Chapter 88
After saying that, he lifted his foot and walked towards the door.
Shen Yao panicked immediately, grabbed Xu Xuan, and said pitifully, "A day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. Are you trying to force me to die by doing this?"
Xu Xuan sneered, "You're wrong. We're completely innocent. What kind of husband and wife are we? Since we're not husband and wife, what do I care about your life or death?"
"you--"
Her eyes widened, and she felt as if several knives had stabbed her in the heart.
At this moment, Shen Yao suddenly realized that Xu Xuan might be serious and not joking. Some time ago, he had been somewhat gentle with her, but this was entirely based on their marital relationship. If it weren't for that relationship, no matter how beautiful she was, he wouldn't have given her a second glance on the street.
Xu Xuan has always been a cold and ruthless person. The two of them have never been equal, not in the past, and never in the future.
Facing reality, Shen Yao loosened his clothes and coldly asked, "Since you know he is His Highness, why do you still do this? Aren't you afraid of offending him and having your career come to an end?"
She stared intently at the man, hoping to see a hint of hesitation in his eyes, but there was none. Xu Xuan's gaze was more resolute than ever before, and he answered her, word by word, "No, I'm not afraid."
Fearlessness in the face of power was a fine virtue of the literati of this era. These scholars were not even afraid of the terrifying beatings in court, let alone a crown prince who had not yet ascended the throne.
While Shen Yao remained silent, Xu Xuan spoke up, his voice full of sarcasm, "You think too highly of Prince Xi. He's just a minor vassal king. Once the crown prince ascends the throne, he'll be confined to his fiefdom like a pig. How could someone like that possibly affect my career?"
"……What?"
Shen Yao's eyes widened involuntarily.
Suddenly, she realized something: the prince Xu Xuan thought of was not Wei Luo, but Wei Xun.
Xu Xuan was unfamiliar with Wei Luo's handwriting, so he made a hasty and incorrect identification based solely on their relationship.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
Although Xu Xuan made a mistake, the emperor would not. If the letter had actually reached the emperor's hands, she would most likely have been accused of "seducing the crown prince" and would have died suddenly in a dark room.
Shen Yao raised her eyes, already having made up her mind—to take back the letter and burn it.
"Okay, I'll take it off."
She smiled gently at Xu Xuan, walked straight into the inner room, and began to unbutton her clothes with her back to him. She took off her outermost brocade robe, and when she caught a glimpse of him coming over, she also took off her floral-patterned long skirt and threw it on the ground.
He asked defiantly, "Is that enough?"
"No, take it all off."
Shen Yao removed her moon-white shirt again until her bright red bodice was revealed. By this time, her face was flushed, and she refused to take it off any further.
Xu Xuan grew impatient and said coldly, "Fine, it's still fun if you don't take your clothes off."
Without a word, he grabbed Shen Yao's wrist and threw her onto the bed.
Shen Yao's face slammed into the blankets, and she couldn't help but groan. Just as she was about to get up, she suddenly felt his hand rubbing against her back, untying the strap of her bra.
Shen Yao was shocked. When she turned around to resist, her clothes had already been completely untied, and her naked body appeared in front of him in an instant.
Overwhelmed with shame and indignation, she hurriedly picked up the blankets to cover herself.
Upon seeing this, Xu Xuan hurled insults at her, "You're all sluts now, why are you pretending to be a virtuous woman?"
Regardless of the dynasty, there are always commonalities in malicious language.
Shen Yao was originally ashamed and indignant, but for some reason, when she heard these words, her shame vanished completely, leaving only a surge of anger.
She was just a shell; the more she acted coy, the more excited he became.
Perhaps men enjoy this, satisfying their perverted fetishes by manipulating women.
After thinking it through, she simply put down the bedding and let him admire her without any hesitation.
Am I pretty?
She asked him directly.
Xu Xuan's eyes widened suddenly, clearly surprised by her attitude, and she was stunned for a moment.
Shen Yao didn't expect him to answer. As he stared at her unabashedly, she leaned forward, hugged the man's stiff waist, rested her face against his chest, and whispered, "I'm a little cold."
