Chapter 32: The Willing One Would Take the Bait, Don't They?

In Lüye Garden, there were many ice basins, sending coolness to the garden with the breeze.

“Haha, Miss Linghan is really intelligent. I have never seen such a wonderful girl like you even though I have been out for many years.”

Hearty laughter came from the pavilion.

Shen Linghan lowered her head slightly. But unlike the coyness of ordinary girls, her face was glowing with a radiant look, which made the Second Prince in the opposite side appreciate her a little more.

Shen Xuanhua sat by and looked out of the pavilion. When he saw Shen Ninghua coming with the servant girls, his eyes immediately brightened and he stood up and shouted, “Here, Eldest Sister!”

Shen Ninghua raised her head and smiled. She approached the pavilion and said with feigned anger, “If you shouted a little louder, I can hear you in Yingyue Courtyard.”

“Eldest Sister, you make fun of me.” Shen Xuanhua said embarrassedly. Yesterday, he read the war manual all night. The more he read it, the more he felt benefited. Today, when he saw the Second Prince, he had dark circles under his eyes and was laughed at. He explained angrily about the war manual, and as a result, the Second Prince insisted on following him to the Shen family. He wished he hadn’t showed off.

Shen Ninghua chuckled. She looked at the young man in the pavilion wearing richly ornamented clothing and saluted. “Greetings, Second Prince.”

“Don’t stand on ceremony, Eldest Young Lady.”

“I was wondering why it was so noisy here. It turned out that Second Elder Brother is also here.” As soon as Shen Ninghua got up, she heard Baili Jinze’s voice. “Today is the Flower Festival. Father let us off. I had thought of asking Second Elder Brother to go out and have fun together. It’s better to meet you here.”

The Second Prince Baili Jinchuan looked more masculine in eyebrows and eyes. Because he had been to the battlefield, he also exhibited an air of sharpness and coldness, which made people feel that he was unapproachable. Compared with Baili Jinze, a typical gentleman, they were almost like the two ends of one rod.

“The Flower Festival is the liveliest, and it’s wonderful to go out and have fun today. I have made a reservation in Qinyang Building. Second Elder Brother, please join me.”

Baili Jinchuan nodded and glanced at Shen Ninghua, only to find that she was talking to Shen Xuanhua with her head askew. Her eyebrows and eyes were gentle, her eyelashes were thin, and her profile was as if carved with jade. He couldn’t stop looking at her. “Xuanhua, how about going together with me?”

He didn’t want to attend the Flower Festival. Instead, he had come to see the lady who gave Shen Xuanhua the war manual. Even with Baili Jinze’s interference now, he didn’t really mind as long as the goal could be achieved.

Shen Xuanhua was thinking about his war manual in his heart. Naturally, he didn’t want to go out, but Shen Ninghua said, “Well, I haven’t walked around in the capital for more than a year.”

“Eldest Sister, you couldn’t walk around since you were recuperating. Now that you are well, you can go out and have fun. I’ll send someone to notify Eldest Aunt. You must have a good time today.” Having finished his words, he didn’t wait for Shen Ninghua’s response, and immediately ordered a servant to send the message home.

The streets on both sides were neat and decorated with flowers. Lots of young ladies and masters of various families were walking in the street.

The Flower Festival was one of the liveliest festivals in Da’an. This day, people didn’t care much about the boundaries between men and women, and everyone could come out and play in the street.

“Ten thousand flowers embroider the sky palace; Immortal come to play the music and arouse waves. The wind blows down the red flower petals and sends away the fragrance of wine; Just enjoy today and no worry about tomorrow.” Shen Linghan held a bright red Begonia in her hand. Between her eyebrows and eyes, there was a trace of vague sadness. Her eyesight was like autumn water, falling on the people in the street. She looked so eye-catching and peerless.

Baili Jinze looked at Shen Linghan with all appreciation in his eyes, “I’ve heard that Miss Shen is both talented and beautiful. Today I really got to know that with my own eyes.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. Seriously speaking, I can’t match my elder sister.” Shen Linghan looked at Shen Ninghua intimately and said humbly.

