Chapter 156: It’s Always Like This

Wu Miaofu lowered her gaze, looking meek and submissive. "Please, Cousin, speak your mind."

"You are about to reach your coming-of-age ceremony," Shen Nanyuan said softly. "You are at the age where you should be married, so I wanted to ask if there is anyone you fancy, or perhaps what kind of person you prefer."

Upon hearing this, the expression on Wu Miaofu’s face stiffened abruptly. She looked up, her eyes filled with shock.

"Do not misunderstand, Cousin. It does not matter how long you stay at the Duke of Zhen’s residence; it is just that..." Shen Nanyuan appeared helpless. "You will come of age next month, and my uncle is coming to the capital. If he learns that in the half-year or more you have been here, there has been no good news, I fear he might think the Duke’s residence has been negligent in this matter."

"Mother has always been fond of you and would certainly never marry you off to someone you dislike. However, if you continue on like this, my uncle will surely misunderstand. I am afraid he might not grasp Mother's good intentions, which is why I wanted to ask what kind of person you like, so that Mother and I might have a direction to look."

"If we can find someone for you before my uncle arrives in the capital, he will be happy, Mother and I will be at ease, and you will have found a good husband." Shen Nanyuan smiled. "What do you think?"

"..."

A surge of rage spread from the depths of her heart throughout her entire body. Wu Miaofu could barely contain her emotions. She bit her lower lip so hard that the taste of blood filled her mouth, and a sharp, stinging pain pierced her lip, yet it could not mask the overwhelming fury in her heart.

*What do I think?*

She is clearly trying to drive me out of the Duke of Zhen’s residence!

*It doesn’t matter how long you stay…* What a polite lie! It is obvious that she cannot stand me living here and wants to marry me off as quickly as possible!

She recalled the scene earlier at the Mingyue Restaurant.

"Your Highness, I do not know if I should say this, but I have feelings for you, and I cannot bear to see you deceived." Wu Miaofu had looked up, feigning difficulty. "My cousin does not actually like you. I have stayed at the Duke’s residence for a long time, and I can tell that she only pretends to like you on the surface."

*So, you should not set your heart on her.*

But the Second Prince had shown no surprise, as if he had known all along. His gaze was indifferent. "I do not care about that."

This response caused Wu Miaofu to widen her eyes in astonishment. She had assumed that someone as prideful as the Second Prince would be enraged to hear such words.

"I only want her person and the Duke of Zhen’s residence that stands behind her. Whether or not she fancies me, in the end, she will only belong to me." Gu Shengyu glanced at her. "Do you understand?"

The warning hidden within those four words left Wu Miaofu trembling. It was a command for her to stop saying such things and to keep her petty schemes in check.

"What I dislike most is someone who plays tricks behind my back." Gu Shengyu’s gaze fell upon her, cold and chilling. He reached out and brushed her delicate cheek, a gesture that looked incredibly lingering and gentle, yet the coldness in his pitch-black eyes made her afraid to even breathe. "This is the second time."

The low, chilling, and indifferent voice still terrified Wu Miaofu to this day. She realized she understood what the Second Prince meant.

*Three strikes and you're out.*

If she were discarded, the Second Prince would certainly not let her live, lest she go out and say something. She was merely a cousin of the Duke’s residence; killing her would be effortless.

It was always like this. She tried her best to please Lady Shen and Shen Jinyu, hoping to secure a place in their hearts, but in the end, she was just an outsider. It was the same with the Second Prince—no matter what she did, she could never compare to Shen Nanyuan.

The terror she felt toward the Second Prince now transformed entirely into jealousy and resentment toward Shen Nanyuan. However, knowing she still lived under the Duke’s roof, she forced down her anger and smiled. "Cousin, I currently do not have anyone I fancy, nor can I say what kind of person I like."

"When my father arrives in the capital, I will speak to him myself so he will not overthink things," Wu Miaofu continued. "And when he arrives, it will be perfect for him to help me vet suitors."

Shen Nanyuan lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea. "With so many men in the capital, is there truly not one you fancy?"

"Cousin," Wu Miaofu looked up, meeting Shen Nanyuan’s gaze, and shook her head calmly. "None."

Shen Nanyuan: "..."

Her cousin certainly had high standards.

Fearing that Shen Nanyuan might say something else or pressure her to reveal her true feelings, Wu Miaofu stood up. "If you have nothing else, Cousin, I shall return. Rest assured, I will not stay at the Duke of Zhen’s residence for much longer."

She emphasized the last sentence slightly.

Shen Nanyuan frowned and looked up at her, seeing that her expression was normal and betrayed no other emotions. "You..."

Wu Miaofu smiled. "Then I shall take my leave."

Watching her back as she exited the Shaohua Courtyard, Qingrui sighed. "My Lady, it seems the young miss misunderstood that you were trying to drive her away."

"...Mm." Shen Nanyuan drank her tea. "Let it be."

Although she hadn't intended to force her out, she was indeed hoping that Wu Miaofu would leave the Duke’s residence. Now, she was even more certain that this Wu Miaofu had a very complicated mind.

Qingrui said, "The General is returning to the capital soon; you should not expend your energy on this matter."

Shen Nanyuan nodded in agreement.

—

Before they could return in triumph, the Prince of the Houlan Kingdom arrived.

Not long after, Shen Yi returned to the capital. The cheers of the people rose one after another. Even though the Emperor was in poor health, he personally came to the city walls to welcome him. Shen Yi had been away on campaign for nearly a year, and his safe return brought immense excitement and joy to Shen Nanyuan.

The banquet to celebrate the triumphant return of the heroes would be held after Xiao Yan and Shen Sinian returned, which gave Shen Yi plenty of time to spend with his family. Although Shen Sinian had not yet returned, Shen Yi still enjoyed a reunion meal with the rest of the household. The next day, he entered the palace to petition the Emperor to reward the soldiers who had fought so bravely against the enemy.

Sangluo and Beiliang had been dealt a devastating blow, and it was unlikely they would dare to invade again in the coming years. Shen Nanyuan pondered that at the banquet held after Xiao Yan and Shen Sinian returned, the ministers siding with the Second Prince would likely bring up the wedding date again.

It gave her a splitting headache.

Just as Shen Sinian was about to return to the capital, his final letter home arrived. Shen Nanyuan looked at the many pages densely packed with writing and couldn't help but smile.

Shen Sinian was truly a chatterbox. He had likely been憋 (bottled up) for a long time; once he returned, he would surely go on and on without end. Yet, in truth, Shen Nanyuan found the things he wrote in his letters quite interesting.

For instance, the magnificent scenery of the south filled her heart with a sense of longing. Before she had transmigrated into this book, she had been extremely fond of traveling and seeing the landscapes of different places.