Chapter 73

The reason for being summoned to the palace was obvious – it was for the matter of the Second Imperial Princess’s rebellion. Shen Yao Xing had made great contributions, so naturally she wouldn’t miss out on receiving rewards for entering the palace.

It’s just that she wasn’t interested.

After going through the process of commendation, the aging Holy One, seeing her absent-minded, very good-naturedly allowed her to leave the Imperial Study Room first, while Mother Shen still had to stay behind to discuss state affairs.

Without a token, she couldn’t leave the palace, so Shen Yao Xing simply decided to take a stroll around the vicinity. Who knew that after just turning two corners, her leg would be bumped by an unknown object.

She looked down and saw a small boy dressed in luxurious and exquisite clothes.

The little boy seemed to have been hurt by the collision. He covered his forehead, glaring up at her with reddened eyes, his voice milky and childish, “How dare you! Where did you come from, you lowly maid? You hurt this prince, this prince will have Mother Empress punish you!”

Despite having chubby pink cheeks, he was trying to put on a fierce look with furrowed brows and glaring eyes. The contrast was truly laughable.

Shen Yao Xing did laugh, crossing her arms and looking down at him from above, “You were the one who ran into me. I haven’t even said I’d report you yet.”

The little boy clearly hadn’t expected her to talk back. His reddened eyes widened even more, his puffed-up cheeks flushing with anger. He raised his little hand, pointing at her, “You’re so bold! Do you know who this prince is? This prince will have Mother Empress punish you right now!”

“Oh, go ahead then.” Shen Yao Xing shrugged, showing no fear at all.

The little boy’s cheeks puffed out even more in anger, his round eyes staring straight at her.

The palace servants chasing after the boy finally caught up, panting as they gathered around him trying to please him. When they noticed there was another person, they were startled for a moment, but after recognizing her, they bowed in greeting.

The Shen family’s daughter was quite well-known in the palace, firstly for her face, and secondly because of the Second Imperial Princess’s usurpation attempt. It was said that the Shen family’s daughter had made significant contributions in this matter. Rich, powerful, and with such looks, naturally many men had their eyes on her.

Even the palace servants who often stayed in the palace were no exception.

Shen Yao Xing didn’t know their thoughts, otherwise she would probably have a black face. After all, the one who deserved the most credit for going to the border to invite the Great General was Bai Sha. At most, she had only participated.

Seeing his own palace servants bowing to the person in front of him, the little boy became even more displeased, “Who allowed you to bow to her? This prince will punish you!”

Instantly, the palace servants fell to their knees, mumbling “Thirteenth Prince, please spare us,” while the boy tilted his little head high, unmoved.

That bratty appearance made Shen Yao Xing’s fists itch.

She half-crouched to be at eye level with him, speaking in a negotiating tone: “This has nothing to do with them. How about this, you were hurt just now when you bumped into me, so I’ll let you punch me once to make it even. Then you won’t give them a hard time, okay?”

“Hmph,” the little boy put his hands on his hips, turning his head away arrogantly to indicate refusal.

“Two punches?”

“Hmph.”

“Alright, at most three punches.”

“Hmph.”

“Five punches. If you don’t hit me, I’m leaving.” After saying this, Shen Yao Xing stood up, making as if to leave.

“Wait!”

Shen Yao Xing turned back.

The little boy looked reluctant, but finally nodded his arrogant little chin, “This prince wants to use not just hands but feet too.”

“Alright.”

The boy was quite honest. He really did use both hands and feet. Those five hits on Shen Yao Xing were neither painful nor itchy, but he himself worked up quite a sweat.

“Are you done? Then you have to keep your word. I’m leaving now.” Shen Yao Xing said and was about to walk around him.

“Stop right there!” The little boy shouted in his childish voice, spreading his arms like a butterfly to block her way. He tilted his white and tender little face up, “Which family’s young lady are you? Tell this prince. When this prince gets bored, I’ll have Mother Empress summon you to the palace to play with this prince.”

Shen Yao Xing snorted with laughter. It had always been others accompanying her to play, when had it ever been her turn to accompany others?

“Not interested. Go play by yourself.”

The little boy’s face turned red with frustration. He pitter-pattered over to block her way again, his face full of stubbornness, “If you don’t tell this prince, this prince will… this prince will punish them again!”

