Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister’s Scheming Daughter - Chapter 394

With an indifferent expression, Shen Ninghua turned to look at Qing Que and Rouqin behind her and ordered, “You guys go out too. I want to talk to Side Concubine Yang alone.”

Seeing the two maids obediently retreat to the door, Yang Yingxue laughed in a low voice. However, due to her weak body, she coughed for a while before calming down. Her face turned redder than before. “I admit defeat after seeing how well you have trained your servants. I bet that your servants would rather die than betray you.”

Shen Ninghua looked at her calmly. “Is this what you want to tell me by calling me over?”

“Of course not.” Yang Yingxue gently stroked her temples and tidied up her slightly messy hair. Shen Ninghua could not tell if she sounded pleased or disappointed. “I’m going to die. I won’t feel at ease if I don’t see you before I die.”

Shen Ninghua was silent, and her expression was particularly cold.

Yang Yingxue laughed. “I know what you mean by silence. You think that I deserve it, and that I brought it upon myself. When I first arrived in the capital, I was aloof and proud. I thought that I would be able to outshine all the noble ladies in the capital with my appearance and knowledge, but after coming here, I found that the appearance I was proud of and the self-righteous talent were nothing. I was overreaching myself, especially in your presence, the most beautiful and talented woman in the Da’an Kingdom!”

“We’re born with our looks. Why do you care about it so much?”

“Haha, you’re right. I accepted the fact that we’re born with our looks. Also, I looked a little similar to you, so I can also be considered a beautiful woman. Besides, you’re aloof and cold, but you have superb capabilities. You wouldn’t have made your move on me as long as I am obedient and take care not to provoke you. So, I did. I curried favor with you and approached you bit by bit. With the help of your reputation and prestige, as well as the careful planning in secret, I finally obtained what I wanted.”

“If so, why are you still not satisfied? You clearly know that there is nothing between me and Baili Jinchuan, yet you still think of ways to frame me!” Shen Ninghua frowned slightly, and her gaze became cold. Yang Yingxue’s previous scheme in the palace could be said to be extremely vile. If Yang Yingxue had succeeded, her reputation and life would have been ruined, and even her children would have been affected. It was simply unforgivable.

Yang Yingxue laughed louder now, and her body trembled violently. “Why did I frame you? Haha! Because I’m jealous! Women will lose their minds if they are jealous! Ninghua, did you know? I was over the moon when I got to marry the Second Prince as I wished! I thought that by staying by his side, I could win his heart. Even if he was a block of ice, I could melt him. But I was wrong, so wrong. Even though I look like you and dress like you, I am still a counterfeit!”

Shen Ninghua frowned slightly and remained silent.

Yang Yingxue couldn’t be bothered by her silence. She wanted to voice out all the resentment and dissatisfaction in her heart. “Baili Junyi dotes on you and adores you, so you will never experience the pain of not being able to receive the love you yearn for. Every time when we enter the palace or attend a banquet, as long as you are around, Baili Jinchuan will not even bat an eye at me. You’re tired and disgusted with his feelings for you, but do you know how jealous I am?! I love him. I truly love him. But he won’t look at me even if I crawl to him!”

The sadness in her was particularly heavy, so heavy that it seemed to be able to crush her fragile back.

Tears flowed down her eyes like a long string of watery pearls. It was as if she wanted to dry all her tears. “You know what? I didn’t understand why he was so cold to me at first. Sometimes, I even wanted to cut open his chest to see if his heart was made of stone. However, I saw the way he looked at you. He was focused and passionate. I could even hear his heartbeat beating violently for you. Then, I realized that it was not that he was cold and indifferent, but it was simply because I was not the person he wanted to warm up to.”

“Shen Ninghua, I am so jealous of you. I am really jealous of you!” Yang Yingxue slowly wiped away her tears. Her lips curled into a smile as she looked straight at Shen Ninghua. “So, why can’t I scheme against you? Why should I watch you live so happily while I suffer?”

Shen Ninghua’s expression did not change. “Are you done?”

Yang Yingxue slowly leaned back, her palms slowly covering her chest. “Am I done? How can I explain the pain I suffer in just a few words? The pain penetrates my heart and soul. It rises from the bottom of my heart and slowly spreads all over my body. It makes me so painful that I want to die immediately. Tell me, do you think I can express something like this with words?”

“No matter how painful you are, it’s not your excuse to scheme against others! You’re in pain, but have you ever thought about Qi Ying? Have you ever thought about Lv Rou, who was exploited by you? If your plot succeeded, I would be the one who was completely ruined! You’re in pain, but do you really have to drag everyone to suffer with you?”

“Haha! I can’t even care about myself. Why should I care about others? I am not like you, who still have some kindness in your heart. I’m so upset, I’m not in the mood to care about others!”

Shen Ninghua shook her head. “I see that you have nothing else to say. I will take my leave.”

“Shen Ninghua!” Seeing her walk to the door, Yang Yingxue raised her voice, and the expression on her face slowly disappeared. “Will you accept Baili Jinchuan if there is not Baili Junyi?”

