Turning around, Shen Mingyuan and several other ministers were standing around the corner. Their expressions were complex as they looked at Shen Mingzhu, looking hesitant as if they wanted to say something but held back. Shen Mingzhu: "..."
What kind of luck is this?
Xie Lang hadn't noticed these extra people at first. Seeing Shen Mingzhu freeze when she turned her head, he instinctively followed her gaze and met a pair of eyes full of admiration.
[I've completely lost face today.]
[Oh well, it's okay. Anyway, Shen Mingzhu always acts so high - and - mighty. She must be more embarrassed than me.]
Hearing Xie Lang's inner thoughts, Shen Mingzhu felt that there seemed to be something malicious in his voice. Her heart skipped a beat, and she was about to stop Xie Lang from saying the next thing.
Unexpectedly, Xie Lang really intended to continue. Maintaining his previous affectionate look, he glanced at Shen Mingzhu under everyone's shocked gazes. His eyes were so sticky that it seemed they could be pulled into threads. "Your Highness, I'm mediocre. Unlike other talented men, I can't compose poems and enjoy the moon with Your Highness."
"But as long as Your Highness has me in her heart, then..."
Shen Mingzhu grabbed Xie Lang's arm under the cover of his long sleeves. She pinched a piece of flesh on his arm hard and then twisted it, finally making him shut up and stop saying such shocking words.
The on - lookers were so shocked that they stood still, not knowing how to break the silence.
Shen Mingyuan looked at Xie Lang. For a moment, he didn't know whether what he said was true or false. Seeing Xie Lang's red eyes and being unable to continue, he couldn't help but believe it a little.
[Ah! It hurts so much! Shen Mingzhu, you venomous woman!]
[Oh no, it must be bruised!]
Bruised? It couldn't be that bad.
Shen Mingzhu was a bit ashamed at first, but as soon as she thought of what Xie Lang had just said, her little bit of shame disappeared without a trace.
"This..."
A minister looked at Shen Mingyuan's expression and hesitantly broke the silence. He wracked his brains and said, "What the son - in - law said... those words are really reasonable."
"So... so..."
After stuttering for a long time, the minister blushed. He didn't expect that instead of currying favor, he had made a fool of himself. He immediately shut his mouth.
Unexpectedly, Shen Mingyuan suddenly let out a soft laugh and said, "Yes, the son - in - law is right."
"Seeing the son - in - law's loyalty to the princess, I'm relieved." After Shen Mingyuan finished speaking, he said meaningfully, "I like loyal people."
Shen Mingyuan's words were full of meaning. After hearing them, the ministers present immediately began to flatter him.
Shen Mingzhu grabbed Xie Lang's hand and stood aside. When she finally heard that the topic was no longer being mentioned, she let out a long sigh of relief. At the same time, she turned around and glared at Xie Lang fiercely.
[Hahaha]
Xie Lang looked upright on the surface, but in his heart, there was only laughter. It sounded so annoying that Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but want to beat him up.
After the ministers finally finished flattering, Shen Mingyuan seemed to have just noticed Shen Mingsi. He smiled and said, "What are you doing here, third sister?"
Shen Mingsi originally thought she had escaped this trouble, but she didn't expect Shen Mingyuan to still mention her. Her heart sank immediately.
How much of her conversation with Shen Mingzhu and Xie Lang had he heard?
"Your Majesty," Shen Mingsi lowered her eyes and said respectfully, "I saw my elder sister come out to get some fresh air, so I also came out with a few ladies.
Unexpectedly, when they saw that I was chatting happily with my elder sister, they went back first."
Hearing this, Xie Lang sneered beside them.
Shen Mingsi immediately blushed.
Shen Mingzhu was amazed. For the first time, she realized that it was really great to be a playboy, especially a playboy with a powerful background. Relying on his status as the son - in - law, Xie Lang could not only muddle through but also act as if he didn't understand the situation at any time.
She envied him.
"Really?" Shen Mingyuan looked at this younger sister who had always had a distant relationship with him. He curled his lips and said, "But why did I seem to hear from afar that you like Lord Zhou?"
Saying this, Shen Mingyuan pretended to be thinking and smiled at her, "Is the Lord Zhou you mentioned the Imperial Scholar Zhou?"
Shen Mingsi immediately looked up in panic. Her face turned red, and all the original anger and fear on her face turned into shyness.
"It seems so."
Shen Mingyuan let out a soft laugh and said to the people behind him, "Is Lord Zhou here?"
Only then did Shen Mingzhu notice that Zhou Chengyu was actually following the crowd. His figure was blocked by others, so she hadn't seen him.
Zhou Chengyu stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty."
"Lord Zhou," Shen Mingyuan smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. There was a kind of indescribable pressure in his eyes. "My younger sister has feelings for you. I wonder if you're willing to be the son - in - law?"
The originally harmonious atmosphere on the scene suddenly became solemn.
Shen Mingzhu watched coldly as Shen Mingyuan tested Zhou Chengyu. She couldn't help but feel a bit of mockery in her heart. So she stared at Zhou Chengyu to see how he would deal with it.
Hearing this, Shen Mingsi was filled with great surprise. She immediately looked at Zhou Chengyu with infatuated eyes.
Zhou Chengyu was silent and stood still.
The atmosphere around them became more and more tense. Prime Minister Zhou stood behind Shen Mingyuan. His eyes were full of gloomy clouds, and he looked at Shen Mingyuan's back with an unclear look in his eyes.
The emperor was becoming more and more bold, constantly testing his bottom line.
Shen Mingyuan still had a smile on his face, as if he didn't notice the current atmosphere. He quietly waited for Zhou Chengyu's answer.
"Your Majesty is joking," Zhou Chengyu said. He subconsciously glanced at Shen Mingzhu before slowly saying, "Marriage is a matter decided by parents. Moreover, I'm still young and haven't made any achievements. How can I be distracted by other things?"
Shen Mingzhu's expression was unclear, but she was startled by Xie Lang's inner thoughts beside her.
[Ah! I knew this Zhou Chengyu was trying to steal my girl!]
Shen Mingzhu immediately came back to her senses and glanced at Xie Lang. She saw him staring at Zhou Chengyu with a gloomy expression, and a flash of killing intent passed through his eyes.
"Alas, it's really a pity," Shen Mingyuan sighed. Looking at the pale - faced Shen Mingsi, he said, "Since Lord Zhou doesn't want to think about these things for the time being, I won't force you."
"Come on, the banquet is still going on."
Shen Mingzhu frowned slightly. She felt that Shen Mingyuan's words and deeds today were really abnormal.
Why was he constantly testing? Even his attitude towards her had become more gentle, as if he wasn't the one who had forced her to marry.
Moreover, he was even willing to embarrass his own younger sister for her sake.
What on earth was Shen Mingyuan up to?
...
After the banquet, on the way out of the palace, Shen Mingzhu propped herself up with one hand tiredly, only hoping that the carriage would return home earlier.
In a daze, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Seeing this, Chun Tao immediately asked outside, "What's going on?"
"Your Highness, someone is blocking the carriage."
Shen Mingzhu was half - awake and extremely sleepy. Hearing this, she frowned and was about to speak when she heard a familiar voice.
"Your Highness, it's me."
It was Zhou Chengyu. What did he want?
Shen Mingzhu reached out to lift the curtain, but her hand was grabbed by Xie Lang.