Chapter 371: Chapter 369: Cannot Tolerate Lu Ying Being Ambiguous with Another Woman
Shen Xinya faced Shen Yinning, struggling to suppress a sense of fear and dread.
Yet the thought of Lu Ying gave her a bit more courage.
Fortune favors the bold. As long as she could weather hardships with His Highness, surely he would not forget her loyalty when he rose again, right?
Thinking of this, she steeled herself and said, "As long as you spare His Highness, I am willing to do anything!"
Shen Yinning looked down at her, condescendingly.
The young girl wept pitifully, like flowers drenched in rain, as if she were more devastated by this than her father’s passing, playing the part of someone deeply devoted.
She said, "Oh? If I sent you to the kitchen as a maid, you’d agree? After all, Aunt Tao was once a kitchen maid herself. To follow in your mother’s footsteps—it couldn’t be more fitting."
She knew all too well the kind of person Shen Xinya was.
As a concubine-born daughter from her uncle’s household, she was often bullied by Mrs. Qin and Shen Yunxi.
Yet, with ambitions exceeding her station, Shen Xinya prided herself on mastering the arts—so sure of herself that she considered her talents equal to those of noble daughters from great families. Were it not for her mother’s low status and poor background holding her back, Xinya believed she could climb to the top, trample over Shen Yunxi and Shen Yinning underfoot.
In their childhood, Shen Xinya had accidentally shattered a vase that Mrs. Qin cherished. Seeing her cry pathetically, Shen Yinning had taken the blame on her behalf, even using her private stash to replace the vase with one of equal value.
On the surface, Shen Xinya had showered her with gratitude, but later she’d whispered to her loyal maid, calling her meddlesome like a dog chasing mice, flaunting her status as the Duke Mansion’s primary daughter to show off, and claiming her actions were mere charades to win others’ loyalty—to watch her yield lowly gratitude in return.
At that time, Shen Yinning had laughed aloud.
Afterward, whenever she encountered Shen Yunxi and Mrs. Qin bullying Xinya, she simply ignored it, never again helping this concubine-born cousin.
Shen Xinya wanted to rise in the world, but Shen Yinning was determined to make her do what she despised most—serving as a kitchen maid.
Shen Xinya’s face went pale, though no hand had struck her, her posture teetered as if she might collapse at any moment.
She bit her lip and glared fiercely at Shen Yinning.
Of course, her cousin knew how much she valued her dignity and how she loathed anyone mentioning her mother’s past as a kitchen maid. Yet Yinning had said it publicly, even using the term "follow in her footsteps"!
Her cheeks burned, her almond-shaped eyes flared with deep hatred, but outwardly, her expression remained fragile and pitiful, as if Yinning had viciously bullied her.
She said softly, "If it will calm my cousin’s temper, then I am willing to go to the kitchen as a maid."
Turning to Lu Ying, reluctant tears glittering in her eyes, she murmured, "Your Highness, please take care of yourself. I will come to see you later."
The summer sunlight was glaring.
After Xinya left, Shen Yinning glanced at Lu Ying, who had remained silent all along. She let out a cold snort: "Stay kneeling and reflect on yourself. When my mood improves, I’ll let you rise."
She unfolded a folding fan adorned with gold-hued patterns and strode lazily into the inner chambers.
Her sleep had been restless the previous night, so after flipping through a few pages of a book, she drifted off again.
Haitang carefully lowered the gauzy spring canopy over her, lit a freshly prepared lotus incense for the summer, and led the maids out of the room.
The afternoon sunlight grew hotter.
Haitang used a paper umbrella for shade as she approached Lu Ying, speaking anxiously in hushed tones, "The Commandery Princess is napping now. Why doesn’t Your Highness move to the side chamber to rest for a while?"
Lu Ying stared at the tightly shut lattice door.
No one knew what he was thinking, as he didn’t respond to Haitang.
Haitang dared to glance at his sharp, deep-set profile and shuddered in fear.
