CHAPTER 128: CHAPTER 126: SHEN ZHAOZHAO, DO YOU LOVE ME?

The Crown Prince is her husband. How could he have shared such intimacy with Shen Yinning?!

Shen Yunxi could not accept this reality. Noticing the curious gazes from the crowd, she felt thoroughly humiliated.

She turned around and shouted angrily, "What are you staring at?! Do you all so enjoy witnessing my disgrace?!"

Shangguan Yu and the others displayed varying expressions.

Although they previously disliked Shen Yinning and secretly took pleasure in her misfortunes, at least they were not like Shen Yunxi—constantly devising schemes to push her further down, tormenting and humiliating her, even trying to send her to the Music Bureau to be a courtesan. This kind of malice was truly extreme!

They were all women, growing up together in the Capital. Why make things difficult for one another?

Though Shen Yunxi held the esteemed title of Crown Princess Consort, she lacked the compassion and magnanimity expected of a future Queen.

Attending the Crown Princess’s banquets—they no longer wished to partake in such events again.

Shangguan Yu saluted lightly and said, "The hour grows late, and we, the daughters of officials, should take our leave now."

Shen Yunxi could not wait to see them go and immediately commanded, "Lianxin, escort the guests out!"

Elsewhere, Lu Ying carried Shen Yinning into a side wing.

The side wing was furnished with a bed and warmed by a brazier.

Seated on the bed, Shen Yinning, with tearstained cheeks, clung to Lu Ying, saying, "If not for Your Highness’s timely rescue today, this servant-wife would already have perished in the snow. Your Highness’s kindness is something this servant-wife can never repay..."

"Stop pretending. It was just the second floor—you wouldn’t have died." Lu Ying pressed down on her hand. "Are you injured?"

Shen Yinning showed no embarrassment at her scheme being exposed. She wiped away her easily controlled tears and coyly said, "Your servant-wife twisted her ankle while jumping from the window, and it still hurts terribly. Could Your Highness massage it for me?"

Lu Ying removed her embroidered shoe and silk sock.

The girl’s ankle was slender, fair, and delicate, the protruding bone making it appear even more slim and elongated.

At this moment, it was slightly swollen and bruised—it was indeed a sprain.

He reached out and massaged it gently, causing Shen Yinning to moan tenderly, "Your Highness, it hurts..."

"You’ll need medicine." Lu Ying eventually helped her put the shoe and sock back on. "Let’s return to the Shen Garden. I’ll summon Imperial Physician Chen to treat you."

Shen Yinning obediently nodded, her phoenix-like eyes reflecting the man’s impeccably handsome features. She couldn’t help but laugh in a dazed manner.

Lu Ying asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Your Highness treats this servant-wife so well. Not only did you save me from my second cousin’s feathered arrows and protect my life, but you even acknowledged our conjugal relations in front of my younger sister to preserve my honor, sparing me from the fate of becoming a courtesan at the Music Bureau." Shen Yinning threw herself into his arms. "Your Highness is the finest man in the world. This servant-wife will follow Your Highness for life!"

The girl’s warmth and fragrance, coupled with the sincerity in her words, were deeply moving.

However, Lu Ying couldn’t determine the truth of these declarations.

Could it, perhaps, be genuine?

Shen Zhaozhao’s words this time—could they not be lies?

He asked himself. Apart from the matter of status, he had given Shen Zhaozhao everything he could. He had brought her back to the Capital from Gan State, provided her with a voucher granting her access to over a million taels of patterned silver funds from the Money Shop, and even when she caused trouble as serious as rendering the Crown Princess Consort infertile—a crime punishable by death—he hadn’t severely punished her.

As for her status, even if he couldn’t give it to her now, wasn’t it just a matter of time in the future?

He had, by all accounts, been good enough to Shen Zhaozhao.

She shouldn’t deceive him again.

As he thought about it, he placed a hand on Shen Yinning’s waist.

He asked softly, "Shen Zhaozhao, do you love me?"

