The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 147 - 146 Little Nine Must Take Full Responsibility for the Early Death of This Palace

Chapter 147: Chapter 146 Little Nine Must Take Full Responsibility for the Early Death of This Palace

Shen Chuwei had just seen off Tao Chenghui and the others when she spotted a snowy white figure darting towards her from outside, leaving behind a trail of cat paw prints in the snow.

As it got closer, Xuetuan slowed down its pace.

Just as Xuetuan was about to jump into her embrace, Shen Chuwei saw its intention and stepped aside.

Xuetuan missed and looked up at Shen Chuwei with a sound that was utterly plaintive, "Meow."

Shen Chuwei squatted down, holding a clean cloth, and said to Xuetuan, "Lift your paw, let me wipe it for you."

It was as if Xuetuan understood, obediently lifting its front limb, its snow-white fur tainted with rain and snow.

Shen Chuwei noticed that Xuetuan was quite clean; there was a long distance from the Crown Prince’s sleeping quarters to Xiyun Pavilion, but aside from rain and snow, there wasn’t even any mud or dirt on its paws.

After wiping all four limbs, Shen Chuwei then picked up Xuetuan and sat on the couch.

Feeling wronged, Xuetuan burrowed into Shen Chuwei’s arms and let out a low meow.

Shen Chuwei noticed that Xuetuan was a bit off today; she rubbed its fluffy head, "What’s wrong today? Did someone bully you?"

"Meow," Xuetuan lifted its head and looked at Shen Chuwei, its gaze seeking comfort from her.

Shen Chuwei wasn’t one to comfort others; when she was unhappy, she would eat, and eating would dispel all worries.

She took out one, no, two sticks of sausage from the Space and unwrapped them.

Xuetuan’s eyes lit up at the sight of the sausages, took a bite with its mouth, and ate leisurely.

Shen Chuwei watched Xuetuan eat with relish and thought, see, there’s nothing a sausage can’t solve. If not, then two will do.

Xiao Jinyan lifted the door curtain and entered, seeing the duo on the couch, he knew that Xuetuan would only come to Xiyun Pavilion.

Upon seeing Xiao Jinyan, Shen Chuwei stood up holding Xuetuan and curtsied, "Your Highness."

When Xuetuan saw Xiao Jinyan, it turned its head away, ignoring him and continued eating the remaining sausage.

Without a doubt, Xuetuan was angry.

Shen Chuwei wasn’t sure what had happened and asked Xiao Jinyan, puzzled, "Your Highness, did someone bully Xuetuan? It seemed so aggrieved when it arrived."

Xiao Jinyan came closer, "It was a misunderstanding on my part."

Xuetuan still stubbornly turned its head away.

Shen Chuwei casually inquired, "What happened?"

"Nothing much."

"Oh."

Shen Chuwei looked down at Xuetuan, thinking if it was really nothing, why would Xuetuan be so upset?

Look at Xuetuan, so wronged it won’t even acknowledge you.

When Xiao Jinyan heard this, he looked at Xuetuan, which was still turning its head away, obviously quite upset.

He shifted his gaze back to Shen Chuwei and said indifferently, "On the eighth day of the first lunar month, I will accompany the Empress to Bai Ma Temple for prayers."

Shen Chuwei listened but did not comment, as she had no interest in prayers.

Xiao Jinyan waited a while, and seeing no reaction from Shen Chuwei, asked, "Don’t you want to go?"

Shen Chuwei replied, "Your Highness will accompany the Empress, I’d rather not join the bustle."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan added, "Lady Liang will also be there."

At the mention of Lady Liang, Shen Chuwei immediately understood; Xiao Jinyan and Lady Liang were in a cold war, both with proud and aloof temperaments, neither willing to bow their heads.

So at this time, they needed her, the tool, to mediate between them.

It really wasn’t easy being Xiao Jinyan’s concubine.

As Shen Chuwei brainstormed, all her thoughts reached Xiao Jinyan’s ears. His eyes paused; how long had it been, and she was still fantasizing?

Hadn’t he made it clear enough?

Why did she still insist on creating scenarios involving him and Lady Liang in her head?

Shen Chuwei asked, "Does Your Highness wish for this concubine to accompany you?"

