The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go Chapter 409 - 407: Shen Yinning Swallowed the Words She Didn

Lu Ying’s face was expressionless, though she almost felt like laughing.

Shen Yinning—she didn’t care about the wager with him, nor did she care about him as a person.

The seriousness he treated it with was, in her eyes, likely a joke, wasn’t it?

She had always known.

She had always known that she was soone cold and unfeeling.

He closed his eyes in silence, refusing to even cast her another glance.

The sedan slowly moved forward along the palace alley.

Shen Yinning propped up her chin, quietly observing him.

The young emperor, dressed tonight in a deep-black dragon robe, adorned with the Black Gold Dragon Crown, his silken-black hair cascading down his back. He always presented himself flawlessly, his high brows and sculpted nose casting deep shadows on his face—this was a visage so perfect that not even the slightest flaw could be found.

On the day of his enthronent, he must have been even more awe-inspiring and dazzling than he was today, wasn’t he?

What a pity. She poured so much effort and emotion into him, calculated everything to exhaustion, yet in the end, she didn’t receive even the tiniest share of the spoils...

The gaze of the young woman felt tangible.

Even with his eyes closed, Lu Ying could clearly sense it.

He could even feel the weighing and asuring within her gaze.

But what he could not feel, not even a sliver, was love—or regret.

Shen Yinning—it seed she was incapable of loving anyone.

This realization made Lu Ying’s already cold and hardened heart feel like it was once again swept by the snow and icy winds of the north, layered with frost that would never thaw.

As the silence between them stretched on, the sedan bearers suddenly slipped on sothing beneath their feet.

The sedan jolted violently.

The bookshelf placed to one side swayed in response, and several heavy ancient books piled on it tumbled directly toward Shen Yinning.

These were thick, weighty tos; if they struck her head, they could certainly cause it to bleed.

Within monts, Lu Ying’s sharp eyes snapped open.

He extended one hand to pull Shen Yinning into his arms, while his other hand shielded her from the falling books.

Shen Yinning found herself crashing unprepared into his chest.

The man’s chest was broad and firm. Though his clothes carried the faint chill of incense, warmth seeped through the fabric, enclosing her within a tightly circumscribed domain of absolute safety.

This was Lu Ying’s domain.

In the fleeting darkness as she closed her eyes, Shen Yinning heard the dull thuds of the ancient books striking the man’s arm.

Once the commotion subsided, she looked up.

Lu Ying still didn’t look at her.

His expression remained unreadable, deep and reserved, his narrowed eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts.

He soon let go of her, silently picking up the books and returning them to the shelf.

The air grew inexplicably heavy with an oppressive tension.

Shen Yinning’s gaze fell upon his arm: "You—"

"Your Majesty!" The sedan had already co to a steady stop, and Gui Quan pulled open the sedan curtains in a panic. "Are you all right?"

Lu Ying replied flatly, "It’s nothing."

Shen Yinning lowered her long lashes, swallowing back the words she hadn’t yet spoken.

De Sun, who had already examined the scene, reported: "The palace attendants were negligent and didn’t notice a patch of moss growing on the bricks in ti. Coupled with the rainy weather, it caused the bearers to slip. Tomorrow morning, this servant will make sure to punish them severely!"

Lu Ying cast a glance at the bearer.

The bearer, visibly terrified, pressed his forehead to the ground, his body trembling all over.

Rain had drenched his robes, and the knees he pressed against the palace bricks were soaking wet.

In truth, tonight’s mishap couldn’t entirely be blad on the attendants.

He’d only recently ascended the throne, and palace matters were already overwhelming. The Empress had, in her austerity asures, been diligently reducing the number of attendants in the palace of late, yet the workload remained unchanged. In their rush to complete tasks, an oversight like missing the moss in the palace alley was almost inevitable.

Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Even if his night was less than smooth, as the Emperor, his personal joys and sorrows were far less important than the nation and its people.

In the lands under his rule, at least so people ought to find reunion and happiness this Mid-Autumn Festival.

So he calmly said, "It’s nothing serious. No need for punishnt."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The bearers, as if granted an amnesty, wept tears of joy and repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude.

When they lifted the sedan again, they were all the more careful and cautious.

