Chapter 43 Chapter 43 [VIP]
It was one thing not to care about remarrying, but she had been poisoned like this. Shen Youyi couldn't help but feel the bitterness in her heart. She cried in his arms, choking and saying, "How could he treat me like this?"
Everything is fine when a man and a woman are attracted to each other, but when one of them wants to part ways, it becomes very difficult. She looked up at her brother and whispered her grievances, "I've long wanted to stop being entangled with him, but he always tells me to wait for him for a few more years. But brother, I'm scared..."
She served a father and son successively. The son could not care less, but could the father do the same?
Shen Youyi shuddered at the thought of that possibility. Emperor Yuan Shuo had no idea about the Crown Prince's past with her, and even now the Crown Prince hadn't let go of his affairs with her. Qing was waiting to inherit the harem left by his father...
Chen Huaian wiped the sweat from her temples and said softly, "Your Majesty, please know that your illness is nothing serious. Yi Niang has stopped taking the medicine for a long time. You are still young, so it won't be difficult for you to give birth to a prince. Even if you don't have the title of legitimate son, the crown prince... is not legitimate either."
His sister was no longer as innocent as before. She was willing to get her goals even if her hands were stained with blood. But he thought that telling her this at this time might scare her.
At that time, Yi Niang was favored by the emperor, but she was unable to prevent pregnancy. In order to stabilize the prince, she selected those people to serve in Zhaoyang Palace.
But later, when she learned about this alternative method, she changed her mind and decided to stop taking the medicine and take care of her body.
Since they could no longer get close to the emperor, there was no need to save those people's lives. Shen Huaian lowered his eyes. Although he did not see it with his own eyes, he could guess how Yi Niang leaked the matter of the contraceptive pills to the emperor, and then used her sad and beautiful voice and the title of Marquis of Lingyang to completely lose the emperor's favor.
Shen Youyi hesitated to speak. Her brother rarely said such things before. Instead, she would sigh and say that there was only one man in the family who could be an official. He was good at studying but had no ambition. He also asked her if she wanted to retire with him.
Her answer at that time was of course no. She still liked to enjoy the days of being the center of attention. Her brother might have been a little disappointed, but he didn't say anything. Later, he became an official smoothly. Father and mother were very happy, but her brother himself might not be.
Even though the prince was willing to make friends with her at that time, Shen's husband was very distant and polite, showing a coldness that was completely different from her own.
They have all changed, only she remains in the past.
"So, brother, you are temporarily attached to the prince, just for me?"
Shen Youyi thought of the similar interests between him and the Second Prince, and sighed softly: "I was too young at that time. If I had listened to my brother and not provoked that person, it would have been fine."
The Second Prince did not know many of the things that his brother had said to her. They were brothers and sisters who depended on each other, but for her, they had become a little estranged from each other as a pair of friends, the king and his subject.
If she had not been so greedy and wanted to be the most noble woman in the world, there would not have been so many waves. Maybe she would still be doing needlework at home, or marry a slightly ordinary man and take care of her husband and children.
But Shen Huaian had experienced many ups and downs in the officialdom for several years, and his former scholarly spirit had faded by half. He couldn't help but laugh: "It doesn't matter. If it is true, then Yi Niang will regret not entering the palace all her life. She is still thinking about the glory of being the queen, and being the queen dowager and having several male favorites."
Not only was she young at the time, he was also too young to think that as long as he built a paradise, he could stay with her forever.
But people like Yiniang are born to stand at the highest point... Even if the man who holds the sun and the moon and can give her infinite glory is not him, Emperor Yuanshuo is already 37 years old, while he and Yiniang are only in their twenties.
She liked these things, and even though he was not very enthusiastic, he would try his best to get them for her.
Shen Youyi had such a messy thought in her mind, but when her brother pointed it out, she couldn't help but blush and whispered in defense: "That's not the case, Yi Niang is not a bad woman... Having your Majesty is enough."
Her brother, however, did not smile at her calmness and self-respect. He seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking gently, "Has Yi Niang fallen in love with His Majesty?"
