Chapter 737 She Saw Shao Yanru’s Confidant from Her Last Life Again
Shao Wanru lowered her head more, and hurriedly said, “I heard it from Prime Minister Zhang’s daughter. She told me that she heard someone in Huaguang Temple say that someone was destined to marry the emperor, and they mentioned Shao Yanru!” She and Shao Yanru didn’t get along well with each other. Chu Liuchen knew about it all the time, so she didn’t need to hide it from him or put on a show of her deep affection with Shao Yanru in front of him.
Chu Liuchen didn’t rush to answer. He pulled her back to the wicker chair before, and then leisurely pulled the wicker chair he had been sitting on to Shao Wanru’s side to lean against hers, and then sat down. “Shao Yanru is destined to marry the emperor?” He asked after sitting down. Shao Wanru looked up, saw his casual eyes, and nodded. “It’s true, Zhang Qilan said she had heard it. Guards were guarding the room, but it was not her father.”
“Destined to marry the emperor? That’s a good idea!” Chu Liuchen thought about it seriously and suddenly smiled. Destined to marry the emperor? It meant that she was going to marry a man who was destined to become the emperor. Now that the choice of crown prince was still up in the air and his uncle’s thoughts were difficult to predict. Yet Chu Liuchen could guess what it was. The so-called “destined to marry the emperor” was a good idea!
“You didn’t know?” Shao Wanru asked. She had previously guessed whether it was Chu Liuchen’s men who released the news. She couldn’t tell whether the so-called destiny to marry the emperor would turn out to be good or not.
“I haven’t figured out how to deal with your mansion. Zhuozhuo, what do you think?” Chu Liuchen smiled and his voice was very calm. It was really hard to imagine from his voice that he was an extremely ambitious man.
“Maybe later!” Shao Wanru lowered her head and thought. The blush on her face slowly receded, and a trace of hostility flashed in her eyes. If it was like what she had guessed, the death of her parents was related to the current second branch, she would never spare Duke Xing’s Mansion.
“If you say so, so be it. As for this destiny to marry the emperor, you don’t have to worry about it. Since someone has released such a wind, he is naturally up to something big. It could be Duke Xing’s Mansion or Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou. But no matter who it is, you should not interfere in this matter!” Chu Liuchen said.
Shao Wanru was scared when she heard it, but she knew that this was the case. The so-called destiny to marry the emperor must involve a lot, which was not something that a young girl like her could intervene with. Even if she was reborn, she was in no position to say anything about such a major event in the court.
She nodded. “I won’t talk about it anymore!”
“That’s good. Do you want to rest here for a while or go back now?” Chu Liuchen smiled and then talked about other things.
“I’ll go back first. It’s been a long time since I came out. If I don’t go back, I’m afraid Yujie will look for me!” Shao Wanru stood up and looked at the road outside the window. The sun was setting outside the window. It was going to get dark. If Yujie saw the others girls come back without her, she must be fl.u.s.tered.
“It’s okay. I sent someone to inform your maid!” Chu Liuchen stood up with a smile, and looked down at Shao Wanru, “Why not stay here for dinner before leaving?”
“I’ll go back. Shao Yanru will be suspicious!” Shao Wanru’s face blushed inexplicably. The traces of affection in Chu Liuchen’s words made her feel ashamed to stay for a while. Besides, there were some things that she had to go back and think about thoroughly.
“Well then, I’ll have someone take you back!” Chu Liuchen said softly.
“No need. There will be gossip if someone sees it!” Shao Wanru thought for a while and thought she’d better refuse. “Chuxiu Palace is not far from here, and you can see it from here.” Although she hadn’t looked out at the scenery at the window just now, she had always stood there in her last life. She was not surprised that she could see Chuxiu Palace at a glance from that position.
“Okay, then be careful on your way back!” Chu Liuchen thought for a while and decided it was true, so he agreed.
He took her hand to the top of the stairs, squeezed her hand slightly, and then watched her go downstairs.
“Your Highness, the Empress Dowager’s man is urging you again!” Xiao Xuanzi went upstairs again and saw Chu Liuchen standing at the small window of the stairs looking out, and gently reminded him. The palace servant sent by Empress Dowager had been taken inside to wait, so he didn’t see Fifth Miss Shao coming downstairs. But he kept paying attention to the outside and saw the guard made a gesture to him. He knew that she was gone and then went upstairs to report again.
“Check when Prime Minister Zhang went to Huaguang Temple, who else went there, and who asked for the host of Huaguang Temple to tell his fortune,” Chu Liuchen said lightly with his hands behind his back. This kind of thing was actually not difficult to check. The host of Huaguang Temple told fortune for visitors, which had been legendary for a long time. It was also rumored that he told fortune very accurately, but rarely did it for others!
“Yes, I will check this out soon!” Xiao Xuanzi replied, knowing that the prince must have discovered something again.
Chu Liuchen walked down. “Send someone to protect Fifth Miss in secret.” Qing’er didn’t follow Shao Wanru into the palace. It was naturally inconvenient for the two guards under her to enter the palace, but he could send someone to protect her here.
