapter 40: Flirting with the Blind
As the moon rose, soft light draped over every inch of the Regent's Palace like a veil.
The pavilions and towers in the mansion look like a quiet, light-ink painting in the hazy moonlight.
The light shines through the thin curtains in Shen Xingwan's room, like a dreamy silver gauze, softly falling into the house.
Shen Xingwan sat in front of the dressing table, holding an exquisite carved sandalwood comb, concentrating on combing her long black hair.
Feiyun, who was standing by, looked at her in the diamond-shaped mirror with a smile on her face, her eyes full of playfulness.
Shen Xingwan would stop what he was doing from time to time, look up at the door, and ask Feiyun softly, "Is Yan Jinghuan back?" Although the voice was soft, it carried a hint of urgency.
Feiyun smiled and said jokingly, "Miss, you really care about your son-in-law!"
"My son-in-law has a lot of aftermath matters to deal with these days and has been very busy. Tell me, why is the young lady so concerned about him?" As she spoke, Feiyun blinked her eyes, full of mischief.
Shen Xingwan's cheeks turned slightly red, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise. She lowered her head shyly and ignored Feiyun's teasing.
But deep down I was thinking: I must take him down tonight.
She suddenly lowered her head and chuckled, as if she had already pictured the scene of her being with him tonight in her mind.
The night was as dark as ink, and the lights in the mansion were bright, just like stars scattered on the earth.
Yan Jinghuan returned to the palace after handling many difficult matters. His tall figure shuttled between the corridors. The warm yellow lantern light fell on him, reflecting a bit of fatigue.
When he finally stepped into the room, Shen Xingwan had been waiting for a long time.
She carefully selected a moon-white, light gauze dress.
The gauze dress was like misty smoke, outlining her graceful figure perfectly. Every soft curve seemed to tell of silent temptation.
She has delicate makeup, her eyebrows are like distant ink, her eyes are like autumn water, her lips are like cherry roses, and her eyebrows and eyes are full of moving charm.
Seeing Yan Jinghuan coming in, she walked slowly towards him, slightly raised her head, and stared at Yan Jinghuan with her clear eyes.
Yan Jinghuan glanced at her, a little surprised, "What's wrong, are your eyes uncomfortable?"
Shen Xingwan choked for a moment, but forced herself to hold it back. A smile appeared on her lips, and she said tenderly, "Your Highness has been working hard these days, you need to take a rest."
As she spoke, she stretched out her jade-like fingers and gently placed them on Yan Jinghuan's arm, stroking it lightly with her fingertips intentionally or unintentionally.
Yan Jinghuan seemed to be unaware of it. He just smiled tiredly and replied casually, "There are so many things to do, and I am indeed a little tired."
After saying that, he walked to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp. His focused expression seemed as if drinking tea was all he cared about at the moment.
Shen Xingwan refused to be discouraged. She gently walked around to Yan Jinghuan, slightly turned sideways, and half leaned on the table.
She deliberately leaned forward slightly, revealing her snow-white neck and beautiful collarbone, and her fair skin glowed alluringly under the candlelight.
She opened her cherry lips slightly, "My Lord, on such a good day, let's..."
She looked at Yan Jinghuan with seductive eyes, the hint in her eyes was self-evident, her eyes were like a pool of spring water, wanting to drown Yan Jinghuan.
Yan Jinghuan is a complete fool who doesn't understand romance.
He just looked up at her, then turned back to the desk and busied himself with reading the files he had brought back, muttering, "There are still some things to sort out. If you're tired, go to sleep first."
Shen Xingwan bit her lower lip. It seemed that she had to be more direct.
She quietly walked to the zither in the room, sat down gently, and played the song "The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix" with her jade fingers.
The melodious piano music lingers in the room, and every note is full of affection.
As she played, she glanced up to see his reaction, her eyes full of anticipation.
Yan Jinghuan finally put down the documents in his hand and turned to look at Shen Xingwan.
Shen Xingwan was delighted.
Yan Jinghuan said, "The noise is a bit loud, and it distracts me from reading the files. How about I go to the study?"
Shen Xingwan immediately became annoyed, feeling that all her seductive hints were just like flirting with a blind man.
