Chapter 546 Weird, Who’s the Owner of the Carriage Watching Them?
“Your Highness, Your Highness, the Fifth Miss is in the second carriage, which doesn’t seem to be going to Duke Xing’s Mansion.” Eunuch Liu climbed into the carriage and said excitedly. Nevertheless, for fear of being heard by others, he deliberately lowered his voice and sounded like a chicken seized by the throat, which was quite strange.
However, Chu Liuxin didn’t think it strange because he had got used to it. They had been waiting at the intersection for two days, during which they didn’t see the carriage of Duke Xing’s Mansion. At this moment, they not only saw it, but also found it was followed by the Fifth Miss Shao’s carriage.
“Today is our lucky day. Keep up with them!” Chu Liuxin nodded complacently and said. Fortunately, he was smart enough to figure out that since Old Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion got sick, Shao Wanru definitely couldn’t bear to continue staying on the mountain and would go down the mountain to see her grandma. It was a good idea to stand by a tree stump waiting for a hare. Look, he found Shao Wanru only after waiting for two days.
The most important thing was that he not only found Shao Wanru, but also found out which carriage Shao Wanru was in. It was quite lucky for him to run into such a coincidence.
The carriage came out at the intersection after taking a corner and closely followed Shao Wanru’s carriage, with the carriage of Duke Xing’s Mansion ahead of them.
“Miss, the carriage behind seems to be following us!” Yujie pointed to the gauze curtain at the back window and said to Shao Wanru. She had looked at it several times and found that it kept following them after taking a few corners.
“Maybe it’s also going to the capital city,” Shao Wanru said. They hadn’t arrived at the entrance of the capital city, so it was possible that the carriage also came down from the Yuhui Nunnery and happened to travel behind their carriage.
“Miss, I obviously didn’t see the carriage when we came down the mountain. Look, it’s luxurious, and I can tell that it doesn’t belong to an ordinary family at first glance. If I saw it just now, I could definitely recognize it.”
Yujie disagreed with Shao Wanru’s speculation, so she reminded Shao Wanru.
“Let’s have another look at it after arriving at the city gate!” Shao Wanru said and turned her head to look through the gauze window at the carriage out of the back window. It traveled at an appropriate speed and didn’t overtake their carriage when their carriage slowed down, as if it was attached to their carriage. At the sight of this, Shao Wanru became thoughtful with her face darkening.
The carriage was indeed suspicious. However, she did not know if she over thought over it or the carriage meant to follow them.
They hadn’t arrived in the capital city, so she couldn’t tell it and could only wait quietly. She said that to Yujie just now, for fear that Yujie would panic and lose her mind.
When they went all the way to the gate of the capital, there were numerous ordinary civilians lining up in front of the gate. As an aristocratic family, Duke Xing’s Mansion certainly didn’t need to line up. They followed Shao Yanru’s carriage forward, and saw that Shuqi said something to the guards at the gate, reached out to point at the carriages behind her and then presented a name card. The guards let them pass immediately after having a look at it.
The two carriages entered the city one after the other.
“Miss, the carriage also came in!” Yujie, who had been paying attention to the situation behind, said. She saw that a servant came out of the carriage and said something to the guards. This time the guards let the carriage pass at once even without asking to see the name card in a way more respectful than they did in front of the carriages of Duke Xing’s Mansion.
Shao Wanru frowned. The owner of the carriage behind them must be someone unusual, but she didn’t know what he was after. Was he after Shao Yanru or her? Or was it really a coincidence?
Shao Yanru’s carriage headed for Duke Xing’s Mansion at the intersection, while Shao Wanru’s carriage headed in another direction. The two carriages separated. Shao Yanru did not discover the carriage behind Shao Wanru’s carriage, because she had been focusing her attention on Shao Wanru. Seeing that Shao Wanru’s carriage did not follow hers, she felt relieved.
When her carriage arrived at the next intersection, she immediately ordered the coachman to turn around to another place instead of Duke Xing’s Mansion.
After turning a few corners, Shuqi kept looking back fixedly, for fear that Shao Wanru’s carriage would show up at some time. After these days on the mountain, Shuqi dared not belittle this young Fifth Miss any longer.
Fortunately, Shuqi did not see Shao Wanru’s carriage behind any longer. She felt relieved and thought that although the Fifth Miss was not simple, she was a lot inferior to her master.
Apart from being influenced after failing to set up the Fifth Miss and the First Young Master Qi, the First Miss was adept in handling other things without leaving any evidence. For example, the First Miss had played a role in Old Madam’s plot, but no one could find any evidence directed at her.
The carriage stopped at the back door of a restaurant. Shao Yanru put on her curtain hat, got out of the carriage with Shuqi’s help, and then knocked on the back door of the restaurant gently.
Someone immediately came to open the door. Seeing Shao Yanru coming in, he hurriedly led her in. After looking around and finding no one coming over, he hurriedly closed the door.
The shop-boy led Shao Yanru to ascend a dark stairway to the second floor and then to the third floor. He stopped at the entrance of the stairway on the third floor and said, “First Miss, my master is waiting for you inside!”
Shao Yanru nodded and glanced at Shuqi. Shuqi sensibly stopped and watched Shao Yanru enter a room. After that, the door of the room was closed silently.