Talking about her husband with her brother was normal, but this kind of scene was too rare for Shen Youyi. She was a little reserved and shook her head: "I... don't quite understand."
She liked being close to Emperor Yuan Shuo very much, sometimes even greedy for it, and did not mind the age gap of more than ten years, and she could also have children with him, but this was partly because she was his concubine when she woke up, destined to depend on the emperor to live. The king's favor was more important than anything else in the inner court, and she needed him to share some of his father's love for her. But every time she saw him, she would involuntarily think of the prince, and the thunder and rain that would come at any time. The more she thought about it, the more afraid she became. She wanted to think about every word he said several times, and her joy faded.
But as a servant of the monarch, she adapted to this identity and never thought about it too much, nor did she want to think about it too much.
, not so beautiful.
She has probably experienced a lot of things between men and women, but when it comes to love, she is still as ignorant as a fifteen-year-old. However, understanding these things is energy-consuming. Whether she wants it or not, there are still many men who like her appearance, and she also follows suit, liking their agile and firm bodies and handsome looks.
Shen Huaian's eyes softened a lot, and he thought slowly and quietly, "It's inconvenient for me to enter the palace often, so I can only do my best for you in the previous dynasty, listen to the justice of Yan State, favor, and even have the intention of proposing to depose the queen, but I am afraid of Your Majesty, and you have no children.
For a concubine to become queen, besides the emperor's favor and having children, having a capable mother's family was the icing on the cake. Since she was thinking of competing, she didn't act coy. She just couldn't help but said with concern: "My brother is now close to the East Palace, so it's better to be careful."
Even if the prince went crazy, he would not kill the emperor, but she didn't want to make things difficult for him.
Chen Huai'an looked at her calmly, and after a moment's silence, he said softly, "Yi Niang, I have no regrets even if I die after hearing what you said."
Shen Youyi couldn't stay in the alchemy room for too long. She glanced at him reluctantly and was about to tell him to go back into hiding when she suddenly remembered that he was reading a book about women's medicine in the library that day. Emperor Yuan Shuo also said that he didn't want to marry before he was thirty years old. She whispered, "Brother, if there are any relatives of the royal family who are interested in taking a son-in-law again, don't use those prophecies to cover it up."
They could fall into the abyss at any time, and involving an innocent young lady from an official family would be detrimental to their virtue. But if he were the son-in-law of a royal family, it would be different. Emperor Yuan Shuo would at least be more tolerant of him for the sake of his father-in-law and his wife.
In fact, it was the Princess Duanyang who had intended to recruit him. Even though her temperament was difficult to get along with, she felt that she was the most suitable one. As long as this proud daughter of heaven really loved him, Emperor Yuan Shuo would not be willing to let his beloved daughter become a widow - as for whether she and Princess Duanyang were mother and daughter, or sister-in-law, she didn't care much.
Shen Youyi didn't dare to look at her brother's expression and hurriedly covered the mechanism. The Shen family had few descendants, so her parents doted on her and her brother more, but it was not her turn to educate and guide her brother on how to accomplish the important things in life.
The palace maids saw that the imperial concubine came out after a long time and her makeup was a little messy. They guessed that she might have been stained by the smoke and could not stand the heat, so they helped her wash her hands and face.
Shen Youyi had already finished all the things she really needed to do today. She was exhausted and had no intention of chatting with the Taoists. The abbot had already prepared a quiet room for her to rest and had diligently arranged vegetarian meals. Shen Youyi stayed there for a day or two, listened to the sutras a few times, and instructed Miaoqing to perform more prayers for the soul of Lingyang Marquis. He rewarded her with some gold and silver and then returned to the palace.
But the palace that was once bustling with activity is now much quieter because the owner of this palace is not in it.
The emperor and the Crown Prince led the people hunting on the river bank, about sixty or seventy miles away from the temporary palace. The empress dowager did not like to participate in such bloody excitement. The queen wanted to go with them, but she could not bear the hard work, so Yang Xiuyuan accompanied him as usual, supervising the banquet for receiving officials and chatting with the wives and daughters of local officials to encourage them, so that these officials could share in the grace of the emperor.
