“Your grandmother was ultimately worried that you hadn’t fully recovered from falling into the water, so she had your eldest brother take your younger sister directly to Muxian Mountain. You need not return to Muxian Mountain for now. Today, accompany your mother to Puhua Temple to pray for blessings.”
Jing Miaoyi personally came to find her. While speaking, she held Shen Wan’s hand, restoring the usual scene of motherly affection and filial piety.
Shen Wan lowered her gaze, appearing gentle and obedient as she replied, “I’ve still worried the elders of the family. Since that’s the case, I’ll accompany Mother to Puhua Temple for a walk.”
“Mm, I’ll go arrange for a carriage. Your grandmother wants you to join her for breakfast.”
“Alright, Mother.”
As Shen Wan headed toward the Hall of Harmony and Prosperity, she happened to encounter Mo Junli, who had come to the Minister’s residence.
Today, he wore a black check-patterned robe, draped with a deep blue outer garment. His temples were neatly combed, adorned with a dark brown silver-ringed hair crown. His face was sharply defined, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding an aura of noble elegance. His tense expression created a sense of distance.
Wherever he passed, the servants in the residence knelt to the side, paying their respects.
Seeing him approach, Shen Wan also stopped in place and bowed to Mo Junli. “Your humble subject pays respects to the Crown Prince.”
Mo Junli, who hadn’t initially noticed Shen Wan, suddenly halted and turned to look at the young woman standing below the steps.
Shen Wan had changed into a goose-yellow cloak today. The collar draped over her shoulders was embroidered with bold blue patterns, making her porcelain-white skin appear radiant and flawless.
Mo Junli took this in but felt that Shen Wan was quite scheming, having waited here early to block his path.
“Miss Shen, this prince knows your intentions.” Mo Junli clasped his hands behind his back, his tone carrying reproach and impatience. “For the past fifteen years, everyone in the Shen family has revolved around you. Even the Empress Dowager liked you very much. You had everything you wanted. Now that you haven’t obtained what you desired, feeling unbalanced is understandable.”
Shen Wan: “…”
She slightly raised her head, glancing at Mo Junli with a look as if viewing a fool.
Mo Junli, however, thought Shen Wan was batting her eyes at him, seeking favor.
He frowned tightly, displeased. “But not everyone is as worldly as those who like you. This prince was inexperienced in the past and said some things that may have led you to misunderstand. From now on, don’t take them seriously. The marriage between this prince and Cousin Lian’er is already settled. In the future, don’t do such things again. This prince doesn’t want Cousin Lian’er to misunderstand.”
“Oh~” Shen Wan responded softly.
Mo Junli glanced at her again and, seeing she had nothing more to say, walked past her.
Shen Wan rose and headed toward the Hall of Harmony and Prosperity.
But as she walked, she realized she and the Crown Prince were taking the same path.
Could it be…
“Shen Wan!” Mo Junli suddenly stopped and scolded with an unfriendly tone, “Have you no sense of shame?”
Shen Wan secretly rolled her eyes.
“Your Highness, this humble subject does not know what has displeased you.”
“Stop following me.”
“Fine.” After speaking, Shen Wan directly passed Mo Junli and quickly walked toward the Hall of Harmony and Prosperity.
Mo Junli, following behind Shen Wan, grew even darker in expression.
“Grandmother.” Shen Wan entered the Hall of Harmony and Prosperity to pay respects to Old Madam Shen. Mo Junli then stepped into the hall.
Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Old Madam Shen immediately rose to bow. Mo Junli stepped forward to support her, saying, “Grandmother, there are no outsiders here. No need for formalities.”
“Why has Your Highness left the palace so early in the morning?” And come to the Hall of Harmony and Prosperity together with her Wan’er.
Mo Junli did not even glance at Shen Wan as he helped Old Madam Shen sit down. “Grandmother, Mother wishes to see Cousin Lian’er. Knowing that Cousin Lian’er is visiting the capital for the first time, I have come out of the palace specifically to escort her into the palace.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Shen was greatly alarmed. If that ugly thing were to enter the palace, wouldn’t it be disastrous?
“Your cousin Lian’er suffered a recurrence of her old affliction last night. As soon as the city gates were placed under curfew, I had Chengxiao escort her to Muxian Mountain to seek Immortal Doctor Li. How about I have Wan’er enter the palace first to pay respects and express gratitude to Her Majesty?”
The look of disgust in Mo Junli’s eyes deepened, and his gaze toward Shen Wan grew increasingly cold and distant. “Muxian Mountain—isn’t that where Cousin Wan’er’s Medical Sect is located?”
