Chapter 214

Chapter 214: Divorce Brings Bad Luck

“Imperial Elder Sister!”

Sheng Zhi Wan stopped and turned.

A little girl of four or five peeked out from around the corner. Her hair was tied into two small buns with a jeweled band. Her cheeks were round, and her eyes were round.

When she saw Sheng Zhi Wan looking at her, her big eyes curved like crescent moons, and a pair of dimples appeared, especially sweet.

“Oh, my little ancestor, why are you running so fast?” Two older palace maids hurried after her. When they saw Sheng Zhi Wan, they quickly bowed. “Greetings, Princess Qing Ning.”

Sheng Zhi Wan stared at the little girl in a daze.

Zhi Hui… Sheng Zhi Wan’s little Imperial Sister.

In Sheng Zhi Wan’s previous life, as Sheng Zhi Wan’s mind slipped away near death, Sheng Zhi Wan heard that Imperial Father intended to send Zhi Hui away for a political marriage. After that, until Sheng Zhi Wan died, Sheng Zhi Wan never heard another word about Zhi Hui.

Sheng Zhi Wan walked over and squatted down. “Hui’er, why did you come?”

“Imperial Elder Sister!” Hui’er pouted, looking wronged. “Hui’er wanted to come play with Imperial Elder Sister for a long time, but Consort Mother would not let Hui’er come!”

The two palace maids behind Hui’er lowered their heads at once.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled and gently touched the two little hair buns. “Then tell Imperial Elder Sister. Why did your Consort Mother not let you come play with Imperial Elder Sister?”

Hui’er tilted her small head. “Consort Mother said Imperial Elder Sister got divorced, so Imperial Elder Sister was unlucky. Imperial Elder Sister, what does it mean, divorced is unlucky?”

“Please forgive us, Princess Qing Ning!”

“The little Princess only spoke nonsense. It cannot be taken seriously!”

The two palace maids knelt trembling.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes swept over them, and Sheng Zhi Wan smiled.

Hui’er’s Consort Mother was only a Sixth Rank Noble Lady. Before Sheng Zhi Wan married, she tried every way to make Hui’er close to her. Sheng Zhi Wan understood her intentions, yet Hui’er was soft and sweet, and Sheng Zhi Wan truly liked her.

So every time Sheng Zhi Wan returned from the summer palace, Sheng Zhi Wan brought Hui’er many toys and treats from outside the palace. That was why Hui’er clung to Sheng Zhi Wan so much.

Even in the past two years, when Sheng Zhi Wan had not entered the palace, Sheng Zhi Wan still often sent things to Hui’er.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not expect that the moment Sheng Zhi Wan divorced, Sheng Zhi Wan would suddenly become “unlucky.”

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Hui’er. “Then does Hui’er think Imperial Elder Sister is unlucky?”

Hui’er hurriedly shook her head. “Hui’er likes Imperial Elder Sister! Imperial Elder Sister is pretty like a fairy maiden, not unlucky at all!”

Hui’er tugged at Sheng Zhi Wan’s sleeve. “Imperial Elder Sister, when could Hui’er leave the palace like Imperial Elder Sister?”

“When Hui’er grows up, Hui’er can go out,” Sheng Zhi Wan said. Sheng Zhi Wan pinched Hui’er’s little cheek. “Next time, Imperial Elder Sister will have someone bring Hui’er toys. All right?”

“Mm!” Hui’er nodded hard, then added quickly, “Then Hui’er wanted a dove cart. Could Imperial Elder Sister bring one?”

Sheng Zhi Wan nodded. “All right. Next time, Imperial Elder Sister will bring it for Hui’er.”

“Imperial Elder Sister is the best!” Hui’er leaned in and kissed Sheng Zhi Wan’s cheek with a loud smack.

After Sheng Zhi Wan finished comforting the child and Hui’er ran off happily, Sheng Zhi Wan finally spoke while the two palace attendants watched in terror.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes stayed calm, and Sheng Zhi Wan did not look angry. Sheng Zhi Wan only raised an eyebrow, expression cold.

“Go back and tell Noble Lady Fu,” Sheng Zhi Wan said, “that even after divorce, I am still a titled Princess. This time, for Hui’er’s sake, I will not report her words to Grandmother.”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Have her copy the Inner Instructions one hundred times and keep it ready. If I ever remember it, I may go and check her work.”

“Yes…”

“Yes… Farewell, Princess Qing Ning.”

The two palace maids wished they could bury their heads into the ground.

Sheng Zhi Wan left the palace.

Shang Xing Yu saw that Sheng Zhi Wan’s face looked unhappy and smiled, saying he had a gift for Sheng Zhi Wan.

