Chapter 143 Concubine?

Xiao Yuan was not wearing a cloak. Shen Anan glanced at his hands. They were still as strong and powerful as before, not at all like her hands which were red from the cold even though she was wearing so many thick clothes. She didn't know how he could be so cold-resistant.

"Cold?" Xiao Yuan sat down beside her, reached out and grasped her hand, holding it in his palm.

"It's not cold. It should be the wind blowing on the way out of the mansion."

"Next time you go out, ask your subordinates to prepare a hand warmer for you."

"Yeah." Shen Anan tilted her head at the beginning, not used to Xiao Yuan being so considerate.

The carriage had been travelling for quite a distance and her body was gradually warming up. The palms of their hands, which were clasped together, were sweaty, but Xiao Yuan still had no intention of letting go.

Helplessly, Shen Anan moved her wrist slightly and pulled her hand out. Only then did she see the dense beads of sweat on Xiao Yuan's forehead and was slightly startled.

“You’re hot?”

"No." He wanted to grab her hand back, but Shen Anan handed him a handkerchief.

He didn't take it and turned his body away, his meaning was obvious.

Shen Anan pursed her lips, but still raised her hand to wipe it for him.

"Father was mad at me yesterday, so he might be a little unhappy. You don't have to pay attention to him. If you have any problem, just blame me. If you are really angry, just turn around and leave."

“…”

Is he sure he doesn't want her to be killed by the emperor?

"The emperor will take your responsibility, but he may not let me go. He is already dissatisfied with my Shen family. If I act presumptuously, won't it give him another reason to get angry?"

"Don't worry, I'm here." Xiao Yuan held her wrist and placed it on his lap.

Shen Anan couldn't remember how many times he had said this to her.

"Just like you said, he is the king of a country, how can he embarrass a new bride like me?"

A quarter of an hour later, the carriage stopped at the palace gate.

The two got off the carriage and walked towards the palace. The person who came to pick them up was a young eunuch that Shen Anan had never seen before.

As they walked side by side, the young eunuch suddenly said respectfully, "Fourth Prince's Consort, according to the rules, you should lag behind the Fourth Prince by half a step and cannot walk with him."

Shen Anan lowered her eyes and looked at Xiao Yuan holding her wrist, and then she pushed it in front of the little eunuch, "How about letting him hold your hand?"

These rules do exist, but unless it is a grand banquet, no one will correct them. This eunuch is clearly here to intimidate her.

The young eunuch was choked, and when he looked up and saw Xiao Yuan's intimidating cold eyes, a thin layer of sweat immediately appeared on his back.

"My Lady Liangpin has been ordered by His Majesty to teach the Fourth Prince's wife the rules of the palace. This old servant is just kindly reminding you."

"Kindness?" His aura was already cold, and when his narrow eyes narrowed, they made people feel endless fear.

"This prince's princess, it's your turn as a slave to lecture me on the rules!"

"I dare not," the eunuch immediately knelt on the ground.

Xiao Yuan's eyebrows were dull and he kicked the eunuch to the ground.

He immediately stood up and said, "Fourth Prince, I am following the order of Concubine Liang to lead the princess to the Fallen Cherry Palace."

"A concubine..."

Shen Anan held down Xiao Yuan's arm to stop him from venting his anger. "It's the first day of our marriage, so let's forget it. It's unlucky to see blood."

Xiao Yuan glared at the eunuch coldly and said "hmm" softly, "I will listen to An An."

The young eunuch felt as if he had wandered around the gates of hell and came back. He knelt there trembling and dared not move.

Shen Anan took Xiao Yuan's arm and continued to walk into the palace. In the eyes of the palace people, the two of them had a very good relationship.

"As the ruler of a country, it's not appropriate for me to set rules. This is just throwing this thankless task to someone else."

"If you don't want to go, then don't go." Xiao Yuan said coldly, "Liangpin is a simple-minded person who listens to my father in everything. She was suppressed by Ningfei and Shen Guifei in the past, but now that she finally has a chance to come to the fore, I'm afraid she has become too proud of herself."

Shen Anan shook her head. "I'm afraid it won't work if I don't go. It will just give the emperor another chance to attack. It's not good to be remembered all the time. It's better to deal with it early."

"I'll listen to you," Xiao Yuan patted the back of her hand, "You go first later. If you don't come out in half an hour, I'll go find you."

"good."

In the eyes of the palace people passing by, the two were whispering in love. The eunuch in the imperial study had been waiting for a long time and was stunned when he saw Shen Anan.

It only took a moment for him to trot forward and greet her. "This old servant greets the Fourth Prince's wife. Princess, the Emperor has been waiting for you for a long time. Please follow this old servant in."

Shen Anan has been to the imperial study more than once. The building with carved beams and painted rafters and the lofty dragon throne, each of which demonstrates the supreme power of the superior.

The power to decide life and death at will!

"Father."

Shen Anan lowered her eyes and followed Xiao Yuan in saluting.

There were mountains of memorials in front of the emperor's desk, and he seemed to have no time to deal with them. He just waved his hand and asked the eunuch to present the two of them with a wedding gift.

It is a pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets with fine workmanship and hollow design, giving people an extremely noble feeling.

Shen Anan thought, this kind of thing should only be worn by the emperor and empress, what does the emperor mean by this?

