PDLP Chapter 199 Chu Yuning, who looks like a human but is actually a dog.
Chapter 199 Chu Yuning, who looks like a human but is actually a dog.
It's Prince Xiao Yunfei of Jin!
Shen Yuan's eyes darkened slightly; Xiao Yunyan and the three siblings, Xiao Yuncheng and Xiao Yunfei, truly had a good relationship.
Xiao Yunyan was just hosting a banquet, and Xiao Yunfei rushed over from Jizhou City, which was a hundred miles away. Her two younger brothers truly respected and loved her.
She was like the protagonist in a storybook, with everyone revolving around her.
As Shen Yuan was pondering, Xiao Yunfei walked towards her.
"Miss Shen, you've come today too?"
Shen Yuan didn't understand why the Prince of Jin wanted to greet her. They had never met before and weren't exactly acquainted. Besides, she was just the daughter of a courtier; how could she expect a prince to condescend to greet her?
Shen Yuan's mind was racing, but she showed no emotion on her face. She curtsied and said, "This humble woman, Shen Yuan, greets Your Highness, Prince Jin."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Shen Yunjin appeared out of nowhere and squeezed between the two of them. She looked at Xiao Yunfei with a smile and said, "Your Highness Prince Jin, I'm here."
Xiao Yunfei glanced at Shen Yunjin, then turned his head to look at Shen Yuan.
Shen Yuan smiled knowingly. It turned out that she had mistaken her for Shen Yunjin.
"Your Highness Prince Jin, when did you arrive in the capital?" Shen Yunjin greeted Xiao Yunfei familiarly.
Xiao Yunfei then stopped looking at Shen Yuan and, after exchanging a few words with Shen Yunjin, took his seat.
Before long, Xiao Yuncheng arrived.
According to the servants at the Princess's residence, it was Xiao Yunyan who specifically begged the Emperor for permission, which is why the Emperor allowed Xiao Yuncheng to leave the palace for a day to attend the banquet at the Princess's residence.
The favor Xiao Yunyan enjoyed was unparalleled by any princess throughout history.
Upon seeing Xiao Yuncheng, Shen Yunjin's eyes instantly reddened, but due to the large number of people present, she did not take the initiative to approach and speak to him.
Shen Yuan gently tapped the tea table in front of them with her knuckles, reminding them, "Stop crying those worthless tears. Anyone who doesn't know better would think you're desperate to get married!"
Shen Yunjin glared at Shen Yuan but didn't reply.
After Xiao Yuncheng and Xiao Yunfei arrived, Xiao Yunyan finally arrived late, surrounded by palace maids.
She walked to the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
Everyone rose and bowed, "Greetings, Your Highness!"
Xiao Yunyan raised her long, narrow phoenix eyes slightly and glanced indifferently at everyone: "Alright, get up!"
Shen Yuan sat down, but then noticed a gaze on her. She followed the gaze and saw Chu Yuning's face.
After a long time, he looked even more presentable than before.
Chu Yuning stared at Shen Yuan and Shen Yunjin sitting side by side, her face showing disbelief. How could there be people in this world who looked exactly alike?
He could hardly tell which one was Shen Yuan.
He looked at Shen Yuan and Shen Yunjin, and could only judge them by the way they looked at him. Shen Yuan's gaze was extremely cold, as if she were looking at a dead man.
Shen Yunjin's almond-shaped eyes were blazing with fury, as if she wanted to tear him to pieces.
So the person he hugged that night really wasn't Shen Yuan?
Instead, it was Shen Yunjin, another daughter of the General Who Guards the North!
He had heard from his colleagues that the General of the Northern Garrison had brought back a daughter from his country estate, but he never imagined that the person would be Shen Yuan.
How could Shen Yuan be the biological daughter of the General of the North?
In his previous life...
Just then, Xiao Yunyan's voice suddenly rang in my ears, "Does Vice Minister Chu know the daughter of General Shen?"
"do not know."
Chu Yuning lowered her head and explained, "I have never seen anyone so similar before. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that we are sisters. That's why I took a second look out of curiosity."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yunjin snorted coldly: "They only look six or seven parts alike, but you can still tell the difference at a glance!"
Seeing Shen Yunjin's angry expression, Chu Yuning smiled warmly and said, "Miss Shen is right! There are still differences!"
Shen Yunjin gritted her teeth and didn't reply.
She wanted to expose Chu Yuning in public, but seeing Chu Yuning bowing and scraping behind Xiao Yunyan, even if she was slow to realize, she could understand that Chu Yuning was now Xiao Yunyan's favorite.
