Chapter Two: The Prince Makes His Entrance

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Shen Wan hesitated for a moment but couldn’t help speaking up, “Brother, are you taking Fourth Sister to the unveiling of the Ningyuan Country’s Wind and Cloud Rankings?”

“Exactly,” Shen Muyun replied briefly, sparing words.

“Well…” Shen Wan trailed off, her intentions unmistakably clear—she wanted to go along.

Yet neither of them acknowledged her, leaving her awkwardly frozen in place, at a loss.

“You’re already so smitten with His Highness the Crown Prince, so why don’t you just have him take you?” Shen Muyun seemed to have run out of patience. With that, he ignored her and moved forward, taking Shen Ningshuang by the hand. “Let’s go. It’s rare that you want to step out.”

Shen Ningshuang followed him gracefully, and as they passed Shen Wan, she whispered, “You can keep kneeling here, better if you kneel until you faint—let’s see if Father will pity you enough to agree to your engagement with the Crown Prince.”

Shen Wan bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes as she watched their retreating figures. Hatred surged within her, and her hands clenched into fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

Today was the day the Ningyuan Country’s Wind and Cloud Rankings would be revealed. The streets buzzed with crowds, lively and festive. The carriage rocked gently as it moved along, with Shen Ningshuang sitting inside, eyes closed in quiet repose.

Shen Muyun leaned casually by the window, wearing a nonchalant air. With a “tsk tsk,” he remarked:

“It seems this Crown Prince isn’t entirely useless. He’s clearly aware that the Emperor fears him. If he actually married you, the good days might be over. Too bad his idea isn’t very clever.”

Shen Ningshuang smiled lightly. “I think it’s quite a smart move. He knows he can’t marry into the Shen family directly, or the Emperor would never let him live in peace. But marrying a concubine’s daughter from the Shen family is a different matter. By doing this, he protects himself and doesn’t offend the Shens outright.”

“Since he’s already made his stance clear, why stir up trouble today?”

Shen Ningshuang sneered. “It’s deliberate. Do you think he really wants to stand up for Shen Wan? That would be foolish. He’s just using this to gauge our family’s attitude.

The engagement scandal is all over the city. Since he’s determined to break the engagement and marry another, he naturally doesn’t want to be seen as ungrateful or faithless. This provocation is probably meant to force me to back down, so his future actions will seem justified.”

Shen Muyun tapped his palm lightly with his folding fan, his voice low. “He’s quite the schemer, but does he really think the Shen family is that easy to manipulate?”

Shen Ningshuang nodded slightly. “Ultimately, this marriage depends on the Emperor and Father. There won’t be a quick resolution, but today we’ve definitely offended him. We must tread carefully from now on.”

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Shen Muyun scoffed, “I’m not worried about him.”

Shen Ningshuang shook her delicate head, seeming tired and unwilling to continue the topic. Instead, she shifted gears: “Has the Prince left yet?”

Shen Muyun furrowed his brows, contemplating briefly before answering softly, “If nothing unexpected happened, he should have already left by now.”

His gaze grew probing and suspicious. “You didn’t go out today for the Prince, did you?”

Shen Ningshuang didn’t want to hide it. “You could say that.”

“What are you planning? Little sister, you know what kind of figure the Dinghuan Prince is—he holds a high position at court, wields great power, commanding the clouds and storms with a wave of his hand. Even the Crown Prince fears him.”

Shen Wan was resolute. “I know that well. What I intend to do today is get into his line of sight, make him notice me—no more than that, just leave a slight impression.”

“And then?”

“I’ll decide based on his reaction.”

“Think carefully. If you’re doing this for the Shen family, it’s not worth taking such a risk to provoke such a godlike figure.”

Shen Ningshuang teased, “The Shen family might not be worth it now, but eventually, the Shen family will be in your hands.”

Shen Muyun’s brow tightened further, worry etched across his face.

Shen Ningshuang raised her hand to gently cover her brother’s, squeezing lightly in reassurance, as if soothing his anxiety. “Don’t worry. You know me well—I won’t act rashly.”

Silence fell inside the carriage. A faint gleam flickered in Shen Ningshuang’s eyes, inscrutable to any onlooker.

The carriage gradually stopped outside Shuiyun Pavilion. Shen Muyun was the first to jump down, then courteously helped Shen Ningshuang out.

She took his offered hand, stepping lightly from the carriage, and looked up to see the scene outside—the crowd was clamorous yet orderly.

The second floor of Shuiyun Pavilion offered an excellent view of the rankings. Normally, only a select few could ascend. Scanning the room, it was filled with young nobles clad in splendid attire, each face alight with anticipation and excitement.

Shen Ningshuang’s expression was cold and dignified as she walked alongside Shen Muyun up the stairs. Upon reaching the second floor, several glances discreetly turned toward her, accompanied by muted whispers.

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“Oh my, whose daughter is that? She’s so refined and ethereal.”

“Shh! That’s Shen Ningshuang, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family who was rejected by the Crown Prince. Though she’s beautiful, losing the title of Crown Princess will make it hard for her to stand strong among the noble ladies in the capital.”

“Exactly. Once the Crown Prince has broken the engagement, who else would dare marry her?”

Shen Ningshuang seemed unfazed by the gossip, maintaining her composure. Shen Muyun frowned deeply, lowering his voice. “Don’t mind such filthy talk. Just a bunch of gossiping fools.”

Shen Ningshuang gently shook her head, signaling her brother it was nothing to worry about.

They settled into their seats. Shen Muyun affectionately said, “Here, peach blossom pastries and iced lychees—you like these best.”

He placed a peach blossom pastry delicately on the plate before Shen Ningshuang, then carefully peeled a lychee, offering the translucent white fruit to her lips.

Watching her brother’s thoughtful care, a warmth blossomed in Shen Ningshuang’s heart, and a faint smile lifted her mouth.

Suddenly, the once bustling pavilion quieted abruptly. Someone called out, “The Dinghuan Prince has arrived.”

Soon a young man was ushered in by attendants. He wore a purple robe with a golden silk belt embroidered with spiderweb patterns.

His tall figure was straight and proud. His sharp, slanting brows framed keen black eyes; his thin lips were pressed lightly with defined features, exuding a natural nobility. Every movement radiated an extraordinary, aloof grace, simultaneously proud, cold, and imperious, making others hesitate to approach or meet his gaze directly.

Seeing him, Shen Ningshuang lowered her eyes; her long lashes fluttered, and a mist flickered in her gaze.

Everyone on the pavilion rose to show respect. The prince nodded slightly and took his seat without further acknowledgment.

With his arrival, the prior noise dwindled to whispers, as if everyone feared disturbing the esteemed prince.

Taking a quiet breath, Shen Ningshuang suppressed the tumult of thoughts flooding her mind and lifted her hand to accept another lychee from Shen Muyun.