CHAPTER 125: CHAPTER 123: HOW COULD HE NOT HAVE IMPROPER THOUGHTS ABOUT SHEN YINNING?

Lu Ying remained expressionless as she let her wipe away the five delicate, floral-scripted characters reading "Shen Zhaozhao’s dog" from his arm with a handkerchief.

This little fox spirit was adept at feigning innocence and currying favor—during their time in the Warm Pavilion, she had deliberately pulled back his sleeve, and now she claimed it wouldn’t be proper to let others see.

Either way, she always managed to justify herself.

Shen Yinning cleaned the words off, then tilted her delicate face up: "Though I may be merely Your Highness’s plaything, I am still a living, breathing person. Since I am human, how could I be without feelings? If Your Highness keeps calling me ’plaything’ again and again, it will surely wound me."

Her tone was even, but there was a sorrow veiled within her clear, crystalline gaze.

It was as if she truly had been hurt by Lu Ying.

Lu Ying regarded her, his eyes betraying no emotion: "What do you want me to call you?"

Shen Yinning’s fingertip slowly traced down from his throat, gliding downward over his firm, muscled arm.

Just half a cup of tea ago, this very spot on his arm still bore her handwritten words:

——Shen Zhaozhao’s dog.

And yet, he hadn’t been angry.

Her gaze sparkled, as radiant as stars shining on autumn waters—no matter where it landed, it seemed imbued with a profound tenderness: "Zhaozhao. Your Highness, my courtesy name is Zhaozhao."

Zhaozhao...

Shen Zhaozhao...

All these years, Lu Ying had only ever uttered that name silently in his heart.

Shen Yinning playfully shook his arm: "Your Highness, I’d like to hear you call my courtesy name."

Lu Ying frowned: "I have never called a woman by her courtesy name before."

In his view, such intimacy between men and women was improper; to casually refer to a woman’s private name felt decidedly undignified.

Shen Yinning looked at him with curiosity and probing interest: "Surely Your Highness hasn’t even called your sister by her courtesy name, has he?"

Lu Ying was silent.

The truth was, he had no idea what Shen Yunxi’s courtesy name even was.

Rounded? Fragrant? Or perhaps graceful? He had never asked, and Shen Yunxi had never shown any interest in terms of address either.

Shen Yinning peered deeply into his eyes, immediately discerning his thoughts, and couldn’t help but laugh brightly: "Your Highness has been married to Shen Yunxi for so long, perhaps he still doesn’t know her courtesy name? Could Your Highness truly have affection for her?"

Lu Ying disliked her triumphant, calculating expression, as though she had him entirely under her control.

So he responded, "Names or terms of address hardly matter. All I care about is that she is my Crown Princess Consort, married to me through proper ceremony—that is enough."

Shen Yinning pursed her lips.

Thus, it became clear that Lu Ying was an unromantic bore, overly serious, taciturn, and completely devoid of charm.

She tilted her head: "In that case, if names don’t matter, Your Highness might as well call me Zhaozhao from now on—I like hearing Your Highness call me by my courtesy name."

Lu Ying offered no reply.

Shen Yinning shook his arm with determination: "Your Highness, just call it once!"

The little fox spirit was so soft and pliant, refusing to give up until she achieved her aim, pestering him endlessly.

Lu Ying, thoroughly annoyed, finally muttered under his breath: "Shen Zhaozhao."

Shen Yinning beamed, her face alight with joy.

In truth, Lu Ying was wrong.

Between people, the way they addressed each other mattered more than anything.

For instance, close friends might refer to each other as brothers or sisters, while distant acquaintances would speak in more reserved and formal terms.

A name could be a subtle signal.

The more intimate the name, the closer the relationship.

She had always believed that the best way to conquer Lu Ying was through capturing his heart.

Back in the Warm Pavilion, Shen Yinning felt a surge of confidence at the thought of soothing Lu Ying’s nerves just earlier.

