Chapter 203 - 201: Did Madame Shen Never Take a Fancy to Our Crown Prince at All?

Words : 1382 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Xue Mansion Racecourse. Lu Ying stood by the rail with his hands behind his back, watching as Qian Duobao led a fine horse from afar. De Sun hurriedly leaned close to his ear and whispered a report: "Your Highness, Madam Shen somehow angered the Crown Princess Consort, and now the Crown Princess Consort has punished her by making her kneel in the courtyard. Several official ladies and young misses saw this. Madam Xue and Miss Xue Mianmian are busy in the back courtyard, engrossed in conversation, unaware of this matter. Your Highness, in such cold weather, what do you think..." Lu Ying indifferently replied, "With a temperament like hers, she would never suffer a loss, would she?" "In the past, Madam Shen would never have suffered a loss, indeed. But today, for some reason, Madam Shen seems different from usual; she hasn’t uttered a single word in defense. The servants say from afar that she looks somewhat disheartened." Upon hearing this, Xue Ling laughed beside him. Lu Ying glanced at him: "Is using Qian Duobao to enter the mansion and greet the Crown Princess Consort, inciting her jealousy against the Shen family, your doing?" Xue Ling, adopting a nonchalant demeanor: "Your Highness doesn’t even like the Shen family. I merely had her punished to kneel for a moment, what’s the big deal? Compared to how she orchestrated the return of Xue Mianmian to the Xue family, my means are nothing significant." As they spoke, Qian Duobao had already brought the horse over. Xue Ling nimbly climbed over the railing: "Is this the horse you bought back for me from the Northwest?" Back then, it was entirely thanks to Xue Ling’s hidden connections that Qian Duobao managed to get through to Lu Ying. This horse was Qian Duobao’s gift of gratitude to Xue Ling. Qian Duobao’s smile was ingratiating: "This horse is known as the Night Illumination Jade Lion, as snowy white as pearls, without a single blemish! Look at this mane, it’s just like the finest satin! This horse is swift and agile, capable of traveling a thousand miles a day, truly ’a silver saddle shines on a white horse, charging like a shooting star.’ This Night Illumination Jade Lion runs faster than any distant star!" Xue Ling patted the Night Illumination Jade Lion, very satisfied. Just as he was about to ride and gallop around, Lu Ying somehow appeared at his side, mounting the horse even faster. He gripped the reins: "I just happen to be in need of a mount." Xue Ling: "...?!" He watched as Lu Ying spurred the horse into a speedy gallop, disappearing into the distance, finally unable to hold back, he couldn’t help but curse out loudly: "Lu Ying, are you doing this on purpose?! I just schemed a little against Shen Yinning, and you want to take my horse! And she stole my woman, what about that score?! Brothers are like limbs, wives like garments, since ancient times, Lu Ying, aren’t you placing too much weight on love over friendship?!" All he received in response was the dust kicked up by the racecourse. Xue Ling coughed a few times, flustered and exasperated: "One steals my woman, the other steals my horse, life is impossible to endure! Impossible! What are we even conspiring for, let’s just dissolve the partnership already!" The pearl-white Night Illumination Jade Lion appeared before Xue Ling like a bolt of lightning. Lu Ying looked down from on high, his dark cloak billowing: "What did you say?" Despite his youth, the Crown Prince already bore the faint aura of one who would rule the world. Xue Ling awkwardly: "No... nothing..." Lu Ying, with a stern expression, departed with the Night Illumination Jade Lion. Qian Duobao bowed, too frightened to even breathe, until Lu Ying was out of sight, at which point he carefully patted his chest: "My goodness, isn’t the Crown Prince just terrifying?" As he spoke, he looked back at Xue Ling. The Crown Prince had taken the Night Illumination Jade Lion, and despite Xue Ling’s seemingly angry demeanor, there wasn’t any true resentment in his eyes; it wasn’t like his usual petty and vengeful self. Accompanying Xue Ling to the front courtyard, he curiously asked: "Mr. Xue, about the horse..." "The Crown Prince likes it, so let him have it." Xue Ling, nonchalant, "Between him and me, there would never be a rift." While he might curse, in his heart, there was no reluctance. After all, even his life was saved by Lu Ying. What is a mere Night Illumination Jade Lion compared to that? Qian Duobao was full of confusion. He didn’t know what kind of history lay between Mr. Xue and the Crown Prince, but despite their formal titles of lord and subject, their interactions resembled that of close brothers. As he pondered, he thought of that stunningly beautiful young woman. Who doesn’t enjoy some scandal and gossip? He immediately put on a sycophantic smile, lowered his voice, and asked: "Mr. Xue, what’s the deal between Madam Shen and our Crown Prince? The cicada shell jewelry I gave to our Crown Prince turned up on her! Could it be that she is the Crown Prince’s lover? I’ve heard she’s already married, and our Crown Prince is someone who values rules and conducts himself with restraint; would he break his own principles for a woman?" Xue Ling shot him a disdainful glance: "’Our Crown Prince’?" Qian Duobao rubbed his hands together, his round face beaming: "Since I’ve found my way to both you and the Crown Prince, doesn’t that make me one of ’us’? Mr. Xue, can you let the commoner in on this— is Madam Shen the cherished treasure hidden in the Crown Prince’s heart?" Xue Ling let out a cold laugh: "He might consider her a treasure, but she doesn’t hold him in her heart." "My goodness!" Qian Duobao became even more curious, "So Madam Shen doesn’t think much of our Crown Prince?" The two whispered between themselves, unexpectedly met by a piercing gaze from ahead. Lu Ying had somehow reined in and was standing there, having heard their conversation clearly. Xue Ling instinctively motioned to close his mouth. Qian Duobao cleared his throat softly, daring not to continue asking. The banquet at the Xue Mansion gradually came to a close. Lu Ying came to the side courtyard to find Shen Yunxi, who was gathered inside with friends playing leaf cards in high spirits. He passed through the courtyard and saw Shen Yinning kneeling alone on the bluestone, her small face cold and indifferent. Even knowing he was there, she still kept her eyes downcast, not giving him a glance... "Your Highness, why are you here?" Shen Yunxi greeted coquettishly, "I was just playing cards with my sisters." Lu Ying replied flatly, "It’s getting late; we should return to the palace." Shen Yunxi bit her lip. It was now only three quarters past Wei time in the afternoon, and that wretch Shen Yinning had only been kneeling for half an hour. Heading back to the palace now would mean she couldn’t punish Shen Yinning any longer? This would be letting her off too easily. Shen Yunxi, with a hint of pleading, implored, "Your Highness, I still want to play a little longer..." "Return to the palace." Lu Ying emphasized. Shen Yunxi, not daring to defy him, reluctantly replied, "I will have Lian Ye and Lianxin pack up immediately." As she had to return to the palace, the card game inside had to adjourn. The group of noblewomen and young ladies invited by Shen Yunxi to participate in the game were all her close friends. As they were ushered through the courtyard by maidservants, passing by Shen Yinning, they couldn’t help but point and laugh discreetly. Shen Yunxi clung to Lu Ying’s arm, coyly saying, "Sister deliberately broke my white jade bracelet, so I had her kneel here. Does Your Highness feel sorry for her?" Lu Ying, expressionless: "You are the Crown Princess Consort; if she has done wrong, your punishment is justified. I have no relation to her, so why should I feel sorry for her?" Shen Yunxi, hearing this, was immediately overjoyed. As she passed by Shen Yinning, she couldn’t resist casting her a triumphant glance.

Chapter 203 - 201: Did Madame Shen Never Take a Fancy to Our Crown Prince at All?

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