Chapter 278 Your Majesty, I do not have Consort Tang here.
Xie Shang's gaze was deep and gentle as water. "Ruan Ruan thinks my painting skills are worthy of your beauty."
Jiang Fenghua on the drawing paper is casual and languid, with beautiful eyebrows and eyes, so much so that even Jiang Fenghua herself is mesmerized.
She couldn't help but wonder, is this really her?
She remembered that she seemed to have been staring at Tang Qianran the whole time. The Tang family's power was not to be underestimated now!
Xie Shang must have sensed something! He's a sensitive person.
Let's just assume he thinks she's jealous of Tang Qianran!
Jiang Fenghua's eyes lit up with joy. She held the brush and gently sketched a few strokes on the scroll. Her eyes seemed to brighten instantly, filled with tenderness.
"Your Highness, I want you to remember Ruan Ruan's bright and beautiful appearance," rather than having her eyes painted as too cold and emotionless.
Xie Shang was almost stunned when he saw this, then laughed, "The Crown Princess has painted this portrait several levels higher with just a few strokes. My beloved consort is not only a master of chess, but also a master of painting. I have practiced painting skills since I was a child, but I still cannot paint as vividly as Ruan Ruan."
“Your Highness is busy with many affairs of state, so naturally you spend your time on your studies and state affairs. Unlike me, I am just a bored person doing boring things all day long. I only pass the time by composing poems and painting. My chess skills are a notch above Your Highness's, so Your Highness should not be unconvinced.” She glanced at Tang Qianran and added, “There is one thing in which I am inferior to others.”
Xie Shang said, "How could I not know if the Crown Princess is inferior to others?"
"Your Majesty, my skill in ink and brush is not as good as others'," Jiang Fenghua said, her voice sounding like she was jealous.
Xie Shang's smile deepened, "Ruan Ruan is saying that I was always the one who made ink for her in the past, and I never gave her the chance to make ink for me!"
Jiang Fenghua was stunned. Was it appropriate for Xie Shang to fawn over her like this in front of Tang Liangdi?
And what did that smug look in his eyes mean? Jiang Fenghua immediately put on a polite smile, "Your Highness has many official duties to attend to, so I'll head back now!"
After saying that, she didn't give Xie Shang a chance to react. She picked up the round fan on the table, swayed her slender waist, and went straight out of Taihua Palace.
Xie Shang had no mind to deal with Tang Qianran anymore; his mind was filled with Jiang Fenghua's every smile and gesture. He turned to the still dumbfounded Tang Liangdi and said in a deep voice, "You should go back soon too!"
Tang Qianran was stunned, looking somewhat aggrieved. She had been in the palace for so long, and His Highness clearly liked her very much, so why was he unwilling to touch her?
She thought they would... tonight
"Your Highness hasn't had your midnight snack yet!" she said hastily.
"It's all cold, and besides, I'm not hungry. Let's do it another day!" Xie Shang's voice remained gentle. He controlled his emotions well, but he spoke the last few words a bit more forcefully, which startled Tang Qianran.
She stared blankly at the handsome Crown Prince, her eyes filled with infatuation and fascination. Perhaps she should dress like the Crown Princess before meeting the Crown Prince, instead of always appearing as a palace maid.
Everyone says the Crown Princess is dignified and elegant, but I never expected her to be so charming. No wonder His Highness the Crown Prince likes her so much.
She would never forget the way the prince looked when he was painting. His heart and eyes were filled with the woman in the painting, which is why he painted her so vividly and so beautifully.
Xie Shang carefully put away the scroll and called out, "Wu Xin."
Wuxin hurriedly came in.
"Send this painting to my bedchamber," Xie Shang said, then added, "Send Consort Tang back to the palace."
Wuxin held the painting and said respectfully, "Please, Your Highness."
Tang Qianran reluctantly bowed and said, "This concubine takes her leave."
She refused to believe that, apart from the Crown Princess, none of them could catch the Crown Prince's eye.
The Crown Prince is of noble status, and he will be the ruler of the world in the future. She has never heard of a ruler of the world favoring only one woman.
Did the Crown Princess deliberately dress up like this tonight to appear before His Highness the Crown Prince, or was she sent by the Crown Prince?
On the way back to the palace, Tang Qianran asked Wuxin, "When did the Crown Princess arrive?"
"One step ahead of Your Highness."
Tang Qianran clenched her fingers. She thought that since Wuxin had accepted money from him so many times, he should also side with her.
"Why didn't you tell me beforehand, Father?" Her tone was somewhat reproachful. She shouldn't have dressed so plainly, but the Crown Princess was so beautiful, how could she possibly outshine her?
Wu Xin pretended not to understand, "Your Highness has not given any instructions to this servant, so this servant dares not speak casually. This servant will only be loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince."
He handed Tang Qianran's money pouch back to her, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness. From now on, please don't give this servant any more money."
Tang Qianran was stunned, and quickly explained, "That's not what I meant."
"Please, Your Highness. This servant will escort you back to the palace and also return the Crown Prince's painting to Chengguang Hall," Wuxin said.
Tang Qian then belatedly realized why the Crown Prince didn't take the painting back to Chengguang Palace himself. Was His Highness not going back to his bedchamber tonight?
The most important thing right now is not to offend Eunuch Wuxin. He serves the Crown Prince personally, and we will need his help in the future. She added, "I feel like His Highness the Crown Prince is a little angry with me!"
I didn't mean to complain, but you're only realizing it now, my lady!
Wuxin also wanted to infiltrate the enemy's ranks and wouldn't truly ignore these young ladies. She gently reminded them, "Your Highness is also aware that the Crown Princess is hosting a banquet for all the young ladies."
Suddenly, Tang Qianran realized what was happening.
His Highness the Crown Prince wanted them all to understand that they shouldn't go to the Crown Princess to provoke her, otherwise they would end up in this awkward situation.
Tang Qianran was really too smug. She thought that the Crown Prince hadn't stopped her from entering Taihua Palace a few days ago because he liked her and had the Empress's permission. She was, after all, his woman, and if their meeting made her heart flutter, he would be happy too.
It turns out that as long as you don't provoke the Crown Princess, he can like her. All of this is based on making the Crown Princess happy, only then are they qualified to be the Crown Prince's women.
She said, "Right now, my enemies are not the Crown Princess, but the other concubines who have just entered the palace, and Lu Xuefei."
I'm not listening attentively; all I want to say is that you're not qualified to treat the Crown Princess as an enemy.
Tang Qianran seemed to suddenly realize something, "Thank you for the reminder, Eunuch Wuxin."
Wu Xin didn't say a word; he just didn't want these women to make his master unhappy.
The master didn't seem to care who the crown prince was flirting with, so they naturally didn't dare to think too much about it.
-
Jiang Fenghua had just returned to Chenxi Palace when Xie Shang arrived.
He didn't try to keep a low profile this time either, and his arrival almost alarmed all the servants in the Morning Light Palace.
Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince echoed through the Chenxi Palace. He strode in with an imposing and domineering air, as if he were walking on air, and went straight to Jiang Fenghua's bedroom.
Pushing open the door, he saw Jiang Fenghua sitting quietly in front of the dressing mirror. Hongxiu and Lianye were also in the room, each holding a child. The children, who were only a little over a month old, could already smile. The moment he saw the children, the nameless anger in his heart vanished instantly.
Jiang Fenghua glanced at him sideways and stood up from in front of the dressing mirror. "Your Highness is so impulsive. I don't have a Tang Liangdi here."
Her words had a sarcastic tone.
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