"Second Miss, Third Miss, I suddenly remembered that I have some matters to attend to in the court. Farewell!" Dongfang Zhan smiled gently, his smile carrying a hint of dominance and nobility.
Shen Yingxue was taken aback, then immediately put on her most magnanimous and appropriate smile: "The important matter is paramount, Prince Zhan, please take care!"
Shen Lixue had just left when Zhan Wang announced his departure. Was this a coincidence, or was it intentional? If it was the former, that would be understandable; but if it was the latter…
Shen Yingxue clenched her fair hands into fists, her beautiful eyes flashing with a hint of malice and viciousness. She was determined to make her wish she were dead!
"Sister Yingxue, what kind of porridge or soup would you like to drink? I'll go to the kitchen and learn how to make it." After Zhan Wang left, Shen Caixuan brought pastries to Shen Yingxue and fawned over her. Lei Shi was in charge of the Prime Minister's mansion's backyard, and Shen Caixuan's marriage was also in Lei Shi's hands. She couldn't afford to offend Shen Yingxue.
Shen Yingxue looked up at Shen Caixuan's bright, humble smile, gave a cold laugh, and suddenly swung her hand, knocking over the pastry plate. Gathering all her strength, she furiously beat Shen Caixuan, yelling, "You shameless woman, how dare you seduce Prince Zhan right in front of me! Do you even respect me anymore...?"
"Sister, spare me, spare me... It was Shen Lixue... She used me to seduce Prince Zhan, it has nothing to do with me..." Shen Yingxue was seriously ill and didn't have much strength, but her angry blows were quite powerful. Shen Caixuan felt a piercing pain where her fist landed and begged for mercy repeatedly.
"Shen Lixue is a slut, and you're no better!" Exhausted from beating her, Shen Yingxue lay weakly in the sedan chair to rest. Looking at Shen Yingxue's health and then at her own weakness, her eyes flashed with intense resentment and anger. She coldly ordered, "Slap yourself thirty times!"
"Sister Yingxue!" Shen Caixuan looked at Shen Yingxue with tears in her eyes, pleading desperately, unaware that her current appearance was seen as smug and provocative in Shen Yingxue's eyes, particularly glaring: "Fifty slaps, Granny Mi, do it!"
"Yes!" Two old nannies stepped forward. One twisted Shen Caixuan's arm behind her back, while the other nanny, expressionless, slapped Shen Caixuan's beautiful face repeatedly. The crisp sound of the slaps was particularly clear beside the quiet rockery, sending chills down the spines of those who heard it.
Shen Caixuan was restrained and unable to resist. Crimson blood slowly slid down the corner of her mouth, a sight that terrified everyone. The maids and nannies were all silent, their heads bowed, not daring to utter a single word.
Aunt Jin was so frightened that she forgot to cry. Her small hand holding the silk handkerchief trembled slightly. She glanced at the blood at the corner of Shen Caixuan's mouth and her swollen face. She turned around quietly, intending to leave, when a demonic voice pierced her ears: "Where is Aunt Jin going?"
The weak, clear female voice sent chills down Aunt Jin's spine. She trembled slightly, not daring to turn around: "Replying to...Replying to Second Miss...I'm tired and want to go back to rest..."
"Is that so?" Shen Yingxue drawled out the last syllable, her voice sharp and piercing Jin Yiniang's ears. "When Jin Yiniang was crying just now, she was full of energy and didn't seem tired at all!"
"Second Miss, spare me, spare me..." Aunt Jin was shocked, her legs went weak, and she couldn't help but kneel down, kowtowing repeatedly: "I only missed Fourth Miss a little, I didn't mean anything else... Please, Second Miss, have mercy..."
Shen Yingxue scoffed disdainfully, "What a cowardly and shameless woman, Aunt Jin: What are you saying, Aunt Jin? Caiyun is in prison, and I, as her older sister, am too busy taking care of Aunt Jin to punish her..."
"Thank you for your mercy, Second Miss! Thank you for your mercy, Second Miss!" Hearing that Shen Yingxue was not going to punish her, Aunt Jin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her body was still a little weak, and she stood for a long time without being able to stand up.
Shen Yingxue glanced disdainfully at Aunt Jin, her innate servility and the baseness in her very bones evident in her words: "Aunt Jin wants to save Caiyun, and I want to too, but unfortunately I am seriously injured and lack the strength. Aunt Jin is in good spirits and is capable of saving Fourth Sister..."
Aunt Jin sighed heavily: "The Fourth Miss has committed a serious crime and has been sentenced to three months in prison. Even the Prime Minister can't do anything about it. How can I, a mere woman, save her?" Her crying was just a venting of her frustrations. She didn't even dare to think about breaking her out of prison.
Shen Yingxue smiled innocently and coaxed gently: "Qingyan is from the Eastern royal family. Whether someone is guilty or not is just a matter of the Emperor's word!"
"Does Miss mean to ask the Prince and the other princes to intercede on her behalf?" Aunt Jin looked at Shen Yingxue and asked uncertainly.
“That’s right!” Shen Yingxue’s smile deepened, her gaze mocking. This Aunt Jin was finally starting to get the hang of things!
"But I can't speak to the princes of the royal family!" Aunt Jin said, her face full of sorrow and her eyes brimming with tears.
Shen Yingxue lowered her eyelids, cursing inwardly, "What an idiot, so stupid!" But on the surface, she smiled politely: "Doesn't Aunt Jin remember that Prince An is the God of War of the Azure Flame? The Emperor trusts him very much. Sister Caiyun hasn't committed any serious crime. As long as Prince An puts a good word for her in front of the Emperor, Sister Caiyun will be fine."
