Chapter 104 - Approaching Departure

Sheng Peiyin couldn’t leave the east palace for too long. Right before the imperial palace’s door was closed, she returned.

She wanted to freshen up the little imperial grandson and coax him to sleep like usual but who knew that Ning Xi told her that she didn’t need to serve the little imperial grandson anymore. She had to wait for the crown princess’ orders to see where she was going to be sent to next time.

Just like that, Sheng Peiyin was forced to leave. Don’t mention approaching the little imperial grandson but she didn’t even get to be near the little imperial grandson and the crown princess’ room. She just walked over when Ning Xi popped out of nowhere and dismissed her in a few words.

What happened? She just left for less than a day so why did it feel like the entire world changed?

Sheng Peiyin was confused. What exactly happened when she wasn’t in the palace? Could it be that the crown princess had seen through the crown prince’s attempt? Did he confess to the crown princess?

Thinking of this, her heart soared again.

She liked the crown prince. She liked him really much. The moment she saw him in the palace, she knew that she’d never love another person.

The crown prince liked her too, otherwise he wouldn’t have let her in the study and ask about the little imperial grandon’s situation every time. Even more, he wouldn’t have come to look for her under the name of visiting the little imperial grandson.

Did the crown princess see through this?

Sheng Peiyin was nervous but also excited. She clutched her chest, eagerly waiting for the crown prince to come back.

“Eh? Why are you still here?” The palace maid, Xiao Yu, came out from the crown princess’ chamber. Seeing that Sheng Peiyin was still standing under the stone steps, she knitted her brows and stared at her unhappily.

“I...I want to see the crown prince.” Sheng Peiyin clenched her teeth and said. She’d remember this bitch for giving her attitude. The day that she gets out of this predicament, she’d deal with Ning Xi, that bitch first!

Xiao Yu snorted. “The crown prince is inside with the crown princess playing with the little imperial grandson. If you want to see him, wait until tomorrow.”

Sheng Peiyin was shocked. “The crown prince is back? Then does he know that I’m here? The crown prince won’t let anyone else attend to the little imperial grandson besides me.”

“Sheng Peiyin. Who do you think you are? If it weren’t for the crown prince’s order, you think that we’d dare to do things without permission? The crown prince ordered for you to stay away from the chamber.” Xiao Yu stood on the stone steps and glanced at Sheng Peiyin in disgust, not bothering to conceal it.

Heaven has finally opened its eyes. The crown prince finally saw that Sheng Peiyin wasn’t anyone good.

Likewise, Sheng Peiyin was overwhelmed with emotions. Even in her dreams, she would’ve never thought that it was the crown prince who ordered this. How is that possible? What exactly happened?

She returned to her room, her face pale. She was unable to accept Xiao Yu’s words even after a while.

How did this happen?

The crown prince had looked at her in pity and ambiguity just yesterday. How did she become ruthless and cold-blooded the day after?

Sheng Peiyin was unable to sleep, her eyes open. She got out of her bed just as morning came. She applied exquisite makeup and changed into glamorous colored palace clothes. She went to the place the crown prince would go every day and then coincidentally encountered him coming from the crown princess’ place.

“Your Highness…” Sheng Peiyin already had tears gathered in her eyes as she looked at the crown prince in a clear gaze. She looked as pitiful as she could be.

Normally when the crown prince saw Sheng Peiyin, that beautiful and white lotus, he would’ve been moved already. He’d come over and ask her why she was unhappy gently, worried that someone might be bullying her. But seeing how pitiful she looked and recalling how she sent assassins to kill Shen Ziqiao yesterday, he knew just how sinister and evil this woman was. Maybe she was only approaching him to find an opportunity to make a move too.

The crown prince shifted his gaze in disgust and scolded the eunuch. “What did I order you guys yesterday? Why is she still here?”

That eunuch felt wronged and he hurriedly had two other eunuchs drag Sheng Peiyin away.

Sheng Peiyin stared at the crown prince who was unwilling to even give her a look, shockingly. She finally understood that everything was just one-sided.

Her heart ached incredibly much but she also wanted to know the reason.

“Eunuch Li, what exactly happened?” Sheng Peiyin removed the jadeite bracelet and shoved it in the eunuch’s hands, asking with a pale face.

“Eldest Master Qi went to the palace to look for His Highness...I’m not sure what they talked about but His Highness was furious. You know what happened next.” Eunuch Li knew that the crown prince and Sheng Peiyin had given each other ambiguous looks before. Therefore, he didn’t want to hit her while she was down. What if the crown prince liked that woman again for some reason?

Qi Zheng! Sheng Peiyin gritted her teeth. It was him again!

No wonder the crown prince was that indifferent to her. Qi Zheng must’ve told the crown prince how she sent assassins to murder Shen Ziqiao. What should she do now?

She needed to do something and let the crown prince know that she was wronged by Qi Zheng.

Sheng Peiyin wasn’t anxious now that she knew what happened. She returned to her room and started thinking of a solution.

Shen Ziqiao didn’t know that Qi Zheng entered the palace and told the crown prince what happened yesterday. She knew that not only couldn’t she leave her room, there were a whole bunch of people following her even when she was at home.

