Pin Shanhe

Soon, Shen Fu and Meng Wan were summoned to the palace.

They were still wearing their wedding dresses from yesterday's wedding; the fabric and embroidery were exactly the same.

Coupled with their similar height and build, they suddenly look like sisters.

Upon closer inspection, their appearances and demeanors are quite different.

Shen Fu possessed a refined and elegant appearance, and her demeanor was graceful and poised. Her eyes and brows naturally exuded the dignity and poise of a noblewoman.

Meng Wan was charming and beautiful, but her face was full of panic.

As soon as the emperor asked a question, she began to sob and wail.

"Your Majesty, you must do justice for me! I am already the Fourth Prince's woman. If I were to marry someone else, I would rather die."

The eunuch standing nearby immediately shouted angrily, "How dare you! The Emperor is asking questions; how can you be allowed to make such a ruckus here!"

Meng Wan was so frightened that she fell silent instantly, only able to bury her head and sob softly.

Compared to her loss of composure, Shen Fu remained calm and composed.

"Yesterday, a sudden downpour occurred during the wedding procession, forcing us to seek shelter in the Guanyin Temple."

"My daughter and Miss Meng hit it off immediately and found we were very compatible, so we became sworn sisters in front of the Bodhisattva."

"Later, bandits appeared in the temple. In the chaos, the lady and Miss Meng accidentally grabbed each other's veils, which led to them getting into the wrong bridal sedan chairs."

Of course, she wouldn't directly reveal Jun Qiyuan and Meng Wan's conspiracy.

Firstly, there is no conclusive evidence.

Secondly, publicly identifying a prince would damage the royal family's reputation and would certainly incur the emperor's displeasure and anger.

Before being certain of defeating the enemy in one fell swoop, one can only temporarily endure and wait for the right opportunity.

Emperor Yong looked at her with a deep gaze.

An ordinary woman would have been terrified in this situation, but she remained calm and composed.

"So, what do you think should be done about this?"

Upon hearing this, Jun Qiyuan immediately gave Shen Fu a meaningful look.

As long as she remains steadfast in her choice of him, her father will surely uphold justice.

Even if Prince Xuan has made great military achievements, the Duke of Zhenguo's family has held power for three generations and has a very important position in the court. The Emperor cannot sit idly by and do nothing.

Before Shen Fu could speak, Meng Wan couldn't hold back any longer.

She was afraid that she would say something she shouldn't, thus ruining her chance to enter the Fourth Prince's residence.

"Miss Shen, a woman's reputation is of paramount importance. I have lost my chastity and cannot marry another. I know you and the Fourth Prince are deeply in love, and I will not ruin your relationship. Even if you enter the palace as a concubine or maid, I beg you to spare my life for the sake of our sworn brotherhood!"

Shen Fu had long seen through her hypocritical act, but she pretended to feel sorry for her and took her hand.

"Miss Meng, we swore sisterhood before the Buddha, promising to share both good times and bad. How could I possibly put you in a difficult position?"

When Jun Qiyuan heard her say this, he thought she had accepted Meng Wan, and a surge of joy flashed through his heart.

His original intention was for two women to serve one husband.

Since we're willing to share both good times and bad, there's nothing wrong with sharing a man, right?

But the other person's next words were like a bucket of cold water poured down on him, leaving him completely chilled.

"This humble woman wishes to marry Prince Xuan; I beg Your Majesty to grant her this wish!"

Jun Qiyuan froze instantly, unable to believe his ears.

Although she said yesterday that she wouldn't go back with him, she only felt that she had lost her innocence and felt guilty towards herself.

Perhaps Meng Wan was also involved; she was jealous and angry because she knew he had been with another woman.

But he doesn't care about her losing her virginity, so why should she mind him favoring other women?

He suddenly stood up and, disregarding the impoliteness in front of the palace, grabbed Shen Fu's wrist.

"Fu'er! Are you crazy? Or did he use some despicable means to threaten you?"

"No one forced me; it was my own choice."

"Impossible! The person you love is clearly me, why did you choose him?"

Shen Fu lowered her long eyelashes, her tone tinged with melancholy.

"Miss Meng and I became sworn brothers at the Guanyin Temple, promising to support each other and share weal and woe."

"Now that she has married you by some twist of fate and is determined to be with you, how can I watch my sister become a concubine?"

"If I don't grant her wish, wouldn't I be breaking my vow?"

Jun Qiyuan choked on his breath.

He learned for the first time what it meant to lift a rock only to drop it on your own foot.

Even if she had a thousand reasons, he could find a way to refute them, but this one...

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have come up with that ridiculous excuse of becoming sworn brothers.

Now that she insists on "keeping her promise," things are going to get complicated.

He retorted, unwilling to accept defeat, "And what about me? Are you just going to give up on our relationship?"

"If we are not destined to be together in this life, perhaps in the next..."

"I only want this life, not the next!"

Shen Fu secretly pinched her thigh, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. She made a face of extreme reluctance but also helplessness.

"Fourth Prince, if you truly have feelings for me, you must respect my choice and treat Miss Meng well in the future. Do not let her down."

Although Jun Qiyuan was angry, he did not suspect anything.

Having spent so much time together, he knew that Shen Fu, though seemingly weak on the outside, was actually stubborn and resolute on the inside.

She made this decision because she genuinely considered Meng Wan a good friend, which is why she protected her so much.

If we continue to pressure her, we will only incur her resentment.

In desperation, he could only give Meng Wan a meaningful look.

If she truly cared about herself, she would have taken the initiative to decline and try to appease Shen Fu first.

Unexpectedly, Meng Wan pretended not to see it.

According to the original plan, she could only enter the Fourth Prince's residence as a concubine.

Now that Shen Fu has voluntarily withdrawn, she can become the legal wife.

How could she possibly give up such a great opportunity?

Jun Qiyuan was somewhat annoyed. Before entering the palace, they had clearly agreed that everything should be done with the big picture in mind. Why did they mess up at this crucial moment?

He couldn't count on Meng Wan, and Shen Fu was indifferent, so he was extremely anxious.

He gritted his teeth and knelt on the ground, his face filled with sorrow and despair.

"Father, I deserve to die! Not only have I ruined the marriage and disgraced the royal family, but I have also failed to protect the woman I love. I have no face to live in this world. Please grant me death!"

Shen Fu's heart sank, and she instantly understood.

A self-inflicted injury ruse!

She had seriously underestimated the man's shamelessness.

Emperor Yong looked at him with exasperation and scolded, "You are a prince, yet you're willing to risk your life for a woman! How foolish!"

To make the play more realistic, he kowtowed repeatedly until his head bled.

"Your Majesty, my mind is made up. I beg you to grant my request!"

Emperor Yong was indeed moved.

After all, he's his own son. Can he really just stand by and watch him die?

If a prince were to actually commit suicide for a woman, that would be a huge joke!

He's already considering whether he should just let them be together.

As for King Xuan...

We should choose a noblewoman from an even better family as compensation, so that we won't have let him down.