If it were to attend a banquet, being a third wheel wouldn’t be so bad. After all, there would be food, which would make it worthwhile.

But running back and forth to a temple is tiring, and being a third wheel on top of that is not worth it.

Previously, Xiao Jinyan didn’t understand the meaning of ’third wheel’. But after overhearing Shen Chuwei’s imaginary scenarios in her head, he guessed what it might mean.

After hearing this, Xiao Jinyan’s blood pressure soared. He tightened his grip on the teacup in his hand and asked through clenched teeth, "What do you think?"

Shen Chuwei lowered her eyelids, appearing very obedient, "This concubine will follow Your Highness’s lead."

Xiao Jinyan explained, "It was the Empress’s insistence to bring Lady Tao, not this palace’s desire."

Shen Chuwei nodded, "This concubine understands that Your Highness does not wish to be with Lady Tao."

Xiao Jinyan, upon hearing this, finally nodded in satisfaction, having cleared up the misunderstanding.

But the next second, he overheard Shen Chuwei thinking to herself that when couples have a cold war, they are all stubborn like dead ducks. They say they are unwilling on the surface, but actually, they are willing in their hearts.

I have seen too many of these plots in novels.

Xiao Jinyan almost burst a blood vessel from anger.

He looked up at Shen Chuwei, outwardly docile, yet no one knew the chaos that stirred within her thoughts.

Angered, Xiao Jinyan stood up, lifted the curtain, and wanted to leave. Just as he did so, he overheard Shen Chuwei thinking, "Has His Highness had a change of heart?"

Xiao Jinyan grasped the curtain tightly, turned his head towards Shen Chuwei, and said, "You, come along."

After speaking, he walked away without looking back.

He feared that if he heard any more of Shen Chuwei’s inner thoughts, it would infuriate him to death.

Shen Chuwei looked on with a puzzled face at Xiao Jinyan’s retreating figure. Everything was fine, so why was he angry?

Xiao Jinyan, having stepped out, still overheard Shen Chuwei’s thoughts. ’Why am I angry? Aren’t you the clearest about that?’

Previously, such misunderstandings seemed trivial to Xiao Jinyan—whether others misunderstood or were merely curious, he didn’t care.

He never thought that one day, such a matter would leave him utterly bemused.

On the eighth day, the weather was clear and sunny.

Shen Chuwei, holding Xuetuan, followed behind Xiao Jinyan, walking parallel to Lady Tao toward the luxurious Phoenix Carriage not far away.

Xuetuan must have been the angriest at this time, so for two days straight, she did not return to the Crown Prince’s sleeping quarters and stayed at the Xiyun Pavilion.

The Empress rode inside the spacious and luxurious Phoenix Carriage, where four people could sit without feeling crowded.

The Empress, assisted by Mammy Qingying, boarded the Phoenix Carriage and took her seat at the very center.

By protocol, Xiao Jinyan was to board first. However, seeing Shen Chuwei and Lady Tao behind him, he changed his mind.

He looked toward Lady Tao, "Lady Tao, you go first."

"Yes, Your Highness." Lady Tao bowed and, with the help of Mammy Qingying, boarded the Phoenix Carriage.

Xiao Jinyan turned to Shen Chuwei, reaching out his hand, "Lady Shen, you board first as well."

"Yes, Your Highness." Shen Chuwei, holding Xuetuan, saw the attractive hand in front of her, placed her hand on his, and stepped onto the carriage footstool to board the Phoenix Carriage.

Upon entering the Phoenix Carriage, Shen Chuwei saw the Empress seated in the middle, with Lady Tao sitting on the Empress’s right side.

Without much thought, she took her seat on the left, as Lady Tao had intentionally left a spot between Xiao Jinyan and the Empress.

The Empress glanced at Lady Shen, her opinion of her somewhat improved—not only because of her excellent cooking skills but also because of the incident on New Year’s Eve. If not for her, it would have been the Crown Prince who suffered.

...

...

Xiao Jinyan: If I should die young, you will bear full responsibility.

This trip to the White Horse Temple, Xiao Jinyan was ready to pull out all the stops!

Shen Chuwei shivered in fear!