Chapter 28: Bengong Has Returned
One was able to see a middle-aged male walking over. He did not seat with those officials and youths and sat at the far away at the special seats for distinguished guests. This man was around forty years old, looking dark and hideous, wearing pine rosin colour robes. His clothes were luxurious but unfortunate he only had a leg.
This was the blood brother of the Emperor, Prince Yu of the First Rank.
Prince Yu was brother of the Emperor with the same mother. When he was young, he saved the Emperor’s life from the hands of the assassins and thus his left leg was injured and had to be amputated, becoming a cripple. Since that incident onward Prince Yu’s temperament changed and he became brutal, vicious and had a perverse personality. He had a houseful of concubines, the Imperial family knew it all even though no one outside knew of anything. This Prince Yu had a filthy hobby of playing with countless of women till they die.
Yu Wangfei had passed away seven years ago which it itself was strong. But since the Emperor and the Empress Dowager protected Prince Yu, Yu Wangfei’s family can only swallow their grievances. Recently there was a sudden news from Prince Yu residence that Prince Yu had the intention to bring a Wangfei in.
For a period of time, everyone in the Ding capital was endlessly speculating. Prince Yu’s status was very high and he also had the favour of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, thus his Wangfei had to be of equal status. The noble and high ranking families that really loved their daughters would naturally not let their daughters enter the wolf’s den. Those who see their daughters as a bargaining chip would then be anxious to exchange their daughters for prestige and wealth, even at the expense of their life.
Looking the previous Yu Wangfei’s family, although they had lost a daughter, the Emperor took care of them and didn’t they became a lot more prosperous?
Shen Miao’s gaze pass Prince Yu and landed on Ren Wan Yun at the banquet area designated for females.
Sure enough, she saw Ren Wan Yun’s face brighten and said to Yi Furen, “His Majesty indeed treat Prince Yu really well.”
They were all people who fight in the courtyard so Yi Furen immediately thought of what Ren Wan Yun’s intention. Even though she found that Ren Wan Yun’s action was despicable, but her Master and Shen Gui was in the same fraction so naturally she had to side and help Ren Wan Yun. She smiled and said, “That’s true. Even though he is much older but is someone that will dote others.”
Chen Rou Qiu lowered her head at the side and slowly ate some snacks but the smile on her lips was somewhat odd. Dote others? Believe that no one will be willing to see their own daughter marry an crippled widower even if he was to dote on them or had huge amount of power, it was as good as pushing one’s daughter into the fire pits. As she thought about it, she turned her head and looked at Shen Miao.
Shen Miao was held the chess pieces patiently and place them on the chessboards as if she did not pay any attention to anyone. Suddenly Chen Rou Qiu felt bottomless in her heart. After Shen Miao woke up after falling into the water, she was like another person like Shen Xin’s blood was awaken in her. The entire Shen Xin family had fierce and violent personality and if Shen Miao know about Ren Wan Yun’s plan, would she obediently accept it?
Just as she was thinking, she saw Shen Miao seemingly came to be aware of her gaze thus she raise her head to look at her. That pair of eyes was filled with cold that it iced Chen Rou Qiu’s heart even though it was only the tenth lunar month.
Shen Miao lowered her head and look at the chess in her hands.
In the last life, she made a fool of herself during the Chrysanthemum banquet but Ren Wan Yun mentioned about Prince Yu’s marriage to Old Shen Taitai upon the return to the residence. Ren Wan Yun said, “Not saying that Little Five’s actions today had no good aspects at all and moreover she had lose Shen family’s reputation. Which noble family would be willing to marry a young lady like Little Five? Now that there is a good marriage of Prince Yu, if Little Five marry over, she would be a Wangfei and have the favour from His Majesty and Empress Dowager and can be considered as fortunate. Even though his legs are not good and his age is somewhat more matured, but our Little Five do not have any exceptional abilities and thus it would not be a loss for Little Five.”
They made it high-sounding but it was in fact very vicious. It was later on when she spend a lot of money to bribe a Rong Jing Tang’s maid could she then know these remarks. Old Shen Furen hated the First Household in her heart because Shen Xin was born from the Yuanpei. When Old Master Shen was alive, he deeply favoured Shen Xin which made Old Shen Furen, the second wife, jealous. It was so difficult for her to endure till the death of Old Master Shen but Shen Xin’s military power was untouchable. Since Shen Xin was untouchable, Shen Miao was targeted and as to target a female, there was nothing more painful than letting her marry into hardship.
Old Shen Furen and Ren Wan Yun hit it off and immediately sent someone over to Prince Yu residence to bring the matter up. Shen Miao was afraid and angry. At that time she was in love with Fu Xiu Yi and in a haste, that very night she packed up and when over to Prince Ding residence and begged him to shelter her. She did not care about her reputation when others deliberately spread the matter out as she thought that since her reputation was already destroyed, it would be too late to change anything and thus better to marry to Prince Ding as a concubine than to Prince Yu residence.
At that time Old Shen Furen was furious at the turn of events. Even though Fu Xiu Yi was angry in his heart, he did not treat her badly on the surface. Perhaps he saw the value of Shen family army. Even though he did not treat Shen Miao warmly, he did not refute her. Upon Shen Xin return at the end of the year, what welcome him was the news of his daughter in the capital jumping into the residence of others. He was shocked and angry but Shen Miao did not hesitate to protest with a hunger strike, so Shen Xin ran out of ideas and could only use all his military accomplishments to finally exchange a title of Ding Wangfei for her.
But no one had thought that that was the beginning of a real nightmare.
Shen Miao closed her eyes. The mistakes that was made in her previous life had all traced back to today and today was destined to be a turning point of her life. Those people who owed her must now start to pay their debts!
“Hey. Why play by yourself?” Suddenly a voice rang by her ear. It was unknown when Feng An Ning walked over and even though there was some awkward expression, she sat across her, “Why not play a game with me? Do you know how to play chess?”
Feng An Ning look down at the chessboard. She only intended to casually talk but when she look down some interest of hers were sparked. After carefully looking for a while, she was unable to see anything out of it and asked, “What kind of tactic is this? I have not seen it before.”
“This is not a game of chess.” Shen Miao smiled, “This is fighting a war.”
“What?”
“Now it cannot be seen.” Shen Miao said plainly, “Only when the pieces are swallowed then it can be seen for this kind of chess.” Just like a next that is woven firmly and tightly so that no one can escape.
Feng An Ning shuddered, “What are you talking? It is strange and horrifying” She look over at the male side of the banquet and suddenly her eyes brighten and gave Shen Miao a look of encouragement, “Look there. His Highness Prince Ding has arrived.”
At the banquet section for men, Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi, was wearing a loose gold and blue robe with green jaded books and looked splendid. He was born handsome and coupled with his solemn bearing but yet cordial actions, he did not have the temperament of an overbearing prince. Throughout his way, he was able to attract the cries of surprise from the female side of the banquet.
Shen Miao lowered her head as her fingers dug deep into her palm as she clenched her fists.
Ten years of accompaniment and wholehearted support was only exchanged with a piece of long white silk and extermination of an entire clan. And even her son and daughter lost their lives.
The kinder this person look on the outside, the more vicious his heart was. How just he look on the outside was how cruel he was on the inside.
In the last life, this man grant her with an intact corpse. In this lifetime, she want this person die without an intact corpse!
Fu Xiu Yi, Bengong has returned!