Before they knew it, it was time for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
The weather was fine, with large, fluffy clouds floating in the azure sky. The sky was so beautiful that you could look at it for half a day without getting tired of it.
When she woke up in the morning, Shen Wan sat in front of the dressing table and let Yin Shuang do her makeup.
Shen Wan has delicate skin and rarely wears makeup. Today, she went to the palace for a banquet and, with just a little dressing up, she was exceptionally radiant, making it impossible for anyone to look away.
She was wearing a smoky gauze dress bestowed by the Emperor. Since Shen Wan had married into the Ling Prince's Mansion, she hadn't even been to the embroidery workshop yet. Xie Jingyan had the embroidery workshop make a dress for Shen Wan directly from the smoky gauze dress. The embroiderers in the workshop pondered for two days and finally unanimously decided to embroider pomegranate flowers on the dress. Pomegranates symbolize many children and many blessings, and they hoped that the Princess Consort could soon give the Prince a son and add a little prince to the Ling Prince's Mansion.
Yesterday, the pomegranate-colored gauze skirt arrived. Shen Wan tried it on and found it fit perfectly. In addition, the head of the embroidery workshop was very eloquent, so Xie Jingyan immediately rewarded everyone in the workshop with two months' wages, which made them extremely happy.
Standing before the bronze mirror, Shen Wan gazed at her reflection. The sunset glow seemed to spread from the veil of misty clouds across her cheeks. She knew from her past life how eye-catching the veil of misty clouds was, and coupled with the lifelike pomegranate blossoms embroidered on it, she would hear at least ninety-nine, if not a hundred, wishes for her and some scoundrel to have a child soon at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet…
Shen Wan felt that her skin had been toughened up by a certain man, but she still couldn't handle the situation, so she immediately changed her dress.
Yinshuang asked, puzzled, "Why do you want to change? This outfit looks so good on you."
Xie Jingyan returned to the room just in time to hear this, and he said, "This outfit fits perfectly."
Shen Wan dared not reveal the reason. She said, "Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. If I wear this, I might steal the Empress Dowager's thunder..."
Xie Jingyan's forehead was covered in black lines. He raised his hand and lightly tapped Shen Wan's forehead. "If you don't want to say the reason, you don't have to. What kind of excuse is this? Do you think you can steal the Empress Dowager's limelight?"
Shen Wan, "..."
She spoke nonsense, and he listened in a muddled manner; why did she have to say it out loud?
Shen Wan secretly glared at him with sharp eyes.
The two maids, Yinshuang and Haitang, were so trying not to laugh that their shoulders were shaking.
The maid brought breakfast into the room, and Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan sat down to eat. They ate slowly and it took them a quarter of an hour to finish. After resting for half an hour, Shen Wan urged them to hurry, and only then did Xie Jingyan go to the palace with her.
Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan were among the last to arrive at the palace. By the time they arrived, the spacious and empty horse parking area of the palace was already filled with carriages and sedan chairs.
After entering the palace, Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan parted ways, and a palace maid led Shen Wan to the Imperial Garden.
Almost as soon as they entered the Imperial Garden, Shen Wan's misty gauze dress attracted everyone's attention, and everyone was envious.
Empress Song and several concubines were in the pavilion in the Imperial Garden when Shen Wan went over to pay her respects to Empress Song.
Empress Song was talking with several noble ladies when she saw Shen Wan approach. Her smile remained, but her eyes were cold. There were countless concubines and princesses in the harem, but none of them had ever been punished by the emperor to copy Buddhist scriptures. Shen Wan had only "twisted" her ankle and hadn't even complained before she was punished by the emperor.
These past few days, the concubines in the harem have been secretly laughing at her, saying that the Empress was just idly trying to manipulate Princess Ling, and that she was being manipulated by the Emperor.
When has she ever lost face like this?!
