Chapter 337: Chapter 335: She’s Especially Enticing at This Time
Inside the pleasure boat.
The sound of the hujia and qin was sometimes slow, sometimes fast.
Facing Lu Zhengliu’s questioning, Shen Yinning closed her folding fan.
She knew very well that Lu Zhengliu was not Lu Shiyan, who would indulge her unconditionally, and with Yan Zheming also here, if she did not agree to ally with them, she feared she wouldn’t be able to walk out of this pleasure boat tonight.
However——
These two were truly impatient and short-sighted; how could they be sure she wouldn’t pretend to agree while acting against them?
Shen Yinning raised her sparkling Dan Feng eyes and smiled sweetly, "I agree with you."
The girl’s appearance was as dazzling as the sun, lying without even blinking, her demeanor incredibly sincere, as if she genuinely joined their alliance.
The suppressed tension inside the pleasure boat was swept away.
Only then did Yan Zheming laugh heartily and put away the bronze dagger: "With the help of Princess Zhaoning, it will surely be easier to pull Lu Ying down from that position. However, in three or four days I must leave the Capital, and we must quickly devise a way to bring him down. Princess Zhaoning, you are the most intelligent, do you have any good ideas?"
Shen Yinning tapped her chin with the handle of her fan.
In a sudden burst of inspiration, she glanced back at the nearby stone bridge.
The night was bustling everywhere, with vendors and crowds on the arched bridges they passed, yet this stone bridge was only adorned with hundreds of bright lanterns, the vendors had vanished, and no people traversed it.
Shen Yinning’s dark eyebrows arched slightly, a sudden unease surged in her heart.
Lu Zhengliu and Yan Zheming noticed her unusual expression and followed her gaze, simultaneously sensing something was wrong.
The pleasure boat was about to enter the stone bridge.
Yan Zheming wrinkled his nose.
He had survived among many brothers, naturally possessing some skills, one being his exceptionally keen sense of smell, by which he had previously avoided several poisonings.
And now, he clearly smelled sulfur.
"Damn it!" He didn’t bother to feign the elegance of Central Plains intellects any longer, cursing as he stood, "Lu Ying, that bastard, set up an explosive trap for us! He’s trying to kill us!"
He disregarded everyone else, diving into the water just before the pleasure boat went under the stone bridge!
With him leading, the others also jumped into the water without hesitation.
Lu Zhengliu grasped Shen Yinning’s wrist, being the last to leave the pleasure boat.
As they splashed into the water, the stone bridge suddenly exploded!
With a huge "bang," the entire bridge collapsed completely, the pleasure boat was blown apart and caught fire, attracting countless onlookers on the banks.
Lu Zhengliu was excellent at swimming.
He intended to climb ashore with Shen Yinning, but the dark waters seemed to tug at her with another force.
He was forced to release his hand, barely opening his eyes underwater.
The river’s surface lanterns cast colorful, hazy shadows beneath, a tall, slim figure in black snatched Shen Yinning into his embrace, as if not allowing her to have any contact with other men, swimming like a fish in the opposite direction after taking her.
He looked familiar.
Lu Ying?
Lu Zhengliu surfaced onto the shore.
His trusted servants quickly wrapped him with a cloak, "Master?"
Lu Zhengliu sat by the shore, his jet-black hair clinging to his cheeks, water droplets rolling down from his chin, the vermilion mark on his forehead appearing even more strikingly red and vivid.
He stared at the still blazing river surface, the recent scene playing repeatedly in his mind.
Gao Zheng was not wrong; Lu Ying indeed shared a dark, secret relationship with Sister Shen.
Unexpectedly, such a man, so rigidly law-abiding and aloof for these years, secretly had a rebellious, tender side.
Years ago, the Emperor’s brother wholeheartedly wanted to marry Sister Shen, only to be waylaid by Lu Ying midway; no one expected the illustrious, noble, and beautiful Miss Shen of the Capital to become engaged to an underappreciated, isolated prince.
