Chapter 1124 - Chapter 1124 Bring His Cousin Home
Chapter 1124 Bring His Cousin Home
Shao Wanru got on the sedan chair waiting for her outside the Palace gate, heading for Consort Lan’s Shuangxi Hall. Along the way, the road became more and more desolate, and they could barely see any palace servants in the end.
Finally, they arrived at the entrance of Shuangxi Hall.
Shao Wanru held Yujie’s hand and got out of the sedan chair. When she stood still, she frowned because she accidentally saw a familiar figure that seemed to be Shao Yanru.
A trace of deepness flashed across her watery eyes. Shao Yanru seemed to have noticed Consort Lan long ago. At that time, many people in the Palace didn’t even know about Consort Lan. How did Shao Yanru notice Consort Lan and see anything extraordinary in her?
“Who is it?” Shao Wanru asked.
Qing Mu, who came out to welcome her, looked in the direction pointed out by Shao Wanru and said with a smile, “Just a palace maid. There have been a lot of palace maids wandering around these days, but the guards drove all of them away!”
Hearing her words, Shao Wanru looked at the four guards at the gate.
She paused.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. My master has given the order. They won’t stop you!” Qing Mu smartly explained in time.
Shao Wanru fell silent for a moment before walking in slowly. It seemed that Consort Lan was much more powerful than she had imagined.
The four guards looked straight ahead and didn’t reach out to stop them. With Yujie, Shao Wanru entered the Shuangxi Hall, which was in the limelight.
The Shuangxi Hall’s layout was not magnificent. Many parts looked old and time-worn, but they were very clean. Consort Lan, sitting in the main hall, was in plain clothes as usual. They might not have guessed her identity if they hadn’t known it beforehand. Consort Lan was the most eye-catching consort for the time being.
After bowing to Consort Lan, Shao Wanru sat down beside her as she was told.
“I got you here today because I have something important to tell you. If I say anything inappropriate, please pardon me for Prince Chen’s sake.”
Consort Lan went straight to the point. Her words were very polite, but what she said afforded much food for reflection.
“Please go ahead, Your Grace!” Shao Wanru nodded and said.
“Go and ask cousin Miss to come here!” Consort Lan, revealing a smile, gave an order to Qing Mu.
Qing Mu hesitated for a moment but still entered the inner hall. After a while, she brought a beautiful girl into the hall.
She was about 17 or 18 years old, with a striking appearance as appealing as Shao Yanru. Shao Wanru had never seen this woman.
“Greetings, Aunt!” The woman called Yiyan gracefully stepped forward and gently bowed to her.
“Yiyan, come here. Greet Princess Chen!” Consort Lan said with a warm smile in her eyes.
“Greetings, Your Highness!” The woman turned around and bowed sideways to Shao Wanru, her watery eyes sparkling.
Shao Wanru nodded but said nothing in reply. Silently, she waited for Consort Lan to say something, with a trace of displeasure across her heart. Both the Empress Dowager and Consort Lan had a clear purpose: they all wanted to force Shao Wanru to take a few women back. But they would be Chu Liuchen’s consorts, so how could Shao Wanru accept them happily?
“Yiyan is the niece of my parents’ home and Prince Chen’s cousin. They used to play together when they were young. Later, my parents moved out of the capital. At that time, they felt so reluctant to part with each other that they hugged and cried together. In the end, they had no choice but to separate. After that, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye!”
Consort Lan let out a sigh.
Shao Wanru gently pinched the handkerchief in her hand and sneered in her heart. “She made it sound like they were two lovers who couldn’t see each other again. But actually, they were just two ignorant children. How could they have any affection between men and women? Clearly, this is an introduction to what follows.”
Although Chu Liuchen didn’t like Consort Lan and told Shao Wanru to stay away from her, Shao Wanru respected Consort Lan from the bottom of her heart. After all, she was Chu Liuchen’s aunt, an elder. Nevertheless, Shao Wanru was very displeased at this time.
“She has only been in the capital for a few days. In the past few days, I asked His Majesty for permission to let her live in my place for the time being. But as an unmarried young woman, it’s not appropriate for her to always live here. You take her back later and let her live in the Prince Chen’s Mansion for some time. It is not safe for a lonely girl to live outside.”
Consort Lan made arrangements with a smile. Her tender eyes fell on Qin Yiyan.
Shao Wanru was so annoyed that she almost laughed. It seemed that Consort Lan didn’t care whether she agreed or not. The Prince Chen’s Mansion would have to accept her niece. Cleverly, she made this request when Shao Wanru entered the Palace alone in case Chu Liuchen would refuse her.
She cringed before the strong and took advantage of the weak!
“Your Grace… I’m afraid I can’t do that…” Shao Wanru shook her head and refused, “The affairs in the mansion are all decided by His Highness. He has always liked peace and quiet. I won’t dare to disturb his peaceful life without his consent!”
Consort Lan’s smile froze on her face. She looked at Shao Wanru in astonishment, almost not believing that Shao Wanru would say these words to her.
Qin Yiyan’s face also flushed crimson with embarrassment, and tears welled up in her eyes. Yet, she could only bite her lip hard to stop herself from crying loudly. She looked so aggrieved.
