Chapter 246: Chapter 184: Your Highness Is Mine

Shen Jingxian didn’t really have strong feelings about her coming-of-age ceremony.

After all, she wasn’t a child anymore.

However, the way people looked at her changed dramatically after the ceremony.

To put it one way, Shen Jingxian felt like a fish on a chopping board. Although everyone knew this fish wouldn’t end up on their plate, they all still wanted a slice.

And those who could slice her weren’t ordinary people; at the very least, they were at the level of Crown Princes.

Why say at least…

The old Emperor of Dongwu Country also sought to marry her to Yunyi Country, but the envoy who came with the proposal was scolded back by the Emperor and his ministers.

Of course, those Crown Princes who didn’t perform well were also scolded.

Especially Song Yan and Prime Minister Duan. It’s said that the two of them could use sarcasm like a thousand soldiers. The Emperor was so pleased that he promoted Song Yan because of it.

Unbelievable, it’s the first time seeing someone get promoted for scolding others. It must be what it is to be a female lead.

Anyway, Shen Jingxian heard the Emperor sigh more than once recently, wondering how his ministers could be so good at scolding. It made him worried if he’d be scolded in the future, which only piqued Shen Jingxian’s curiosity about the current court more.

The Emperor repeatedly emphasized that the Princess was not to marry far away and must stay in Yunyi Country, but those people wouldn’t listen.

Shen Jingxian understood too. After all, she was so favored. Whoever married her could gain benefits equivalent to half of Yunyi Country. Who wouldn’t be tempted?

They believed as long as they won the Princess’s heart, even the Emperor would have no choice in the end!

Unfortunately, these imaginations were rich, but reality was harsh. Each Crown Prince was eager to win the Princess’s heart, yet they couldn’t even get a glimpse of Shen Jingxian.

Shen Jingxian nested in her palace, vividly demonstrating what it meant to be a couch potato in ancient times.

Shen Jingxian was actually curious about whom she would end up marrying.

Wen Ranchen?

Maybe, but maybe not?

She was sensitive to feelings, whether familial or friendship. She cherished and nurtured them with care. Yet, when it came to love, she was a bit scared.

Scared might not be accurate; it’s more like disbelief.

Oh well, let’s talk about it when the time comes.

Shen Jingxian felt her body was still young and that she could stall for another couple of years, but the Empress and Emperor were getting anxious.

They weren’t anxious about their daughter not getting married, but about their daughter not understanding love.

Wen Ranchen was such a good kid. They watched him grow up. He’s sensible, obedient, and capable. Most importantly, Wen Ranchen valued the Princess more than himself, which was what satisfied the Empress and Emperor the most.

Thus, to marry off Shen Jingxian, the Empress and Emperor finally decided on a matchmaking banquet.

Yes, the kind of matchmaking banquet where all eligible young men and women gather together.

In novels, such banquets generally involve all sorts of dirty tricks. Illegitimate daughters shine in illegitimate daughter stories, main female leads get framed but then reverse the situation in stories, and palace intrigue attracts attention from a high-powered individual. For details, refer to the domineering CEO quote collection: “Woman, you’ve successfully caught my attention.”

In Shen Jingxian’s case, she chose to deploy the Maid Team to guard every corner! Absolutely no tricks allowed at her banquet!

Soon enough, the banquet took place as scheduled.

No matter their official rank, all eligible young men and women in the capital came.

Matchmaking is boring when done alone; everyone should enjoy matchmaking together!

The Empress said a few words symbolically and then signaled Shen Jingxian to stand up because, after all, she was the main character today.

Shen Jingxian had already planned it. When she got up, she didn’t say any polite words, directly stating, “In today’s banquet, there’s a plant’s fruit that’s a beautiful bright red. Whoever finds this fruit first, I will marry.”

Nobody expected Shen Jingxian to say this. Some young men who initially came just to observe and participate suddenly felt they could do it.

This was supposed to be a sit-down matchmaking banquet, but now everyone urgently wanted to go and search for the fruit around them!

The Empress was slightly stunned when she heard Shen Jingxian say this, as it was apparent that Shen Jingxian hadn’t discussed this with her beforehand.

But she was only shocked for a moment. Quickly, she got up and left.

Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Besides, if she leaves quickly, she can act as if she didn’t hear her daughter’s playful remark. If a weird fellow got found later, she could also back out.

The Empress quickly slipped away.

Once the Empress left, all the men excitedly stood up and promptly began searching the courtyard for that bright red fruit.

Only the female guests remained seated at the table, nibbling on snacks, drinking a bit, admiring flowers, and chatting.

Today was a big day, and Pan Jiaojiao also came. She initially sat a bit far from the Princess, but upon seeing the Empress leave, she quickly rushed to sit beside Shen Jingxian.

Seeing this, Song Yan also swiftly moved to Shen Jingxian’s other side. Both of them took a side and contentedly smiled.

