Chapter 49 A Distance Formed in Xie Shang's Heart
When Yunfang handed the handkerchief to Granny Wang, Granny Wang asked, "Where is the Prince?"
“The prince just left here, probably because he has official business to attend to,” Yunfang added. “The concubine is angry about this, and the prince didn’t even offer to spend some time with her before leaving her behind.”
Granny Wang put away her handkerchief and sneered, deliberately saying, "I heard that the Princess and the Prince have already consummated their marriage in the palace. The Prince dotes on the Princess so much, carrying her around in his arms and legs, afraid that she might suffer the slightest grievance."
Upon hearing this, Su Tingwan felt a chill run through her heart, but she couldn't do it now. She pinched her arm, recalling Xie Shang's rude actions towards her, and hatred welled up from the bottom of her heart. Why did they treat her like this?
Granny Wang naturally had to go and ask the prince.
Xie Shang didn't go anywhere after leaving the Sandalwood Courtyard. He didn't even dare to go to the Moonlit Pavilion to face Jiang Fenghua, so he went straight back to the Snow Listening Pavilion.
He didn't turn on the light, and it was pitch black inside. He felt uncomfortable all over and his head was throbbing. Wanwan was clearly not that kind of woman. She was innocent, cute, and lively, and would never use such tricks and schemes.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by Granny Wang's voice, "Your Highness, is this old servant here? Is Your Highness inside?"
"What is it?" Xie Shang asked in a deep voice.
Granny Wang said respectfully, "This servant just came from Consort Su's quarters. I heard that the Prince and Consort Su have consummated their marriage. This servant is asking for the sake of the Prince's heir, so I am asking if the Prince and Consort Su are really together..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xie Shang said coldly, "Just tell the Empress Dowager the truth, nanny. I and the concubine have already consummated our marriage."
Granny Wang still had doubts in her heart, "It's so late, why isn't the Prince resting in the concubine's room? Why has he returned to Tingxue Pavilion instead?" Even if he had official business to attend to, he should have returned to his study!
Xie Shang paused. If he told Granny Wang that he had been drugged by Su Tingwan tonight, that's why...
Recalling her pitiful and pleading appearance, he calmed down and realized that he had broken his promise to her. If he hadn't fallen in love with Jiang Fenghua, Wanwan wouldn't have done something so extreme.
"Your Highness..." Granny Wang called out again.
Xie Shang then said, "I suddenly remembered that I had official business to attend to, so I returned to Tingxue Pavilion."
Granny Wang was still a little confused. After all, the prince liked Consort Su so much, and the two of them slept together. Then he left in the middle of the night. This...
She said with a question in her mind, "This servant will take her leave."
The noise outside the door quickly subsided, and Xie Shang changed into clean clothes and went out.
Under the moonlight, he walked alone to the gate of Lan Yue Pavilion. The courtyard was quiet, all the doors of the rooms were closed, and everyone was fast asleep.
He stared at the door of Jiang Fenghua's room, where the candles were extinguished. Knowing that Jiang Fenghua was asleep, he turned around and left the mansion without disturbing anyone.
He remembered Jiang Fenghua saying she would wait for him to come back, but now he didn't know how to face her.
-
Two weeks later.
As the weather gets hotter, it's impossible to sleep without ice in the house. Jiang Fenghua set up a hammock in the pavilion and reads there when she has nothing to do.
While fanning her, Lianye kept talking, "The prince has been gone for half a month, why hasn't he returned yet? He hasn't sent a message or a letter."
Jiang Fenghua had already inquired about him and found out that he left the Prince's Mansion that night and then left Shengjing City.
She thought: Xie Shang must have gone to investigate the case of the imperial tomb robbery. The case must be very complicated, and it is inconvenient to announce it to the public, so he left quietly.
Jiang Fenghua also learned from Granny Wang that Xie Shang had consummated his marriage with Su Tingwan on the day he left.
She hadn't seen Su Tingwan these past few days, and even sent a maid to say that Consort Su was ill and unable to come to Lanyue Pavilion to pay her respects to the Princess.
Jiang Fenghua didn't care whether they consummated their marriage or not. She continued to practice dancing, reading, writing, painting, and managing her businesses as usual.