Xiao Yunyan is someone she cannot afford to offend for the time being.
Moreover, revealing what happened that night wouldn't do her any good.
So Shen Yunjin chose to keep quiet, only giving Chu Yuning a couple of sharp glances.
Chu Yuning looked away, avoiding eye contact with Shen Yunjin.
Shen Yuan silently drank her tea. Although she hadn't seen Chu Yuning in the past month, she had heard a lot about him, including that he had been appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
A third-ranking scholar directly occupied a fourth-rank official position, which many civil officials in the court were dissatisfied with.
However, Chu Yuning's proposal to reform the irrigation canals in Jiangnan won the emperor's favor.
The court officials, seeing that he was not only learned but also capable of governing the country, had no objections.
But Shen Yuan knew that the plan to reform the water system in Jiangnan was not Chu Yuning's idea at all, but rather Lord He, who would become the governor of Yunzhou three years later.
Chu Yuning took credit for someone else's work.
It's a pity that Prefect He has lost so much hair over the years due to the flooding of lakes in the Jiangnan region during the rainy season.
In just one month, Chu Yuning not only obtained an official position in the court, but also became a favorite of Xiao Yunyan, rising to become a highly sought-after civil official in the capital, with many people wanting to befriend him.
Some even wanted to marry their daughters to him.
However, rumors circulated that Chu Yuning would be the future imperial son-in-law, causing those who wanted to arrange a marriage for him to immediately fall silent.
Who dares to steal Princess Jingwan's husband?
This is just asking for death!
However, some people questioned how Xiao Yunyan could possibly be interested in Chu Yuning, who came from a poor background, when she didn't even look down on the son of the prime minister.
However, some people say that Xiao Yunyan is now nearly thirty years old, which is the age when ordinary people are almost grandmothers. Marrying Chu Yuning is not considered a step up for Chu Yuning.
People in the capital had all sorts of rumors, but only Shen Yuan knew why Xiao Yunyan had taken a liking to Chu Yuning.
What Xiao Yunyan needed was not a husband, but an easy puppet to manipulate.
Chu Yuning was completely under her control.
As the banquet began, a small boat floated on the lake, carrying several musicians.
The melodious sound of a zither filled the air as beautiful dancers swayed on the shore.
Beautiful scenery, beautiful women, and fine wine complement each other perfectly.
Xiao Yunyan sent people to move the green peonies she had planted in her back garden to the pavilion for everyone to admire.
The green peony is delicate and beautiful, with its petals overlapping like jade.
Xiao Yuncheng suggested using this green peony as the theme for a game of "flying flowers" (a traditional Chinese poetic game).
The first character is "green".
Xiao Yunyan spoke first, "The Green Field Hall occupies the most beautiful places, and the road leads to the residence of Lord Ling."
After she finished speaking, she raised her hand to Shen Yuan, signaling her to come and take it.
Shen Yuan didn't expect Xiao Yunyan to point out her, but she still replied with a line of poetry: "Green leaves interspersed with red blossoms, dew-covered stamens amidst misty thickets, flowers blooming and fading, cherishing the passing years together."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Yunjin hurriedly replied, "Remember the green silk skirt, everywhere you look, you cherish the fragrant grass."
As she spoke, she lowered her shoulders and glanced at Xiao Yuncheng, her eyes filled with tenderness.
Xiao Yuncheng also looked at Shen Yunjin.
Shen Yunjin was overjoyed, but she accidentally knocked over the teacup in front of her. The light green tea spilled onto her crimson skirt, leaving yellowish-brown tea stains.
The tea was still a bit hot, and Shen Yunjin immediately screamed and stood up from her seat. She shook her skirt and looked disgusted.
Seeing this, Xiao Yunyan smiled and said, "Someone, take Miss Shen to the backyard to change her clothes."
Shen Yunjin thanked them and followed the servants from the princess's residence out.
For some reason, looking at Xiao Yunyan's smile, Shen Yuan suddenly had a bad feeling. So she grabbed Shen Yunjin: "I'll go with you!"
"Who needs you to accompany me!" Shen Yunjin pushed Shen Yuan's hand away with disgust and turned to walk out of the pavilion.
Shen Yuan had no choice but to chase after her, but as soon as she stepped onto the waterside pavilion, she was tripped by a maid standing beside the pavilion for some reason, and then she lost her balance and fell straight into the lake.
With a "splash," water splashed everywhere.