After giving her contraceptives, she went mad, criticizing the prince for turning white-haired overn

Shen Wan panicked for a moment and instinctively hid behind Shen Ning.

The Crown Prince of Huainan stepped forward, his voice urgent: "Wan'er, I have something to tell you."

Shen Wan pursed her lips and replied in a low voice, "Your Highness, I have nothing to say to you."

"Since the Crown Prince also believed those rumors, he naturally assumes that I, Shen Wan, am the kind of shameless person who curries favor with the powerful."

"Then there's no need for us to be entangled anymore."

Shen Ning turned her head to Shen Wan and said, "Wan'er, why don't you two talk?"

"Since the young master has come specifically to see you, you should make it clear to him that since you have already broken off the engagement, he should stop bothering you."

"I'll go to the palace and wait for you."

With that, Shen Ning gently patted Shen Wan's hand and turned to walk towards the palace.

Before even reaching the main hall, he sensed someone approaching him.

As soon as she turned around, she saw an unfamiliar girl walk quickly up to her, stuff a note into her hand, and then leave in a hurry.

Shen Ning slowly unfolded the note, and a few lines of text came into view:

"Ah Ning, come see me after the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. It concerns the matter of your loss of virginity at Putuo Temple."

She could recognize the handwriting on the paper.

It belongs to the Prince of Chen.

Sure enough, it was exactly the same as in my previous life.

In her previous life, before the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, Prince Chen also sent someone to deliver a similar note to her.

She believed him and went to see him.

At that time, Prince Chen told her that he was the one who took her body at Putuo Temple.

She actually believed it at the time.

It seems that Prince Chen's spies probably already know what happened between her and Xie Linyuan at Putuo Temple.

Shen Ning expressionlessly put away the note and walked directly into the palace.

-

On the other side, Shen Wan followed the Crown Prince of Huainan to a sparsely populated area outside the palace and stopped.

She looked at the two people in front of her.

"Your Highness, please speak."

The heir apparent of the Prince of Huainan stepped forward, his tone gentle:

"Wan'er, I know you're not that kind of person, and you would never do anything to curry favor with the Ming King."

"It's just that my mother, for the sake of the Prince's reputation, had no choice but to make me break off the engagement with you."

"But I... I really can't bear to part with you, and I can't go against my mother's wishes."

Shen Wan sneered: "So what?"

The Crown Prince of Huainan said, "I've thought about it for a long time. If the position of Crown Princess isn't feasible, how about I take you as my concubine?"

"As a concubine?"

Shen Wan felt like she had heard the biggest joke in the world.

Beside the heir of the Prince of Huainan, Lin Anning, the daughter of the Minister of Rites, looked at her with a smile.

His eyes, however, held undisguised sarcasm and condescension.

"Miss Shen, the young master still can't forget you. He had a big fight with the princess because of you and was even punished by kneeling for two days and two nights."

"I was so heartbroken that I advised him to take you into his household, so that we could be sisters and serve the prince together."

"What does Miss Shen think?"

Shen Wan sneered: "I am the legitimate daughter of the Shen family. Even if my reputation is ruined now, I will never become someone's concubine."

"If Your Highness is so fond of beautiful women, you may take a few more concubines and become sisters with Miss Lin."

After saying that, Shen Wan turned to leave.

She had just taken a step when the Crown Prince of Huainan reached out and grabbed her sleeve.

"Wan'er, please..."

"I...can't bear to part with you."

Shen Wan forcefully shook off his hand.

"Your mother made it clear that day that the Shen family and the Prince of Huainan's mansion would have no further connection from now on."

After Shen Wan left, Lin Anning gently supported the Crown Prince of Huainan.

"Young Master, if Miss Shen doesn't appreciate it, so be it."

"Her reputation is ruined now, and no one dares to marry her. It's not too late for the young master to come and marry her later."

The Crown Prince of Huainan remained silent, watching the receding figure, and slowly lowered his eyes.

-

During the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, the palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air.

