The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading-Chapter 41 - 40 Arrogance due to Favoritism (Extra Update)
Chapter 41 -40: Arrogance due to Favoritism (Extra Update)
Chapter 41 -40: Arrogance due to Favoritism (Extra Update)
Lady Chang raised her eyes and glanced at Xu Liangyuan with an attitude even more arrogant than hers, though she was but a secondary wife herself.
Then her gaze turned to Shen Fengyi, only to see her eating grapes one by one…
Lady Chang did not know whether His Highness would stay to accompany her tonight.
To avoid an awkward situation later on, she planned to join the conversation to leave a way out for herself.
Before she could even open her mouth, Li Liangyuan, quick to speak, took over the conversation.
“Do we even need to say it?
Today is Sister Chang’s birthday.
His Highness will surely stay with Sister Chang.
As for Sister Shen,” Li Liangyuan smiled and looked towards Shen Fengyi, “Sister Shen wouldn’t compete with Sister Chang for His Highness’s favor, right?”
Li Liangyuan’s words implied a reminder to Shen Fengyi that even if His Highness favored her, she should not compete with Lady Chang for attention at this time.
Everyone’s eyes turned towards Shen Fengyi, all eager to hear how she would respond.
Shen Chuwei’s thoughts were wholly focused on the food, paying no attention to their conversation, and naturally, she did not hear Li Liangyuan drawing everyone’s attention to her.
After finishing the grapes, she moved on to cherries, and couldn’t help but inwardly praise that Lady Chang truly was Xiao Jinyan’s favored one—the fruits in the palace were so fresh.
She thought of her Xiyun Pavilion, where she had spent half a year without seeing so much as a fruit peel, let alone a fruit itself.
Chun Xi understood the implications in Li Liangyuan’s words, and seeing her master engrossed in eating, she too played deaf and dumb, avoiding reminding her, lest her master be put in a difficult position.
Tao Chenghui glanced at Shen Fengyi, her lips curling into a smile as she lowered her gaze to sip her tea, also choosing not to remind her.
Li Liangyuan waited for Shen Fengyi to reply, but saw her bowing her head, continuing to eat without paying any mind to her.
The smile on Li Liangyuan’s face froze.
She was somewhat displeased: “Shen Fengyi?”
Shen Chuwei lifted her head to look at Li Liangyuan with some anticipation, “Is it time to start the feast?”
“…” Li Liangyuan: “How can we start the feast without His Highness’s presence?”
“Oh, then let’s wait a bit longer.” Shen Chuwei wasn’t in a hurry, and carried on eating her cherries.
Li Liangyuan’s expression soured, thinking, ‘She’s just relying on His Highness’s favor, regarding no one else.’
Not just Li Liangyuan, most of the people present thought the same, even the palace maids standing guard felt that Shen Fengyi was haughty and arrogant because of the favor she enjoyed, not even considering Lady Chang.
Xu Liangyuan had long guessed that Shen Fengyi was pretending to be oblivious by eating, but she too was curious about where His Highness would spend the night—whether he would stay at Xinlan Hall or go to Xiyun Pavilion.
Another half an hour passed, and still, there was no sign of His Highness.
It was only when the snacks in front of Shen Chuwei were almost gone that she realized His Highness had not arrived yet.
Tao Chenghui saw that the fruit plate in front of Shen Fengyi was empty, so she moved her own plate in front of Shen Fengyi, “Sister Shen, I still have some here, you can eat these first.”
Tao Chenghui visited Xiyun Pavilion the most often and had become quite familiar with Shen Chuwei.
Shen Chuwei bent her brows in a slight smile, “Thank you, Sister Tao.”
Tao Chenghui smiled warmly: “We’re sisters, there’s no need for such formality.”
Shen Chuwei continued to eat without restraint.
All had been waiting for so long that they began to wonder whether His Highness would come at all.
“Why hasn’t His Highness arrived?
Could he have forgotten?”
“Today is Lady Chang’s birthday; His Highness won’t have forgotten.”
“The time for the evening meal has already passed; could His Highness have decided not to come?”
Lady Chang looked around and, not seeing His Highness, listened to the murmurs of the crowd.