"These past few days, the Sandalwood Courtyard has been unusually quiet. Consort Su seems to have become a different person. She spends every day hiding in the Sandalwood Courtyard studying music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but I heard that the results are not good. In the end, she chose to learn to dance and practices hard every day. She is very diligent and hardworking. Yunfang even found a teacher to come to the mansion to teach her, all very mysteriously."
Jiang Fenghua remained noncommittal after hearing this, and continued reading with a graceful posture. Dancing is all about basic skills, and you can't learn anything if you only start learning at seventeen or eighteen.
Jiang Fenghua said, "In a few days, the palace will hold a banquet to welcome the envoys from Chaoxi Kingdom. The envoys from Chaoxi Kingdom will go to Da Zhou to seek peace and will also present the emperor with a beautiful princess. The two countries will form an alliance, and Su Tingwan wants to shine at the banquet."
In her previous life, Su Tingwan and Xie Shang performed a sword dance together, winning applause from the audience. In this life, Xie Shang has been tied up with official duties and has not yet appeared, so it is estimated that the sword dance will not be performed.
Speaking of dancing, Lianye's eyes lit up. "I think she's just imitating someone else. If our Princess were to dance, she would definitely amaze everyone."
"Is there a courtesan pageant at Yichun Pavilion tonight?" Jiang Fenghua asked casually.
Lianye said happily, "Yes, Manager Lin sent word that she will personally organize a beauty pageant tonight. It must be very lively. I would like to go and see it too, but unfortunately, Miss is now the Princess Consort of Heng, so it is inconvenient for her to go to such places."
Jiang Fenghua was also a little itchy. Since Xie Shang wasn't in Shengjing, she asked, "Has Granny Wang returned to the palace?"
"They've returned to the palace. What happened?"
Jiang Fenghua rolled off the hammock and said, "Help me with my hair and makeup. Tonight we'll go for a stroll in the streets and see who will be crowned the most beautiful courtesan this year."
Although she was the Princess Consort of Heng, Xie Shang did not restrict her personal freedom, and besides, she had not been to Yichun Tower for a long time.
Since Lin Yu took over Yichun Pavilion, the rules of the pavilion have changed. Lin Yu never forces women to entertain customers. Of course, they are not saints either. They use money to support the girls in the pavilion. There are girls who want to sell their bodies to make money, and they never stop them. There are also girls who sell their art but not their bodies. Everyone gets what they need. In just a few years, Yichun Pavilion has grown bigger and bigger.
Jiang Fenghua arrived at Yichun Tower dressed in men's clothing. Lin Yu, knowing she was coming, hurried to the side door to greet her.
She was dressed in a silver-white brocade robe, holding a bamboo leaf folding fan in her hand. She was exceptionally handsome and elegant, resembling a dashing young gentleman.
As soon as Lin Yu saw her, he put his arm around her waist and raised an eyebrow at her. "Young Master Jiang, please come in. We've reserved a private room for you. We have a distinguished guest."
Jiang Fenghua didn't understand who the distinguished guest was. When she went upstairs and saw the person, she ran happily into his arms like a bird, "Big brother, when did you come back? You didn't even tell Ruanruan you were back."
Jiang Jinyan was handsome, and his smile was breathtaking. He patted her head affectionately, "You're going to Yichun Tower for your wedding? Aren't you afraid that Prince Heng will find out?"
Jiang Fenghua pretended to be angry, "Big brother, you're saying that you didn't even come back for your own sister's wedding? I'm not talking to you anymore."
"Didn't I send back a congratulatory gift? Is Ruan Ruan still angry with her older brother?" Jiang Jinyan said again, "You sent me a letter asking me to investigate the theft of the imperial tombs, don't you want to know the progress?"
Jiang Fenghua's eyes lit up. "Big brother, did you find out?"
Jiang Jinyan deliberately said, "Weren't you ignoring your elder brother?"
"My dear brother, my dearest older brother." Jiang Fenghua pouted, and Jiang Jinyan immediately surrendered, saying indulgently, "It probably wasn't the people from the Great Zhou who did it..."
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