Beneath the vermilion palace walls, officials and their wives filed in.

When Shen Ning arrived at the square in front of the Shou Kang Palace, it was already bustling with elegantly dressed people.

The interior of the hall was resplendent with gold and dazzling brilliance.

After she found a seat in the Shen family's restaurant, she soon saw Shen Wan walk over with a sullen face and sit down next to her.

Shen Ning lowered her eyes and gently tugged at Shen Wan's sleeve.

"Wan'er, what did the Prince of Huainan's heir say to you just now?"

"Has he ever bullied you?"

Shen Wan pursed her lips and said softly, "It's nothing, sister, don't worry."

Shen Ning sighed and said, "Now that your engagement with the Prince of Huainan's family has been called off, you don't need to have anything to do with him anymore."

"Wan'er understands."

As the two sisters were talking, Shen Ning felt two pairs of eyes fixed on her from diagonally opposite.

She looked up and saw that Prince Chen and Prince Ming were staring straight at her.

Shen Ning remained calm, clutching the note in her sleeve, already having made up her mind.

A moment later, the voice of a eunuch came from outside the hall.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

"The Regent has arrived!"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone turned to look outside the hall.

Emperor Wuzong and the Empress, one on each side, were seen helping the dignified and elegant Empress Dowager walk into the palace.

Although the Empress Dowager was over sixty years old, she was in good spirits, wearing a nine-phoenix crown and a bright yellow embroidered phoenix palace dress, with graceful bearing.

Beside Emperor Wuzong stood Xie Linyuan, dressed in a black prince's robe.

Everyone quickly stood up and bowed:

"Greetings to Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, Empress, and Regent!"

After the Empress Dowager took her seat, she slowly raised her hand:

"Rise. Today is my birthday, and it is a joyous occasion to celebrate with you all."

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

After everyone was seated, the banquet officially began.

The hall was immediately filled with singing and dancing, with dancers blooming like a hundred flowers, captivating the eye.

Palace maids and eunuchs moved about the banquet, serving food and wine to everyone.

Shen Ning sat upright in the chair, slowly lowered her eyes, and quietly looked around out of the corner of her eye.

Then, at the seats of the imperial concubines, Consort De, dressed in a light blue palace gown with cloud patterns, was having a meal with a young girl.

The girl, about twelve or thirteen years old, held up her chopsticks and grinned at Consort De.

"Mother, this...this is delicious."

This girl was none other than her sister-in-law from her previous life.

Princess Zhaoyuan, who is mentally challenged.

Shen Ning held her chopsticks quietly, her gaze inadvertently falling on Princess Zhaoyuan's abdomen.

In an instant, she looked away.

Princess Zhaoyuan was mentally challenged and caused a great deal of disturbance, which displeased Emperor Wuzong.

Consort De quickly helped Zhao Yuan up and coaxed her in a low voice:

"Zhaoyuan, sit down. If you keep making a fuss, your father will get angry."

Zhao Yuan looked at Emperor Wuzong with a wronged expression, muttering to herself:

"My father doesn't like me."

"Father is angry."

"Zhaoyuan." Consort De gently covered her lips with her hand.

"If you still want to eat chicken legs, then be quiet."

"Did you hear me?"

Zhao Yuan blinked, nodded obediently, and picked up a chicken leg to gnaw on.

Consort De looked up at Emperor Wuzong, her expression somewhat embarrassed.

Although Princess Zhaoyuan was mentally challenged, Emperor Wuzong did not dislike this daughter.

There was mostly just helplessness and heartache.

A moment later, another palace maid came forward to add more dishes.

After Emperor Wuzong and the Empress Dowager exchanged some auspicious words, the banquet gradually quieted down.

Everyone quietly ate their meals.

A short while later, Zhao Yuan's voice broke the silence.

"Mother, Zhaoyuan is in pain."

"Zhaoyuan's stomach hurts so much."

"stomachache."

Shen Ning slowly lowered her eyes, a slight smile curving her lips.

The real show is about to begin.