Chapter 16: Shen’s Best Wishes for Master Pei and His Wife’s Everlasting Harmony

On this side, Shen Luchu and Princess Wenhe had crossed the Imperial Garden. As Shen Luchu gazed at the palace in the distance, a puzzled expression appeared on her face.

Ahead was not the Imperial Study, but the Changchun Palace of Concubine Lan.

Princess Wenhe said, “His Majesty has just finished his court session and should be dealing with state affairs. Let’s first pay a visit to Concubine Lan.”

Shen Luchu furrowed her brows tightly.

Princess Wenhe had always prided herself on her royal bloodline and looked down on military officers of humble origins. She had no past dealings with Concubine Lan in her youth, so why was she going to visit her today?

Shen Luchu didn’t need to think hard to understand her mother’s intentions.

The first prince had died young, leaving the Eastern Palace vacant. Among the many princes, the most likely to take over the Eastern Palace were the third prince, born of Concubine Jiang, and the fifth prince, born of Concubine Lan.

Ten years ago, after the death of the Jiang couple in battle, the northwest army was taken over by Concubine Lan’s older brother, Lu Feng.

After taking command, Lu Feng drove the enemy back a thousand miles, becoming famous in one battle. He had since continued to lead the army in the northwest.

The Emperor highly valued the Lu family, and Concubine Lan was dominant in the harem, so the fifth prince naturally had many supporters.

However, Shen Luchu had interacted with the fifth prince before and found him to be mediocre, indulgent, and combative. He was unlikely to hold great responsibility.

In contrast, the third prince, Xie Jinghuai, was young, a skilled leader, brave, and had both civil and military talents. He had the bearing of a former Grand General of the nation, receiving praise wherever he went, whether in the north or southwest. His reputation was excellent.

His only disadvantage was that the Jiang family was weak, and the third prince had always been away from the capital, so he had little influence in the capital.

The two princes each had their own strengths, and the Emperor, wise and far-sighted, had not yet decided who would succeed the throne.

At such a time, it was clearly more prudent not to pick sides than to make a choice.

Shen Luchu stopped in her tracks and said, “Your Majesty is most wary of factionalism. Mother should not be too closely involved with the Lu family.”

Princess Wenhe smiled and replied, “Mother is a princess, a member of the royal family. We are all family with Concubine Lan, so how can this be considered forming factions?”

Shen Luchu’s face darkened. She didn’t need to think hard to know that her mother didn’t understand—Ning Wang Manor was gone, and her title of princess was just an honorary one. What allowed her to stand firm in the capital now was the Marquis of Wenyuan’s house!

She was the wife of the Marquis of Wenyuan, and every action she took now represented the whole household.

“Father said before that the Shen family only serves as loyal ministers, solely loyal to His Majesty.”

When her son mentioned her husband’s name, Princess Wenhe finally stopped insisting.

“Then let’s go to the Imperial Study. I brought your essay. Your royal uncle will surely praise you when he sees it,” Princess Wenhe said as she changed the subject.

Shen Luchu’s face turned cold instantly. “Mother, have you gone into my study again and gone through my things?”

Princess Wenhe wasn’t bothered. “Don’t worry, son. I won’t harm you. I’ve already shown your essay to a few of the grand scholars. I specially picked out two pieces that were well-written. His Majesty will praise you when he sees them.”

Shen Luchu froze. “I don’t want praise. Mother, could you please stop going into my study and going through my things?”

“Of course,” Princess Wenhe readily agreed.

Shen Luchu felt a slight relief but then heard Princess Wenhe continue, “Then don’t interact with Jiang Shiyuan. She doesn’t deserve to enter the Shen family’s gates, nor does she deserve to be the daughter-in-law of a princess. The Minister of Personnel’s daughter is more suitable for us. I’ve set my sights on Miss Su; you should get along with her.”

Shen Luchu didn’t understand why Princess Wenhe suddenly brought up Jiang Shiyuan when they were talking about something else.

What he wanted was just a little bit of freedom. What did Jiang Shiyuan have to do with this?

He looked up at his mother. “Is it that everything I want comes with conditions? Must I pay a price first? Otherwise, I’ll be considered disobedient or unfilial?”

Princess Wenhe didn’t think she was wrong when faced with her son’s resentful gaze. “Be obedient, son. I’m doing this for your good. You’ll thank me in the future.”