After a pause, Shen Yingxue continued, "Logically speaking, Prince Zhan and the Emperor are closer, but Prince Zhan and I are just ordinary friends. It's not good to trouble him too much with this. Our eldest daughter is the future Princess Consort of Prince An, and Prince An dotes on her very much. They've already had breakfast together before they're even married. If she asks Prince An for anything, he will definitely agree. Why should we go to such lengths?"
"This...is it alright?" Aunt Jin hesitated. The eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion had only been there for a little over a month, and she and the eldest daughter hadn't spoken much. Would the eldest daughter help her and Caiyun?
"For the sake of Caiyun's lifelong happiness, Aunt Jin, please don't worry about so much. If it weren't for my failing health, I would personally go and beg my elder sister. What could be more important than a human life..."
Shen Yingxue's heavy sigh startled Aunt Jin awake. Yes, her own dignity was worthless, nothing compared to her daughter. Gritting her teeth, she made up her mind: "Alright, I will go and beg the eldest young lady, but what if she refuses to help?"
Shen Yingxue smiled, beckoned Aunt Jin forward, and whispered a few words to her. Aunt Jin's eyes widened instantly: "Is this... appropriate?"
Shen Yingxue's gaze darkened: "Can Aunt Jin come up with a better idea?"
“This…” Aunt Jin shook her head.
"Since you can't figure it out, Aunt Jin might as well do as I say, and I guarantee you can rescue Sister Caiyun!" Shen Yingxue's voice was clear and full of confidence.
After a moment's thought, Aunt Jin gritted her teeth and nodded in agreement: "I'll do whatever the Second Miss says!"
"That's right, Aunt Jin is smart and capable, and Sister Caiyun will definitely be released from prison soon!" Shen Yingxue smiled coldly and eerily, gritting her teeth: Shen Lixue, just wait for your bad luck, wait for your break with Prince An. What I, Shen Yingxue, can't have, no one else can have!
Shen Lixue left the pavilion and hurriedly returned to the bamboo garden to change her clothes. Dongfang Heng lay on the soft couch by the window, flipping through a book, showing no intention of leaving.
"Dongfang Heng, why haven't you left yet?" Shen Lixue asked in confusion, quickly walking to the wardrobe to get her clothes. He was the Prince of Qingyan, and he had many things to do every day. How could he have time to leisurely lie on the soft couch and read novels?
"You go to the post station, and I'm going back to my residence. It's on my way, so I'll wait for you to come along!" Dongfang Heng replied casually, flipping through the pages of his book.
Shen Lixue took a Xiangfei purple Xiang dress, closed the cabinet door, and glared at Dongfang Heng: "You knew I was going to the post station, why didn't you remind me earlier?" There were too many things to do, and she forgot about the breakfast appointment, which would definitely make Ye Qianlong hungry all morning. Even if she rushed to the post station as fast as possible, she could only have lunch with Ye Qianlong.
"Too much happened yesterday, I only just remembered it myself!" Dongfang Heng said dismissively, ignoring the anger in Shen Lixue's eyes. He slowly put down his book and looked sharply out the window: "If you don't change your clothes soon, it will be noon!"
Shen Lixue glared at Dongfang Heng, quickly unbuttoned her outer garment, took off her dress, grabbed her new clothes and quickly put them on, tying the belt and buttoning the buttons in a series of smooth, flowing movements.
After checking herself in the mirror several times and finding nothing amiss, Shen Lixue was about to tell Dongfang Heng that she could leave when she saw Dongfang Heng standing by the window, his tall figure blocking most of the window, his sharp eyes fixed on her, with a hint of anger surging in his eyes: "You actually changed your clothes by the window?"
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "The window was only slightly ajar, so no one could see me changing clothes. Besides, I was wearing my undergarments, so it wouldn't matter if someone saw me, would it?"
Ancient clothing was very complicated. In addition to the bellyband and fur trousers, there were inner and outer garments. It could be said that one wore three layers. The outer skirt was mostly made of silk and was somewhat transparent. The inner garment was pure white and served to cover up the skin, just like a modern top, covering the skin so that outsiders could not see it at all. Shen Lixue was in a hurry to go to the post station to see Ye Qianlong, so she did not try to hide it.
"You're not allowed to change clothes with the window open from now on!" Dongfang Heng said in a low voice, and Shen Lixue could vaguely sense that there was a hint of gritted teeth in his voice.
“If there are outsiders in the inner room, I usually change my clothes behind the screen. I was in a hurry today because I was pressed for time!” Shen Lixue glared at Dongfang Heng, annoyed. “It’s getting late, let’s go to the inn!”
Shen Lixue turned around and strode forward. Just as she arrived at the outer room, Qiuhe announced from outside the door, "Miss, Aunt Jin has arrived!"
Without a second thought, Shen Lixue refused outright: "I'm busy. Tell her to come this afternoon!"
A thud was heard from outside the door, followed by a piercing cry that pierced through the thick wall and echoed in everyone's ears: "Young Miss, Young Miss, please save Caiyun!"
Shen Lixue coldly stared at the door, a sneer curling her lips. Aunt Jin was simple-minded and cowardly. She had little interaction with her, yet Aunt Jin had come to beg her to save someone. She must have been instructed by someone else...
"Miss!" Qiu He looked at Shen Lixue with difficulty. Aunt Jin's cries were very loud and could be heard clearly even outside the bamboo garden. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the young lady had bullied her.