Chapter 28, Section 28: "Your Highness, please call me Zhiniang from now on."

The moment Shen Mi saw Princess Wei, she felt her blood freeze instantly.

She remembered the unborn child she had been seeing frequently in her dreams lately. The child always cried and called her "Mother." She reached out to grab him, but couldn't. Instantly, all her composure and weighing of the pros and cons vanished. Overwhelmed with grief, she rushed toward Princess Wei: "You murderer, give me back my child's life!"

Princess Wei also strode towards Shen Mi, not avoiding her, but instead reaching out to grab her forearm as it was about to fall, and said quickly, "Do you really think I was the only murderer that day?"

"Don't try to deny it!" Shen Mi tried to pull her hand away from the Princess of Wei's grasp.

When she couldn't manage it, a large, strong hand helped her free her hand from the Princess Wei's grasp. Then, she was tightly embraced from behind. Without even thinking, she could guess that it was Gu Zhan.

Just now, Shen Mi said she wanted to go out for some fresh air, and Gu Zhan didn't think much of it, so he let her go. He still had some things to tell the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple. Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking and stepped out of the hall, he heard Shen Mi's voice.

He sensed something was wrong and rushed over, only to find her entangled with the Princess of Wei.

He rushed forward and pulled Shen Mi away from the Princess of Wei's grasp.

Gu Zhan held Shen Mi tightly in his arms, turned his head to glare at the Princess Consort of Wei, and said coldly, "Guards, drag this madwoman away from me, and don't let her offend the Consort."

The palace servants brought from the Eastern Palace obeyed orders and stepped forward, one on each side, to grab the Princess Consort of Wei and drag her backward.

"When I pushed you..." Before the Princess Consort of Wei could finish speaking, her mouth was covered by a palace maid, leaving her only able to make "mmm" sounds of struggle.

As soon as he pulled Shen Mi into his arms, he placed his palm against the back of her head, his fingers "naturally" resting on her earlobe, so that she didn't even hear the first few words of "Princess Wei".

"How are you? Are you hurt?" Gu Zhan asked with concern.

Shen Mi gently shook her head, recalling what the Princess Consort of Wei had said before Gu Zhan arrived, and then raised her face to look at Gu Zhan, "Just now she asked me if I really thought that she was the only one who pushed me into Taiye Pond at the Emperor's birthday banquet that day, or if there was someone else?"

Gu Zhan remained expressionless and asked, "Did she just ask you that directly?"

Shen Mi nodded gently.

“Have you ever seen a murderer who doesn’t implicate a few people? Besides, so many people saw it that day, and saying anything more now is just sophistry,” Gu Zhan placed his hand on her shoulder. “Or, think about it again, who else sitting next to you that day might care about our child? If there are any doubts, we can’t let the real murderer get away with it.”

Looking into Gu Zhan's eyes, Shen Mi actually thought about the scene from that day.

That day, the seats to her left and right were Princess Wei and Gu Chiying. However, Gu Chiying was restless and unwilling to talk to her much. Not long after the banquet started, she went to the back to play with Su Yuzhao. The seats to Gu Chiying's left were several princesses, all of whom were Gu Zhan's aunts. It seemed that apart from Princess Wei, no one else would do such a thing.

She came to her senses and said, "It seems like there really won't be anyone else here."

Gu Zhan patted her back and said, "That's good. If you remember anything suspicious later, be sure to tell me."

Shen Mi assumed he was just concerned about the child and didn't think much of it.

However, the sadness and resentment that she had finally managed to calm down in recent days resurfaced when she saw Princess Wei.

When she pressed her forehead against Gu Zhan's shoulder, she couldn't help but cry out again, sobbing, "Why? She is clearly a murderer, yet she can live a good life. Whenever I see her, I wish I could devour her flesh and blood. My child died a violent death, yet I cannot avenge her. I think that child must hate me to the core even in the afterlife."

As Gu Zhan listened to her cry, he gently patted her shoulder to comfort her while looking up at the sky. Perhaps out of guilt and remorse, he suddenly felt a headache coming on.

The child will not hate his mother, only his father.

