Shen Lingyun's position in the court is not to be underestimated; even the Crown Prince has to give him some leeway. However, his own Crown Prince has a terrible temper, and if he disrupts his plans, he fears he'll be in deep trouble. What should he do now?
"I have urgent business with the Crown Prince! Please inform him." Shen Lingyun didn't say what it was, only that it was urgent. This matter could be big or small; if a mere guard delayed this, he might lose his head.
"Yes!" Hearing Shen Lingyun say this, the guard didn't dare to delay and had no choice but to bite the bullet and go call Shangguan Ye.
"Your Highness? The Prime Minister has arrived, saying it's urgent." The guard knocked cautiously on the door, but there was no response from inside. He assumed that Shangguan Ye was unwilling to see the Prime Minister, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and come out.
"Your Excellency, I have already informed him, but His Highness the Crown Prince is currently busy," the guard said timidly, constantly glancing at Shen Lingyun's expression.
"How dare you! Don't think I don't know what His Highness the Crown Prince is doing right now!" Shen Lingyun was furious when he heard that Shangguan Ye dared to refuse to see him.
Shangguan Ye is just a crown prince without any real power. If it weren't for the emperor's favor, he would have lost his position long ago! How dare he put on airs with him!
"Your Excellency, please calm down! This humble servant cannot control His Highness the Crown Prince!" The guards at the gate knelt down when they saw Shen Lingyun's anger, and the guard who went to announce the news was trembling with fear.
"Father, let's go in quickly!" Shen Qianmo looked anxious, but a hint of cunning and calculation flashed in her eyes.
"Get out of my way!" Shen Lingyun kicked the guard aside and led Shen Qianmo into the Crown Prince's residence. The guards at the gate did not dare to stop him and simply followed Shen Lingyun silently.
"Your Highness, I have urgent business to discuss. I hope Your Highness will open the door and grant me an audience," Shen Lingyun said to the closed door of the Crown Prince's room.
His words sounded respectful and polite, but there was no respect in his expression; he was just putting on a show.
Shen Qianmo found it amusing to see Shen Lingyun bowing to the empty door, and a teasing smile appeared on her lips.
Seeing that there was no response from inside the room, Shen Lingyun felt even more uncomfortable, and his tone became less polite as he spoke, "Your Highness!"
Shen Qianmo had no interest in watching Shen Lingyun dawdle here. Qianqian must be getting impatient inside. She pretended to be anxious and pushed open the door.
"Mo'er, don't be rude!" Shen Lingyun immediately reprimanded Shen Qianmo upon seeing her behavior, though his tone didn't convey much reproach.
Shen Qianmo naturally understood that Shen Lingyun secretly wished she would do this, but deliberately pretended to scold her to avoid gossip.
"Qianqian, Qianqian!" Shen Qianmo shook the "unconscious" Qianqian as soon as she entered the room. Qianqian stuck out her tongue at Shen Qianmo and continued to pretend to be unconscious with her eyes closed.
"Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?!" Shen Lingyun's anger intensified when he saw the empty room. He, the Prime Minister, had been made a fool of, forced to bow for half a day in a room without the Crown Prince—how could he not be furious!
The guards were terrified when they saw the Crown Prince was missing. They knelt on the ground, not daring to get up. "We don't know! His Highness the Crown Prince returned with that young lady and went into his room. He forbade us to disturb him. We don't know where His Highness went!"
"Qianqian, you're awake? What's wrong?" Shen Qianmo's surprised voice came from inside the room.
"Qianqian, what happened?" Upon hearing the voice, Shen Lingyun immediately entered the room and asked Qianqian, who had just woken up.
Qianqian feigned innocence, her watery eyes revealing a hint of fear. "I don't know. I was suddenly knocked unconscious, and then I don't remember anything!"
"So, someone kidnapped the Crown Prince?!" Shen Lingyun frowned. Who could have kidnapped the Crown Prince at this time?
