Chapter 23, ten thousand words, is even more charming and natural, and that is also a skill. …
Wei Zilin reached out his hand and stroked her surprised eyes. His eyes were gloomy. "Why, are you disappointed to see it's me?"
"Wei Zilin, are you crazy?!"
Shen Xingwan struggled to push him away, but Wei Zilin grabbed her waist fiercely, pulled her towards him with his arms, and growled hysterically, "I'm crazy! I'm crazy about you!"
Shen Xingwan was frightened by his sudden frenzy and stood there for a long time, not daring to move.
The Wei Zilin in front of him did not look as high-spirited as he had been when he had just entered the East Palace and married a beautiful wife and concubines. Instead, he looked rather haggard and decadent.
He was much thinner than before, his jawline was more distinct and sharp, his cheeks were sunken, and his starry eyes were bloodshot, looking dim and gloomy, staring at her face closely.
He reeked of alcohol. Shen Xingwan didn't know how much he had drunk. She only knew that Wei Zilin in front of her was definitely not in a sober and reasonable state at the moment.
She didn't dare to confront him head-on. God knew what irreparable and ridiculous things he would do if he lost his mind.
She softened her tone and advised him softly, "Your Highness is drunk. I'm afraid he mistook me for Sister Lin'er. Please take a rest. I'll go find her."
As she spoke, she raised her arms to press against his chest and gently pushed Wei Zilin away.
Wei Zilin frowned, easily grasped her wrists with one hand, and tightened her waist with the other hand, pushing her around and causing her to fall onto the couch.
"what you do?!"
Shen Xingwan was so anxious that she almost cried. She struggled and pushed him away, raising her legs to kick him, but he easily pushed her down.
Shen Xingwan was pinned down by him and couldn't move. In panic, she bit his shoulder and neck.
"Well......"
With a muffled groan, Wei Zilin hugged her even tighter, with such force that he almost crushed her.
"Let me go! What are you doing?! Let me go..."
Tears streamed down Shen Xingwan's face. She struggled helplessly like a mayfly trying to shake a tree, crying until she was hoarse.
Perhaps because she was crying so miserably, Wei Zilin actually stopped what he was doing, raised his head slightly, and looked at her blankly.
"Night..."
Shen Xingwan was so shocked that she even forgot to cry and stared straight at Wei Zilin who was so close to her.
Wanwan was the nickname Wei Zilin would whisper to her whenever they were in love.
But she had never had close contact with him in this life, let alone been close to him, so why would he suddenly call her like this?
"Why are you crying?"
The grief in Wei Zilin's eyes almost overflowed, but his dark eyes became clearer, and he gently wiped away the tears on her face with his warm and cool fingertips.
"What on earth are you going to do?!" Shen Xingwan couldn't help crying.
"Yeah, what on earth am I going to do?"
Wei Zilin looked at her blankly, as if he was also looking for the answer.
“You’re crazy!”
Shen Xingwan took advantage of his distraction and pushed him away, struggling to get up and run, but Wei Zilin, who had come to his senses, grabbed his belt and pulled him back to his side.
"Don't go, Wanwan, don't go." He hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, and explained in a low voice: "I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't sleep all night recently. I always dream about you and us. In the dream, we are together and you love me very much..."
"You are going insane! Find a doctor right away!"
Shen Xingwan's chest was beating like a drum and he was terrified. Could it be that this guy was about to awaken his memories of his past life?
If he really remembered it, how could she take revenge? This must not happen!
"No, it isn't."
Wei Zilin was drunk and seemed a little unclear. He hugged Shen Xingwan and rubbed his thin cheek against her face lovingly. "Recently, I can't tell whether it was a dream or not. I always have a feeling that those things really happened."
"I think I really love you."
"When I think about you not being by my side... When I think about you committing yourself to someone else..." Wei Zilin's tone suddenly became depressed, "I feel like my heart is being stabbed by a knife, it's very uncomfortable..."
Shen Xingwan was speechless and laughed, "Your Highness, have you forgotten that your Crown Princess is the Grand Commandant's legitimate daughter, Lu Yuzhi, and your concubine, Tang Lin'er, is pregnant with your child?"
"It's really inappropriate to kidnap your wife's sister to express your love on your wedding day."
Wei Zilin froze and his voice became hoarse, "Wanwan..."
