Chapter 838: Unexpected Protection from Prince Chen

Shao Wanru looked up slightly with her eyes carrying a trace of determination. She said, "Grandma, except for the one where my parents lived, Old Madam Zhao can choose any other vacant courtyard in the mansion, but not the one belonging to Father!"

Shao Wanru didn't hide her attitude from Old Madam for she couldn't do it anymore. That chamber belonged to her father and mother, and her younger brother, the future Heir of the Duke. Old Madam plotted to create an illusion that Shao Hua'an had been recognized as the Heir of Duke Xing's Mansion, intending to win the position of the heir of a duke. Shao Wanru would never allow it to happen.

In the last life, they killed all her family to seize the position. How could the hatred be swept by the position of the heir of a duke?

"You..." Old Madam Zhao was stunned, fixing her eyes on the girl in front of her, who was just a gentle girl with an aura of charm in her eye. She could not believe how a girl with no parents could have the courage to say such words. However, how could a girl from an aristocratic family be judged by her appearance?

"Did she mean to humiliate me in front of so many people?"

Thinking of this, Old Madam Zhao was terribly annoyed. She pointed at Shao Wanru and said to Old Madam in a sharp voice, "Old Madam, is this the well-educated Miss in your mansion? Did... did she realize what she was talking about? You promised to compensate us just now. Is this how you do it?"

"Wanru, kneel down and apologize to Old Madam Zhao!" Old Madam scolded harshly, her face darkening and her eyes expressing coldness.

"Grandma, I have no idea for what I have to apologize like that?" Shao Wanru said in a calm voice. She glanced at Zhao Xiran next to her and saw the shock in her eyes. Obviously, she also didn't expect that Shao Wanru would dare to say such words in front of Old Madam. Her eyes gave out her surprise for a moment.

"How... how can you be so arrogant to your elders? You..." Old Madam was extremely furious, but she couldn't slap Shao Wanru. She would never escape away from Great Elder Princess's interrogation if she did. She was caught by Great Elder Princess in the last plot, which was the reason why she united with Old Madam Zhao this time.

"Grandma, I'm just telling the truth. I was worried that Old Madam Zhao didn't know about it, so I told her in advance in case they pick one which is unavailable for them. That will also embarrass you," Shao Wanru said indifferently.

Old Madam was nearly infuriated to death by such words.

Old Madam Zhao looked at Shao Wanru up and down with a trace of disdain in her eyes. "Shao Wanru is indeed a country-bred girl, knowing nothing about basic etiquette. How dare she speak to elders like that? Did she have the confidence from Great Elder Princess?

"However, it is unreasonable that Great Elder Princess intervenes in the affairs of Duke Xing's Mansion all the time, even though she is a princess."

"Fifth Miss Shao? You don't make any sense. Your parents have been gone for so long. Are you going to keep that courtyard vacant forever?" Old Madam Zhao said in a cold voice.

"Why not? No one else can live in it!" Shao Wanru raised her eyebrows and said. She didn't feel so much pressure when facing Old Madam Zhao. After all, Old Madam Zhao was not her formal elder on the surface.

"I heard that Fifth Miss Shao comes from an ordinary family. Is this the manner taught to you by your original family?" Old Madam Zhao said sarcastically, "You are behaving like such a stingy girl. But now you are the Fifth Miss of Duke Xing's Mansion, so don't keep your bad old habits in Duke Xing's Mansion anymore. Don't forget your current identity!"

"Thank you for reminding me, madam! I am well aware of my identity and that's why I guard the chamber for my parents. There are many available courtyards in the mansion. If First Miss Zhao is content with mine, you can pick it. I can move out and live in any other courtyard for the time being!" Shao Wanru said with a smile. It seemed that she had made a concession.

It was a sorrow that in order to guard the last hope of her parents, she was even willing to give up her courtyard.

Old Madam Zhao was again infuriated and her hands trembled. Everyone knew that Shao Wanru was going to marry Prince Chen in two months. If she moved out from the courtyard where she was living and Shao Hua'an made it into his wedding room, not only Duke Xing's Mansion but also Minister Zhao's Mansion would be scolded.

Shao Wanru was the future Princess Chen. Although Old Madam Zhao did not think that Prince Chen really loved Fifth Miss Shao so much, she understood that Shao Wanru would have a high status. After Shao Wanru got married, she would be the princess of the first-class family. Even Old Madam Zhao would have to salute her when they met.

No one could bear the charge of forcing her to give up her courtyard.

However, Shao Wanru was not married yet. A married woman took the interests of her husband's family first, while an unmarried woman took that of her father's family. She had no reason to resist now.

Unwilling to talk to Shao Wanru, Old Madam Zhao turned to look at Old Madam of Duke Xing's Mansion and said angrily, "If this is Fifth Miss Shao's attitude, it would be better that we don't get married. My girl dare not become a sister-in-law of Fifth Miss Shao, who has put on airs like a princess before she marries into the royal family!"

These words were not only full of sarcasm but also a slap in the face.

No matter what was said, Shao Wanru was not married yet, let alone marrying into the royal family.

"Grandma!" Zhao Xiran gently shook Old Madam Zhao's arm and said in a soft voice. It seemed that she did not want Old Madam Zhao to criticize Shao Wanru like that.

