Chapter 521 Xiao Qingxi is listless

With such a powerful figure living in the house, Shen Wantang can't even slack off, otherwise the Empress Dowager might pin some crime on her again.

However, after she went to Princess Ning's courtyard, the Empress Dowager ignored her. She had been guarding Prince Ning for a day and a night without eating, drinking, or sleeping. How could her pampered body withstand such treatment?

She lay on the chaise longue, and when she heard Shen Wantang come to pay his respects, she didn't even lift her eyelids.

Shen Wantang was quite happy with this arrangement. It was perfect if she ignored her. She could just pretend that she was afraid of disturbing the Empress Dowager's rest and then quietly slip away.

As for taking care of Prince Ning and Princess Ning, the imperial physicians will naturally handle it; she doesn't need to do it herself.

The days passed uneventfully, and before we knew it, a month had flown by.

The Prince and Princess Ning's breathing gradually improved from weak to steady, and their pale complexions became rosy. The only thing that remained unchanged was that they still hadn't woken up.

The Empress Dowager initially stayed at the Prince Ning's residence, but when she saw that her son remained unconscious, she returned to the palace. After all, she was the Empress Dowager and could not stay outside the palace indefinitely.

After returning to the palace, she would visit the Prince Ning's residence every two days, and then return to the palace after half a day.

A month later, she had started visiting the Prince Ning's residence every five days, staying for a short while before returning to the palace.

Shen Wantang visibly relaxed. Apart from occasionally visiting her parents-in-law, she had no other worries. Even Xiao Qingxi, who used to like to cause her trouble, had become well-behaved recently.

No, it should be said that Xiao Qingxi has been listless lately.

Because the Empress Dowager reprimanded her every time she came, Xiao Qingxi is now more afraid of seeing the Empress Dowager than Shen Wantang.

Although the Empress Dowager didn't like Shen Wantang, she was somewhat aware that Shen Wantang was truly capable. She had made a great contribution to the fact that Prince Ning and Princess Ning had managed to survive until now. If only those few imperial physicians had treated her, her son would probably have lost his life long ago.

Therefore, she didn't want to see or bother Shen Wantang. Moreover, Shen Wantang was an outsider to her, and she wouldn't bother to scold or teach her.

But Xiao Qingxi is different. Xiao Qingxi is her own granddaughter, and she is very disappointed in her. So whenever she has the chance, she will give her a lecture.

The Empress Dowager even specially instructed her maid, Granny Fu, to teach Xiao Qingxi manners, such as respecting elders, serving them meals, helping them solve their problems, and having the world in mind, as well as reciting scriptures and praying for the Emperor and Crown Prince.

With her wild nature, Xiao Qingxi could not stand such discipline, so she would claim to be sick every few days, avoiding seeing the Empress Dowager, and even ran back to the Huo family to hide from her.

Unfortunately, even if she ran back to the Huo family, the Empress Dowager would send someone to summon her back whenever she came to the Ning Prince's residence. No matter if she was sick or what, as long as she wasn't dead, she had to come and pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.

On this day, the Empress Dowager visited the Prince Ning's residence again.

Xiao Qingxi, who had been hiding away, was dragged out once again and taught a lesson by her.

Shen Wantang and her maids were enjoying the cool air in the pavilion by the lake when they could hear the Empress Dowager's stern reprimands coming from Shaoguang Courtyard.

Du Juan picked a handful of lotus pods and sat down next to Shen Wantang to peel lotus seeds for her.

While eating the crisp, sweet, and fragrant lotus seeds, Shen Wantang listened intently to the lively scene.

Unfortunately, it was too far away to hear clearly, but it sounded like Xiao Qingxi couldn't stand the scolding anymore and started arguing with the Empress Dowager while crying.

Shen Wantang couldn't help but shake her head. Xiao Qingxi really didn't learn her lesson. Every time she disobeyed the Empress Dowager, she was met with even harsher punishments. The Empress Dowager had the same stubborn temper as her. The more someone disobeyed her, the more she wanted to subdue them until she was satisfied.

After a long while, the noise from Shaoguang Courtyard gradually subsided.

Qin Xin walked over quickly.

When Shen Wantang saw her arrive, he perked up: "Qiyu, give Qinxin a bowl of cool tea. Look how hot she is, she's covered in sweat."

Qi Yu smiled and immediately poured some iced tea, handing it to Qin Xin.

Qin Xin took it, drank it down in one gulp, and said excitedly, "Princess Consort, the Eldest Miss has been punished again!"

"The Empress Dowager punished her again, and I heard that she cried."

"The Empress Dowager said she didn't know what respect was, and made her kneel in the sun and balance a bowl on her head!"

Shen Wantang glanced at the scorching sun outside the pavilion and nodded in agreement: "The Empress Dowager is capable of punishing people. With such a blazing sun, she made Xiao Qingxi balance a bowl on her head outside. Isn't she afraid that she will suffer from heatstroke?"

Qin Xin whispered, "This servant thinks that the young lady seems to be really hot; her face is as red as a boiled shrimp."

"But the Empress Dowager pretended not to see it. The young lady was unsteady and swayed, breaking five bowls in a row, which angered the Empress Dowager. She ordered Granny Fu to take a ruler and hit the young lady's palm five times."

"The young lady has been pampered and protected by the princess since she was a child. She has never been beaten like this before. She immediately cried and screamed in pain, saying that the empress dowager was not her real grandmother at all. The empress dowager was so angry that she personally took a ruler and hit her five more times."

"You don't know, when Granny Fu hit her before, she was holding back. It looked like she was hitting hard, but she was actually controlling her strength. But when the Empress Dowager hit her, she hit her to death. After she finished, the young lady's palms immediately swelled up."

Shen Wantang calmly waved the round fan in his hand, quite pleased with the love-hate relationship between the Empress Dowager and Xiao Qingxi: "If I had known that the Empress Dowager was so good at teaching the younger generation, I should have thought of a way to invite the Empress Dowager to our Prince's Mansion sooner!"

Qin Xin nodded in agreement: "That's right. Ever since the Empress Dowager came to the Prince's Mansion, the eldest young lady has never bothered you again. She's extremely well-behaved now, afraid that the Empress Dowager will find fault with her again."

Shen Wantang chuckled, wondering if Xiao Qingxi regretted going to the palace to use the Empress Dowager as a powerful figure to pressure her.

Now things are different. She's not being suppressed, but Xiao Qingxi herself is being crushed by this mountain.

Shen Wantang felt inexplicably cheerful, and even her appetite, which had been poor due to the heat, improved: "Granny Chai, have someone pick some lotus leaves. Today we'll have lotus leaf glutinous rice porridge, lotus leaf salt-baked chicken, and lotus leaf Dongpo fish! Also, pick some lotus flowers to make lotus flower tea and send it over to the imperial physicians."

"yes."

Granny Chai smiled and replied, "Your Highness, the imperial physicians staying in our residence have all gained quite a bit of weight over the past month. The other day, Physician Zhou even said that at his age, eating so much is not good for his health."

As soon as Granny Chai finished speaking, Shen Wantang saw Physician Zhou coming out of Shaoguang Courtyard from afar.

She waited until Physician Zhou was closer before saying, "In that case, we won't bring Physician Zhou any food today. Let's not interfere with Physician Zhou's health regimen."

Although the imperial physician was not young, his hearing was still very sharp. He quickly walked up to Shen Wantang and asked, "What is the Princess Consort planning to cook today? Why haven't you brought it to this old man yet? Have I offended you?"