Chapter 107 Imperial Marriage "It is His Highness Prince Chen."
*
The night was long, yet it also seemed short.
As the morning light shone through the cracks in the window, Shen Linlang, who had barely slept all night, looked up wearily. Her tired eyes squinted unconsciously as the light shone on them.
The door was pushed open from the outside, and she saw Shen Qinglu enter, forcing a smile.
Seeing that she was still wearing yesterday's clothes, with her hair disheveled and her headdress still in place, Shen Qinglu knew that she must have been sitting there all night.
Granny Yu had also been up all night, her haggard expression filled with worry for her. She whispered to Shen Qinglu, "Young lady, why don't you keep the madam company and have a good talk?"
After saying that, he went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the mother and daughter.
Shen Qinglu looked at her, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
In the past, when my health was poor, my adoptive mother would also stay up all night like this whenever her condition worsened. Perhaps it was God's arrangement, or perhaps it was destiny, but in this life, my biological mother and adoptive mother share the same surname.
I still remember the first time I saw her after I transmigrated here. She looked so happy and content. She and her husband were loving and respectful to each other. She also had two children who were close to her. Her eyes and brows were full of peace and contentment.
Now, she has lost her husband, and her two children are scattered or have failed.
Thinking about the past and her current situation, will she regret it?
"Ali, don't worry, Mother is fine." She straightened her slightly disheveled hair and smoothed her wrinkled clothes, her smile becoming increasingly forced.
Shen Qinglu approached step by step, slowly squatted down, and lay on her knees. "Mother, Father is gone. Sister Tang'er tried to harm you, but she disappeared without a trace. And my elder brother has become like this. If I hadn't been recognized, perhaps none of this would have happened. Will you blame me?"
She paused, her smile fading. "Did someone say something?"
"Sister Tang'er once said that if it weren't for me, this family wouldn't have fallen apart, and you would all still be doing well. She said it's all my fault, that I'm the one who ruined them."
Shen Qinglu choked up, half of it genuine, half acting.
He genuinely felt guilty towards her, and he also genuinely wanted to test her thoughts.
She raised her hand and gently stroked Shen Qinglu's hair. "The truth is there, and I'll find out sooner or later."
Shen Qinglu knew that she must have drawn this conclusion from Yu Liuzhu's so-called dream, which might actually be a rebirth.
"But what if you never know?"
What if I hadn't transmigrated here, or if Yu Liuzhu had known the truth beforehand and buried it?
"Ali, your mother is only grateful that you are still alive, grateful that we can recognize each other, and grateful that there is still a chance to make it up to you."
With those words from her, that's enough.
Shen Qinglu raised her head, looking at her with teary eyes and eyes full of dependence, "Mother, I am also very fortunate, fortunate that you are my mother."
Upon seeing it, she felt a pang of sadness.
Previously, my eldest son and adopted daughter surrounded me. At that time, I thought they were all sensible and obedient, and I was very successful in raising my children.
Now, times have changed. The girl she once cherished was not her own daughter. After raising her for sixteen years, she not only showed no gratitude but also turned around and harmed her. Her eldest son, whom she valued most, failed to take responsibility at a crucial moment and turned into that kind of person. She was truly heartbroken.
But what does all of this have to do with this child?
“Your maternal grandmother once said that it is better to be clear-headed and suffer than to be confused and happy. I don’t want to live my whole life in ignorance, and I don’t want to die without knowing who my biological children are.”
"My maternal grandmother must have been a wonderful person, but unfortunately I never met her."
The Zhao family is a scholarly family. Shen Qinglu has a good impression of her maternal grandmother, whom she has never met, but she does not have a good impression of the Zhao family members, such as Zhao Danxin and her mother, Li.
Perhaps it was unexpected, but just as they finished breakfast, the mother and daughter happened to come to visit.
The Zhao and Li families were related by marriage in the previous generation. Li's husband was from the direct line of the Zhao family, and her father and Shen's mother were siblings.
The two families have maintained a fairly close relationship over the years; otherwise, Zhao Danxin wouldn't have become friends with Yu Liuzhu. Perhaps due to the series of misfortunes that have befallen the Shen family, the Zhao family hasn't visited them for some time.
To be precise, the Zhao family has not appeared in the Shen family since Shen Qinglu was recognized and brought back.
As soon as Li entered the door, she greeted Shen Linlang with a smile, calling her "cousin" repeatedly. Just like the gifts she brought, she seemed to have some sincerity.