Shen Yinning smoothed her handkerchief, looking curiously at Lu Ying a few more tis.

Lu Ying asked indifferently, "What are you looking at?"

Shen Yinning replied, "If it had been any other Emperor in this situation, they would’ve at least had the palace attendants beaten, at worst, flogged to death. They all say that an Emperor’s body is as precious as gold, yet you seem not to value yourself very much."

As precious as gold?

Lu Ying found the phrase unfamiliar.

In all his teacher’s teachings, nothing of the sort had ever been said.

Shen Yinning lowered her head, wrapping the handkerchief around her fingers. "And... just now, thank you."

It was rare for her to say even one or two kind words.

Yet upon hearing her, Lu Ying felt even more irritable.

He kept a stern face, ignoring her.

The sedan finally arrived at Furong Palace. Haitang and Wei Yu were both stunned to see Shen Yinning stepping out of the sa sedan as Lu Ying.

What play is this all about now?!

Haitang hurried over with an umbrella, exclaiming, "Commandery Princess!"

Standing under the umbrella, Shen Yinning was about to return to her chambers but hesitated for a mont before saying, "There’s a dicine chest inside my chambers. For the injury on Your Majesty’s arm... would you like to co in and apply so ointnt?"

An eerie silence lingered inside the sedan.

Fine drizzles of rain carried traces of cold and crept up Shen Yinning’s ankles, thread by thread.

She waited for what felt like ages until a slender hand drew back the curtains.

Lu Ying, however, still did not look at her. Under Gui Quan’s umbrella, he strode straight into Furong Palace.

Haitang fell behind Shen Yinning and, lowering her voice, said, "Wei Yu just asked to ask you—are you and His Majesty putting on a performance of Wall Head and Horse?"

The story of *Pei Shaojun’s Wall Head and Horse* was about a man and woman who reunited after a long separation.

"I am no naless daughter willing to wait seven years, and he is no Pei Shaojun remaining unmarried through seven years. Reunion, for what?" Shen Yinning ascended the steps, brushing out her gown. "I’m going to change clothes. I won’t co back out to see him. You apply his dicine and have the smaller kitchen prepare him a bowl of ginger tea."

Inside the hall, Lu Ying was seated.

He had expected Shen Yinning to tend to his injuries personally. Instead, the one who arrived was Haitang.

Carrying the dicine chest, Haitang hadn’t even approached before feeling the oppressive aura emanating from the space.

She bent her knees in formal greeting, bracing herself as she explained, "The Commandery Princess has gone to change clothes. She has instructed this servant to apply Your Majesty’s dicine. The small kitchen is already preparing ginger tea, and the Commandery Princess has asked that Your Majesty drink it before you leave."

Her words hung in the air, only for the oppressive atmosphere to grow even heavier.

After a long pause, she heard Lu Ying’s voice, low and cold: "She is a busy person with important affairs, too busy to bother with hosting Us, naturally. If that is the case, We shall not impose further."

He rose to leave.

Haitang: "..."

She couldn’t help but notice how much grievance seed to linger around the young Emperor.

Seated back in the sedan, Lu Ying rolled up his sleeve.

His arm bore a large blotchy bruise, unsightly but not life-threatening.

He rolled the sleeve back down, his eyes frosty as if laced with snowfall.

anwhile.

It didn’t take long for word that Lu Ying and Shen Yinning had shared a sedan and lingered in Furong Palace together to reach Huo Mingyan.

Huo Mingyan’s trusted maid, Cheng Bi, a confidante brought into the palace from beyond the border, said warily, "Princess Zhaoning is already married. Why is she still behaving ambiguously with His Majesty? My Lady, it’s clear the Commandery Princess is deliberately seducing him tonight!"

Huo Mingyan had been practicing her calligraphy.

Impatience had crept into her brushwork, long forfeiting its intended grandeur and strength.

Finally setting down the brush, a chilling intent emanated from her delicate face. "I’ve long known these Central Plains won most adore clinging to power and influence. Even when married, they refuse to remain proper. Shen Yinning... Since I first allowed her entry into the palace, I have never been anything but fair, treating her with utmost charity. Yet she dares provoke so—she truly does not hold either or the Huo Family in regard!"