Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 143
Chapter 143 – Let Him Go Free?
Shen Ruofei gazed at her reflection in the bronze mirror. She was twenty years old, her beauty at its peak, radiant and resplendent. She was the most beautiful woman in Dajing! But why did no one love her?
In a fit of anger, Shen Ruofei smashed the horn comb against the bronze mirror, leaving a deep scratch. She was born a favored daughter of the heavens, from a prominent family of the fourth rank, and her beauty was like that of a celestial being. She had been admired and placed on a pedestal her entire life…
Because of this, Shen Ruofei had high expectations and lofty ambitions. How could she possibly consider any ordinary, wealthy playboy? Since her youth, she had only wanted to marry one of the finest men in the world…
At first, she naturally set her sights on the emperor. But after witnessing the elegance of Prince Zhenbei, her affections shifted entirely to him.
When Princess Dairou went mad and was essentially divorced and sent away by the prince, Shen Ruofei’s only goal was to become the legitimate princess! She had no interest in being a concubine or secondary wife!
The key problem was that after she became a secondary wife, Prince Zhenbei hadn’t even touched her—not once had he spent the night in her quarters…
And it was all because of that neither-man-nor-woman creature! Just thinking of Shen Yu, with his face even more beautiful than hers, drove Shen Ruofei mad with jealousy. Before, he had haunted the emperor’s thoughts, and now he had captivated Prince Zhenbei, who revolved around him! And she, Shen Jieyu, a secondary consort, was nothing but a title without substance!
Finally, when the prince had given up on him, he had the audacity to resort to something as dramatic as attempting suicide by poison! Shen Ruofei felt disgusted just thinking about it…
Often, she was so angry that she trembled. But she was not like Princess Dairou; she had no imperial backing and was not the legitimate princess. Unlike the arrogant and domineering Dairou, Shen Ruofei was cautious and intelligent, never doing anything foolish like confronting the situation head-on.
“If that wretched person truly dies from the poison, then it will all be over,” Shen Ruofei sighed regretfully…
Now was not the time for self-pity. She could see that Prince Zhenbei was spending all his energy on Shen Yu, even moving him from the side hall to the main chamber, where they now ate and lived together. Shen Ruofei grew anxious, but Prince Zhenbei refused to see her…
With no other choice, Shen Ruofei waited outside the prince’s chambers. Prince Zhenbei was about to leave for court. “Your Highness!”
Shen Ruofei mustered up her courage to block his way. She had no other option; if she didn’t act soon, once that demon recovered, there would be no place left for her.
Jun Xuanxiao paused momentarily, almost failing to remember who she was. To be honest, he never paid attention to what Shen Ruofei looked like. He had only married her as a secondary consort to provoke Shen Yu…
Shen Ruofei shyly lowered her head. Today, she had dressed herself with meticulous care, without overstepping, and sure enough, Prince Zhenbei’s gaze lingered on her for a moment. What man in the world didn’t appreciate beauty?
She had a graceful figure, far superior to the thin and frail Shen Yu, didn’t she? “Your Highness has been busy with state affairs and caring for Shen Yu. I noticed that you’ve grown more haggard, and it pains me. So, I made some ginseng soup…”
Before she could finish, Jun Xuanxiao waved her off.
“Oh, I never eat those things,” Jun Xuanxiao frowned. “Did you not know?”
Shen Ruofei’s expression turned awkward as Jun Xuanxiao started to leave.
“Your Highness!” Shen Ruofei quickly called out, “I have something to discuss with you. It will only take a few words. Please, Your Highness, hear me out.”
Jun Xuanxiao stopped and said, “Speak quickly.”
“I heard that Shen Yu was poisoned, and though I haven’t been able to visit him, I’ve been very worried. However, I don’t know much about medicine, and I feared that if I went, I might only cause you more trouble.”
Jun Xuanxiao grew more impatient, uninterested in hearing such insincere concerns.
“They say Shen Yu has become even more withdrawn?” Shen Ruofei quickly got to the point. “If Your Highness truly cares about his recovery, you must help him untangle his inner knots. You can’t push him too hard. Perhaps if you follow his wishes, his worries will lift, and he will recover.”
“His wishes?”
Shen Ruofei knew she had struck a chord. Whenever Shen Yu was mentioned, even if Jun Xuanxiao didn’t want to speak with her, he would stop to listen.
“Yes. Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but Shen Yu’s inner conflict stems from Your Highness. Being with you day and night has not eased his resistance; it only makes him live in constant pain. Instead of forcing him to accept you, why not let him follow his heart? Only then can he lower his guard.”
Jun Xuanxiao sneered. “You’ve been watching over Yu’er and me rather closely, haven’t you?”
Shen Ruofei humbly replied, “I wouldn’t dare. But they say that when you care deeply, you become blind. Shen Yu and I grew up together; how could I not care about him? I remember he once told me that his greatest wish was to save enough money to buy his freedom. Your Highness knows how much he longs for freedom.”
“I don’t need you to remind me.”
Jun Xuanxiao was displeased. Shen Ruofei’s implication was that he should let Shen Yu go free? But after going to such lengths to have Shen Yu back, how could he possibly let him leave again? He never wanted to experience the heart-wrenching pain of losing him again.
Shen Ruofei had long expected that Prince Zhenbei wouldn’t listen to her attempts to sow discord. He was stubborn, but that sickly ghost was a different story.