Xiao Yuan accepted it without saying anything.

After the emperor finished commenting on the memorial in his hand, he slowly raised his head and looked at the two of them. The criticism in his eyes was obvious. "It's hard for you to remember to come."

"Your son is here to have lunch." Xiao Yuan answered very promptly, and it was obvious that this was normal.

“Humph,” the emperor sneered, and looked at Shen Anan with indifferent and heavy eyes.

"Didn't I tell you to go to Liangpin's palace? Why? You don't want to?"

"I dare not." Shen An'an lowered his eyes and said softly, "I wanted to go, but the eunuch who led the way said something unpleasant and angered my husband, so I was punished by him. I didn't know the way, so I could only follow him."

The emperor obviously didn't believe it. "What he said was unpleasant to the ear. Who in my palace dares to say something unpleasant to him?"

It's clearly a show of power to him!

The emperor was extremely disappointed in Xiao Yuan because he repeatedly disobeyed him for a woman.

They were already married, how could he kill her?

Amid the gloomy atmosphere, a young eunuch walked in with small steps, "Your Majesty, someone from the Fallen Cherry Palace has arrived, and they want to invite the princess over to have a word."

"Well," the emperor waved his hand, "It just so happens that I have something important to tell you. Let your wife go to Luoying Palace and stay with Liangpin for a while."

Xiao Yuan frowned. Did he really want to keep the two of them in the palace for lunch?

Shen Anan on the side had already bowed and responded.

She said to Xiao Yuan, "Then I'll go over first."

"I'll come to you in half an hour." He said this to the eunuch, and the warning in his eyes was very obvious.

The eunuch immediately lowered his head and took Shen Anan out.

"Are you afraid that I will eat her?" the emperor was very angry.

"My father's palace is a place where people are eaten without leaving any bones." He said in a dull tone.

The emperor laughed in anger, "Then why did you go to so much trouble to move in?"

"You are you, and I am your subject." Xiao Yuan did not feel nervous because he admitted that he coveted the throne. It was this frank attitude that inexplicably cooled the emperor's anger.

"Don't speak too soon. If you were in my position, you might not be as good as me."

Power is the most fascinating thing. It can change a person beyond recognition and turn him into a terrible monster.

The Fallen Cherry Palace is filled with cherry blossoms, which is in keeping with its name. The interior is spotlessly clean, and the palace servants perform their duties in an orderly manner. Just from the precious potted plants, one can tell that this Concubine Liang is in great favor.

There was a heater in the hall, which could instantly dispel the coldness from people's bodies.

There were two women sitting on the chaise longue, whispering to each other. When they saw her come in, they immediately stopped talking and turned to look at her.

Shen Anan walked in and saluted.

"Hurry up, get up, no wonder the Fourth Prince is obsessed with her, she is truly a beauty."

These words were not meant to be used as a compliment. Shen Anan raised her eyes and met Liangpin's hypocritical smile.

She has a pair of peach blossom eyes, and she looks at everyone with charm and friendliness.

"My appearance is not as good as yours."

Liangpin paused for a moment, then smiled again, "Come, sit down quickly. The people downstairs have just brewed some tea, which is made from dried cherry blossoms ground into powder. Try it and see how it tastes."

"Thank you, Madam." Shen Anan sat down below the two of them, holding the teacup and taking a sip.

In the palace, she was not afraid that Concubine Liang would poison her. As for what Xiao Yuan said, she guessed that it was a knife in the emperor's hand, a warning to her.

“How does it taste?”

"It's a little bitter, but it's acceptable."

Liangpin smiled and said, "I like cherry blossoms, so the emperor had the courtyard planted with cherry blossom trees. The name of this palace was also given by the emperor himself."

"The emperor dotes on my aunt so much, but I am so envious." The speaker was the girl next to Liangpin. She was cute and lovely, pouting her lips and acting coquettishly to Liangpin.

Shen Anan looked up at the girl and tightened her slender fingers holding the teacup.

"How can you be so shameless, kid?" Liangpin patted her wrist and suddenly pointed at Shen Anan.

"Look at my memory. This is the Fourth Prince's wife. Why don't you go over and pay your respects?"

"Yes." The girl was not stunning, at most she was cute and pretty. She walked down from the chaise longue and bowed to Shen Anan.

"Meet the Fourth Prince's wife. My surname is Li, and I am the daughter of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War."

Ministry of War? Shen Anan calmly put down the teacup and responded with a smile, "Hello, Miss Li."

Liangpin said, "The emperor knew you were coming today, and was afraid that you would be bored in the palace, so he allowed Jing'er to come to the palace to accompany you. You two are of similar age, so I think you can get along well."

Shen Anan thought, no wonder Xiao Yuan said that Liangpin was a heartless person. He was so straightforward when he was trying to force someone to be a concubine, and he didn't know how to be roundabout at all.

If she agreed, wouldn't she appear to be easy to bully?

"The Emperor must be concerned about the Empress. I can only enter the palace a few times a year. The Emperor must be worried that the Empress would be bored, so he allowed Miss Li to enter the palace to accompany the Empress."

“…”

Liangpin's face visibly twisted, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I was thinking that Lord Shen also works in the Ministry of War, and Jing'er's father happens to be Lord Shen's boss. If you two can get along well, it will also be beneficial to Lord Shen in the future."