Shen Sheng rolled her eyes. Then she quickly asked Anu: “Does the Crown Prince possess any Imperial Aura?”
“None,” Anu stated.
Shen Sheng: “…” Su Lian is truly pitiable.
She continued drinking.
After three rounds of wine, Shen Sheng was slightly tipsy. Anu got up and left directly. Like a shadow, Shen Sheng followed.
The Emperor was in the Cinnabar Peak Palace. The demons dared not approach.
Drunkenly, Shen Sheng pulled Anu out of the palace, chattering incessantly.
“My mother said we can get married. She’ll buy a residence for me. She doesn’t mind Buyan and Buyu. She even thinks Buyan and Buyu are children of the Shen family.”
“Anu, my mother is so good.”
“Anu, what are you thinking? Are you afraid I will betray you?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t betray you.”
Anu looked at the bright moon. That round, pure moon cast a silver radiance down upon the earth. Its light was bright yet gentle.
The drunkard’s steps were unsteady, but her grip on Anu’s hand never loosened. Her eyes sparkled with charm, her mouth mumbling continuously.
After getting into the carriage, she kept talking, repeating the same few things over and over. Annoyed, Anu covered her mouth. The drunkard bit her palm.
Left with no choice, Anu leaned close to the drunkard and kissed the chattering little mouth.
The drunkard’s long, delicate eyelashes trembled. Very quickly, she returned the sweet kiss.
Intoxication made one dazed, immersed in the sweetness, spiraling beyond control.
Shen Sheng deepened the kiss.
The moonlight was pure and bright. The atmosphere inside the carriage was thick with ambiguous intimacy. Shen Sheng let herself go, holding the other tightly.
Anu lifted her beautiful eyes. Their usual calmness and depth were now tinged with a rare daze.
Desire intensified.
The carriage stopped before Shen Manor’s gates. The coachman jumped down. “Fifth Miss, State Preceptor, we’ve arrived.”
The person lost in drunkenness lifted her eyes and rubbed her head. The space beside her was empty. She touched the corner of her own lips.
Anu’s taste… seemed very, very sweet.
The drunkard returned home and slept until noon. If Buyan and Buyu hadn’t come back from their midday school break, she could have slept even longer.
The three sat together and ate lunch. Buyan and Buyu couldn’t stay put and ran out to play on their own.
Shen Sheng sat alone, dazed for a while. Then the front courtyard reported that the Chancellor had arrived.
The Chancellor was the head of all officials. But this dynasty had a State Preceptor, whom His Majesty greatly relied upon. Thus, the Chancellor ranked below the State Preceptor.
Facing Madam Zhou, she could be cold. But facing the Chancellor, she had to show some face.
Shen Sheng changed clothes and rushed to the front courtyard. Madam Shen was already exchanging hollow pleasantries with the Chancellor.
Madam Shen’s expression was sour; she had no patience left for conversation. When Shen Sheng arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief, raised her teacup for a sip, and didn’t want to speak another word.
Chancellor Zhou had reached his forties. Zhou Yi somewhat resembled him. Both father and son were refined, cultured men. Shen Sheng stepped forward to salute. Chancellor Zhou hastily returned the greeting, saying: “Niece, please don’t salute. You shame this old man. It is Zhou Yi who has failed you.”
“Chancellor, your purpose in coming today is…?” Shen Sheng understood he was trying to get closer. Zhou Yi must be ill. He hadn’t left his manor these past few days.
“Zhou Yi is sick. I wanted to ask Niece to visit him. Just one look. How about it?” Chancellor Zhou said, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Shen Sheng was stunned. Madam Shen put down her teacup and spoke first: “Chancellor, these words are hardly appropriate. Princess Anle has just died. If my Ah Sheng were to eagerly rush to your doorstep now, others would think my Ah Sheng can’t marry anyone but your Zhou Yi. Chancellor, even if it were the son of an imperial prince today, my Ah Sheng would not go.”
Ridiculous. Did he think Shen Sheng was his child bride, to be summoned and dismissed at will?
The man died, so they bullied the widow and orphans? But of Shen Sheng’s sisters-in-law, besides Zhu Fan who knew no martial arts, which one was a weak, gentle woman?
Chancellor Zhou said urgently: “My son has fallen into madness, calling out Niece’s name day and night. I thought if Niece went over, perhaps… perhaps there would still be hope. Sister-in-law, that is not my meaning.”
Shen Sheng now understood. She asked: “Is he sick, or did he run into something evil?”
A mortal entangled with a Fox Demon—how much vital essence could he possibly have left?
Chancellor Zhou’s face was a picture of misery. He stammered, unable to speak clearly.
Shen Sheng felt immensely pleased inside. She offered ‘kind’ advice: “Looking for me won’t do any good. Chancellor would be better off finding a few Demon Hunters to take a look. Chances are Demonic Qi has entered his body. If you look now, you might still make it in time.”
“Shen Sheng! What is the meaning of this?!” Chancellor Zhou’s tone changed entirely.
Shen Sheng said helplessly: “After the Princess died, Prince Consort Zhou has been… involved… with a Fox Demon. Even the beggars in the city know about it. If Chancellor thinks Shen Sheng’s words are unbelievable, go find a beggar and ask.”
Hearing this, Chancellor Zhou flicked his sleeves and left.