“Your Highness, did you miss me?” Pan Jiaojiao was excited. She’s been so busy making money lately that she couldn’t visit the Princess, only able to send a piano worth ten thousand gold to the Princess.

Though Song Yan was the one who contacted the Piano King, it was Pan Jiaojiao’s money. She couldn’t let Song Yan take all the credit, so she wrote a letter to the Princess.

The Princess must have received it, right?

Pan Jiaojiao’s eyes were full of laughter; she was no longer the person she used to be.

Shen Jingxian also felt it had been a long time since she last saw Pan Jiaojiao, and the two of them started chatting away.

Song Yan didn’t speak, but from her comfortable expression, it was clear she was quite relaxed.

“Your Highness, will you really marry the man who finds the fruit?” Pan Jiaojiao asked softly.

Shen Jingxian smiled but said nothing.

Pan Jiaojiao immediately seemed to understand something, giggling as she covered her mouth to show she got it.

Shen Jingxian was surprised, “Jiaojiao, you seem much smarter than before.”

Pan Jiaojiao’s proud face was filled with a joyful smile, “Really!”

Shen Jingxian: …

Suddenly she felt maybe not that smart.

Song Yan said lightly beside her, “She ate a lot of bitterness, so she became smarter.”

Huh, a rare occurrence where Song Yan actually spoke for Pan Jiaojiao.

Shen Jingxian suddenly felt she had missed a lot.

Song Yan not speaking was one thing, but once she did, it made Pan Jiaojiao remember her hardships and she immediately started sobbing, “Wuwuwu, Your Highness, you have no idea, I wuwuwu…” followed by a lengthy grievance.

Finally, Pan Jiaojiao concluded, “I can do it! Your Highness, I will definitely become the treasury behind you!”

Shen Jingxian: Thank you for listening.

The cheerful atmosphere among them began to affect the other noble women, who, realizing no one was paying attention to them, and that the Princess wasn’t managing things, gradually relaxed as well.

There were even two who became so uninhibited they started playing with mud, getting it all over themselves.

In the end, it was Shen Jingxian who couldn’t stand it any longer and had the Nanny take them to change their clothes.

How ridiculous.

What began as a matchmaking event ended up more like a tea party, the kind where no one disturbs each other.

Hearing about Pan Jiaojiao’s hardships, Shen Jingxian specially instructed the small kitchen to serve some of her favorite pastries, and to avoid any perceived favoritism, some were served at every table, further making it feel like a tea party.

Elsewhere, it seemed that no one had found the fruit yet.

Generally, by this time, someone would have started to doubt whether such a fruit even existed, but perhaps due to the Princess’s aura, no one had brought it up yet. They just assumed they hadn’t looked hard enough.

Shen Jingxian was drinking the milk tea Song Yan had made for her when suddenly, a shadow cast over her as someone stood in front of her.

The familiar cool fragrance told Shen Jingxian even without looking up who it was.

With only women present, Wen Ranchen’s appearance undoubtedly became the focus of everyone’s attention.

This man was unmatched in beauty, and they were eager to know if he had found the fruit the Princess mentioned.

If he had found it, did that mean he was the Prince Consort?!!

How exciting! They were witnessing history!!

Gossip is human nature, and in the face of it, men and women are equal. The sons who were still searching for the fruit, upon hearing a commotion in the banquet hall, quickly returned, only to see Wen Ranchen standing in front of the Princess with a serious expression.

What’s up, did Wen Ranchen find the fruit?!

A certain plant.

However inexplicably, they didn’t feel envious, because if the man was Wen Ranchen, they couldn’t compete anyway.

But they couldn’t suppress their curiosity and stretched their necks to watch.

Shen Jingxian looked up, a little puzzled, “Did you find it?”

Wen Ranchen nodded and took out a small green fruit.

The fruit was ordinary, smooth on the surface, round and cute, but no matter how you looked at it, there was no hint of red.

Not to be outdone, Pan Jiaojiao, cast as the antagonist, was the first to retort, “What, do you think we’re all idiots? How is this a red fruit?”

Wen Ranchen didn’t answer, just looked at Shen Jingxian and gently asked, “Does what Your Highness just said count?”

Shen Jingxian steadied her wildly beating heart and nodded, “It counts.”

Upon hearing her answer, Wen Ranchen suddenly smiled, and the term “unmatched in the world” seemed perfectly fitting for him now.

With a flick of Wen Ranchen’s hand, the fruit was crushed at his fingertips, splitting open to reveal red juice.

In an instant, the elegant white of Wen Ranchen’s elongated fingertips became stained with a vibrant red, resembling fresh blood.

Shen Jingxian only felt Wen Ranchen getting closer and closer, when suddenly, a slight warmth graced her lips; it was Wen Ranchen’s fingers brushing gently against them, but only for a brief moment before he withdrew.

And after he did, Shen Jingxian’s previously pale lips were now dyed a striking red, making her appear all the more exquisitely beautiful.

Wen Ranchen looked at her and, with a genuine smile, said, “Your Highness is mine now.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep