Chapter 620 Shao Yanru in A Panic
“Thank you, Big Sister. Father didn’t leave any luxury things for me and Hao’er. They are just things for me and Hao’er to miss them, which are not good enough to be displayed in front of the Emperor!” After a long while, Shao Wanru reached out to gently touched her forehead and said in a light way.
The invisible strangeness in the air immediately faded away in her faint voice.
However, such fading made Shao Yanru want to spit out blood. The atmosphere just now seemed to cause something to happen, but it just ended up with a casual sentence. Her goal had not been achieved, which really made her not reconciled.
“Fifth Sister, whatever will be fine, as long as it can remind Emperor of Eldest Uncle!” Shao Yanru felt a little embarra.s.sed and annoyed for no reason. She gritted her teeth secretly, but the look on her face was still gentle.
“Big Sister, you can leave now!” Shao Wanru evaded the issue, and then suddenly expelled the guest.
“You…” Although Shao Yanru had the best self-restraint, she couldn’t bear this anymore now. She suddenly stood up and showed anger in her eyes, “Fifth Sister, I am really for your own good. Why don’t you accept my kindness?”
“Thank you for your kindness, Big Sister. You have always said that it is all for my good, but since you did for my good, I have been in trouble. This time, I almost lost my life, so I really don’t dare to accept your kindness!” Shao Wanru said calmly. It sounded as if she was talking about someone else’s affairs, and her pink face was calm.
Such an expression and words irritated Shao Yanru, but she smiled and said, “Fifth Sister, just as I said, that thing really had nothing to do with me. The emperor also asked the people of the Ministry of Justice to go back, so it was clear that it was not me. It was Qi Rongzhi and Qin Yuru who did this. As for why they combine against you, I suppose you also know the reason. You have been treated like this for so many years!”
Because of anger, her words sounded extremely unkind, which were very different from the image that Shao Yanru struggled to present in front of others.
When finis.h.i.+ng her words, Shao Yanru also realized that it was inappropriate. She wanted to say something else as a remedy but was interrupted by Shao Wanru rudely, “Big Sister, you are right. The Ministry of Justice now goes to neither Duke Xing’s Mansion nor Duke Yong’s Mansion, but does this mean that it has nothing to do with you? Big Sister, I will keep investigating it. If I find out who wanted to hurt me, no matter who it is, I will not spare her!”
The smile on Shao Wanru’s face disappeared, and there was a trace of fierceness in her expression, which made Shao Yanru inexplicably think of Rui’an Great Elder Princess. She couldn’t help but have a guilty conscience in her heart, but she reluctant to show weakness in her words.
“Fifth Sister, just go ahead and you must find out the truth. Otherwise, I will hardly absolve myself from the blame, as if I really did harm to you.”
The old maid who stirred up trouble had been executed by rods with a fair reason. So she could find nothing even if she wanted to investigate. And the old maid in the hall of the Ministry of Justice had been half-died recently because there were many people in prison who were infected with the illness. What’s more, the Ministry of Justice had already completed this case, so that old maid was not a big deal.
She was just an old maid. How could she get Shao Yanru involved in this matter? So Shao Yanru said these words confidently.
“Big Sister, do you want to prove that you did not hurt me?” Shao Wanru suddenly smiled and asked.
Shao Wanru was extremely beautiful, and her smile was like a hundred flowers blooming together. Her beauty was attractive, but this overly gentle smile made Shao Yanru’s heart in her throat. She felt uneasy in her heart, but still said in a strong way, “How can you prove it?”
“Big Sister, how about you beat Qin Yuru and Qi Rongzhi for me again? You have to help me vent my anger!” Shao Wanru said.
“You…” Shao Yanru’s face turned red, which reminded her of the humiliation that she had fought with Qin Yuru that day. Not only had she lost face in front of others, but also when she had returned to the mansion, her father had given her a strong slap, who had never beaten her before. Shao Yanru, as his favored daughter, had never experienced such a thing in her life for over a decade.
Now Shao Wanru actually reminded her of that again, as if something was violently opened in her heart. The shame and anger that she had nowhere to hide almost made her lose her reasons. She couldn’t help but breathe quickly and stared at Shao Wanru fiercely. How she wished she could make a hole in Shao Wanru’s body by staring at her.
She had given the impression of weakness, but she didn’t expect that Shao Wanru wouldn’t go for her weakness.
“Fifth Sister, what do you want to do?” She almost squeezed these words from her teeth.
“Big Sister, I’m tired. You can leave now!” Shao Wanru waved her hand and said.
“You…” Shao Yanru was furious. She clenched her fists and took two steps forward to approach Shao Wanru. Qing Yue wanted to stop her but was held back by Shuqi. “Fifth Sister, you are also from Duke Xing’s Mansion. If Duke Xing’s Mansion is in trouble, you will not be well either. The whole Duke Xing’s Mansion is your backup force. Although Great Elder Princess is good, she is only your grandmother, and she can’t interfere in the affairs of Duke Xing’s Mansion too much.”
Shao Yanru warned her.
