Chapter 17: I Think I've Seen the Fourth Miss Before?

The matter of Young Marquis Xie asking the Grand Princess for the East Pearl quickly spread among the young ladies.

"That big East Pearl on the Grand Princess's head is something we usually only dare to gaze at from afar; if Miss Lin accepts Young Marquis Xie's East Pearl, she'll surely show it off to the sisters."

Lin Wanrong blushed and said, "Hurry up and stop saying that; who said that person is definitely me? Don't make a joke of yourself."

"Young Marquis Xie has been glancing at Miss Lin several times; we can see it clearly from the side!"

"Miss Lin is just waiting to receive a gift."

Xiao Jingyuan happened to see this scene and also overheard the ladies' conversation.

Later, upon meeting Xie Lin who had returned after changing his clothes, the two walked together, and Xiao Jingyuan asked, "Do you have someone you like?"

Xie Lin gave him a surprised glance but did not deny it.

Xiao Jingyuan understood and thought, "Did you send that East Pearl to her?"

Xie Lin shook his head, feeling troubled: "I accidentally made her dislike me; I'm afraid she won't agree to see me, and she certainly won't accept my apology gift. I'm wondering whether I should wait until she calms down before presenting it."

Xiao Jingyuan heard this and was somewhat puzzled.

The way Miss Lin was being teased did not look like she disliked Xie Lin.

Thus Xiao Jingyuan offered two words of encouragement: "Go ahead and send it boldly; chasing a girl isn't like going into battle to kill enemies."

Xie Lin still felt it improper.

Xiao Jingyuan said, "Hesitation leads to defeat."

Xie Lin steeled himself: "All right, then I'll go find her right now."

Xiao Jingyuan had never seen his brother so lacking in confidence.

Those who fall in love indeed lose themselves; he would never allow himself to become such a person.

At that time, Shen Shuangning had just returned from the Grand Princess's presence.

She was heavy-hearted; after a private meeting with the Grand Princess, she increasingly felt she had unwittingly stepped into a trap set by the Grand Princess.

As she walked, she happened to meet Xie Lin coming toward her.

"Cousin Ning, I didn't mean to offend you earlier; let me make amends." Xie Lin pressed a delicate sandalwood box the size of a palm into her hand.

"Don't hate me, okay?"

Shen Shuangning chuckled and said, "I don't dislike you at all."

Xie Lin's eyes lit up: "Really?"

Shen Shuangning opened the box and glanced inside; a large East Pearl lay there.

Her expression showed no surprise at all.

In her previous life, she had seen every treasure in the Yan Prince's mansion; she even owned a chest of East Pearls like this one.

But the young man's intentions are what matter most.

Shen Shuangning feigned delight, curling her lips into a smile: "More genuine than pearls."

The anxiety in Xie Lin's heart finally settled, and a faint sweetness welled up inside him.

The palace was crowded and full of watchful eyes; Xie Lin didn't linger, exchanged a few words with her, and then left.

This scene fell into the Grand Princess's view not far away.

A flicker of surprise crossed the Grand Princess's eyes: "So it was for her that he asked; this young fellow has good taste."

This Fourth Miss Shen, she also finds her quite admirable.

"Who would have thought the Grand Princess's pumpkin would actually come in handy; the princess is truly brilliant."

The grandmother presented tea to the Grand Princess and offered flattery.

The Grand Princess, her finger stained with rouge, took the teacup, blew on it lightly, sipped slowly, set it down, and said, "There's nothing particularly brilliant about it; I merely wanted to give it a try. If I can't wait for this person, I have other ways—at most it would be a bit troublesome."

The grandmother sighed: "If it were you saying this, His Majesty would grow suspicious again."

Obviously they are siblings born of the same mother, yet His Majesty constantly guards against the Grand Princess.

"His suspicion of me is also justified."

Who gave her the Black Iron Command that he both longs for and fears?

Whoever holds the Black Iron Command can command the legendary Black Iron Army that makes all under heaven tremble at the mere rumor, using it for her. Whoever grasps an army capable of overturning the dynasty—ask yourself which emperor could sleep soundly?