His unborn child was like that, and so was he himself.

When Shen Mi's crying gradually subsided, he took a deep breath and said, "We are still young, and we will have children in the future."

Shen Mi was still sobbing.

"Wait a few more years, until I successfully inherit the throne."

Once he ascends the throne, he won't have to worry about so much. He can protect everything he wants to protect. At that time, he won't let go of the country, family, or love.

Gu Zhan suddenly remembered what Yang Ping had told him after the Thousand Autumns Banquet: the path to seizing power was destined to be difficult and would inevitably involve losing a lot. It all depended on whether he would prioritize personal feelings or imperial power.

Of course he wanted power. If it weren't for the fact that he could eventually sit on the throne smoothly, he wouldn't have needed to be so subservient to the empress all these years.

Shen Mi leaned on Gu Zhan's shoulder and cried for a while, gradually calming down.

If the Emperor intends to protect Princess Wei, no amount of her fussing will change anything. However, every year during Qingming Festival and Winter Solstice, she will have one more person on her mind.

Perhaps, once Gu Zhan ascends the throne, he can bring the murderer to justice on the spot. She could only console herself with this thought and ponder how to make a good life for Gu Zhan in the future.

Since it was a rare opportunity for Shen Mi to visit Daxiangguo Temple again, she also added more ever-burning lamps for her mother and brother, hoping that they could see that she was doing well now.

After finishing all that, she was about to leave when she glanced to the side and saw a plaque that read "Guanyin Hall," so she stopped to look.

Gu Zhan noticed her movements. "What's wrong?"

Shen Mi pointed to the plaque of the Guanyin Hall and said softly, "It is said that the Guanyin Hall is the most effective place to pray for offspring and marriage."

"Want to go?"

Gu Zhan didn't follow Shen Mi's gaze to look at the plaque, but instead looked at Shen Mi's profile.

He noticed the girl's eyelashes fluttering slightly, as if she were struggling with something, then looked away. "Well, Your Highness may have other matters to attend to, so let's not waste time on these things."

Shen Mi was about to leave, but Gu Zhan grabbed her wrist. His fingertips, seemingly unintentionally, curled inward and hooked her fingers.

She didn't dare to move, but heard Gu Zhan say, "It's alright. I made time for you today, so go if you want. It won't take up much time."

After Gu Zhan finished speaking, he took her hand and walked side by side with her towards the Guanyin Hall.

He glanced over unintentionally and noticed that the girl's sorrow seemed to have faded somewhat. His heart stirred, but he quickly looked away.

Upon entering the Guanyin Hall, Shen Mi gently withdrew her hand from Gu Zhan's, took three incense sticks, lit them, and devoutly offered them on the incense table. She then knelt on the prayer mat in front of the Guanyin statue to pray for blessings.

Gu Zhan knelt beside her on the prayer mat and saw her lips moving and her hands clasped together, as if she believed in these things.

After Shen Mi finished praying, Gu Zhan hadn't opened his eyes yet when she opened them. He seemed to notice her turning her head away before opening his eyes.

As she rose from her prayer cushion and left the hall, she couldn't help but think of the time last year on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month at Kaibao Temple, when the young novice asked Gu Zhan if he wanted to write a red ribbon to hang on a tree. At that time, she was terrified of Gu Zhan, and then she witnessed Chen Jun's affair. Seeing Gu Zhan's gloomy face, she didn't even dare to linger in front of the young novice. She made an excuse and left in a hurry, and Gu Zhan didn't say a word.

Later, Gu Zhan repeatedly defended her in front of outsiders, and petitioned on her behalf to allow her father's memorial tablet to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple to enjoy the royal incense offerings, while her mother's and brother's memorial tablets were enshrined in the Xiangguo Temple, so that she would have a place to worship at any time.

Now, he even put aside his official duties to personally accompany her to the Daxiangguo Temple.

Memories flashed before Shen Mi's eyes like a revolving lantern, and she felt a sense of satisfaction. She even began to yearn for a lifetime with Gu Zhan, something she had never dared to dream of before.

Seeing that she seemed to have something to say, Gu Zhan casually asked her a question.