Sheng Zhi Wan asked what it was, but Shang Xing Yu refused to say anything no matter what.

Sheng Zhi Wan could only nod. “Then I will go and see it with you.”

After Sheng Zhi Wan got into the carriage, Shang Xing Yu openly rode his horse beside it. Now he was the emperor’s personally appointed Prospective Prince Consort, responsible for guarding the Princess. Who would dare say anything?

More than that, Shang Xing Yu kept buying warm, easy-to-digest pastries from roadside stalls and passing them inside.

Sheng Zhi Wan had not eaten breakfast and was starting to feel hungry. After eating common snacks like these, Sheng Zhi Wan actually felt pretty good.

The carriage rolled along and finally stopped outside the Princess Residence.

Liu Shang jumped down first. Then An Zhi and Ting Lan helped Sheng Zhi Wan step down.

Shang Xing Yu gave a whistle, and another carriage slowly approached.

When Sheng Zhi Wan saw the driver, Sheng Zhi Wan froze.

It was Ye Rong.

Ye Rong winked at Shang Xing Yu, jumped down, saluted Sheng Zhi Wan, and then left.

Sheng Zhi Wan still did not understand what Shang Xing Yu’s gift was, or why Ye Rong was driving a carriage here.

Shang Xing Yu looked at Sheng Zhi Wan with eager eyes. “Princess, did you like this carriage?”

A carriage?

Sheng Zhi Wan’s mouth twitched. Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan notice how different it was.

The body was black ebony. The curtains were made of fine gauze. Behind two layers of bead curtains hung thick brocade mats to block the wind. The horses were strong, with bells that chimed.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not even need to look inside to imagine the luxury.

Yet when Shang Xing Yu lifted the curtain and showed the inside, Sheng Zhi Wan still could not help blinking as if the shine stabbed her eyes.

“This… was the gift you gave me?” Sheng Zhi Wan asked.

Shang Xing Yu nodded. “Does the Princess not like it?”

Shang Xing Yu had wanted to build Sheng Zhi Wan an extremely comfortable carriage long ago, so no matter when Sheng Zhi Wan traveled, Sheng Zhi Wan could travel in comfort, treated like royalty.

“…I liked it,” Sheng Zhi Wan said. Sheng Zhi Wan only felt surprised.

What man gave a woman a carriage as a gift?

Still, this carriage truly suited Sheng Zhi Wan’s taste. At first glance, it did not look flashy. Compared to the carriages of other noble ladies, decorated so brightly they almost glowed, this one even looked low-key.

But it was absolutely practical and absolutely comfortable.

Zhang Da rubbed his hands together, thrilled. Zhang Da cast a grateful look at Young Master Shang Er… no, at the Prince Consort.

The Prince Consort was thoughtful. He even padded the driver’s seat with a soft cushion.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s mood lifted. Sheng Zhi Wan smiled and said, “Then let us take the new carriage to Chao Ming Temple today.”

Chao Ming Temple was the temple Sheng Zhi Wan had been headed to the last time she was abducted by mountain bandits. People said the temple was very effective, and its incense offerings were always strong. There was even a famous fortune-teller outside the temple.

This time, Sheng Zhi Wan brought Liu Shang, An Zhi, and Ting Lan, along with many guards from the Princess Residence. Shang Xing Yu also accompanied her.

Their group was over thirty people, grand and imposing, and they soon reached Chao Ming Temple.

Yet at that moment, in broad daylight, bandits were actually robbing pilgrims.

Among the pilgrims was one extremely luxurious carriage. It was clearly the bandits’ final target.

From inside that carriage came waves of women’s screams.

The guards outside the carriage were no match for the bandits. Every one of them was cut down.

One bandit kicked the coachman aside. The coachman had been stabbed clean through. The bandit used his blood-dripping blade to slice open the curtain, then, amid a burst of screams, dragged two women out.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s group had already heard the screaming.

Sheng Zhi Wan instinctively wanted to lift the curtain and look, but before Sheng Zhi Wan could, a large hand pressed Sheng Zhi Wan’s head back down.

Shang Xing Yu’s face turned cold.

It was a joke. Those people were grabbing women. If they saw the Princess, would they not change targets immediately?

The guards from the Princess Residence drew their swords and stayed on guard.

“Help!”

“Someone, please!”

A maidservant stumbled toward them, crying as she ran. “Young Master! Please, hurry and save my Commandery Princess!”

Shang Xing Yu did not even glance at her. Shang Xing Yu ordered the guards to protect the Princess’s carriage and enter the temple first.

What Commandery Princess? She could not compare to even a single strand of the Princess’s hair.

Only after the Princess was safe would anything else matter.