Chapter 254

Chapter 254: I’m Begging You

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes, which had been about to close again, opened once more. Sheng Zhi Wan stared at the canopy bed’s ceiling for a long moment.

All these years, Sheng Zhi Wan had never stopped sending holiday gifts to Prince Huai Manor. Even after Prince Huai went to his fief, Sheng Zhi Wan still prepared every gift with care.

But Princess Consort Huai rarely returned gifts in person. The ones sent back were clearly routine returns handled by servants in the manor.

Even the invitation to the Spring Flower Banquet had started with a formal post. Only after Sheng Zhi Wan refused did Princess Consort Huai send a nanny to invite Sheng Zhi Wan again.

Yet now Princess Consort Huai came personally, putting on a full show of respect.

It seemed Princess Consort Huai had come to ask Sheng Zhi Wan for something.

Sheng Zhi Wan was not in a rush.

Sheng Zhi Wan washed and dressed at an unhurried pace, ordered them to keep preparing breakfast, and only then had someone invite Princess Consort Huai inside.

The moment Princess Consort Huai entered, Sheng Zhi Wan’s hands froze.

That light pink dress overlapped perfectly with Sheng Zhi Wan’s memory of the Princess Consort who had stayed up all night by Sheng Zhi Wan’s bedside.

Sheng Zhi Wan pressed her lips together.

So Princess Consort Huai had known it all along.

Princess Consort Huai had known how Sheng Zhi Wan clung to her, and had known that Sheng Zhi Wan had secretly treated her as a mother in her heart.

Yet even so, when it came time to hurt Sheng Zhi Wan, Princess Consort Huai had not hesitated at all.

Was that the difference between blood and no blood?

Then what about Ming Jia?

Now that Princess Consort Huai had learned Ming Jia was not her biological daughter, what was Princess Consort Huai feeling?

Sheng Zhi Wan gave a small smile.

Princess Consort Huai had already walked up to Sheng Zhi Wan. Princess Consort Huai looked at Sheng Zhi Wan and sighed with emotion: “It’s been years. Qing Ning, you’ve grown up now. About your matter with the Duke household… honestly, this was good. Since you divorced, and you have a new consort, you can live in the Princess residence from now on. Without all that mess, your days would be easier.”

Princess Consort Huai spoke as if every word came from the heart. Sheng Zhi Wan agreed as well.

But the moment Sheng Zhi Wan thought about what those words were leading to, Sheng Zhi Wan’s smile thinned: “That was right. If a man showed no love, I left. Once I realized the person I married wasn’t a good man, I pulled away early.”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued in the same calm tone: “I even warned Miss Meng. Unfortunately, Miss Meng insisted on thinking I was jealous of her, and Miss Meng rushed to jump into that fire pit.”

Princess Consort Huai’s expression stiffened, and Princess Consort Huai felt uneasy.

Sheng Zhi Wan had not spoken to Princess Consort Huai like this before. Now Sheng Zhi Wan’s words were full of hidden barbs. It had to be because of what Ming Jia did that day…

Thinking of that, Princess Consort Huai lowered her eyes and put on a sorrowful look: “What happened that day was Ming Jia’s fault. Ming Jia is about to marry, and I wanted Ming Jia to be happy. Who knew Ming Jia would actually… sigh. You held resentment in your heart. I’m afraid that no matter how much I explain, you won’t care.”

Sheng Zhi Wan took a sip of tea and only gave a flat, quiet sound of agreement.

Princess Consort Huai’s sorrowful expression froze.

Princess Consort Huai clearly had not expected Sheng Zhi Wan to truly not care.

Hadn’t Sheng Zhi Wan always wanted to get close to Princess Consort Huai? Why did it feel like Princess Consort Huai had taken the initiative, even worn clothes similar to back then, and yet…

Sheng Zhi Wan set the teacup down and said, “Princess Consort came today just to say this? If that’s all, Princess Consort can go back early. I stopped caring about that day a long time ago.”

Fine porcelain hit the tabletop with a clear knock.

Princess Consort Huai swallowed, feeling bitter.

Compared to Sheng Zhi Wan being angry, questioning her, accusing her of indulging Ming Jia’s actions, this calm indifference made Princess Consort Huai look even more like a joke today.

Especially in that dress.

Princess Consort Huai hesitated, wanting to speak and yet not daring to.

An Zhi chose that moment to lead the maids in with the food.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Princess Consort Huai again, and the meaning in Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes was obvious.

No matter how much Princess Consort Huai wanted to build up to it, Princess Consort Huai had no chance anymore. Princess Consort Huai could only grit her teeth and say, “Fine. Since you’ve moved past the past and you have a new consort now, there is something – even if I have to beg you – I hope you will agree, Qing Ning.”

Mockery filled Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes.

So this was it.

In her past life, Princess Consort Huai had relied on Sheng Zhi Wan’s closeness to her, seized on Sheng Zhi Wan’s weakness, and used Sheng Zhi Wan’s pride to pave the way for Meng Yang.

What about this life?

Sheng Zhi Wan had already divorced Qi Shu Xian, yet Meng Yang had become a bedchamber maid appointed by an imperial edict.

What did Princess Consort Huai want to use Sheng Zhi Wan for now?

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Princess Consort Huai and said, “Princess Consort Huai, say it.”

Princess Consort Huai avoided Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze and said, “Meng Yang is a child with a bitter fate. What you said that day was right. Meng Yang really is my biological daughter.”

Princess Consort Huai had already ordered people to find the midwives who had delivered her child back then. For some reason, those people had all died in accidents.

Princess Consort Huai had also sent people to investigate Meng Yang’s hometown, but the ones sent had not returned yet…

Even so, Princess Consort Huai already believed it nine tenths.

The midwives’ deaths were too suspicious. Ming Jia’s behavior was also too strange. And if Princess Consort Huai looked closely at Meng Yang’s face, there were faint traces of Princess Consort Huai in it, like when Princess Consort Huai was young…

Of course, Princess Consort Huai did not say any of that out loud in front of Sheng Zhi Wan. Princess Consort Huai only spoke with shame: “So Qing Ning, consider this my plea. Can you forgive her past mistakes?”

Princess Consort Huai’s voice grew urgent: “Can you say a few good words for her in front of the Empress Dowager and ask the Empress Dowager… to withdraw the imperial edict placed on that child?”

After Princess Consort Huai spoke, Princess Consort Huai looked at Sheng Zhi Wan with pleading eyes.

Sheng Zhi Wan gave a soft laugh: “That was an imperial edict. If it was changed back and forth so casually, where would that leave Grandmother’s dignity?”

Princess Consort Huai reached out excitedly, trying to grab Sheng Zhi Wan’s wrist: “But Qing Ning, the Empress Dowager listens to you the most. As long as you go and beg, the Empress Dowager will definitely agree!”

Sheng Zhi Wan shifted her arm aside. The scalding teapot brushed against Princess Consort Huai’s pale wrist.

Princess Consort Huai cried out.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not care at all. Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice held open ridicule: “Grandmother does listen to me. But why did Princess Consort Huai think I would plead for someone who ruined my marriage?”