The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go
Chapter 85 - 84 Bai Xuan summons you to attend

Chapter 85: Chapter 84 Bai Xuan summons you to attend

Lu Ying’s hand, gripping the teacup, suddenly tightened.

Their four eyes met, as if an invisible spark and current ignited, neither willing to back down first.

In the end, Lu Ying slammed the teacup heavily onto the table, his face cold as he turned and swept away in anger.

"Your Highness!"

Bai Shuangshuang called out coquettishly, chasing after him.

Shen Yinning sat on the edge of the bed. After being tormented by Lu Ying for most of the night, her entire body ached as if it had been crushed beneath a wheel.

Wei Yu entered with a basin of hot water to attend to her. "Madam?"

Shen Yinning swallowed her humiliation and grievance, giving instructions as she combed her hair: "Send Cuicui to find Yin Yang and have him discover how Bai Shuangshuang became selected to serve in the Eastern Palace."

She didn’t believe it was Lu Ying who willingly took her as a concubine.

She wanted to know what Bai Shuangshuang had done in secret after the fall of the Shen Family.

Wei Yu worked quickly, and within a day had fetched the news from Yin Yang: "Back then, Bai Shuangshuang was brought into the Eastern Palace by the Crown Princess Consort. For the past three years, she has not been favored by His Highness. Instead, she has been confined to the Dharma Hall, tasked with transcribing scriptures. During this time, she also pled with Matron Zhang several times, hoping to serve the Crown Prince in bed, but Matron Zhang always brushed her off and dismissed her."

"Zhang Cuichun, Bai Shuangshuang..."

Shen Yinning murmured these two names, her face unusually calm.

Perhaps the truth would need to be uncovered starting with Zhang Cuichun.

That night, Bai Shuangshuang’s trusted maid, Ling’er, suddenly arrived and arrogantly announced, "Madam Shen, His Highness the Crown Prince summons you to serve him."

When Shen Yinning arrived, Lu Ying and Bai Shuangshuang had just finished their evening meal.

She curtseyed respectfully, "Your Highness, Crown Prince. Lady Bai."

Bai Shuangshuang stood up, appearing somewhat flustered. "Young Miss..."

Shen Yinning responded mildly, "The Shen Family has fallen. I am no longer any sort of Young Miss now."

Lu Ying interjected, "Call her Shen."

Bai Shuangshuang, looking cautious, stammered, "Shen... Shen..."

Shen Yinning paid no mind to these titles. "Your Highness summoned me—may I ask for what purpose?"

Lu Ying fell silent.

In truth, he had no particular reason for summoning her.

He simply found Bai Shuangshuang’s company boring and had called for her on a whim.

Bai Shuangshuang’s eyes shifted slightly before she suddenly smiled and picked up a pipa. "The night is long and dull; I shall play a few melodies for His Highness to lighten the evening. It was Shen who taught me the pipa, though my skills are meager compared to hers. I hope His Highness won’t laugh at me."

Lu Ying’s gaze fixed on Shen Yinning. "I have never heard you play the pipa. Play for us, for me and Lady Bai."

"Your Highness, that wouldn’t be proper, would it?" Bai Shuangshuang hesitated, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of delight. "After all, Shen was once my mistress. How could she now play the pipa for me? What would that make her? Like some mere performing courtesan?"

Lu Ying’s expression remained indifferent.

In those three years in Gan State, Shen Yinning surely must have played the pipa for Cui Ji on many occasions.

If Cui Ji could listen, why shouldn’t he?

Shen Yinning, seemingly untouched by emotion, calmly picked up the pipa and seated herself on the embroidery stool. After briefly tuning the strings, she began to play.

The melody flowed like water.

Under the lamplight, the beauty’s slender fingers, pale as jade, moved gracefully on the strings, her posture enchanting as she played.

Lu Ying’s eyes darkened.

This tune—how many men had she played it for?

Had Lu Shiyan heard it?

Had Gao Zheng?

Had Cui Ji?

Perhaps they had all heard it. Perhaps it had been played for even more.

But he, who had known her for over ten years, had never been graced with her performance.

An unexplainable frustration filled his chest, like cotton stuffed within, suffocating.