Shen Ninghua didn’t pay any attention to her words. “Younger sister, you have a wrong memory. I didn’t read many books, and neither can I write poems. Although we didn’t spend much time together, you should do well to know that?”

Shen Linghan’s face became stiff. She intended to make Shen Ninghua lose face, but she didn’t expect Shen Ninghua to be so shameless.

“Tehee!” A sneer of Chu Junyi broke the dull atmosphere as he strode upstairs. His eyesight swept over Shen Linghan’s embarrassed face, and he felt more disgusted with this girl. She really was brainless. “Greetings, Your Highnesses. Please forgive me for being late.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Baili Jinchuan sized up Chu Junyi and said gently.

Chu Junyi motioned to his lad servant to come forward. “I saw someone selling hairpins downstairs, so I bought some. You two young ladies, feel free to choose by yourselves.”

It was a custom for a woman to wear a flower and a man to wear a wormwood in the Flower Festival. The lad servant was holding a tray, on which there were ten peonies of different colors. Peony was the symbol of Da’an Dynasty, which was especially favored by girls.

Shen Linghan liked it very much. “Sister, I always like red. Do you mind if I pick this red one?” As she spoke, she reached out and picked up the red peony.

Shen Ninghua didn’t care. “Of course not. I don’t like these things.”

The Second Prince was curious. “Don’t girls like flowers and herbs? Why don’t you like them?”

Shen Ninghua looked at him with a smile. “Second Prince, your words may be biased. Even leaves on a tree are different, let alone human beings. Girls like flowers and plants, which is a sign of their virtue and gentleness. But they can also like other things. That’s their choices.”

Baili Jinchuan’s heart was slightly touched. The woman in front of him was gentle and smiling. However, he seemed to detect the coldness behind her smile. He thought of the unique military manual she gave Shen Xuanhua, and his curiosity became greater.

“I heard that you recuperated in the country villa. I have a lot of medicinal materials in my house. I will send them to you some day. They may help improve your health.”

Shen Ninghua accepted without saying ceremonial cliches. “Thank you very much, Second Prince.”

Chu Junyi swayed his fan and threw all the hairpin flowers out of the window. People outside in the street immediately started scrambling. Throwing flowers from tall buildings was considered an elegant thing. It was said that a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) once got known to a royal princess in such an event, and finally became the current emperor’s son-in-law. Chu Junyi was one of the two Peerless Dual Masters in the capital. Even men joined in the scramble to pick his flowers, hoping to share some of his talent.

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Ignoring the sensation he caused, Chu Junyi turned to Shen Ninghua and said, “Eldest Young Lady, these vulgar accessories really don’t match you. With your beauty, you deserve the most beautiful flower.”

As Chu Junyi finished his words, his lad servant immediately came forward holding a gift box. Chu Junyi opened the box, and a flower was lying quietly in the middle of the box.

The petals were in the color red from light to deep, and the yellow stamens vibrated slightly. The most amazing thing was that the flower was shining colorfully in the sunshine. A close look showed that “the flower” was actually made of various gemstones. The pistil was even made of precious oil yellow jade, which was ground into beads and linked with gold threads.

Shen Linghan’s face blushed with anger, and the red peony in her hand was so conspicuous that it was like a mockery to her. What she chose was a vulgar accessory. And now Shen Ninghua was the elegant lady? Chu Junyi’s words were clearly a slap in her face.

Shen Ninghua didn’t expect Chu Junyi to be so straightforward with Shen Linghan, but she was very pleased. She reached out and picked up the pearl and jade flower, and looked at it carefully. “It’s really adorable.”

Chu Junyi smiled and said, “I’m glad you like it.”

The sun was falling, and the evening glow lighted on the river. Walking among the vast crowd, Shen Ninghua leisurely looked around at the beautiful scenery.

