Shi Xiuzhu feigned pitifulness towards Shi Fujin. After all, she was Shi Fujin's precious daughter, whom she had carried for ten months. What could Shi Fujin do but forgive her?
Fortunately, outsiders don't know about this, so I'll keep this awful thing to myself and never do it again.
Shi Fujin let go of his hand, and Shi Xiuzhu quickly ran far away to sit down, determined not to sit with her.
Shi Fujin raised her eyebrows and then scurried over, feigning obedience.
"I heard that the Emperor is going to bestow some beautiful young women upon the princes and members of the imperial clan. Will Yuqing Palace be taking in new women? You have been in the palace for half a year now, is there any sign of pregnancy?" Consort Shi asked, addressing her biggest concern.
Shi Xiuzhu placed her hand on her stomach. She had never even fought with the Crown Prince Demon, so how could there be any movement? Giving birth was something she absolutely did not want.
“Our family has a weak connection with offspring; the children have all come late. Since Yuqing Palace already has Hongzhao, Tana, and Hongsheng, Mother, there’s no need to worry.” Shi Xiuzhu smiled gently, looking exceptionally kind.
Knowing that Shi Xiuzhu was not against having children, Shi Fujin was relieved: "That's it. You can't be sure about the fate of having children, so don't worry. You and the Crown Prince are both young, and you don't have a mother-in-law watching over you. The Emperor also values you, so you don't need to drink bitter medicine indiscriminately in order to get pregnant."
“Mother is right. As for the people entering Yuqing Palace, I haven’t heard any news about it. Could it be that someone outside the palace is spreading rumors?” Shi Xiuzhu frowned.
Shi Fujin nodded: "The news first came from the flower-viewing banquet at the Hesheli family, but Li Jia was the one who danced the most enthusiastically."
This Lady Li Jia is not from the same clan as the previous Consort Li Jia, but they both share the same love of climbing the social ladder through marriage.
Before Shi Xiuzhu got married, he had met that girl once.
She was indeed beautiful, and if it weren't for Tong Wanyan, she might have truly captivated the lustful Yinreng for a while. It's a pity she was born at the wrong time. With such a stunning beauty by his side, Yinreng would likely never have changed his heart.
Shi Xiuzhu reassured Shi Fujin, saying, "Perhaps she wants to emulate Lady Li of Emperor Wu of Han, spreading rumors of her stunning beauty to arouse your curiosity. There are few women with official titles in Yuqing Palace. Even just becoming a concubine would be a great honor for the entire Li family."
Shi Fujin scoffed at this: "Their family has many daughters. Even if the Crown Prince doesn't like them, losing one daughter is nothing."
“However, Li Jia is not a concern, but Hesheli is willing to act as a go-between for his family. I need to let the master know. Mother’s trip to the palace has really helped me.” Shi Xiuzhu’s lips curled up happily. She could finally redeem herself.
Otherwise, she would feel terrible if she couldn't see Tong Meimei every day.
Shi Fujin was very happy to be able to help Shi Xiuzhu.
The Crown Princess's birth mother will definitely be invited to have lunch when she comes to the palace.
At this time, Emperor Kangxi heavily relied on Tong Qinian and Tong Ruita for military affairs, and on Shi Wenbing for civil affairs. The status of the Guarjia clan in the capital was becoming increasingly high.
After all, they are the future descendants of the royal family.
At noon, Yinreng came over to have lunch with Shi Xiuzhu out of courtesy. The two pretended to be a respectful married couple, and there were not many flaws.
Princess Shi never intended for Shi Xiuzhu to fall in love with Yinreng, or for Yinreng to fall in love with Shi Xiuzhu at first sight.
It's good that the two people respect each other like this.
The royal family cannot ask for too much.
After Shi Fujin left, Shi Xiuzhu told Yinreng what she had said.
In recent years, Yinreng and Suo'etu have become increasingly estranged.
He usually showers me with gifts and care, but he rarely speaks from the heart anymore.
Upon hearing this, Yinreng's face seemed to turn as cold as ice.
"I understand," Yinreng said, and returned to his study.
A few days later, Yinreng personally visited Suo'etu's residence, and Suo'etu was overjoyed.
Seeing that Suo'etu had summoned a junior he valued to accompany him, and that Suo'etu's eyes were gleaming with shrewdness, Yinreng felt utterly disheartened.
His maternal uncle, known as Prime Minister Suo, wielded immense power and influence in the court, harboring enormous ambitions. This was understandable; the eldest sons of prominent families often aspired to high office. For the sake of the family's prosperity, this was to be the case.
However, Suo'etu should never have tried to use his extensive network of relationships and power to influence Yinreng's mind and bind him tightly to Hesheli.
Yinreng was born to Empress Hesheli and had the blood of the Hesheli clan, but his surname was Aisin Gioro.
"I've heard that Lady Li is exceptionally beautiful, with a figure like the goddess of the Luo River?" Yinreng asked directly, cutting to the chase.
Soetu's old face stiffened, and he ordered the young man beside him to leave.
The crown prince is here to cause trouble; it's better for him to deal with it alone.
"This servant knew nothing of this news. You tell me, this servant is already this old, how could I possibly care about a young girl?" Soetu feigned ignorance.
Yinreng smiled faintly and said, "Is that so? I have heard that new concubines are going to enter my Yuqing Palace. It was clearly Father Emperor who was choosing consorts for my fifth and sixth brothers, how could it involve me?"
"Yes, yes," Soetu echoed, wiping his sweat. He adhered to the principle of playing dumb, refusing to cooperate or admit anything. Unless Yinreng directly admitted that he was the one who caused the trouble, he would resolutely not take the blame for the mess.
“Uncle, you are indeed getting old,” Yinreng said slowly.
Soetu panicked. He had returned home in his old age, and he had truly angered the Crown Prince.
“The royal family values many children and many blessings, and this servant is also concerned for you. The Li family has always been fertile, and this servant thought that the Yuqing Palace would have many offspring, which would surely please His Majesty. However, this servant did not know that the Li family had taken it upon themselves to spread such rumors, which displeased His Majesty.” Soetu hurriedly knelt on the ground.
Previously, when Suo'etu and Yinreng were alone, they mostly treated each other as elders and juniors. The act of kneeling was extremely rare.
Given Suo'etu's weakness, Yinreng inevitably softened his heart.
Ultimately, his previous stable position in the court was largely due to the help of Songgotu. This favor should not be forgotten.
"Alright, Uncle, please get up and sit down," Yinreng sighed.
Soetu dared not rely on his seniority; he had seen the changes in Yinreng.
“This servant will go and reprimand Lady Li Jia, telling them not to speak recklessly anymore. However, every word this servant spoke came from the bottom of his heart. You are the Crown Prince, and having many children is the best thing. Consort Tong is certainly good, and the Crown Princess is also upright, but you only have these two, which is really too few.” Suo’etu did not take Yinreng’s concubines seriously.
The Crown Prince can have three concubines, but he has only taken one now, leaving two empty and making others extremely envious.
Soetu knew that it was impossible for a girl from the Hesheli clan to marry one of the first few princes, and she would never be allowed into the Yuqing Palace.
Therefore, he took a roundabout approach, hoping to find a family that was easy to manipulate or had a close relationship with, and send one of them to Yuqing Palace to win back Yinreng's heart.
Everyone knew about Suo'etu's ulterior motives, and Yinreng was no exception.
Yinreng ultimately couldn't bear to give up on Suo'etu, seeing him make a mistake by seeking treatment in desperation.
“I am not fond of beautiful women,” Yinreng said.
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