Chapter 82 - I'll Never Be a Concubine!

The medicinal ingredients collected by the Imperial Court were shipped to Jiangnan, but Huajun Pharmacy continued to deliver medicinal ingredients as promised for a full seven days.

Shen Ninghua watched the guards distributing the medicinal ingredients and heaved a sigh of relief in her heart. She secretly sighed. “It should be about time now.”

Baili Jinchuan stood beside her and sighed happily. “Ninghua, fortunately, I made the right choice.”

Shen Ninghua smiled and said, “Your Highness, you are a clever person. You would surely make the right choice.”

Baili Jinchuan smiled faintly, but he understood the situation in his heart. In the beginning, Shen Ninghua said that he had two choices. One was to use chaos to cause trouble, and the other was to win the hearts of the people. He had wanted to choose the first option because he had high prestige in the army. Although he had handed over the military power, he could still order the armed forces. However, that required the sacrifices of many people’s lives and their blood would form a river.

He didn’t know why, but when he saw her clear eyes that seemed to be able to see through his heart, he unconsciously chose the latter option. Now it seemed that he had made the right choice.

Shen Ninghua covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief and coughed twice softly. Her face turned red. “Cough.”

Baili Jinchuan frowned and signaled for the maidservant behind him to bring over a cloak. He raised his hand and wanted to put it on Shen Ninghua. “After a rainy day, the weather suddenly turned cold. If you don’t take good care of yourself, His Majesty would punish me when we return.”

Shen Ninghua retreated and dodged his movement. “How dare I bother Your Highness? I can do it myself.”

However, Baili Jinchuan forcefully rejected her action of taking over the cloak. He stepped forward and put the cloak on her body, and even helped her tie the strap carefully.

Shen Ninghua frowned tightly. Her gaze at Baili Jinchuan was filled with scrutiny. “Your Highness, you crossed the line of etiquette.”

“You are the adopted daughter of His Majesty, so you can be considered my younger sister. Isn’t it natural for an elder brother to take care of his younger sister?”

“Your younger sister is Princess Anning, not me, Shen Ninghua. Please be more careful with your actions in the future, Your Highness.” After saying that, she directly turned around and walked into the government office. Her rejection was very clear.

Baili Jinchuan curled his lips, and the resolution in his eyes became even stronger.

Bai Ruo hurriedly stepped forward to support her arm. “Miss, you haven’t recovered yet. Don’t walk too fast.”

Shen Ninghua forcefully suppressed the cough in her throat, and her face turned sickly red. “Bai Ruo, the rain has stopped and the plague has stabilized. We don’t need to worry about Jiangnan. Pass the message to the Palace. We will go back.”

“What about the Second Prince?”

“Don’t worry about him.” After the situation in Jiangnan stabilized, Baili Jinchuan would relax as well. Once a person relaxed, he tended to have other thoughts.

“Yes, Miss. I will immediately send a message to the capital.”

“Mm, I’m not feeling well. I don’t want to see anyone the next couple of days. If the Second Prince or others come over again, say excuse for me.” It was better for her not to meet Baili Jinchuan before returning to the capital.

Bai Ruo hurriedly replied, “Yes.”

Shen Ninghua’s plan was not bad, but Baili Jinchuan was much more persistent than she had imagined.

In the room, Baili Jinchuan sat on the chair at the top and slowly sipped his tea. He didn’t care about the way he was neglected.

“Ninghua, your tea has an especially elegant style.”

Shen Ninghua’s expression was calm. “Your Highness, you’re overpraising me. I heard that the Second Royal Consort is from the Zhou family that is famous for its sophisticated tea ceremony. So the Second Royal Consort must be a real master of tea ceremony.”

Baili Jinchuan’s gaze followed closely behind her and he suddenly smiled. “Do you feel uncomfortable about the existence of the Second Royal Consort?”

“I don’t understand what Your Highness meant.” Shen Ninghua frowned.

