The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go-Chapter 158 - 156 How dare you covet my woman?!

Shen Yinning did not take it to heart and rose to leave directly.

Only then did Gao Zheng recount verbatim to Lu Ying the words he had overheard at the Shen Guogong Mansion that day.

— "Lu Ying, that hypocrite, always clings to appearances, pretending to be noble and upright. But in private, he does such despicable things—turning on his own brother and stealing another man’s wife. Righteous or vile, in the end, he’s nothing more than a stepping stone for my ascent."

— "Does Sister Shen dislike my imperial brother?"

— "Dislike? On the contrary, I like him. I like him for his status as the Crown Prince, for the power he holds, for the way he humiliates me time and again but still can’t seem to let go of me."

After Gao Zheng finished, he dared not look at Lu Ying’s expression. Instead, he lowered his head, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Highness, I am saying these words tonight not to sow discord but simply because I cannot tolerate Shen Yinning’s lofty airs and inconsistent behavior, trampling on Your Highness’s affections for her! I feel heartache on Your Highness’s behalf!"

After he had spoken, he stood there until his feet ached, yet Lu Ying remained silent.

There was none of the thunderous rage he had expected.

Unease brewed in Gao Zheng’s heart. Gathering his courage, he lifted his head slightly, only to see the golden and distinguished Crown Prince sitting quietly beside the flickering candlelight. The long, dense lashes veiled his dark eyes, making it impossible to guess what thoughts lingered in his mind.

Nervously, Gao Zheng bit his lip and ventured softly, "Your... Highness?"

At the very moment his voice fell, he sensed a piercingly cold gaze fix itself atop his head.

Lu Ying’s voice was calm and enigmatic, giving away no emotion: "You like her?"

Gao Zheng froze in shock: "Your Highness?"

"Do you like her?"

Gao Zheng’s little thoughts were entirely seen through. Flustered, he dropped to his knees with a loud thud: "Your Highness, please be merciful! This lowly official has no improper feelings toward Miss Shen! It’s simply that I cannot see how such a woman could ever be a match for you!"

Lu Ying lowered his gaze to look at him and said, "If you admitted it outright, I might even admire you for your audacity. But this hemming and hawing, twisting and evading, makes you less of a man and more like a simpering housewife."

On this frigid winter’s night, sweat poured from Gao Zheng’s body.

A solemn and oppressive pressure descended from above, and he pressed his forehead to the floor, so paralyzed with terror he could barely speak.

Yes, he liked Shen Yinning—was utterly bewitched by her!

Even when lying beside Yin Shanshan, he always fantasized that the face in front of him was Shen Yinning’s!

But he didn’t like her enough to risk offending the Crown Prince over her!

For years, he had studied under the frigid lamplight and put in unending efforts just to leave Gan State, come to the Capital, and become a Capital Official. With a future so promising and the chance to bring glory to his family, how could he ruin it for a woman?!

Wiping away the sweat on his brow, he stammered, "This lowly official... this lowly official..."

Lu Ying picked up the small overturned mirror on the table and tossed it toward Gao Zheng.

Panic-stricken, Gao Zheng hurriedly picked it up. It was an intricately crafted mirror, and he could not help his confusion: "Your Highness, this is..."

"Take a good look at yourself," Lu Ying said coldly. "Are you even worthy of liking her? She was merely placed in your care for a time, and yet you dared to have ideas. Gao Zheng, how dare you covet a woman who belongs to me?!"

The man reflected in the mirror was as pale as paper, his throat spasming in silent struggle.

Gao Zheng suddenly understood that the Crown Prince did not see Shen Yinning as merely a plaything.

It seemed... that Shen Yinning meant something to him.

A tremor overtook his body. Once again, he prostrated himself to the floor: "This lowly official is guilty!"

"Get out."

Gao Zheng scrambled out of the room in a panic. The biting wind greeted him with a slap, making him sneeze several times in succession, yet his heart pounded wildly. His entire body still burned as if aflame, even his ears flushed with heat.

Using a sleeve to wipe his face, his mind was a storm of fear and shame.

At the core of it all, the fault lay with Shen Yinning.

