Chapter 2 – A Narrow Miss
Like a little white rabbit that had stolen a carrot and feared being caught, Shen Wan was uneasy for several days after returning home from Huguo Temple. Perhaps it was psychological, but her right eyelid twitched non-stop for three days in a row.
In the original storyline, the first thing the male lead did after waking up was report the entire poisoning incident to the old emperor. Although Emperor Zhaowen was advanced in age, he was far from muddle-headed. Moreover, he and the Empress had been childhood sweethearts with a deep bond, so he naturally favored Lu Zhan, his legitimate son.
Shen Wan remembered that after hearing of the matter, Emperor Zhaowen ordered a thorough investigation and even thoughtfully dispatched two imperial physicians to the Yong Prince's residence, instructing him to rest properly. But the poison in Lu Zhan's body had already been mostly neutralized, so he naturally didn't obediently recuperate. After leaving the palace, he immediately sent people to look for his lifesaver, giving three key clues:
A young woman, with an elder brother, and quite bold.
The first two points came from what Lu Zhan vaguely heard while semi-conscious—spoken by the maid beside Liu Mu. The third was Lu Zhan's own inference. In his view, for a young woman to encounter an unconscious man in a bamboo grove and not panic, but instead choose to save him, clearly required considerable courage.
Overall, Lu Zhan's logic wasn't flawed, but it ended up misleading his subordinates.
Because of that "bold" qualifier, the Yong Prince's guards overlooked many delicate, timid young ladies during their investigation, and naturally also overlooked Liu Mu, who lived outside the capital. Instead, from afar, they placed the credit for saving him squarely on the original Shen Wan.
There was no other reason—everyone knew that the legitimate daughter of General Shen's household was famously bold.
Shen Wan unconsciously tugged at her wildly twitching right eyelid, pinching her fair skin into a faint red mark without feeling any pain. With her right hand gripping a brush, she wrote down each plot point she could force herself to recall:
—Third day after repaying vows at Huguo Temple, the Yong Prince visits in person.
Shen Wan's brush tip paused. She calculated the days and realized that today was exactly the third day. Which meant that if Lu Zhan did not come today, the original plot had likely changed—and she would no longer be mistaken for his lifesaver.
She lifted her hand again to press down the restless eyelid. Her heart thumped excitedly twice, and the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably.
Zhichu entered carrying some snacks and couldn't help being curious when she saw her young miss secretly smiling. "Miss, what are you smiling about?"
Setting the snacks down on the small table by the desk, Zhichu leaned over to glance at the page filled with writing. On fine rice paper, the small regular script with floral flair was still neat and elegant, but it wasn't written in the commonly used script of Zhao State, so Zhichu could only barely recognize a few characters.
"You're writing those unreadable characters again," Zhichu muttered softly, not taking it too seriously. "The small kitchen just made flower cakes with freshly picked peach blossoms. Would you like to try some?"
Still preoccupied with the plot, Shen Wan glanced out the window. "What time is it now?"
"In about a quarter of an hour it'll be Xu hour," Zhichu replied, assuming Shen Wan was worried about spoiling her appetite. She advised, "Just have a little. It won't affect dinner. The physician said you're still weak and need to eat more."
As late spring approached, it grew dark later and later, and accordingly the household's curfew and guest hours were pushed back. Even so, Shen Wan's good mood couldn't be suppressed. She calculated the time and realized that in a little over half an hour, the day would be over. Her smile simply refused to fade.
Shen Ming was a Second-Rank military official who usually stayed stationed at the capital garrison and rarely returned home. Shen Wan's elder brother, Shen Chuan, had recently been assigned a task and also wasn't in the residence. The vast Shen household contained only Old Madam Shen, Madam Shen, and Shen Wan—three female family members. Any sensible guest would not visit near dusk, and Lu Zhan, known for his gentlemanly reputation, was no exception.
In other words, there was a high chance she had successfully avoided the original plot.
Shen Wan finally relaxed. The eyelid that had twitched for three days settled down, behaving itself again. She happily pinched a piece of pastry and took a bite, smiling so sweetly that faint dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth.
Zhichu stood to the side in confusion. Though she had no idea why her miss was happy, she wisely kept quiet.
The third day after repaying vows at Huguo Temple passed without the Yong Prince's private visit of thanks ever happening. Shen Wan slept soundly through the night. Even so, she remained cautious for several more days. Only after confirming there was no movement from the Yong Prince's residence did she finally let her anxious rabbit heart settle back into place.
Once Shen Wan truly relaxed, she began to notice how pleasant her current life was.
Unlike most large households, the Shen family structure was extremely simple. Old Master Shen had passed away early and had only one child with Old Madam Shen—Shen Ming. Raised by his mother alone through hardship, Shen Ming held great respect for women. After Old Madam Shen arranged his marriage to Madam Shen, he never took a concubine, instead faithfully guarding his wife and children.
