Chapter 529 Prince Chen Show up Openly
Although Rui’an Great Elder Princess had always been arrogant and strident in front of others, she was actually a cautious person. She said that because she was concerned about Shao Wanru.
The First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion was the most outstanding. Everyone in the capital city knew that she was a gorgeous girl of decorous bearing. Moreover, she was the lineal eldest daughter of Duke Xing. In any respect, she was excellent. It could even be said that there was no other Miss better than her in the whole capital city.
However, Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s granddaughter was more outstanding than her.
In terms of appearance, Rui’an Great Elder Princess considered her granddaughter really good-looking, and she didn’t think so out of partiality. Glancing at the red lips and dark watery eyes on her granddaughter’s delicate face, anyone could tell how exceedingly gorgeous and charming her granddaughter was. Nevertheless, her granddaughter didn’t look coquettish, but was refined in manners as if she was free from the mortal world.
Anyone would definitely be amazed by her granddaughter’s beauty at a glance.
More than two years ago, when Shao Wanru was still a little girl, Rui’an Great Elder Princess knew that her granddaughter would grow up into a beauty, but she did not expect her granddaughter to become so exceedingly gorgeous.
Shao Yanru had Duke Xing’s Mansion as her backing. Although Shao Wanru was not favored by the members of Duke Xing’s Mansion, she was a lineal granddaughter of Duke Xing’s Mansion on the surface anyway. Besides, she was Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s granddaughter. In this respect, Shao Yanru was not in an advantageous position.
Regarding reputation and conduct, Shao Wanru had a good reputation of observing mourning for her parents for three years.
Based on these points which were enough to make Shao Wanru Shao Yanru’s opponent, Rui’an Great Elder Princess felt that this First Miss Shao definitely harboured evil intents towards Shao Wanru. Thinking that Shao Yanru acted as if she bore no grudges against her and Shao Wanru just now, she found it increasingly possible that Shao Yanru assumed a feigned manner in everything.
Because of being concerned about her granddaughter, she brought up the past, that she had almost forgotten, in order to remind her granddaughter to be wary.
The following days were very peaceful. Rui’an Great Elder Princess came to visit Shao Wanru from time to time. Nevertheless, because it was during Shao Wanru’s meditation, it was inappropriate for her to spend much time in Shao Wanru’s place even if she was Shao Wanru’s grandma. Later, because she had to take care of Shao Yuanhao, she went down the mountain after reporting it to the emperor.
Shao Yanru was very polite. Every time Rui’an Great Elder Princess came over, she came to greet Rui’an Great Elder Princess and struggled to chat with her for a while. Even Rui’an Great Elder Princess could find no fault with her.
A few days later, it was Shao Wanru’s birthday. Early in the morning, Yujie went to the kitchen of the Yuhui Nunnery and made a bowl of longevity noodles for Shao Wanru.
Yujie did this on each of Shao Wanru’s birthday in the past years.
It was simple and joyful without disturbing anyone else.
Hearing the knock at the door, Qing’er hurriedly put down the big broom in her hand and answered the door, while running out to open the door.
There were two Misses and three principal maids in the yard, but there was only one inferior maid which was her. Of course, it was her duty to sweep the yard. Fortunately, Qing’er was smart and quick at work. Sometimes, she could even assist Yujie and Qu Le.
After opening the door, she saw Chu Liuchen’s handsome and pale face behind the door.
After freezing for a moment, Qing’er immediately stepped forward to block his way and asked warily, “Sir, what can I do for you?”
“My master is tired with walking, so he wants to take a break and ask for a cup of water!” Xiao Xuanzi said, as he came out from behind Chu Liuchen and smiled with his eyes narrowed into a line.
Qing’er looked them up and down as if she really didn’t recognize them. She stood at the door and said, showing no sign of conceding, “There are only two Misses in the yard. It’s inappropriate to let this childe in!”
“We just want to take a break in your porch. My master really needs to have a rest, otherwise… he will be unable to walk any step farther,” Xiao Xuanzi said, reaching out to help Chu Liuchen, who looked so ill that anyone could tell at a glance that he was really in poor health.
Qing’er hesitated, looked them up and down, and told them, “Wait here. I’m going to ask my master!”
“Go ahead. We’ll wait here!” Xiao Xuanzi immediately became cheerful, waved his hand and said.
Qing’er turned and went into the yard, followed by Chu Liuchen walking slowly with Xiao Xuanzi’s help.
Under the big tree in the courtyard, there were stone tables and stools. Xiao Xuanzi took two steps forward, drew a handkerchief from his bosom to wipe the stone stools and stone tables, and then asked Chu Liuchen to sit down.
In the room, Shao Wanru got the news and froze for a moment. She had heard from Chu Liuchen that he would send her a gift on her birthday. Why did he come here in person directly?
“Is Prince Chen here?” Shao Wanru asked again in disbelief.
“Yeah, Prince Chen is here!” Qing’er nodded repeatedly and said with her face melting in smiles. She had known the relationship between Prince Chen and her master long before. Seeing that Prince Chen was so sincere to her master, she felt increasingly joyful.