The Grand Princess gestured for the grandmother to massage her head, unwilling to discuss the matter further.

"That Fourth Miss Shen is quite nice; I often invite her to the palace to play, and I admire her." The Grand Princess bathed in the morning sun, her tone languid.

In Daliang, the emperor attaches great importance to the Lantern Festival, holding a banquet in the Palace of Heavenly Purity for the imperial clan and civil and military officials.

In previous years the Lantern Festival was extremely grand and lively, featuring a Manchu-Han feast; this year, due to disasters in many regions, the focus shifted to lantern viewing and opera performances.

Princess Jingyu had no peers her age to play with in the palace, so Emperor Xuwen summoned Shen Shuangning to keep her company.

The noble ladies all envied her, but Shen Shuangning wanted to escape and hide underground.

Princess Jingyu was close to Song Xizhi; in her previous life she had always believed that Shen Shuangning had torn apart the marriage between Xiao Jingyuan and Song Xizhi, and therefore she gave Shen Shuangning a hard time in every possible way.

Shen Shuangning was not eager to interact with her, yet she dared not defy the imperial will.

Shen Ling wanted to follow, but the Third Madame held her back with a hand.

Shen Shuangning observed Lady Yang's expression and understood her worry: she feared that this elder sister would bring disgrace to Shen Ling and jeopardize her marriage prospects.

Shen Shuangning turned her gaze away without emotion.

Su Ran also didn't know where she had gone; bringing maidservants into the palace is forbidden, and A Heng wasn't by her side either, so it seemed she could only go alone.

Women of Daliang esteem slender waists, yet the sole princess is plump and rounded.

Princess Jingyu has a face much like Emperor Xuwen's—fair and plump, resembling a ripe peach, white with a hint of red, so tender it seems one could squeeze water from it.

She noticed that Shen Shuangning's legs were somewhat inconvenient; after a moment's hesitation, her soft hand reached out and took Shen Shuangning's hand.

At this moment they were meeting for the first time; Princess Jingyu was shy and spoke little, and Shen Shuangning also didn't know what to say.

She was unaccustomed to being so close to Princess Jingyu, yet she dared not show displeasure, feeling wary inside.

May I ask, Princess, where are we headed?

Princess Jingyu seemed unwilling to meet her gaze, whispering mysteriously, "You'll find out soon."

The farther they went, the sparser the population became.

Soon, Princess Jingyu led her to the lakeside behind the artificial hill.

Shen Shuangning instinctively felt on guard, her face paling as an uncontrolled memory surfaced: in her past life, Princess Jingyu had shoved her into the water and loosed snakes to bite her.

She couldn't swim, was bullied miserably, later fell seriously ill, and never entered the palace again.

The sky was too dark; Princess Jingyu didn't notice her off complexion, she released Shen Shuangning's hand and said with a hint of excitement:

"Wait here for me a moment, no peeking!"

A bead of cold sweat rolled down Shen Shuangning's temple; with her back to others, she truly felt unsafe, especially since the enemy who had harmed her stood behind her.

"Princess, I..."

"Don't move, that's an order."

Princess Jingyu's voice came from behind, sounding as if she had walked farther away, her tone somewhat faint.

One must know that as the sole daughter of Emperor Xuānwén, Princess Jingyu naturally possessed the capital to be willful and unreasonable; presently in the palace, Shen Shuangning dared not offend her, so she simply stood obediently.

She pressed her lips together, both hands slowly clutching the hem of her skirt at her sides.

One more step forward would be the lake water.

There was hardly anyone around; if she called for help, likely no one would hear, leaving her to fend for herself.

The night wind grew a bit chilly; Shen Shuangning pulled her shawl tighter, she stared at the shimmering lake surface and unconsciously stepped back.

Suddenly she collided with a solid chest.

Shen Shuangning jumped in fright; as she turned, she instinctively stepped back, forgetting that the lake lay behind her.

At the critical moment, a hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.

Shen Shuangning's heart pounded like a drum; borrowing the moonlight, she made out the man's features.

Now her complexion turned even paler than before.

It was Third Prince Zhai Ji!

How could he be here? Could he have recognized her and deliberately had Princess Jingyu lure her here to take revenge?

