Chapter Forty-One: The Escape-Quando a concubina diz que eu não mereço? A filha legítima renascida, abalando a corte e conquistando o posto de fênix(Chuva intensa)

"Shen Wan, I never intended to make an enemy of you. But you went too far—seducing the Crown Prince, causing him to break off his engagement with me, and then spreading rumors to ruin my reputation? I, Shen Ningshuang, am no pushover. I always pay back those who wrong me. Do you think you have achieved half your goal just by entering the Eastern Palace? Let me tell you a secret." Shen Ningshuang’s tone grew icy, her gaze filled with a chilling, resolute intensity.

Shen Ningshuang looked at Shen Wan with a deep, knowing stare, as if she could see through every secret. She whispered, "Other than me, there are no other biological daughters in the Shen family. You are not of Shen blood at all. You, along with our eldest and third sisters, are all orphans of our father’s former subordinates. Those men sacrificed their lives to save Father in times of peril, and on their deathbeds, they entrusted you to him. Out of gratitude and lingering affection, Father promised to raise you as his own. That is the only reason you three are referred to as the 'concubine-born' daughters of the Shen household. Do you understand now?"

Shen Wan seemed to have been struck at her most vulnerable point. Like a startled cat whose tail had been stepped on, she jumped up, shouting with agitation, "Stop your gibberish and lies! Do you think I am foolish enough to believe your random claims? If I were not Father’s biological daughter, how could your mother have ended up in such a miserable state, spending the rest of her life in a temple?" Her eyes were wide, her chest heaving, clearly incensed by Shen Ningshuang’s words.

"I have no need to waste my breath explaining the complex reasons behind that. You would be better off calming down and thinking: if the Crown Prince were to discover that you are not even a true daughter of the Shen family, how do you think he would treat you?" Shen Ningshuang lifted her chin slightly, her eyes cold, surveying Shen Wan with a mixture of scrutiny and pity.

Shen Wan gritted her teeth, as if she might shatter them, glaring at Shen Ningshuang with a look that could kill. "Don't try to scare me," she hissed. "If you came here just to intimidate me, then you have truly lost your dignity. Shen Ningshuang, you are nothing more than this." Despite her harsh words, her trembling hands betrayed the panic within.

"Heh, I did not come here today just to tell you these things. I came to tell you..." A meaningful arc touched the corner of Shen Ningshuang’s lips. She stepped slowly toward Shen Wan, leaned in close to her ear, and lowered her voice to a whisper.

Shen Wan’s expression froze instantly. A panic she had never known before spread across her face. Her eyes widened, her pupils contracted sharply, and she couldn't help but repeat, "Impossible, this is impossible..." Her voice trembled violently, as if she had fallen into an inescapable nightmare.

"Second Sister, we have been sisters for a time. I advise you to plan for yourself early. I shall take my leave now." With that, Shen Ningshuang turned and departed gracefully, her movements light and composed.

After Shen Ningshuang left, Shen Wan sat alone, looking as if she had lost her soul. She shook her head repeatedly, as if trying to cast off some terrifying thought. Her body trembled uncontrollably, her hands clutching the hem of her clothes, her gaze hollow, lost in a fog of despair.

Before long, as if suddenly snapping back to reality, she stood up in a frenzy and shouted toward the door, "To the palace! To the palace! I must go to the palace to see the Empress!" Her voice was filled with endless terror and urgency, like a drowning soul grasping at a final straw.

In recent days, the political climate in the court had grown treacherous and unpredictable. For some unknown reason, the Dinghuan Prince, who usually acted as if he were detached from worldly affairs, had suddenly taken an interest in the Crown Prince, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on him. The Dinghuan Prince began to work in the shadows, compiling a list of the Crown Prince’s various offenses—every detail, no matter how small—and submitted them mercilessly to the Emperor.

The Crown Prince was furious upon hearing this, his heart ablaze with rage. While the accusations were true, he considered them trivial matters that would only annoy the Emperor for a moment, leading to nothing more than a light reprimand; they were hardly enough to stir up a storm. Yet, the Dinghuan Prince acted like a dog with a bone, refusing to let go, seemingly determined to bring the Crown Prince down. Faced with such a fierce impeachment and knowing his own guilt, the Crown Prince was left speechless, trapped in a passive position.

Fortunately, Leng Zhaowen stepped forward to speak out, maneuvering on the Crown Prince's behalf in court. The two engaged in a verbal tug-of-war, day after day, their arguments growing increasingly heated and sharp. Now, whenever they crossed paths, they looked at each other with utter disdain, as if the other were beneath their notice.

Today, after the morning session, the Crown Prince returned to the Eastern Palace, exhausted. His attendants looked pale and hesitant, as if harboring some unspeakable secret. Irritated by the day’s troubles, the Crown Prince flared with anger at the sight of them. "Speak! Stop stammering and provoking my temper!"

The servant trembled, choosing his words as if they had been polished on his tongue a thousand times. "Your Highness... today... word has spread... apparently... it was spoken by the maidservant of Consort Shen."

The Crown Prince’s heart sank; a sense of foreboding washed over him. He strode angrily toward the courtyard where Shen Wan resided.

Shen Wan was inside when she heard the rushed footsteps. Looking up to see the Crown Prince, her body began to tremble. She knew the truth must have come out, and she feared the Prince would not let the matter rest.

The Crown Prince stepped into the room, gnashing his teeth. "I kept you in the Eastern Palace and provided for you out of past sentiment, even after you conspired against me. But you—what exactly are you trying to do?"

Though terrified, Shen Wan felt a surge of grievance. She braced herself and replied, "Is this what Your Highness calls 'provision'—leaving this room as cold as an ice cellar, devoid of any warmth? How is my life here any different from being a prisoner?" Her voice trembled, yet carried a thread of stubbornness.