“Your Highness, this is in the palace…” Xiao Xuanzi did not respond quickly this time. Instead, he reminded the prince carefully.
His men in the palace rarely did anything, and only did it at the most critical time.
“I know that it is in the palace. What’s the point if I can’t protect my own woman in the palace!” Chu Liuchen said coldly. The light at the entrance of the stairs dimmed, and his handsome face seemed to be hidden in the darkness with a breath of coldness and cruelty. Xiao Xuanzi s.h.i.+vered in fright, and hurriedly said, “Yes, I will get right on it!”
When Shao Wanru came back, the gate of Chuxiu Palace was not very quiet. Some ladies who were leaving the palace were coming out. Soft sedan chairs had been placed at the gate, and some of them were seen off by their friends. Some were crying, some were laughing, and some were alone. Shao Wanru stood at the door, frowned, and looked at a palace maid. Her eyes twitched suddenly because she knew the palace maid. She did not only know her but also remembered very clearly her last memory the palace maid. She followed Shao Yanru around as her court maid and confidant.
In her last life, she saw her with Shao Yanru every time. She was Shao Yanru’s most powerful accomplice!
“Where have you been, Fifth Sister?” Shao Yanru and Shao Caihuan were seeing Shao Cailing off at the door. Suddenly they turned their heads and saw Shao Wanru. They immediately walked over. “Fourth Sister is leaving. She just wanted to say goodbye to you, but could not find you!” Shao Yanru looked worried.
Shao Caihuan sneered. She felt that Shao Yanru was indeed the daughter with the best reputation in her house. She was quite eloquent as if she had always been the most gentle and decent lady. As for the others, of course, they were just her foil. On the one hand, she implied that Shao Wanru didn’t know good manners, so she ran around in the palace. If something happened, it might implicate her family. On the other hand, she suggested that Shao Cailing was also shameless. She had all been driven out, yet she still tried to find various reasons to stay here.
“Eldest Sister, I didn’t say that I was waiting for Fifth Sister or looking for her. I just can’t bear to say goodbye to Third Sister. I wanted to chat with her for a while. The third Sister is upset in the palace alone.” Shao Cailing doesn’t like to talk. But it didn’t mean that she was fond of Shao Yanru. As someone who had failed the court draft, she immediately became annoyed and raised her eyebrows after hearing Shao Yanru’s words.
“Oh, Fourth Sister, I’m sorry. I thought you were waiting for Fifth Sister, so you deliberately had a chat with Third Sister.” Shao Yanru smiled and explained softly. She wasn’t irritated by Shao Cailing’s sudden hostility.
Compared to Shao Cailing, she was more dignified and decent. At the same time, she also made Shao Cailing look very unreasonable.
“You…” Shao Cailing was angry. She wanted to say something but was stopped by Shao Caihuan who squeezed her gently and motioned her to shut up.
Shao Cailing was respectful of her sister. “Fourth Sister, you go back first. Please take care of Mother. When I come back in the future, I will take good care of her too. She is not in good health. One of our sisters should stay in the house to take care of her!” Shao Caihuan was much subtler than Shao Cailing, and her words were decent. Regarding Shao Cailing’s failure in the draft, she only said that someone should stay to take care of the Third Madam. She spoke a lot of filial piety. Madam of Duke Xing was still in Yuhui Nunnery now, and she had heard that she was in poor health, but Shao Yanru turned a blind eye to it. The sisters in the third branch seemed to be more filial.
If there were many daughters of an aristocratic family selected in the first round, it was true that they could have secretly spoken to someone in the palace. Anyway, if it was impossible for a girl to be selected in the end, why not send her home early? It sounded like that Shao Cailing was leaving the palace according to the agreement, not because she was not good enough. It was a better excuse that was harmless to Shao Cailing. There were so many outstanding sisters. She, Fourth Miss Shao, took the initiative to leave, which was impeccable behavior. Besides, her purpose was to go home to serve her sick mother, and it made her look more filial!
Shao Yanru hadn’t expected that the two sisters who didn’t talk much before turned out to be so ferocious in their conversation. She was annoyed. She should have discussed it with their grandmother that day and sent the two sisters home in the first round so that Shao Caihuan wouldn’t pretend to be more filial than her now. “Fourth Sister is a filial daughter!” Shao Yanru said with envy.
“Eldest Sister, Third Sister, Fifth Sister, I’m going. Goodbye!” When Shao Cailing saw that Shao Yanru no longer focused on the subject, she put a curb on her temper. After all, the third branch had always been very scared of the second branch, and Shao Cailing had just blurted it out in anger. If it weren’t for the fact that she was the only one that was to be sent home and she was in a bad mood, she would not have dared to contradict Shao Yanru.
At this time, she calmed down and naturally became friendlier. After saluting them, she took the maid onto a soft sedan chair in front of the palace. “Where did you go, Fifth Sister? Could there be someone you know in the palace?” After Shao Cailing left, Shao Yanru turned and looked at Shao Wanru with a smile.
She was implying something. Even Shao Caihuan became attentive to their conversation!