Shen Mi gripped his sleeve and asked, "What wish did Your Highness just make?"

Gu Zhan was taken aback for a moment, which was rare for him.

What did he wish for? He didn't wish for anything. Apart from the supreme throne, he didn't care about anything else, but even if he made such a wish in front of Guanyin, it wouldn't come true.

However, a thought did cross his mind the moment he closed his eyes.

He thought of the child.

So he said to Shen Mi, "I hope that child can ascend to paradise soon."

Shen Mi's eyes reddened, she turned her head away and didn't say anything more.

On the way back to the East Palace from Daxiangguo Temple, you need to pass through a street where vendors gather.

As Shen Mi sat in the carriage, the aromas of various foods wafted through the curtains and into her nostrils.

She couldn't resist gently parting the carriage curtain with her fingertips, and the shouts of the vendors grew clearer in her ears.

In fact, she had been in Bianjing for almost a year and rarely left the East Palace. Before she got married, whether in Bianjing or Yanzhou, she loved being in a lively place. But she didn't have that opportunity in Bianjing. The last time was because she wanted to please Gu Zhan, so she prepared herbs and spices to sew a sachet for him. However, Gu Zhan's answer was perfunctory, and she never saw him wear it afterward.

Shen Mi couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

Gu Zhan glanced sideways and saw Shen Mi half-leaning against the edge of the car window, looking at something.

As Shen Mi watched the red shadow recede into the distance, she sighed softly and lowered the carriage curtain.

Gu Zhan asked her, "What were you looking at just now?"

Shen Mi pursed her lips and said, "I just passed by and saw a small stall selling candied hawthorns."

Gu Zhan glanced at her. Of all the stalls, he only remembered the one selling candied hawthorns.

He gestured for the driver to stop the car and gave Sun Cheng some instructions.

Not long after, Sun Cheng handed a crystal-clear candied hawthorn skewer through the car window.

Gu Zhan took it from Sun Cheng and then gave it to Shen Mi.

Shen Mi was genuinely surprised by his actions, her eyes filled with disbelief. She hesitated for a moment before accepting the gift, stammering, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Seeing her expression, Gu Zhan asked, "Do you like candied hawthorns?"

Shen Mi lowered her eyes. "It's not that I particularly like it, but when my brother was alive, he would often buy it for his concubines. Seeing this object reminds me of him."

Gu Zhan hummed in acknowledgment, and then said, "If you like it, just send someone out to buy it. It's not a big deal."

Shen Mi didn't respond, but held the bamboo stick used to skewer the candied hawthorns, a warm feeling rising in her heart.

——

Now, the relationship between Shen Mi and Gu Zhan is much closer and less distant than before. Especially after the Emperor's Thousand Autumns Banquet, Gu Zhan has stayed in Qingluan Palace almost every night, but he only holds her in his arms, mindful that she is not fully recovered, and they sleep fully clothed. She has been able to sleep more peacefully for the first time.

That night, I had a ridiculous dream.

The dream was incredibly realistic; all the scenes were exactly the same as those in the Azure Phoenix Palace. The warm light from outside slanted in, making half of Shen Mi's body feel warm.

She tilted her head and peeked out of the half-open window. The willow trees in the courtyard outside had their dense branches hanging down, and lotus flowers were still blooming in the pond not far away. Cuiwei was gently fanning her from the side and asked her if the temperature and strength were suitable.

She brushed Cuiwei's hand away and said, "Your hand must be sore from fanning for so long. Put it down and rest for a while. There's an ice chest in the hall, so it won't be too hot."

Cuiwei did as she was told.

In the dream, she stroked her slightly protruding belly, guessing that it must have been when she was still pregnant.

She was filled with anticipation for the baby's impending arrival, and on the table beside her lay the little tiger-head hat she had sewn for the child.

She asked Cuiwei quite naturally, "Where is Your Highness? It seems to be time for dinner. What dishes has the chef prepared today? Does it suit Your Highness's taste?"