Baili Jinchuan smiled and said, “Ninghua, your intelligence is exceptional. How can you not understand what I meant?”

“Your Highness, please speak clearly.”

Baili Jinchuan stood up, and his tall body carried a faint overwhelming aura. “Ninghua, isn’t my meaning obvious enough? In a few months, you will be fifteen. How about marrying me? As for the Second Royal Consort, you don’t have to worry about her. I won’t let you be bullied in any way. Besides, with your intelligence, it won’t be easy for her to bully you.”

Shen Ninghua sneered in her heart. It seemed that being beautiful really worked. In her previous life, she had an ugly appearance. She was given to Baili Jinze as a gift and was disliked. But now, people competed to marry her. However, the person in front of her was not her Mr. Right.

“Your Highness want to marry me?”

“Yes.”

Shen Ninghua smiled, her dark eyes filled with frosty air. “The Second Royal Consort is your wife. The word “marry” only applies to your relationship with her. Your other women, including the first concubine, are merely concubines. They are just gifts “given” to you. Your Highness, although my mother has passed away, her status as the first daughter of the Xia family will never change. Although my father is imprisoned, he was also an extremely powerful official. As the first daughter of the Shen family who received the title Prefectural Princess Ninghua from His Majesty, do you think I will be your concubine?”

Baili Jinchuan ignored the coldness in her voice and said seriously, “You want to be the Second Princess? Don’t forget, although your mother was from a noble family, the Xia family has already fallen, and the Shen family is on the verge of collapse. I promise you the position of my first concubine. In the future, I will make you an imperial consort, which is half an empress!”

Shen Ninghua looked coldly at Baili Jinchuan in front of her. A trace of disappointment flashed in her eyes. “Your Highness, you should go back. I, Shen Ninghua, will definitely not be anyone’s concubine.”

“Ninghua, the emperor has given you the title of Prefectural Princess because you needed to come to Jiangnan to relieve the disaster. At that time he must give you an identity that can stabilize people’s hearts. And when you return to the capital, the Shen family will be convicted. Your will be in an awkward situation. You shouldn’t be bothered by gossips. I want to give you the best. Why don’t you think about my offer carefully?”

“I don’t need to think about it. Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness. But I can’t take it. Ah…”

Baili Jinchuan suddenly stepped forward and hugged Shen Ninghua’s waist with one arm, firmly imprisoning her in his embrace. His other hand pointed at her pale lips. “These vermillion lips are clearly as beautiful as flower petals, but the words that come from them are more hurtful than chilling ice. Ninghua, do you have another sweetheart?”

A wave of anger gathered in her heart. This person had no sense of propriety! Shen Ninghua struggled hard, but she couldn’t match his strength. Her eyes turned cold as she pulled out a golden needle from her sleeve and abruptly stabbed into the numb acupuncture point in his arm.

Baili Jinchuan felt his arm going numb. He felt feeble and let go of Shen Ninghua. “What trick did you use?”

Shen Ninghua took two steps back, her eyes brimming with rage. “You should be glad I didn’t have time to apply poison to my golden needle!”

Baili Jinchuan did not take it seriously at all. He gently moved his arm. After feeling that his strength was slowly recovering, he was completely relieved. “You should live in the most gorgeous palace, enjoying the meticulous care of servants, using the tea brewed by the morning dew, surrounded by hundreds of flowers and worshipped by thousands of people…And only I can give all these to you. Think about it.”

Shen Ninghua did not want to continue this topic with him. She spoke towards the door aloud, “Qing Que, it’s time for the Second Prince to return. Send him off for me.” She really didn’t expect Baili Jinchuan to be so domineering.

Qing Que had already noticed the situation in the room. However, due to Shen Ninghua’s orders, she did not dare to barge in. Now that Shen Ninghua had given the order, she immediately stepped forward and made an inviting gesture to Baili Jinchuan. “Your Highness, allow me to see you off.”

