Shen Yu glanced briefly but didn’t respond.
Shen Xinyao, used to his indifferent demeanor, spoke eagerly:
“Brother Shen Yu, that day when I complained to Father about someone boldly snatching my fabrics—it was her!”
“Her?” Shen Yu actually responded to Shen Xinyao, glancing at Su Yihan:
“You snatched from a child?”
Su Yihan’s lips curved slightly:
“Please, General. Yihan naturally cannot compare to you. I was only teasing the child. The General doesn’t snatch from children—he keeps his eyes on a lady’s belongings.”
Shen Yu’s face softened into a smile:
“Miss Su is too petty. It’s only a flower. If you truly like it, I shall give you a courtyard full of flowers.”
“That’s agreed then. If the General goes back on his word, he’ll lose face,” Su Yihan replied, obediently.
Shen Xinyao, listening to the back-and-forth between Su Yihan and Shen Yu, realized she had been completely ignored. Annoyed, she interjected:
“Brother Shen Yu!”
Impatient, Shen Yu said:
“I took it, so what? You didn’t have the courage to take it back—you think I would dare?”
Miss Su was vindictive, unwilling to let even a single flower go. Let alone a piece of fabric.
“…”
Shen Xinyao fell silent.
Qi Jue chuckled:
“Xinyao, your elder brother Qi Jue already advised you to step aside. This is the result of not listening to your elders.”
If Xinyao wanted to compete with Su Yihan in spoiled temper, she still fell short.
Su Yihan, gentle and seemingly fragile, never yielded to anyone.
“Is the banquet over?” Qi Jue asked.
Shen Yu nodded lightly. The Empress Dowager was unwell, coughing incessantly, so the event dispersed.
Some were drunk; Shen Yu, with good tolerance, merely felt warmth in his throat from the alcohol, not intoxication.
It was October; the temperature dropped as the sun began to set.
Outside, Su Yihan had been standing for a while. She coughed violently into a handkerchief, veins slightly raised, her delicate eyelashes trembling.
“Miss…” Tao Chun quickly wrapped her thick cloak around Su Yihan.
“Has Lord Su not come out yet?” Qi Jue glanced inside.
“Miss Yihan, you’d better take my carriage. I’ll send you back first.”
“Thank you…” Tao Chun began to respond but was interrupted by Shen Yu:
“The Su household is on the way to mine. Take my carriage.”
“Brother Shen Yu, what about Xinyao…” Shen Xinyao widened her fox-like eyes.
She still hoped to ride in Shen Yu’s carriage—so she could show off later.
“My father came out,” Shen Yu said casually.
Then he left Shen Xinyao behind.
Tao Chun hesitated for two seconds, then looked at Su Yihan:
“Miss…”
Naturally, one could not disobey Shen Yu.
“Let’s go,” Su Yihan said, following Shen Yu at a measured pace.
Tao Chun hurriedly bowed to Qi Jue:
“Thank you, Lord Qi. The Shen residence is indeed on the way. May your journey be safe.”
Qi Jue nodded slightly. What was Shen Yu doing? A few days ago he had collided with Miss Su’s carriage. Now he insisted on escorting her home—and even snatched the flower Qi Jue had intended for her…
Snatched a flower…
“Truth be told, I already have someone I admire and am pursuing. If that lady were to learn that I am both pursuing her and taking concubines at the same time, she would likely never acknowledge me again.”
Qi Jue suddenly understood. He had originally thought Shen Yu’s words at the banquet were just an excuse to refuse any “gifts” of beauties. Could the lady he admired be Miss Su?
Qi Jue shivered. Shen Yu actively pursued someone—and that someone was the sharp-tongued, beautiful young lady of the Zhaoyu household…
General, may you withstand that razor-sharp tongue.
As a brother, I can do little to help—you have my sympathy.
Marquis Qing’an, slightly drunk, was helped out of the banquet by attendants.
“Xinyao, where is Shen Yu?” The marquis still cared for this daughter of a concubine. She resembled her mother slightly, enough to stir memories of his youthful indulgences, and earned some sympathy.
“Brother Shen Yu left first…” Shen Xinyao was still dazed. That day, Su Yihan had mocked, “Your Shen family…”—surely she meant Brother Shen Yu.
“That boy…” Marquis Qing’an sighed helplessly.
At this moment, Su Jin also came out and looked around: “Where’s Wang Yong?”
Su Yihan was an only child. With no younger sister to explain, Qi Jue stepped in:
“Miss Su is unwell. The Shen residence is on the way to the Su residence, so General Shen escorted her back.”
“Unwell?!” Su Jin stepped forward hastily.
“Wait, Lord Su,” Marquis Qing’an said, equally shocked. The boy had truly taken a liking to Su Jin’s daughter?!
Indeed…
Everyone knew Su Jin was devoted to his daughter. If Shen Yu were to court her, he could expect serious retribution.
The marquis was at a loss. If the boy came to harm, so would his own carefree days. Perhaps it was better to appease the in-laws before anything escalated.
“What is it, Lord?” Su Jin turned.
“Lord Su, I should go see my niece too. My son, unworthy, went to search for some Mingyang herbs…”
Mingyang herbs were difficult to locate, growing on steep eastern slopes where the sun rose, often guarded by wild wolves. A single herb could fetch hundreds of taels. Rare, yes, but not expensive—the real problem was finding it.
Su Yihan’s illness required Mingyang herbs.
Su Jin’s heart stirred.
Wearing a kind smile, he said: “Lord, perhaps you could come along? Our household recently acquired a few bottles of fine wine—several decades old.”
The two crafty elders played their roles perfectly.
They went to the Su residence, and all were pleased.
Riding in the same carriage, they exchanged a few awkward words along the way.
The two families had little interaction, no animosity—just careful avoidance. Both the Northern Governor and the General of Dingguo were sensitive positions, liable to stir suspicion. Traveling together might cause misunderstandings of disloyalty.
Shen Xinyao, once again left behind, flushed with jealousy.
Han Ruishuang seized the opportunity: “Xinyao, if you don’t mind, you may ride with me.”
Of course, Shen Xinyao minded. Han Ruishuang’s carriage was plain and unremarkable—not a bit impressive.
“No way!”
Shen Xinyao was about to speak harshly, but Qi Jue quickly intervened:
“Miss Han, it’s fine. I need to fetch something from General Shen’s courtyard—no trouble for you.”
“Mm.” Han Ruishuang slightly bowed.
Qi Jue tugged Shen Xinyao along. That girl truly had little sense—thinking Shen Yu would protect her.
Shen Yu rarely stayed in the capital. He held no grudges, nor deep affection. He simply didn’t bother to care about this little girl.
Yet she took his indifference as indulgence.
One day, it would cause real trouble.
Connected at their roots, Qi Jue’s warning to Shen Xinyao was also for Shen Yu’s sake:
“Xinyao, stop wandering around in front of Brother Shen Yu. He won’t bother to protect you. And stay away from Miss Su—if she wants to toy with you, it’s effortless for her.”