Chapter 336: Chapter 334: I Hate Being Used the Most
18th Street, Tianxiang Pavilion.
Ever since Jade Hall was burned down, Tianxiang Pavilion had become the most prestigious restaurant in the Capital. Tonight, the lantern festival was especially lively; inside, tens of thousands of golden lanterns illuminated the interior, while outside, vibrant red palace lanterns hung from the eaves, all glowing bright.
Shen Xinghan received the news while he was already with Lu Ying and Xue Ling, sharing drinks in a private suite on the top floor.
He pushed open half of the floral-carved window and glanced at the bustling street below.
Sure enough, Shen Yunxi’s carriage was parked at the street corner, and poking her head out the window suspiciously and furtively looking around was none other than the maid Lian Ye.
As Lian Ye hopped off the carriage and skulked towards Tianxiang Pavilion like a thief, Shen Xinghan’s face visibly darkened.
Sometimes he wondered if his mother had mistakenly raised the placenta instead of his sister Shen Yunxi after giving birth, because how else could she be so utterly foolish?
Suspecting the Crown Prince and Xue Ling of having an affair—he truly had no idea where she got such absurd notions from.
Xue Ling propped his chin, watching him with a half-smile: "Brother Shen, what are you observing?"
Though they both worked under Lu Ying, Xue Ling and Shen Xinghan didn’t get along well; Xue Ling always found Shen Xinghan insufferably hypocritical.
Shen Xinghan closed the carved window panel. "Nothing. I’ve just received word. Yan Zheming’s pleasure barge has already sailed to West Street. After passing under three arched bridges, it’ll arrive at the stone bridge opposite Tianxiang Pavilion. He’s invited Prince Duan Lu Zhengliu to drink aboard, accompanied by six guards, with around eighteen hidden protectors in total. Lu Zhengliu has about the same number of people on his side. Enough explosives have been placed under the stone bridge to annihilate the barge before any of the guards can react."
He deliberately omitted the critical detail that Shen Yinning was also on the barge.
Xue Ling clapped his hands. "Brother Shen, truly impressive! Such meticulous planning—no wonder everyone in the Capital extols you as a ’little Zhuge.’"
"Little Zhuge" wasn’t a compliment; it was a nickname Shen Xinghan had earned during school.
Back then, he and Shen Xingye studied together at their family academy, but Shen Xingye always bested him during exams.
It was during one critical test that Shen Xinghan resorted to bribing the examiners to obtain the questions in advance.
He went to great lengths to hire a Great Scholar to craft perfect responses, memorizing them thoroughly, only for the test to unexpectedly change a few key questions last-minute. Being young and prone to reckless mistakes, Shen Xinghan didn’t carefully review the revised questions in his anxiety, and simply copied down his pre-studied answers verbatim.
When the teachers graded the paper, their ambiguous smiles said it all.
They remarked how Shen Xinghan had seemingly foreseen the original exam questions before they were altered—truly worthy of the title "little Zhuge."
Thus, the nickname wasn’t about cleverness, but an enduring mockery.
As he grew older, Shen Xinghan gradually shook off the ridicule, ensuring nobody dared to bring up the nickname in his presence anymore.
He cast a cold glance at Xue Ling, then turned to Lu Ying and bowed slightly. "This humble subject needs to excuse himself for a moment to visit the Western Room."
Descending two flights of stairs, Shen Xinghan happened to bump into Lian Ye at a corner.
Lian Ye froze as if she’d seen a ghost, her voice trembling. "Y-young master..."
"Go back and tell your mistress—the Crown Prince is discussing affairs in the private suite. Tell her not to cause trouble."
Lian Ye, relieved that she wasn’t being reprimanded, promptly nodded and respectfully complied.
As Shen Xinghan turned to leave, a thick shadow crossed his gaze.
Xi’er’s false pregnancy was a sword hanging above the Shen Family’s head.
The irony of his mother’s ignorance was laughable; she busily gathered recipes for pregnancy medications, utterly unaware of the truth.
If Xi’er could perish discreetly before her false pregnancy was exposed...