The young girl’s face suddenly turned cold. The boy felt a bit scared, but then thinking that this was the imperial palace, he puffed out his little chest again.

Shen Yao Xing squinted her eyes as she looked him over. Suddenly, a mischievous idea flashed in her mind, and the corners of her lips curled up in a wicked smile, “Little prince, do you want to fly?”

“Wh-what?” The boy blinked his eyes.

“Didn’t you say you wanted me to play with you? How about I take you flying?”

“Flying……” This word was very fresh to the boy. A pair of moist eyes sparkled with light.

“Mm-hmm, it’s very fun.” Shen Yao Xing enticed him by his ear.

“Okay! This prince wants to fly!”

No sooner said than done. Shen Yao Xing didn’t give him time for mental preparation. She grabbed him by the back of his collar, lifting him up. Her knees bent slightly before suddenly leaping up, directly jumping to the treetop. Her toes lightly touched as she flew a circle around the area at extremely high speed. When she landed, the person in her hand still couldn’t react for a long time.

His hair was blown into a mess, his clothes and head were stuck with a few leaves, his eyes were blank. It took a while before his pupils moved in response, and his little mouth pouted.

“Waaaaaaah!!!” The little boy cried uncontrollably.

Shen Yao Xing finally couldn’t help but burst out laughing. The crying and laughing mixed together, giving others a headache.

After teaching the little brat a lesson, Shen Yao Xing was in a very good mood. She even accepted Mother Shen’s scolding with a smile when leaving the palace. That smile was still on her face until she entered the Yin mansion.

“Did you encounter something interesting?” Jiang Ming Yue lowered his eyes, his long fingers plucking the strings of the zither in front of him.

Shen Yao Xing thought of that little brat who had cried his heart out again, and couldn’t help but laugh as she lay down on the cushion, “Hahaha, it was quite interesting.”

Jiang Ming Yue lifted his eyelids slightly to glance at the girl with a face full of smiles. His thin lips were slightly pursed, his picturesque eyebrows and eyes showing a hint of coolness.

His slender jade-like fingers danced on the zither strings. Beautiful and refreshing melodies drifted out, carrying lingering, intricate emotions and a faint trace of melancholy.

Unfortunately, Shen Yao Xing didn’t understand its artistic conception. She only knew it sounded wonderfully good.

She sat cross-legged with her chin propped on her hand. It wasn’t until the piece ended that she sighed, “You play so beautifully!”

She used to be very interested in musical instruments. Before her rebirth in the modern world, she didn’t have the chance to learn. After being reborn in this place, Mother Shen wouldn’t let her touch these things, either making her study writing or practice martial arts.

Jiang Ming Yue pressed his hand on the zither and remained silent for a moment. Suddenly, he stood up, walked around the zither table, and knelt down on the cushion next to the young girl. His beautiful eyes were filled with autumn ripples, his thin lips that had been slightly pursed slowly moved, “When do you plan to talk to Madam Shen about our matter?”

“Our matter?” Shen Yao Xing blinked.

Jiang Ming Yue stared straight at her, “The matter of our marriage.”

Oh right, Shen Yao Xing propped her head with one hand, chewing on the apple in her hand while looking at him, her voice a bit muffled: “Are you in a hurry?”

Her words had no teasing intent at all, she was purely curious and asking.

Jiang Ming Yue’s face turned red, his eyes flickering. When he looked at her again, his gaze was even more resentful. His slightly reddened lips were pursed again and again, his tone accusing, “You promised me.”

Shen Yao Xing nodded frankly, “I know. If you’re in a hurry, I’ll tell my mother later.”

Jiang Ming Yue’s tense nerves relaxed, a brilliant smile appeared on his lips. His gaze looking at her was as sticky as ink. He stretched out his long arm to grab her sleeve, his fingers gradually tightening, his voice soft and gentle: “Then you must remember.”

Every time at this moment, Shen Yao Xing felt a bit novel. She used to hate it most when men acted coquettishly with her, but now not only did she not dislike it, she even found it pleasing to the eye.

Perhaps it was because the difference in the man’s personality before and after was too great, this sense of contrast was strangely strong.

Shen Yao Xing suddenly felt like teasing him. She looked at him without blinking and said with a grin: “What if I don’t remember?”