Old Madam Shen had a gentle temperament, treated her daughter-in-law kindly, and doted on her grandchildren—especially Shen Wan, whom she loved to the bone and never restrained. Aside from morning greetings and daily lessons in household management, Shen Wan lived in a state of relaxed freedom, only needing to wait for the small kitchen to feed her with endless variations of food.
The fruits and vegetables of this era were pesticide-free and exceptionally fresh. The meats were firm and fragrant, and the Shen household's cook was highly skilled. Before long, Shen Wan realized—she had gained weight.
Glancing at her waistband, which had grown a little tighter, Shen Wan silently added "weight control" to her agenda. After morning greetings and breakfast, she gathered a few young maids and played hide-and-seek in the garden.
With the principle of "more movement, more calorie burn" in mind, Shen Wan volunteered to be the seeker. A strip of silk about three fingers wide was tied over her eyes, plunging her vision into darkness.
"Are you all hidden? I'm starting to catch you now… three… two… one…"
The garden fell silent. The maids were clever as little foxes, afraid that even a sound would give away their positions. Shen Wan wasn't annoyed, feeling her way around as she searched.
The guards watching nearby were extremely nervous, afraid this little ancestor might accidentally bump into something and fall. Fortunately, Shen Wan was quite careful, narrowly avoiding every obstacle.
Zhichu watched as Shen Wan wandered farther and farther away, heading closer and closer to the garden gate. She hesitated and murmured to herself, "Should I call out to Miss…? But if I make a sound and get caught, I'll have to accept the punishment…"
As she thought about it, Zhichu subconsciously glanced at the bowl of dark green liquid sitting on the stone table in the courtyard. Her whole body shuddered, hesitation instantly turning into resolve. "No… I don't want to be punished. I don't want to drink that."
The other maids, none of whom outranked Zhichu, followed her lead and stayed silent. Sharing the same desire to avoid punishment, they watched as Shen Wan groped forward with her eyes covered, even pretending to threaten them aloud:
"I hear something! If I catch you, you'll obediently accept the punishment…"
Two of the maids exchanged glances, barely suppressing their laughter.
Completely unaware she had gone off course, Shen Wan resolutely walked out through the carved wooden gate of the small garden. With her sight blocked, her other senses sharpened. She keenly caught the faint sound of shoes brushing against the ground—
It sounded just like someone freezing mid-step after being unexpectedly discovered.
Shen Wan's eyes lit up. She lunged forward with outstretched hands. "Don't move! I've caught you!"
The fabric beneath her palm was soft and smooth. Just a brief touch told her it was fine silk—certainly not something a servant would wear. Not to mention, the person was clearly taller than her, with long, strong arms.
Realizing something was wrong, Shen Wan hopped backward two steps and tore off the blindfold.
It was close to noon, when the sunlight was at its strongest. Her eyes, covered for so long, were suddenly exposed to the light and instinctively squeezed shut again.
A burst of unfamiliar laughter sounded.
The man's voice was extremely pleasant—clear with a hint of lazy ease. There was no mockery in it, only genuine amusement at the scene before him.
For some reason, Shen Wan felt her ears grow warm. Holding the silk cloth, she cautiously opened her eyes. Not far in front of her stood a handsome young man, smiling at her with slightly curved eyes.
Shen Wan felt her heartbeat abruptly stall.
Before this, she had always thought that descriptions like "this person looks as if they were sculpted exactly according to my preferences, every line perfect" were nonsense—until she experienced it firsthand. But in just two seconds, her beauty-struck brain recovered its reason.
This man was the male lead—Lu Zhan!
Inside, Shen Wan practically let out a gopher-like scream, but on the surface she maintained her composure, subtly stepping back—then immediately stopping herself.
"May I ask… who you are?" Shen Wan steeled herself and pretended not to recognize him.
Standing behind Lu Zhan as background decoration for quite some time, Shen Chuan helplessly interrupted to introduce them. "Your Highness, this is my younger sister, Shen Wan… Wanwan, this is His Highness the Yong Prince. Hurry and pay your respects."
Shen Wan was honestly flustered. She had been convinced the original timeline had passed and that Lu Zhan wouldn't come again, never expecting to run into him so suddenly, without any mental preparation. Logically, she should act like it was their first meeting, but Shen Wan had never studied acting and had no grasp of micro-expressions. She could only force out a startled expression, quickly lower her head, and curtsy.
"This subject's daughter Shen Wan greets the Yong Prince. I offended Your Highness just now—please forgive me."
Lu Zhan calmly accepted her salute, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the prayer beads at his wrist.
—This was the voice. The one that had saved him at Huguo Temple.
At the time, he had been poisoned and drifting in and out of consciousness, only intermittently sensing the outside world. Yet he had remembered this voice clearly. After waking, he ordered Qing Su to investigate his savior. Cautious by nature, Qing Su even checked whether the Shen family was connected to the poisoning before confirming Shen Wan's identity. Naturally, the answer was no.
Lu Zhan wasn't surprised. What puzzled him was why Shen Wan had been able to find him so quickly in such a remote grove—and why she had seemed so intent on keeping him unaware. Just like now: she clearly recognized him, yet insisted on pretending it was their first meeting. If he hadn't known the truth beforehand, he might not have noticed the flaw at all.