When Shen Youyi first entered the palace, she was only a concubine. Tan Rui said that Emperor Yuan Shuo wanted to teach her some lessons by asking concubines to share the queen's worries, but at that time she spent more energy on the intrigues between the emperor himself and the harem, and she also had to drink those contraceptive soups and medicines, and she never encountered the emperor hunting.
Sui Chao was worried that she was unhappy, so he suggested, "Before he left, His Majesty ordered that if you wish to go, he should have the guards prepare the carriage. Would you like to go with us to relax?"
Shen Youyi laughed. She wanted to remember her ex-husband, so Emperor Yuan Shuo asked the prince to go hunting with him. She didn't know if he wanted to avoid her on purpose. After all, they had agreed beforehand, so it was not good for him to vent his anger on her.
He is not really that tolerant.
But thinking of this, Shen Youyi couldn't laugh: "Your Majesty is diligent in government affairs and military preparations, the prince serves the monarch and shows off his power to the ministers, and Madam Xiuyuan is in charge of internal affairs. The monarch and the ministers have their own duties inside and outside. I am not a good hunter. How much prey can I catch? It is better not to embarrass myself in front of others."
She would act like a spoiled child in front of Emperor Yuan Shuo, pestering him to talk and play with her. The emperor was not an active man, and he enjoyed her clinginess and coquettishness, but he always responded to her without knowing the situation, which made her annoying.
"Your Majesty is away, so it's my turn to serve the Queen Mother. There's no point in chasing after her."
Shen Youyi glanced at Sui Chao and said lazily, "Let the eunuch send a message to His Majesty, letting His Majesty know that I have returned to the palace. This is such a small matter, how can the emperor worry about it?"
She hadn't had a peaceful life these past few days. Ever since she knew the purpose of the medicine, she didn't want to drink the medicine prescribed for her by Envoy Song. Instead, she missed the leisurely and comfortable life when the emperor would stay in the palace in the future. It was a rare opportunity to take some time off, so she picked up the pen and wrote a few words, then asked someone to send it to the military camp.
It's time to teach Emperor Yuan Shuo about her "amnesia".
The prince had become accustomed to Emperor Yuan Shuo's style of setting up camp outside the government office when he could not find a hunting ground. He had not experienced the hardships of conquering the world, but he had not neglected the necessary training on a daily basis. Naturally, he was eager to have the opportunity to show his skills in front of his father.
Logically speaking, his father did not bring any other concubines with him, only his mother accompanied him, and the whole family shared the joy of family life. As a son, he should be happy in his heart, but he felt lost that he could not see the concubine in the Taoist temple.
My mother has been causing some trouble these days, and the female relatives of Duke Wei of Yan were also accompanying her, but my mother gave her a great embarrassment. She originally just wanted to banish her to the outer room, but unexpectedly, the girl's affairs were reported to the emperor. Chief Steward Chen specially sent someone to the East Palace to persuade him to share his father's worries.
How could he not know this? Even if he, as a son, could get some favor from his mother, he might not be able to control his mother.
After much persuasion, A Niang finally calmed down and went to the emperor to apologize.
Yang Xiuyuan softened her stance, but it was for the sake of her son. The people in the Palace Department had arbitrarily registered her illness and wanted to move her back to Chang'an. The Empress Dowager, the Empress, and all the concubines were in the palace, and she would be the only one sent back to Chang'an to recuperate. That would be a huge loss of face. After thinking it over, she held back her anger and cried softly in front of Emperor Yuan Shuo, crying bitterly.
"How dare I offend the Imperial Concubine's relatives? It's just that the Fifth Lady of the Wei family is engaged, yet she's chatting and laughing with a man outside the family. I thought it was inappropriate, so I just said a few words. I didn't expect this girl to talk back to me in public, saying that I was alluding to the Imperial Concubine's entry into the palace. I was so angry that I punished her, and I had no selfish motives."
Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at the documents sent from the temporary palace. Upon hearing this, he raised his head and slowly glanced at her: "You have been in the palace for a long time. When did you know so much about the Wei family's affairs?"
