Chapter 232: An infuriating thing

"Does the princess admit it?"

"Why should we admit to something that's completely fabricated?"

Shen Ruolan chuckled and took out a small piece of cloth from her sleeve. Apart from the bloodstains, there were obvious burn marks on the edges.

"If it is truly a fabrication, then how can this be explained?"

It's quite a coincidence. I couldn't sleep last night, so I thought I'd go out for a walk to clear my head, and that's how I found this.

Yuan Siyin glanced at it, then lazily lowered her eyes: "I wonder where this scrap of cloth came from, that it's worth the concubine's attention."

It must have been leftovers that Zi Yuan burned in some corner last night; I never expected she would find it.

However, since Shen Ruolan hid the evidence, it means she had ulterior motives, which means the matter can still be salvaged.

"I'm curious, after all this scheming, what exactly do you want?"

Shen Ruolan casually tugged at the yellow-green shrub leaves, scattering them all over the ground before slowly saying, "What I want, I will hold tightly in my hands; you don't need to worry about it, Princess."

Besides, if the princess doesn't obstruct us in every way, we'll both be fine.

"Can."

Yuan Siyin readily agreed.

She's just keeping quiet; she's too lazy to bring up those old stories.

Shen Ruolan was taken aback by her quick agreement, but soon laughed: "The princess and Prince Mu are really the same pitiful people. They can't find anyone else to love them, so they can only look for their own kind."

Yuan Siyin remained calm. "Of course, she can't compare to a concubine, who is surrounded by a group of beautiful women. When she has nothing to do, she can even play cards or dominoes."

The two met on a narrow path and neither was willing to back down. The air was thick with tension until a palace maid hurried over to her side and whispered in her ear, breaking the stalemate.

"Ruolan has other matters to attend to, so she will take her leave now. There is no need for the princess to see her off."

In front of outsiders, Shen Ruolan is quite gentle and graceful, at least she doesn't act sarcastic or weird like she's eaten a roasted sweet potato.

Yuan Siyin smiled and nodded.

Who's giving you a ride? Get lost.

What an infuriating thing.

Whether she was genuinely angry or just psychologically affected, Yuan Siyin felt a familiar cramping pain in her lower abdomen. Helpless, she had no choice but to abandon her desire to clear her mind and obediently return to Jianzhang Palace.

As expected, relatives came to visit.

She used to be able to find a box of ibuprofen in her office drawer when she had menstrual cramps, but now she has no way to deal with it.

Zi Yuan was startled when she saw her pale face. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that her period had started. After helping her put on a menstrual belt and change into clean clothes, she helped her lie down on the bed.

"Is Miss in great pain? Should I go and fetch a doctor?"

Zi Yuan considerately placed the hot water bottle at her cold feet and poured her a cup of hot tea.

Yuan Siyin leaned back slightly on the cushion, took the celadon porcelain, and gently shook her head: "Never mind, it'll only hurt for one day anyway."

"By the way, where is Yu Shiyan?"

"This servant led people to tidy up a side hall, and Prince Mu went to rest there."

"That's good."

Thinking of what Shen Ruolan had just said, she couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation. She could only wave her hand at Ziyuan and say, "You didn't get a good rest last night either. Go back and rest some more. You don't need to wake me up for lunch."

"How about I pack it in a food box and send it over?"

Zi Yuan hesitated for a moment: "How can we not eat? Let's have something, even if not for our own health, but for the Empress Dowager's sake."

Yuan Siyin couldn't refuse her, so she had to agree: "Okay, then you can leave it there. I'll use it when I wake up. Go back now."