The anger she had been building up from copying Buddhist scriptures these past few days was almost uncontrollable the moment she saw Shen Wan. When she saw that Shen Wan was wearing the smoky gauze that her daughter, Princess Shouchun, had wanted, she became even angrier.
The noble ladies looked Shen Wan up and down, but none of them praised her. They knew what Princess Shouchun wanted, and praising Yanxia Sha would offend Empress Song. No one was that stupid.
I heard that the cause of Prince Ling's illness has not yet been found. Although his vomiting has improved, he has not been cured. An illness with no known cause is the most terrifying. If Princess Ling could give birth to a son or daughter for Prince Ling, even if he were to die in the future, life would not be so difficult.
Shen Wan curtsied to Empress Song. In front of a group of noble ladies, even if Empress Song was unhappy, she would not openly show Shen Wan any displeasure or make things difficult for her.
The pavilion was almost full of people. After paying her respects to Empress Song, Shen Wan left the pavilion to admire the flowers.
Not far away, Fu Shu was also admiring the flowers, with two young ladies from prominent families standing beside her. They were talking about something, which made her smile continuously.
Shen Ying walked over and said with a smile, "Sister, you're in a good mood."
Fu Shu's smile froze.
In terms of age, she was half a year older than Shen Ying, but because Shen Ying entered the family first, she called her "little sister" all the time.
Fu Shu placed her hand on her belly. As long as her belly cooperated and she gave birth to a boy, what did it matter if Prince Jin favored Shen Ying? With the power of the Duke of Zhongguo's mansion and Empress Song's affection for her, the position of heir apparent would definitely be hers!
With the position of heir apparent, and the future appointment of Prince Jin as crown prince, she will be able to rise in status through her son. Prince Jin can have two consorts, but the crown prince can only have one.
What is Shen Ying so proud of?!
Fu Shu was displeased. She just couldn't understand how Prince Jin, who had never entered Shen Ying's room before she became pregnant, could suddenly seem so inseparable from her. What kind of bewitching potion had Shen Ying given Prince Jin?
Unable to bear Shen Ying's smug look, Fu Shu retorted, "Of course I'm in high spirits at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Aren't you happy for the Empress Dowager?"
Shen Ying played with the fragrant handkerchief in her hand, walked up to Fu Shu and said, "Pregnant women really do remember the good times but not the bad ones."
Fu Shu's face darkened. "What do you mean?"
Shen Ying said, "I must have misremembered. It wasn't you who was punished. How could you remember that the Empress was punished by the Emperor for copying Buddhist scriptures for several days because of your momentary craving? You couldn't possibly not know that?"
How could she not know?!
Fu Shu was so angry that steam was practically rising from her head.
She stared intently at Shen Ying, "Speak your mind!"
Seeing Fu Shu's wary gaze, Shen Ying felt incredibly pleased. Fortune has turned around so quickly; before, she was the one who was wary of Fu Shu, but now it's Fu Shu's turn to be wary of her.
Shen Ying said in a good mood, "I'm just here to remind you that while you have a protective charm in your belly, you can do whatever you want. Once I get pregnant, you, Fu Shu, will be out of the picture."
After saying this with a smile, Shen Ying raised her neck and left like a victorious peacock.
Fu Shu's face was grim, and her hands clenched tightly in her sleeves.
The maidservant said from the side, "She wants to use you, Your Highness, to get rid of Princess Ling and avenge her brother. Don't fall for it."
Even the maids knew what Chen Ying was planning, so how could Fu Shu not know?
But Shen Ying is right. Once she, Shen Ying, gets pregnant, Fu Shu will be out of the picture. She and Prince Jin only met twice before their marriage and she already has a child. Now Prince Jin is inseparable from Shen Ying day and night. It's only a matter of time before Shen Ying gets pregnant. Prince Jin's heart is already with Shen Ying. If she loses the Empress's heart as well...
She made the Empress lose face, and she must let the Empress know that she deserves the Empress's love!
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