The room was not spacious, but was elegantly decorated. Even the ornaments looked extremely elegant. On the desk in front of the window stood Chu Liuyue, who was painting quietly with a writing brush in his hand.
Shao Yanru took two steps forward, stood behind his tall and straight back, bowed deeply to him and said, “Your Highness!”
“You are here. Look, what do you think of the peony I paint?” Chu Liuyue said without looking back.
Shao Yanru took two steps forward and came up to Chu Liuyue. Looking at the peony he painted, she frowned secretly. She didn’t like peonies and considered them too bright-colored and worldly to be her desired flower. She preferred Tang Qianyan, which was fresh and elegant with a kind of ethereal beauty. People had always praised her with these same words.
However, in front of Prince Yue, she certainly couldn’t let him know her preference.
“Your Highness, you’ve done such a good job. The peony is so vivid and beautiful that I can’t help being fascinated by it. Can you give away your beloved painting to me so that I can look at it every day? Even if I can’t see you, I can look at it while thinking of you,” Shao Yanru said softly.
At this moment, with the sedate look on her face disappearing, she looked like a young lady, who had fallen in love. Looking at Chu Liuyue’s handsome face, she gave a sweet smile. After saying that, she, who found her words explicit, blushed and looked more attractive.
“Okay, when I finish it, I’ll give it to you!” Chu Liuyue said with a laugh, seeming to be in a good mood. Shao Yanru breathed a sigh of relief and thought that it was not that bad.
“Thank you so much, Your Highness!” Shao Yanru bowed sideways, and said softly with a smile.
She was dressed in a pink dress with a pair of butterflies embroidered on the exquisite light green edge, looking lively and pretty. She stared at Chu Liuyue affectionately with ripples in her fluid eyes, which was fascinating enough even without saying anything. Such a beauty was dignified and decent outside, while expressing her affection in such a charming way when staying with him alone. She, who was so virtuous, was absolutely a perfect wife for any man.
Furthermore, the title of the first beauty in the capital and in the Kingdom of Dongcang was enough to fascinate a man.
Only such a beauty could be a perfect match for a man inheriting the throne. Of course, it would be better if Shao Yanru was as gorgeous as a peony.
Chu Liuyue thought with regret, but he thought that no one was perfect at the same time. He didn’t mind such a little defect of hers, since she was the first beauty. If she had both a good look and a powerful family, it would be a much-told tale for him to marry her.
However, although she was a beauty, he had to rebuke her when it was necessary. Otherwise, she would be spoiled.
With the smile on his face fading, he turned to look at Shao Yanru and asked, “Tell me about the affairs of the Baiyun Taoist Temple.”
“Your Highness, I… I really didn’t expect to make such a blunder. Please forgive me, Your Highness!” Shao Yanru said with a delicate look, knelt down and immediately burst into tears.
She, who had a slender waist, lowered her head slightly after kneeling down, looking increasingly attractive.
Chu Liuyue put down the writing brush in his hand, sat down in the chair, looked at Shao Yanru coldly with a little anger and said, “I have told you before that you are not allowed to reveal this matter, but you disobeyed my instruction and made the Baiyun Taoist Temple closed down.”
“Your Highness, this is really an accident. My grandma asked me about the exorcists, so I mentioned a few of them. In view of Taoist Priest Xiushui’s reputation, I would look too guilty if I didn’t mention him. So I mentioned him casually among the names of other exorcists. I didn’t expect that my grandma would choose him.”
With tears in her eyes, Shao Yanru looked at Chu Liuyue in horror. She was sad and regretful with tears dripping from her eyes, looking extremely pitiful.
“You didn’t recommend him deliberately?” Chu Liuyue frowned and asked.
“Of course not. Even if I’m not sensible, I won’t ruin your plan! If you are implicated, it will do no good for me!” Shao Yanru said in a sad voice with cautious eyes, which made Chu Liuyue look a little relieved.
He reached out in an attempt to pull Shao Yanru, but was carefully dodged by her, who said with a red face, “Your Highness, a gentleman should be scrupulously honest even when there is no one around. Although there is no one around at this moment, you should not disregard etiquette!”
After saying that, she stood up with the help of the chair beside her. Despite the affection in her eyes, she didn’t act frivolously at all, looking like a typical decent lady.
“Well, I won’t touch you. But you won’t refuse me after marrying me, right?” Chu Liuyue said with smile. At this point, he liked Shao Yanru a lot and considered her a self-respecting girl. Although they were in love with each other, she would not cross the line.
Duke Xing’s Mansion had done a good job in education. No wonder she had such a good reputation. She deserved it. Thinking that the beauty as ravishing as a flower would eventually marry him, Chu Liuyue felt excited and said, “You can participate in the Beauty Contest later, and I will choose you as my consort this time!”
“Your Highness, even if I attend the Beauty Contest, I won’t be granted to you. His Majesty won’t allow you to marry me!” Shao Yanru covered her face and said with tears.
In the past, a prince usually did not marry a Miss with a very powerful family background as his consort. In view of the rank and status of Duke Xing’s Mansion, the Misses of Duke Xing’s Mansion were unlikely to be taken into account.
Her words struck Chu Liuyue. It was really a difficult job. His father would even exclude those Misses from a family of an official below a certain rank. Besides, his Imperial Grandmother kept saying that she would choose a Miss from a powerful family for Chu Liuchen as his consort. At the thought of this, he felt upset.