Chapter 8

The aloof crown prince's nemesis (Chapter 8)

Three days slipped by in a blink, and the palace's spring peony banquet arrived as scheduled.

It was the grandest palace banquet since spring began, hosted by the empress herself. Princes and nobles, titled ladies from illustrious families, and noble daughters of marriageable age all attended. Brocade robes shimmered, jade pendants chimed, and the vast imperial garden bloomed with splendor.

The Eastern Palace carriage stopped outside the palace gates early.

Shen Zhiwei stood beside the carriage in a moon-white ruqun, its skirt embroidered with tiny pear blossoms in silver thread. Simple and pristine, it drew no undue attention, yet made her skin seem whiter than snow and her features all the gentler.

The crabapple-blossom jade hairpin rested quietly in her coiffure, neither gaudy nor vulgar, its pure elegance untouched by worldly dust.

Xiao Heng approached from behind, wearing a black brocade robe and a jade belt. He stood straight as a pine, his features cool and noble. His gaze settled on the hairpin, and he gave a faint nod.

"There's no need to feel constrained today. Just stay with me."

His voice was so low that only the two of them could hear, carrying a reassurance uniquely his.

Shen Zhiwei nodded softly, and much of the tension in her heart quietly eased.

They entered the imperial garden side by side. All along the way, countless gazes swung toward them.

Whenever the crown prince attended palace banquets in the past, he always came alone. Aloof and distant, he kept away from women; no noble daughter had ever earned so much as a sidelong glance from him. Yet today, a young woman in plain clothing accompanied him, and his manner was gentle as he allowed her to walk beside him.

Undercurrents instantly stirred throughout the gathering, and whispers rose on every side.

"Is that Miss Shen, the one everyone's been talking about lately, who's staying in the Eastern Palace?"

"I hear she has neither family standing nor anyone to support her. She's only an orphan from a fallen family. How is she worthy of attending a banquet with the crown prince?"

"When has His Highness ever indulged anyone like this..."

The scattered murmurs pierced her ears, sharp and grating.

Shen Zhiwei's fingertips tightened slightly. Instinctively, she wanted to retreat a little and escape those stares.

The next moment, someone gently clasped her wrist.

Xiao Heng's palm was slightly cool, but his grip sheltered her firmly. Without drawing attention to the movement, he shifted her partly behind him and swept an indifferent gaze over the whispering noble daughters.

With just one look, most of the noise fell silent.

No one dared utter another word.

Everyone knew that although the crown prince appeared calm, coldness had already veiled his eyes. Anyone who dared speak further would be touching the dragon's forbidden scale.

Shen Zhiwei's heart trembled as she looked up at his back.

The lofty, indifferent, merciless heir to the throne was shielding her before everyone's eyes-an orphan with neither title nor status.

They took their seats. Shen Zhiwei's place was just below and beside the crown prince's, immediately adjacent to him and far above that of his secondary consort, Su Wan.

By the time Su Wan sat down, her face was deathly pale, her nails digging hard into her palms.

She had spent days preparing, intending to outshine every noble daughter beneath the eyes of the crowd, claim all the limelight, and secure her exalted position as the crown prince's secondary consort.

But Shen Zhiwei's appearance had shattered every one of her calculations.

Halfway through the banquet, peonies bloomed in profusion, and strings and flutes filled the air with pleasing music.

Several noble daughters took turns stepping forward to display their talents. Zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, and pipa-each showed off her finest skills, hoping to win a single approving glance from the crown prince or the empress.

Seated at the place of honor, the empress swept a mild gaze over the gathering before finally resting it on Shen Zhiwei. Her tone was gentle. "Is this Miss Shen, who is staying temporarily in the Eastern Palace?"

Shen Zhiwei rose and bent her knees in a curtsy. "This commoner, Shen Zhiwei, pays her respects to Your Majesty."

"Raise your head."

Shen Zhiwei obeyed. Her expression was gentle and her bearing proper, without the slightest trace of awkwardness or timidity.

The empress nodded slightly. "An elegant face, and you seem composed and courteous. So many talented young ladies have gathered here today. Since you accompanied the crown prince, you must possess some accomplishments as well. Why not show us a little of your skill and enliven the banquet?"

The words sounded gentle, but in truth, she had posed a test before the entire gathering.

Every gaze instantly converged on Shen Zhiwei, filled with scrutiny, mockery, and anticipation of a spectacle.

Everyone knew the Shen family had fallen into decline and that Shen Zhiwei had wandered without a home since childhood. She had never received proper instruction in the accomplishments expected of noble daughters.

A secret, cold smile quietly curled the corners of Su Wan's lips.

Now was the moment.

She would make everyone see that Shen Zhiwei was crude and talentless, unworthy of even a fraction of the crown prince's favor. She would strip her of all dignity before the court's powerful elite!

Several noble daughters nearby chimed in, their gentleness feigned, every sentence pressing her harder:

"Indeed, Miss Shen. His Highness values you so highly; surely your talents must be exceptional. Let us broaden our horizons."

"Why not perform a dance, or play a piece on the zither?"

Pressed from every side, she could neither advance nor retreat.

If she refused to perform, she would seem rude and timid, slighting the empress's banquet. If she performed, her mediocre skills would only make her a laughingstock before the accomplished.

Shen Zhiwei's fingertips stiffened slightly, and her heart tightened.

Just as everyone waited to see her embarrassed and humiliated, a cool, low voice suddenly sounded beside her.

"She need not perform."

Xiao Heng slowly rose, his black robe brushing the stone steps, his presence bearing down on the entire gathering.

His indifferent gaze swept toward the empress. Neither servile nor arrogant, every word rang clear through the imperial garden.

"I brought Zhiwei here to enjoy the banquet and admire the spring, not to perform for everyone's amusement."

The gathering instantly fell deathly silent.

Everyone stared at the crown prince, dumbstruck and disbelieving.

The heir to the throne himself had openly defied the empress for an orphan with neither title nor status, protecting her dignity!

The empress, too, paused in surprise before letting out a helpless laugh. "You child. You certainly guard her closely."

Ignoring the crowd's astonished gazes, Xiao Heng turned to the young woman beside him. The chill instantly left his voice, leaving only tender indulgence:

"Sit. Pay no attention to anyone else."

Shen Zhiwei looked up at him, warmth welling in her eyes and filling every corner of her heart.

Everyone else forced her to put on a brave face, forced her to expose her shortcomings, forced her into humiliation at every turn.

Only he sheltered her completely, spared her distress, and allowed her peace.

Su Wan sat nearby, watching the painfully glaring scene before her as the jealousy and malice in her eyes sank into their darkest depths.

What did his tenderness and fierce protectiveness matter?

He could protect her today, but he might not be able to tomorrow.

The scheme she had kept hidden for so long had finally found its moment.

In the shadows of the peony bushes, a palace maid quietly bowed, awaiting her command.

Su Wan lowered her eyes slightly. Her lips barely moved as she silently mouthed two words:

"Do it."