She hid her emotions well, and Xue Shen didn't notice. He played with her long hair with his fingers and casually asked, "Did Xiao Xueying and the others come at noon?"
Shen Youying lowered her eyes, her gaze fixed on his slender fingertips: "Yes, Consort Xiao heard that I was ill and came to visit me."
Xue Shen's slightly furrowed brows relaxed, and he said, "You don't need to deal with them anymore."
Shen Youying said "Oh," without asking why. Xue Shen, however, suddenly said, "Tingmei Pavilion is a bit small. Shall we move to Xianyue Hall in a few days?"
Xianyue Hall was Xue Shen's courtyard. Shen Youying looked up at him in surprise, hesitated slightly, and then shook her head and refused: "This is against the rules, and I'm used to living in Tingmei Pavilion."
What she was really thinking was that if she moved to Xianyue Hall now, she might develop more unrealistic expectations and more greed in the future.
Too much greed easily breeds resentment.
It would be better to maintain the status quo, to quietly guard her heart, and to be a respectful couple with Xue Shen, without expecting anything more.
If he still likes her, he can come to Tingmei Pavilion. If he no longer likes her, she can go to someone else's courtyard, and she can accept that calmly.
"When have there ever been any rules in my Prince's mansion?" Xue Shen was somewhat surprised by her refusal. But then he thought that although Meixuan was not large, it was indeed elegantly decorated; otherwise, he wouldn't have assigned it to her in the first place.
"If you like it, then we won't move." Xue Shen smiled, picked her up, and placed her on his lap, pressing his forehead against hers. "I'll move in."
Shen Youying's heart skipped a beat. She pursed her lips and said, "There are too many people around here, what if someone sees me..."
This is indeed a problem. The servants in Xianyue Hall are all Xue Shen's confidants, but the servants in Tingmei Pavilion, apart from Danzhu Bailuo and Fucui Liuyun whom he bestowed, are all ordinary servants.
Xue Shen narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "Shall I send you a few more people? As for the other servants, they are not allowed to enter the inner room anymore."
Since he had already said that, Shen Youying naturally couldn't refuse anymore. She silently agreed and tried to get off Xue Shen.
This posture was too intimate and too dangerous; she had already sensed Xue Shen's restless advances.
"Why are you running?" Xue Shen grabbed the man and pulled him back, pressing him tightly against his body. He glanced at the water clock on the shelf and said, "There's still an hour until dinner."
Shen Youying's ears turned red: "Indulgence harms the body."
Xue Shen nodded seriously, pinching her soft flesh and said, "Tell the kitchen to make some nourishing soups, so we can all have some tonics."
Shen Youying was so ashamed and indignant that she wanted to die. If Xue Shen hadn't been holding her by the waist and preventing her from escaping, she would have wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Xue Shen loved seeing her blush and her eyes sparkle. He rolled over in her arms, biting down on her soft flesh, and said in a hoarse voice, "You can't always be so shy..."
*
They said they would have dinner in an hour, but Xue Shen insisted on dragging Shen Youying out for another half hour before things finally calmed down.
The young oriole slumped into a pool of spring water, unable to move.
Xue Shen carried her into the bathroom and personally bathed her.
Slightly rough fingers wiped her lower abdomen with a cloth. Xue Shen raised an eyebrow, stroking the slightly protruding area and pressing it. He said, "It's all bulging, doesn't it look like you're pregnant?"
Shen Youying opened her eyes wide with shame and looked at him in disbelief.
Xue Shen, however, held her hand, letting her feel it for herself: "Doesn't it seem like it?"
Shen Youying blushed crimson, too ashamed to utter a single word. But Xue Shen's words reminded her of something, and she lowered her eyes, hesitatingly asking, "Your Highness always goes straight to me... I've never drunk any contraceptive soup, could I really be pregnant?"
The rumors circulating outside were a mix of truth and falsehood, and Xue Shen had many schemes up his sleeve. Shen Youying didn't know if he was truly unable to have children or simply didn't want them for the time being.
If it's the former, that's fine; if it's the latter...
Shen Youying bit her lip, somewhat afraid to look at his expression.
Xue Shen pulled her into his arms, holding her hands and placing them on his abdomen: "Do you want a child?"
Shen Youying shook her head and said, "I don't know."
After marrying him, she never considered having children.
Xue Shen said, "Then let nature take its course." He kissed Shen Youying's trembling eyelashes. "However, your body is a bit weak. In a while, we'll have the doctor prescribe some nourishing recipes for you so you can take good care of yourself. That way, even if you get pregnant, it won't be too much of a hassle."
Shen Youying was still a little confused: "Your Highness previously said that you could not have children. If you really had children, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?"
Seeing that she was genuinely worried, Xue Shen smiled and hugged her tightly, saying, "Then just say that Zhao Zhao is my benefactor, exceptionally talented, and capable of things that others cannot do."
Shen Youying pinched him in annoyance, which earned her a long kiss from Xue Shen.
The two lingered in the bathhouse for another quarter of an hour before changing their clothes and having dinner together.
*
Unlike the joyful atmosphere at Tingmei Pavilion, a heavy gloom hung over the Chen Prince's Mansion.
After leaving the palace, Prince Chen returned to his residence. The imperial guards then locked the main gate and left a detachment to guard it.
After that, Prince Chen was no longer allowed to step out of his palace.
Prince Chen had been suppressing his anger in the palace, but now that he had returned to his palace, he could no longer contain it and smashed his study to pieces.
The servants who were serving them dared not offer any advice, but stood at a distance, silent as cicadas in winter.
Instead, it was Prince Chen who aggravated his wound by moving too much, curling up in pain and saying in a panic, "Quick, go and fetch a doctor for me!"
All the servants were driven out, leaving only a trusted confidant and a doctor to guard the area.
Looking at the wound that was bleeding again, King Chen's expression twisted as he asked, "When will this wound ever heal?"
He was injured in a vital area, and he dared not spread the word, even calling a doctor was done in secret.
The doctor wiped his sweat and replied cautiously, "As long as Your Highness rests more and the wound heals, there should be no major problems."
Chen Wang's expression was grim: "Are you sure that once the wound heals, it will be completely healed? It won't affect our sex life, nor will it affect our ability to have children?"
"This..." The doctor looked troubled and stammered, "It's hard to say right now. In theory, there shouldn't be any problems..."
"Logically speaking?"
Upon hearing this, Prince Chen was terrified. He grabbed a porcelain pillow and angrily smashed it at the doctor. He then summoned his trusted aide and said, "Send someone to the palace to inform the Empress Dowager and ask her to find me a reliable imperial physician."
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