Chapter 212 - 210: Shen Zhaozhao, what should I do with you?

Words : 1835 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Tonight, Shen Yinning experienced great joy and grief, and enduring Lu Ying’s favor, the fatigue in her body washed over her like waves. Her eyelids grew heavy and eventually she could no longer hold on, finally falling into a deep sleep. Lu Ying had just finished dressing, and as he turned, glanced at the girl on the bamboo couch: "Shen Yinning?" The woman did not respond. Lu Ying stood before the bamboo couch, looking down; her arms and chest still bore some burns from learning how to handle a fire pot. Such a girl, whose delicate hands had never touched spring water, was willing to bear such pain for revenge... His finger pads gently caressed her delicate cheek. Did she hate so deeply? Did she also hate him for being involved? Since knowing her, even in the face of her betrayal, he never truly thought of killing her. Yet she wished him dead... How could her heart be so ruthless? The most fatal thing was, he actually felt pity for a woman who wanted to kill him. He couldn’t bear for her to die. Reason told Lu Ying that Shen Yinning could no longer be kept. Yet emotion controlled his body, prompting him to lower his guard time and again, reaching out to save her. With complex emotions in his eyes, Lu Ying gently brushed back the messy hair on Shen Yinning’s forehead, whispering inaudibly, "Shen Zhaozhao... what should I do with you?" The candle burned, the wick making a faint sizzling sound. After a long time, Lu Ying seemed to have made some sort of decision. He took out the letter Shen Yinning had written him from his sleeve and quietly burned it to ashes with the candle. He murmured, "Fu Ling." A Hidden Guard emerged from the shadows: "Master?" "You personally go to Prince Su’s residence and ask Lu Jiazhe to quietly come and pick someone up." "Yes." "...Tell him to relay to Shen Yinning, if anyone inquires where she was tonight, she must say she was nowhere else, just staying at Prince Su’s residence." "As you command!" The hour had passed. As Lu Ying rode his horse out of the alley, he encountered the Imperial Guard who had come to search. He sat coldly on his horse and said, "I chased the assassin to this place but found no trace here; I suspect they feigned an attack. Gather all troops and search toward the south of the city." The Imperial Guard, without doubting him, immediately took the order and complied. The rain had already stopped. The fireworks and festivities of the Lantern Festival were engulfed by the fire, but fortunately, there were no casualties among the citizens, and the fires at the Golden Jade Hall and the Lamp Sea Bodhisattva were extinguished in time, causing no further financial loss. The citizens poured into the streets, eagerly discussing the incident of the night. Lu Ying returned to the Eastern Palace, where, besides Shen Yan and his wife, relatives of the Gao Family and others had already gone home to rest, while Shen Yunxi, Shen Xinghan, Lu Shiyan, the Wu Family sisters, and Gao Zheng still remained. The effect of the Soft Muscle Powder had long passed, and the crowd was eagerly speculating who the assassin could be. Shen Yunxi’s voice was particularly loud: "Who else could it be? It must be Shen Yinning! Everyone here has inseparable ties to her, she must hate us, so she staged this play, wanting to burn us all to death!" Lu Shiyan frowned: "There is no evidence, Crown Princess Consort, do not speak irresponsibly!" "How am I speaking irresponsibly?!" Shen Yunxi retorted, "Tonight Shen Yinning never showed up; doesn’t that prove she’s the culprit? Gao Zheng, you’re that woman’s husband, tell us where she was tonight?!" Gao Zheng trembled with fear: "I don’t know where she was tonight, but she is after all just a woman, usually quite gentle and weak, this kind of arson and murder... she probably wouldn’t dare..." Luo Wanzhao also raised a question: "I heard that the fire pot weighs thirty pounds, how could delicate Shen Yinning lift it?" "Anything is possible." Shen Xinghan, hands behind his back, had a somber look on his refined face: "The assassin who performed the fire pot tonight moved somewhat clumsily, clearly having learned recently. Fire pots are extremely difficult; any novice would inevitably have burns. Therefore, we just need to check if Shen Yinning has any burns on her body. If she does, it proves she is the assailant." Luo Wanxiang angrily said: "That’s a good idea! I have never suffered such grievance and fright in my entire life until tonight! Her whole family was executed, yet she dares to harm us—she’s no better than an ungrateful wretch! Brother-in-law, sister, don’t stop me from teaching her a lesson!" Shen Yunxi venomously said, "For dealing with such scum, you have to send her to the most deplorable brothel in the Capital and let her die there!" "..." Their conversation was heard by Lu Ying in its entirety. Shen Xinghan noticed Lu Ying and quickly cupped his hands in salute: "Your Highness, everyone is pointing to Shen Yinning as the assassin. Please issue an arrest warrant immediately and capture her throughout the city!" As he spoke, he gave Lu Ying a sidelong glance. It seemed as if he was concerned that Lu Ying might show favoritism for Shen Yinning or was observing his