The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go
Chapter 153 - 151: Congratulations to Aunt for Gaining a Noble Daughter-in-law

Chapter 153: Chapter 151: Congratulations to Aunt for Gaining a Noble Daughter-in-law

Shen Yinning almost forgot that Lu Qianqian had even summoned several Hidden Guards last night.

Standing at the edge of the crowd enjoying the uproar, she heard a commotion at the staircase. Someone shouted at the top of their lungs, "Make way, make way! Don’t you see the Shen Guogong Mansion is here?!"

Mrs. Qin, surrounded by maids and old servant women, blushed at these words.

Her son and the Princess committing *that* kind of scandal in a tavern, and with other men present—how could this possibly be something to brag about?!

When she first heard about it, she didn’t even want to come. But her husband absolutely refused to show up, claiming it would damage his official prestige among the public. Left with no choice, she had to brace herself and deal with Shen Xinglei’s mess.

Shen Yinning followed the crowd to the door of the room.

Looking inside, Lu Qianqian sat disheveled on the bed sobbing, while Shen Xinglei, the effects of his sedative long worn off, was furiously kicking over a curio shelf. The jade and porcelain on it fell with a series of crashes, shattering all over the ground, leaving the room in utter chaos.

Mrs. Qin stepped over the threshold, only to find there wasn’t even a spot to set foot.

She furrowed her brows tightly. "Second Son!"

"Mother!" Shen Xinglei seemed to have found a pillar of support. "I had no idea what happened last night, but the Princess refuses to let me leave and insists that I take responsibility for her. You must talk some sense into her!"

"How could you not know?!" Lu Qianqian lifted her tear-streaked face and chastised him sharply, "Do you need me to remind you what you did to me last night?! You took my virtue—how can you not take responsibility?! Shen Xinglei, I never imagined you to be such a despicable scoundrel!"

Shen Xinglei, seething with rage, slammed his fist into a round table, breaking it apart. "You think I took your virtue?! When I woke up on the bed, you were right there with several other men—"

His face flushed crimson as he snorted angrily through his nose, too ashamed to continue.

Mrs. Qin gripped her handkerchief and retorted indignantly, "The Princess herself does not cherish her reputation and body, yet she pins the blame on our Second Son! Our family will not accept such baseless accusations!"

"I don’t care!" Lu Qianqian shrieked, "Shen Xinglei took my virtue, so he must marry me!"

She understood clearly that after today’s scandal, no aristocratic young man in the Capital would be willing to marry her.

Rather than being married off to some remote place, it was better to cling tightly to Shen Xinglei!

"You wretch!"

Shen Xinglei was livid.

In the past, he had considered proposing to Lu Qianqian.

However, that was based on the premise that she was an untouched maiden.

Even if she wasn’t completely pure, he could have accepted it for her noble status as a Princess. But to blatantly engage with so many men—where would that leave his dignity?!

What would the civil and military officials think of him in the future?

By then, everyone would ridicule him as a cuckold!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His neck swelled with rage as he stepped forward, raising his hand to slap Lu Qianqian. "I’ll beat you to death, you harlot!"

The Hidden Guards who were intimate with Lu Qianqian last night immediately positioned themselves protectively in front of her. "The Princess is of noble blood, favored as the Empress’ daughter. Does Young Master Shen intend to rebel?!"

Lu Qianqian wiped her tears and shot a triumphant glare at Shen Xinglei. "In our Great Zhou, there are no rules forbidding a woman from keeping male concubines. So what if I summoned a few guards? You, on the other hand, haven’t even married yet but already maintained a mistress and fathered an illegitimate child. You’re no better than me. What’s done is done—you took my virtue last night. I’ll ask my Father and Mother to see justice served!"

Mrs. Qin felt like the sky was collapsing.

Marrying a Princess into the family was supposed to be a blessing.

But to marry one with such a tarnished reputation and promiscuous behavior was a calamity!

To put it bluntly, even the children Lu Qianqian bore in the future might not belong to the Shen Family!

How would the world perceive her Second Son then?!

It’d be better to marry Xue Qingqing!

