The Queen Mother laughed so hard that tears came out. She pointed at Concubine Wu who had fainted and said to Shen Weiwan: "Wan'er, your trick is more effective than my tickling! I don't have to watch her act like that anymore!"
Shen Weiwan quickly supported the empress dowager who was shaking with laughter, but her heart was filled with joy: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. It is mainly because the concubine has a bad stomach. When she has time, she will ask the Imperial Hospital to prescribe some medicine to regulate her stomach."
The news seemed to have taken flight, soaring through the Forbidden City in the blink of an eye, and then spreading along the palace walls to the people. The next morning, Chun Tao rushed into the Seventh Prince's residence, clutching a greasy piece of oil paper, her velvet flowers at her temples swaying askew. "Miss! The storyteller from the West Market has come up with a new story!"
A crooked jingle was written in charcoal on the oil paper, and at the end was a drawing of a fat woman clutching her stomach:
"The Queen Mother is looking for help,
Wan'er took out the ventilation powder,
The toffee farts while drinking tea.
It was so miserable to faint on the spot!
Pearl and phoenix hairpins fell all over the ground.
The stench drove away the young eunuch,
Who has the strongest move?
The Seventh Princess is as beautiful as a fairy!
Shen Weiwan was so shocked that she almost broke her oil paper with laughter: "This storyteller must have spies in the palace, right? He even knew when the phoenix hairpin fell to the ground!"
In the evening, Xiao Yu came back from the palace. As soon as he entered the door, he saw Shen Weiwan holding her belly and laughing non-stop. He shook his head helplessly: "What are you laughing at again? Are you causing trouble again?"
Shen Weiwan recounted the whole story, even going so far as to mention the detail of Concubine Wu drooling when she fainted. Xiao Yu frowned at first, then couldn't help laughing: "You, even the Queen Mother has become more and more unruly because of you."
"This is called helping each other and sharing resources!" Shen Weiwan blinked and moved closer to him. "By the way, did the emperor say anything? He won't reward me with chili powder again, right?"
"Father," Xiao Yu leaned close to her ear, deliberately lowering his voice, "He told me to tell you that next time you give the Concubine the 'Tongqi Powder', remember to mix it with some anti-diarrhea medicine. Don't really let her get hurt, otherwise the Imperial Hospital will come after you."
The two smiled at each other, and the room was filled with a happy atmosphere. Shen Weiwan knew that with the support of the two "old naughty boys" - the Queen Mother and the Emperor - her future days in the palace would only be more interesting.
A few days later, the Empress Dowager summoned Shen Weiwan to the Cining Palace again. This time, she wasn't sitting on the couch, but standing in front of the dressing table, holding a gold box inlaid with gems. Upon seeing Shen Weiwan, the Empress Dowager shoved the box into her arms and said, "Wan'er, this is a gift from my family. Inside are some small pieces of jewelry for you to wear for fun."
Shen Weiwan quickly declined: "My Lady, this is too valuable. I can't do it."
"Just take it if I tell you to!" The Queen Mother glared at her in mock anger. "If I ever have an enemy again, you'll have to help me out! I've heard there's an upgraded version of your 'Tongqi Powder'? Next time you deal with Concubine Shu, you'll have to show me how to do it!"
"As you wish!" Chen Weiwan accepted the golden box with a smile, and had already made up her mind: next time I have to research something more powerful, such as the "laughing powder" that makes people drool, or the "gas-soothing powder" that makes people burp continuously, it will definitely be fun!
From then on, everyone in the palace knew that the Empress Dowager favored the Seventh Consort the most. Anyone who displeased the Empress Dowager had to be wary of Shen Weiwan's "special care." Shen Weiwan's ability to "trick people" became increasingly famous, and everyone from the Emperor and Empress Dowager to the palace maids and eunuchs knew that the Seventh Consort was full of evil intentions.
The people of the capital even made up a new jingle and sang it loudly in the streets:
"The Queen Mother favors the Seventh Consort,
The ability to cheat people is really strong,
Tongqi powder, Shunqi pills,
See who is not smooth and play the trick,
Pearl and phoenix hairpins fell all over the ground.
The concubine fainted on the spot.
Who is the most powerful in the palace?
Goddess Wanzi is the best!
Shen Weiwan listened to the nursery rhyme coming from outside the window and smiled faintly. She knew that her life in the palace had just begun, and she, Shen Weiwan, must live like the rhyme said, using her "cunning" to live a prosperous life in this deep palace and make all the evil-minded people taste the taste of falling! After all, the harem of the Dasheng Dynasty was now her home turf for "deceiving people"!
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