He drained his wine in one motion.

Bai Shuangshuang gently refilled his cup, her tone sweet and attentive. "A snowy night brings a chill, perfect for drinking wine. This is a tribute from the Northern Land—though intoxicating, it’s harmless to the body. If His Highness is so inclined, he may drink to his heart’s content."

She leaned against Lu Ying’s side, feeding him sips of wine while taking a few herself.

As tipsiness took hold, Bai Shuangshuang grew increasingly buoyant. "Your Highness, merely listening to the pipa is of little amusement. Why not have Shen sing a few tunes to entertain us? Her voice is so lovely—I dare say her songs must be even lovelier."

Lu Ying pressed a hand to his forehead.

His vision blurred slightly.

He glanced toward Shen Yinning, who sat under the lamplight, playing the pipa, her entire figure bathed in a radiant glow like a bright pearl. No matter how high or low her station, her beauty was undeniable.

And her fortitude—unyielding and dignified. Despite being humiliated this way, she remained indifferent, untouched by either favor or disgrace.

Yet this was the same woman who, behind his back as her betrothed, had entangled herself with another man, had even spoken the cruel words that every moment with him was repulsive.

He had once thought, if only she repented, he would forgive her, welcome her into the Eastern Palace, grant her a respectable position, and allow her to bear children.

But she did not.

She continued her entanglement with Lu Shiyan.

On her wrist, she even now wore the red coral bracelet recently gifted by him.

"Your Highness!" Bai Shuangshuang shook Lu Ying’s arm coquettishly. "Let Shen sing a little tune for us, won’t you!"

Lu Ying was already irritated.

Though he despised Shen Yinning’s lingering weakness for another man, he also detested Bai Shuangshuang’s betrayal of her mistress and sycophantic ambition.

Disgust roiled within him, and he shoved her hand away.

Bai Shuangshuang stumbled and fell to the ground, startled sober instantly.

Realizing what she had just said, her face turned deathly pale. "Your... Your Highness, I didn’t mean to humiliate her. I was merely... merely foolish in the moment..."

Though it was a winter night, sweat beaded on her forehead.

She had caused the lady’s death.

And now she dared to insult the mistress so wantonly...

Shame and fear wrestled within her, mingling with an undercurrent of undefined pride.

After all, she was an acknowledged concubine of the Crown Prince, whereas Shen Yinning was nothing more than an illicit, unacknowledged Forbidden Fruit.

She had never thought herself inferior to Shen Yinning, and now she had finally had her moment of triumph.

Lu Ying propped his head on his hand, his gaze sweeping over the red coral bracelet on Shen Yinning’s wrist. Anger flared anew in his chest.

He locked eyes with Shen Yinning. "I will bed Bai tonight."

He did not expect proud Shen Yinning to beg him not to favor Bai Shuangshuang. He merely hoped to see some emotion in her eyes—jealousy, envy, or even just a hint of bitterness.

Just a sliver, and he would forgive her for accepting Lu Shiyan’s gift.

But there was none.

Shen Yinning simply silenced her strings, bowed respectfully, and departed.

She walked past Lu Ying without so much as a sideways glance. Lu Ying gripped the wine cup, his lashes casting shadows over his eyes, exuding an aura of cold and chilling solitude.

Bai Shuangshuang, suppressing her elation, whispered cautiously, "Shall I help Your Highness disrobe for bed?"

"Get out."

...

Shen Yinning returned to her chambers, her composed demeanor giving way as she angrily overturned the teacup and teapot on the table.

The expensive Longquan celadon shattered into jagged fragments, leaving the maids trembling as they hurried to clean up.

Haitang brought in a basin of hot water, concern etched on her face. "I heard Lady Bai made things difficult for you, Madam?"

Shen Yinning gritted her teeth, speaking with veiled intent, "Her actions are only part of it!"

As Haitang attended to her washing, she chuckled softly. "Yesterday His Highness was in fine spirits. What could have changed overnight? Might it be the fault of the bundles sent by His Highness Prince Wu? Look—you’re still wearing the coral bracelet he sent. ’Cherished like coral on the palm, only to become an Upper Yang Flower’—any man would feel a sting of jealousy."