“Ask him to come in and sit down for a while, and tell him that I thank him for saving my life.” Shao Wanru made up an excuse after thinking for a while.
Everyone knew that Chu Liuchen had saved her life at the gate of the imperial palace on that day, so she didn’t have to avoid meeting Chu Liuchen. Otherwise, she seemed to be a little too punctilious.
“Okay, I’ll go to ask Prince Chen in right away!” Qing’er said and walked out cheerfully.
Coming to the yard and seeing Chu Liuchen sitting under the tree, she hurriedly knelt down and apologized. “Your Highness, I didn’t recognize you just now. I’ve been rebuked by my master. She said that she should thank you for saving her life and invite you to come in and sit down for a while!”
Chu Liuchen stood up, glanced around the whole yard with his pretty eyes, and said lightly, “Let’s go!”
He was dressed in a lavender cloak with a fringe of snow-white fur, which made him look as gentle as jade. If it hadn’t been for his face which was too pale, he would have looked as handsome as a fairy.
Through the window of the main room, Shao Yanru’s eyes fell on Chu Liuchen’s face. She had been struck by the handsome face when she was very young. At that time, she, who was still a little girl, won Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s favor and was raised in Great Elder Princess’s Mansion. During the period, she got acquainted with Prince Zhou and Prince Yue. Her nurse told her that her mother asked her to curry favor with these two little princes.
She had been smart since her childhood, so she certainly won the two princes’ favor as her mother asked. She also enjoyed playing with them. Since she became their playmate, she was keenly aware that even the servants around her became cautious. The servants of the little princes, who looked down upon her at the beginning, also became respectful to her later.
But later, she met Prince Chen. The little Prince Chen sat quietly in the pavilion, which was as beautiful as a painting. Shao Yanru thought that she had never seen such a good-looking child and wanted to play with him very much, so she ran over. Unexpectedly, she was stopped before getting close to him, and was told that she was not allowed to approach him.
Shao Yanru burst into tears at once, and then she saw the incredibly good-looking child turn around to look at her coldly. His gaze made her dare not to continue crying and have to wipe her tears away and throw herself into her nurse’s arms in panic.
After that, she met Chu Liuchen a few more times, but she failed to approach him every time. In her heart, this little prince was a sweet but impossible dream.
Later, she learned from Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou’s private conversation that he was the Third Prince Chu Liuchen, who was the first to be conferred the title of Prince, and he was conferred the title Prince Chen soon after he was born. The two princes described him as a sickly child who wouldn’t live long and could die at any time.
Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou said something mean about him in private. They said that he was sick and could not play with others, otherwise he could die accidentally when playing. Neither the Empress Dowager nor the emperor allowed them to play with him. Even if he just chatted with someone outside for a while, they were afraid that he would be blown away.
He was a piece of trash made of porcelain!
In order to have a better relationship with Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou, Shao Yanru certainly did not say anything bad about Chu Liuchen. Nevertheless, she bore abundant malice toward Prince Chen, who refused to play with her. But even so, when she looked at him from a distance, she still felt that he was as beautiful as a painting. How could he be such a good-looking child?
Now Prince Chen, who was as beautiful as a dream and looked as pretty as a girl, had grown up. Despite his pale face and slender figure, he still looked as handsome as a god. His loose sleeves swayed as he moved, like wings.
“Go to find out why Prince Chen came here?” Withdrawing her gaze, Shao Yanru instructed her maid with a trace of deepness across her eyes.
Shuqi answered and left. After a while, she found out about it. In the whole yard, there was only a silly inferior maid Qing’er. It was always easy to ask Qing’er about what happened. Shuqi had given plenty of gifts to Qing’er in private so that Qing’er told her everything she knew.
“Miss, it is said that Prince Chen came to the Yuhui Nunnery. When he came here, he was too tired to walk further, so he came in to have a rest and ask for a cup of water. The Fifth Miss recognized him and invited him into the room for a chat. It is said that Prince Chen once saved the Fifth Miss’s life at the gate of the imperial palace!”
Shuqi said indifferently, because she had heard about it before.
Shao Yanru fell silent for a moment. She had also heard about it before. Although she was on the mountain at that time, this matter and the series of subsequent events had attracted her attention.
She found it strange at that time. Was Prince Chen such a warm-hearted person? Why had she never noticed it? She deliberately sent someone down the mountain to inquire about it. Madam of Duke Xing wrote her a letter to tell her the whole story and ask her to burn the letter after reading it.
Speaking of which, the disturbance at the gate of the imperial palace was actually created by Countess Yong who was stirred up by Shao Yanru’s mother. Unexpectedly, something went wrong, Prince Chen was involved in it, and then it became more influential. After that, everyone thought that Shao Wanru had been implicated by Prince Chen. It did no harm to Shao Wanru, but made the whole capital city cordoned off.
It sounded like just an accident, but Shao Yanru did not think so. In the last battle between her and Shao Wanru, Shao Wanru was unscathed, while she had to hurt herself to prove her innocence.
“Let’s go and have a look!” After thinking for a while, Shao Yanru stood up with her hands on the table. In fact, she had almost recovered, but she still pretended to be walking with difficulty every time she went out.
She wanted to take a look in person…….