Yan Nangui was still the same as before, and she didn't need to act all high and mighty.

When Ye Liangdi arrived, she looked energetic and there was no sign that she had made a blunder just yesterday.

Oh, of course it was a misunderstanding.

Yan Nangui thought, after all, the Crown Prince didn't even stay overnight, and went back to the front courtyard to call for Xia Fengyi, so how could this not be a misunderstanding?

Ye Liangdi watched as Yan Nangui snorted and sat down, surprisingly without saying anything.

It's clear that the effects of the bewitching potion the Crown Prince gave him yesterday haven't worn off yet.

When the Crown Princess came out, everyone greeted her.

After they were seated, the Crown Princess had no choice but to bring up yesterday's events: "Consort Yan, what happened yesterday?"

"Your Highness, although it was Consort Ding who spoke rudely yesterday, I was also impulsive. Please punish me, Your Highness; I am willing to voluntarily confine myself to my quarters."

"It's not that serious. Ding Zhaoxun does deserve to be taught a lesson. But you were indeed wrong too. I'll just fine you one month's salary," the Crown Princess said.

Even the wild geese returning south can only express their gratitude.

Although Ye Liangdi was very dissatisfied, she still didn't say anything.

This surprised both the Crown Princess and Consort Su.

Consort Su's beautiful eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "I only found out today that Your Highness actually stayed in the front courtyard last night? Wasn't it said that you went to Jiyue Pavilion?"

"Sister Su, you don't know, His Highness went to Wenyue Pavilion last night, but he rested in the front courtyard in the end. Consort Xia went to serve him in bed," Consort Luo said with a smile.

She was in good spirits today, so she came.

Ye Liangdi gave a somewhat unnatural snort: "I invited His Highness here last night. I have something to say to His Highness. Why do you all have to ask me one by one?"

Su Liangdi smiled and picked up her teacup.

She has achieved the effect she wanted.

The Crown Princess frowned slightly: "What is it that requires Your Highness to come so late at night? You are a concubine, even if there is something, you should go and tell His Highness the next day."

“Ye Liangdi, given your special status, you should set an example even more. How can you always be so insensible?”

Ye Liangdi felt very wronged by these words, but she couldn't explain that she felt pregnant last night.

"What's so important that you're bringing this up so eagerly? I didn't try to keep His Highness either," Consort Ye said, her anger rising with embarrassment.

“Ye Liangdi, not keeping someone and not being able to keep them are not the same thing,” Yan Nangui said with a smile.

"Yan Shi, what are you saying! You think you can keep her here?" Ye Liangdi was even angrier.

“It’s perfectly normal that I couldn’t keep you here. I’m not His Highness’s cousin. After all, whenever His Highness comes to my place, you have to come and invite him. This isn’t the first time. I’m just wondering, you’ve already invited him, so why couldn’t you keep him? What’s the reason?” Yan Nangui asked with a smile.

Ye Liangdi suddenly remembered that she might have known about her situation last night.

For a moment, he was both angry and worried: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Her sudden weakness immediately alerted those around her.

The Crown Princess snorted: "Last night, when the imperial physician came to the residence, I thought you were feeling unwell. Turns out you were just being unreasonable. You're a newcomer to the residence, and you don't even set a good example. It's truly disappointing."

"I didn't..." Ye Liangdi's voice was loud, but she didn't finish her sentence, and she snorted, "Say what you will!"

"I dare not say anything against you, I only beg you to have pity on me. I am out of favor, and it is not easy for me to see His Highness. Yesterday, I was even mocked by Consort Ding for falling out of favor. Now that I have finally seen him, you still try to take him away. Don't you think you are picking on the weak?" Yan Nangui said again.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Ye Liangdi glared at her angrily: "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!"

"You're really amazing." Yan Nangui shrugged.

Ye Liangdi was so angry she could hardly contain herself, but she couldn't yell at her, for fear that she would reveal what happened last night.

When the party was over, Ye Liangdi went home as if she had been chased by a dog.

Inside Wangchun Pavilion, Consort Su changed into a set of light clothes.

"Tell me, what happened last night?"

Fu'er hesitated: "This... could it be that Consort Ye is using illness as a pretext to gain favor or something? But I guess she's not sick, she's just faking it, right?"

“Borrowing illness…” Su Liangdi pondered the words, then chuckled softly: “Is it borrowing illness, or borrowing pregnancy?”

"Huh? Could it be that she...she's pregnant?" Fu'er exclaimed in surprise.

"That's definitely not the case. If she were pregnant, would she be so quiet?" Su Liangdi scoffed.

"Then...does she think she's pregnant? Or is she pregnant, but it's early in the pregnancy?" Fu'er asked, puzzled.

“I don’t think so. Whether she was pregnant or not, His Highness couldn’t possibly have left her at his place last night,” Consort Su said, gently smoothing her hair.

“Indeed. It’s pitiful that Consort Yan rarely gets to see His Highness,” Fu’er said.

"If you believe her nonsense, you're a fool." Su Liangdi laughed. "She didn't serve the emperor many times, but does that mean it's okay for you to treat her like that?"

“This servant knows, she is General Yan’s eldest daughter, so she must be important,” Fu’er said.

“Yan Nangui is a woman of exceptional intelligence and skill; don’t underestimate her. It’s not time yet. His Highness is still just the Crown Prince. The real battle will begin when he becomes Emperor.” Consort Su sighed, “By then, Yan Nangui will still be around, but who can I, without a powerful family background, restrain?”

"Please don't say that, His Highness dotes on you." Fu'er felt a pang of sadness.

"What good is pampering me? Sometimes, the real skill is to remain standing even without favor... Never mind, let's not talk about this. At least today's events have taught me that Consort Ye will not get pregnant easily."

Fu'er suddenly realized: "You mean..."

"Just guess. His Highness is the heartless one." Consort Su waved her hand, clearly not wanting to say more.

Inside Jiyue Pavilion, Yan Nangui, who had been unable to stay at home, was now listless.

When he got back, he remembered that there was still a Shuanzi, so he asked Chanyi to go to the main courtyard to tell her, and the Crown Princess indeed gave her permission.

Let's just consider it a sale; clearly, the Crown Princess sees her as a sensible person.

They also arranged a eunuch for Consort Luo.

Shuanzi was overjoyed that he would have a master to serve him. After kowtowing, he went to find work to do.

From then on, at least tasks like fetching meals were taken care of. It also became much easier to deliver messages to the front yard.

She didn't care much about being fined.

A lady of high rank receives an annual salary of two hundred taels of silver, along with cloth, jewelry, and daily necessities such as sugar and tea, as well as consumables like charcoal and firewood.

However, it is clear that living on just two hundred taels of silver would be a stretch.

That's quite a lot. For an average family of five, twenty taels of silver a year would be more than enough. (To make sense, one tael of silver in the Ming and Qing dynasties was equivalent to about 600 RMB.)

Logically speaking, two hundred taels would amount to more than sixteen taels a month.

Raising one migrating goose is certainly enough.

After all, the monthly allowance for those around them came from the government, while subsidies were calculated separately.

But it's not that simple.