Cuiwei chuckled and said, "Even before, when you were concerned about His Highness, you weren't this obvious. Ever since you became pregnant with this child, you keep talking about His Highness. Do you still remember that you clearly said before that you should know how to behave in front of His Highness?"

Shen Mi picked up the fan that Cuiwei had placed on the table and gently tapped it on her forehead: "You're always so glib, you don't learn Danju's composure at all."

Danju covered her lips and chuckled, but Cuiwei was displeased.

While the master and servant were playing around, Shen Mi suddenly heard a palace maid outside the window say, "Your Highness."

She looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Gu Zhan had arrived.

She instructed Danju and Cuiwei to go to the kitchen to serve dinner, while she herself rose to bow to Gu Zhan.

As soon as Gu Zhan entered, he dismissed the servants in the hall, just as he always did.

Shen Mi smiled and stood up. "Is Your Highness busy today? Why are you back so early?"

Gu Zhan didn't speak. The palace door was closed from the outside. The sky, which had been sunny and clear just moments before, suddenly turned gloomy, with thunder rumbling in the distance, and there was a faint hint that it was going to rain.

Shen Mi complained, "The summer rains always come so suddenly, giving no one a chance to catch their breath." As she spoke, she leaned over to close the shutter window, but Gu Zhan wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Suddenly, she felt a chill run down her back. Before she could speak, Gu Zhan turned her around from behind and made her face him.

Shen Mi glanced at Gu Zhan's expression and felt a little scared. She asked in a low voice, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

Gu Zhanben's hand, which was wrapped around her waist, suddenly moved upward and grabbed her neck.

The force was so great that she could barely breathe. She gasped for air, not understanding why Gu Zhan was doing this.

Then she saw Gu Zhan's gaze shift to her lower abdomen. "Don't you know I don't want this child?"

She wanted to ask Gu Zhan why he said that, but she couldn't say a word.

"I will not allow a son born out of wedlock to be born in the Eastern Palace." Gu Zhan's tone was cold, and she was terrified.

The next moment, a bowl of medicine appeared on the table beside her. Gu Zhan pinched her chin and forced her to swallow it. She was forced to swallow and could not refuse.

Not long after drinking the medicine, she felt a dull pain in her abdomen and heard a dripping sound. She looked down and saw blood all over the floor, flowing more and more.

Gu Zhan suddenly smiled, pushed her down onto the soft couch, and said, "That's fine."

"Shen Mi, Shen Mi?"

She immediately opened her eyes, gasped in surprise, and then realized that she was nestled in Gu Zhan's arms, with the same hands that had gripped her neck and fed her bitter medicine in her dream now resting on her waist.

Shen Mi shrank back in fright, crying, "Don't kill me, don't hurt my child..." but she couldn't break free from Gu Zhan's embrace, just like she couldn't resist the medicine being forced into her mouth in a dream.

Gu Zhan was a light sleeper. He saw Shen Mi moving around in his arms and murmuring softly. At first, he thought Shen Mi was just too tired today and was not sleeping well, so he didn't pay much attention. Later, he saw that there was sweat on her forehead and that her emotions in her dream seemed to be getting more and more intense. She was breathing with her lips open, but it seemed like she couldn't breathe.

He quickly realized that the woman in his arms was having a nightmare, so he called her name repeatedly in her ear until she woke up.

Gu Zhan raised his hand and used the sleeve of his nightgown to wipe away the cold sweat that had appeared on Shen Mi's forehead. He then noticed that she was also covered in layers of cold sweat on her back. He tried to soften his tone and asked, "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare? Don't be afraid, it's just a dream."

Shen Mi shook her head, looking at Gu Zhan with eyes full of terror. Her hands trembled as she moved to the hands that were wrapped around her waist, trying to remove them.

Gu Zhan let her do as she pleased, but saw her shrink back into the bed.

"Did you dream about that child? It's alright. Princess Wei is currently praying for the country at the Daxiangguo Temple. She cannot leave without an imperial decree, so no one will harm our child anymore." Gu Zhan rarely showed patience in comforting her.

Shen Mi pursed her dry lips, her face streaked with tears. She dared not look at Gu Zhan's face and whispered, "No, no, the one I dreamt of was not the Princess Consort of Wei."

