Seeing that he was about to speak, Shen Mingzhu immediately stood up and said, "I have something important to attend to outside the mansion today. Sir Xie, don't forget your own business."
She left, brushing past him.
[Shen Mingzhu! You venomous woman! How dare you try to abandon me!]
Shen Mingzhu paused for a moment, then still left under Xie Lang's furious gaze.
After getting into the carriage outside the mansion, Chun Tao beside her finally spoke, "Your Highness, where do you plan to summon the gentlemen this time?"
The gentlemen Chun Tao mentioned were the secret guards left to Shen Mingzhu by her mother. They had been investigating the truth behind the deaths of her father and elder brother, the crown prince. It seemed they had found some clues recently, so Shen Mingzhu planned to meet them.
But where would be a suitable place to meet?
Shen Mingzhu racked her brains but couldn't come up with a good location.
If she went to the original stronghold, she couldn't be sure whether Shen Mingyuan had planted spies among her people. But if she randomly chose a place, with people coming and going, it didn't seem very safe either.
However...
Resting her chin in her hand, Shen Mingzhu suddenly had an idea.
In the eyes of outsiders, she was now a princess who had been forced into a humiliating marriage. So it wouldn't be out of place for her to visit a brothel for pleasure?
"Chun Tao, go to the Green Bamboo Pavilion."
As soon as Shen Mingzhu said this, she saw Chun Tao beside her suddenly turn around and stare at her with wide eyes.
"Your Highness!" Chun Tao's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Shen Mingzhu and said, "You've finally seen the light!"
Shen Mingzhu:??? What?
"But..." Chun Tao looked hesitant. Her eyes showed disapproval as she said, "Those people in the Green Bamboo Pavilion are not worthy of your noble status. If Your Highness wants to take some male concubines, just tell this servant."
Shen Mingzhu felt a bit out of place. Her face showed hesitation as she asked, "Male concubines?"
After hesitating for a moment, Shen Mingzhu said to Chun Tao, "But I'm going there to discuss business. I'm going to the Green Bamboo Pavilion to avoid being noticed."
Chun Tao immediately stiffened and knelt down, saying, "Please forgive this servant, Your Highness! It's this servant who..."
Shen Mingzhu interrupted her, reached out to help her up, and sighed, "It's okay."
"Be more careful next time."
Seeing the cold sweat on Chun Tao's face, Shen Mingzhu began to wonder what kind of roles she and Xie Lang were in the eyes of outsiders.
The dissolute heir of a general and the princess who had been forced into a humiliating marriage? So in the eyes of her own people, it had become reasonable for her to seek pleasure.
Thinking of this, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but sigh.
Forget it. Maybe it was a good thing that even her own people believed it?
Outside the carriage, it was bustling and noisy.
People were coming and going on the street. Women carrying baskets were chatting about their family affairs. When they got excited, their voices were so loud that Shen Mingzhu could even hear them.
"Alas! It's a pity for Her Highness the Princess. It was said that she and Scholar Zhou were a perfect match. But that dissolute fellow snatched her away."
The woman who said this sighed with sympathy. "I heard that the imperial family is heartless. On the day the princess got married, it was said that Scholar Zhou of the Zhou family got drunk and wandered around the Xie Mansion several times."
"Exactly! My husband's cousin was on duty at the Xie Mansion at that time. There was almost a big commotion!" Another woman chimed in. "I wonder what will happen to the princess in the future... Anyway, that one from the Xie family is a good-for-nothing. It's impossible for the princess to stay with him for the rest of her life."
Coincidentally, the women were walking alongside the carriage. When they got excited, their voices got even louder.
Shen Mingzhu stopped Chun Tao, who wanted to drive them away, and quietly listened to their conversation. Unconsciously, she clenched her fists and instinctively reached for her waist, only to realize that she had locked that item in a small wooden box long ago.
Only then did she realize that she hadn't thought about Zhou Chengyu for a long time.
Seeing Shen Mingzhu looking a bit gloomy, Chun Tao sighed inwardly. She actually agreed with what those women outside the carriage had said.
Her Highness was born extremely noble. What kind of person wasn't worthy of her? Even the former Scholar Zhou had only caught the eye of the late emperor after he passed the imperial examination. How could Xie Lang be a match for Shen Mingzhu? It was simply an insult to her!
Shen Mingzhu lowered her eyes. There wasn't much sadness on her face. She just continued to think about the complex relationships.
The Zhou family was a newly prominent family. It couldn't compare with other aristocratic families, so her father had appointed them important positions. Zhou Chengyu's father was the emperor's teacher, that is, the teacher of her elder brother, the crown prince, and later the teacher of Zhou Mingyuan. Their relationship was definitely not simple.
So, was it really possible that he didn't hear any news about her hasty marriage in advance?
Shen Mingzhu closed her eyes slightly to hide the sadness in them. This matter was too complicated to think about. She had been impulsive before, only focusing on her plans and being too afraid to think about the Zhou family. But was the Zhou family really as innocent as she thought?
"Your Highness," a guard's voice came from outside the carriage. "We're here."
Shen Mingzhu came back to her senses and saw Chun Tao lifting the curtain of the carriage and looking at her.
She nodded, got out of the carriage. When she saw a young male prostitute in light clothing standing in front of her waving his handkerchief, she couldn't help but feel a bit at a loss.
Calm down!
Shen Mingzhu took a deep breath. She had seen all kinds of grand occasions. How could she lose her composure because of such a small situation?
But the next second, just as Shen Mingzhu was about to enter the door, a scented handkerchief fluttered down and landed right on her head.
"Your Highness!"
Chun Tao was even more at a loss than Shen Mingzhu. She stared in shock as the handkerchief landed on Shen Mingzhu's head, her eyes wide open.
"...It's okay."
She took the handkerchief off and looked up. She saw a man in green clothes. He was a bit thin but extremely handsome. He looked at Shen Mingzhu calmly, as if he wasn't the one who had just thrown the handkerchief.
Seeing Shen Mingzhu looking up, the man slightly hooked his lips and said in a clear voice, "A noble guest has arrived. How about I play a tune for you?"
There was a bit of admiration in Shen Mingzhu's eyes. Then she replied, "Thank you, but no need."
She still had business to discuss. If she listened to him play a tune, it would take a lot of time.
The madam, who had rushed over after hearing that a noble guest had arrived, took a deep breath. Her eyes showed admiration as she looked at Shen Mingzhu.
This was Qing Zhu, the top star here! Who was this woman in front of her that she could reject such beauty?
Thinking this way, the madam was even more convinced that Shen Mingzhu had an extraordinary background. She led her straight to the VIP room and said with a smile, "What kind of person does the noble guest want? We have everything here. We're the best in the capital."
Shen Mingzhu sat down and looked around. She looked satisfied.
This place was really suitable for discussing business! The soft veils were hazy, separating several soft couches. There were also some small tables in front that seemed to be for snacks. It looked quite proper.
The madam understood and said with a smile, "The noble guest wait. This old woman will go and choose someone for you right away."
Seeing this, Chun Tao took out a heavy gold ingot and put it on the table. "Choose carefully."
"Yes, yes, yes!" The madam picked up the gold. She couldn't hide the smile on her face and said, "I'll definitely choose the most obedient one for you!"
Xie Lang, who happened to pass by: "???"
The most obedient one? What kind of person? People who come to this place are here for excitement. Why choose an obedient one? It seems they play quite wildly.