subtle expressions. Lu Ying neither avoided nor dodged, meeting his gaze directly: "I will handle this matter myself, you need not say more." On the other side. Lu Jiazhe had taken Shen Yinning back to Prince Su’s residence and was hastily ordering the maids to change her clothes and fix her hair. Shen Yinning was still a bit drowsy, sitting by the dressing table, lazily playing with the hairpins and powders. Lu Jiazhe seemed like an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth, urgently reminding her, "Sister Shen, Lu Ying told me to tell you, if anyone asks where you went tonight, just say you didn’t go anywhere; you spent the holiday with me at Prince Su’s residence. I’ve already had people fake a table of unfinished fine wine and delicacies. We’ll say we first had drinks in the front hall, then went to see the lanterns, and when you got tired, you fell asleep in the Warm Pavilion—Sister Shen, are you listening to me?" "I remember." Shen Yinning yawned and brought the rouge to her nose for a sniff. Evidently, Lu Ying did not force her to choose between those two paths. He had arranged a third path for her— Find witnesses to prove she was never at the scene of the incident tonight, to prove her innocence. Lu Ying... She felt puzzled. In fact, Lu Ying knew very well that she would not confess, and if forced to choose, she would certainly pick the second path anyway. To him, the second path also seemed more advantageous. To imprison her forever in that secluded courtyard, never to cause any more trouble, and to make her live at his mercy, wouldn’t it be more convenient for him to have his way? But he chose the third path for her. Lu Ying, what exactly is he thinking? Before Shen Yinning could think of an answer, tumultuous noise was heard from outside. Soon after, a maid lifted the felt curtain, and a group of people led by Shen Yunxi barged in. Shen Yinning glanced at them one by one, Shen Yunxi, Lu Shiyan, Luo Wanzhao, Luo Wanxiang, Gao Zheng... All victims of tonight’s events. She tilted her head, her face delicate and innocent, "What brings you all here? Could it be you’re also here to celebrate the Lantern Festival at Prince Su’s residence? Ah Zhe, I didn’t know you invited so many guests—" "Bitch!" Shen Yunxi rushed forward, slapping her across the face, "Don’t play dumb! Do I need to repeat what you did tonight?!" Shen Yinning covered her face, looking at her. Shen Yunxi’s face was half-burnt red, smeared with purple ointment, looking both ugly and ridiculous. Her hair was partially singed, curled and sticking to her scalp, and even after so long, the smell of burnt hair lingered. Shen Yinning wanted to laugh. Suppressing the urge to laugh, she timidly said, "I have been at Prince Su’s residence all night, I don’t know what I have done wrong to make Your Highness so angry. I beg Your Highness to enlighten me." "Zhaozhao!" Lu Shiyan spoke up, "Tonight the Golden Jade Hall caught fire, and we were trapped in the tavern, nearly perishing in the fire. The Crown Princess Consort insists you are the assassin and wants you examined to see if you have burns." "Burns?" Shen Yinning was more bewildered, "Why would the assassin have burns?" Shen Xinghan said coldly, "The assassin performed a fire pot for us, and I suspect she just recently learned it. Anyone practicing with the fire pot is bound to have some burns. Shen Yinning, as long as you agree to be examined, we can know if you were the assailant." Shen Yinning felt a chill in her heart. Shen Xinghan was truly clever to have thought of this. Her eyes reddened and wetted, she looked pitifully at Lu Shiyan: "Prince Wu, do you also think I am the assassin?" Lu Shiyan’s heart softened, and he quickly said, "I never thought you were the assassin! Zhaozhao is kind-hearted, she wouldn’t even harm an ant, how could she commit arson?" "Prince Wu, stop saying such nonsense, whether she is the assassin or not can be confirmed with just one check!" Shen Yunxi was impatient, "Shen Yinning, hurry and undress for everyone to see!" Shen Yinning weakly clutched her chest, large tears rolling down her cheeks. She protested, "On the day of the Shen Guogong Mansion’s family banquet, Your Highness accused me of having an affair with Lord Cui and demanded I be publicly examined, but it was proven that I was innocent. Your Highness and I are both women; can you not understand the importance of a woman’s reputation? You repeatedly demand I strip in front of others, don’t you think it’s excessive?" Shen Yunxi’s brows knit in anger: "Shen Yinning, who do you think you are to question me?! Your whole family rebelled, not one of your father, mother, or brothers is decent! You’re nothing but a lowly woman, how dare you defy me?! When I say off, you take it off! Lian Ye, Lianxin, why aren’t you acting?!" "Wait a moment!" A cool voice suddenly came from outside. Cui Ji, dressed in the official attire of the Ministry of Justice, entered with a chill. He glanced at Shen Yinning and said in a deep voice, "This case is already under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. Since the Crown Princess suspects Shen Yinning is the assassin, the examination should be handled by the Ministry of Justice."

Chapter 212 - 210: Shen Zhaozhao, what should I do with you?

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