"Who is that? Can you tell me?"

Shen Mi gripped her sleeves tightly. "It was you. I dreamt that you said you didn't want your illegitimate eldest son, and you forced me to drink that abortion potion. It was you who killed our child..."

Gu Zhan saw that Shen Mi did not look up and her voice was still trembling, and his eyes darkened.

Why would Shen Mi have such a dream?

Fortunately, it was nighttime, and in the dim light of the tent, Shen Mi wouldn't notice his suddenly changed expression.

Gu Zhan placed his hand on Shen Mi's waist and said, "How could that be? How could I harm our child?"

Although he did not act as Yang Ping instructed, he did not stop him either, making him an indirect perpetrator.

Shen Mi shrank back and remained silent.

That makes sense. Why would she have such a strange dream?

Even tigers don't eat their cubs, so even if Gu Zhan is ruthless, he wouldn't harm their child, right? After all, that child is also his bloodline.

It must be because I've been missing my child too much lately, and then I ran into Princess Wei at the Xiangguo Temple during the day.

Gu Zhan tried to pull Shen Mi into his arms, slowly approaching her. He took a breath and said, "Dreams are all false, all the opposite of reality. Shen Mi, don't be afraid."

Shen Mi slowly came to her senses and, just like before, gently rested her head on Gu Zhan's shoulder.

Gu Zhan whispered gently in her ear, "Alright, it's still early, you can take another nap."

When Shen Mi heard Gu Zhan call her by her name, she felt uneasy and looked up at him.

A sliver of moonlight peeked through the gaps in the bed curtains, illuminating Gu Zhan's high, straight nose.

Shen Mi hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness, could you please stop calling me 'Shen Mi' from now on? I'm not used to it. Could you please call me by my nickname instead?"

Gu Zhan opened his eyes and looked at her, "What's your nickname?"

“Zhiniang, the ‘zhi’ in ‘zhi’ (childish).” She spoke very carefully, afraid that Gu Zhan would refuse.

"Yes, Zhi Niang." Gu Zhan patted her back.

Whether it was Shen Mi's imagination or not, she felt that Gu Zhan had been paying much more attention to her lately. She had a nightmare the night before, and the next day Gu Zhan summoned Cheng Lin to the East Palace to have him examine Shen Mi's body.

After taking his pulse, Cheng Lin said that he was indeed overthinking and that he could prescribe some calming soup if needed.

Gu Zhan rejected his suggestion, saying, "She can't stand drinking medicine every day. Let's switch to medicinal cuisine instead."

Cheng Lin thought for a moment and said, "Or Your Highness could light some calming incense in Consort Shen's palace, which would be more effective than medicinal cuisine."

After Gu Zhan asked Shen Mi for her opinion, he instructed Cheng Lin to take action.

After lighting the calming incense, Shen Mi never had such strange dreams again. On the contrary, she slept more soundly than before. However, she would still dream of the child occasionally and wake up in fright.

Gu Zhan had consulted Cheng Lin more than once. Cheng Lin was unaware of the details, but from a doctor's perspective, he said that the calming incense was ultimately just treating the symptoms, not the root cause, and that it was only a temporary fix. He suggested that Shen Mi should completely let go of this knot in her heart for things to get better.

All we can do now is use calming incense to relieve the symptoms.

Until one day, Gu Zhan told her that the Emperor had severely punished the Prince of Wei, ordering him to immediately return to his fiefdom and no longer stay in the capital.

The reason was that the Prince of Wei secretly visited the Princess of Wei at the Daxiangguo Temple. This was witnessed by the Empress, who was worshipping Buddha at the Daxiangguo Temple. The Emperor soon learned of this and was furious. He rebuked the Prince of Wei for his lack of remorse and thus completely demoted the Princess of Wei to a commoner.

After months of emotional turmoil, Shen Mi finally resolved her inner conflict and never woke up in the middle of the night again. Although her relationship with Gu Zhan wasn't exactly blissful, it was like that of an ordinary couple.

