20demayo Chapter 377 The Piece's Resistance
Chapter 377 The Piece's Resistance
Chapter 377 The Pawn's Resistance
Soon, she was embraced from behind, and the man's cool breath enveloped her. To her surprise, there was only a faint smell of alcohol, and more of a refreshing scent of soapberry.
He took a shower before going to bed, and he seemed quite awake.
"Ah Li, I know you're not asleep, please pay attention to me." Gu Chang'an breathed into her ear.
"It itches." Shen Li snorted and turned around. Seeing his eyes shining brightly in the darkness, she felt relieved. It seemed to have gone smoothly.
"Is A-Li angry or jealous?" Gu Chang'an asked, leaning closer when she didn't speak.
"If I had to say, it would be jealousy." Shen Li pouted, her expression suddenly becoming pitiful: "Husband, promise me you won't go to those kinds of places again, okay? We'll stop after this."
Gu Chang'an was both amused and exasperated, seeing her acting as if she frequently visited such places.
"It's not a good place anyway, so you'd never go there even if you begged me, don't worry, Ah Li." He gently patted Shen Li's head and coaxed her softly.
Shen Li knew his character perfectly well, but he just couldn't help asking for promises occasionally, and only after hearing this was she satisfied.
"Then can King Yi trust his husband?" she asked again, now speaking with a more rational tone.
Gu Chang'an paused for a moment before accepting her change, and his tone became more normal: "He is more suspicious than the deposed crown prince. I guess he won't believe it. He must know that we are using him."
"I think so too." Shen Li nodded slightly, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Then what do you think that old emperor will think, my husband?"
“Our emperor has spent half his life playing the game of power and checks and balances. He must suspect that we are plotting against him, but he…” Gu Chang’an drew out his words, waiting for Shen Li to look at him before saying, “He doesn’t dare to gamble. The stakes are too high. He can’t afford to play.”
Emperor Cheng could suspect that the Shen family's closeness to the Prince of Yi was 99% feigned, but if there was even a 10% chance that it was true, he would lose everything and would have no leverage to restrain the Prince of Yi.
Shen Li laughed: "It seems that neither side is very good at chess, which has given us, the smaller pieces, the initiative."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
The next day was Shen Li's day off, and also the day she was to keep her appointment. Ever since the imperial decree of marriage was issued, Lin Wan'er had been anxious to visit her, but she managed to suppress it. She knew she couldn't avoid this day off.
Since it was noon, Shen Li chose to meet at Zuixianlou Restaurant because she wanted to have a big meal. Moreover, this restaurant was actually owned by Gu Chang'an, but others didn't know that.
Lin Wan'er had booked the private room next door well in advance.
Shen Li also hurried upstairs, but was stopped by someone in the quiet corridor when she reached the second floor.
"Lord Shen."
Shen Li turned her head and saw that the person who called out to her was a fat man with big ears. He was wearing a blue silk shirt, with a piece of Hetian jade hanging from his waist, and several servants following behind him.
It was clear that this person was of high status, otherwise he wouldn't be wearing this tribute material. His eyes looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't recognize him.
"And who is this young master?" Shen Li asked.
"I apologize for the intrusion, but I am the third son of the Zheng family, and Lord Shen's husband is about to marry my own younger sister." The fat man introduced himself.
Shen Li now knew why he looked familiar. The Zheng family members were all good-looking, but this man was so fat that he was deformed. Only his eyebrows and eyes resembled those of Consort Zheng.
She had painted Consort Zheng, so she was naturally deeply impressed.
As for the third son of the Zheng family, what she remembered most vividly was that the Prince of Yi once wanted to win over Lin Wan'er and intended to have Lin Wan'er marry him.
It was my own idea to put Zheng Laosan in a sack and break his ribs. He needed three months to recover, and that's when the marriage was called off.
Of course, Shen Li's connection with the Zheng family goes beyond this. The older brother of this third son of Zheng was Zheng Youwei, who was also killed by snakes she released.
"So it's Young Master Zheng." Her expression remained unchanged, and she didn't say anything more.
“It is fate that we meet. My private room is right here. I would like to ask Lord Shen to do me the honor of having a few drinks.” Zheng Youde said, and then reached out to tug at Shen Li’s sleeve.
Shen Li was surprised by this person's frivolous manner. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but she neither dodged nor flinched.
Peony stepped forward early, raised her hand to block Zheng Youde's wrist, and said sternly, "Young master, please have some self-respect."
"She's quite beautiful, Lord Shen. Who is this person?" Zheng Youde was clearly displeased after being blocked, and asked knowingly, "To be walking with Lord Shen, she must be of high status. Is she a princess or a county princess?"
Peony stared wide-eyed, but couldn't utter a single word.
Shen Li did not answer her, but said only: "I am not a good drinker and do not wish to drink with the Third Young Master Zheng. Please make way for me, Third Young Master Zheng."
She stood there, her calm eyes seeming to radiate a chilling aura, and Zheng Youde actually took a step back.
But Zheng Youde only took a step back. Once he was a little further away, he realized that he couldn't be intimidated by a woman, so he straightened his back and said coldly.
"Lord Shen, I can't even invite you for a drink in this crowded restaurant? What will people think of my reputation if word gets out?"
Shen Li remained still, only asking, "Then tell me, what do you want to do?"
"That's the right attitude." Zheng Youde said, then moved closer: "Come in and punish yourself with three drinks, and we'll call it even today."
Peony found it unbelievable. He was the one who was picking a fight, so how did he become the one in the right?
Shen Li nodded, her expression still indifferent: "That's a good idea, but I have an even simpler way."
"Oh? Then tell me about it." Zheng Youde said as he walked over, but his steps were stopped by the whip.
At Shen Li's signal, Peony stepped forward, her whip pressed against Zheng Youde's chest, forcing him and his lackeys to retreat.
In the past, Zheng Youde would never have believed that this girl would dare to take action, but after what happened with Wu Zihao, he really couldn't be sure.
Shen Li didn't say anything, but simply walked past him towards the private room she had reserved.
"Shen Li, what are you being so arrogant about? Once my sister marries into the Gu family, there will be no place for you. You'll be begging me then." Zheng Youde roared in a fit of impotence.
Shen Li didn't react to this, but Lin Wan'er, who had been sitting in the private room, was both angry and regretful.
Why didn't she just have someone beat this guy to death?!
He only stayed in bed for three months, which was too good for him.
Moreover, her anger was not just superficial; she had already made arrangements in her mind to give Zheng Laosan a good beating if he dared to go out at night again.
At the very least, his lower body should be crippled, so that he can live a life of abstinence and celibacy for the rest of his life!
The people in the corridor dispersed as Zheng Youde went downstairs. Before Shen Li could go find Lin Wan'er, the door opened and Lin Wan'er walked in.
"Who has offended our General Lin? His mouth looks like it could hold an oil bottle." Shen Li asked jokingly.