As she ran, the golden butterfly on her hairpin seemed ready to take flight.
"County Princess, County Princess, may I join you?" The young girl appeared no older than twelve or thirteen, her delicate face flushed with a faint rosy hue from running, her eyes sparkling brilliantly as she gazed at Shen Xihe.
"No." Shen Xihe refused mercilessly.
The young girl remained undaunted, still smiling adorably: "I promise I'll be very well-behaved and won't disturb your peace. I... I just want to be with you. I don't like keeping company with them either."
Her large, blinking eyes stared pitifully at Shen Xihe, making her resemble Duanming at home when he wanted to eat fish.
Shen Xihe didn't drive her away, instead finding a seat while waiting for Bu Shulin to find her.
The young girl happily sat down beside Shen Xihe, cupping her face in her hands, her eyes fixed intently on Shen Xihe: "Sister Xihe, you're so beautiful..."
Even Biyu, who accompanied Shen Xihe, felt somewhat speechless. This young girl's ability to push her luck was truly extraordinary.
From a distance, she called her Zhaoning County Princess; when closer, it became County Princess; and after just one sentence, she was already Sister Xihe...
Yet another young girl captivated by their County Princess's beauty. There were many such girls in the northwest, and Biyu was quite accustomed to it.
"Sister Xihe, I'm the seventh daughter of the Xue family, named Jinqiao." Xue Jinqiao whispered, as if truly afraid of disturbing her, "Jin as in 'holding jade' Jin, Qiao as in the Qiao family of distinguished lineage, with the childhood name Qiao Qiao."
"Qiao Qiao?" Shen Xihe chuckled softly as she called.
"Yes!" Xue Jinqiao responded brightly, her eyes instantly filling with light, becoming radiant and lively.
Biyu didn't even look, while Xue Jinqiao's maid bowed her head so low it seemed about to bury itself in her chest.
"I've noted it. I have an appointment with someone." Shen Xihe politely dismissed her.
"Mhmm... Huh?" Dazzled and infatuated, Xue Jinqiao nodded before processing Shen Xihe's words. She parted her small lips slightly, pouting with a somewhat wronged expression, then slowly rose, glancing back with every step as she shuffled out.
After passing through the moon gate, she peeked her head back in: "Sister Xihe, may I... may I visit you at the Princess Manor? I absolutely won't disturb you, I just want to see you..."
"No." Acting cute and coquettish had no effect on the stone-hearted Shen Xihe.
Xue Jinqiao left with a pout.
"Only now do I realize how well Sister Xihe treats me," Bu Shulin remarked with emotion as she emerged from behind the rockery.
She had always felt that Shen Xihe wasn't particularly friendly toward her, but after seeing such a charming young girl eagerly approach only to be met with Shen Xihe's indifference—while she herself had felt somewhat softhearted—she now understood how well Shen Xihe treated her by offering her tea.
"You're more useful than her," Shen Xihe replied heartlessly.
Bu Shulin: ...
The implication being that if she weren't useful, she'd receive the same treatment?
Unexpectedly, Shen Xihe added, "If you weren't useful and tactful, Huangzhong Temple would be your precedent."
Bu Shulin: "!!!"
So her treatment was much worse than this little beauty's.
Suddenly, the memory of being poisoned at the Luoyang inn resurfaced...
Biyu covered her mouth to suppress a laugh. Their County Princess enjoyed teasing Worldly Son Bu.
Seeing Biyu laugh, Bu Shulin knew Shen Xihe was deliberately teasing her. In truth, they were all mistaken—Shen Xihe was speaking the truth.
Those who had idealized Shen Xihe in their hearts simply refused to believe this harsh reality.
"Sister Xihe, how exactly will you help me?" Bu Shulin asked seriously."You fear marrying a princess because you worry about your identity being exposed, so we must solve the problem at its root." Shen Xihe smiled faintly. "Today you dissuaded the Third Princess, but there are still the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princesses. His Majesty will inevitably betroth one of them to you. There is a method that might make His Majesty abandon the idea of bestowing a princess upon you. Even if His Majesty remains persistent, you can avoid exposure."
"What method?" Bu Shulin's eyes lit up.
"Have a preference for men." Shen Xihe said.
Bu Shulin shook his head: "I've considered this method, but it's difficult to fake. His Majesty definitely won't believe it easily. Whoever I perform this act with would likely be thoroughly investigated and closely monitored by His Majesty. If the other person slips up, it would backfire."
Unless it was a death warrior who could withstand severe torture, but death warriors are easily recognizable, which would be equivalent to confessing without being pressed. If not a death warrior, Bu Shulin wasn't willing to take the risk.
"I've found you an excellent candidate." Shen Xihe's lips curved slightly.
"Who?"
"The Deputy Chief of the Court of Judicial Review, Cui Jinbai."
Bu Shulin instantly froze solid. Had he heard correctly?
Cui Jinbai - the trusted minister of the Youning Emperor, being groomed as a future chancellor!
Wasn't this asking him to deliver himself to the enemy's doorstep?
"If you trust me, just throw yourself at him." Shen Xihe gave a mysterious smile and left with Biyu.
Today's chrysanthemum banquet had invited many unmarried young ladies and gentlemen. Not sure if Cui Jinbai would attend, Shen Xihe came specifically to see for herself and incidentally create an opportunity for Bu Shulin.
After finishing her conversation with Bu Shulin, as soon as Shen Xihe returned to the main garden of the chrysanthemum banquet, she saw Xue Jinqiao standing bored by the lotus pond. Several elegantly dressed noble girls approached, exchanging meaningful glances at Xue Jinqiao's back.
One of them walked over and deliberately bumped into Xue Jinqiao, pushing her into the pond.
Shen Xihe originally paid no mind, until she heard the girl who pushed her speak from the pond's edge: "You rush to flatter others, but they don't even glance your way. Our aristocratic families have always been at odds with the powerful nobility. As someone who brings shame to your family, today you'll learn your lesson."
Shen Xihe, who had already started walking in another direction, stopped. "Biyu, find a bamboo pole."
"Yes."
While Biyu went to find a bamboo pole, Shen Xihe adjusted her shawl and turned toward the pond. The several girls panicked upon seeing Shen Xihe but forced themselves to remain calm.
Xue Jinqiao was pulled ashore by her maid, glaring fiercely at the one who pushed her in, like an enraged little beast about to pounce. Shen Xihe reached out to stop her from a distance.
She stepped forward, approaching the girl who did the pushing. The others were intimidated by Shen Xihe's presence and involuntarily retreated.
The one who pushed also wanted to retreat but struggled to restrain herself, refusing to yield.
Shen Xihe stood before her, reached out, and directly pushed her into the pond. Just then, Biyu returned with a bamboo pole. Shen Xihe took it, pressed the pole against the girl's back, and forcefully pushed her deeper.
Shen Xihe's actions shocked everyone present, their faces turning pale. Only the thoroughly drenched Xue Jinqiao, disregarding propriety, clapped and cheered.
"I... cough cough... Cou..."
The girl pinned by Shen Xihe's bamboo pole occasionally surfaced to gasp for air. When she tried to escape by swimming sideways, Shen Xihe's pole thrust down fiercely, blocking her path before pressing against her back once more."Princess, please calm your anger..." The young ladies who had followed finally regained their composure. Some hurriedly tried to persuade her, while others immediately turned and ran to report the situation. "This could cost someone their life, Princess!"
"So you do understand this could be fatal?" Shen Xihe revealed a cold, detached smile. "I thought you were unaware. But if any of you were to cause someone's death, you would undoubtedly pay with your life. However, if I were to take her life right now, do you suppose I would need to pay with mine?"
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