Both she and Wei Yu had served His Highness for many years and knew he wouldn’t so easily be dethroned. Surely he must have contingency plans.
If His Highness truly rose again someday, how could the delicate and pampered Commandery Princess withstand his revenge?
Having served Shen Yinning for a year, Haitang had developed sentiments for her mistress. She couldn’t help but defend her: "The Princess has always had the temperament of an eldest daughter. Over this past year, she’s been spoiled and indulged by His Highness. It’s not surprising she got angry after catching him involved with Miss Shen Yunxi... Your Highness, please don’t take it too personally."
Lu Ying remained expressionless.
The delicate shadows of his long lashes veiled most of his pupils, making his thoughts inscrutable.
His demeanor only heightened Haitang’s trembling anxiety—she had no idea what to do.
Noticing the whip marks crisscrossing his back, she said nothing more, but motioned for a young maid to fetch a cloak to cover him.
It wasn’t until the sun had dipped low that Shen Yinning finally woke from her nap.
Haitang attended her as she rinsed her mouth and freshened her face, carefully reminding her: "The Commandery Princess, His Highness is still kneeling outside..."
Shen Yinning combed her hair, her fingers casually smoothing loose strands. "I had him beaten and forced him to kneel. Did he complain?"
"...Not a single word from His Highness, and it’s been over an hour."
Shen Yinning let out a faint laugh.
As expected, Lu Ying was the brooding type—reserved and deep—a man who wouldn’t likely vent his discontent aloud.
"Still..." Haitang hesitated, "Princess, forgive my boldness, but I believe it’s better to leave some room for maneuver. If we push His Highness too far, and he truly does rise again someday, it might spell trouble for you. Even the smallest chance—this isn’t a gamble we can afford, is it?"
"What is there to fear?"
Shen Yinning stretched out her hand, and immediately a maid brought out a rose-infused towel to cleanse her fingers thoroughly.
Another stepped forward, using a cloth saturated with peach blossom and pearl lotion to gently pat her face and eyes.
Shen Yinning leaned back by the bedside, inhaling the sweet, intoxicating fragrance, speaking languidly, "Haitang, you wouldn’t understand. A man like him, even if he regains power, wouldn’t kill me. He’s too proud—kill a woman? That would offend his self-respect."
Haitang froze.
Thinking it over, she found it to be unexpectedly reasonable.
Wei Yu edged in, whispering to Haitang, "I get the feeling the Princess treats the Crown Prince like a dog she’s playing with. Let’s not worry ourselves unnecessarily."
Shen Yinning continued, "I’ve never liked his concubines filling up three palaces and six courtyards. Now that he’s mine, I won’t tolerate his dalliances with other women. Today was just a lesson—to remind him not to repeat such nonsense in the future. Men must be disciplined. Without it, they’ll never know where your boundaries lie."
By dusk, the sweltering heat of afternoon had faded, leaving the courtyard cooler.
Shen Yinning slipped into an emerald embroidered gauze robe and stepped out the door, where Lu Ying remained kneeling.
His lips were slightly chapped, likely having had no water. The golden peony tree’s shadows traced half his figure, and his peerlessly flawless features seemed broken, the light and shade giving him an unfamiliar vulnerability given his prisoner-like state.
As she watched, Cuicui entered to report, "Commandery Princess, the Princely Heir of the Prince Mansion has arrived!"
Lu Jiazhe strode over boldly, carrying a bamboo basket.
From a distance, the young man called out cheerfully, "Shen Sister, guess what good gift I’ve brought for—"
He froze mid-sentence, choking as if someone had clutched his throat upon seeing Lu Ying kneeling there.
Shen Yinning spoke leisurely, "What gift did you bring?"
Lu Jiazhe moved like he’d seen a ghost, deliberately steering far away from Lu Ying to approach Shen Yinning, lowering his voice: "Shen Sister, what’s going on with him?"