After he finished speaking, Xu Xuan remained silent for a long time. If it weren't for the sound of his strong heartbeat, Shen Yao would have suspected that he was sick.
If he were truly ill, she wouldn't need to expend so much effort to deal with him. But Xu Xuan is strong and healthy, clearly not ill. Judging by the current standards, he should definitely be reacting.
Will he sleep with her next?
It seemed as if two little figures were fighting in her mind. In a hazy state, Xu Xuan spoke up, "She really is a slut, so good at seducing people."
Shen Yao almost vomited blood.
He lifted her chin, scrutinizing her with a tsk-tsk sound. "The person you serve is a prince, a descendant of the dragon, of noble status. In that sense, I haven't lost out."
Chen Yao found it amusing and asked, "You used to think I was dirty, but you don't anymore?"
“I don’t mind, my wife is very beautiful! Her face is just like that of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. It must be a blessing from eight lifetimes for a mere mortal like me to have her.”
After saying that, he wrapped his arms around the woman, leaned down, and began to kiss her face.
A strong smell of alcohol hit her head, and Shen Yao couldn't help but turn her face away and laugh, "Take off your clothes first."
"Help me take it off."
Shen Yao said, "Okay."
As she undressed, Shen Yao found the letter in his outer pocket. She was overjoyed, but dared not show it at all.
He threw his outer garment aside and began to unbutton his inner garment, and then his undergarment.
The moment she saw the man's strong chest, she blushed, lowered her head slightly, and whispered, "I'm a little thirsty. Can I have some water first? Otherwise, I won't be able to call out later."
Xu Xuan paused for a moment, seemingly hesitating, before finally letting out a soft "Okay."
When desire takes over and one believes they can control everything, they have lost.
Like a mischievous monkey, Shen Yao jumped off the bed without hesitation, quickly grabbed his coat and wrapped it around herself, then rushed out desperately.
"..."
*
After burning the letters, Shen Yao dared not return to her room. Filled with grievances, she went straight to the palace to find Wei Luo.
Upon seeing the person, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.
Wei Luo's expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward to hug the girl, gently patting her back and softly coaxing her, "Qingqing, what's wrong?"
Shen Yao wiped her eyes, bent her knees and knelt down, crying, "Your Highness, save me."
She told him about the letter, "Xu Xuan mistook you for the Third Prince. Although I burned the letter, given his temper, he will definitely not let it go."
Wei Luo pulled her up and saw that she was terrified, like a frightened bird. So she took her directly into the inner room and pressed her down on the bed. "You rest for a while. I'll have someone prepare some food."
Shen Yao shook her head. "I don't want to eat or sleep. I'm scared."
She hugged Wei Luo's waist, wiped her tears on his chest, and murmured, "Xu Xuan is a man who won't listen to reason. If I'm not careful, he'll submit a denunciation to His Majesty, and I'll be finished."
Wei Luo advised, "He has no evidence, how can he sue?"
"No evidence is needed; suspicion is the best indictment. Your Highness should be aware of the Emperor's temperament."
After a long while, Wei Luo hummed in agreement and hugged the person in his arms even tighter. "With me here, nothing will happen to you."
Liu Heng came in and brought over a cup of hot tea. Wei Luo took it and handed it to Shen Yao, saying, "Walnut and pine nut tea, have a taste."
Shen Yao took a sip, but it tasted bland.
Wei Luo instructed Liu Heng, "Change the people on duty at the East Palace tonight. Also, find someone to revise the record of Shen Yao's visit as soon as possible. And make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut."
Liu Heng bowed. "Yes."
As she looked up, Shen Yao and Liu Heng exchanged glances, and Shen Yao caught a glimpse of dissatisfaction and resentment in his eyes.
Shen Yao was startled.
When did Liu Heng start hating her so much?
After Liu Heng left, Shen Yao put down her teacup, looked outside, and asked Wei Luo, "Should I not have come?"
Why do you say that?