Jiang Ming Yue’s smile instantly faded. He lowered his chin slightly, his long and dense eyelashes casting shadows under his eyes, concealing all expressions. However, his fingers never let go of her sleeve. His tone was calm, “Then I will go and speak personally.”

A heavy, depressing aura enveloped his entire being, and the originally harmonious atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

Shen Yao Xing hurriedly waved her hand, not daring to joke anymore, “I was just kidding earlier, don’t be angry…”

Jiang Ming Yue’s fingers gripping her sleeve tightened slightly, his eyes deep, “I don’t like this kind of joke.”

“Then, then I won’t say it in the future.”

“Mm.”

The scene fell into silence, a subtle sense of ambiguity twining between the two.

Shen Yao Xing glanced at the person beside her and quickly looked away, then after a moment, her eyeballs uncontrollably glanced over again and then moved away. This repeated back and forth made her palms hot and her gaze fluttering.

Jiang Ming Yue didn’t speak, nor did he take the initiative. However, those eyes of his were like hooks, filled with inviting intentions. His slightly reddened lips were also moistened by his light licking, as if waiting for someone to taste.

Shen Yao Xing’s heart pounded as she watched. She felt her thoughts were very strange, as if she was about to be assimilated by this world.

To alleviate this discomfort, she tugged at her sleeve and muttered softly, “Don’t pull anymore, it’ll be ruined if you keep pulling…”

The hand gripping her sleeve paused, then, as if annoyed, pulled hard. There was a “rip” sound, and a small tear appeared in the sleeve.

“Hey,” Shen Yao Xing glared at him, but the man still lowered his eyes, looking extremely easy to bully.

Seeing this made Shen Yao Xing’s hand itch. She couldn’t resist pinching his white and tender face, and then that spot turned red. She awkwardly chuckled a couple of times, her fingers embarrassedly brushing over that reddened area.

The man finally looked up, his eyes brimming with autumn water, like those rippling lake waters, seeming both coquettish and infatuated, moist and watery, completely different from the cold and unfeeling Jiang Ming Yue of usual.

Shen Yao Xing swallowed, as if bewitched, staring in a daze.

Then she propped herself up and slowly leaned over tentatively. Jiang Ming Yue slightly tilted his head to accept her, his half-open eyes full of the young girl’s image.

As soon as their lips touched, it became unstoppable. Shen Yao Xing bit and nibbled on him, then fiercely explored inside.

“…Mmm…” Jiang Ming Yue let out a light moan, obediently closing his eyes.

Shen Yao Xing seemed to have lost her reason. When she came to her senses, the man was already lying on the ground, his face flushed as he panted, his misty eyes gazing at her dazedly, soft and helpless, presenting an appearance of being at her mercy.

Her face instantly turned bright red, and she hurriedly got up, “S-sorry!”

Thinking again, she quickly pulled him up as well, flustered as she helped smooth out his disheveled clothes, “I lost my head just now, I didn’t mean to…”

Jiang Ming Yue’s breath was still uneven, his eyes misty with moisture. He opened his swollen red lips that had been nibbled on, “It’s alright… After all, I will be yours in the future.”

Shen Yao Xing felt even more guilty and didn’t dare to look at him. She bit her lip and said firmly, “I’ll talk to Mother about our marriage as soon as I get back.”

The corners of Jiang Ming Yue’s mouth turned up, and he nodded, giving a soft response.

Shen Yao Xing kept her word. As soon as she returned to the Shen mansion, she ran to Mother Shen’s study. She sat down on a chair and brought up the matter between her and Jiang Ming Yue.

Mother Shen was unexpectedly calm. Not only did she agree, but she also quickly picked auspicious dates for the betrothal gifts and the wedding, leaving Shen Yao Xing stunned.

“Mother, you didn’t already know about this, did you?”

“Know about what?” Mother Shen didn’t even raise her head.

“Know that Jiang Ming Yue is actually Young Master Yin.” Otherwise, how could she agree so readily.

“Mm.”

Shen Yao Xing left the study feeling dejected, but then she thought that this was actually convenient, and her steps became light again.

At night, not long after Shen Yao Xing had just finished bathing, there was a knock on her door.

She went to open the door holding a storybook, but before she could clearly see who it was, she frowned at the strong smell of alcohol that assailed her nostrils.