"Don't call me that!"
Shen Xingwan struggled and shouted angrily: "I am the princess of the regent king, let me go!"
Hearing her say this, Wei Zilin sneered and said, "Yan Jinghuan, he should have seen Tang Lin'er by now. Maybe they are busy and have no time to pay attention to you."
Shen Xingwan looked at him in disbelief, "How could you do this?! Isn't Tang Lin'er your beloved? Didn't you two have a long-standing alliance and love each other very much? She's pregnant with your child, how could you treat her like this?!"
Wei Zilin smiled, "How did I treat her? Didn't your father say it himself? They are all Shen's daughters. Why can't her Shen's daughter replace you, the Shen's daughter, and marry Yan Jinghuan?"
"you......"
Shen Xingwan looked at the indifferent man in front of her and felt sick in her heart, "Shameless!"
This Wei Zilin is so cold and indifferent.
Shen Xingwan felt a chill in his heart.
The only person he loves, from beginning to end, is himself.
Whether it was Tang Lin'er or Shen Xingwan, they were just toys for him when he was in a good mood.
If you can't get what you want, you will become obsessive and unwilling to give in, and will do whatever it takes to get it.
But we don’t cherish what we get easily, and throw it away like a worn-out shoe in the blink of an eye.
"You planned today's situation a long time ago, so you gave Tang Lin'er the same wedding dress as mine, right?"
Shen Xingwan questioned coldly.
Wei Zilin grabbed her hand, opened her palm with his fingertips, pressed her soft palm against his cheek, closed his eyes and hummed softly.
"You are shameless!"
Shen Xingwan couldn't bear it any longer and slapped him hard in the face.
Wei Zilin's head tilted after being beaten, and when he opened his eyes, they were dark red. He licked the sweet blood at the corner of his lips, gritted his teeth, turned over, pressed her under him, and directly tore off her shawl.
"Wei Zilin!"
She screamed in horror, regretting her impulsive behavior, but it was too late and she was about to lose control completely.
"Didn't you say you loved me?!" she shouted, trying to stop him.
Wei Zilin paused, then became more violent and fierce, pinching her neck and saying coldly, "I will love you well now..."
Shen Xingwan didn't know how things turned out like this, but now she could do nothing but cry.
Struggling in despair, she seemed to have again the feeling of being tied up under a mountain of corpses in her previous life.
The pain of struggling but being unable to do anything and having to watch her life slip away bit by bit surged into her heart and almost made her want to die.
She cried and struggled desperately, but the strength disparity between men and women was so great that she was pinned down by him and could not move at all. She could only passively allow him to humiliate her and manipulate her.
She couldn't bear such humiliation, she cried until her voice became hoarse, and bit her tongue in despair.
Suddenly, there were wailing and smashing sounds outside, and then the door was kicked open. Just as Wei Zilin was about to look up, he was kicked over by someone.
A black cloak swirled around her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Shen Xingwan opened her eyes tremblingly and saw Yan Jinghuan's frightened and pained eyes.
Yan Jinghuan pulled her cloak tightly to cover her body, clenched her teeth, turned around and picked up Wei Zilin, who was almost unconscious beside her, pressed him to the ground, pulled out the dagger from her waist and stabbed him hard, piercing directly through his palm.
Wei Zilin groaned in pain and struggled to wake up. Yan Jinghuan's eyes turned red and he pulled out a dagger and was about to slash his neck.
"My Lord! No way!!"
A man in tight clothes rushed over, hugged Yan Jinghuan's hand tightly, and urged him: "My lord, you can't do this. This is in Wei State. It is difficult to break into the East Palace. The Imperial Guards will be here soon. If we don't retreat now, we may not be able to escape safely!"
Yan Jinghuan's eyes were filled with murderous intent. He looked up at the trembling Shen Xingwan, and finally put away the bloody dagger. He leaned over to pick her up and ordered, "Go."
Shen Xingwan curled up in his arms. He held her firmly and carried her out the door.
As they were walking out, Shen Xingwan caught a glimpse of a man in black carrying a sack and jumping into the room. He opened the sack and a woman in a bright red wedding dress fell out.
The woman was leaning on the couch, her wedding hat tilted to one side, revealing Tang Lin'er's face.
Shen Xingwan felt sad and huddled in Yan Jinghuan's arms with her head down.
