ebookland Chapter 81 The invitation from Prince Sheng's residence
Chapter 81 The invitation from Prince Sheng's residence
On the other side, Shuyi couldn't find Shen Sangwan and was almost frantic with worry.
In the end, Shen Sangwan leisurely walked back by herself.
"My lord, why are you running around like this while you're drunk? You've frightened me to death! If anything had happened to you, His Majesty and the Empress Dowager would have skinned me alive!"
Upon seeing that familiar dress, Shuyi rushed over to help Shen Sangwan.
"It's all my fault. I won't do it again. Go back to Weiyang Palace."
Shu Yi took a half step back and inadvertently noticed a small wisp of grass on the back of Shen Sangwan's collar, but she did not ask why. She only took a closer look when they changed clothes at Weiyang Palace.
The clothes were not only covered with weeds, but also with many pebbles mixed with mud.
She secretly wondered if her prince had fallen into the flowerbed because he was drunk.
After washing up, Shen Sangwan lay on the bed and carefully reviewed the conversation she had overheard behind the rockery.
Several clues were uncovered.
She had always been curious why, when Xiao Yan Yan was still inside Miss Cen's body, she and Cen Luo Yan went boating on the lake and inexplicably fell into the water.
Now that they know the reason, but judging from Cen Luoyan's words, she seems to only want to fake her death and does not intend to pull Cen Yan into the lake with her.
Judging from tonight's situation, although Song Qingwan verbally agreed, Shen Sangwan always felt that the other party would not give up easily and wanted to drag the Song family and the Cen family down with him.
As for the later Ming King and his wife, they surprised Shen Sangwan quite a bit.
The two exchanged only a few words, yet the amount of information conveyed was astonishing.
Her good younger brother, if he were alive today, would definitely be an Oscar-worthy actor.
However, she was still quite curious about the relationship between Shen Yujing and Lin Wanyi.
It feels like a kind of morbid love, or perhaps just a simple desire for control, so it's not a good assessment.
However, one thing is certain: Lin Wanyi wants to find someone of high status to help her escape from the Ming Prince's Mansion.
And it seems that this person in a high position is himself. I need to think this through carefully. I can't let him take advantage of me, nor can I make myself look too heartless.
I tossed and turned in bed, thinking about things in a daze until late at night before finally falling asleep.
Yong'an Palace
The banquet at the Golden Palace ended at 7 PM. After leaving the banquet, Shen Yuchen went straight to Yong'an Palace.
He sat regally in the superior position, while He Zhiwan danced below.
They danced one dance after another without getting tired.
Shen Yuchen looked on absentmindedly, his mind completely elsewhere.
He kept thinking about what kind of reform proposals he would hear at the morning court session tomorrow, and how he could give Cen Zhouyuan and Wen Yunhe a good beating.
It's a pity that his two concubines don't compete for the emperor's favor at all, and the empress signed a contract with him on the second night of their wedding, so such a thing as competing for the emperor's favor probably won't happen.
The strategy of using someone else's strength against them doesn't work on these two, and sowing discord doesn't seem to be very effective either, since these two old foxes together have at least a hundred schemes in their minds.
For a moment, I felt extremely overwhelmed. If I started to gain momentum but then lost strength, I would be brought back to square one.
Shen Yuchen above didn't call for a stop, and He Zhiwan didn't dare to stop either, so she could only keep jumping.
They danced for half an hour straight. This was hardly dancing; anyone who didn't know better would think it was a new form of torture invented by His Majesty.
Finally, unable to hold on any longer, his body was exhausted, his legs gave way, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
Looking up, she saw Shen Yuchen's tightly furrowed brows and was startled, thinking that she had angered the emperor because of her fall.
She knelt on the ground in a panic, her voice still slightly breathless, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty, I didn't mean it."
Seeing that Shen Yuchen still did not react, she bit her lip, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up.
"I know I was wrong. I will definitely practice harder in the future and this situation will not happen again."
Little did she know that it wasn't that her dancing wasn't good enough; it was simply that Shen Yucheng's mind wasn't on her.
"It's late, Consort He must be tired tonight, please rest early."
Shen Yuchen got up and prepared to leave, but He Zhiwan hurriedly grabbed his dragon robe.
"Your Majesty, would you please stay and keep me company tonight?"
His eyes were filled with earnestness and hope.
Shen Yuchen originally intended to return to Xingde Palace to review memorials, but after a brief moment of thought, he realized that since he had already offended the Empress and left Yong'an Palace in the middle of the night, it would be difficult to explain, so he decided to stay.
When He Zhiwan learned that Shen Yuchen was going to stay, a fleeting look of anxiety and panic crossed her face.
They carefully and attentively helped the other person change clothes and wash up.
After the palace maid lowered the curtain, she consciously retreated outside the hall.
Inside the hall, the candlelight cast deep shadows, and the two people on the bed were passionately entwined.
The next day, for the first time ever, it started to drizzle.
Before dawn, Shen Sangwan was awakened from her sleep by a clap of thunder. Then, raindrops pattered against the eaves and leaves, making her feel a little annoyed.
So he simply pulled the mobile and asked Shuyi to help him wash up.
The rain outside was getting heavier, and the weather was getting colder. Luckily, I had brought a light cloak, so I ate breakfast.
Seeing that it was still early, he practiced a set of boxing moves according to his memory before going to Chonghua Palace to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. He only stayed for a short while before leaving the palace.
Upon returning to the Princess's residence, Qi Bo presented her with an invitation from the Princess Consort of Prince Sheng.
"Your Highness, Princess Consort Sheng will be hosting a flower-viewing banquet in two days and invites you to her residence to enjoy the flowers."
Qi Bo had already cursed the other party from head to toe in his heart. If it weren't for the fact that he was his prince's uncle, he really wouldn't want to accept this invitation.
After all, His Highness doesn't like tending to flowers and plants, and the few rare varieties in the mansion are all thanks to Miss Cen.
I really don't know what Princess Sheng meant by inviting a female general who has been fighting on the battlefield for many years to attend some flower appreciation banquet.
"Since my aunt has sent the invitation, please reply on my behalf, saying that I will definitely go to the Prince's residence to have a chat with her in two days."
Qi Bo curtsied and said, “Miss Cen has also sent an invitation, saying that her family will be holding a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet in five days and she would like to invite you to come and sit with her.”
Shen Sangwan was somewhat surprised by this, since the Prince Sheng's mansion held a flower appreciation banquet first, which must have invited young ladies from prominent families.
What is the purpose of holding a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet so soon after?
After thinking for a while, he said, "Then we will send back the invitation to the Cen family together."
"Yes."
Where is Shuyan?
"After breakfast, we should go with Miss Yuexin to the stage in the east wing to watch a play."
Qi Bo bowed respectfully in response.
Shen Sangwan nodded and headed towards the East Garden.
The rain fell softly on the bluestone slabs, and Shuyi followed behind, holding an umbrella for him. Because the ground was a bit slippery, the two walked very slowly.
Before even passing through the hall, one could hear the sounds of opera coming through the walls.
The babbling was hard to hear clearly, but it gradually became clearer as you got closer.
On stage, the woman, dressed in colorful clothes, moved with light steps, as if walking on auspicious clouds. With a wave of her water sleeves and a snap back, she sang, her voice melodious and captivating.
Shen Sangwan didn't know much about opera and didn't know whether this was something Xiao Yan Yan had written herself or something that already existed in the script.
Seeing that Shuyan was engrossed in the music, he couldn't bear to disturb her, so he simply stood quietly behind the door, waiting for the song to end.