After Yu Ge left, Cui Sheng finally shuffled in, head lowered, and stammered, "Commandery Princess, I... I couldn't stop the Second Miss..."
Shen Lang just wanted to get some peaceful sleep and wasn't in the mood to talk, so she said, "It's fine. You may go."
However, before she could finish speaking, Princess Consort Chen walked in, her brow furrowed. "Did you sneak out again today?"
Shen Lang raised an eyebrow. "What about it? Did Yu Ge run and tattle?"
Princess Consort Chen didn't answer, retorting instead, "Look at Yu Ge, then take a good look at yourself. Your younger sister is about to become the Empress, yet you, her older sister, are still unmarried. How can this be?"
Shen Lang paused. She gave her mother a long, languid look and said lazily, "So what?"
"Your father and I have arranged a match for you."
Shen Lang thought she must have misheard. Her long, curled lashes fluttered. "...What was that?"
Princess Consort Chen didn't care whether she had actually misheard or was just pretending. She huffed, "The current Prime Minister. He's exceptionally brilliant, young, and promising, not to mention incredibly handsome. Frankly, he's too good for you."
Shen Lang: "..."
'Fuck.'
"Did... did Father agree?" Given Prince Chen's stubborn nature, there was no way he would let his precious treasure get married off so quickly.
"Your father was dead set against it, but I managed to talk him around after a great deal of effort."
Shen Lang: "..."
Seeing her daughter's blank expression, Princess Consort Chen couldn't help but add, "Yin'er, it's already bound to cause gossip for the older sister to marry after the younger one. Besides, I can tell that Yu Ge detests the Chen Prince Mansion. Why would she ever trouble herself to find a good match for you? I'm doing this for your own good. The current Prime Minister has also taken an interest in you..."
Shen Lang's brow twitched.
An icy voice suddenly rang out in her mind.
[System: Recommendation: Host should accept. System has detected the male lead's affection level for the female lead is at 70%.]
Shen Lang arched a brow slightly. 'And for me?'
[10%.]
Shen Lang: "..."
'A bolt from the blue.'
'Well, damn... Did I miscalculate?'
'Impossible.'
'The charm and flirtatious prowess of Shen Huoshui are invincible.'
Shen Lang narrowed her eyes in suspicion. 'Have the two of them met?'
The system's voice remained cold and merciless: [System is unable to detect.]
'Is your program malfunctioning?'
[System is unable to detect.]
Shen Lang was speechless. 'Sooner or later, I'm going to dismantle this damn system.'
As a tech guru in her own right, Shen Lang trusted data far more than she trusted subjective feelings.
'Fine. I'll just assume it's true, then.'
The corners of Shen Lang's bewitching eyes curved upward, a captivating and profound smile playing on her lips.
'How interesting.'
'There's more to this system than I thought.'
"Alright," Shen Lang said, nodding at Princess Consort Chen. "But I've never met this Prime Minister."
Princess Consort Chen replied, "Rest assured. The man I've chosen for you is a handsome gentleman, one in a million. You'll absolutely love him."
Shen Lang showed little interest, replying listlessly, "Oh... How old is he?"
"Twenty-five."
"And the bride price?"
"Well..." Princess Consort Chen hesitated. "The Prime Minister offered a ten-li train of betrothal gifts, but I felt that holding such an extravagant affair before the imperial wedding might displease the Holy Emperor... so I turned it down. Our Chen Prince Mansion isn't lacking for a few gifts."
Shen Lang: "..."
'Great, I get it now. The two of them sold their daughter on the cheap.'
In other words, because the imperial wedding was imminent and the older sister had to be married off first, it meant that Shen Lang, as the eldest daughter of the Prince Mansion, had to be married off quickly and quietly before the main event—preferably without the Holy Emperor ever knowing.
Once Shen Lang had sorted out the implications, she said nothing. She lowered her gaze, lazily brushing back a stray strand of hair as a knowing glint flashed in her eyes.