“Mother, I want to go back to my study to review my books. If you like your royal uncle’s praise, you can go listen to it yourself,” Shen Luchu said, his expression turning stern as he turned to leave, not caring about how pale Princess Wenhe’s face had turned.

This was the first time Shen Luchu had so strongly resisted his mother.

He didn’t know why, but he had always been filial, and yielding to Princess Wenhe had become a habit. Today, however, he felt inexplicably irritated, and Jiang Shiyuan’s face kept appearing in his mind.

Whenever he was in a bad mood, Jiang Shiyuan would always be there, trying to make him laugh.

She was patient and thoughtful, always shifting his focus before his brow even furrowed.

To cheer him up, Jiang Shiyuan would even go so far as to make herself look silly.

What girl didn’t love looking beautiful?

But Jiang Shiyuan was willing to paint her face into a mess just to make him smile.

Had he been too harsh?

As he left, he had specifically instructed Moyu not to let Jiang Shiyuan in if she came looking for him, and not to pay attention to her.

Had Jiang Shiyuan already been stopped at the gates of the Marquis of Wenyuan’s house by now?

Suddenly, Shen Luchu felt a pang of unease and quickened his pace.

“Grand Tutor, have you seen a tabby cat?”

Shen Luchu was walking swiftly, when suddenly he heard a clear, pleasant voice coming from a flower bed nearby.

He stopped in his tracks.

It could have been a hallucination the first time, but now it had happened again.

The voice was not far off, and he could clearly tell it was Jiang Shiyuan’s voice.

Had Jiang Shiyuan followed him into the palace since she knew he had entered?

Shen Luchu thought for a moment and found it very likely.

Earlier, when he was in a bad mood and went to a country estate to clear his head, even Zhou Jingshen couldn’t find him, but Jiang Shiyuan had braved heavy snow and climbed over mountains to find him.

She was always watching over him like a shadow.

Since she had followed him into the palace, he might give her a chance to apologize. If she admitted her mistake and had a good attitude, he might consider lifting the punishment.

Shen Luchu thought about it and walked towards the flower bed, his pace lightening.

As he turned the corner, he saw a hibiscus tree, and his steps suddenly stopped.

Beneath the hibiscus, Pei Che stood tall, holding a bunch of bright flowers in his arms.

The soft pink flowers were in stark contrast to his purple robe and his aloof, noble demeanor.

As if he had heard Shen Luchu’s footsteps, Pei Che raised his gaze.

Shen Luchu had always regarded Pei Che as a rival, quietly competing with him. But every time he met Pei Che, he had to admit that Pei Che carried an aura that he couldn’t replicate, one that commanded respect without a word, making people unwilling to act rashly and even feel a sense of reverence.

It was the unique posture of someone in power.

Shen Luchu was astonished. It was truly a surprise to see Pei Che standing alone here, holding a bunch of flowers in his hands.

How strange!

Shen Luchu cupped his hands and greeted him, “Grand Tutor.”

Pei Che nodded, as if he could see through his confusion and said, “I’m here to pick some flowers with my wife.”

Shen Luchu was stunned. “Has Master Pei married?”

Pei Che replied, “Sort of. We’ll marry at the beginning of next month.”

Shen Luchu looked at Pei Che’s cold brows, which softened instantly, and he could hear the different tone of joy in his voice.

So it wasn’t Pei Ziye who emptied Baiwei Restaurant that day, but Pei Che.

Shen Luchu was even more astonished, and a trace of disdain appeared in his heart.

Pei Che wasn’t so exceptional after all.

Everyone had elevated him to the status of a shining moon, but now he had fallen for a woman like an inexperienced fool.

Still, Shen Luchu was curious—what kind of woman could make Pei Che so enamored?

Pei Che was handsome, and many people in the capital admired him, including daughters of noble families and aristocratic young ladies. Over the years, no one had ever seen Pei Che show interest in anyone. Everyone had thought that he would live a solitary life, but now, out of nowhere, he was getting married.

Shen Luchu suppressed his curiosity and said politely, “Then I, Shen, wish Master Pei and his wife a lifetime of happiness.”

Pei Che nodded again, simply responding, “We will.”

He didn’t seem to want to continue the conversation.

Shen Luchu, feeling somewhat awkward, cupped his hands again and turned to leave.

As he stepped out from behind the flower wall, a graceful figure emerged from the other side of the wall.