In an instant, many unpleasant thoughts flashed through Shen Shuangning's mind.

Zhai Ji noticed her trembling, assuming she'd been startled by the earlier jolt.

He released her with considerable grace, stepped back a little, and asked gently, "Fourth Miss, why are you alone here?"

Shen Shuangning steadied herself and said, "I'm waiting for Princess Jingyu. And what brings Your Highness, the Third Prince, here?"

Zhai Ji smiled nonchalantly: "I came out for some fresh air, happened to see Fourth Miss standing alone by the lake, thought you might be distressed, so I came over—never expecting my good intentions to cause harm."

"Startling you was my fault; I hope Fourth Miss won't hold it against me."

Though high in rank, he was humble and courteous, putting on no airs of a prince; anyone would take a liking to him. Moreover, his eyes were so affectionate they could make even a dog feel loved, and women easily fell for his gaze.

However, Shen Shuangning had seen his true nature; she knew he was a rotten core wrapped in fine silk.

At this moment, sensing him exuding charm, she felt her scalp tingle and her toes curl, yet she had to feign maidenly bashfulness to distance herself.

What mischief is he plotting now?

Yet Zhai Ji pressed on step by step, curling his lips: "Fourth Miss, your candid remonstration before the Emperor today truly opened eyes."

Shen Shuangning remained composed: "Your Highness overpraises me; I was merely speaking offhand."

She thought, "Oh no, how did I attract this wolf's attention?"

After calming down, Shen Shuangning realized Zhai Ji had definitely done it on purpose; otherwise she wouldn't have heard not a whisper.

Scarcely had she left when Zhai Ji, catching her scent, sneaked after her.

"I keep feeling I've seen Fourth Miss somewhere before."

Zhai Ji stared at the woman's face, seemingly trying to discern something; he was clearly suspicious.

In an instant, a chill shot straight up to the top of her head!

Shen Shuangning forced composure: "Really? I've seen the Third Prince several times."

"Oh?"

"The Third Prince is handsome and dignified; it's hard not to draw attention." Saying this, Shen Shuangning affected a bashful manner.

In truth, she felt like she was about to vomit.

Seeing this, Zhai Ji immediately dispelled his suspicions.

If that person really were Fourth Miss, she wouldn't resist or struggle; he was overthinking it.

"Fourth Miss, actually I..." Zhai Ji's tone suddenly softened; he stepped forward and raised a hand to touch her face.

Is this Third Prince bisexual?

Shen Shuangning's alarm bells rang loudly at once.

Fortunately, Princess Jingyu finally arrived.

"Older brother?"

The princess held two lotus-shaped river lanterns in her hands, her eyes fixed on Zhai Ji as she said, "Older brother, how did you come here?"

Princess Jingyu and Zhai Ji were both born of Virtuous Noble Consort, making them full siblings.

Zhai Ji had already lowered his hands behind his back, smiling as he said, "Just out for a stroll."

Princess Jingyu ignored him, walked straight to Shen Shuangning, and with an apologetic expression said, "Sister Ning, please excuse me; the servants lost the river lanterns, so I spent some time."

Shen Shuangning looked at the two before her; due to her preconceptions, she held no favorable impression of either sibling, and doubt lingered in her heart.

Yet on her face she wore a smile and said, "It's fine; Princess, are you going to release the river lanterns?"

Princess Jingyu nodded, then glanced at Zhai Ji: "I didn't realize the older brother was also here; there are no extra river lanterns."

"It's nothing, being by the lake isn't safe at all—I'm watching you release." Zhai Ji said thoughtfully.

Jingyu didn't think much, enthusiastically pulling Shen Shuangning to release river lanterns.

Shen Shuangning constantly felt Zhai Ji's gaze on them; fearing to give themself away, they tried hard to ignore it.

Jingyu is about the same age as Shen Ling, but much more innocent; when they like someone, they are wholly kind to them; when they dislike someone, they openly show malice; and they let their guard down with others as well.

After getting along for a while, Shen Shuangning discovered that the Jingyu of this time was very different from the Jingyu of later.

Not so hateful-looking anymore; on the contrary, somewhat...... cute?