Shen Sheng raised an eyebrow. “Father and son, same attitude. What kind of people are they?”
Madam Shen asked, puzzled: “How do you know Zhou Yi was with a Fox Demon?”
“I followed Zhou Yi. That cave was the Fox Demon’s lair. I just blew it up. Your warm jade bracelets were bought by pawning things from that cave. You didn’t know—Zhou Yi used to be so stingy, but he was so generous to the Fox Demon, buying all sorts of expensive things,” Shen Sheng explained.
Madam Shen held her forehead. What kind of mess was this? She said: “Can’t you pay more attention to your beloved’s business? She’s so busy. Offer her some help.”
“Her business, I can’t help with. She’s catching demons all day. I can’t help, can’t help,” Shen Sheng shook her head vigorously.
Madam Shen sighed. Better just wait a bit longer. She asked: “How is your talisman practice coming along?”
“Pretty good…” Shen Sheng suddenly caught on and asked, puzzled: “You… how do you know about this?”
Madam Shen looked helplessly at the sky. She knew everything, just couldn’t say it aloud.
“Heard it from the State Preceptor. You work hard. Don’t go out if you have nothing to do. Practice well, work hard at catching demons.” Madam Shen encouraged her half-heartedly.
Armed with her mother’s encouragement, Shen Sheng went home full of determination.
Madam Shen sighed. It seemed like she was the only one focused on the mission. Everyone else was busy falling in love.
Wait, no. There was still one career-obsessed fool: Zhou Yi.
After the Lantern Festival, the Imperial Capital returned to its usual calm.
After returning to the capital, Shen Sheng received neither rewards nor a new posting. It was as if the Shen family’s Fifth Miss had just gone out to play for three years without achieving any merit.
Shen Sheng didn’t really mind. But the Crown Prince did bring it up once. The Emperor didn’t respond. The State Preceptor also showed no intention of issuing rewards.
Dragging on until the third month, the Great Demons outside the capital increased in number. The State Preceptor would leave the city for three days at a time, so busy she was never seen.
In mid-March, someone came running to Shen Manor to deliver a message to Shen Sheng: Zhou Yi had once again gone out of the city.
Shen Sheng wasn’t very inclined to meddle. But recalling that all the Great Demons outside the capital were drawn here by him, she grew angry.
Stuffing her talismans in her bosom, she led out her little horse and went out of the city.
On the road, she ran into Su Lian. She let out an ‘eh’, rode forward. “What are you doing here?”
Su Lian, as the Crown Prince’s Secondary Consort, couldn’t easily leave the palace.
Su Lian lifted the carriage curtain slightly, revealing a bright, smiling face. She covered her mouth and laughed. “I came out with the Crown Prince to play. He was called away by Prince Consort Zhou and had someone escort me back.”
Shen Sheng didn’t think much of it and nodded, continuing on horseback.
Partway, she realized something was off. Why was Zhou Yi looking for the Crown Prince?
Shouldn’t he be observing his mourning period at home?
Shen Sheng reined in her horse, pulled out a Teleportation Talisman, and transported herself straight to the Cinnabar Peak Palace.
Anu was inside the hall.
Shen Sheng hurried inside and grabbed the hand of the person within. “Something has happened!”
Anu took hold of her hand. “Why are you so anxious?”
“Zhou Yi… I’m afraid he’s going to do something to harm the Crown Prince,” Shen Sheng said urgently.
“It has nothing to do with me.” Anu brushed her hand away, looking towards the Cauldron. A shadow of gloom crossed her eyes.
Seeing Anu’s calm expression, Shen Sheng forced herself to steady her emotions. “Do you have a way?”
“No. Why should I care about other people’s affairs?” Anu lifted her eyes and looked directly at her. “The Crown Prince is going to die. It’s his fate. It has nothing to do with you or me.”
Shen Sheng was greatly alarmed. Anu curved her lips into a cold smile. “The Crown Prince is the choice for a benevolent ruler. But he is not destined to be Emperor.”
Shen Sheng said no more and sat down cross-legged, looking at the flames beneath the Cauldron. Her heart was in turmoil.
No wonder she’d said last time that the Crown Prince had no Imperial Aura. So it was like this.
Powerless, she leaned against Anu, a look of loss on her face.
Anu, however, asked her: “I thought you would blame me for standing idly by while someone dies.”
“I told you, I won’t betray you. I won’t question your decisions,” Shen Sheng exhaled lightly. Her pinky hooked around Anu’s pinky. “Saving someone is a kindness, not an obligation. Why should I force you? You’re an Immortal, true. But the power of a single soul is also very small.”
Anu looked down. Two fingers were hooked together, slender and elegant.
She thought Shen Sheng would question her, but Shen Sheng hadn’t.
Why didn’t she ask?
The threads of affection in Anu’s heart grew wildly. She took a deep breath and took the initiative to explain: “The Crown Prince’s fate is such. Zhou Yi got acquainted with Bu Jiuyue. The two formed a Contract. Zhou Yi’s vital essence is used by Bu Jiuyue. Zhou Yi himself is now half-human, half-demon.”
Shen Sheng: “…”
“Why are you explaining all of a sudden?” She was already prepared for Anu not to explain at all.
Anu suddenly trembled slightly.
