Chapter 298 - 296 Shen Xinghan Feels the Sky is Falling

Words : 1341 Updated : Oct 17th, 2025

Shen Yunxi was outside lamenting for a long time, but Lu Ying never let her in.Gui Quan held the horsetail whisk and spoke kindly, "His Highness is still handling state affairs, perhaps Your Ladyship could come another day?" "You shameless eunuch!" Shen Yunxi slapped him, "The one in trouble is the real uncle of the imperial blood in my belly! If anything happens, how will I answer to my child in the future?!" Gui Quan lowered his head, tightly covering his face. He had served His Highness since he was young, and was the most favored and trusted attendant by his side. Over the years, even His Highness had never slapped him! Yet the Crown Princess Consort, just gave him a slap... Glancing at Shen Yunxi’s slightly bulging belly, sarcasm hid in his eyes. Imperial blood? More like a pillow! Even if there’s nothing in her belly, even if she truly is pregnant, I doubt the child would want someone like Shen Xinglei, who takes life for granted and brings calamity to the border, as an uncle! "Xi’er." A clear voice suddenly called out. Shen Yunxi looked back to see Shen Xinghan and felt both happy and aggrieved: "Big Brother!" Shen Xinghan came forward, handed Gui Quan a heavy purse: "My sister is young and immature; Gui Gonggong, please don’t take offense. Here’s some silver coin for your medicinal balm, for your face." Gui Quan held the purse. Shen Xinghan was more adept at dealing with people than Shen Yunxi, at least he maintained decorum on the surface. However, this reward money was only worth about a hundred taels of patterned silver. To him, serving His Highness, this money was trivial. He forced a smile, with a respectful demeanor: "Look at what Young Master Shen said, how could a eunuch slave like myself dare to hold grudges against Your Ladyship? I’m truly under His Highness’s orders to guard this place, not daring to neglect my duties. Certainly, Young Master Shen is here for state matters, I will inform His Highness immediately." Inside the study. Lu Ying wasn’t handling state affairs; he was just quietly sitting by the window. It was late spring in March; the pomegranate flowers hadn’t bloomed yet, but a few transplanted Wei Zi Yao Huang from Shen Garden were blooming vibrantly. The dappled shadows of the flowers fell on his side profile, lending a touch of elegant grace. His jade-like fingertips held a freshly picked, delicate peony. He looked down at the peony, a slender shadow cast under his eyes. He knew Shen Zhaozhao was always bold and reckless. But he didn’t expect her to actually kidnap Shen Xinglei and hide such a living person in Shen Garden, right under his nose, even for several months! This was simply shocking! Which meant, every night he tangled with her, Shen Xinglei could clearly hear everything just a wall away. The thought of a man eavesdropping next door during those waters-in-the-fish nights made Lu Ying deeply uncomfortable, wishing he could question that vixen immediately if she had gone mad. Lu Ying guessed she did this on purpose. Her methods were cruel, not just tormenting Shen Xinglei’s body but also his soul, making him restless day and night. He pinched his brow. Now that the secret was out, he wanted to see how that vixen plans to end this! Gui Quan cautiously entered, saying respectfully: "Your Highness, Young Master Shen requests an audience." Lu Ying twirled the peony petals, indifferent. Gui Quan guessed his thoughts, assuming he would allow Shen Xinghan to enter, thus he quickly went to the corridor to invite him in. Shen Xinghan stepped into the study, and after saluting, straightforwardly said: "It’s no joke, Your Highness, the matter between my second brother and Shen Yinning has become the talk of the town. Now, although Shen Yinning has been imprisoned, she insists she knows nothing and even claims Shen Garden was once Your Highness’s domain, accusing you as the mastermind." Lu Ying toyed with the peony. He wasn’t surprised Shen Zhaozhao would say such things. She was indeed the kind of person who would shift the blame onto him when faced with disaster. For some reason, maybe knowing her character too well, maybe habituated to her cold water-like selfishness, Lu Ying didn’t feel saddened at all; rather, amidst his calmness, he almost wanted to laugh. He said lightly, "She says I’m the mastermind?" "Yes. I know Your Highness once had feelings for her. To be fair, my cousin is indeed a dazzling beauty with intelligence. If I weren’t her brother, I might also fall for her charms. But her nature is sinister, and no matter how well you treat her, she always remains as a thankless wretch who would trade you for her own benefits in an instant. However, the Shen Family is different from her; my father and I will always stand by the Crown Prince. The Shen Family and Your Highness are true comrades through the storm." Listening to these words, Lu Ying guessed the purpose of Shen Xinghan’s visit to the palace— He didn’t want him to involve himself in Shen Xinglei’s case. He wanted Shen Zhaozhao dead. Lu Ying exerted a bit of force with his fingertips, the thick juice of the peony seeped between his knuckles. Sticky, sweet crimson. The broken deep pink petals clung tightly to his joints and tiger’s mouth, reminding Lu Ying of Shen Yinning in his arms: her disheveled hair, bare fragrant shoulders, seductively licking his palm like a vixen. If a scale were placed in his heart, with the Shen father and son with 200,000 troops on one side and Shen Zhaozhao on the other, which would weigh more? Lu Ying placed the peony on the flower stand. When he was in Jiangnan, he had resolved to take responsibility for Shen Zhaozhao. Back then, he knew Shen Zhaozhao was a troublemaker, but he didn’t know she could cause such a big mess, planting such an enormous hazard for him in advance. He remained silent, washing his hands in the basin brought by De Sun, his thin eyelids drooping. After a long while, he murmured, "Comrades through the storm? Your Shen Family’s ship already has a big hole." Shen Xinghan was taken aback, "What does Your Highness mean by this?" Lu Ying wiped his hands with a cloth, casting a cold glance at him: "Your sister is faking a pregnancy." Shen Xinghan: "..." The blood in his entire body seemed to rush to his head in an instant, making him dizzy, stumbling back and barely stabilizing himself by grabbing the flower stand. Xi’er is faking a pregnancy? She’s been three months pregnant, already well-known throughout the capital, and Mother even spent a big fortune at a gold and silver shop in the capital to make a longevity lock for the child, but she turns out to be faking it?! Faking a pregnancy is an offense to deceive the emperor; not only might her position as Crown Princess Consort be at risk, but even our Shen Family could be implicated! This is more serious than Second Brother’s affairs! Shen Xinghan felt the sky was falling! His face turned ashen, disregarding the ongoing matters of Shen Yinning and Shen Xinglei, even disregarding his usual dignified demeanor, he rushed to find Shen Yunxi for clarification. Gui Quan cautiously remarked, "Your Highness, Madam Shen is still detained at the Ministry of Justice, should we think of a way to get her out?" Lu Ying massaged his temples: "Keep her locked up for a while, let her learn a lesson." Gui Quan worried, "Madam Shen is delicate and precious, she might get bullied. By then, Your Highness might feel heartache again." Lu Ying’s temples throbbed vaguely. That vixen always caused trouble yet expected him to clean up her mess. He picked up a round jade ring from the desk, handing it to Gui Quan: "Go to the Ministry of Justice in person. When Zhang Keyuan sees this jade, he’ll understand my meaning."

Chapter 298 - 296 Shen Xinghan Feels the Sky is Falling

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