Of course, Gu Zhan didn't tell her that the reason why the Prince of Wei suddenly went to the Daxiangguo Temple to find the Princess Consort of Wei was because he ordered someone to imitate the Princess Consort of Wei's handwriting and write a letter to the Prince of Wei, saying that he wanted to see the Prince of Wei. The timing just happened to coincide with the day that the Empress went to worship Buddha.

He knew that the Emperor would not easily let the Prince of Wei lose his position in the court. Eliminating the threat of the Prince of Wei required a gradual approach. He had already accomplished most of the task, and this time it was just adding fuel to the fire. The Empress's actions made the Prince of Wei's situation even worse.

After the incident at the Emperor's Thousand Autumns Banquet, many officials who had secretly wanted to support the Prince of Wei began to waver, and those who were still observing also had the idea of ​​joining the Eastern Palace. Gu Zhan was happy to see this happen and did not refuse. He won them over and gave them benefits as appropriate, and for a time he was even more successful.

Once the King of Wei takes up his fief, his position as crown prince will be even more secure.

But these things were too complicated, the methods too despicable, and the scheming behind them too contemptible. In his heart, he did not want Shen Mi to know.

It's already early October, and Bianjing has entered winter in the blink of an eye. By the end of October, the first snow of the winter fell in the Eastern Palace.

Shen Mi changed back into the clothes she wore when she first married into the Eastern Palace last year, but her state of mind was very different from last year.

Actually, before winter arrived, the palace sent servants to make her many new clothes, but she still liked the clothes she brought from home the most, as they always reminded her of the days she spent at home.

The Qingluan Palace was filled with the finest silver charcoal, making the room warm and cozy, and the servants were all in harmony.

In winter, when the days are long, Shen Mi tends to sleep in. Gu Zhan no longer wakes her up for court sessions to help her dress, as he used to. Every day, she opens her eyes to find it is already broad daylight.

Shen Mi leaned against the window, watching the snowflakes fall from the sky. She couldn't help but think of the times when she and her brother used to build snowmen and have snowball fights at home.

So they called Cuiwei and Danju, put on their clothes, and went outside to build a small snowman.

Cuiwei and Danju couldn't persuade her, so they just let her do as she pleased, but they were very careful.

As soon as Shen Mi stepped outside, she was slightly disappointed. All the snow in her yard had been swept away, making it impossible to build a snowman.

Danju rubbed her hands together and said with a smile, "His Highness cares about you, Consort Liang, and is afraid that you might slip on the snow when you go out."

Even so, the thought of building a snowman lingered in her mind like a tiny claw, making her yearn for something more.

She then asked Danju, "Which parts of the palace haven't been cleared of snow yet?"

Danju thought for a moment, "It seems that His Highness only ordered the snow near Qingluan Palace to be swept clean, and the rest of the area was not touched."

Shen Mi immediately went to the front yard and, sure enough, saw thick snow outside the veranda, which was ankle-deep.

She was overjoyed and squatted down to gather the snow, asking Cuiwei and Danju to lend a hand as well.

Cuiwei was very familiar with this matter, but Danju looked embarrassed. "Lady, I used to be from Lingnan. I have never seen snow before, nor have I ever built a snowman."

Shen Mi didn't take it seriously. "That's easy. Come on, I'll teach you."

Danju was a little unfamiliar with the process at first, but soon she became quite adept at it.

Before long, a lifelike snowman was formed on the ground, looking adorable.

However, when Shen Mi looked at the snowman, she felt that something was missing. After observing it closely, she realized that it was missing two arms.

As she looked around, she saw someone hand her a branch, the snow of which had been shaken off.

Shen Mi turned her head to look, only to see Su Xingjian smiling at her.

She was quite surprised, and smiled at Su Xingjian, saying, "Thank you, Master Su, this makes it much more lively!"

Gu Zhan, who had just passed through the moon gate and was on his way to the Azure Phoenix Palace to find Shen Mi, stopped in his tracks upon seeing this scene.

Sun Cheng stood to the side, not daring to speak, holding his breath and concentrating.

Gu Zhan frowned and looked in that direction, his brows furrowing.

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Author's Note: Who cares? [Let me see][Let me see]