Zhao Danxin's attire today was also clearly intended to avoid the limelight; she was no longer dressed in red with floral patterns, but rather in a rather simple and elegant style.
As luck would have it, he ended up wearing the same outfit as Shen Qinglu.
The same light green dress, yet drastically different effects. If one is like a willow swaying in the spring breeze under the bright sun, the other is like a wooden figure painted green.
Young ladies from aristocratic families love to compete in clothing and jewelry, and Zhao Danxin is no exception. Although her attire is simple and elegant, she has still put a lot of thought into it.
Who would have thought that her own simple yet elegant and refined attire would pale in comparison to Shen Qinglu's unadorned green dress? She was clearly outshone.
No one knows a daughter better than her mother. The moment her expression changed slightly, Madam Li knew what was wrong with her. She quickly nudged her and said, "You haven't been eating or sleeping well these past few days, and you're always worried about your cousin Ali. Now that you've seen her, why don't you ask her about her?"
She then said to Shen Linlang, "This child is not good with words and can't express what's on her mind. Ever since the incident at Deer Cry Manor, she has wanted to come and see Ali. At first, she was afraid that Ali wouldn't want to see anyone after what happened, so she didn't come to bother her. Later, when she learned that Commander Cheng was actually Princess Luanhe, she was even more reluctant to come, afraid that others would think she was doing it because of the princess."
These words sounded quite sincere, and Shen Linlang said with emotion, "You've put your heart into this."
“We were just afraid you’d misunderstand.” Madam Li held her handkerchief, looking troubled. “Your family has been dealing with a lot of things lately, one after another. Our two families haven’t been in touch for a while, and I’m feeling quite uneasy about it.”
When the two families had a good relationship, the mother and daughter were frequent visitors to the mansion.
Zhao Danxin spoke up at the right moment, saying to Shen Qinglu, "Cousin Ali, I heard that your yard has been renovated and a pear tree has been planted. Can you take me to see it?"
“Go ahead,” Madam Li agreed before Shen Linlang could. “You cousins should spend more time together in private, so you can get closer to each other.”
Shen Linlang frowned and subconsciously looked at Shen Qinglu.
Shen Qinglu had already stood up. "Cousin Danxin is a guest, so it's only right and proper for me to show her around the manor."
*
The Pear Garden has been renovated and looks very different from the former Liufang Xiaozhu.
Especially the pear tree in the yard, which is laden with fruit, is completely different from the crabapple tree in the past. At first glance, it looks like two different yards.
Zhao Danxin walked to the waterside pavilion, looked at the pool of water, and said, "On the day of the Awakening of Insects, I was eating pears and playing the zither here. In the blink of an eye, it's as if I don't recognize you anymore."
Shen Qinglu looked at her expressionlessly, without any response.
She was secretly annoyed and couldn't help but feel resentful.
First, he was annoyed that Shen Qinglu's personality was unpleasant, and that she offended people without realizing it, which was why she was drugged as a lesson. Second, he was resentful that Shen Qinglu was lucky; not only did she not fall for the drug, but she also managed to get involved with the only princess in the court.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been pressured by her mother to show goodwill.
“This courtyard looks more elegant and is more suitable for my cousin. I am happy for my cousin.”
"It's mine to begin with, so why should I say it's worthy or not?"
Shen Qinglu's lukewarm attitude and tone made her feel suffocated.
Remembering Li's instructions, she suppressed her displeasure and forced a smile, "Cousin is absolutely right. These things were originally yours, and now they are simply being returned to their rightful owner."
Our two families used to be on good terms, and I was close to my cousin Tang'er. She often came to my house to play and liked to ask my older brother for advice on poetry and prose.
At this point, she seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing, her face slightly annoyed, and she said sheepishly, "Look at me, what am I talking about? That's all in the past, why would I bring it up? Cousin Ali, don't misunderstand, my eldest brother is a very upright person, he just mistreats his sister."
You met my eldest brother at the last family reunion banquet. He's clearly an upright and honest man. He passed the imperial examination last year and is the most outstanding descendant of our generation. My father said that the continuation of our Zhao family's scholarly tradition for the next hundred years will likely depend on him.”
Shen Qinglu had a vague memory of her older brother, who was from the same country.
Among all the Zhao family descendants, the other party was indeed the most outstanding, not only in appearance and stature, but also in demeanor and character.
Why is she bringing up Yu Liuzhu and her older brother all of this out of the blue? What's the meaning of this?
"What you and Yutang have to do with me is none of my business, and I won't care."
