Gently touching her face, she noticed it was still a bit dark and yellow. However, with the nourishment of the fine food and drink at the Prince Zhan's residence, she was sure to regain her unparalleled beauty as soon as possible. At that time, she was certain to gain the Prince Zhan's exclusive favor and enjoy endless wealth and honor.
Looking at the bright sun outside, Shen Lixue breathed a sigh of relief. Shen Yingxue was used by Dongfang Zhan to sow discord between her and Dongfang Heng. She turned the tables and sent Shen Yingxue to the Zhan Prince's Mansion so that she could stay by Dongfang Zhan's side every day and annoy him. This is what is called trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead, losing both her wife and her army!
---Aside---
(*^__^*) Hehe... I'll torture Li Youlan tomorrow, lalala...
Chapter 202: Li Youlan's Striptease
"Let's go out and greet him." The grand gift has already been delivered, and Shen Lixue has nothing to do at the Zhan Prince's residence, so it's better to go and greet Dongfang Heng so that they can go to the palace for the banquet as soon as possible.
The delicate fragrance gradually faded. Dongfang Zhan looked up and saw Shen Lixue push through the crowd and walk out of the guest room. Her slender figure in light blue quickly blended into the sunlight, and her cascading black hair was blown by the wind, making her look ethereal and unforgettable.
His sharp eyes suddenly turned cold, and his large hands clenched tightly. She had no feelings for him whatsoever. She had schemed against him and turned away with a flourish. All his sincerity and scheming for her had been trampled on without any mercy.
"Your Highness Zhan, please make arrangements for Miss Yingxue quickly. We'll wait for you outside and go to the palace banquet together." The young men from prominent families left the guest rooms in twos and threes, their ambiguous gazes sweeping back and forth between Dongfang Zhan and Shen Yingxue, their smiles sinister and malicious. How would they manage with so many wives and concubines? Hopefully, Prince Zhan will still have the energy to attend court in three days…
Shen Yingxue felt a sweet warmth in her heart as she listened to the teasing of the noble young men. She wasn't angry at all; instead, she blushed like a young girl about to be married. She had finally gotten her wish to stay by the side of Prince Zhan and could enjoy wealth and luxury as before.
Looking at Shen Yingxue's affected shyness, Dongfang Zhan felt disgusted, as if he had swallowed a fly. The young masters from prestigious families were all in the courtyard, and he couldn't make a scene. He frowned and said impatiently, "Go and rest first."
"Yes!" Shen Yingxue curtsied, turned around with a smile, and walked gracefully towards the door. She had recently miscarried and was very weak. Her thin figure made her look even more delicate and pitiful.
Dongfang Zhan watched her, finding her affected and pretentious, and felt even more disgusted. After she left the courtyard, his sharp gaze suddenly shot towards the steward of the Prince's mansion: "I ordered that no one is allowed to come to the east wing. What kind of work have you done?"
Nangong Xiao, the Fifth Prince and so many other young masters have witnessed his disgraceful deeds. His reputation as the Prince of Qingyan Zhan is ruined. How can he ever stand in the capital again?
The steward of the Prince's mansion bowed his head in a panic: "Your Highness, please forgive me. I personally led more than ten guards to stand watch outside the east wing. When the Prince of Nangong and the Fifth Prince came to see you, I had already stopped them. But then the Princess Consort of Anjun suddenly appeared. I was so shocked that I lost my composure for a moment, and the Prince of Nangong and the others took the opportunity to barge in..."
Shen Lixue, she really was plotting against him!
Two raging flames suddenly ignited in Dongfang Zhan's deep eyes. Pretending to be asleep, staying in the east wing, Dongfang Heng went to the Crown Prince's residence, lured him to the east wing, and then switched the person in bed with Xue Yingxue. Her plan was perfect, requiring very meticulous arrangements. Dongfang Heng must have been involved as well. Heh, the two of them, husband and wife, joined forces to deal with him!
"Go and stop Shen Lixue." Dongfang Zhan's gaze was as cold as ice. They plotted against him and made him look foolish. He would never let her welcome Dongfang Heng, the loving couple, and enter the palace banquet together? Wishful thinking.
Under the bright sunshine, Shen Lixue walked briskly along the bluestone path of the Zhan Prince's Mansion when a voice suddenly called out from behind: "Princess Consort, Princess Consort."
Shen Lixue stopped and turned around. The steward of the Prince's mansion hurried over, covered in sweat and looking anxious, clearly from rushing all the way: "Steward, is something the matter?"
The butler chuckled and said, "Miss Yingxue's courtyard is arranged in the north wing, a small courtyard facing the sun. Do you think that's suitable?"
“Once Yingxue marries into the Zhan Prince’s mansion, she will be Zhan Prince’s person, and Zhan Prince can do whatever he wants with her.” Shen Yingxue is a commoner of low status. Whether Dongfang Zhan makes her a concubine or a slave, Shen Lixue doesn’t care. As long as she puts her in front of everyone, her plan will be considered a success.
"Miss Yingxue seems to be feeling unwell. Would you like to go and see her?" The butler, having failed with his first plan, came up with another, trying to stop Shen Lixue.
Shen Lixue smiled gently: "Yingxue has suffered a lot outside, and her health is indeed not very good. I am pregnant, and my mind is a little anxious. My medical skills are not as good as before, so it is not suitable for me to treat patients anymore. Butler, please ask the family physician to take a look at her."
"Alright..." The steward smiled awkwardly, thinking of a way to stop Shen Lixue, but Dongfang Heng had already entered the Zhan Prince's Mansion and taken another shortcut to the east wing where Shen Lixue was resting.
Looking at the neat, empty east wing, devoid of any sign of human presence, he frowned and casually called out to a guard from the Zhan Prince's residence: "Where is the Princess Consort of An County?"
The guard bowed and said, "Reporting to Prince An, the Princess Consort has gone to the bridal chamber to accompany Princess Zhan."
Thinking of Shen Lixue, Dongfang Heng didn't notice the guard's slightly flickering gaze. He strode along the bluestone path toward the bridal chamber, his white robes fluttering in the wind, and soon disappeared at the end of the path.
As noon approached, almost all the guests had gone to the palace for the banquet. The Zhan Prince's mansion was quiet. As Dongfang Heng walked along, he did not see a single guest except for the maids, servants, and guards.
The door to the new room was slightly ajar, and the faint sound of women whispering could be heard. Dongfang Heng stood at the door and softly called out, "Li Xue."
The hushed conversation inside the room abruptly ceased, and a clear, melodious voice rang out: "It's Prince An, please come in."
With a soft creak, the door opened a crack, as if offering a silent invitation to Dongfang Heng.
Dongfang Heng's eyes darkened slightly. He slowly walked forward, pushed open the door, and went inside: "Li Xue, it's almost noon. We should go to the palace for the banquet."
"Bang!" The door slammed shut behind him, and the light dimmed. Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened, and he looked up abruptly. A beautiful woman dressed in a bright red wedding gown and wearing a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe stood in the center of the room, smiling at him. A cold, dark light flashed in his deep eyes: "Li Youlan."
Li Youlan looked at Dongfang Heng with a radiant smile and gracefully gave a curtsy: "Prince An!"
The new house was decorated very elegantly and luxuriously, and the furnishings were clearly visible. Dongfang Heng quickly scanned the room and, not seeing a third person, asked coldly, "Where is Li Xue?"
"Has Sister Lixue come here?" Li Youlan asked in surprise, "Why haven't I seen her?"
"Never mind if she's not here, farewell." It was very inappropriate for Dongfang Heng, an outsider, to remain in Dongfang Zhan and Li Youlan's new house. Since Shen Lixue wasn't there, he didn't linger any longer. He turned around, reached out to pull the door, but the door didn't budge, as if it had been locked from the outside.
"Prince An, are you hot?" Li Youlan said coquettishly, her eyes brimming with tears, and her fair hands slowly removed the phoenix crown from her head.
Dongfang Heng frowned, looking at the tightly closed door. He didn't speak, but gently raised his jade-like fingers, gathering profound inner strength in his palm, preparing to break down the door and leave.
He was Prince An, locked in Prince Zhan's bridal chamber, sharing a room with his bride. It was clearly a setup, and he could not stay any longer.
“Prince An, the door to the bridal chamber is made of special materials that cannot be broken even with the deepest internal strength. Don’t waste your energy.” Li Youlan advised ambiguously, smiling as she untied the red ribbon at her chest. The bright red wedding dress slowly slid down her slender body, revealing a bright red undergarment.
"Not necessarily." Dongfang Heng didn't even glance at her, his obsidian-like eyes flashing with a chilling light, and suddenly raised his palm to strike the door.
With a loud "bang," debris flew everywhere, and plumes of dust rose, causing people to cough repeatedly. The door shook, but it wasn't broken or damaged; like a cage, it tightly confined Dongfang Heng.
“Prince An… cough cough cough… I told you before… the door can’t be opened.” Li Youlan coughed lightly, her eyebrows furrowed tightly, and grabbed the bright red wedding dress from the ground, quickly scattering the dust that filled the room.
Dongfang Heng stood a step away, coldly staring at the two tightly closed doors. What were they made of? They were so hard that even ten layers of internal energy couldn't break through them. Or perhaps, there was something sturdy placed outside the doors?
“Prince An, the guests have all gone to the palace for the banquet. No one will disturb us. The night is too short, we should enjoy it while we can.” Li Youlan’s clear voice carried an air of ambiguity as her fair hands gently unbuttoned her inner garment, one button at a time.
She undressed slowly and with great enjoyment, her jade-like skin gradually revealed, creating a striking contrast with her bright red undergarment, which further stimulated the men's senses.
Dongfang Heng watched coldly, without any reaction. His sharp eyes flashed with disdain and mockery: "You are Dongfang Zhan's bride. He actually sent you to seduce me. He really has the nerve to do that."
“Prince An, you may not know this, but my cousin Zhan and I only have the affection of siblings and no intention of getting married. He married me as his principal wife because of the circumstances and had no other choice. He promised me that as long as I find the person I love, I can leave the Prince Zhan’s mansion at any time.”