flstandardbreds Chapter 138 Shen Cong'an Reveals His True Feelings
Chapter 138 Shen Cong'an Reveals His True Feelings
On the other side, His Highness the Crown Prince, who had just finished court, was walking together with Shen Cong'an.
Everyone in the court knew that Shen Cong'an was the Crown Prince's man, so there was no need to hide their interactions too much.
Shen Cong'an explained to the Crown Prince the incident of the Shen family summoning the imperial physician in the middle of the night, and how it was ultimately resolved.
"Actually, I've always had a question. Wanwan saved you, and it's normal for you to feel grateful to her for saving your life. You both have the same goal, and your enemy is Shen Nian'an. But I've never seen you get along so well with any other woman before."
Upon hearing the Crown Prince's words, Shen Cong'an immediately revealed a faint sadness.
There were many impossible things between him and Xie Wanru. Not to mention that he was just a vice minister of the Ministry of War and was not worthy of Xie Wanru at all, his family, the Shen family, had wronged Xie Wanru in the past, and his status as the former eldest brother also held him back.
Moreover, Xie Wanru didn't like him at all.
When His Highness the Crown Prince asked, Shen Cong'an sighed and did not intend to hide it. However, the palace was not the place to talk about such things. He took His Highness the Crown Prince to a separate courtyard, which he had secretly prepared so that one day he could completely break away from the Shen family and have a place to go.
His gaze drifted into the distance as he slowly said, “Your Highness may not know, but between Wanwan and me lies a vast distance. To me, she is like an untouchable star, brilliant yet distant. Though I hold her in high esteem and admiration, I am also keenly aware of my own identity and past; the fact that I bear the surname Shen cannot be changed. All I can do is silently lend a helping hand when she needs it, protecting her. As for anything else, I dare not hope for more.”
Perhaps it was because she had kept these feelings inside for too long that Shen Nian'an finally revealed them without any regard for the consequences.
The Crown Prince's expression shifted slightly, and he nodded as if he had understood something: "Cong An, it is rare for you to have such awareness. However, things in this world are often unpredictable. There may still be a turning point between you and Wanwan. I think Wanwan is not one of those superficial people."
Shen Cong'an gave a bitter smile and shook his head: "Your Highness overestimates Cong'an. I know my own limitations and am unwilling to become a stumbling block on Wanwan's path. She deserves her own vast world, not to be burdened by the murky waters of my Shen family. And I am not the right person for her."
After saying that, he picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp.
His Highness the Crown Prince could only silently keep him company and drink a cup as well. “We have known each other for decades, and only now can I see at a glance that your feelings for Wanwan are different. But you have never told Wanwan your feelings. How do you know what Wanwan thinks?”
Compared to other men in the world, Xiao Long felt that Wanwan and Shen Cong'an were a good match.
At this moment, he even felt that if Wanwan had chosen Cong'an from the beginning, none of these troubles would have happened.
But Wanwan, wanting to spite her third brother, deliberately chose Shen Nian'an, the most useless person in Xuancheng.
A complex emotion flashed in Shen Cong'an's eyes. For a moment, he wanted to take a gamble and tell Xie Wanru his feelings, no matter the outcome.
But the thought that Xie Wanru might despise him if he failed made him gently put down his wine glass and dismiss the idea.
His fingers traced the rim of the cup, as if he were still pondering the prince's words.
After a moment, he slowly spoke: "Your Highness is absolutely right, but what I fear more is that once I express my feelings, it will bring her unnecessary trouble and distress, and I will not even be able to fight alongside Wanwan anymore."
"Moreover," Shen Cong'an paused, then continued, "Wanwan's thoughts now are not about romantic love. She has her own ambitions and aspirations. If I were to disturb her now, wouldn't I become a stumbling block? Although I cannot be by her side, it would be good to support her silently from behind."
His Highness the Crown Prince was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this.
Wanwan was indeed different from ordinary women; she cared deeply about the greater good of the country and possessed the typical character of a son of the Xie family.
But he also knew that matters of the heart were the most difficult to explain, and it was truly rare for Shen Cong'an to be so restrained and patient.
"Cong An, I am very pleased that you care so much about Wanwan. She is a pitiful woman. She has sacrificed too much for the Xie family, and even for the sake of balancing the court and the country. If I could, I would really hope that the person who will give Wanwan happiness in the end is you."
His Highness the Crown Prince patted Shen Cong'an on the shoulder and said earnestly.
Shen Cong'an smiled slightly, but there was a hint of bitterness in his smile: "Your Highness, there is no need to say such things. Everything I have done is of my own free will, without seeking any reward. I only wish that Wanwan can achieve her wish safely and smoothly. However, Your Highness, I hope you can keep my wish a secret for me."
Xiao Long could only nod, even though he really wanted to break the ice for Shen Cong'an.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Wanwan. If I did this on my own, how could I face the trust and support we've built over the years?"
Xiao Long smiled and raised his glass to invite Shen Cong'an to drink together.
So the two drank a few more cups, and the conversation gradually turned to matters of the court.
Shen Cong'an talked about the recent situation on the frontier and the preparations that the Ministry of War needed to make. His Highness the Crown Prince listened attentively and nodded in agreement from time to time.
Xie Yanting took the Emperor's decree to the Northern Barbarians, and there has been no news yet about how the negotiations went. In fact, Xie Yanting has already completed the negotiations. Although it was just some goods, these items were of high value and could meet the meat needs of the border people for almost a whole year.
With those cattle and sheep, people can graze and breed them, preparing for a long-term plan.
The Great Zhou Dynasty has always lagged behind the Northern Barbarians in raising cattle and sheep. After receiving the proposed 5,000 head of cattle and sheep from each of them, Xie Yanting even selected several excellent herders to return to the Great Zhou Dynasty.
There is a place in Guhuang City that is very suitable for grazing, but the local people seem to lack experience over the years and have never had a good harvest.
The number of people he chose was exactly the number of the Northern Barbarians who participated in his kidnapping. This caused resentment among the Northern Barbarians, but they did not dare to speak out. They silently blamed this incident on a certain person.
As night deepened, the two finally ended their conversation, as Shen Cong'an's predicament could not be resolved in the short term.
Shen Cong'an saw the Crown Prince off from the villa. After watching him leave, he turned back into the house. He sat alone at the table, gazing at the bright moon outside the window, and a feeling of longing and concern welled up in his heart.
He knew that the distance between him and Xie Wanru was not simply a matter of status and past.
So, given this situation, he chose to silently protect her until she found her own happiness, while he could only bury this deep affection in his heart forever.