Chapter 81 - You Can’t be Enticed by Beauty

Sheng Peiyin actually didn’t know how to respond to Shen Ziqiao.

Didn’t this idiot like the Ninth Prince a lot? How come she didn’t react when she told her that the Ninth Prince was going to get engaged? Was she not worried in the least bit?

“Jiao Jiao, you’re really not worried?” Sheng Peiyin asked, unresigned.

Shen Ziqiao glanced at her funnily. “Why should I be worried? What does the Ninth Prince have to do with me?”

A smile tugged the corner of Sheng Peiyin’s lips. “I didn’t expect for you to forget him already. The Ninth Prince is so pitiful.” Her tone seemed to be reprimanding her for being cold and ruthless.

A sneer flickered by Shen Ziqiao’s eyes. She gazed at Sheng Peiyin’s smooth face and said faintly, “Sister Sheng, I don’t understand. I barely talked to the Ninth Prince before, and he treats me like a scorpion, trying to stay far away from me. Who knows how happy the Ninth Prince will be to know that I had forgotten about him. As for you, you’re quite close to him. However, you’re telling me that you guys are acquaintances. If the Ninth Prince finds out, he’d be really upset.”

Sheng Peiyin’s expression changed. “Since when was I close to the Ninth Prince? He does come to the Shangpin Teahouse often though. That’s the only reason why we chatted more frequently.”

This woman was really cold! Shen Ziqiao pitied that womanly man a bit. She slept with him, and then got abandoned the next moment. He is really a cannon fodder male supporting character.

Speaking of, the worldly views of this novel was quite strange. How come the heroine could sleep with one male supporting character after the other one? Meanwhile, she, the female supporting character, was only slightly lively and vivacious, but was attacked.

“Since the Ninth Prince has nothing to do with us, let’s not mention him.” Shen Ziqiao smiled and said. She wasn’t interested in his matters in the least bit.

Sheng Peiyin smiled resentfully. “True, let’s not meddle in businesses.”

Shen Ziqiao was very curious as to what happened between Sheng Peiyin and the Ninth Prince. However, experience told her that it was better to be ignorant towards the heroine’s matters, otherwise she may lose her life due to gossip.

Although she was really eager to find out, she was rational and knew what was best for her.

The two suddenly quietened down, and they drank their teas.

“Right…” Sheng Peiyin parted her lips after half a moment. “I’m now working in the east palace.”

Pft. Shen Ziqiao spat the tea in her mouth out, almost spraying it on Sheng Peiyin’s face.

Sheng Peiyin’s face ashened. “Why are you so stirred up?”

“When...when did you enter the palace? And you’re already an official?” Shen Ziqiao felt her blood running cold. As expected, Sheng Peiyin had entered the palace. Was she going to start to seduce the crown prince?

Was that why she abandoned the Ninth Prince?

“Department Head He brought me into the palace…” Sheng Peiyin vaguely explained the process, saying that she obtained the crown princess’ appreciation, and so she got to stay in the east palace as a female official.

However, Shen Ziqiao knew exactly how she got to enter the palace!

Sheng Peiyin purposely got close to Department Head He. She was really nice to her and created an opportunity for her to show herself in front of the crown princess, obtaining her attention. Coincidentally, a department head was needed in charge of the food in the crown princess’ palace, and because she was already someone would harm her royal grandson, she had her trusted Department Head He bring Sheng Peiyin into the palace. As a result, she became the female official of the east palace.

Here, Shen Ziqiao had to look at the crown princess in disdain.

She was basically letting a wolf loose into the house!

After Sheng Peiyin got close to the crown prince and they fell in love, the crown princess became a ruthless and sinister woman. In the end, the crown princess even divorced the crown princess because of his feelings for Sheng Peiyin.

It seemed like the crown princess even died in the end...

Although Sheng Peiyin and the crown prince truly loved one another, the empress refused to approve their marriage. Even more, the crown prince was forced to marry Beitang Zhenjing. Sheng Peiyin left the east palace, and encountered He Chen, and the other male supporting characters. The crown prince was deeply in love with her, and the two would secretly see one another outside of the palace, up until he ascended the throne. Then, Sheng Peiyin was brought back into the palace...

Shen Ziqiao didn’t remember the plot afterwards. She didn’t see the ending!

“Congratulations.” Shen Ziqiao said, not truly meaning it. It was finally time for the mistress to struggle.

Sheng Peiyin smiled gently. “Why are you congratulating me? I’m still being ordered around like a palace maid.”

Yeah, but you’re different!

“Are you entering the palace?...” Sheng Peiyin suddenly asked.

Before she finished, Shen Ziqiao immediately said, “I don’t want to be a female official at all. I like to stay at home and eat and drink to my heart’s content.”

Sheng Peiyin smiled. “Who is asking you about this? It’s the empress’ birthday in a few days. Are you entering the palace to celebrate her birthday?”

Did she have to go? Could she not go? Shen Ziqiao was conflicted. She genuinely didn’t want to enter the palace.

“It’s getting late. I need to head back. I’ll visit you next time.” Sheng Peiyin stood up to bid farewell.

Shen Ziqiao wanted her to go, so she hurriedly stood up to see her out.

The two walked to Qiao Xin Courtyard’s door to see Shen Zikai’s carefree figure walking in. Shen Ziqiao’s expression changed a bit, wanting badly to shove Sheng Peiyin into her sleeves so that Shen Zikai wouldn’t see her.

“Jiao Jiao…” Shen Zikai thought that his sister came out to welcome her, so he revealed a clear and bright smile. Next, he saw Sheng Peiyin next to Shen Ziqiao. His smile faded and he said, “I didn’t know that Third Miss Sheng came to visit today. My bad.”

