Chapter 16: Giving Away Things Nobody Wanted

Chapter Sixteen: Giving Away Things Nobody Wanted

Shen Tang slept very well that night, and when she woke up, the sun was high in the sky.

When Ayun saw that she was awake, she hurriedly helped her wash up and instructed Ling'er and Qiao'er to set out the meal.

After finishing her meal, Shen Tang was leisurely basking in the sun in a recliner.

She heard a noise coming from the courtyard gate. She lifted her handkerchief, looked up, and saw that it was Qingyang.

Shen Tang's heart instantly became excited.

Last time, she only gave a brief reminder, and Meng Huaiyan was already so generous.

This time she truly saved him. Shen Tang stared at the box in Qingyang's hand with shining eyes. This time it must be more than last time.

Shen Tang was overjoyed inside, but she tried her best to remain calm on the surface and took the box.

Upon opening it, Shen Tang was surprised to find a scroll inside. She blurted out instinctively, "Why is this all there is?"

"Ah," Qingyang asked, puzzled. What else could it be?

"This is all the prince gave me."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang immediately lost interest. What's wrong with Meng Huaiyan? Why is he getting stingier and stingier?

She doesn't appreciate paintings, so what's the point of having them...?

They just give away things nobody wants.

Seeing Miss Chen's less-than-happy expression, Qingyang couldn't help but think of the last time he was rejected when he gave her a gift, and his heart pounded wildly.

Shen Tang closed the box, handed it to A Yun, and said to Qing Yang in a calm tone, "Please thank your young master for me."

Seeing that Miss Shen had accepted it, Qingyang finally felt relieved, answered "yes," and quickly withdrew.

Shen Tang was somewhat uninterested and didn't even bother to open the painting.

Ayun placed the box on a side table, took out the scroll inside, and opened it. Seeing that the seal in the lower right corner of the painting was Meng Huaiyan's, she said, "Miss, it was painted by the young master himself."

Shen Tang wasn't interested and just said "Oh".

Ayun added, "Rumors are circulating that one of the prince's paintings has been sold for four or five thousand taels of silver."

Shen Tang's eyes widened instantly, somewhat incredulous: "How...how much??"

"Four or five thousand taels."

Shen Tang hurriedly took the painting from A Yun's hand, glanced at it carefully, and felt that it was just an ordinary landscape painting. How could it sell for such a high price?!

Ah Yun explained, "It is said that because the Crown Prince became the top scholar at the age of sixteen, those scholars thought that if they bought the Crown Prince's paintings and kept them at home, they might get the help of the God of Literature and become more likely to pass the imperial examination."

"But the young master's calligraphy is rare, and scarcity makes things valuable, so it has gradually been driven up to this high price."

"This...this..." Shen Tang was speechless for a moment. There was indeed only one person in the Liang Dynasty who had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examination at the age of sixteen, but surely that wasn't enough to warrant being worshipped as a god...

However, astonished as she was, Shen Tang's mood instantly brightened when she realized how valuable the painting was.

She carefully rolled up the painting, placed it in the box, and instructed Ayun, "Keep it safe and secure, and don't lose it."

This is four or five thousand taels of silver! Shen Tang couldn't hide her excitement. Who could understand the feeling of becoming rich overnight!

She took back what she had just said about Meng Huaiyan being stingy.

*

Inside Jingren Palace.

Consort Zhao was handling some palace affairs when she heard a servant announce the arrival of the Eldest Princess.

She quickly got up, tidied herself up, and stood up to greet him.

She had never had any interaction with the eldest princess, and she didn't know why the princess would suddenly come to find her.

Consort Zhao couldn't help but feel uneasy, but she still respectfully curtsied to the Princess, saying, "This concubine greets the Princess."

The eldest princess glanced down at her but did not tell her to get up.

He walked past her to the desk, saw the contents of the booklet on it, and chuckled softly.

"Consort Zhao is now in charge of the affairs of the inner palace. What a great honor!"

