Duke Jing's younger sister

Xiao Wencong's personal bodyguard Ye Qi hurried up to the pavilion and reported in a low voice, "Master, the Crown Prince is here."

"Prince?" Luo Jue asked in surprise, "Why is the prince here?"

Shen Beiqi's pupils turned slightly, "How long will it take?"

"We have already reached Xing'anfang. It will take us about a cup of tea to get there."

In the flower hall, Shen Lian sat behind the desk.

The meals have been taken away and replaced with refreshing fruits and digestive hawthorn tea.

Shen Li was sitting near the door, and Shen Beiqi saw her as soon as he entered.

At this moment, she returned to her usual well-behaved and sensible appearance, completely different from the lively and agile Shen Li in the garden just now.

Ren Jiaorui's eyes lit up when she saw Shen Beiqi, but when she saw that he stared at Shen Li as soon as he entered the room and didn't even look at her, she felt uncomfortable.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived——"

A sharp and loud voice sounded.

Then, a bright yellow figure strode into the flower hall. The guests who were just chatting and drinking suddenly became quiet and stood up to greet.

"Meet His Highness the Crown Prince."

Xiao Wenhao took a few steps forward and helped Old Lady Luo to her feet. "Old Lady, please stand up quickly. You are the birthday girl today. How can you bow to me? Everyone, please stand up."

"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Shen Li stood up along with everyone else in the hall. The prince had not yet taken his seat, so she had no choice but to stand there and wait like everyone else.

"Brother Imperial——"

Xiao Wencong walked forward with a smile, his steps were slightly unsteady, but his eyes were clean and clear, like a young boy who was ignorant of the world.

"Brother, you didn't tell me that you were coming. If I had known, I would have come with you...hiccup..."

Xiao Wencong burped, and the prince frowned slightly and said, "Third brother, how much wine did you drink to get so drunk? How can you be so rude at the old lady's birthday banquet?"

Luo Jue stood aside with a serious expression, and hurriedly bowed, saying, "It is an honor for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Third Prince to visit my humble home. It would be the best if they could have a great time. How can it be said to be impolite?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Wenchang Marquis Luo Quanliang responded, "Since Your Highness the Crown Prince is here, please take a seat!"

Xiao Wenhao laughed loudly twice, "How can this be possible? The protagonist today is Old Lady Luo, how can I steal the show?"

Despite being repeatedly urged to do so by Old Lady Luo and Luo Quanliang, Xiao Wenhao insisted on taking a seat behind an empty table at the men's table, which happened to be next to Shen Beiqi's.

Crown Prince Xiao Wenhao has always had a reputation for being kind and benevolent to everyone, but Shen Li was unable to guess how much truth and falsehood there was in this reputation.

That day on the pleasure boat, she heard with her own ears that the prince was having sex with Linlang... At that time, he not only whipped Linlang with a whip, but also laughed and roared like a wild beast.

Whenever she thought of that voice, she always felt terrified.

When she saw the smile as warm as spring breeze on the prince's face at this moment, she felt it was extremely ironic.

However, what kind of person the prince is has nothing to do with her.

Come to think of it, how many people in this world can truly get rid of the false and retain the true, and live freely and openly?

In order to survive in the Shen Mansion, she had to be humble and submissive, let alone people like the Crown Prince and the Third Prince who were so high and mighty.

If they are not careful and lose their sense of proportion, they will be imprisoned and their heads will be chopped off.

"The third young lady of the Shen family?"

A gentle call brought Shen Li back to her senses. When she realized it was the prince calling her, she quickly stood up.

"Yes, my sister is here."

"Come here." The prince waved at her with a smile through the gauze curtain as thin as a cicada's wing.

Shen Li glanced at Yang who was sitting in the front. Yang looked at Shen Li deeply and nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.

She took a deep breath, walked around the veil, stopped a few steps away from the prince's desk, bowed, and said, "May your highness be well."

"I heard that you just played the piece "Wild Goose Flying over the Plain Sands". The sound of the piano was lingering and the whole palace was filled with fragrance. I wonder if I could have the pleasure of hearing it and ask Miss Shen San to play it again?"

Xiao Wenhao's eyes were calm, without any emotion, and he looked at her.

But Shen Li was inexplicably frightened. She always felt that beneath those seemingly calm eyes, there was a vicious and ruthless mind like a poisonous snake, as if it wanted to hold her tightly.

When she was thinking about how to refuse appropriately but not excessively, Shen Beiqi spoke first.

"Your Highness, the Jinghong Qin was given by the late emperor. In order to prevent any mishaps due to the large number of people involved today, I have sent someone to send the Qin back to the palace first."

The implication is that the Jinghong Qin has been sent away and there is no need to play it again.

Xiao Wenhao remained calm and smiled, "No problem, Old Lady Luo has always loved the zither, so how come Jinghong is the only good zither in the mansion?"

He turned his gaze towards Wenchang Marquis Luo Quanliang, "Lord Luo, are there any other zithers in your mansion that you can lend to Miss Shen San?"

"Yes, yes, I will send someone to get it right away." Luo Quanliang hurriedly agreed.

With his hands hanging at his sides and clenched into fists, Shen Beiqi's face was solemn, and a hint of coldness appeared in his peach blossom eyes.

Luo Jue gave Shen Beiqi a calming look and whispered something to the servant behind him.

Xiao Wencong was lying on the table, snoring loudly.

No matter how careless Luo Cheng was, he could sense that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

Thinking back to the last time in the pleasure boat, when the prince stared at Shen Li with a covetous look, Luo Cheng understood instantly and became worried about Shen Li for a moment.

The prince wanted to win over Shen Beiqi, and marriage was the simplest and most permanent way.

It’s a pity that the crown prince is about to be appointed as an adult, and the Eastern Palace already has a crown princess named Lin.

Moreover, Shen Zhiyan, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, is only sixteen years old, and her grandfather is Taifu Yang, who will definitely not agree to Shen Zhiyan entering the Eastern Palace as a concubine.

Even though the prince had the intention, he had no way to do it, because if he was not careful he would end up making things worse and offend both the Shen and Yang families.

But Shen Li is different. She is just an adopted daughter. Thanks to the Shen family, it is a great blessing for her to be admitted into the Eastern Palace.

Thinking of this, Shen Li felt that she couldn't play the piano today, and didn't want to play it!

Yang on the other side was also a little horrified. Could it be that the prince had fallen in love with Shen Li?

But Shen Li is no longer a virgin. If she is taken into the Eastern Palace, she will certainly be examined by the nanny. At that time, Shen Li's embarrassing stories will be made public, and the Shen family will inevitably be criticized.

Zhiyan's marriage with the Rui Wang family has been agreed upon, and nothing can go wrong during this period!

Yang was thinking in her heart that she had to quickly find someone to marry Shen Li off. This matter could not be delayed even for a day, the sooner the better!

"Miss Shen San?" Seeing that she remained silent, Xiao Wenhao asked again, "Would you like to play another song for me?"

Just as Shen Beiqi was about to explode, Luo Jue on the other side grabbed his arm and applied a little force.

Shen Li chuckled, "If Your Highness the Crown Prince is interested in this, I will definitely serve you."

She bowed slightly and returned to her seat.

"Purple Iris..."

When Zi Yuan heard Shen Li calling her softly, she was stunned. The girl had left her here all day and hadn't said a word to her.

She hurried forward, and Shen Li asked, "Tell me, can I still trust you?"