Chapter Fifty-Eight: Drunken Confessions and a Wedding Without Guests

Shen Hezhi once again visited the Hua Mansion. This time, as soon as he arrived, he began drinking, not uttering a single word.

Jiang Canxing looked at Shen Hezhi in bewilderment. He had never seen Shen Hezhi like this before—not even when Cen Changjing had left did he become so despondent.

"What’s wrong with you?" Jiang Canxing snatched the wine flask from Shen Hezhi’s hand.

Shen Hezhi raised his eyes to look at Jiang Canxing. "Give it back."

He drunkenly wrested the flask from Jiang Canxing and resumed lying on the chair, drinking.

Jiang Canxing frowned and sat beside Shen Hezhi. Knowing he couldn’t take the wine away, he resolved to find out what had caused this transformation.

"Why are you like this? Are you heartbroken over something? Even when Cen Changjing left, you didn’t act this way," Jiang Canxing said.

"Don’t mention that woman to me. If not for her, things would never have come to this! Cen Changxiao—ha! Cen Changxiao is truly a good brother!"

With those words, Shen Hezhi took another swig.

Shen Hezhi’s rambling left Jiang Canxing even more confused, unable to grasp the cause.

Just then, Shen Yi rushed upstairs, visibly relieved to see Shen Hezhi sprawled out drinking.

Jiang Canxing immediately questioned him, "What’s going on? He came here, said nothing, took my seat, and started drinking."

Shen Yi glanced at Shen Hezhi, then at Jiang Canxing, and shook his head helplessly before recounting what had happened.

Upon hearing it, Jiang Canxing’s anger erupted. He rose, ready to confront Cen Changxiao. "Cen Changxiao must have lost his mind! He actually doubts His Highness?"

Shen Yi shook his head. "Everyone knows that, to Cen Changxiao, no one in the world can compare to his sister."

"But he shouldn’t do something so foolish! How can he not trust His Highness? His Highness saved his life—he owes him everything!" Jiang Canxing’s brow furrowed deeply.

Perhaps others didn’t know why Cen Changxiao was so devoted to the Ninth Prince, but Jiang Canxing understood: both he and Cen Changxiao had been rescued and recognized by the Ninth Prince, which bound them to him with unwavering loyalty.

So Cen Changxiao’s actions today infuriated Jiang Canxing even more.

But Shen Yi’s next words only fueled his anger: "There was no other way. His Highness finally agreed to marry Miss Cen as a concubine. He just instructed me to prepare everything, and I’m here to inform him that it’s all ready for the ceremony."

"What?!" Jiang Canxing nearly jumped up in rage, but retained enough composure to keep his dignity in this place.

He glanced furtively around, then sidled up to Shen Yi and whispered, "Has Cen Changxiao lost his mind, forcing His Highness into this?"

Shen Yi sighed.

"Shen Yi! Why are you here? Come, drink with me!"

Shen Hezhi, never a strong drinker, was already thoroughly drunk after just one flask. Seeing Shen Yi, he drunkenly tried to drag him into drinking more.

Shen Yi dared not indulge his master further. "Your Highness, you still need to attend the concubine ceremony. You can’t keep drinking here."

He reached out to help Shen Hezhi up, but Shen Hezhi pushed him away. "Concubine? I have no concubine. The only one I love is the Princess Consort. How could I marry another woman!"

With those words, Shen Hezhi slumped into sleep on the chair, his flask rolling to the floor.

Hearing this, Jiang Canxing and Shen Yi exchanged incredulous glances.

Jiang Canxing looked at the Ninth Prince, then at Shen Yi, stammering, "Did you… did you hear that? His Highness just said he loves the Princess Consort? Miss Yan?"

"It… seems so," Shen Yi replied, still uncertain.

"But they’ve barely known each other, and even if feelings grew after marriage, it’s only been a short time!" Jiang Canxing was astonished.

He had joked about it before, but now that it was reality, he found it hard to believe.

"I don’t know either," Shen Yi said, spreading his hands helplessly.

"So what do we do now? Are we just going to send His Highness home like this, drunk, to attend the concubine ceremony?" Jiang Canxing raised his eyebrows.

Shen Yi sighed, offering no answer.

But both knew clearly: there was no way His Highness could attend the concubine ceremony in such a state.

Thus, the ceremony… would merely be a formality, for His Highness had no affection for Cen Changjing.

At that moment, Cen Changjing was quietly awaiting her investiture as concubine in the prince’s residence. She waited a long time, with no word from anyone, sitting alone in her room until night fell.

Finally, at dusk, a maid entered.

"Miss, I’m afraid His Highness won’t be returning. He’s staying at the Hua Mansion tonight," the maid said, kneeling at a distance.

Cen Changjing was momentarily stunned by the news, then laughed, stood up, and walked step by step toward the maid.

This maid had suffered at her hands before, and knowing Cen Changjing’s temperament, she panicked and knelt, retreating.

But Cen Changjing, upset by the news, was in no mood to let any opportunity to vent slip by.

She strode forward, seized the maid’s hair, and said, "Why are you retreating? Do you think I lack status? Is that it? Do you think I’m easy to bully? Today, I’ll show you just how easy I am to bully!"

As she raised her hand to strike, the door was pushed open.

"Jing’er, what are you doing?"

Hearing Cen Changxiao’s voice, Cen Changjing immediately released the maid and ran to him, sobbing into his arms.

"Why His Highness? He said he would marry me. Why has it come to this?"

Cen Changxiao patted her back and sighed. "There’s nothing more I can do, Jing’er. Brother… Brother can’t force him anymore…"

Cen Changjing paused, then instantly understood the meaning behind Cen Changxiao’s words.