CHAPTER 248: CHAPTER 246: WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CROWN PRINCE AND SHEN YINNING?

Lu Ying remained stoic: "No."

Shen Yinning looked at his solitary, aloof face and realized she couldn’t get any truth from his mouth.

She stood up, glanced down at Lu Ying, her thick eyelashes casting shadows on her fair face.

Because of her heavy makeup, when she didn’t smile, her slightly upturned eyes exuded a lazy and decadent hostility: "Your Highness arrives in Jiangnan, no doubt meeting me is just on the way. Finding the new tea that was robbed and seizing the wealth of Jiangnan for Qian Duobao is your real purpose. Unfortunately, though Jiangnan is good, there are dangers at every step. With your injuries, Your Highness must be careful... lest you lose your life here."

Having said these words, she left directly.

Lu Ying remained unmoved like a mountain.

From his childhood to now, the word retreat was never in his vocabulary.

In some way, he and Luo Xibai were no different; they both relied on seizing others’ possessions to stand firm in this world. Luo Xibai seized the true gold and silver of wealthy merchants, while he seized the power and interests of his half-brothers.

He was an abandoned stray dog discarded by his father, the Emperor.

He had nothing, so when he saw something good, he had to pounce on it and fiercely bite to snatch it.

The wealth of Jiangnan, since he had come, no matter what, he must tear a large piece of flesh from Luo Xibai.

After the night banquet ended, the maids led the guests from the north with lanterns into the various courtyards and pavilions of Liang Garden.

Xue Ling entered his chamber, only to see Shen Yinning already waiting there.

He gathered his wide sleeves, amused: "Should I call you Madam Shen, or should I call you Lady Lv Zhu?"

Shen Yinning poured tea for herself: "Is Mianmian doing well?"

"Probably better than you. But seeing me privately, that’s likely not what you wanted to ask, isn’t it?"

Shen Yinning blew on the tea, no longer bargaining with him: "How did Lu Ying become like this?"

Xue Ling sat down, surprised yet intrigued.

In the Capital, whether it was the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, or Shen Yunxi and other concubines in the Eastern Palace, no one noticed the change in Lu Ying. They thought he was naturally this indifferent.

Only Shen Yinning...

She had only met Lu Ying twice and had noticed his difference.

He rested his chin on his hand, a smile filled with curious inquiry: "Do you like him?"

Shen Yinning also smiled: "Does Lord Xiao Xue not know that when you hate a person, you can also perceive his changes? Though I’ve fallen from grace, I’m not so low as to like a man who repeatedly humiliates me and even treats me as a commodity, sending me away at will."

The golden candle flame danced in the girl’s amber eyes.

Like two clusters of burning flames of revenge.

Clearly declaring that she had no affection whatsoever for Lu Ying.

Xue Ling played with his wide sleeves.

He once underestimated Shen Yinning.

But ever since the Lantern Festival, he had completely changed his view of this woman.

He still vividly recalled how on the night of the Lantern Festival, he and others nearly died in the Jinyu Mantang. Afterward, Lu Ying spared no effort to use various connections and even deceived everyone to bring a prisoner out of the death cell to take the blame for arson and attempted murder of the Prince.

During this time, Lu Ying had secretly sent someone to the Gao Family to take away the Chengxin Hall Paper and Huimo ink from Shen Yinning’s study.

Therefore, he suspected that the arsonist was Shen Yinning.

Lu Ying was covering for Shen Yinning.

Shen Yinning...

She turned out to be so ruthless, cunning, and daring, using tricks to lure them one by one into the Jinyu Mantang, trying to burn them to death without any care!

It’s said that her parents, Shen Zhi and Cheng Hui, were honest and benevolent, but who would have thought they could produce such a vicious and cruel daughter!

Xue Ling asked himself, even his madness couldn’t compare to Shen Yinning!

No wonder the Crown Prince used poisonous insects on himself to sever his obsession with her.

He said, "Since you don’t like the Crown Prince, why ask these questions?"

"Know your enemy and yourself, and you will emerge victorious in every battle."

"But, I am the Crown Prince’s man. Why should you assume I would betray him?"

"The world throngs for profit, it hurries and bustles for profit. What Lu Ying can give you, I can also give you. What he can’t give, I can give as well. As long as Lord Xiao Xue is willing to tell me what has happened to Lu Ying, you will be the esteemed guest of Jiangnan."

Seeing Xue Ling ponder silently, Shen Yinning guided him patiently: "Actually, I’ve always thought that you and Lu Ying are not of the same path. Lu Ying’s ways are too proper. For example, last year at the Royal Hunting Ground, I thought Lord Xiao Xue’s plan to use beasts to kill the Emperor, Noble Consort Zhang, and other Princes was quite perfect, but he refused. This shows that this man is pedantic and inflexible. Lord Xiao Xue, you and I, plus Mianmian, we are more aligned..."

Xue Ling took out a golden copper coin from his wide sleeve.

He tossed the copper coin into the air and caught it again: "In fact, not just you say that."

Everyone who has met both Lu Ying and him says they are completely different.

Lu Ying conducts himself with utmost propriety, never employing overly sinister schemes.

Yet, he has a penchant for presenting all sorts of monstrous, immoral plans that harm innocents.

Naturally, none have ever been adopted by Lu Ying.

Even his father, Chief of Staff Xue, often scolds him for his evil nature and deep scheming, claiming he’s unworthy of being his own son and unfit to serve Lu Ying, even urging Lu Ying to quickly dismiss him.

Shen Yinning’s voice was lazy: "As long as Lord Xiao Xue stands on the side of Jiangnan, when the day comes, Jiangnan will be your fief. You shall determine the taxes from the state-run salt and iron. With Mianmian’s serene temperament, surely she would also come to love Jiangnan’s wealth and scenery."

Xue Ling chuckled softly, his wicked aura pervasive: "So, Madam Shen has decided to stand with Lu Zhengliu and Lu Shiyan?"

Shen Yinning’s face remained calm: "Since Lu Ying chose Shen Yunxi over me, then naturally, between him and Lu Zhengliu, I choose Lu Zhengliu. Affairs between men and women have no definite rules and principles. I only know I want revenge, and Lu Zhengliu is the best choice."

The golden copper coin landed on Xue Ling’s hand, and he covered it with his right hand.

He played: "Madam Shen, guess whether it’s auspicious or ominous?"

"I never believe in hidden spirits, gods, or divination." Shen Yinning rose calmly, "Xue Ling, I will need your answer by tomorrow."

After she left, Xue Ling glanced at the copper coin on his hand.

"What a pity, it’s an ominous sign, after all."

...

Just as Shen Yinning went to meet Xue Ling, the Luo family sisters quietly appeared at Zhaoyue Pavilion.

Luo Wanzhao cautiously looked around twice before pouring a packet of powder into the teapot in Shen Yinning’s chamber.

Luo Wanxiang discontentedly said, "Sister, how can you, as a Princess, be so eager to give another woman an aphrodisiac, as if afraid your husband won’t sleep with her! A woman like her, from a sinner’s family, isn’t even fit to be a concubine for my brother-in-law!"

"What do you know?" Luo Wanzhao whispered angrily, "My eyelids have been twitching for days; I kept thinking something big would happen, likely involving the Crown Prince. I fear that after he sees Shen Yinning this time, he might regret giving her to the Prince. I thought, only by making Shen Yinning quickly consummate with the Prince, quickly conceive the Prince’s child, and bind her with the child, will I feel at ease!"

Luo Wanxiang was shocked: "Was it the Crown Prince who gave Shen Yinning to my brother-in-law?! What’s the relationship between the Crown Prince and Shen Yinning?!"