She was never one to allow herself to suffer—if Shen Yunxi refused to prepare a round-backed armchair for her, she would simply walk straight to Shangguan Yu’s side: "Would you mind?"

Although Shangguan Yu had once disliked Shen Yinning’s flamboyant and headstrong demeanor, which lacked the grace and modesty of a traditional noblewoman, Shen Yinning had at least helped her with the marriage matter earlier—saving her from being controlled by the Crown Princess Consort and from being forced to marry Shen Xinglei, a dreadful man whose involvement would ruin her reputation and destroy her future.

Thus, she disregarded Shen Yunxi’s sharp gaze and stood up without hesitation, offering Shen Yinning the chair.

Shen Yinning gave a polite bow before sitting down gracefully.

Cui Ji, Gao Zheng, and Yin Shanshan were soon invited into the residence.

Shen Yunxi, having already been annoyed by Cui Ji because of the matter with the storybook, was now determined to deal with both him and Shen Yinning together.

She declared sternly, "Cui Ji, Zhang Mammy accuses you of improper relations with Shen Yinning—there is both witness and evidence. Will you confess or not?!"

Cui Ji replied coolly, "Last night, Liu Laowu was murdered, and Zhang Cuichun was freed from prison. I issued orders for a thorough investigation, only to discover it was the Crown Princess Consort who orchestrated the jailbreak. Does Her Highness know the punishment for this crime?"

"And you, a dignified Court official, dared to extort confessions by torture—what punishment do you deserve?! If it weren’t for my people arriving at the Imperial Prison in time, Zhang Mammy would have been beaten to death by you! I haven’t even held you accountable for abusing your position, yet you dare question why I orchestrated the jailbreak!" Shen Yunxi angerily slapped the table, "Enough empty words! I ask you plainly today—do you admit to improper relations?!"

"I am innocent—why should I admit to anything?"

"Still so stubborn?! As I understand it, you’ve known Shen Yinning since your time in Gan State—three years in Gan State, you must have had frequent improper exchanges!"

"Back then, my hometown suffered from severe famine, and I passed out on the roadside from hunger. It was Lady Shen who saved me. Lady Shen acted nobly, providing support to me for three years and even giving me funds for travel, encouraging me to go to the Capital to take the imperial examination. That is how I was lucky enough to be selected by the Holy Emperor as Third-Rank Scholar. Lady Shen was my benefactor, and I remain deeply grateful to her!"

Cui Ji—his figure upright and refined—stood like a pine tree braving the winter frost.

Each word he spoke was steeped in dignity.

Shen Yunxi gritted her teeth: "A fine ’noble benefactor,’ a fine ’deep gratitude’! Cui Ji, do you dare swear that you have absolutely no improper thoughts toward Shen Yinning?! Of course, if it was her who seduced you first, you are free to tell me—so long as you confess voluntarily, I won’t hold it against you and will only punish her. Cui Ji, think carefully before answering—if you don’t, your career as an official will end here!"

Cui Ji kept his gaze steadfast.

Yet his peripheral vision was still consumed entirely by Shen Yinning.

She simply sat there, the snowy light streaming through the window illuminating her figure. She was breathtakingly regal, radiant, and translucent.

How could he have no improper thoughts?

When he was on the verge of death, she had appeared before him, holding an oil-paper umbrella. The hem of her dress had been purer than clouds, her extended hand pale and delicate, and her enchanting, tear-streaked face radiated compassion, as if Heaven itself had sent her to save him from starvation—a Goddess descended from above.

In Gan State, as he endured harsh winters and studied late into the night, she had not only personally prepared his examination materials but had also utilized all her connections to hire renowned teachers from the distant Capital to guide him on phrasing and test strategy.

She had patiently corrected his strong rural accent, word by word, teaching him the formal speech and refined tones of the Capital so that he wouldn’t be ridiculed during the imperial examinations.

Seven hundred days and nights.

Toward Shen Yinning, how could he have no improper feelings?