“Yes, Immortal Doctor Li is Wan’er’s master. What do you think about this matter…”
“Grandmother, you should not have concealed this matter and rashly sent Cousin Lian’er out of the capital. I will take the imperial physicians to Muxian Mountain immediately to bring Cousin Lian’er back.”
What!
Old Madam Shen could no longer remain seated.
But now, Mo Junli made it clear that he did not trust the Shen family, believing they had deliberately sent Shen Lian away to pave the way for Shen Wan to enter the Eastern Palace.
The more the Shen family acted this way, the more pity he felt for Shen Lian.
“Quickly, Wan’er, you must find a way to stop Crown Prince.”
“Grandmother, do not worry. Your granddaughter will go to see Crown Prince immediately.” To make him hurry and bring Shen Lian back sooner.
As soon as Shen Wan stepped out of the Hall of Harmony and Prosperity, she found Mo Junli waiting for her in the pavilion outside.
Seeing her emerge, Mo Junli strode forward and angrily rebuked, “Shen Wan, you are truly cunning, deceiving your family into sending your sister to your Medical Sect. Do you think I am unaware of your dirty tricks? If anything happens to Lian’er and she falls ill and dies, I will never marry you. You might as well give up that hope now.”
Shen Wan rubbed her temples with her index finger. Where did he get the idea that she was infatuated with him, leading to such a grave misunderstanding?
Her patience was nearly exhausted, and she retorted irritably, “Then Crown Prince should hurry and ride swiftly to catch up. Perhaps you can still intercept her on the way and rescue your beloved.”
Mo Junli suppressed the anger within him and refrained from further argument with Shen Wan. He turned and strode out of the pavilion, but after a moment, he returned, his expression still unfriendly as he said to Shen Wan, “As for your marriage to Xie Yujin, I will have Mother settle it as soon as possible.”
With these words, Mo Junli flicked his sleeve and left, disappearing from Shen Wan’s sight shortly after.
But as soon as he stepped out of the Shen residence, Li Changfu approached, his expression grave, and said to Mo Junli, “Crown Prince, the eldest son of the Jiang family, who was being escorted back to the capital, has escaped.”
“Escaped!” Mo Junli’s already gloomy face fell completely. “Has the Imperial City Bureau received word of this?”
“Wang Dequan reported this to me immediately, but it won’t be long before the Imperial City Bureau learns of it.”
“How did Jiang Lin escape?”
“There is a traitor in the Yulin Army who released Jiang Lin. However, Jiang Lin was struck by an arrow, hitting a vital spot. He won’t be able to flee far.”
Mo Junli glanced back at the Shen residence. “Send someone immediately to Muxian Mountain to bring Second Miss Shen back to the capital. I will personally go to capture Jiang Lin.”
With these words, Mo Junli mounted his horse, tightened the reins, and spurred his horse toward the troops escorting Jiang Lin to the capital.
Meanwhile, after learning from Old Madam Shen that Mo Junli intended to go to Muxian Mountain to bring Shen Lian back, Jing Miaoyi immediately sent her second son, Shen Chengfeng, to intercept Mo Junli. However, Shen Chengfeng soon returned to the residence.
“The Crown Prince has gone to the Yulin Army. I heard the youngest legitimate son of the Jiang family has escaped. Mother, are you still taking my sister to Puhua Temple?”
Upon hearing this, Jing Miaoyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief: “Let’s go.”
Soldiers of the Yulin Army were sweeping through the outskirts of Shangjing City, not even sparing nearby villages and towns.
Shen Wan followed Jing Miaoyi on a carriage ride that lasted an hour. As soon as she stepped down from the carriage, she saw a group of twenty to thirty soldiers barging directly into Puhua Temple.
Jing Miaoyi instinctively shielded Shen Wan.
Meanwhile, Shen Wan’s gaze fell upon the Yulin Army soldiers who had forced their way into the temple.
The Yulin Army was established by the Jiang family in the south to resist the Great Liao.
Three generations of Jiang family heads had served as generals of the Yulin Army, and many Jiang men had defended the southern White Tiger Pass with their sweat, blood, and lives.
The Great Liao was no longer a match for the Shang Dynasty, so the Crown Prince grew envious of the Jiang Family Army. He then framed the Jiang family with charges of treason and collaboration with the enemy, exterminating the entire Jiang clan.
When the cunning hare dies, the hunting dog is cooked. With the Jiang family wiped out and left without heirs, the next target would be the Xie family of the Duke of Zhenguo’s Residence, who held command over a hundred thousand troops.
Now, the person the Crown Prince was searching for must be protected at all costs…