Chapter 14: Thank You, Brother Lu

From her concealed eyes, a trace of dissatisfaction flickered. After all, within the Shen residence centered around Shen Wanning, she was the one who captivated all attention.

“Did you say something bad about me to the Empress Dowager?” She pressed relentlessly, demanding Shen Yuan reveal the content of their conversation.

Shen Yuan found her as irritating as a chattering magpie. Without a word, she quickened her pace silently.

After leaving Shoukang Palace, they passed by a shimmering lakeside.

Shen Wanning glanced around and, seizing a moment when the palace maid leading them was distracted, deliberately edged closer to the water’s edge.

Suddenly, she called out, “Sister Yuan?”

Caught off guard, just as Shen Yuan turned to look back, Shen Wanning violently tore at the hem of her skirt, her face drained of color as she screamed, “Sister, don’t push me!”

But Shen Yuan quickly grasped the situation.

She had been tricked this way before. Though Shen Lang held grudges against her, lacking concrete proof, he could not punish her.

She hadn’t expected Shen Wanning to resort to the same ruse again.

As Shen Wanning teetered on the brink of falling into the water, Shen Yuan pulled her back with a swift motion. Terrified, Shen Wanning closed her eyes, never feeling the icy plunge; instead, she settled onto the stone path calmly.

A splash sounded nearby. Opening her eyes, Shen Yuan saw herself losing control and falling into the lake.

“Sister Yuan!”

Only then did the palace maids notice the commotion and hurried to send help.

But when the young eunuchs arrived and saw a woman had fallen into the lake, hesitation gripped them. What if she was a noble lady? Rescuing her might lead to accusations, and their lives could be forfeit.

Shen Yuan choked on water several times; at the brink of death, a man in a crimson official’s robe removed his hat and plunged in without hesitation to save her.

The palace maids recognized him and warned, “Lord Lu, please be careful!”

Amid the struggle, Shen Yuan caught those words.

She forced her eyes open, seeing a figure recklessly swimming toward her.

The familiar silhouette overlapped with the face of the boy she had teased in childhood.

Lu Chengyuan, the little brother she often bullied.

Soon, Shen Yuan was pulled out safely.

Fortunately, the rescue came in time; she was unharmed.

Shen Wanning, unaware of the full situation, had intended to jump herself to frame Shen Yuan.

Why was reality so different from her imagination?

Before Shen Wanning could fully process, Shen Yuan, clutching her chest and gasping heavily, cast a wary, questioning glance at the seemingly indifferent Shen Wanning.

“Wanning, why did you push me?”

As the victim, Shen Yuan knew her words would be believed.

Moreover, this was the imperial palace, not Shen Wanning’s domain.

“Sister Yuan, what are you saying? I—I could never push you!”

Her head buzzed with confusion.

Shen Yuan’s gaze dropped to the torn skirt fragments on the ground, her eyes sharp as ice. “That’s the evidence. Will you still deny it?”

“I... I didn’t! You jumped yourself!” Shen Wanning vehemently denied.

The palace maid leading them looked on coldly, speaking sternly, “Third Miss, did you want to end your life, jumping into the chilly autumn water like that?”

“I didn’t do anything! She’s trying to frame me!” Shen Wanning was on the verge of tears.

But in the palace, palace maids, having seen countless human hearts, knew tears did not guarantee truth.

She intended to report the matter to the Empress Dowager.

Standing silently aside, Lu Chengyuan finally understood the situation.

Seeing Shen Yuan drenched, he deliberately avoided her gaze.

“Do you want to change into fresh clothes? I know a nanny who can help.”

Shen Yuan tilted her head, smiling faintly. “Thank you, Lord Lu.”

Hearing the familiar nickname after so long, Lu Chengyuan’s eyelids twitched.

He turned away, his lowered eyes betraying a hint of distress. Softly, he said, “I’ll fetch someone to help you change.”

Only then did Shen Yuan notice that his once ethereal demeanor had faded.

She had heard rumors about Lu Chengyuan.

Unlike the ridicule others displayed when mentioning him, Shen Yuan only felt a profound injustice.

Lu Chengyuan lost his father young and his family survived only through the aid of the Wang clan.

Finally reaching adulthood, he earned the emperor’s favor through talent and was appointed to oversee palace garden construction and repairs.

During the restoration of the royal ancestral hall, his subordinates, hoping to earn extra money, purchased subpar timber.

At the memorial ceremony, the beams collapsed, crushing the Sixth Prince instantly.

Lu Chengyuan was blamed.

The emperor was torn between his grief and his loyal minister; in the end, he spared Lu Chengyuan’s life.

The price: a severe punishment of castration.

The Wang family knelt weeping outside the palace gates for three days and nights, willing to sacrifice themselves, but could not move the emperor’s heart.

Only the supervising eunuch’s disdainful words trampled any hope: “The emperor lost his youngest son and is grieving deeply. To spare Lord Lu’s life is already a great mercy! Your Lu family’s line ends, thereby atoning for the Sixth Prince. Even if you descend to the abyssal hells, it will be an explanation to the prince!”

Murder must be punished; it was the natural order.

But Lu Chengyuan was not at fault, yet his dignity was sacrificed as penance.

Shen Wanning had vanished without a trace.

Shen Yuan did not care to chase after her and let the nanny Lu Chengyuan brought escort her out of the palace.

Along the long palace path, green tiles and red walls shimmered in the light.

From afar, Shen Yuan saw a familiar figure approaching.

No, not approaching her — moving toward the palace.

She deliberately lowered her head.

When they drew near, the nanny bowed and said, “Greetings, Commander Pei.”

Shen Yuan had no choice but to return the greeting.

Pei Ji nodded, his gaze darkening as he looked at her.

His eyes furrowed at her ill-fitting clothes and still-damp hair.

After passing by her, Pei Ji later heard from others that she had fallen into the water.

She had been rescued by Lu Chengyuan.

Upon hearing his name, Pei Ji’s heart remained calm until he learned that Lu Chengyuan and Shen Yuan had grown up together.

Eight years — he had known Shen Yuan eight years longer than Pei Ji had.

His eyes deepened, a restless jealousy pricking at his heart as if pierced by countless needles.

At the Shen residence.

Shen Yuan had barely returned to Qiushui Garden when Madam Chen summoned her.

Guessing that Shen Wanning had already rushed back to complain, she naturally vented her grievances before Madam Chen.

Liu Yan expressed concern, “Miss, you fell into the water and haven’t even had a bowl of ginger soup yet. Shall we wait a bit?”

“I was given a bowl by Lord Lu’s messenger while in the palace.”

“Lord Lu? The renowned master craftsman? I heard you have known him since childhood. Did you exchange pleasantries today? Did you reminisce?”

Shen Yuan smiled wryly, shaking her head. “Meeting in the palace is full of protocol; I dared not say a word more.”