If not for her flaunting her beauty, flirting openly across the manor to ensnare him, would he have fallen into jealousy in the first place?

If she had truly become the Crown Prince’s woman, then she should have behaved herself and quietly stayed in her quarters!

Why did she have to parade around before his eyes? Why did she attend the family banquet at his house? Why did she make it a point to carry herself as though she were his rightful wife?!

By doing all this, wasn’t she clearly suggesting that she already thought of him as her husband?!

This vile woman, scattering her affections everywhere, was utterly detestable!

Gao Zheng grew angrier with each thought. Scowling, he cast a wrathful glare at the tightly shut partition before throwing his sleeves back and stomping off.

Inside the room, the candlelight burned brightly.

When Shen Yinning stepped around the screen, she saw Lu Ying sipping tea.

Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and before long, she perched herself beside him, with delicate hands resting lightly on his broad shoulders. Her voice, soft and sweet, drifted over: "What did Lord Gao confide to Your Highness? I suppose it was to my disadvantage, wasn’t it?"

Lu Ying closed the teacup lid, avoiding her touch.

Shen Yinning was momentarily miffed as her advance missed its mark, but she quickly masked it with a coquettish pout: "Lord Gao and his entire family dislike me. If he has planted any vile rumors about me in Your Highness’s ears, don’t you dare believe them."

"You’ve never taken Gao Zheng seriously."

"He? What worth does he hold? Naturally, he’s not even worth a second thought." Shen Yinning pursed her lips, lifted the tea Lu Ying had been drinking, and sipped it with dainty familiarity. "After all these years, Your Highness still holds the same taste for Junshan Silver Needle; I find it rather bitter. I still prefer my Pu’er."

Lu Ying watched her dab at the corners of her lips with a handkerchief.

She carried herself with an elegance and grace befitting her beauty, and her lofty demeanor was such that even a rare and precious Junshan Silver Needle seemed beneath her notice.

He looked away and spoke evenly: "I suppose I haven’t mattered much to you either. In your eyes, I must be nothing more than some fool who insults you repeatedly yet is too foolish to let you go. Another stepping stone for your climb to higher places."

Shen Yinning arched an eyebrow.

That was something she had said in the Shen Guogong Mansion just days ago.

How did Lu Ying know those words?

Recalling Gao Zheng’s odd behavior tonight, she instantly pieced it together: there had been eavesdroppers. What she and Ah Ze had spoken of that day had been overheard by Gao Zheng.

For a moment, the room fell into silence.

Shen Yinning toyed with her handkerchief, stealing a glance at Lu Ying.

The man’s side profile looked cold, his expression unreadable.

After a few moments, she snuck another glance.

And another.

Finally, as if reaching his limit, Lu Ying uttered sharply, "Is there nothing you’d like to explain?"

Shen Yinning sighed. "Yes, those words were mine."

The hand resting on the small table clenched so subtly that Lu Ying’s knuckles turned white.

Shen Yinning spoke lazily, "But that night at the inn, didn’t Brother Lu Ying promise me this? If one day I angered you again, you’d neither grow angry, nor raise your voice, nor speak any nonsense about severing ties or never seeing me again. A gentleman’s word is his bond, as weighty as a thousand stones. Brother Lu Ying, you’re not allowed to go back on your word!"

A vein pulsed at Lu Ying’s temple.

That night, he truly shouldn’t have made such a casual promise to Shen Yinning!

Noticing the flicker of satisfaction in her gaze, his brows furrowed with disapproval. He suddenly grasped her chin: "I’ve spoiled you!"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, he yanked Shen Yinning into his arms.

Since the room was warm, she wore only a light dress.

Her cheeks flushed a soft pink as she protested, squirming: "Brother Lu Ying, have you forgotten? I’m still recovering from that injury! You can’t act recklessly! You can’t bully me! Ouch! It really hurts! Someone help! The Crown Prince is abusing his power to oppress an innocent woman!"

Lu Ying’s face darkened like a stormy sky.

He hadn’t even touched Shen Yinning’s wound—why was she already crying out in pain?!

She was making it sound as if he were some vile criminal, a villainous bandit seizing her by force!

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