The Third Prince and the Eighth Prince are both possibilities. However, neither of them is willing to take that step, knowing that if the other side were to seize on their weakness, they could face utter ruin.
Shen Qianmo and Qianqian followed Shen Lingyun back to the manor. Shen Lingyun remained silent the entire way, and Shen Qianmo didn't want to make a fool of herself.
"Miss, why did it take you so long to come! Qianqian was almost asleep." As soon as she returned to her own courtyard, Qianqian changed completely, no longer showing any signs of being overly frightened.
"I ran into someone on the way, which delayed me a bit." Shen Qianmo's expression faltered for a moment, and she couldn't help but think of Mei Xue, his serious eyes, his charming smile, and his domineering words.
"Miss, Miss?" Qianqian saw Shen Qianmo lost in thought and couldn't help but wave her hand in front of her. What's wrong with Miss? Why is she daydreaming?
"It's nothing. But Qianqian's acting skills have improved a lot." Shen Qianmo smiled, tapped Qianqian's head, and said with a smile.
"Of course! Even Master was fooled by Qianqian." Qianqian looked at Shen Qianmo with a smug expression, her eyes blinking as if waiting for Shen Qianmo's reward.
"I can't call you silly Qianqian anymore." Shen Qianmo felt a warmth in her heart when she saw Qianqian's cute appearance. Over the years, she was fortunate to have Qianqian by her side.
"It's alright, Qianqian understands that Miss is just worried about Qianqian." Qianqian affectionately took Shen Qianmo's hand, leaned on Shen Qianmo's shoulder with a smile, her eyes filled with innocence and gratitude.
"Qianqian, we'll be able to go back to the Demon Palace soon, aren't you happy?" Shen Qianmo pinched Qianqian's nose. With the Crown Prince dead, the struggle for the throne should be accelerated, and everything will be over soon.
However, the thought of returning to the Demon Palace didn't bring her the same joy as before; it was as if something was holding her back.
"Really? That's great!" Qianqian was still as childlike as ever. As soon as she heard that she could leave this hypocritical place, she jumped up happily.
---Aside---
Book lovers are welcome to join the group.
Group number 207151465. The password is the book title.
Chapter Thirty-One: Shangguan Jin Proposes Marriage
"Qianxin, the Eighth Prince has come to propose marriage!" A relieved smile appeared on Shen Lingyun's deeply wrinkled face. Of course, his relief was not because his daughter had found a good husband, but because his power had been further consolidated.
"Really?" A hint of surprise appeared in Shen Qianxin's eyes. The Eighth Prince had come to propose marriage. Was she finally going to become a princess? If the Eighth Prince became emperor in the future, she could rule the world as the empress.
Thinking of this, even the usually self-possessed Shen Qianxin revealed a hint of longing and pride in her eyes.
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister." Shangguan Jin was dressed in a dark robe, which made him look heroic and extraordinary. He smiled, but still appeared somewhat cold.
"What brings the Eighth Prince to the residence?" Shen Lingyun knew perfectly well what Shangguan Jin's purpose was, but he still pretended not to know and asked.
“Ever since I danced with the Second Miss at the Hundred Families Banquet, I haven’t been able to forget her. That’s why I’ve come to propose marriage, hoping to marry the Second Miss as my principal wife.” Shangguan Jin looked at Shen Lingyun with a smile. This old fox, he knew the answer already.
"It's a blessing for Qianxin to have won the Eighth Prince's favor. Someone, go and summon Qianxin." When Shen Lingyun heard the words "Empress Consort," his brows completely relaxed, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Shen Qianxin was eavesdropping outside the door. When she heard the words "official wife," she loosened her grip on her sleeve and a look of joy appeared on her face.
She's the principal wife. The principal wife of the Eighth Prince! She can finally escape her wretched status as an illegitimate daughter!
After straightening her clothes, Shen Qianxin walked into Shen Lingyun's study with graceful and virtuous steps, a proper smile on her face, and an elegant demeanor.