Chapter 802 - Your Highness, I Heard You’re Looking for Some Calligraphy
Chapter 802 Your Highness, I Heard You’re Looking for Some Calligraphy
“Yes, yes!” Shao Jing nodded repeatedly. Now he would agree with whatever Prince Cheng said. He didn’t dare to disagree. She was just his youngest daughter. It was better for her to marry Prince Cheng rather than Commandery Prince Qing. Compared with Commandery Prince Qing who did not have any power, Prince Cheng owned power.
“Your Highness, I heard that you want to find some calligraphy?” Shao Jing wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and quickly changed the topic.
Prince Cheng’s face immediately turned cold. He suddenly stood still, turned his head around, and looked at Shao Jing coldly with gloomy eyes, “What do you know?”
Prince Cheng did not believe in Shao Jing, and Shao Jing should not know some of his things.
“Your Highness, I also knew it by chance. I just saw you send someone to find calligraphy and paintings!” Shao Jing panicked and hurriedly explained.
Prince Cheng stared at Shao Jing. When he saw the sweat rolling down Shao Jing’s forehead again, he snorted softly, turned his head, and said with a gentle expression, “I do want to find some calligraphy. I like this kind of calligraphy with a powerful style of writing. Duke Xing, do you have any good calligraphy and paintings?”
Without Prince Cheng’s gaze, Shao Jing breathed a sigh of relief, followed Prince Cheng quickly, and said cautiously, “Your Highness, I have got a piece of calligraphy, but I don’t know if it’s what you’re looking for. It seems to be written with great strength, but it doesn’t look like the work of a famous craftsman. I heard that you like it, so I brought it here!”
Shao Jing didn’t dare to say that he had spared no efforts to find it. He had been hiding it and waiting for a better opportunity, but now he had to use it to please Prince Cheng.
That Shao Yanru entered the palace as a Secondary Consort not only ruined her own business but also ruined Shao Jing’s business. Without Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou by Shao Yanru’s side, Shao Jing had no other choice but to follow Prince Cheng closely and not dare to be disloyal.
“Is there any seal on that?” Prince Cheng clenched his hands tightly in his sleeves, suppressed the anxiety in his heart, and asked slowly.
“Yes, but I can’t see it clearly. Your Highness, do you want to have a look?” Shao Jing lowered his head and said with earnest sincerity.
“Since you brought it here, just show it to me later!” Prince Cheng slowly loosened his grip and said with a smile on his face, without the gloominess and anger before.
“Yes, yes, I’ll present the calligraphy to you later, Your Highness!” Shao Jing knew that it was time to stop and said goodbye. Since Prince Cheng was unwilling to tell this to him, he could never express that he knew it.
“Just go. Your eldest daughter is of little use, but don’t you still have a younger daughter? In the future… I will certainly treat your younger daughter well. Although her status as a concubine’s daughter is a little low, I don’t care about it. Maybe your younger daughter would be the one born to be the Empress!”
Prince Cheng joked.
His words made Shao Jing rest assured. He relaxed a little from his nervous mind. Although the legitimate daughter and the daughter of a concubine had different statuses, they were both her daughter, so they were the same for him. Since they were both daughters and Prince Cheng meant that, although his younger daughter might have lower status in the mansion, everything was possible in the future.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I understand. Once you instruct, I will send my youngest daughter to your mansion!” Shao Jing patted his chest and promised.
Prince Cheng nodded with a slight smile and said to Xiqi beside him, “Go and see Duke Xing off!”
Xiqi understood and hurried forward to lead Shao Jing. “Duke Xing, please!”
He sent Shao Jing all the way out of the door. Seeing Shao Jing get into the carriage, he hinted at the guard in the dark corner, and the secret guard understood and followed Shao Jing.
After getting on the carriage at the gate of the temple, Shao Jing wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead and felt fear afterward. He had no choice but to come up with this idea.
He didn’t dare to let Prince Cheng know that the painting was gained illegally. At present, it was better to go back home. He was afraid that Prince Cheng would set his eyes on him first.
If Shao Yanru hadn’t had such a serious accident, he would never expose himself at this time. The only calligraphy in his hand was worth more. Thinking of this, he was really disappointed in his eldest daughter.
He didn’t bring this daughter up well!
Shao Jing’s guess was right. There was indeed someone watching his carriage, but what he guessed wrong was that not only Prince Cheng’s people but also Chu Liuchen’s people were watching on him. Chu Liuchen got the news at noon that day.
“Calligraphy and painting?” Chu Liuchen raised his eyebrows, and his handsome eyes were cold and gloomy.
“Yes, it should be calligraphy and painting. It’s a long roll. Duke Xing held it tightly and waited for a long time outside. Prince Cheng didn’t ask him in. Later, he asked someone to call him in. When Duke Xing came out, Prince Cheng was very polite. Xiqi beside Prince Cheng specially sent him out of the door and watched him get on the carriage.”
“My uncle seems to be really interested in calligraphy and painting!” Chu Liuchen raised the corner of his mouth and said sarcastically, “He is still in the mood to appreciate calligraphy and painting at this time. It can be seen that this calligraphy and painting is really extraordinary.”