Shen Yao lowered her chin. "Because my presence here will likely only bring disaster to Your Highness—"
“No.” He interrupted her. “Ayao, I’m so glad you came. Don’t overthink it. Get some sleep first. We can talk about other things when you wake up.”
"But……"
Wei Luo lifted the covers and tucked her in, saying softly, "Your Majesty is not feeling well, so I will stay in the palace tonight to attend to you."
Shen Yao was surprised and her eyes widened. "When did this happen?"
"Just a few days ago."
His voice was faint, and his mood suddenly dropped considerably.
Shen Yao sighed inwardly and nodded in response, "Go ahead, I'll stay here safely."
"Then I'm leaving."
After everyone left, the room became quiet instantly. She pulled the blanket up to her neck, and the scent of sandalwood surrounded her. The fragrance seemed to have a sleep-inducing effect, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up again, it was already dark outside the window.
The palace servants lit the palace lanterns one after another, emitting a bright yellow glow.
Shen Yao got up, walked out of the inner room, saw a table full of food, and blurted out to the eunuch, "Has His Highness not returned?"
After asking the question, she suddenly remembered that Wei Luo had said he wouldn't be coming back tonight, and her mood instantly plummeted, and she lost her appetite completely.
So he lay back down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.
The next day, Wei Luo still hadn't returned to the palace, but Liu Heng did.
Shen Yao was overjoyed and asked him, "When will Your Highness return?"
"This servant does not know."
Shen Yao's smile froze instantly, and she gave a soft reply, "I know."
Liu Heng raised his eyes, a hostile glint in them.
Upon seeing this, Shen Yao asked, "Grand Eunuch, do you have something to say?"
"This servant girl—"
He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped, so Shen Yao simply sat down and waited patiently.
Finally, Liu Heng made his move, "This servant has come here simply to ask you a question, young lady."
Shen Yao looked up at him, and their eyes met. Liu Heng bent down slightly and smiled, "May I ask, Miss, do you like His Highness?"
"nature."
Liu Heng asked again, "Since you admire His Highness, shouldn't you know that when you love someone, you should consider their feelings?"
"Yes. What exactly does the Grand Eunuch want to say? Please speak frankly."
“You speak so frankly, Miss, that I have offended you. I have come here to ask you to leave, and to never have any further dealings with His Highness again.”
Shen Yao's expression changed drastically, and she asked incredulously, "Grand Eunuch, do you know what you're saying?"
Liu Heng grinned, revealing a row of neat teeth. "Miss, I have made myself perfectly clear."
He took two steps back, bowed, and said, "This servant requests that you leave, young lady."
Shen Yao almost suffocated, staring blankly at her, terrified. When she finally spoke, her voice trembled, "Who told you to say these things?"
Liu Heng smiled, "No one instructed me."
Shen Yao asked, "Alright, give me a reason."
"Your Highness is married yet you have an improper relationship with him; this is adultery. If this were to be exposed to the world, do you know what that would mean...? It would mean that Your Highness has lost his virtue and is unworthy to be a ruler."
Shen Yao's heart trembled involuntarily.
She murmured, "Don't say anymore."
Liu Heng ignored him and continued, "This servant is a rootless person and does not understand the feelings between men and women, but I know that if you love someone, you should think about them and protect them. Otherwise, you are selfish and do not deserve to talk about love. Do you think what you said is right?"
Shen Yao clenched her fists and lowered her head without answering.
Liu Heng chuckled, "This servant has said all I have to say. I hope you will think carefully about the pros and cons and make your own decision."
Liu Heng left, bringing with him a gentle breeze that ruffled Shen Yao's clothes.
She patted her clothes, then squatted down, hugging her arms and shrinking into the ground...
*
The emperor fell ill suddenly and was bedridden, taking medicine to recuperate. However, because the capital inspection was approaching, he did not inform the outer court of his illness, but instead issued an edict to the cabinet, ordering the crown prince to assist in the capital inspection.
To date, all officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital, including cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials, have submitted memorials detailing their merits and demerits, piling up like mountains on the emperor's desk.
