Duke Jing's younger sister

Leaving Xingping and Baozhu on the pleasure boat, Shen Li and Shen Zhiyan boarded the ferry together.

In a short while, he stepped onto the mahogany steps and boarded the royal ship.

Everyone followed the father-in-law's footsteps into the cabin, with Shen Li and Shen Zhiyan remaining at the end.

The cabin is spacious and bright, with exquisite carvings. The floor is covered with vermilion carpets, gauze curtains drag on the ground, and golden stoves emit smoke.

Behind the jade curtain on the right, a graceful woman sat on a round stool, holding a pipa between her legs, but she was not plucking the silver strings at this moment.

Crown Prince Xiao Wenhao is nearly thirty years old and is wearing a smoky gray brocade suit. As he has gained a little weight, his originally square face now appears rounder.

He sat in the middle of the ship's hall, facing north. On both sides were beautifully carved food tables, with delicious food and fine wines spread out.

Facing countless gazes from all around, Shen Li and Shen Zhiyan lowered their heads to look at the tips of the embroidered shoes, then followed Xiao Wenyuan's lead and bowed in salute.

As he bent over, Shen Li caught a glimpse of Shen Beiqi, who was sitting in the first seat to the left of the prince.

Today he was wearing a sky-blue round-necked robe embroidered with cloud patterns, and was sitting behind a desk.

Because he was slightly drunk, his pair of sparkling peach blossom eyes were misty, and when he looked at them, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"No need to be so polite," Crown Prince Xiao Wenhao asked everyone to stand up. He looked at Shen Zhiyan for a moment, then turned to Shen Beiqi and said,

"It's been so many years, and the little girl has grown up. Time really makes people grow old."

Shen Beiqi nodded and said, "My sisters are used to being free at home, and I am afraid that they will spoil your highness's interest. I will send someone to send them back to the palace first."

Xiao Wenhao waved his hand disapprovingly, "It's okay. I think they are both very well behaved. Besides, even if there is a mistake, why would I bother with a little girl?"

Shen Beiqi had a decent smile on his face, and his thoughts were racing.

I don't know why the prince invited his two sisters on board. Maybe it was accidental, or maybe it was deliberate. In any case, it was definitely not a good thing for the two of them to stay here for a long time.

But now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had said so, it would be inappropriate for him to insist on sending the two off the boat and offend the Crown Prince in front of everyone.

He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then waved to Shen Zhiyan and Shen Li.

"Then let them sit next to me so that I can keep an eye on them and prevent them from disturbing everyone's interest."

"It is rumored that Duke Shen loves your sister very much. It seems that what they say is true."

Xiao Wenhao joked, and the people on both sides responded. Shen Li and Shen Zhiyan bowed and sat next to Shen Beiqi.

Shen Zhiyan sat in the middle. The desk was very long, so the three of them didn't feel crowded sitting together.

The maid brought two sets of jade plates and silver chopsticks and stood quietly behind them.

Xiao Wenhao noticed the young man in red standing next to Xiao Wenyuan, as if he had never seen him before, and asked in confusion, "Who is this young man?"

Before Luo Cheng could reply, a man wearing a dark black robe with silver patterns stood up from behind the desk and said, "Your Highness, this man is my second younger brother, Luo Cheng."

The man who answered was named Luo Jue, the eldest son of Wenchang Marquis Luo Quanliang and the elder brother of Luo Rong.

"Luo Cheng?"

The prince thought about it for a moment. Luo Cheng is not yet twenty years old, while the prince is already thirty years old. His impression of him is really shallow.

Luo Cheng bowed and saluted, "I am Luo Cheng, and I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"No need to be polite. It's fate that we meet today. Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Everyone sat down again, and after the jade curtain was lowered, the woman plucked the strings of the zither again, her white fingertips dancing and flowing on the strings.

Several dancers walked lightly into the hall, saluted the prince, and waved their long sleeves in graceful dance moves, like colorful dancing butterflies.

Everyone listened to the music, watched the dance, and clinked glasses.

Different from the "falling jade flowers" just now which sounded like withered flowers, the sound of the pipa this time was like a drizzle. As the rhythm quickened, the drizzle turned into a rushing torrent, warm and exciting.

Although Shen Li doesn't know how to play the pipa, she likes to play it.

The pipa and the qin may seem different, but they are actually similar in that they both express emotions through music.

Shen Li raised her eyes to look at the woman behind the curtain. In this situation, the sound of her pipa was filled with unwillingness and anger. All the anger in her heart turned into rapid syllables, which made people feel excited.

The curtains were lightly drawn, and a woman in a pink dress was hanging on the scarlet carpet. Shen Li couldn't see her expression, but he vaguely felt that she was also looking at him.

The maid brought two bowls of icy pancakes with chopped hawthorn and glutinous rice balls in them. These were desserts specially made by the kitchen for Duke Jingguo's two sisters.

Shen Li glanced at Shen Beiqi. He had drunk a few more glasses of wine, but his face was not as flushed as the others. It was still fair and flawless. If it weren't for his bright and hazy eyes, she would have thought that he had just drunk water.

Shen Li stirred the icy crisp in front of him, lowered his head and was about to take a sip when the bowl in front of him was taken away by a big hand.

She was stunned, and before she could come to her senses, a bowl of hot chicken soup was placed in front of her.

Shen Beiqi whispered, "You can't eat that, eat this."

Shen Zhiyan looked at her brother in confusion and whispered, "Can I eat it?"

"can!"

Shen Zhiyan was even more puzzled, "Why?"

Shen Beiqi gave her a look, and Shen Zhiyan immediately shut her mouth and ate her bingsu lao obediently.

The hot steam of the chicken soup hit Shen Li's face. She was holding the spoon of the bingsu lao in her hand and didn't know whether to laugh or cry for a moment.

Xiao Wenhao sat at the top, and their table was closest to the prince's desk, so this little movement was easily caught by the prince.

He originally thought that she was just a stepsister, how could she be compared with his biological sister.

But from the details of their interactions, it can be seen that this sister-in-law also occupies a very important position in Shen Beiqi's heart.

The prince seemed to be thinking about something, his eyes turned slightly, and he looked at Shen Li carefully.

She is just a young girl who has not yet grown up. Her facial features are not particularly outstanding, but they are clean and soft. Her deer eyes are clear and bright. When she grows older and loses her childishness, she will become a beautiful woman with an unworldly temperament.

Xiao Wenyuan and Luo Cheng were sitting together. When he noticed that the Crown Prince at the top of the table kept his eyes on Shen Zhiyan, he became a little restless.

It was not uncommon for princes to win over court officials through marriage in order to fight for the throne.

Now that Duke Jingguo Shen Beiqi is in the limelight and holds military power, I'm afraid the three princes in the court are all eyeing him.

Could it be that the prince wants to take Shen Zhiyan as his concubine?

But the prince is almost thirty and Zhiyan has just turned sixteen, how can this be possible!

Xiao Wenyuan was about to stand up, but Luo Cheng quickly reached out and held his shoulder, "The prince is looking at Shen Li."

Xiao Wenyuan looked up and saw that the prince's gaze had already moved back to the dancer, as if the scene just now was just an illusion for him.

The prince is looking at Shen Li?