After such a big incident, it was certain that Shao Jing was going to show his loyalty to Prince Cheng. In fact, Chu Liuchen had always known that Prince Cheng had other intentions. However, at that time, Chu Liuchen didn’t even care about his own life, so how could he care about anything else? He just wanted to have some fun. When he was in a bad mood, he wanted to be fun, so he had always sent people to keep an eye on Prince Cheng.
He didn’t expect that he can use it now.
The last time when what Prince Cheng did was exposed in front of everyone, Prince Cheng lost a lot of opportunities and drew the attention of his uncle. Compared with the past, Prince Cheng was in a much worse situation in front of his uncle. He didn’t dare to act rashly for fear of arousing suspicion.
Shao Jing had been close to Prince Cheng for a long time. He was in the party of Prince Cheng, and Chu Liuchen also knew it long ago.
Xiao Xuanzi rolled his eyes and reminded him, “Master, could it be something particularly important and will arouse Prince Cheng’s interest? Considering the thing happening to Secondary Consort Shao, the entire Duke Xing’s Mansion is in trouble. Do you think it’s… that calligraphy and painting?”
“It should be that calligraphy and painting!” Chu Liuchen said with certainty.
“Master, what are you going to do? Are you going to grab it?” Xiao Xuanzi was eager for having a try excitedly. This was a good thing!
“No hurry. Let’s wait until uncle finds a few more!” Chu Liuchen smiled slightly and immediately looked gentle and elegant.
“Yes, master. You are right, but what about Prince Cheng…” Xiao Xuanzi nodded and answered.
“Keep an eye on him first. If you can’t find anything about Shao Jing, don’t worry. Since he could suddenly take out this piece of calligraphy to deal with the emergency, it can be seen that he has prepared for it long ago. But he didn’t take it out early!” Chu Liuchen said with a lazy and evil smile. He sat down in front of the chair and flicked the table in front of him with his slender fingers. This matter was getting more and more interesting.
He was determined to get those pieces of calligraphy! Since Prince Cheng was willing to collect them, he would let him collect them first! Moreover, he felt that it was uneasy for Shao Jing to gain this calligraphy. Otherwise, with Prince Cheng’s strength, he couldn’t have found it for so many years. No matter how powerful Shao Jing was, he was not as powerful as Prince Cheng.
Moreover, Shao Jing had never left the capital city. It was said that these pieces of calligraphy were sent out of the capital city at that time, but Shao Jing had never left the capital city. When did he send people to find them? Or had he secretly left the capital city?
When the Empress Dowager’s decree came, Shao Wanru and the beauties were learning etiquette from the Nanny in charge. Nanny in charge was not strict to Misses from aristocratic family who learned the etiquette well before. She would let them take a rest beside and did not force them to do anything.
But because of Shao Yanru’s incident, Nanny in charge had also been scolded and did not dare to show any mercy. No matter these Misses behaved well or not, they all needed to learn. Shao Wanru was also influenced by this and faced many supercilious looks. For this reason, Yujie had been indignant for a long time.
On the contrary, Shao Wanru was very calm. She said and did nothing and just learned the palace etiquette from the Nanny in charge. She ignored those Misses from aristocratic families with malicious look.
Zhang Qilan was sick, seriously ill. After being sent out of the palace, Shao Wanru had been on her own. Although she had no friend to talk with deeply, she did not bother to deal with people with insincerity.
Qi Rongzhi avoided her as before. Every time Shao Wanru approached her, she felt very nervous, as if nothing had happened that day. So, Shao Wanru ignored her.
There were some meanings in those inexplicable words, but she didn’t want to deal with Qi Rongzhi. No matter what purpose she had, it had nothing to do with her.
A few peaceful days later, there was a rumor among the candidates that Shao Wanru could not be selected. That the Misses of Duke Xing’s Mansion entered the palace to participate in the beauty selection had been a big thing at first. But they were sent back one by one. It was really a shame. The one who left even become the Secondary Consort, the consort with lowest status. All the Misses from aristocratic family felt it very funny.
So what if the Fifth Miss Shao in front of them was beautiful and outstanding? If she married any prince, her seniority would be wrong. Could it be possible for her to get married to them?
This was also one of the most important reasons why all the candidates neglected Shao Wanru. Everyone felt that she had no hope. At this time, the Empress Dowager’s order came and asked Shao Wanru to go over, which immediately caused a stir among the candidates. They all watched Shao Wanru leave in surprise and discussed it. What did the Empress Dowager mean? Did Shao Wanru really have a chance?
Under the complicated gazes of all the candidates, Shao Wanru got on the soft sedan chair waiting outside the palace and followed the people sent by the Empress Dowager to the Palace of Benevolent Peace where Empress Dowager lived.
This was not the first time she came here. Unlike the first time, the Empress Dowager’s palace was very quiet this time. There were no other concubines’ laughter, which indicated that there were no other concubines here. After stepping forward and bowing respectfully to the middle position, she stood up and stood aside respectfully under the Empress Dowager’s gentle words.
She lowered her head slightly and did not look at the Empress Dowager directly. Although she still looked a little childish, she made people feel that she was steady and decent without any panic. Her expression looked very calm.
Empress Dowager remembered that a palace maid had come to report to her about the reactions of the candidates and Shao Wanru. She nodded slightly for Shao Wanru. After such a big thing happened to her sister, she could still remain calm. In this respect, she was indeed worthy of her Chen’er.