Chapter 114 Good Tea

Yan Zhiyi is fond of Pei Jingzhou and still can't let him go, but she can clearly see that Pei Jingzhou only has eyes for Jiang Zhaoyue.

She was in great pain and was very conflicted. She looked up at the queen and called out softly, "Aunt."

"At least one of you and Manyi must enter the Eastern Palace," said the Queen.

Yan Zhiyi lowered her head: "Aunt, I... I'm afraid I can't."

The Queen said, "You and the Crown Prince have a relationship, so it will be easier for you to enter the Eastern Palace."

Yan Manyi was instantly displeased when she heard this.

Yan Zhiyi whispered the truth: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince only likes the Crown Princess."

"Only?" The Queen laughed sarcastically, "Looking across the entire Jin Dynasty, is there any man who only likes one woman?"

Yan Zhiyi raised her eyes and looked at the Queen: "Crown Prince——"

"The Emperor loved Empress Yuan so deeply. He fought and cried to marry her, even wanting to give up on being Emperor. But what was the result?" the Empress asked herself, answering, "The result was that he had concubines, concubines, and other women. He failed to protect her, and she almost lost her only son."

Yan Zhiyi's eyes were a little dazed.

"Don't demand loyalty from a man, and don't believe he will. Jiang Zhaoyue's glory will only last for a short time. Who knows how much she'll fall from grace in the future." The Queen continued, "If you don't enter the Crown Prince's harem, other women will, won't they?"

Yan Zhiyi's eyes were focused on the queen's face.

"Go and give it a try, for the feelings in your heart, for wealth and glory, and for the future of the Yan family." said the queen.

Yan Zhiyi hesitated and said, "But I..."

"Try your best. If you fail, your aunt won't blame you." The queen said gently.

Upon hearing this, Yan Manyi glared at Yan Zhiyi fiercely, and then complained in her heart that the Queen was partial to people outside the capital.

She thought about how she would still have to rely on the Queen in the future, so she didn't show it, and followed the Queen's lead and said, "Yes, Second Cousin, the Yan family raised us up so well, we should repay them."

"Yes, Manyi is right," said the Queen.

Yan Zhiyi had no choice but to nod.

"Your birthday banquet will be in a few days. I will celebrate for you in Shunning Palace and invite the prince as well. You and Manyi should seize the opportunity." The queen instructed.

Yan Zhiyi nodded.

Yan Manyi's eyes were full of ambition.

"Then it's settled." said the Queen.

Yan Zhiyi and Yan Manyi responded together: "Yes."

The queen sighed.

"What's wrong with my aunt?" Yan Zhiyi asked.

"You were turned away in the East Palace. I wanted to take this opportunity to teach Jiang Zhaoyue a lesson, but she kept talking about other things and I forgot about it. I just let her go back so easily." The queen regretted it deeply.

Yan Zhiyi said, "Perhaps His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn't want to see us. It has nothing to do with the Crown Princess."

"How is that possible!" Yan Manyi continued, "When we were little, we had such a good relationship with Brother Jingzhou."

Yan Zhiyi turned to Yan Manyi and said, "You also said that, that was when we were little."

"Second cousin, you are speaking for Jiang Zhaoyue like this. Have you forgotten that she stole your lover?" Yan Manyi directly stabbed Yan Zhiyi.

Yan Zhiyi looks like a pure little white flower, and is a little hesitant in character, but she has her own ideas about right and wrong.

She immediately said sternly, "Third cousin, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and I have known each other since childhood, but our relationship is purely friendship. He and I have never secretly agreed to spend our lives together, nor have we had any matchmaker arrange the marriage. How can there be any talk of him being my sweetheart? Don't make up such stories."

Yan Manyi said: "You——"

"Okay, Manyi, you always speak whatever you want. Pay more attention in the future and learn from your second cousin." Compared with Yan Zhiyi and Yan Manyi, the queen likes and favors Yan Zhiyi more.

Yan Manyi was dissatisfied with what the Queen said, but she couldn't afford to offend the Queen. She secretly glared at Yan Zhiyi and said obediently, "Yes, my niece will follow my aunt's instructions."

The queen nodded.

Yan Zhiyi raised her eyes and looked towards the gate of Shunning Palace.

Jiang Zhaoyue had already left the gate of Shunning Palace.

Seeing that no one was around, Xiang Qiao whispered, "Crown Princess, why did you lie just now?"

"What lie did I tell?" Jiang Zhaoyue asked back.

Xiang Qiao said, "You clearly knew that Miss Yan Er and Miss Yan San went to the East Palace."

Jiang Zhaoyue shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"This servant reported to you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said he would not see him."