Shen Xingwan was still a little dazed until she successfully returned to the Regent's Palace, washed and dressed, and sat on the bed.
She stared blankly at the pair of half-burned wedding candles in the room. Everything that had happened before seemed like an absurd dream.
After sitting there for a while, Yan Jinghuan finally dealt with all the aftermath matters and pushed the door open to walk into the bridal chamber.
He had already changed back into his bright red wedding gown, strode over, and sat down next to Shen Xingwan.
Shen Xingwan's original wedding dress was already dirty, and she didn't have the energy to put on heavy makeup. Now she was only wearing an ordinary bright red middle-length dress, without even a wedding veil.
Yan Jinghuan knew that she was frightened, so he eliminated all the formalities and sent the servants away so that she could rest.
Under the soft candlelight, Yan Jinghuan's hostility disappeared and his expression became much softer. He reached out to hold Shen Xingwan's hand. Shen Xingwan lowered her head, and when his fingertips touched her, she retracted her hand.
Yan Jinghuan pursed his lips and said nothing. He just turned around, loosened his clothes, and said softly, "You are tired too. Rest early."
Shen Xingwan lowered her eyes, silently moved inside, quietly pulled over the quilt and lay down.
Feeling Yan Jinghuan lying down, she turned inside silently and shed tears secretly.
Her subtle sobs could not escape Yan Jinghuan's ears. He turned to face her and reached out to touch her cheek.
Shen Xingwan hurriedly raised her hand to wipe away her tears, but he still noticed some wetness.
He held her slender wrist as she wiped her tears. When Shen Xingwan tried to pull away, he applied a little force with his fingertips, refusing to let go. He took advantage of the situation and pulled her forward, bending her body towards him.
Just as Shen Xingwan was about to struggle, he moved closer to her, put his hand around her waist and pulled her towards himself.
Yan Jinghuan tightened his arms, held her in his arms, stroked her back gently, leaned over and whispered in her ear: "It's okay."
Shen Xingwan felt relieved and buried her face in his chest. Unable to hold back any longer, she sobbed and cried softly.
Yan Jinghuan hugged her quietly until she slowly calmed down and became quiet.
“He didn’t accomplish anything.”
In the quiet night, she murmured to herself, as softly as the fluttering of a butterfly's wings, almost unnoticeable.
Yan Jinghuan stopped moving.
Feeling the body in his arms gradually stiffen and tremble slightly, Yan Jinghuan let go of her a little and looked down into her eyes.
The little girl closed her eyes tightly and curled up even more.
"Look at me," he said.
Shen Xingwan opened her eyes and slowly raised her head to look at him.
There was an indissoluble darkness in his eyes, and he was looking at her deeply.
"A woman's chastity is never beneath her skirt."
Shen Xingwan cried even harder.
Yan Jinghuan hugged her again and kissed her on the top of her head, "Go to sleep."
She didn't know how long she cried, until she couldn't hold on any longer and finally fell into a deep sleep in the warm scent of pine.
After a good night's sleep, when Shen Xingwan woke up, he slowly opened his eyes, and his consciousness seemed to have returned slowly from a distant dream.
The morning light shines through the thin curtains and gently falls on the bed.
A gentle breeze blew, ruffling the veil between the tents, bringing with it the fragrance of newly blossomed flowers outside the window, blending with the refreshing scent of cold pine beside the pillow, refreshing the heart.
Shen Xingwan glanced sideways quietly at Yan Jinghuan, who was standing beside her with his eyes slightly closed. His raven-black eyelashes covered his eyelids, trembling slightly with his breathing. Under his straight nose, his thin lips were lightly pursed, and his black hair spread freely on the pillow, like a flowing ink waterfall.
She had never looked at him so closely before, and was surprised to find that he was so handsome.
The enchanting little cinnabar mole under the corner of his right eye added a unique charm to him, causing her to turn around and take a closer look.
"woke up?"
Yan Jinghuan suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes were clear, and seeing that she was caught red-handed, he shyly pulled the quilt to cover his face, and couldn't help but curl his eyes.
"It's still early. You can sleep a little longer. We will go to the palace to see the emperor at dawn."
When Shen Xingwan heard this, she pulled the quilt aside a little, revealing her eyes and looking at him.
Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Yan Jinghuan explained softly: "The day after the wedding, according to etiquette, you need to go to the palace to meet and thank the emperor." As he said that, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder, "Don't worry, I'm here, everything will be fine."
"Um."
Shen Xingwan agreed, she believed him.
Yan Jinghuan got up first, washed and changed his clothes, then went to the study to deal with some things. Shen Xingwan had no desire to sleep anymore, so he sat up with a heavy heart.
Hearing the noise, the maids waiting outside the door immediately pushed the door open and walked in one after another carrying toiletries.
Feiyun walked over quickly, with tears in her eyes, and knelt timidly in front of Shen Xingwan's bed.
"Miss, I don't know why I smelled a sweet fragrance yesterday when I followed you to the Imperial Concubine's palace. Not long after, I felt dizzy and lost consciousness. I slept until now and missed serving you on your wedding night. I really deserve to die. Please punish me, Miss."
Shen Xingwan knew in her heart that Wei Zilin and the Imperial Concubine had deliberately set up a trap to harm her, and Feiyun had also suffered as a result. How could she blame her?
Looking at Feiyun's appearance, it was obvious that she knew nothing about what happened last night. I guess Yan Jinghuan made many arrangements behind the scenes.
Shen Xingwan reached out and helped Feiyun up. He looked her up and down with concern. Seeing that she was fine, he was relieved and said softly, "It's okay. Are you feeling better now? If you still feel dizzy, go and rest. You don't need to serve me here for the time being."
"No, I'm fine. I just want to stay with you, young lady, and serve you wholeheartedly." Feiyun said quickly.
Shen Xingwan nodded and said nothing more.
Feiyun picked up the comb and helped Shen Xingwan wash and dress. During this time, she saw various subtle marks on Shen Xingwan's body and wanted to say something but stopped herself several times.
After carefully applying makeup to Shen Xingwan, and looking at Shen Xingwan's slightly tired and haggard face in the diamond-shaped mirror, Feiyun finally couldn't help pursing her lips and mumbling.
"Miss, you got married yesterday, which was supposed to be a happy occasion, but seeing you like this, it really makes me feel distressed."
Shen Xingwan looked at Feiyun in confusion.
Feiyun pouted, gently using a powder puff to apply pearl powder to cover Shen Xingwan's slightly dark blue lower eyelid, and said, "Look, your wrist is bruised. Miss, your body is delicate and it is easy to turn red when touched. Now you look so haggard. It can be seen that you have been tossed around by your son-in-law for most of the night. He really doesn't know how to be considerate."
"......"
Shen Xingwan was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to answer.
"What are you feeling sad about?" Yan Jinghuan walked in from outside, heard the end of the conversation, and came over to join in the conversation.
Feiyun quickly shut her mouth and stopped talking, concentrating on helping Shen Xingwan to tie up her hair into a bun and pinning on a pearl flower.
"Let's go." Yan Jinghuan stretched out his hand.
"Um."
Shen Xingwan stood up and placed her fingertips in his palm. Yan Jinghuan held her hand and led her out.
Feiyun followed behind and saw that Yan Jinghuan looked very healthy. She curled her lips secretly and thought that she would have to cook some nourishing soup for her young lady later. She couldn't let her son-in-law only care about his own happiness and exhaust her young lady.
In the dim morning light, the light reflected on the golden tiles in the palace, making them sparkle. Yan Jinghuan and Shen Xingwan walked side by side, strolling on the palace road.
Yan Jinghuan was wearing a black dragon robe and a jade belt around his waist that was extremely valuable. Shen Xingwan wore a moon-white brocade long skirt with densely embroidered crabapple patterns, and a red gold and gem-inlaid phoenix hairpin on her head. The tassels swayed as she moved, and she was graceful and elegant.
Not far away, Wei Zilin, along with Crown Princess Lu Yuzhi and Concubine Tang Lin'er, were also walking towards the Yangxin Palace.
Wei Zilin was wearing a scarlet prince's dragon robe, looking very high-spirited. Lu Yuzhi was wearing a bright red palace dress, a phoenix coronet and a bridal robe, and walked beside Wei Zilin in a dignified and majestic manner.
Tang Lin'er was wearing a light pink silk dress and followed the two men with her head lowered. Although her makeup was delicate, she could not hide the loneliness in her eyes.