Baili Jinchuan took a deep look at Shen Ninghua before he turned around and walked out. As soon as he walked out of the courtyard, Chu Junyi appeared in Shen Ninghua’s room.

Shen Ninghua raised her index finger to rub her forehead forcefully. This was the first time she gave up her elegance and revealed an impatient expression. “Have you made an agreement with each other?”

Chu Junyi had a smile on his face, but there was clearly a storm brewing in his eyes. “Baili Jinchuan really has a big face. He dared to ask you to be his concubine.”

Shen Ninghua sighed softly and the anger in her heart slowly calmed down. “I didn’t expect him to say that either.”

“It’s not a strange thing. Everyone in the royal family is like this. They try their best to get what they like. After getting it, they lose interest very quickly. After all, they are just arrogant and selfish beings.”

Shen Ninghua’s eyes moved. She raised her head and looked at Chu Junyi. This person seemed to have said before that he had a grudge against the royal family. From what he said, it seemed that the royal family had forcefully robbed something from him, or rather, from his family. A family that had something coveted even by the royal family must be very powerful…She sacked her brain, but couldn’t think of any aristocratic family that met this condition. Where exactly did Chu Junyi come from?

Chu Junyi’s gaze was focused. “Ninghua, don’t get involved too much with the royal family.”

“I know how far to go.”

‘”I believe you do. But a girl like you will attract many people’s affection. Your appearance is exceptional and your intelligence is unparalleled. Especially this time, you have made remarkable contributions disaster relief. When you return, you will be pursued by many descendants of aristocratic clans. What should you do then?”

“Roll with the punches. When the time comes, there will be a way.”

Chu Junyi lowered his head and looked at her. “The best way is to find the best match. When a flower has its owner, those wild bees and butterflies will naturally go away.”

“Thank you for reminding me, Master Mo. I will seriously consider it.” Shen Ninghua lowered her eyes slightly. This was indeed a good idea. She did not want to become a bargaining chip for everyone. The best way was to choose a person who had a weak personality and was easy to handle. However, with the trauma of her previous life, she really did not want to take her marriage as a playgame, unless she had to.

The news that the plague in Jiangnan had subsided spread all the way back to the capital. People cheered and celebrated. The streets were decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, and the entire capital looked like a nightless city.

Baili Qingcang’s face was beaming with joy. On the day he received the news, he immediately ordered that Ping City and Yi City be exempted from taxes for three years. He also ordered Prefectural Prince De, Old General Xiao, and Prefectural Princess Ninghua to return to the capital…

The entire capital was filled with a joyous atmosphere, but Shen Dong, Madam Zhao, and the others who were imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison were in deathly silence.

When Shen Ninghua returned, the emperor would announce the conviction of the Shen family. How could they be happy?

At this moment, Shen Linghan was on the verge of going crazy. She fiercely threw the steamed bun in her hand to the ground. “Why didn’t this bitch Shen Ninghua die outside? Why does she come back? We are in such a situation because of her!”

Shen Dong’s face was gloomy. “Shut up!”

Shen Linghan suddenly raised her red eyes. She had been imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for so long that her hair was sticking to her pale face, making her look like a ghost. “Why should I shut up? Am I wrong? Father, you still favor that little bitch. Let me tell you. All of this was designed by Shen Ninghua. If it weren’t for her, how could we have fallen into such a situation! That bitch deserves to be dragged out and sliced into pieces!”

Shen Linghan panted heavily and fiercely tore at the straw beside her. Everything had been fine. If Shen Ninghua hadn’t returned, she would still be the apple of the eyes of the Zhao and Shen families. How could she have fallen to such a state!

Suddenly, a low voice filled with pity was heard. “Master Shen has suffered here. Although Miss Shen’s words are somewhat extreme, they are also reasonable. Prefectural Princess Ninghua’s actions are indeed puzzling.”

Shen Linghan suddenly raised her head, and then her eyes immediately lit up.