She frowned and bit her lip, and was about to explode when she saw his tired face and the slightly dark circles under his eyes.
The way he concentrated on his work made her both angry and amused, and she really couldn't get angry.
She decided to use her trump card. She took a deep breath, walked to Yan Jinghuan, sat on his legs, put her arms around his neck, put her face close to him, her nose almost touching his, and said coquettishly, "Is the file so good-looking? Can't you... look at me more?"
Her eyes were full of shyness and grievance, and her red lips were slightly pouted, as if asking for a response.
Looking at Shen Xingwan who was so close, Yan Jinghuan seemed to have finally realized her feelings. He suddenly realized and smiled gently, "I was negligent."
Shen Xingwan put her arms around his neck and coquettishly asked him to only look at her.
Yan Jinghuan smiled gently and was about to respond, but suddenly he remembered something, his expression straightened, and he reached out to turn over the memorial on the case.
"Today, the court was arguing over the disaster relief in the south. The Minister of Revenue is very corrupt, so he must not be allowed to handle it. I will approve this memorial and send it out first. There is no time to delay."
Shen Xingwan, who was originally immersed in intimacy, was suddenly struck by lightning and froze in place.
Her eyes suddenly became alert, and she subconsciously grasped Yan Jinghuan's shoulders with both hands. She looked at him seriously and asked word by word, "The Minister of Revenue you just mentioned was corrupt. He will only be reported and punished if the disaster relief fails this time."
"He has not yet received the order to go to provide disaster relief. How do you know?"
Yan Jinghuan realized that he had said something wrong and a trace of panic flashed across his face.
"Are you...reborn?"
Shen Xingwan's heartbeat suddenly quickened, and her eyes were fixed on Yan Jinghuan, afraid to miss the slightest change in his expression.
After a long silence, Yan Jinghuan slowly said, "Yes."
"I am also reborn."
Shen Xingwan opened her eyes wide and opened her mouth, unable to speak.
Yan Jinghuan stared at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions that she could not understand.
“I don’t want to make the same mistake again.”
He did not look at Shen Xingwan again, but gazed dejectedly at the dark night outside the window. His voice was very soft, as if he was telling some insignificant little thing.
It turns out that Yan Jinghuan had already fallen deeply in love with her in his previous life. This love was like a seed buried deep in his heart, which took root and sprouted, becoming stronger and stronger as time went by.
However, at that time, Shen Xingwan's heart and eyes were completely occupied by the third prince Wei Zilin.
Yan Jinghuan had no choice but to hide this love in his heart and chose to give in.
He watched her give up everything and spend all her efforts for Wei Zilin.
He secretly gave up many of the rights in his hands to fulfill her wish.
He thought that if Wei Zilin could bring happiness to Shen Xingwan, it would be okay to give in a little.
After all, when Wei Zilin ascends the throne, she will become the most noble woman in the Wei Dynasty.
If that was her wish, he was willing to lift her to that position.
Therefore, Yan Jinghuan quietly assisted behind the scenes, allowing Wei Zilin to succeed smoothly on the road to succession, and finally successfully ascend the throne and become emperor.
But Wei Zilin showed his hideous face on the day he ascended the throne.
He was afraid that Shen Xingwan's family power would threaten his throne, so he killed all nine of her clans.
That day, the Shen Mansion was shrouded in blood and rain, thousands of innocent lives were lost under the sharp blades, and the former prosperity vanished in an instant.
When Yan Jinghuan heard the news, it was like a bolt from the blue.
He hated himself for giving in.
If he had not let go at the beginning, how could Shen Xingwan have suffered such a devastating disaster.
At that moment, Yan Jinghuan had only one thought in his mind.
Kill Wei Zilin and Tang Lin'er with your own hands!
However, because of Shen Xingwan, he gave up too much and no longer had any real power.
Even so, he still broke into the palace alone, holding a sharp blade.
The palace was filled with guards, like an impenetrable barrier.
Yan Jinghuan showed no fear at all. With his courage, he fought hard amid the swordplay.
He shuttled through the bloody storm, and every time he swung his sword, he was extremely decisive.
Yan Jinghuan broke through numerous obstacles and rushed in front of Wei Zilin.
