Chapter 70 - 69: When Has the Consort Ever Been Unruly?
Shen Yinning: "Thrown away?"
"Hmph," Yin Shanshan snapped impatiently, "Sister, do you take us all for fools?! That was Old Master Yu, a renowned Great Scholar of his generation. I asked around—many officials in the court were once his disciples, and his influence is unparalleled! A grand figure like him—could a mere woman from the rural Gan State like you possibly associate with him? I know you’re jealous that my elder brother is a favored man beside the Crown Prince, and that I am always able to accomplish great things for my husband. But just to win his affection, you pretend to know Old Master Yu? Isn’t that going too far?"
Gao Zheng nodded in agreement, his expression serious.
At first, when he received the recommendation letter, he was overjoyed, thinking that Gao Hong and Gao Hui would have a bright future ahead of them.
But it was Yin Shanshan’s words that reminded him.
How could Shen Yinning possibly know Old Master Yu?
Even if she was once the treasured "Bright Pearl" of the Shen Guogong Mansion, she was still just a woman. So many noble sons of eminent families had failed to gain Old Master Yu’s recognition—how could she, a mere woman, have been accepted as his disciple?
Later, upon reflecting carefully, he began to suspect that Shen Yinning had fabricated this connection to curry favor with him and his two sons.
After all, she couldn’t remain the Crown Prince’s "Forbidden Fruit" forever. Eventually, she would have to return to the Gao family, so currying favor in advance was only to be expected.
He spoke earnestly: "Madam Shen, you say you’re Old Master Yu’s disciple, but I privately investigated and found out that Old Master Yu has never taken a female disciple. Even if you wanted to compete with Shanshan, you shouldn’t resort to lies and deceit!"
Shen Yinning chuckled in anger.