Shen Ninghua turned her head. “There are no ifs in this world. I am glad that I met Junyi.”

Yang Yingxue said eagerly, “It’s just an example. Answer me and let me die with peace of mind.”

“No, I won’t.” Shen Ninghua shook her head.

Yang Yingxue’s eyes lit up. “Why not?”

Shen Ninghua did not answer. Instead, she asked, “Why can’t you get Baili Jinchuan’s love?”

Yang Yingxue paused for a moment and then laughed loudly. “Hahaha, yes, you are right. Why do I have so many whys?! Why can’t I get his love? Because I can’t! Hahaha!”

Shen Ninghua stepped out of the room. Qing Que and Xia Rouqin followed her, and the three of them walked out of the courtyard.

In the room, Yang Yingxue laughed wildly for a long time. A person came in from the door. He was dressed in black, his expression was cold, and his face was handsome.

“Haha, Baili Jinchuan, did you hear that? Hahaha! I didn’t expect you to be such a pathetic loser like me too! After everything you’ve done, you get nothing! I’m so glad that my plan didn’t work out. Do you want to know why? ”

Baili Jinchuan walked to the place where Shen Ninghua was standing previously and stopped. He looked at Yang Yingxue coldly.

Yang Yingxue laughed softly. “You don’t want to know? Never mind, I’m going to tell you anyway. Because if I took down Shen Ninghua, you wouldn’t be able to experience the pain I am experiencing now. God is too selfish. He does not favor many people. I yearn for your love and attention, but I get nothing. The same happens to you and Shen Ninghua. I’m going to die. After I die, I’ll be free. But you’re different. You have to continue living in this painful and pathetic world!”

It was as if her tears had dried up. She felt such an enormous heartache, but she could not shed a single drop of tear.

Baili Jinchuan slowly walked forward and sat by the bed to look at her. “Is this the reason why you asked someone to call me over?”

“That’s right. I want you to hear it with your own ears and experience what it means to be in despair.”

Baili Jinchuan clenched his fists, and the meridians in his arms felt a sharp pain. “Haha, I have already experienced it.”

Yang Yingxue was silent. She stared at Baili Jinchuan with her eyes wide open, as if she wanted to engrave his face into her soul and imprint it into her bones. “I have one last wish.”

“What is it?”

“I want to die in your arms.”

Baili Jinchuan smiled coldly and slowly got up under her gaze. “You? No, you are unworthy of it.”

Yang Yingxue smiled sadly, blood seeping from the corner of her lips. “Baili Jinchuan, does she know that you keep your chastity for her? Does she know that ever since you fell in love with her, you never let other women get close to you? Haha! I’m your side concubine, but I’m still a virgin after marrying you for so long!”

Baili Jinchuan felt chills all over his body. “She doesn’t need to know.”

Yang Yingxue wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t. The pain in her chest caused her vision to turn black and blood to flow out from her mouth. She thought to herself, “We are all pathetic losers… The honorable Second Prince keeps his chastity for a woman he can’t marry… Hahaha! This is so funny and pathetic…”

She wanted to laugh, but tears kept pouring out. Her mind was filled with what she had said, “Shen Ninghua, I am jealous of you. You have no idea how jealous I am of you… Deep, deep jealousy…”

Shen Ninghua boarded the carriage and left Second Prince Mansion. She was particularly silent all the way until she returned to Huajun Pavilion and saw the two children. Only then did the expression on her face finally relax. “Big Boy, Baby Girl…”

“Mother…”

“Mother, where have you been? Did you go to the street to eat candy but didn’t take us along?” Big Boy asked while standing on tiptoe and holding Shen Ninghua’s hand.

Shen Ninghua sat down and let the two children lean into her arms. She explained softly, “No, I didn’t buy anything in the street. I went to visit someone.”

Baby Girl raised her head and asked, “Who is it? Do we know that person?”

“No, you don’t know her. She’s a pitiful person.”

Hearing that they didn’t know the person, the two children were not curious anymore, but they keenly felt that Shen Ninghua was not in a good mood. “Mother, are you unhappy?”

Shen Ninghua shook her head. She stroked their hair and smiled. “I’m just a little tired. I’ll be fine after a short rest.”

“Okay. Mother, have a good rest. We won’t bother you. We’ll go outside and play.”

“Alright, my good children.”

Seeing the two children walk out hand in hand, Shen Ninghua felt warm in her heart. She ordered the maids and nurses to keep an eye on them before leaning against the couch and closing her eyes. Yang Yingxue’s face appeared in her mind.

She was a human, not a saint. Therefore, she could not be completely cold and indifferent. However, she was not greedy. She just wanted to protect the happiness she had right now. She and Baili Jinchuan were both too stubborn and cold. They wouldn’t be able to be together even if Baili Junyi was not in the equation. Therefore, she would not give any response no matter what feelings Baili Jinchuan had for her. She didn’t care if someone chided her for being heartless or cold-blooded…