"They don't even respect me anymore."

Consort Zhao's heart skipped a beat, somewhat confused, and she said in a flustered voice, "This humble servant is dull-witted and does not understand what the Princess means."

The eldest princess sneered, lowering her eyes to give her a cold look: "You think you don't know what your good son has done?"

Consort Zhao was terrified, but she remained calm on the surface: "I have always been in this deep palace. Qi'er is deeply trusted by his father, the Emperor, and has been quite busy serving His Majesty recently."

"I haven't seen him in a long time either, so I really don't know."

Deeply trusted by the Emperor? Busy?

The eldest princess scoffed and found a seat.

The palace maids quickly served tea, and the princess picked up the tea and sipped it slowly, as if she regarded Consort Zhao as nothing.

Without the Princess's orders, Consort Zhao dared not get up. Her legs gradually became too weak to squat, and her body began to sway.

Since she was made a Noble Consort, and Qi'er gained the Emperor's deep trust, everyone in the palace treated her with utmost respect and courtesy.

Even the Empress treated her with respect; it had been a long time since anyone had dared to humiliate her like that.

Consort Zhao harbored resentment, a hint of malice flashing in her eyes.

After finishing her cup of tea, the eldest princess seemed to only then remember that she was such a person.

"Since you don't know, then tell me something you do know."

"In the fifth year of Chongde, at Zhenru Temple, a spring banquet was held."

Like a thunderclap from a clear sky, Consort Zhao was filled with shock, but she still managed to say, "I...I don't know what you're talking about?"

The eldest princess, however, did not care. She took out a purse from her sleeve and waved it in her hand: "Consort Zhao should think carefully before she speaks. If this reaches His Majesty, you will not be able to say you do not know it."

When Consort Zhao saw the purse, it was as if she remembered something terrifying, and she was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground.

His facial expression could no longer be maintained, and he said in a trembling voice, "This...how did this end up with you?"

What exactly does she know? And how much does she know?

The eldest princess slowly rose, strolled leisurely over to Consort Zhao, squatted down, and lifted her chin with her finger: "Tsk tsk, look at her tearful appearance."

"They are truly pitiful."

The fingers touching her face were like a cold, flicking snake. Consort Zhao instinctively flinched back in fear, but the Princess grabbed her chin.

Consort Zhao cried out in pain.

The eldest princess ignored her, her eyes fixed on her, the ruthlessness in her eyes making Consort Zhao hold her breath: "There are no secrets that stay hidden forever."

"Today is just a warning. If they dare to act recklessly again, I don't know where this wallet will be."

After saying that, the eldest princess turned her face away sharply, and Fu Dong handed her a handkerchief.

She reached out and took it, wiping her hands carefully as if there was something dirty on them.

After wiping her hands, she casually tossed the handkerchief onto the ground and calmly left Jingren Palace.

Only after the eldest princess had completely left did Consort Zhao seem to come back to life, breathing heavily.

The palace maid Lanxiang quickly helped Consort Zhao up.

Consort Zhao gripped Lanxiang's hand tightly in fear, asking anxiously, "Lanxiang, how did the Princess find out? What should we do? What should we do?"

Lanxiang placed her hands on her shoulders, looked at her steadily, and comforted her, "Your Highness, calm down."

"Since the eldest princess has come here today, it means that she has no intention of bringing this matter to the Emperor's attention."

"We are safe now, don't panic, you still have Prince An."

"As long as Prince An ascends the throne in the future, these are all minor matters. We must first stabilize ourselves and not panic."

Yes, yes, she also has Qi'er; Consort Zhao seems to have found her pillar of support.

As her emotions gradually calmed down, the hatred in her eyes grew stronger as she thought about the humiliation she had just suffered.

She will remember everything she suffered today, and one day she will get her revenge, one thing at a time!

"After court, go find Prince An and tell him that I need to see him. Ask him to come see me."

Lanxiang: "Yes."