Shao Wanru opened her eyes again, propped up her body to sit up straight, and then she waved to Shao Yanru. Shao Yanru looked at her suspiciously but still moved her face closer.
“Big Sister, looking at yourself. You are really disgusting. In such an appearance, no one is willing to marry you now!” Shao Wanru quickly pulled off Shao Yanru’s veil. Looking at her bruised face with bloodstains under the veil, Shao Wanru sneered and raised her cherry lips.
“Eldest Sister, I heard that several princes are going to choose their wives. Your face really brings shame to our Duke Xing’s Mansion. I think these princes would rather choose girls with ordinary appearances than you!”
“You…” Shao Yanru was stunned. When she came to her senses, she pulled the veil from Shao Wanru’s hand and took a few steps back. Then she staggered to stand with the help of Shuqi. She wanted to put on the veil, but her hands were too trembling to put on the simple veil at all.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Shuqi hurriedly took the veil and helped her to wear it.
After the veil was put on, the shame and humiliation in Shao Yanru’s eyes were slowly suppressed. Of course, she did not want anyone to see such a face. The veil hid all her weakness, but she did not expect that Shao Wanru would directly tear off her veil and clearly expose her weakness.
“Big Sister, there will be a banquet in a few days. It seems that you can’t go there. I heard that there are a few Misses who are very elegant and beautiful from the official families that just came to the capital city. Maybe they will be first chosen!” Shao Wanru said lazily and leaned back again. “Big Sister, originally, your beautiful appearance could outstand as the best, but now it is really not a good time!”
In the previous life, Chu Liuyue had got married, but his wife had not been Shao Yanru. She had been neither the wife of Princess Zhou nor that of Princess Xin. In the previous life, Shao Yanru had entered the palace and become the emperor’s concubine eventually. There must be some reasons that she didn’t know. In her opinion, Shao Yanru didn’t seem to be willing to enter the palace and become the current emperor’s concubine.
Now, it was indeed the time for those princes to choose wives and concubines. However, Shao Wanru always felt that there were some things out of her control. Then, let these things slowly come to light.
“You… you… what are you going to do?” Shao Yanru was still trembling and her limbs were cold.
“So what? I just want to help Big Sister, just as Big Sister also wants to help me. After all, we sisters should make peace with each other. Only in this way can we make Duke’s Mansion prosperous. Since we are a family, I also hope Big Sister can marry well. But now, there are so many rumors about Duke Xing’s Mansion that you may not attract the attention of the princes!” Shao Wanru smiled, and her watery eyes were as clear as a colored glaze with a hint of glittering light.
She knew what Shao Yanru was most concerned about, which Shao Yanru had not even thought about in the past. But this time, she must have a deep understanding of it. Shao Wanru spoke so straightforwardly that she directly pulled away from the self-deceiving veil of Shao Yanru’s and made her directly face the fear in her heart!
“Fifth Sister, thank you for your kindness!” Shao Yanru finally managed to stop herself from trembling and said a complete sentence.
“You’re welcome!” Shao Wanru said very lightly.
“Grandma is still waiting for me to reply in the mansion. I won’t bother Fifth Sister and I’m leaving now!” Shao Yanru couldn’t stay any longer. She turned around and strode away with Shuqi.
After she turned around, her eyes suddenly became extremely cold and vicious, which she had been tried hard to keep calm just now. However, she couldn’t help clenching her fists, and inexplicably felt a little fl.u.s.tered.
Originally, she really wanted to sit high on the table. No matter who took the position of Princess Yue or Princess Zhou, before the last step, she would definitely be able to seize her position and become the final winner.
It was not only because of her confidence in her appearance but also because of the friends.h.i.+p between childhood sweethearts. But of course, there was also confidence from the background of Duke Xing’s Mansion. As long as her father was still Duke Xing, and her eldest brother was the Heir of Duke Xing, either Prince Yue or Prince Zhou would be helpful.
With these, it was enough to negotiate with any winner.
Of course, this was the last thought that Shao Yanru had not cared about before. She felt that even if she didn’t have Duke Xing’s Mansion, it would still be easy for her to get the position of Empress, and others could not alienate Prince Yue and Prince Zhou from her. But now, she was really in a panic.
Now she had to consider what she had not considered in the past. She always thought that these external conditions could be ignored. As long as it was her, even if having no background, Prince Yue and Prince Zhou would still have a deep affection for her. But Shao Wanru’s words just now seemed to stimulate the hidden worry in her heart.
The worry in the past now became fear! Endless fear!
In the past, if she had been injured, both Prince Yue and Prince Zhou would have sent letters in private to comfort her or coax her with gifts. However, in the past few days, she had not received such a comforting letter in the mansion.
Originally, she had been holding back her temper to wait and thinking that she would finally get one. But when Shao Wanru directly pulled away from the veil, she suddenly felt scared.
“Let’s go to Prince Yue’s Mansion!” After getting on the carriage, Shao Yanru gritted her teeth and ordered in a low voice. Her hands were clasped together tightly because of nervousness.