She nervously twisted her handkerchief and in a low voice ordered Dongmei, “Go and ask.”
“Yes.” Dongmei left Xinlan Hall and quickly headed to His Highness’s sleeping chamber.
Seeing the eunuch Liu outside the Study Room, she anxiously asked, “Eunuch Liu, today is Lady Chang’s birthday, and everyone’s waiting for His Highness to start the feast.” fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
“Miss Dongmei, His Highness is busy with important matters and won’t be able to come for a while.”
Dongmei, flustered, pleaded, “But Lady Chang and all the ladies are waiting, please notify His Highness.”
“Well then, I’ll go in and ask,” Eunuch Liu said as he pushed the Study Room door open and went inside.
Wen Chengjun and Yang Qing stopped their conversation when they saw Eunuch Liu enter.
“Your Highness, Xinlan Hall is inquiring when you will come over,” Eunuch Liu asked.
Xiao Jinyan lifted his teacup and took a few sips before replying indifferently, “Tell her that I will come later.
They may start the meal without me.”
“Yes.” Eunuch Liu came out and relayed His Highness’s words to Dongmei, albeit very tactfully.
“After His Highness finishes his work, he will come to celebrate Lady Chang’s birthday.”
Eunuch Liu said so, and Dongmei, not daring to press further, returned to Xinlan Hall to convey His Highness’s message to Lady Chang.
“Don’t worry, my lady, His Highness will come later.”
Upon knowing that His Highness would come, Lady Chang finally relaxed.
With a smile at her lips, she looked towards everyone, “His Highness is tied up with official duties and will come later.
Sisters, please start the meal without him.”
With Lady Chang’s permission, the palace maids began preparing the dishes, placing them into the stream to let the current carry the food.
“I knew it, how could His Highness possibly forget Lady Chang’s birthday?”
“Despite being so busy, His Highness will still make time to celebrate Lady Chang’s birthday.
It’s something we sisters can only envy.”
It was Shen Chuwei’s first experience with the stream banquet, and upon hearing that the feast was beginning, she eagerly picked up her chopsticks.
Her eyes were fixated on the stream of delicacies floating her way.
While everyone else was busy fawning over Lady Chang, hardly touching the food, Shen Chuwei helped herself, filling her bowl to slowly savor the meal.
Near the end of the banquet, Eunuch Liu’s shrill voice announced, “His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived.”
Upon hearing of the Crown Prince’s arrival, the ladies who were looking in mirrors did so, those who needed to touch up their makeup did so, and those who needed to adjust their dresses did so, all wanting to present the most beautiful version of themselves to His Highness.
All except Shen Chuwei, who couldn’t bear to put down her chopsticks, continuously loading her bowl with food.
“May Your Highness be blessed with peace and safety.”
As everyone paid their respects to Xiao Jinyan, Shen Chuwei quietly crouched at the back, still chewing on the four-happiness meatballs.
Xiao Jinyan appeared in Xinlan Hall wearing a dark satin robe, glanced over the attendants, and his gaze landed on a figure clad in pink.
Even as she bowed her head, he could see her cheeks puffed out, secretly eating.
“Rise,” Xiao Jinyan said, retracting his gaze and taking his place at the seat of honor.
The ladies took their seats one after another.
Lady Chang sat to the right of Xiao Jinyan.
Shen Chuwei returned to her spot.
Given the distance from Xiao Jinyan, she wasn’t worried about being caught eating.
Xiao Jinyan said indifferently, “Today is Lady Chang’s birthday.
I’m sorry for being late due to state affairs.”
Lady Chang smiled gracefully: “For Your Highness to come celebrate my birthday is already more than I could wish for.”
“I have prepared a birthday present for you,” he said.
As soon as Xiao Jinyan’s words finished, Eunuch Liu presented a finely embroidered box.
“Sister Chang, please open it and let your sisters have a look.”
“I’m so curious about the gift that His Highness has prepared for Sister Chang.
Please let us have a quick glimpse as well.”
“The gift prepared by His Highness must be unique.”
Xu Liangyuan curiously eyed the embroidered box for a few moments, feeling it looked somewhat familiar.