Yang Xiuyuan suppressed her anger and said softly, "Fifth Lady was once chosen by the Empress Dowager to serve in the palace. Later, the family she was betrothed to also had ties to the Yang family. I know that Your Majesty is very strict with you. After all, Fifth Lady is only a servant. As an inner court lady and an elder, I can only give her some advice. Why would you have to bring this to the Emperor's presence?"
She also had many grievances to complain about, but when the words came to her lips, she couldn't open them and could only bear the consequences alone.
If time could go back, she would definitely not prevent this witch from entering the palace to be the prince's concubine. At least Emperor Yuan Shuo would not openly take his daughter-in-law into the palace, and would dote on her in every way, or even embarrass her a lot because of this woman.
Emperor Yuan Shuo was a little impatient. He had a lot of things to do and didn't want to listen to these trivial matters. He said lightly: "If the Queen were here, she would not handle things this way."
Such words were a bit harsh, and Yang Xiuyuan's face turned slightly pale. She couldn't stand the fact that Emperor Yuan Shuo used the Queen as a benchmark and always suppressed her.
However, all his reluctance turned into a timid "yes" in front of the emperor.
Emperor Yuan Shuo glanced at the food box she brought. Most of it was game the Crown Prince had hunted as a token of his filial piety. There was roasted lamb, venison jerky, and even a Polygonum multiflorum chicken soup simmered for hours with wild pheasants. He frowned and said, "Go back. I see you've been tired these days. Rest well in the camp for a couple of days."
It was rare for Yang Xiuyuan to see her husband, the king. Ever since that enchanting beauty entered the palace and became her "sister", it was almost impossible for her to have such a chance to spend time with her in private.
She said softly, "Your Majesty has just gone hunting twice with Zihui, and now you have to review memorials. Even a body of iron would not be able to endure such an endurance. Compared to you, my little fatigue is nothing."
The concern of concubines was commonplace for the emperor, but since this came from the prince's mother, Emperor Yuan Shuo would occasionally give her some face: "I know."
Yang Xiuyuan was a little hesitant. She was not a woman who was so old that she had lost interest in men. Of course, she had some demands on the husband she served. But no matter how she tried to get close to him, Emperor Yuan Shuo never took her to his bed.
If she was truly pure and ascetic, the anger in her heart would not be so strong. Even those beauties who were not favored in the past were not worthy of making her angry. But Emperor Yuan Shuo was strict and harsh with her, and treated her coldly and almost as a stranger. However, he indulged and doted on the woman who almost became her daughter-in-law, a vixen whom she looked down upon. The nights in Qingping Palace were so lively.
But her son had no idea of the true nature of this evil woman. Although he looked honest on the surface, he was secretly planning to reconcile with her one day.
She almost went crazy, but her closest people thought she was mean and reminded her not to forget the hierarchy... That woman is still a noble concubine and may even become the queen.
Chen Rongshou looked at the distraught Yang Xiuyuan with sympathy. The emperor valued the harmony and majesty of the inner court in the eyes of outsiders, like a kind and amiable god, smiling at a flower, but far away from people. Bringing up the private affairs of the royal family or even the king himself and making insinuations about them would only teach his ministers to make groundless guesses and treat the royal family as a joke.
But His Majesty had no intention of listening to her story. He just wanted to give Yang Xiuyuan a warning to prevent her from becoming arrogant after accompanying him for the past few days. She only needed to pretend to admit her mistake. As for the truth of the matter, the Emperor had no intention of investigating it and no interest in upholding justice. He even felt a little impatient when he was alone with her.
By the time the emperor wanted to summon Envoy Song again, the soup on the table had already gone cold. Without the emperor saying a word, a palace servant had already taken it away.
When the emperor was away, his diet was not as exquisite as in the palace, but there were rules to follow. The eunuchs and palace maids who were responsible for recommending meals and adding clothes for the emperor should do their best, but Yang Xiuyuan was obviously not one of those who could speak up.
Even if it is out of concern, it may not gain any benefits from Emperor Yuan Shuo, and it will only make people feel that it is noisy.