"How could I not?" Shen Yinning retorted, tilting her small face upward to meet his gaze seriously. "Your Highness’s kindness to this servant-wife is something I’ve never forgotten for a moment. This servant-wife is willing to bear sons and daughters for Your Highness, to expand the family lineage, and to stay by Your Highness’s side for a lifetime."

Lu Ying gently caressed her small face, the ice in his narrow eyes quietly melting.

As his fingertip traced the corner of her lips, he leaned in and softly captured her mouth.

Their lips and teeth intertwined, exchanging breaths. This kiss was more intimate and intense than any before.

Shen Yinning kept her eyes open, observing Lu Ying’s lowered lashes and his sharply defined, handsome face, now overwhelmed with passion—so different from his composed and aloof demeanor in front of others.

She curved her lips imperceptibly before wrapping one arm around Lu Ying’s neck and letting her other hand slide down his chest, descending gradually.

Noticing her intentions, Lu Ying smoothly pressed her onto the bamboo bed, kissing her earlobe while undoing her padded robe.

Shen Yinning couldn’t hold back her blush or the soft moans that escaped her lips, delicate as a kitten’s cry that teased at one’s heartstrings.

She rested submissively against Lu Ying’s firm chest, her sash loosened, exposing a partially revealed fragrant shoulder. Her pearly white skin emitted a faint, captivating scent that lingered on Lu Ying’s nose, as though pulling him deeper into desire like a guiding drug.

"Your Highness..."

Shen Yinning’s voice was soft and seductive.

Just as the atmosphere in the side wing grew increasingly heated, Gui Quan suddenly knocked at the door from outside. "Your Highness, the Crown Princess Consort is searching everywhere for you!"

Lu Ying’s breaths were slightly heavy.

It was only then he realized he was still within the Duke Mansion with Shen Yinning.

He stood up, glancing at the disheveled girl on the bed, her hairpins askew. "Tonight, I’ll send a carriage to take you back to Shen Garden."

Shen Yinning sweetly nodded. "This servant-wife will wait for Your Highness."

Only when Lu Ying’s figure disappeared beyond the side wing’s door did she retract the redness and passion from her face, casually tidying up her clothes.

Shen Garden? She thought to herself. Judging by today’s situation, leaving the Duke Mansion might not be so easy.

"Sister Shen!"

Lu Jiazhe sneaked in. The youth’s face was clear and sober—there was no trace of drunkenness.

He lowered his voice. "I pretended to be drunk and searched the Duke Mansion thoroughly. Shen Yan’s and Shen Xinghan’s studies had guards stationed outside, so I couldn’t enter. I only managed to search Shen Xinglei’s study."

As she fixed her hair, Shen Yinning asked, "What did you find?"

"Nothing particularly useful, but I did discover this." Lu Jiazhe handed her a string of objects. "I thought it was peculiar, so I secretly took one. He had an entire box of these, so I doubt he’ll notice."

Shen Yinning accepted it.

It was a bracelet strung together with dozens of teeth.

Lu Jiazhe asked curiously, "These must be the teeth of some wild animal, right? Shen Xinglei is so disgusting—choosing to collect these instead of golden or silver bracelets!"

"They aren’t animal teeth..." Shen Yinning murmured. "These are human teeth."

Lu Jiazhe’s pupils instantly shrank. "What?!"

"This bracelet is made from human teeth." Shen Yinning pointed out the marks on the surface to Lu Jiazhe. "Look, there’s wear and tear here. This particular baby tooth likely belonged to a child."

Lu Jiazhe grimaced with disgust. "Shen Xinglei is utterly twisted!"

Shen Yinning tucked the bracelet into her pouch.

With wars frequently raging at the border, it was the local civilians who suffered the most.

These teeth were likely taken from the corpses of those who perished.

She said, "Since we didn’t find anything useful, it’s time for us to leave."

Lu Jiazhe helped her up, guiding her out of the side wing.

Elsewhere, Shen Yunxi finally found Lu Ying in one of the corridors.

She urgently demanded, "When did Your Highness consummate a marriage with my sister?! I’ve never heard of such a thing!"