A preposterous suspicion suddenly arose in Lu Zhengliu’s mind.
Perhaps Lu Ying entered a marriage agreement with Sister Shen not to spite the Emperor’s brother but because he himself wanted to marry her.
Lu Ying...
He loves Sister Shen.
The Emperor’s brother must know this as well; he realizes he has no competitive edge against Lu Ying, hence chooses to become a monk in Jiangnan.
Lu Zhengliu clenched his icy fists.
The Emperor’s brother hesitated to use Sister Shen against Lu Ying out of reluctance.
Yet Sister Shen is clearly Lu Ying’s greatest weakness.
The servant, seeing him lost in thought, assumed he was worried about Yan Zheming and couldn’t help reporting, "The Yan people aren’t adept swimmers, and this river has hidden currents. The Yan Crown Prince might not know where he’s been swept away to right now. I’ve already sent people along the river to search; we should find him soon."
Meanwhile, the river’s undercurrents buffeted Shen Yinning and Lu Ying.
Lu Ying let the currents carry them to Yanji Cliff; the dock was under repair and thus deserted and unlit, only a few scattered torches planted by the dockside illuminated the dark river, appearing exceedingly eerie.
He dragged Shen Yinning ashore, the girl unable to swim, nearly passed out.
He pinched her nose, pressing his lips to hers to resuscitate her with several breaths.
Shen Yinning’s chest heaved, and she suddenly sat up, coughing out mouthfuls of water.
Lu Ying looked at her.
This fox-spirit, once recovered, first tidied her appearance.
Tonight she wore elaborate makeup, but after being soaked, much of it was ruined; her small oval face appeared pale, cold, pitiful, like fractured white glass, the soaked luxurious clothing clinging to her revealing graceful curves, making her more alluring than when inside the pleasure boat.
Lu Yu frowned.
He had stationed assassins at Yanji Cliff, and upon seeing Shen Yinning in such a state, immediately cast a warning glance at the surrounding shadows.
Bai Ling and others hiding in the dark naturally understood his meaning, blushing as they quickly retreated.
Completely unaware of what transpired around her, Shen Yinning only knew how especially enticing she was at such times, projecting an innocently aggrieved expression at Lu Ying: "I almost died in the river, so frightened and terrified. Who would have thought it was Your Highness who saved me... Your Highness is my hero."
Flatterer.
Lu Ying thought, his tone colder than the night’s river waters, "You’ve boarded Yan Zheming’s ship again behind my back, and this time with Lu Zhengliu. What, are you afraid you can’t cut off my head yourself?"
Shen Yinning hugged her arms and sneezed, her small voice laced with a coquettish rasp, "I didn’t board his ship, I merely wanted to clarify face to face that I won’t associate with him anymore. Besides, Your Highness, you are wise and mighty; even if the three of us combined forces, we might not be your match, so please don’t mock me."
As she spoke, a distant array of unending lanterns appeared.
Yan Zheming’s guards had come searching.
Lu Ying’s gaze was as unwavering as a mountain, "Find a place to hide yourself."
"Alright."
Shen Yinning never clings to him in such moments, obediently finding a dilapidated house to hide in.
She endured the chill, lying by the window edge quietly watching outside.
The crescent moon hung like a hook, the landscape shimmering in silver.
Yan Zheming cursed his way up from the river, barely shaking off the water when he was greeted by Lu Ying’s swiftly approaching sword!
The long sword pierced the night.
The sharp blade reflected Lu Ying’s eyes and the moonlight, chilling deep into one’s heart.
Yan Zheming narrowly avoided it but had a strand of hair sliced off his forehead.
He was utterly shocked.
Lu Ying showed no respect for his status as the Crown Prince of Yan Country, so openly trying to assassinate him!
Ignoring the alliance between the two countries, he was deliberately provoking war!
He’s gone mad!