She clung to the door frame to keep from collapsing. "What karmic sins have I committed?!"

Sun Miao-niang had also arrived, trailing behind Mrs. Qin.

She spoke softly, "Mother-in-law is in poor health; how can the Princess treat her this way? We women should prioritize humility, obedience, and respect for our elders. Whatever the issue, surely it can be discussed calmly instead of quarreling."

Lu Qianqian raised an eyebrow. "So you’re the mistress who caused a scene at the Shen Guogong Mansion’s birthday banquet? I heard you knelt before Xue Qingqing with your son and kowtowed desperately, scaring her into tears."

Sun Miao-niang’s lips curved in mild disdain, but her face remained modest as she respectfully curtsied to Lu Qianqian. "This humble concubine was merely afraid that Miss Xue would not tolerate me and my son, so I kowtowed a few extra times. Though I came from a village on the border, I understand decorum and propriety. As a concubine, I ought to bow and kneel to the legal wife. Yet as a junior, Your Highness ought to greet your elders respectfully instead of confronting and offending them in this manner."

She believed her words were impeccable, forming a stark contrast to Lu Qianqian, and would surely win the favor of Mrs. Qin and Shen Xinglei.

But Mrs. Qin didn’t even spare her a glance.

Lu Qianqian sneered. "It’s one thing for me to lose to Shen Yinning, but where does a lowly wench like you get the audacity to flaunt in front of me?! I’m not Xue Qingqing, that coward. Someone, slap her hard!"

A Hidden Guard immediately appeared before Sun Miao-niang and delivered a sharp slap to her face.

Sun Miao-niang let out a piercing scream before the guard tossed her directly out of the room!

Shen Xinglei, now even angrier, roared in a booming voice, "Lu Qianqian!"

Lu Qianqian, equally enraged, had no intention of responding. She quickly tidied herself up and stormed off with her Hidden Guards, heading straight for the Imperial Palace.

"Lu Qianqian, stop right there!"

Shen Xinglei chased after her, his face red as a boiled prawn, his frustration steaming from him like an enraged bull.

The onlookers muttered and sneered at Mrs. Qin and Sun Miao-niang as they dispersed.

Shen Yinning waited until the crowd thinned before sauntering elegantly toward Mrs. Qin. "Aunt."

Mrs. Qin, startled by her sudden appearance, clutched her chest and scolded, "Why do you keep appearing out of nowhere?!"

"Congratulations, Aunt, on gaining a royal daughter-in-law," Shen Yinning said with a playful smile, her radiant demeanor both sweet and mischievous. "Among all the madams in the Capital, only you possess such unparalleled fortune."

Mrs. Qin was so angry she nearly spat blood.

Fortune? More like misfortune!

Who would want someone like Lu Qianqian—a promiscuous woman—in their family?!

But with prying ears everywhere in broad daylight, she couldn’t badmouth Lu Qianqian openly. Otherwise, if word reached the Emperor, they might think she harbored resentment toward the Imperial Family.

She was forced to squeeze out a strained smile. "That’s none of your concern. Tend to your own matters!"

"Of course."

Shen Yinning replied softly, clearly enjoying the look of despair on Mrs. Qin’s face.

After leaving the inn, Shen Yinning, worried about Xue Mianmian, hired a carriage to head to the Xue Mansion.

As her carriage neared the Xue Mansion, a furious roar thundered down the street: "Shen Yinning, stop right there!"

The carriage jerked to a halt.

As Shen Yinning stepped down using the footstool, she glanced back to see Shen Xinglei, seemingly having failed to stop Lu Qianqian, now coming to vent his frustration on her. He was on horseback, brandishing a blade, his dark face twisted in rage, looking ready to kill her.

Shen Yinning quickly lifted her skirt and ascended the steps of the Xue Mansion, knocking on the door. "Is Young Master Xue home? I am here under the Crown Prince’s command to pay a visit."

Lu Ying’s name worked like a charm; the steward immediately opened the door.

Just as Shen Yinning slipped through, Shen Xinglei dismounted, charged up the steps, and thrust his blade through the narrow gap of the door!