But there were so many guards in front of the emperor that they came in wave after wave like a tide and swarmed in front of the new emperor. Yan Jinghuan's two fists were no match for four hands. The moment he finally touched Wei Zilin, the imperial guards rushed forward and chopped down with their sharp blades like a storm.
Yan Jinghuan was stabbed several times in an instant.
The blood stained his dark clothes and soaked the jade steps under his feet.
He stared at Wei Zilin, the hatred in his eyes seemed to burn him to death.
In the end, Yan Jinghuan rolled down the jade steps in despair and died with hatred in his heart.
After rebirth, Yan Jinghuan suddenly realized that only by strengthening himself and regaining real power and military strength can he truly protect Shen Xingwan and prevent tragedy from happening again.
He secretly swore that he would never let go of her hand again.
Even if she would hate him, he would keep her by his side.
It seemed like God had finally favored him.
When he hurried to the flower-viewing party where she fell in love with Wei Zilin, she unexpectedly and resolutely rejected Wei Zilin.
She seemed to be reborn...
Shen Xingwan listened to his story quietly, her eyes already blurred with tears.
Yan Jinghuan's eyes turned red as he looked at Shen Xingwan, his voice choked with sobs: "I'm sorry... I couldn't avenge you, I..."
At this moment, Shen Xingwan slowly moved closer, and without waiting for Yan Jinghuan to finish speaking, she raised her head and took the initiative to cover his lips.
"I'll avenge you." She murmured softly.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze, the whole world became quiet, and only the sound of each other's heartbeats could be clearly heard.
The spring breeze blew gently in the courtyard, bringing a hint of warmth, and petals fluttered down like a crimson flower rain.
Some petals fall gently on the branches, while others spin in the air, as if they are also dancing for this affectionate moment.
With this passionate kiss, Shen Xingwan expressed to Yan Jinghuan the deep emotions in her heart.
Thousands of words are all gathered in this kiss.
Yan Jinghuan was stunned at first, then he hugged Shen Xingwan tightly with such strength that it seemed as if he wanted to merge her into his body.
He responded to the kiss with regrets from his previous life and expectations for this life, as if he wanted to make up for all the debts of his previous life through this kiss.
Amidst the flying petals, they held each other tightly, focusing only on each other in the present moment.
The next morning, warm yellow sunlight shone through the window lattice and gently fell on the brocade couch.
Shen Xingwan woke up slowly and reached out to touch her side. The warmth of Yan Jinghuan was no longer between the pillow and quilt. She must have gone to the palace early in the morning.
She just felt sore all over, as if all her bones were taken apart and then reassembled, and every inch of her skin was clamoring with fatigue.
She was so tired that she was in a daze. She must have built the Great Wall by moving bricks all night long, otherwise why did her fingers feel like they were filled with lead and she couldn't move at all?
Feiyun walked into the room quietly.
Her face turned red and she shyly walked to the couch to help Shen Xingwan wash up.
Feiyun hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn't help but whispered: "Miss, last time I told you to persuade your son-in-law to pay attention to hygiene, but... you don't have to be so extreme."
"Last night was terrible. We called for water seven or eight times in a row, and the water boiler in our house burned through twice. You see, we did nothing but boil water all night."
"This kind of torment, this... this, who can bear it." Feiyun finished speaking, secretly raised his eyes to glance at Shen Xingwan, but his eyes were full of smiles, "Why not stew some Huangjing to replenish your body."
Shen Xingwan's face immediately turned red like a roasted shrimp, with the redness spreading from her cheeks to her ears.
She felt ashamed and embarrassed, and subconsciously covered her head with the quilt, muttering, "You rascal, you only say shameless things."
But even hiding under the quilt, she could still feel her heart beating like a drum, and everything that happened last night emerged in her mind uncontrollably.
Just as I was arguing with Feiyun, I heard hurried footsteps outside.
A maid hurried into the room, looking anxious. She didn't even bother to greet him. She breathlessly reported, "Your Highness, the Crown Princess has passed away!"
Shen Xingwan and Feiyun were both stunned, and the originally relaxed atmosphere froze in an instant.
Shen Xingwan suddenly opened the quilt, ignoring the pain in her body, and asked anxiously: "What did you say? Lu Yuzhi is dead? What happened?"
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