Old Lord Pan originally planned on staying in the capital for a few more days but after hearing that his granddaughter almost died, he had people pack up and get ready to go back to Minyue without another word.

Shen Xiao didn’t feel anything. He had people prepare quite a bit of things for Shen Ziqiao. Those were tributes for her relatives when she went to Minyue.

He was probably worried that people would look down on her if she went to Minyue without any presents.

Who dared to look down on her now? She had her grandfather, that huge backer.

They were going to Minyue tomorrow. It was hard for Shen Ziqiao to conceal her excitement. The father and son felt worse upon seeing her. Shen Zikai even flicked her forehead. “You want to leave Shen Family that badly? Look at how happy you are, hm? You’re happy that you don’t get to see your elder brother?”

Shen Ziqiao immediately kissed up to him and said, “Of course not. You don’t know how upset I am. I’m just forcing a smile on my face. I’m saying the truth.”

“Silly. Going to our grandparent’s home is different from our home. You have to listen to Lady Meng no matter what and you can’t be rash. You can’t bully your cousins either, okay?” Shen Zikai reminded.

“Elder Brother, you shouldn’t say that. You should be telling me to be careful to not be bullied by them. Look at me, I’m like a white lotus. Why would I bully someone else?!” Shen Ziqiao pretended to be unhappy, shouting out loud.

Shen Zikai didn’t understand what she meant by white lotus but he chuckled at his sister’s expression.

“Elder Brother, you’re going to the northwest too. No matter what, you have to come back safely. I’m waiting for you to pick me up from Minyue.” Shen Ziqiao suddenly felt upset as she hugged Shen Zikai’s arms, acting cute.

“You...You’re not planning to return to Shen Family in the next two years?” Shen Zikai asked shockingly.

Shen Ziqiao kept her head down as she stepped on the fallen leaves. “There’s no point in coming back either. Isn’t father going to marry Chen Xueling? Isn’t it better if I’m not here?”

That way people won’t think that I’m in their way!

“Silly girl!” Shen Zikai flicked her forehead firmly. “Even if Chen Xueling married into the family, you’re still the legal Third Miss Shen. Who dares to bully you?”

Shen Ziqiao pouted. “I just don’t want to see Chen Xueling.”

“You’re still unruly as always.” Shen Zikai chuckled. “Why were you with Qi Zheng yesterday? Why did you follow him out of the city?”

“I just coincidentally met him. I wasn’t with him.” Shen Ziqiao’s face slightly flushed when she recalled yesterday’s kiss.

Shen Zikai didn’t doubt her words however. He glanced at Shen Ziqiao’s beautiful face and said, “Jiao Jiao, you’re a big girl now.”

“Huh?” The shift in topic was too quick.

“Qi Zheng is pretty good. When we’re at the northwest, I’ll observe him.” Shen Zikai exclaimed with a smile but he’d already treated him as half a brother-in-law.

It wasn’t like he couldn’t tell that Qi Zheng treated his sister differently from everyone else. However, his sister didn’t seem to feel the same way.

Shen Ziqiao understood Shen Zikai’s words and she harshly glared at him.

Shen Zikai chuckled. “You’re going to Minyue tomorrow. No matter what, you have to bid farewell to grandmother in case someone talks behind your back about this.”

“I’m willing to pay respects to her but she may not be willing to meet me.” Shen Ziqiao was unwilling to go just thinking of that old woman.

“You still have to pay respects. Other people will just say that grandmother doesn’t cherish you but you can’t let other people say that you don’t respect her.” Shen Zikai said.

Shen Ziqiao nodded firmly. “Okay, okay. Let’s go look for grandfather first before saying goodbye to grandmother.”

Old Lord Pan originally planned on calling the siblings over anyway. They arrived at De’an Courtyard together. Ever since Old Madam Shen returned the dowries back to Shen Ziqiao, she pretended to be sick and refused to see anyone, even Madam Zhou.

She originally didn’t want to meet Old Lord Pan either but he was going to leave the capital. It was unreasonable if she refused to see him even then.

“...Old Madam, thank you for all these days’ hospitality. The capital is indeed a good place. I really can’t bear to leave.” Old Lord Pan exclaimed happily pretending not to see Old Madam Shen’s ashened expression.

Old Madam Shen looked up to see Shen Ziqiao and Shen Zikai behind Old Lord Pan. “Come to the capital more often then.”

Old Lord Pan nodded repeatedly. He smiled at Old Madam Shen. “When is Shixiu planning on getting married?”

Ever since Chen Xueling left, Old Madam Shen hadn’t talked about the marriage.

Old Madam Shen naturally wasn’t interested in talking about it. She just wanted her son to marry Chen Xueling for the dowries. Since they’ve been taken back, she wasn’t in the mood to bother with Chen Xueling at all anymore.

Especially since Chen Xueling looked really similar to Pan Madam. Seeing her was like seeing Pan Madam. She felt uncomfortable inside.

“This…naturally we need to pick an auspicious day.” Old Madam Shen replied carelessly.  

Old Lord Pan saw through Old Madam Shen’s thoughts. However, he faintly smiled and said nothing.

Shen Ziqiao admired the old woman’s bizarre thoughts again. It seemed like Chen Xueling might not be able to marry into the Shen Family and make connections with this kind of mother-in-law. She really must’ve done something bad in her past life.