"What do your report and His Highness's reply have to do with me?" Jiang Zhaoyue tilted her head and said, "I don't know, I don't know, I just don't know."

The Crown Princess is so smart and cute.

Ignorance is not a crime. The Empress couldn't find any fault with the Crown Princess. Xiang Qiao wanted to laugh, but then she thought of something else and asked, "But if the Empress and the others ask His Highness—"

"His Highness is not stupid. If the Queen Mother mentions such a trivial matter in front of him, he will immediately notice something is wrong. Not only will he not give any answer, he will also try to figure out the Queen Mother's purpose." Jiang Zhaoyue said.

really.

Your Highness is the smartest person in the world.

Xiangqiao felt relieved.

"Even if my mother and the others say it clearly, His Highness will definitely stand on my side and say that I know nothing." Jiang Zhaoyue was full of confidence.

Xiang Qiao loved seeing the Crown Princess's confident look; it made her glow. Even standing beside her, she felt warm and happy, nodding and saying, "The Crown Princess is right."

"Well, let's go back to the East Palace. It's the second day of Guishui. I feel tired. I want to go back and get some sleep."

"Let me get you a hot water bottle to warm you up."

"No, I'll just take a nap and be fine tomorrow."

Xiangqiao nodded: "Yeah."

Jiang Zhaoyue added, "When your menstrual period comes, you will have to work one less day."

Xiangqiao was surprised: "Huh?"

Jiang Zhaoyue added: "I won't deduct your monthly salary."

Xiang Qiao was moved and said, "Thank you, Crown Princess."

The master and servant walked forward, whispering to each other.

The other maids and palace maids followed closely behind.

When he arrived at the East Palace wing, Jiang Zhaoyue fell asleep immediately. When he woke up, he ate and drank, looked at the account book, and then went back to sleep.

When Pei Jingzhou came back in the evening, she leaned against him softly and acted coquettishly: "Your Highness."

Pei Jingzhou sat on the bed, flipping through the notebook she had gotten from somewhere with one hand, and holding her waist with the other: "Hold on tight, don't fall."

"Just now, the Queen Mother said that the Second Miss Yan's birthday banquet will be held in Shunning Palace in three days."

Pei Jingzhou replied nonchalantly, "Yeah."

Jiang Zhaoyue asked: "What birthday gift?"

"As you please."

"She's your childhood sweetheart, you definitely know what she likes."

Pei Jingzhou tilted his head and asked, "Are you jealous?"

"Yeah." Jiang Zhaoyue responded without any emotion.

"Fake." Pei Jingzhou identified it at a glance, his eyes falling on the book again: "She and I were children. Now we have grown up and our preferences have changed. You can just give her some gifts according to etiquette."

"What should I give you as a gift?" Jiang Zhaoyue asked.

"what do you like?"

"I like you."

Pei Jingzhou turned his head and asked, "You want to give me to her?"

"No, no, no, you are my man! No other woman can touch even a hair on you!" Jiang Zhaoyue hugged Pei Jingzhou's waist, looking very domineering and unreasonable.

Pei Jingzhou pointed at the storybook.

Jiang Zhaoyue leaned over to take a look. It clearly read, "You are my woman! No other man can lay a finger on a single hair of yours." She immediately closed the book and tucked it under her pillow. She feigned displeasure and said, "That's outrageous! The people in this book imitate my speech. It's a rubbish book. I won't read it anymore. Let's go to sleep."

Pei Jingzhou smiled and didn't bother with her. He followed her wishes, lay down, listened to her chattering about daily life, and then watched her fall asleep.

The next day, Jiang Zhaoyue woke up and felt much better. After paying her respects to the Queen, she came back to discuss the birthday gift with Nanny Yun. Three days later, she and Pei Jingzhou came to Shunning Palace together.

Yan Zhiyi's eyes lit up.

Yan Manyi ran directly to Pei Jingzhou: "Brother Jingzhou."

Pei Jingzhou didn’t think anything of it when he heard the words “Brother Jingzhou” before.

Ever since Jiang Zhaoyue imitated Yan Zhiyi and called out these four words last time, he felt goose bumps all over his body when he heard them. He said seriously, "Miss Yan San, from now on, call me Your Highness."

Yan Manyi's smile froze, her eyes instantly reddened, and she looked at Pei Jingzhou pitifully and aggrievedly: "Brother Jingzhou, did I do something wrong?"

Oh my god!

What a good tea!

Jiang Zhaoyue couldn't bear it any longer and wanted to leave, but her hand was suddenly grabbed. She turned to look at the culprit and squeezed out a sound through her teeth: "What are you doing?"