After saying that, angry Old Madam Zhao stood up and held Zhao Xiran's hand, about to leave.

"Please wait a minute, Old Madam Zhao!" Old Madam hastened to stand up and stopped her. If Old Madam Zhao left now, the marriage between the two families would be doomed to fail. After all, Old Madam was very satisfied with this marriage.

"Fifth Girl, hurry up and apologize to Old Madam Zhao!" She turned to look at Shao Wanru and scolded her.

Shao Wanru stood aside indifferently as if she didn't realize the severity of the problem caused by her.

Seeing this, Old Madam Zhao was so angry with a livid face. "Well... this is the Fifth Miss of Duke Xing's Mansion. She is dissatisfied with our Ran'er. Well, since Ran'er is not approved by the future Princess Chen, we'd better leave now to end the embarrassment like this!"

"Fifth Girl, kneel down!" As the problem became worse and worse, Old Madam was so angry that she raised her hand and intended to slap Shao Wanru.

Shao Wanru took a step back and avoided the slap. When she was about to say something, a leisured voice came from the door. "Did I show up at the wrong time?"

Everyone in the flower hall was stunned by the clear voice of a man. They looked back together and saw Chu Liuchen standing at the door. The gentle smile on his face made it seem that his unexpected appearance was an accident. He raised his beautiful eyebrows slightly, looked at the stiff faces in the hall, and then walked in at a slow pace.

He was dressed in a dark blue Mang Pao, a robe with python patterns, which made him extraordinarily noble but with a trace of sickly handsomeness. As soon as he showed up, everyone in the flower hall was amazed.

Standing behind him was the butler of Duke Xing's Mansion, who looked very anxious. He didn't mean to show Prince Chen in without informing his master. He couldn't stop him. As soon as Prince Chen entered the mansion, the butler was asked the position of the flower hall where Old Madam Zhao was, and he was ordered to lead the prince there. He didn't even have the chance to inform his master.

"Did something happen?" Chu Liuchen blinked his charming eyes, gave a glance at the people in the flower hall and walked in.

The two Old Madams reacted quite quickly and hurriedly bowed to him. Although Chu Liuchen rarely showed up in public, they recognized him at a glance. Anyway, the two Old Madams had seen him several times when they went to the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager from time to time.

It was the first time that Zhao Xiran had met Chu Liuchen. She looked at him in surprise. This was Prince Chen, who was said to be dying soon. But right at the moment in her eyes, he had no difference from a normal man except for his pale face and pallid lips.

Glanced by Chu Liuchen, she blushed at once and bowed sideways to him in a hurry. She could feel her rapid heartbeat with the shyness of a maiden.

Zhao Xiran was the First Miss of Minister Zhao's Mansion, followed by several younger sisters and brothers. It was rare for her to lose her composure like this. She couldn't help thinking of the gossip among the Misses of aristocratic families. It was said that Prince Chen was incomparably handsome and the most outstanding man in the whole capital city. Unfortunately, he was born with congenital defects and was in extremely bad health. Otherwise, how many women wouldn't want to marry such a noble and handsome man?

Even she herself almost lost her mind just now.

If Zhao Xiran almost lost her mind, then Shao Caihuan was completely lost. The veil was still on her face, so no one could see her expression. But she looked at Chu Liuchen with obsession like an idiot. She was fancying that under the situation where she could only be a consort, she would rather be the one of Chu Liuchen than Commandery Prince Qing.

Shao Wanru also bowed sideways and greeted, "Your Highness!"

"Forgo formalities!" Chu Liuchen said casually and then stood still beside Shao Wanru. He reached out to help up her and asked with an increasingly gentle look, "What's wrong? What happened just now?"

Old Madam Zhao stood up straight, and her heart was heavily pounding. She would rather be shocked than be excited like Zhao Xiran. Everyone in the palace knew that Prince Chen seemed to be gentle, but he was actually very ruthless. Anyone who offended him would be cruelly retaliated. What's more, he enjoyed a preference from both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. Even the masters in the palace were afraid of Prince Chen when they saw him, let alone them as the liegemen.

Old Madam Zhao was afraid that she had provoked such a malignant royalty by accident.

"What is the situation now? Does Prince Chen really love Fifth Miss Shao?" Old Madam Zhao frowned and thought that it was better to have another discussion with Old Madam in a long term.

"Nothing special. We were just talking about the courtyard where my parents used to live!" Shao Wanru stood up straight and answered softly.

"What's wrong with their courtyard? Has Uncle the Emperor already decreed the heir?" Chu Liuchen said slowly and then looked at Old Madam with a faint smile. "Congratulations, Old Madam. With so many years past, the Heir of Duke Xing has finally been decided! Your aspiration is achieved!"

"You must be joking, Your Highness. How can it be decided so easily!" Old Madam answered with a grievance. She was bold to suppress Shao Wanru just now, but she didn't dare to be arrogant in front of Prince Chen!

"It hasn't decided yet? Well, it must be my misunderstanding!" Chu Liuchen said in a casual tone. He rolled his watery eyes and then said, "I heard that there are some original handwritings of the former Heir of Duke Xing's Mansion left in that courtyard. I wonder if Old Madam could allow me to appreciate them?"