Faced with a heavy workload, the emperor could only selectively approve his and his replies. Most of the officials' self-reports were drafted by the Grand Secretariat, and once the Grand Secretariat completed its drafting, it was submitted to the Directorate of Ceremonial for final approval.
From this perspective, the Crown Prince doesn't have much room to maneuver, but the Emperor still lets him assist in managing things. This reflects a signal that although the Emperor is wary of the Eastern Palace, he is indeed trying his best to hone and cultivate it.
The Shen family doesn't have many opportunities left.
*
Before leaving the East Palace, Shen Yao visited her aunt, the Noble Consort.
She was in the prime of her life, as beautiful as a lotus, but her brows held a sorrow that seemed to linger like the rain that falls in March.
The imperial concubine sighed, "It's all about timing and fate. What's destined to happen will happen, and what's not, you can't force."
Shen Yao was surprised and asked, "Aunt, do you mean we're not going to fight for it anymore?"
The imperial concubine remained silent and did not answer.
Footsteps sounded on the floor tiles, and Shen Yao turned around to see a familiar face.
The eunuch Zhao Xian walked over and bowed in greeting.
Shen Yao quickly helped him up and said with a smile, "Second Brother Zhao, no need to be so polite."
Their eyes met, and Zhao Xian asked, "It's been several days since I last saw you. How are you, young lady?"
"Ankang, I'm perfectly fine."
Shen Yao lowered her eyes and smiled, then asked him, "Are you adjusting well to life in the palace?"
“I have been serving in Yikun Palace since I entered the palace. Thanks to Your Highness’s care, everything has been fine. I would also like to thank you for the introduction, young lady.”
As he spoke, Zhao Xian lifted his robe, knelt down, and kowtowed to Chen Yao.
Shen Yao was shocked and quickly helped the person up. The Consort said, "You are acquaintances. Since you have met, you should have a good talk."
After the Imperial Concubine led all the palace servants out, Shen Yao asked him, "Did you see your enemy?"
Zhao Xian nodded, "I've been in close contact with them, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
Shen Yao sighed, "The palace is not as difficult as outside. Killing someone is extremely difficult. Brother Zhao, you must act cautiously. Although revenge is a great matter, you must also think of a way to escape."
“I will remember your words, Miss… but there is something I would like to ask you. Of course, you may remain silent if you do not wish to speak.”
For some reason, Shen Yao suddenly had a bad feeling.
Zhao Xian's eyes sharpened, and he asked, "Your Highness—"
Upon hearing just one name, Shen Yao's expression immediately changed, and she loudly stopped him, "You, you mustn't say anymore."
Zhao Xian froze, scrutinizing her, his lips pursed repeatedly.
Shen Yao glanced outside before turning her gaze back to him, biting her lip and saying, "Please keep my affair with His Highness a secret, Brother Zhao."
He asked, "Why? Aren't you enemies? Why would you..."
Shen Yao lowered her head in remorse, "I'm sorry, I can't answer you."
"Well, I'm not questioning you, but just giving you a friendly reminder. Your being together is against the rules of propriety. If His Majesty finds out, he will be furious."
He bowed and turned to leave.
As Shen Yao watched his retreating figure, she suddenly felt a sense of loss. She let out a long sigh and murmured, "So, is there really no good outcome?"
*
When Wei Luo returned to the palace at noon, he learned that Shen Yao had already left without even leaving a letter. His heart suddenly pounded wildly, as if it were being stabbed by a sharp blade.
He asked the eunuch, "When did the person leave?"
"They left early this morning."
"Was there a message left behind?"
The eunuch shook his head. "It seems not."
Wei Luo waved for him to leave.
Liu Heng brought over a stool for His Highness to sit on, and then said, "I suppose Miss Shen had something to attend to and left. Your Highness is busy with official duties, so please don't let this bother you."
Wei Luo said, "She came here yesterday in a panic, so scared, and I didn't take good care of her. I feel guilty."
He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue, "Go and call Xu Xuan. I need to see him."
Liu Heng exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness?"
"Starting today, he shall stay overnight at the East Palace to guard the palace and shall not be allowed to go home unless necessary."
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