Seeing this, Liu's nephew couldn't help but look a bit embarrassed, but he still stubbornly insisted, "This... Could it be that someone has deceived Your Highness?" He sure was stubborn.
Shen Mingzhu let out a soft laugh, the contempt in her tone obvious. When she looked at the man, there was an indescribable aura, which made the man even dare not look her in the eye.
Liu's nephew kept staring at the painting, trying to find some flaws. Finally, his hand accidentally brushed over the small seal, and his fingertip was stained with a bit of wet stamp ink.
"This..."
Liu's nephew was overjoyed, but on his face, he still looked at Shen Mingzhu hesitantly and said, "The stamp ink on this painting is not even dry yet. Mr. Wen Song disappeared three years ago. How could there be a new painting?"
"This..." Liu's nephew looked at Xie Lang, thinking he had found the truth. So he let out a deep sigh and said, "Your Highness, why do you have to cover up for Cousin Xie? It's just a fake. If it were real, I'd like to go find the swindler."
General Xie had important matters in the military camp outside the city, so he left in a hurry after dinner.
Only because General Xie was not around could Liu's nephew act so arrogantly. He thought that Xie Lang was just a good - for - nothing dandy and he could step on him to get ahead.
He thought that Xie Lang was just good - looking. At most, Her Highness the Princess would just take a casual look at him. Young women were just infatuated with good looks for a while. If she really wanted to find someone to be with, of course, someone like himself would be the best.
He subconsciously stole a quick glance at Shen Mingzhu. The princess in her gorgeous clothes was as dazzling as a candle in the dim night. With a proud look and a charming yet refined face, she was really like her name, making people instinctively want to hold her in their hands.
Moreover, the person in front of him was a princess with a fief!
Thinking of what Liu had advised him before he came, he felt that he must succeed. He was determined to push Xie Lang aside and win the princess.
Shen Mingzhu was used to those greedy looks. So when she saw Liu's nephew, there was a bit of impatience on her face. She asked, "What's your name?"
Hearing this, Liu's nephew was overjoyed. He thought Shen Mingzhu was charmed by his talent. He opened his fan gracefully and pretended to be suave as he said, "I'm Liu Zhiyu. Your Highness can call me..."
"Wait."
Seeing his expression while speaking, Shen Mingzhu interrupted him directly.
Who wanted to call him such a strange name!
"You..."
Xie Lang suddenly burst into laughter and looked at Liu Zhiyu. "Aren't you cold with that fan in your hand?"
Liu Zhiyu gritted his teeth and glared at Xie Lang. Then he said affectionately, "When I saw Your Highness, I felt as if I were in..."
"Bold!"
Chun Tao was furious. She looked at Liu Zhiyu and said, "How dare you talk to His Highness like this! Watch your tongue!"
Liu Zhiyu was startled and looked embarrassed. Just as he was about to speak again, he saw Shen Mingzhu smiling at Chun Tao and saying, "Wait."
Seeing this, Xie Lang subconsciously turned to look at Shen Mingzhu. He saw the faint smile in her eyes and guessed what she was up to. So he just stood obediently aside.
"You said this painting is fake?"
Shen Mingzhu spoke up and looked at Liu Zhiyu with interest.
"Of course." Hearing this, Liu Zhiyu became even more excited. He looked at Shen Mingzhu and started to talk eloquently, "Here, Mr. Wen Song didn't like..."
Shen Mingzhu waited for him to finish with a smile on her face and then continued, "Really?"
"But." Shen Mingzhu sighed and looked at Liu Zhiyu. "I watched Mr. Wen Song paint this with my own eyes."
"What!" Liu Zhiyu looked surprised. He stared with wide eyes, and his already not - so - handsome face looked even more ferocious. "This... Mr. Wen Song has never shown up! Could it be someone pretending?"
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu laughed softly. She looked at him and said, "I think, for the time being, no one dares to deceive me."
As she said this, Xie Lang beside her almost coughed out.
[This... Is Shen Mingzhu lying for me?]
Shen Mingzhu continued to smile and said, "Of course, I won't lie to protect my husband - to - be."
As she said this, enjoying Liu Zhiyu's embarrassment, Shen Mingzhu added wickedly, "After all, there are countless calligraphy and paintings in the palace. In my private treasury, calligraphy and paintings from various dynasties are piled up like mountains. No matter how bad my taste is, I can still tell the real from the fake."
Saying this, Shen Mingzhu gave Xie Lang a meaningful look and said, "Right, Husband - to - be."
Xie Lang was suddenly mentioned and subconsciously nodded. But when he met Shen Mingzhu's eyes, a strange uneasiness welled up in his heart. He pursed his lips and avoided her gaze.
[What does Shen Mingzhu mean? It can't be...]
[Impossible. When I sold the calligraphy and paintings, it was three or five years ago. At that time, Shen Mingzhu was still playing with mud in the palace.]
Shen Mingzhu: "..."
She really wanted to throw Xie Lang and this Liu guy out!
Forcing herself not to roll her eyes, Shen Mingzhu said to Liu Zhiyu, "Since Mr. Liu doubts the authenticity of this calligraphy and painting, I'll take it back on behalf of my husband - to - be."
As she said this, the guard beside her received Shen Mingzhu's order and immediately stepped forward. He took the painting from Liu Zhiyu, who looked reluctant. There was a bit of contempt in his eyes.
No matter how stupid Liu Zhiyu was, he knew that the painting in his hand was a real one worth a fortune. So he felt heart - broken as if someone was cutting him with a knife. He even had a hard time breathing.
Seeing this, Liu's niece, who had been watching silently, subconsciously let out a sigh of relief and tightened the painting in her hand.
But unexpectedly, when she looked up, she saw Xie Lang looking at her. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Since that's the case, let's take Miss Liu's painting too. Don't let a painting ruin the harmony."
After saying that, Xie Lang continued to hold Shen Mingzhu's hand and said to everyone, "Then my Highness and I will go back first."
The people present had different expressions. Liu felt heart - broken, but thinking of her plan, she still endured the pain and went back to her room.
If Liu Zhiyu could hook up with the princess, wouldn't they be able to choose whatever they wanted from the treasury? If her niece could hook up with Xie Lang, they could coax him into squandering his wealth and make the general give up on him. Then the property of the general's mansion would be theirs!
Thinking like this, the pain on Liu's face eased a bit.
...
When they got back to their residence.
Shen Mingzhu poured a cup of tea, then sat down and quietly looked at Xie Lang. She asked, "Mr. Xie, do you have anything to say to me?"
Hearing this, Xie Lang's expression was blank for a moment. He avoided Shen Mingzhu's gaze, reached out to pour himself a cup of tea, and then continued, "What? Does Your Highness think I really bought a fake painting today?"
Seeing that he was still stubborn, Shen Mingzhu suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Mr. Xie."
Xie Lang looked up at her.
"I grew up in the palace. I don't like needlework but am fond of calligraphy and paintings. So I have a large collection in my private treasury and have my own way of appreciating them."
As Shen Mingzhu said this, she took a sip of the warm tea under Xie Lang's slightly nervous gaze. She pointed to the place where Xie Lang had painted the flower on her brow last time and just smiled without saying a word.