—Just like Shen Chuan.
Shen Chuan, who resembled their father, had a mind like a straight coastal highway while everyone else's twisted like mountain roads. Oblivious to the odd atmosphere, he spoke up, "Your Highness, my sister was ill-mannered. Please forgive her."
Lu Zhan had never intended to pursue the matter. He waved a hand casually. "Miss Shen is innocent and lively. It was just a game—there's no offense to speak of."
The tight knot between Shen Chuan's brows immediately loosened. He signaled Shen Wan to step aside, then made a "please" gesture. "The sword Your Highness mentioned is kept in the study. This way, please."
Shen Wan quickly retreated to the side, finally loosening her grip on the silk cloth.
After all that anxiety, he hadn't come about the rescue at all… She'd wasted so many brain cells thinking up ways to feign ignorance. Looks like she'd need to eat something good tonight to make up for it. Thinking of the Shen household chef's excellent cooking, Shen Wan's lips curved upward—
Then suddenly, she felt a chill down her spine. A primal sense of danger, like a herbivore being watched by a predator, made her jerk her head up.
Lu Zhan had withdrawn his gaze just a moment earlier.
Back at Huguo Temple, he had already sensed that Shen Wan wanted nothing to do with him. This was a novel experience for him, and he couldn't help but feel curious. Coincidentally, Shen Chuan had come to report on his assignment, and Lu Zhan used the excuse of admiring Shen Ming's sword collection to confirm whether his feeling had been mistaken.
Judging by what just happened, it clearly wasn't.
When she didn't know his identity, Shen Wan's caution made sense. But now that she did know—and admitting to saving him would only benefit her—why still deny it?
Lu Zhan couldn't figure it out.
After some thought, he decided to ask the brother involved. "Shen Chuan."
Shen Chuan pushed open the study door and responded, "Your Highness, please wait. I'll fetch the sword right away."
"No hurry." Lu Zhan stopped him, asking with apparent curiosity, "I have a matter I'd like your opinion on."
Shen Chuan froze, suddenly feeling like he'd encountered a discerning patron. Suppressing his excitement, he replied, "Your Highness, please speak."
"It's like this… Some days ago, when I went to Huguo Temple to pray, I was ambushed and poisoned, collapsing in a bamboo grove." As he spoke, Lu Zhan paused subtly.
Shen Chuan didn't notice, assuming Lu Zhan wanted him to investigate the culprit. His eyes lit up. "Your Highness—"
Lu Zhan waved him off again. "Not that. Someone saved me—strictly speaking, two people saved me, one after the other…"
This detail had been confirmed only after Qing Su examined the scene and footprints deep in the grove.
"Qing Su confirmed their identities. The first person readily admitted it and accepted the gift Qing Su delivered on my behalf." Lu Zhan frowned slightly and turned to Shen Chuan. "That's normal, isn't it?"
Shen Chuan sat up straight and nodded seriously.
"But the strange thing," Lu Zhan continued, tapping the table lightly, "is that the second person also saved me, yet deliberately pretended not to know me at all. Why do you think that is?"
Shen Chuan finally realized this wasn't about catching the culprit. Swallowing his disappointment, he began analyzing. "Could it be that they're connected to the poisoning and feel guilty—"
"No," Lu Zhan replied. "Qing Su checked. She has nothing to do with the poisoning."
His line of thought abruptly cut off, Shen Chuan was forced to take a turn. "Then… Your Highness, was this person male or female?"
Lu Zhan calmly dipped his finger in tea and wrote a single powerful character on the table:
Female.
Shen Chuan suddenly recalled the spectacle when Princess Yongning married—how Lu Zhan had ridden through the streets surrounded by admiring noble ladies. Understanding dawned on him. "Then perhaps this young lady likes Your Highness, but doesn't want you to know?"
Lu Zhan looked puzzled, so Shen Chuan continued, "You said Qing Su asked around the temple, and that this second rescuer happened to encounter the first one, even deliberately asking where the bamboo groves were. She likely heard something and went searching out of concern… As for pretending not to know you, she probably didn't want to leave the impression of repaying a favor for reward…"
Lu Zhan still frowned, unconvinced.
Shen Chuan understood his confusion and sighed, speaking more gently. "Your status is noble. You may not understand… Even if feelings are involved, some people, faced with too great a gap in status, can only hide them carefully, afraid of earning the other's displeasure."
Hearing this, Lu Zhan inexplicably recalled how Shen Wan had briefly lost herself upon seeing him, only to quickly regain composure. The curiosity in his heart was suddenly tinged with a bit of tenderness. "You're right."
Shen Chuan: "..." Your Highness, when you're this serious, I'm really nervous, okay?
Author's Note:
Wanwan: Shen Chuan, you're not my brother! You're a nonsense-spouting pig's trotter!
Thanks to Mushan Beishui, Blackcurrant Milk, Little Fire Phoenix Yan, and January Fei for the nutrient solution—mwah~ (Poor authors and getting sick so often)
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