Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. For a scholar to be disqualified from the imperial examinations is tantamount to cutting off his path to wealth and honor. Once Mu Zhengnan is released from prison, he can forget about having a good life. However, after a prisoner is released for meritorious service, he becomes an ordinary citizen and can participate in the imperial examinations. Why is Mu Zhengnan so special?
“Mu Zhengnan is not one to settle for mediocrity!” Shen Lixue had only known Mu Zhengnan for a short time and didn’t know him well, but she knew that wealth and glory were what he longed for most. Now that his path to wealth and glory had been interrupted and he was living such a tragic life, he certainly couldn’t stand it and was unwilling to accept it. He would definitely take some action.
"Mu Zhengnan will never have a chance to turn things around, don't worry!" Dongfang Heng said softly, his indifferent tone revealing an indescribable confidence and ruthlessness.
Shen Lixue was taken aback and looked at Dongfang Heng. He was a royal prince who was indifferent to many things, yet he knew so much about Mu Zhengnan, a mere prisoner. He could interfere with the Ministry of Justice's sentencing of Mu Zhengnan. Could Mu Zhengnan's misery be related to him?
"It's late and the wind is strong, let's hurry back to the manor!" Seeing Shen Lixue staring at him, Dongfang Heng's lips curled up slightly, his gaze unfathomable. He stretched out his jade-like fingers and gently fastened the top two buttons of Shen Lixue's outer garment. Holding her small hand, he walked steadily toward the Prime Minister's manor.
In the dim firelight, Mu Zhengnan strained to move the heavy basket. The basket was too heavy, and he was almost exhausted. Suddenly, the basket fell, scattering the vegetables all over the ground. The burly man lashed out with his whip, striking Mu Zhengnan hard: "How did you move things? You ruined my perfectly good vegetables! Your wages are deducted for today..."
In the dead of night, the streets were deserted, and the shops on both sides of the road were all closed. Through the alleys, Shen Lixue saw the Minister's Mansion in the distance, blinked, and looked at Dongfang Heng: "The Southern Border Princess is still in the capital, isn't she!"
“Yes, she hasn’t left yet!” Dongfang Heng nodded. The Gu worm case was over, the Southern Border Princess’s mission was complete, and she could leave the capital at any time. If she didn’t leave, Qingyan wouldn’t kick her out; she could do as she pleased.
"What has she been doing lately?" Shen Lixue asked again.
"I didn't notice. Why did you suddenly think of asking her?" Dongfang Heng looked at Shen Lixue and felt that she was being a little too concerned about the Southern Border Princess.
"Just asking out of curiosity!" Shen Lixue smiled lightly, giving a perfunctory reply. She raised her eyebrows slightly. Lin Yan didn't like Qin Ruoyan, and she hoped that she wouldn't bother him anymore.
Before they knew it, Shen Lixue and Dongfang Heng arrived at the gate of the Prime Minister's residence. Shen Lixue took off her outer garment and handed it to Dongfang Heng, saying, "Thank you for seeing me off!"
In the darkness of night, Shen Lixue's beauty was breathtaking, her temperament serene and pure. Her dark eyes, like a deep, clear pool, shimmered with a dazzling light. A faint, elegant fragrance drifted on the breeze, and her cherry-red lips were as moist and tempting as cherries, making one yearn to taste them. A hazy affection clouded Dongfang Heng's deep eyes as he slowly leaned down and called out in a low, husky voice, "Lixue!"
"What is it?" Shen Lixue raised her head, her eyes flashing with a cold light. Dongfang Heng's hazy thoughts instantly cleared, and the idea of kissing her vanished without a trace: "Nothing!"
He's made it so obvious, yet she still doesn't understand!
Anger lingered in Dongfang Heng's deep eyes. His thoughts were in turmoil, and his gaze wandered aimlessly. When he saw the crystal swallow on Shen Lixue's chest, his expression softened slightly: "You really like this crystal swallow?"
Every time Dongfang Heng saw Shen Lixue, she wore this crystal swallow, a gift from him. Her constant wearing of it seemed to be a subtle way of hinting at her feelings for him…
“It’s summer now, and this crystal swallow is a transparent white with excellent quality. It matches my light-colored clothes very well!” Shen Lixue looked down and saw the crystal swallow emitting a faint warm light in the night, like a ray of light shining in the darkness, which was very dazzling.
Dongfang Heng's expression, which had just calmed down, darkened again. She wore the crystal swallow only because it matched her clothes; there was no other meaning behind it!
With a flick of his wrist, he put on his white outer robe, the delicate fragrance of a maiden enveloping him within. Yet, Dongfang Heng showed no joy, coldly saying, "It's late. Go and rest in the manor. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave!"
After speaking, Dongfang Heng turned around and strode into the night without looking back, his body shrouded in an aura of anger that was impossible to ignore.
Shen Lixue stood at the entrance of the Prime Minister's residence, watching Dongfang Heng's figure disappear quickly into the distance. She raised her eyebrows, her cold gaze filled with helplessness. Apart from Ye Qianlong, she could easily provoke his anger. He looked no different from a normal person now, but when he fell ill, he was so weak that it was heartbreaking. It would soon be three months. Would his injuries be fully healed?
Beneath the crimson curtains lay an exquisite large bed, and on the white walls hung beautiful paintings of ladies. A golden incense burner emitted enchanting sandalwood, its wisps of fragrance slowly rising and captivating the senses.
A woman in black sat at an ornate round table, took a packet of powder and sprinkled it on the bleeding wound. The bleeding stopped, and she breathed a long sigh of relief. She then tore off several pieces of white cloth and quickly bandaged her injured arm.