Envoy Song presented a new prescription. He considered the medicine several times based on the imperial concubine's strange pulse. Most of the time, he used soup recipes that were moderate and peaceful, but he was not sure whether they would be effective, and he was quite anxious.
He had no similar patients to test his medicine on, and the only one he wanted to treat was of noble status, and any strong medicine he gave him might bring about his own death.
"I have seen examples in ancient books that if your illness does not recur for three years, it should be considered cured. Wait for your Highness to take the medicine for half a month, and then supplement it with acupuncture, and perhaps it will be effective."
He said cautiously, "According to my prescription, it would be best if my lady could use it once every three days. However, if you want to fully restore your memory, you still need the right time and place."
Although Emperor Yuan Shuo hoped to cure her as soon as possible, he knew that this illness would be somewhat difficult for the imperial physician. Thinking of the person in the Taoist temple who refused to take medicine, he could not help but show a little helplessness and wanted to say something soothing to comfort him: "She is most afraid of bitterness. If I don't watch her and she refuses to drink, it will be difficult to get her to follow the doctor's orders."
Envoy Song smiled slightly and said, "The Imperial Concubine will one day understand His Majesty's intentions. I'm afraid the lady doesn't even know she's ill."
How could a concubine be as arrogant as the Imperial Concubine? Your Majesty knows that she is deceiving the emperor and does not pursue the matter, but if you continue to indulge her like this, she will naturally become spoiled.
He would even rather not visit her anymore than cure her strange illness.
Envoy Song felt quite saddened by the heavy burden. When he left the tent, new documents were delivered to him.
Unlike the memorials that were usually sealed in lacquer boxes, this letter had the scent of sandalwood.
The imperial concubine's letters were always delivered by a special person, but she probably forgot about it. For several days, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not received any news from her.
Chen Rongshou had been worried for several days. When he saw the imperial concubine finally send a letter, he immediately went out of the tent to ask a few questions, and then had someone bring the letter to the emperor.
The Imperial Concubine had been at the Taoist temple for several days. Emperor Yuanshuo didn't want to ask what she had been doing there. He was surprised that Chen Rongshou hadn't returned to serve her, so he casually asked the eunuch, "Has she returned to the palace?"
The eunuch said cautiously, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has only been in the temple for two days before returning to the palace. I have sent this servant to deliver this letter, so please do not worry."
The handwriting on the envelope was beautiful and elegant. Emperor Yuan Shuo's eyes fell on it and his voice became gentler: "It's time to tell someone to put away the imperial concubine's tent."
She was a person who liked to be lively and loved to pester him, but she didn't like to go hunting herself. She might even complain about how he could bear to leave her behind and go out with Yang Xiuyuan instead.
He would rather teach her to live in the emperor's main tent, but that would be somewhat inconvenient. It was not as spacious as the Qingping Palace, and she had nowhere to go to avoid the ministers.
If he gets bolder, he might not be able to withstand it.
But the eunuch rarely said anything flattering, but just knelt on the ground with held his breath.
The letter paper fell out, only a short page.
There were only five words on the top of this page.
"I wish Your Majesty well."
The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became stagnant. Emperor Yuan Shuo was silent for a long time, his eyes dark. "Is the Imperial Concubine unwilling to come?"
The eunuch forced herself to remain calm and whispered, "The lady said that His Majesty has important matters to attend to, and as a lady of the inner court, she cannot disturb him any further. She wants to be with the Empress Dowager in the palace, worshipping Buddha and chanting sutras, and will not be coming for the time being."
How could anyone persuade the Imperial Concubine to change her mind once she had made the decision? As for the Emperor, his status made it difficult for him to calm him down. Perhaps the Imperial Concubine was just jealous that Yang Xiuyuan was accompanying her.
However, His Majesty clearly didn't think so. Emperor Yuan Shuo stared at the five words for a moment before asking, "Is there anything unusual about the Imperial Concubine these past two days?"
Among the maids beside the imperial concubine was someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so the eunuch didn't dare to hide it. After a moment's thought, she said, "I heard from those around you that you've been having nightmares for the past few days. When you wake up, you often ask the maid beside you... who is she?"
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