Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 290 Shen Yanchu's Murderous Intent

Night fell over the majestic palace. In the study, candlelight flickered, casting dappled shadows on the carved window frames.

Shen Yanchu sat upright in the main seat of the study, his posture upright and his face cold and stern. The letter in his hand contained intelligence collected by Mu Yin.

His gaze lingered on the paper, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper, emanating a chilling aura that seemed to freeze the warmth of the room.

Mu Yin knelt on the ground, barely daring to breathe, her forehead beaded with sweat.

He stole a glance at Shen Yanchu and saw that his prince's eyes were like cold stars, exuding a distant and majestic aura that kept people at a distance.

“Master, these were all collected by the Shadow Guards. Although Cui Zhihao has left the family, he is still a member of the Qinghe Cui clan.”

Mu Yin mustered her courage and spoke, her voice extremely low and trembling, afraid of disturbing the fearsome prince.

Shen Yanchu seemed not to hear, his fingers tapping incessantly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound, one tap after another, striking Mu Yin's heart.

"Master, if you harm him, it will be difficult to explain to the Cui family of Qinghe!"

Mu Yin added, her words filled with worry. The Cui family of Qinghe was a prestigious clan with deep-rooted influence in both the imperial court and the martial arts world; a single move by them could have far-reaching consequences.

Shen Yanchu finally raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Mu Yin like a knife, a single glance that almost made Mu Yin collapse to the ground.

Shen Yanchu rested his head on his right hand, lost in thought.

He thought of Shi Wanxia, ​​the woman whose smile was like the warm spring sun. She was his lifeline in his desperate situation and the softest place in his heart.

When he was critically injured and on the verge of death, Shi Wanxia disregarded the danger and rescued him from the wilderness, taking meticulous care of him and saving his life.

From both a moral and logical standpoint, it would have been most appropriate for him to offer himself in marriage, but His Majesty refused his request for a marriage decree, which left him completely baffled.

In Shen Yanchu's heart, Shi Wanxia was as beautiful as a fairy descended from heaven, gentle and kind, and possessing a wisdom and courage that others did not have.

He still remembered their first meeting. She was dressed in plain clothes, which was somewhat impolite, but her eyes and brows were full of liveliness and gentleness. At that moment, his heart felt as if it had been struck by something, and he could never forget it.

Mu Yin, however, disliked Shi Wanxia intensely. In his eyes, that woman was too vulgar and lacked any of the dignified demeanor expected of a lady from a noble family.

How can an unmarried woman openly allow two men to live in her home? It's utterly immoral and scandalous.

He simply couldn't understand how his wise and mighty prince could be so infatuated with such a vulgar woman.

Shen Yanchu suddenly spoke, breaking the long silence: "Mu Yin, you don't understand."

His voice was deep, carrying an air of unquestionable authority.

"Miss Shi's kindness is beyond your comprehension."

His gaze softened, as if he could see Shi Wanxia's every smile and frown again.

Mu Yin gritted her teeth and decided to speak her mind: "Your Highness, that woman's behavior is really improper and far beyond your social standing. It may affect your reputation and future."

Shen Yanchu's face darkened. "Insolence!"

He shouted sternly, "I, Shen Yanchu, will never forget Miss Shi's life-saving grace. As for those rules and reputation, in my opinion, they are not even half as good as her."

He stood up, his back to Mu Yin, and gazed at the dark night sky outside the window, pondering to himself:

We must find a way to persuade His Majesty to grant us the marriage, no matter the cost, to protect Shi Wanxia and give her a proper status.

Seeing that the prince had made up his mind, Mu Yin knew that further persuasion would be useless, so she could only lower her head silently and sigh inwardly.

Silence fell again in the study, broken only by the crackling of the candlelight, as if telling the story of the complexity and helplessness of this power struggle.

Shen Yanchu exuded a chilling aura as he stared intently at the intelligence report on the table, his gaze growing increasingly resolute.

Finally, he stood up, his voice low yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Mu Yin, go to the assassin's guild and find me some quick and efficient men. Have them kill Cui Zhihao. Remember, they must not harm Miss Shi, otherwise..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, as if he could see through everything. His gaze was as sharp as a knife, sending chills down one's spine.

Mu Yin knelt on the ground, not understanding why the prince was so persistent in his feelings for Cui Zhihao and so concerned about Shi Wanxia.

But he dared not disobey the order and could only reply, "Yes, Your Highness."

His voice carried a hint of awe and obedience. He then accepted the order and left the study in haste, not daring to delay in the slightest.

Inside the study, Shen Yanchu watched Mu Yin's departing figure, lost in thought.

The name Choi Ji-ho was like a thorn in his heart, something he couldn't bear to leave until it was removed.

Although he had broken away from the Cui family of Qinghe, his intricate connections with the Cui family still made Shen Yanchu wary.

Moreover, Cui Zhihao's frequent approach to Shi Wanxia recently has aroused Shen Yanchu's jealousy. The mixture of jealousy and worry led him to take this ruthless action.

In his heart, Shi Wanxia was his savior, the person he wanted to protect for the rest of his life, and anyone who tried to get close to her would become his enemy.

At this moment, the steward, carrying tea, carefully entered the study and said softly, "Master, the Princess has sent someone to summon you to the Princess's residence tomorrow. The Princess has something to discuss with you."

Shen Yanchu was lost in thought when he was interrupted by this sudden announcement. He waved his hand impatiently to indicate that he understood and told the butler to leave.

The steward dared not say another word and quickly withdrew. As he closed the door, he couldn't help but glance at the prince's cold and stern face, secretly wondering if another storm was about to break out in the prince's mansion.

Shen Yanchu picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and the scalding tea flowed down his throat, but it could not dispel the chill in his heart.

What could his mother want to see him about? A sense of unease crept into his heart.

He put down his teacup, got up and walked to the window. He opened the window, and the night wind rushed in, blowing his clothes.

Gazing at the quiet night in the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion, his thoughts drifted to Shi Wanxia.

What is that woman, whose smile is as warm as the sun, doing right now? Does she know that I'm going to great lengths for her, even resorting to assassins?

A bitter smile appeared on Shen Yanchu's lips. He had never imagined that he would be so reckless for a woman.

The next day, Shen Yanchu got up early, changed into a proper court dress, and went to the princess's residence.

All the way there, he pondered the purpose of his mother's summons, various possible scenarios constantly flashing through his mind. Upon arriving at the princess's residence, he was led by a servant to the flower hall.

My mother was already waiting there, dressed in fine clothes, with exquisite makeup, but her eyes were filled with loving gaze.

"Yan'er, it's been a long time."

The eldest princess spoke with a smile, her voice clear and melodious, yet revealing no emotion.

"I have summoned you here today because I have important matters to discuss."

She paused, her gaze fixed on Shen Yanchu, as if trying to see through him.

"I heard you've been preparing for your wedding lately?"

Shen Yanchu was startled, but remained outwardly calm, and bowed slightly, saying, "Yes, Mother, it is true. However, His Majesty has not yet agreed, and the matter is still under discussion."

He was secretly on guard, wondering why his mother had suddenly brought this up. Did she already know about his plans for Choi Ji-ho and want to use this marriage to control him?

The eldest princess smiled gently, "Yan'er, don't be nervous. Your mother is only concerned about your marriage. His Majesty has his own plans for this marriage, so you need to wait patiently."

She changed the subject, "However, I have heard some interesting news recently. Would Yan'er be interested in hearing it?"

Shen Yanchu's heart sank. He knew that his mother's next words were probably closely related to his plans.

He suppressed his unease and cupped his hands, saying, "I would like to hear the details."