Han Xi Chen subconsciously took a step back.
The girl approached, and Han Xi Chen pushed her away, fleeing in disarray.
"Your Highness, why are you leaving?" the girl called after him.
Han Xi Chen shot a look, and guards immediately blocked her path. The girl, undeterred, shouted, "Your Highness, come visit when you have time."
Han Xi Chen stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. He couldn't help but wonder inwardly, why was this woman, Shen Yun Xuan's, so immodest? She was more like a courtesan from a pleasure house.
"Go investigate the identity of this Miss Ning An," Han Xi Chen instructed the guards beside him.
Seeing that Shen Yun Xuan had already left and the guards had retreated to the manor entrance, the girl turned around, only to find three people kneeling behind her.
"Old Madam Shen, please get up quickly..." The girl stepped forward to help Old Madam Shen.
Old Madam Shen refused to rise. "Miss Ning An, thank you. If it weren't for you, I fear..."
She could not continue. Without this Miss Ning An, no one knew what would have become of the Shen family today. She had always known that this Miss Ning An was no ordinary person.
She hadn't expected her to come to their aid during the Shen family's time of crisis. It would be a lie to say she wasn't moved.
"Old Madam Shen, please get up. Speak whatever you have to say after you rise, or I will truly get angry."
"Grandmother, please get up. Don't make Sister-in-law difficult," Shen Yue Yue supported Old Madam Shen.
Old Madam Shen patted Shen Yue Yue's hand. "Go and kowtow to Miss Ning An. Your safety today is truly thanks to Miss Ning An."
Shen Yue Yue nodded and came before her, kneeling and kowtowing. "Thank you, Sister-in-law, for standing up for me. I will always remember this kindness and repay it in the future."
"Get up quickly. You call me Sister-in-law, is it not right for me to stand up for you?" As she spoke, she stepped forward and pulled Shen Yue Yue up.
Shen Yue Yue stood up and turned to look at Shen Yun Xuan. "Third Brother, Grandmother must be tired. I will help Grandmother rest. Sister-in-law is in your care."
With that, she helped Old Madam Shen up and left.
Shen Yun Xuan looked at his grandmother, who had given him a meaningful glance before leaving, and felt a wry smile.
After Shen Yue Yue and Old Madam Shen left, Shen Yun Xuan stepped forward, looked at the girl, and slowly bowed, kneeling. Others might not know who Miss Ning An was, but he did. This was Empress Xue Zi Ning. He lowered his head, cast his gaze down, and sincerely said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty. Your subject thanks Your Majesty for saving the Shen family."
After a long moment, he heard the girl's clear voice, "Rise!"
Shen Yun Xuan looked up and saw the girl's clear eyes, yet they were devoid of any emotion.
He inwardly gave a wry smile, but his heart was filled with contentment. The Empress's presence was already enough to make him happy; anything more would be his own wishful thinking.
"Minister Shen, this act will likely have to continue..."
Shen Yun Xuan was startled and felt a strange sense of joy in his heart. "Your subject obeys."
"Where is your room?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Shen Yun Xuan was taken aback, not understanding why the Empress would ask this.
Xue Zi Ning explained, "I am Miss Ning An now. Should I not be sharing a room with you?"
Shen Yun Xuan's heart began to pound. Although he knew this was all pretense, a matter of expediency, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
Upon arriving at Shen Yun Xuan's room, Shen Yun Xuan offered, "Your Majesty, you sleep on the bed tonight. Your subject will sleep on the floor."
Xue Zi Ning nodded and lay on the bed. She closed her eyes, and involuntarily thought of Yan Zhao, wondering what she was doing.
"Minister Shen, are you asleep?"
"Your Majesty, your subject is here..."
"If, in the future, your wife cannot have children, what will you do?"
Shen Yun Xuan was startled but still answered truthfully, "Your Majesty, your subject has no plans to marry."
If he could not meet someone he loved, he would rather remain single for life than marry someone he did not.
However, he knew he would never meet such a person in this lifetime. It was enough for him to watch her ascend to the pinnacle of power step by step and live happily with the person she loved.
"If you were to meet someone you love?"
Shen Yun Xuan fell silent. After a long pause, he said, "Since it is someone I love, then I must love all of her. Even if she cannot bear children, what does it matter? Besides your subject, there is my elder brother. We do not need your subject to continue the lineage. Moreover, even if we have no children, we can adopt a child from a relative. These are not problems."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. If your subject loves someone, he will not care about these things. We should live this life well; why worry about the next?"
However, Shen Yun Xuan gave a wry smile. He likely wouldn't meet such a person in this lifetime.
After a long time, hearing the even breathing from the bed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress must have encountered some difficulties. Who caused them?
Suddenly, he thought of something. Could it be that the Empress had trouble bearing children?
Han Xi Chen received the intelligence from his guards. It turned out that Miss Ning An was from the largest pleasure house in An Country, and Shen Yun Xuan had spent money to redeem her years ago. However, due to the strong opposition from Madam Shen, the romance ended without a conclusion.
The next day
Han Xi Chen was having breakfast when a guard reported, "Lord Shen and Miss Ning An request an audience."
Without a second thought, he refused.
Although he had frequented pleasure houses and sought out women from them, this Miss Ning An made him want to stay away.
Outside the door, Xue Zi Ning looked at Shen Yun Xuan. Shen Yun Xuan hadn't expected Han Xi Chen to refuse to even see them. It was clear that the Empress had intimidated him yesterday.
This was good; at least he could no longer bully the Shen family.
"Third Young Master, something is wrong." A servant from the manor hurried over.
Shen Yun Xuan quickly asked, "What is it?"
The servant said urgently, "The eldest young madam is about to give birth, but there are people blocking the entrance, preventing me from fetching the midwife. If it's delayed, I fear..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yun Xuan turned and rushed towards Han Xi Chen's room. Xue Zi Ning grabbed him. "You cannot force your way in. I will go. You go and lead people to break through and bring the midwife."
He was stunned and whispered, "I will go see Han Xi Chen, and you..."
"You can't handle him, but I can. Go!"
Seeing the girl's clear eyes, he could only nod. "Be careful."
Xue Zi Ning turned and went to the entrance of Han Xi Chen's room. Because Han Xi Chen had ordered that no one was allowed to enter, the guards outside blocked her. "Miss, the Prince is not seeing anyone!"
"Your Highness, yesterday you still wanted me to accompany you for drinks, but today you turn your back and refuse to acknowledge me?"
Hearing the voice from inside, Han Xi Chen suppressed himself and stood up, saying coldly, "Tell her to stay away from me."
"Your Highness, the eldest son of Lord Shen's wife is about to give birth, and there is no midwife. If you could send someone to fetch a midwife, I will leave and never disturb you again, how about it?"
Han Xi Chen was furious. "Quickly go and get her a midwife."
Hearing the answer, Xue Zi Ning turned and left.
When he could no longer hear any sound, Han Xi Chen went to the door and asked, "Is the person gone?"
The guard replied, "Yes, Your Highness."
Han Xi Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, a faint, refreshing fragrance wafted through the crack of the door. It belonged to her.
He froze and quickly retreated, wanting to escape the scent, but it still entered his nostrils uncontrollably.
He was furious. Last night and even today, his nostrils were filled with this refreshing scent.
But damn it, he didn't dislike this scent.
Unlike the scent of women from pleasure houses, this fragrance was unique, making him feel a little happy and intoxicated.
What was happening to him?