The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go
Chapter 51 - 50 Lu Ying Brother... It hurts...

Chapter 51: Chapter 50 Lu Ying Brother... It hurts...

Faced with Yin Shanshan’s scheming, Gao Zheng responded noncommittally, "Perhaps. But this is women’s business. What does it look like for a man like me to get involved? So if the Crown Princess Consort asks, just say you saw it with your own eyes."

Without hesitation, Yin Shanshan went to find Shen Yunxi.

Shen Yunxi was surrounded by Lu Qianqian and others, watching a litter of wolf pups that the guards had captured yesterday.

Yin Shanshan recounted the situation, fawningly, "I swear it’s absolutely true, Your Grace! I saw it with my own eyes! That wretched girl has a face full of seductive charm and a lithe, willowy figure. She must have seduced His Highness into the grove to... engage in shameful behavior while you were sleeping!"

Shen Yunxi’s face turned ashen.

She had thought that the Crown Prince had refrained from approaching other women these past few days, but to think he had been hiding it from her all along!

She cast a resentful glare at Yin Shanshan.

This wretched woman was truly insufferable. The matters of the storybook and the cherry feast were bad enough, but now she dared to publicly accuse the Crown Prince of favoring a palace maid in front of so many women!

Where would this leave the dignity of the Crown Princess Consort?!

Suppressing her fury and jealousy, Shen Yunxi struggled to maintain an air of composure, "His Highness has always been indifferent to women. You must have seen wrong."

"I saw it clear as day! How could I be mistaken?!" Yin Shanshan declared firmly, "Your Grace, you cannot allow such temptresses to corrupt His Highness and ruin the decorum of our hunting grounds! If you trust me, we can catch them in the act tonight!"

"Insolence!" Lu Qianqian reprimanded sharply, "Yin Shanshan, what is your status that you dare to slander my royal brother behind his back and even utter such vulgarities as ’catch them in the act’?! Even if my royal brother did favor a woman, what business is it of yours?!"

Shen Yunxi showed no kindness either: "How dare you provoke discord between me and the Crown Prince with baseless claims, Yin Shanshan? What exactly are your intentions?! Guards, drag her out and give her thirty lashes!"

Yin Shanshan’s face turned deathly pale; the situation had spiraled completely beyond her expectations.

She struggled and shouted as she was dragged away, "How could you! I was trying to help you, and this is how you repay me?! Beating me without a second thought—don’t I have any rights?! You despicable rulers, this despicable feudal society—do you even know what freedom, equality, and justice mean?! Your laws are absurdly outdated! I should personally draft new ones for you!"

None of these words made any sense to Shen Yunxi or Lu Qianqian.

The two returned to the tent, where Shen Yunxi gritted her teeth: "That Yin Shanshan may be a madwoman, but she wouldn’t dare deceive me. Qianqian, to tell you the truth, I’ve long suspected that His Highness has a lover outside the palace. For half a year, I haven’t been able to uncover her ’fox tail.’ And now, she dares to seduce him right under my nose!"

Shen Yinning entered with refreshments, smiling faintly.

Lu Qianqian picked up her teacup and said, "If Shanshan’s words aren’t unfounded, then you might as well follow her suggestion, Sister-in-law. Tonight, quietly lie in wait near the grove and see who this lover of my royal brother truly is. Once you know her identity, wouldn’t it be easy to deal with her later?"

Shen Yunxi nodded gravely.

Shen Yinning wrapped a piece of floral cake in a freshly laundered handkerchief and respectfully offered it to her: "This Furong Cake was just delivered from the small kitchen. Would Your Grace like to try it?"

"How fragrant!" Lu Qianqian sniffed delicately. "But it doesn’t smell like the cake—it’s more like Sister-in-law’s handkerchief. Speaking of which, what incense have you been using recently? Even the breeze stirred by your garments carries such a lovely scent when you walk past me."

At this, Shen Yunxi couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.

She pulled a beautifully fragrant handkerchief from her sleeve and gracefully dabbed her forehead. "I’m not quite sure—perhaps it’s my natural fragrance! Walking around the hunting grounds all day must have made me break a fragrant sweat. It seems your nose is especially sharp to pick up on it."

Once Lu Qianqian departed, Shen Yunxi turned to Shen Yinning. "Your laundering skills are exceptional. After we return to the palace, you’ll handle my drapes, bedding, and pillows as well."

Shen Yinning stifled a laugh and curtsied gracefully. "As you command, Your Grace."

As she stepped out of the tent, she cast a lingering gaze toward the hunting grounds, where Lu Ying cut a dashing figure.

If Shen Yunxi wanted to catch someone in the act tonight, Shen Yinning didn’t mind nudging her along.

By utilizing Shen Yunxi, she could blow the scandal of Lu Ying’s illicit romance wide open, ensuring he’d see clearly how foolish his beloved Crown Princess Consort truly was.

Night fell.

Shen Yunxi retired to bed early.

Outside the encampment, in the forested cave.

A hot spring lay within the cave, its waters illuminated by torches affixed to the walls. Dresses and embroidered shoes were carelessly discarded on the ground. Shen Yinning, her hair secured with a silver hairpin, knelt elegantly by the hot spring’s edge, her milk-white skin radiant even in the dim cave, drawing the eye irresistibly.

She gently massaged Lu Ying’s shoulders as she spoke softly, "Lu Ying, you must see clearly. I truly didn’t betray Qing Liu to Prince Shen. It’s fine if you blame me, but if there really is a spy alongside you, I fear you’ll suffer in the future."

She glanced at Lu Ying’s cold side profile and continued, "Lu Ying, forgive my boldness, but someone like Xue Ling—who dared to imprison Mianmian without permission—shows terrible character and cannot be trusted. Besides, he’s only been with you for a few years. Are you sure he’s truly loyal? What if he secretly pledged allegiance to Prince Shen and you never realized it?"

Lu Ying closed his eyes, dismissing her lightly, "You’re quite adept in bed, yet you can’t even manage a proper shoulder massage."

"Lu Ying, I’m talking about Xue Ling—"

Before Shen Yinning could finish, Lu Ying pulled her into his arms.

Water splashed everywhere.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Lu Ying’s displeased expression. "Who Xue Ling is, you needn’t remind me. You yourself are unfaithful to me—how dare you suspect anyone else?"

He turned and pinned her against the rocky edge of the hot spring, lowering his head until their gazes locked. "Xue Ling is my trusted confidant. Stop sowing discord. Do you understand?"

Shen Yinning curled up in his embrace with a pitiful look. "Lu Ying, I wasn’t..."

Lu Ying said no more.

Reasoning with this vixen was futile.

His large hands roamed over her soft waist, his thin lips capturing hers. His voice was husky, tinged with exasperation and a trace of a sigh. "I truly don’t know what in this world could silence your deceitful mouth."

"I wasn’t lying—"

Shen Yinning’s soft voice was abruptly cut off as her lips were sealed by his.

Steam rose from the hot spring.

As Lu Ying’s calloused fingers roved over her, Shen Yinning’s breathing grew heavy. Even the corners of her eyes turned a vibrant crimson, as though surrendering as she leaned into Lu Ying’s touch.

She wanted to be consumed entirely...

The heat of the hot spring climbed steadily. The cave was steeped in a heady atmosphere of tangled emotions and untamed desire under the cover of night.

Shen Yinning clung to Lu Ying’s taut shoulders like a small, cornered animal with nowhere to run.

She was beginning to falter.

With eyes brimming with unshed tears, she panted and whimpered softly, "Lu Ying... it hurts..."