Chapter 154: Just an Outsider

Shen Sinian nodded slightly. "Actually, I have been worried about this as well."

Having won the battle and achieved such military merit, the Third Prince would view Gu Shengyu as an even greater threat. Now that they were so far from the capital, Gu Shengyu might very well want them to die here.

"I will post guards, Your Highness. You need not worry."

Xiao Yan acknowledged this with a hum. As he lifted his gaze, a sudden, inexplicable sense of relief washed over him—a feeling he had not experienced in the past few months. The longing to see that face which haunted his every thought enveloped him, making his heart tremble.

"Captain Shen, what is the first thing you want to do when you return?"

"I suppose it would be to have a meal with my family," Shen Sinian said with a smile. "I want to tell them everything I’ve experienced over these past few months."

His sister would surely love to hear it.

Xiao Yan nodded, his expression softening, his eyes filled with a gentle warmth.

"And what about you, Your Highness?"

Shen Sinian paused after speaking, then waved his hand. "Never mind, I have already guessed."

It would be nothing more than to see his sister.

At this, the corners of Xiao Yan’s mouth curved slightly.

Before them, the camp was filled with cooking smoke and bonfires. The soldiers, knowing they would soon be returning home in triumph, wore joyful smiles, gathering together to talk about their families. They had left home with a resolve to die, expecting nothing, yet now they had returned safe and victorious; all they wanted was to go home and see their loved ones.

"The first thing I must do upon returning is to see His Majesty," Xiao Yan said, withdrawing his gaze. The campfire flickered across his sharp-featured face, casting light and shadow. "I will petition for rewards for the troops."

These men, who had braved life and death, were mostly from humble backgrounds, having joined the army to put food on the table or earn a living. It was their courage on the front lines that had secured victory time and again; he could not fail them.

A faint smile touched Shen Sinian's lips. "His Majesty is truly thoughtful."

His father had been right about the man.

***

Shen Yi was to return a few days ahead of Xiao Yan and his party; they were about three days away from the capital. The entire Duke Zhen’s Mansion was bustling with activity. Finding a rare moment of leisure in the afternoon, Shen Jinyu came to his sister’s courtyard, only to find that Wu Miaofu, who had not visited in a long time, had arrived at Shaohua Courtyard as well.

This took Shen Nanyuan slightly by surprise.

Recently, Shen Nanyuan’s woodcarving skills had improved, and the bird she was working on was gradually taking shape. Since returning from the palace, she had felt that Wu Miaofu was somehow different, especially in the way she looked at her—a gaze that made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

"Cousin, you do everything so well," Wu Miaofu said, her voice flat. She looked at the bird in Shen Nanyuan’s hands. "No wonder so many people like you."

"That goes without saying," Shen Jinyu said, a look of pride on his face. "My sister is naturally gifted. She hasn’t been carving for long, yet she’s already doing it so beautifully. It’s only natural that so many people like her."

Shen Nanyuan felt a sense of helplessness. She didn't know when Shen Jinyu had become such a fan of hers, singing her praises until she felt quite pressured.

"If only I could be like you, Cousin." Wu Miaofu smiled thinly. "What you disdain is exactly what I crave."

This remark caused Shen Nanyuan to frown. She looked up at Wu Miaofu. "Why would you say that, Miaofu?"

"It’s nothing," Wu Miaofu replied. "Don't take it to heart, Cousin. I was just speaking casually."

The atmosphere turned chilly. Recently, Shen Nanyuan felt that her cousin was constantly making such pointed remarks, which made her feel deeply uneasy. She let her gaze cool and turned it away.

Shen Jinyu, observant of the mood, glanced at Wu Miaofu out of the corner of his eye and leaned closer to his sister with a bright smile. "Sister, shall we go to the Mingyue Restaurant tomorrow?" He continued, "We’ve been going to the Linglong Restaurant so often lately; I’ve suddenly developed a craving for the dishes at Mingyue."

Shen Nanyuan nodded. "Alright."

Wu Miaofu’s hands tightened, and she lowered her gaze, her long lashes veiling the defiance and resentment in her eyes. Ever since she learned that Consort Zhuang had summoned Shen Nanyuan to the palace to force a marriage, it had felt like a knot in her heart, causing her unbearable distress.

When the Second Prince had come to see her some days ago, she had probed him indirectly.

Gu Shengyu had looked at her with a mocking smile. "I naturally intend to marry the County Princess. Only she is fit to sit in the position of the primary wife, and Duke Zhen’s Mansion is what I require. Even if she does not marry me now, she will certainly do so in the future. There will be no one else but her."

His eyes narrowed, cold and piercing as he scanned Wu Miaofu, as if he could see through everything, making her heart race with sudden tension.

"Do you have other ideas?"

"The County Princess is the only daughter of the Great General, cherished by all. My primary wife must be her. While I do think well of you now, in the future, you will only be a concubine (Liangyuan). I must remind you: you are merely a distant cousin in Duke Zhen’s Mansion. You may rely on the mansion, but in the end, you are an outsider. Do not lose yourself in appearances, thinking you are as noble as the County Princess; others treat you with respect only for her sake."

"However, once you enter my manor as a concubine, it will be better than your current life. You will enjoy wealth and glory. As long as you know your place and do not cause me trouble, I will treat you well."

These words made Wu Miaofu’s hands clench so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She could only lower her head. "You misunderstand, Your Highness. Miaofu has no such improper thoughts. Being by your side is enough to make me happy."

During her time at the Duke’s mansion, she had seen that Shen Nanyuan had no desire to marry the Second Prince. This made her own situation seem all the more ridiculous. What she had fought so hard to obtain, Shen Nanyuan held in such disdain. She had always envied Shen Nanyuan, but gradually, that envy had curdled into jealousy.

Now, the jealousy in her heart was impossible to suppress. Shen Nanyuan was born noble and could have anything she wanted, even the things she herself dreamed of were within easy reach. Yet, even living in the Duke’s mansion, others still looked down on her.