Shen Xinghan’s sharp yet refined face grew darker, stray strands of hair casting shadows across his features. The excess white in his eyes lent him a piercing, razor-thin aura of menace.
Of all the daughters in the Shen Family, any one of the concubine-born could outshine his simpleton sister Shen Yunxi.
At the very least, none of them would think to concoct schemes of false pregnancy to vie for attention—clumsy moves that only hinder his greater ambitions.
Standing with his back towards Lian Ye, Shen Xinghan paused momentarily and added in a low voice, "Tell her not to return to the palace for now. Instead, follow the river downstream and wait near Swallow Cliff Pier for a while. She might encounter a surprising harvest."
Initially, Shen Xinghan had planned to destroy the pleasure barge with explosives under the bridge opposite Tianxiang Pavilion.
However, the Crown Prince believed Yan Zheming wasn’t so easily killed; his body might drift downstream with the undercurrents. Thus, assassins had also been stationed at Swallow Cliff for added insurance.
If Xi’er were smart, she would seize the opportunity to feign shock and claim a miscarriage, effectively nullifying the sword of false pregnancy aimed at the Shen Family’s reputation.
But should her luck fail? Then so be it—death in turmoil wouldn’t be unwarranted.
Either outcome suited Shen Xinghan’s interests just fine.
Completely unaware of Shen Xinghan’s scheming, Shen Yunxi sighed in relief upon confirming the Crown Prince’s innocence regarding Xue Ling and eagerly ordered her carriage towards Swallow Cliff.
"After all, my brother dotes on me," she gloated. "We women live better lives when our maternal family includes a supportive brother. Unlike Shen Yinning, that wretched woman, whose brother was killed, leaving her without a single man in the Shen Family to support her—she deserves the mistreatment she faces in the Gao Family! I wonder what surprise my brother has prepared for me. Hopefully, it’s connected to the Crown Prince..."
The carriage moved steadily onwards.
Half an incense stick later, the gloriously gilded pleasure barge glided along the river towards Tianxiang Pavilion.
Xue Ling pushed open the carved window. "Let me see!"
The water reflected lights from both banks, shimmering as the barge cut through the waves, carrying the melodic notes of Hu Jia tunes as it slowly approached.
Seeing three figures aboard, Xue Ling arched an eyebrow, shot Shen Xingye a knowing glance, and remarked, "Well now, Brother Shen—why didn’t you mention Princess Zhaoning was on the boat?"
Lu Ying was sipping wine.
Upon hearing this, his grip quietly tightened around his cup.
Shen Xinghan maintained composure and turned to Lu Ying. "Your Highness, I am aware you once shared an affair with my cousin, but that was years ago, surely well forgotten by you. Besides, compared to her life, Yan Zheming’s head is far more important, isn’t it?"
Lu Ying set the cup down.
Xue Ling, sleeves folded elegantly, watched the drama unfold with great amusement.
Lu Ying said, "It seems Shen Yunxi’s false pregnancy and the loss of military power has weighed heavily on you. Unable to reclaim the Shen Family’s military authority, you’re desperate to change its standing—and thus have turned your sights on Shen Yinning, intent on reducing the Shen Family’s rivals."
Shen Xinghan froze.
He hadn’t expected Lu Ying to see through his motives so quickly and instinctively clenched his fists.
"However—"
Lu Ying removed his wide-robed outer layer, revealing a fitted, arrow-sleeved black combat outfit. In an instant, he closed the distance between them.
Towering over Shen Xinghan, he exuded an oppressive aura that made Shen Xinghan hesitant to breathe, his panicked and uncertain gaze falling to Lu Ying’s brocade boots.
Suddenly, Lu Ying struck.
With a powerful sweep of his palm, Shen Xinghan was sent flying into a carved sandalwood antique shelf, which shattered upon impact.
Lu Ying tied a black veil over his face, concealing all except his cold, jet-black eyes. "But I despise being used more than anything."
His gaze fell upon the pleasure barge.
Lu Ying’s figure flickered like a streaking meteor, leaping through the flower-carved window with fierce precision.