She bit her lip, a hint of impatience in her eyes. "Cousin Ali, you've been out of touch with the ways of the world for so many years, no wonder you don't care. It's good that you don't care, that way no matter what others say, you won't be bothered."
Shen Qinglu's heart skipped a beat, but she pretended to be puzzled and asked, "What did others say about me?"
"They're all saying unpleasant things." She seemed to hesitate, then poured out her words like beans, "Many people in the capital are saying that even though you've been mentally unstable for so many years, no one can guarantee you won't relapse. No respectable family would dare to marry you unless they're close relatives they know well, who might be willing to accept you. Don't be angry, those ladies are just like that, two-faced, you can know a person's face but not their heart."
Shen Qinglu finally understood the purpose of her previous rambling; it turned out she was waiting for this.
The saying "You can know a person's face but not their heart" is indeed true, just like her.
Seeing Shen Qinglu staring at her without saying a word, she gradually felt uneasy and increasingly guilty. "Cousin Ali..."
Have you seen Yutang privately these past few days?
"..."
For some reason, when she faced Shen Qinglu's dark eyes, her heart started pounding, and caught off guard, she couldn't keep her composure, her face showing obvious signs of panic.
"I didn't..."
“If you haven’t met her privately, then that’s your older brother.”
As Shen Qinglu spoke, she took two steps forward. Despite being a beautiful young woman, she inexplicably gave off an unusual sense of oppression, causing people to be so shocked that their pupils bulged outwards.
How is that possible?
She kept asking herself how this person, who had been mentally challenged for over a decade, had guessed it.
That's right.
The day before yesterday, Yu Liuzhu came to see her, then met her older brother, and then her older brother went to see her mother. No one knows what they talked about, which led to the mother and daughter's trip today.
But these things were done very discreetly, so how did outsiders find out?
"Cousin Ali, what nonsense are you talking about..."
The astonishment and panic on her face did not escape Shen Qinglu's notice.
Just now, Shen Qinglu was puzzled. The eldest son of the Zhao family was of excellent character and talent. According to her father, he was the future of the Zhao family for the next hundred years. How could he demean himself to someone who had been mentally challenged for more than ten years?
In an instant, a thought formed in her mind, and her heart turned cold.
"Your elder brother is truly devoted to Yutang. He's willing to do anything for her just because she says something."
Zhao Danxin was not just shocked, but horrified.
Perhaps because it was so unexpected, some words slipped out without thinking, "How did you know?"
really!
Shen Qinglu looked up at the pear tree in the courtyard. The pears on the tree were abundant, and each one looked fresh and lively, which was very appealing. But how many of them would actually grow to maturity?
Zhao Danxin realized what was happening, feeling both embarrassed and anxious. "I... I mean, how could you make such wild guesses? How could my older brother possibly..."
"Tell Yutang not to waste her time. She can't take anything from me, and I won't take anything from her either."
“My brother is a scoundrel! I… I mean, there’s nothing between my brother and her. She used to pester my brother, and he only had to deal with her because of our family ties…” The more Zhao Danxin explained, the more confused she became.
In contrast, Shen Qinglu remained calm from beginning to end, just like the still water in the pool.
Her actions only made Zhao Danxin angrier.
"You... how could you do this? No wonder nobody likes you, everyone hates you. Do you think just because you have the surname Shen you're a daughter of the General's Mansion? Don't you realize you've been foolish for over a decade? Which noble family would accept you? And even if they did, it wouldn't be a promising heir..."
"Miss!" Xia Chan entered from outside the courtyard, her usually composed face revealing undisguised delight, her steps hurried. "Quick, hurry to the front courtyard, an imperial decree has arrived from the palace!"
"What imperial edict?" Zhao Dan asked in surprise.
Her face was pale, clearly she was afraid of something, after all, the General's Mansion had been besieged by the Tianwu Guards before.
If something were to happen to the Shen family now, and she were in the Shen residence, she would surely be implicated.
Shen Qinglu had a guess in mind and nodded slightly to Xia Chan.
Xia Chan then said, "It is an imperial decree bestowing a marriage upon my daughter."
Zhao Danxin breathed a sigh of relief, but after processing those words, her expression changed again, her gaze filled with surprise and uncertainty. "A marriage decree? To whom?"
She grabbed Xia Chan's arm, her eagerness to know the answer making her seem like the one destined for marriage to someone who didn't know the situation.
Xia Chan glanced at her young lady, her voice brimming with barely suppressed pride, "It is His Highness Prince Chen."
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