Shen Linghan was wearing the red peony she chose. She felt so humiliated that she kept her head down. Seeing Shen Ninghua’s smile, she wished she could throw Shen Ninghua into the nearby river. She was a proud dignified girl favored by heaven. Wherever she went, she was the focus of public attention with her unique talent and appearance. When had she been so neglected!

Shen Ninghua stopped at a place where colored lights were being sold, and looked at a white rabbit light on the stall and touched it fondly.

“This lantern is now sold to me.”

Shen Ninghua turned around, and the Second Prince Baili Jinchuan put the lantern in her hand. “Miss Shen, do you like fishing?”

“No, I don’t.”

“I thought you would like it, otherwise why did you throw out the bait?” He didn’t believe that Shen Ninghua would give Shen Xuanhua the precious war manual for no reason. It was clear that she wanted to send the book to his hands through Shen Xuanhua!

Shen Ninghua’s eyes were clear. “If a fish doesn’t want to take the bait, it can turn around and swim away. The sky is high and the sea is wide, why bother with a small bait?”

Baili Jinchuan was choked. Shen Ninghua’s tone was clearly confident that he would bite even if he knew it was a bait! Although she was the first daughter of the Shen family, she was just a girl living in the boudoir. Where did her confidence come from?

“You seem to be a little too confident. Aren’t you afraid that the fish will pull the fisherman into the water?”

Shen Ninghua’s smile remained unchanged. “Of course, I’m not afraid. If the fish is smart, it can definitely see that what I put in is not only a bait, but also a good recipe for him to take advantage of the wind and waves and leap across the dragon’s gate!”

“How dare you!”

Baili Jinchuan coldly shouted, which drew surprised look at him from the people around. Many people secretly despised him for his lack of etiquette because he was so rude to the beautiful lady in front of him.

Perceiving his gaffe, Baili Jinchuan immediately restrained his temper, but his heart was beating fast. He looked at Shen Ninghua and was more and more surprised. Did the girl know that the words she just said were enough to have the entire Shen clan and their relatives implicated and put to death?

“You.…”

Shen Ninghua didn’t care about his gaffe, but she didn’t talk any more. She took the rabbit lantern and went to the river to enjoy the scenery.

Baili Jinchuan stayed still, feeling a suspense. Then he found that his fifth younger brother walked past him and followed Shen Ninghua.

Baili Jinze had noticed Baili Jinchuan and Shen Ninghua were talking. Not knowing why, he felt uncomfortable seeing Shen Ninghua talking and laughing with others, as if his own things had been robbed by others.

“My second brother is the best at war, and he has made great achievements in the battlefield this time. My second sister-in-law’s family should also be able to get a lot of benefits.”

Shen Ninghua didn’t turn her head, but her eyes became cold at once. She had only hatred and disgust for Baili Jinze in her heart. Even hearing his voice made her feel as if she would vomit.

But when she looked back at Baili Jinze, there was no expression on her face. “Fifth Prince, why did you tell me this?”

Baili Jinze paused and said with worry in his eyes that was faintly visible. “I just don’t want Miss Shen to be deceived. My second brother…he treats every girl well.”

Shen Ninghua sneered in her heart. Baili Jinchuan had an amorous nature and had many concubines in his mansion. But he treated his wife very well. Even when he lost in the fight for the throne later, he tried his best and ensured the safety of his wife.

Baili Jinze, on the other hand, was really devoted, but his object of devotion was limited to himself!

He had always loved himself only and made use of everyone around him to pave his way!

“The Second Prince’s sincerity is really admirable.”

“You…” Baili Jinze could see clearly that Shen Ninghua’s eyes were full of ridicule, and even contempt. What puzzled him most was that he could feel Shen Ninghua’s hatred for him! Where did this hatred come from?

Shen Ninghua didn’t want to say another word to him, so she turned around and left.

Chu Junyi leaned against a flower cluster and crumpled the peony flowers in his hand into pieces. “The willing one will take the bait? What a bold girl!” Now that she had started to carry out her scheme, it was time for him to take some actions.

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