The hurt look on her face convinced others that she chose not to argue even though she was deeply wronged. It proved that she was pretty tender and amiable.
It was the first time that Shao Wanru had seen a deep sense of grievance on someone else’s face. Even without saying a word, she made Shao Wanru an evildoer.
This woman was not simple!
“She can live in the most remote corner of your mansion. In this way, she won’t disturb you. I’m just worried about her safety as a young woman if she lives alone outside. No elder is accompanying her. Prince Chen is her cousin. Why can’t he do this small favor and let her live in your mansion for a few days?”
Consort Lan finally forced a smile, but her words showed she was unhappy. She was virtually scolding Shao Wanru.
“Your Grace, I can’t make the decision!” Shao Wanru lowered her head, neither haughty nor humble.
“You…” Consort Lan exploded with rage.
“Aunt, please calm down. Don’t be angry. If you fall ill out of anger, I will blame myself. I will rent a courtyard outside, so you don’t have to bother my cousin and cousin-in-law!” Qin Yiyan answered in a soft voice. Walking behind Consort Lan, she gently patted her on the back and comforted her.
Consort Lan pursed her lips and stopped talking. After a long time, she said slowly, “I know Prince Chen bears ill feelings toward me, but we’re related by blood. How could I hurt him? His cousin has no place to live now. Even the Emperor would allow her to live in the Prince Chen’s Mansion!”
Shao Wanru’s heart skipped a beat. They seemed well-prepared for this. If even the Emperor agreed, it would be difficult for her to refuse, and it would be useless to let Chu Liuchen decide.
If what Consort Lan said was true, her niece just needed to stay for a short period. There was no excuse for them to refuse such a small request.
“Why did you come to the capital city alone, Miss Qin?” Shao Wanru asked softly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her.
“I missed my aunt. I haven’t seen her for a long time, and I specially came to see her in the capital city!” Qin Yiyan withdrew her expression of grievance and even managed to put up a faint smile on her face. Although her smile was crooked, it genuinely showed she didn’t care about Shao Wanru’s refusal.
But how could she take no notice of it? Who wouldn’t mind when being despised in public? In particular, she was just a young girl.
But only such a lady could be more reassuring.
Consort Lan nodded secretly, thinking highly of her niece. Of course, she was partial to her niece. In the beginning, Qin Yiyan was going to get engaged to Chu Liuchen, but after so many changes, this matter was left unsettled.
This time, she brought Qin Yiyan to the capital city, not just because she wanted to see her. Most importantly, Consort Lan wanted her niece to marry into the Prince Chen’s Mansion. Thus, they should be more careful, especially at such a critical time.
After so many years, she knew pretty well Chu Liuchen’s character. He would ignore her if she asked him to take Qin Yiyan away. Therefore, she thought of starting with Shao Wanru, but it had never occurred to her that Shao Wanru would dare to refuse her on the spot. Consort Lan felt terribly ashamed.
She could do nothing about Chu Liuchen, but it was Shao Wanru who stood before her. She simply couldn’t believe that Shao Wanru bluntly refused her!
“Your Highness, if I can stay in the Prince Chen’s Mansion for the time being, I will be deeply grateful to you and my cousin!” Qin Yiyan said and looked at Shao Wanru with a little expectation in her eyes. If Shao Wanru refused her again, others would think she was going too far.
“Princess Chen, let Yiyan live in your mansion for the time being. If you can’t accept it, she can move out after finding a place in a few days!” Consort Lan said.
Shao Wanru’s eyes flashed as she came up with an idea. Since the Emperor had already agreed, Chu Liuchen would appear heartless if he vehemently opposed it. After all, this “cousin” looked gentle and sensible.
Female cousins always liked to live in their male cousins’ mansions.
Other mansions had elders, while the Prince Chen’s Mansion was under the charge of Prince Chen.
“In that case, Miss Qin, please follow me back to our mansion!” Shao Wanru stood up, bowed sideways to Consort Lan, and said goodbye, “I sat with Imperial Grandmother in the Palace of Benevolent Peace for some time. Now, I feel tired and want to return with Miss Qin early. Please forgive me, Your Grace.”
Seeing that Shao Wanru had agreed, Consort Lan smiled and nodded gently. “Then, go back home early. You haven’t yet fully recovered. I didn’t consider it thoroughly. Qing Mu, walk Princess Chen out!”
Princess Chen seemed not bad. In fact, Consort Lan had other plans, but she couldn’t tell Princess Chen about them. After all, she was still young, so Consort Lan didn’t trust her very much. To avoid causing unnecessary trouble, it was better not to make it clear how to say something and how to take action. The Imperial Palace was full of ears and eyes.
She would feel the most relieved to see her niece move into the Prince Chen’s Mansion!
Consort Lan thought about it happily, so she asked Qing Mu to send Shao Wanru out, beaming with delight.
Shao Wanru came over only with her servant but returned with a Young Lady and her servant. When they entered the Prince Chen’s Mansion from the side door, Qin Yiyan, who had been following her silently, suddenly let out a cry with a thump…