Using her teeth and hands to tie a knot, the woman wiped the sweat from her forehead, pulled off the black face mask, revealing a beautiful face and an elegant, scholarly air—it was Su Yuting.
The difference was that her beautiful eyes no longer held the gentleness and elegance of the past; they were now filled with coldness and ruthlessness. Ye Qianlong and Shen Lixue, she had truly underestimated them.
"Yuting, you're still awake?" With a gentle voice, Lady Wen, the Duchess of Wen, pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing Su Yuting dressed in black, she was startled, then turned around, closed the door, and hurried over. Looking at the white bandage on Su Yuting's arm, she lowered her voice and said, "Yuting, where have you been? How did you get hurt like this?"
"I failed to outmaneuver Shen Lixue, and she even turned the tables on me!" Su Yuting said bitterly, gritting her teeth. She tore open her black outer garment with one hand and quickly took it off. Her white inner garment covered her budding body, and her bright red bodice was faintly visible under the semi-transparent inner garment, arousing the imagination.
The letter Dongfang Heng received was delivered by the little beggar she asked him to. What does a man care about most? His wife having an affair!
As Dongfang Heng's fiancée, Shen Lixue was caught in the act of having an affair with Ye Qianlong by the stream. Dongfang Heng would definitely be furious. Ye Qianlong is the Crown Prince of Xiliang, so he wouldn't kill him, but Shen Lixue is his fiancée, and he can do whatever he wants with her. In Qingyan, adultery is a serious crime, and a prince's fiancée having an affair would become the laughing stock of the day. Dongfang Heng would lose face and would definitely vent his anger on Shen Lixue. Breaking off the engagement or drowning her in a pig cage are both possible punishments.
But no matter how much she planned, she never expected that the men in black would appear. Those incredibly stupid guys were not skilled enough to kill Shen Lixue and ruined her plan. When Dongfang Heng arrived, he saw the corpses of the men in black and his attention was on them. He had no mind to investigate the affair between Shen Lixue and Ye Qianlong!
Lady Wen, the Duchess of Wen, sat down opposite Su Yuting, her elegant sleeves flowing gracefully down, a cold glint in her beautiful eyes: "So, Shen Lixue is quite a formidable character after all!"
"Her methods are very clever!" Su Yuting was unwilling to believe it, but she had to admit that Shen Lixue was smart, capable, and her scheming and methods were no less than hers.
"You're smart, and Shen Lixue is smart too. It's not easy to determine a winner when two strong people clash like this!" Lady Wen said softly, her well-maintained face slightly solemn, and the cold light in her beautiful eyes gradually intensified.
"Then what should we do? Shen Lixue will soon be of marriageable age, and judging from Prince An's intentions, he will marry her immediately after the ceremony." If Su Yuting doesn't take action, once Shen Lixue marries into the Holy Prince's Mansion, she will have no chance at all.
"Trying to deal with people haphazardly, only to hurt the enemy a thousand while losing eight hundred of your own, is foolish!" Lady Wen, looking at Su Yuting, her eyes flashing with a cold light, coaxed her gently: "Shen Lixue is human, and humans have weaknesses. You must slowly find her weaknesses, strike them hard, and ensure she never has a chance to recover. That's what makes a beautiful victory!"
"Shen Lixue's weakness?" Su Yuting frowned. She had been thinking about how to deal with Shen Lixue, but she hadn't thought about what weaknesses she might have.
“That’s right!” Lady Wen, the Duchess of Wen, nodded. She was noble, dignified, and virtuous, but her eyes flashed with a coldness that was inconsistent with her temperament: “Strike the snake at its vital point, and the same applies to dealing with people!”
Su Yuting frowned in thought, her gaze dark, and nodded slightly: "I understand!" Find the weakness, prescribe the right medicine, and you can condemn her to eternal damnation, never to rise again.
Shen Lixue returned to the bamboo garden of the Prime Minister's residence at midnight, took a bath, washed up, and lay down on the bed to rest. When she opened her eyes again, the sun was shining brightly outside, and birds were singing and flowers were blooming.
Hearing the noise, Qiuhe lifted the curtain and came in: "Miss, the Prime Minister sent someone to tell you that if you are awake, please go to the main hall. He has something to discuss with you!"
"I understand!" Shen Lixue replied indifferently, thinking to herself that Shen Minghui was looking for her, so there was no need for her to rush over and get scolded.
She slowly got up, washed, ate, and waited for a while before finally leaving the bamboo garden and slowly making her way to the living room, guessing that Shen Minghui was about to get angry.
From afar, Shen Lixue heard bursts of laughter coming from the living room. Shen Yingxue's sweet voice was the loudest, followed by Shen Minghui's hearty laughter and Shen Yelei's childish voice. She couldn't help but raise her eyebrows. Shen Yelei was back. Had this family of four come up with some way to mock her again?
"Dad!" As she entered the living room, Shen Lixue politely bowed to Shen Minghui, abruptly ending the family's joyful laughter.
"Big sister's here!" Shen Yingxue greeted casually and sat down gracefully to one side.
Shen Yelei scoffed disdainfully, preparing to reprimand Shen Lixue for being impolite and keeping the elders waiting. However, remembering the great loss he suffered at her hands last time, his face swollen for three days before it subsided, he suppressed his anger, glared at her fiercely, sat down close to Shen Minghui, and ignored Shen Lixue completely.
Shen Minghui took a sip of tea, looked at Shen Lixue, and said coldly, "Lixue, last time you said you wanted to exchange your mother's jewelry for the Shen family jade pendant. I've already found enough jewelry worth one million taels!"
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "Really?"
"Of course it's true, would your father lie to you!" Shen Minghui glared at Shen Lixue unhappily, then looked in one direction: "The jewelry is all in those boxes!"