Sheng Peiyin bent down and curtsied, her face blushing.

Shen Ziqiao hollered in her heart: Damn you! How many men have you slept with? How dare you act bashful in front of my elder brother? Are you that shameless?!

“...Third Miss Sheng is too polite.” Shen Zikai stared at Sheng Peiyin a while, stunned, before snapping out of his trance returning the greeting.

“Sister Sheng, since my elder brother is here, I won’t see you out. Hong Yu, go see Third Miss Sheng out.” An alarm went off in Shen Ziqiao’s mind, and she hurriedly sent Sheng Peiyin out.

Sheng Peiyin smiled and nodded.

“Elder Brother, let’s go in and talk.” Shen Ziqiao tugged Shen Zikai, stopping him from looking at Sheng Peiyin.

After Shen Zikai watched Sheng Peiyin leave, he followed Shen Ziqiao into the room.

Oh no, oh no! From Shen Zikai’s reaction, it seemed like he was attracted by Sheng Peiyin? She must not let Shen Zikai sleep with Sheng Peiyin, this fake white lotus!

What should she do? Have Shen Zikai get a wife? Have him leave the capital?

Right! Leave the capital and go to Minyue. Don’t come back in the next year or so.

“Jiao Jiao, Jiao Jiao?” Shen Zikai glanced at his sister and how her expression changed so quickly. He called her a few times, but she didn’t respond. He couldn’t help but poke her cheeks.

“Ah?” Shen Ziqiao was still thinking about arranging Shen Zikai to leave the capital, her expression blank.

Shen Zikai smiled and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Elder Brother, let’s go to Minyue.” Shen Ziqiao said, “Let’s go there and live for a while, okay?”

“No.” Shen Zikai refused without thinking.

Shen Ziqiao tugged on his sleeves nervously. “Why? Do you not want to leave the capital? We’ve never been to Minyue. What’s wrong with living there for a while?”

“You seem like you want me to leave the capital that badly? Jiao Jiao, what happened?” Shen Zikai could feel his sister’s nervousness. He looked down at her confusedly.

“I’m afraid that elder brother will be enticed by beauties!” Shen Ziqiao murmured, glancing in the direction that Sheng Peiyin left in jealousy.

Shen Zikai froze for a moment. His sister seemed to dislike Sheng Peiyin...

She said that she didn’t like her last time, but he thought she didn’t mean it.

He thought that Sheng Peiyin was different from the other girls, but since his sister didn’t like her, he’d naturally stay away from her.

“Silly girl, what nonsense are you saying?” He patted Shen Ziqiao’s head. “Don’t think foolish thoughts.”

Was she really thinking foolish thoughts? Shen Ziqiao pursed her lips and purposely acted cute, “Elder Brother, you can’t abandon your sister because you have someone you’ve taken a fancy to.”

Shen Zikai glanced at his only biological sister pampering. In a gentle voice, “You’re the closest person I have in this world. Why wouldn’t I want you?”

“Nonsense. Father is also close to you.” Shen Ziqiao said giggling.

“Father, he…” Shen Zikai’s gaze flickered a bit, the smile a bit bitter. “You really want to go to Minyue?”

Shen Ziqiao nodded furiously. “I do. When I get my dowry back, I’ll go to Minyue.”

“That’s good too. We can go talk to your grandmother. As for your dowry...I’m here to talk to you about this. Grandfather is coming to the capital, probably for mother’s dowry too.” Shen Zikai said.

“Really? Grandfather will be coming to help me?” Shen Ziqiao’s eyes brightened.

She was really like a child! Shen Zikai smiled.

“Elder Brother, let’s go to Minyue together.” Shen Ziqiao looked at him seriously. They’d just live in Minyue, and ignore Shen Family’s matters.

“I need to go to battle next month. How can I go to Minyue?” Shen Zikai said.

Shen Ziqiao froze. Eh? Why was this different from the novel? She recalled that Shen Zikai didn’t go to battle that early on. It was at least a year later.

“Where? Didn’t you just come back?” Shen Ziqiao asked.

“I’m going to Northwest China. The emperor wants us to conquer the countless cities taken by the Jins.” Shen Zikai sighed with feelings. “I originally thought that the emperor could tolerate those bandits. After all, he hadn’t actively attacked them. Who knew that he changed his mind. This was good.”

If men couldn’t protect their homeland, what was the point of being a general?

Shen Ziqiao trembled in fear when she heard this.

Right. The emperor disliked war, so why would he actively attack the Jins? She remembered that the crown prince had Shen Xiao attack the Jins after he ascended the throne. It was because of this that Sheng Peiyin had gotten a chance to frame the Shen Family.

Did she remember wrong? Or was there a change in the plot?

The siblings were just talking when Hong Ying reported, “Eldest Master, Third Miss, the Old Madam invites you guys to De’an Courtyard.”

“Why?” Shen Ziqiao knitted her brows in alarm. Nothing good ever happened when she went to De’an Courtyard.

Shen Zikai scolded her in a low voice, “Don’t fight with Yang’er in front of grandmother. So what if you won? She’d just think that you were bullying him.”

“He provoked me every single time.” Shen Ziqiao humphed. If it weren’t that she controlled herself, she would’ve beaten that brat up again.

“He is sensible, but that doesn’t mean you should be too.” Shen Zikai said.

“Elder Brother, the next time he scolds me, beat him up. He won’t dare to scold me in the future.” She could tell that Shen Ziyang was really scared of Shen Zikai.

Shen Zikai smiled. He glared at Shen Ziqiao and said, “Let’s go.”