Several people stood and met outside the Yangxin Palace. Wei Zilin looked at Yan Jinghuan and Shen Xingwan with gloomy eyes, and finally stopped at Shen Xingwan's face, not moving away for a long time.
The meaning in those eyes was complex and difficult to understand, with anger, unwillingness, and more of it seemed to be hatred for not being able to love someone.
Shen Xingwan glanced at his haggard, dark eyelids and his hands wrapped in gauze with faint traces of blood, and knew that he must have had a hard time last night.
She felt a little relieved.
She just wanted to make him feel bad, but his little bit of pain could not make up for even one millionth of the hurt she had suffered.
Next, she must move step by step carefully and push him into hell completely.
After waiting for the announcement, the emperor summoned everyone into the palace for an audience.
Several people came into the Hall of Mental Cultivation and saluted in unison.
Yan Jinghuan said in a steady and powerful voice: "The king and the princess come to pay their respects to His Majesty."
Wei Zilin also said respectfully: "Your son, the Crown Princess, and the Concubine pay their respects to your father."
The emperor, who was lying on his sickbed, raised his eyes, glanced at everyone one by one, and nodded slightly, "Everyone, get up."
Since their last meeting in the enclosure, Shen Xingwan has never seen the emperor again.
There had been several reports in the palace that the emperor was critically ill. The Empress Dowager and the Imperial Noble Consort took control of the Yangxin Palace and stated that in order to allow the emperor to recuperate in peace, no one was allowed to come to see him and disturb him. All state affairs were left to the regent, the crown prince, and a group of cabinet ministers to discuss and decide.
The court officials had not seen the emperor for a long time, and there was bound to be a lot of gossip. There were even rumors among the people that the emperor might have died a long time ago, but the crown prince had not yet established a firm foothold, and the other princes were ready to make moves, so the empress dowager suppressed the news and kept the death a secret.
If the Crown Prince's wedding had not been a top priority for the continuation of the country's prosperity, these people would never have been able to see the Emperor.
And now, Shen Xingwan saw with his own eyes that the emperor was still alive.
Lying on the dragon couch, the emperor looked haggard, his face was as pale as paper, completely bloodless, his breathing was rapid and weak, and every gasp was accompanied by a violent rise and fall of his chest, as if he had used up all his strength.
His cracked lips trembled slightly, and he wanted to say something, but only made unclear sounds. His eyes were deeply sunken, and his originally sharp gaze now became cloudy and dim, full of fatigue and weakness.
He forced himself to lift his bony hand despite his illness and waved to Yan Jinghuan.
When Yan Jinghuan approached, he used up his last bit of strength and looked at Yan Jinghuan with eyes full of worry and concern. Although he was extremely weak, he still showed deep concern.
Yan Jinghuan understood what he meant and nodded slightly. His eyes were firm and steady as he met the emperor's.
His eyes conveyed an unquestionable message: The Fourteenth Prince is safe and sound, Your Majesty has no need to worry.
That firm gaze was like a warm current, instantly relaxing the emperor's tense nerves.
The worry in the emperor's eyes gradually dissipated, and he slowly closed his eyes. A look of relief appeared on his pale face, as if a huge stone in his heart had been put down.
He forced himself to stay alert, said a few polite words to the crowd, then lay back on the bed, waved his withered hands, and said, "I am tired, everyone please leave."
Everyone saluted the emperor and were about to turn around and leave when suddenly a gentle yet majestic voice rang out, "Wait a minute."
Several people looked in the direction of the voice and saw the Imperial Concubine walking slowly out of the inner hall with lotus steps.
She was dressed in a gorgeous palace dress densely embroidered with peony patterns and a phoenix crown on her head. Every step she took was graceful and dignified.
The Imperial Concubine had a faint smile on her lips, but her tone was strong and unyielding. She said, "It's rare for the new wives to enter the palace, so why don't you stay and sit with me? I can also fulfill my hospitality and teach you some rules for serving your husbands."
Shen Xingwan's heart suddenly tightened, and she subconsciously moved behind Yan Jinghuan, gently grabbing his sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Yan Jinghuan's eyes turned cold instantly. He gently held Shen Xingwan's hand, turned around, took a step forward, and looked directly at the Imperial Concubine.
"Don't worry, Imperial Concubine."
"Xing Wan is the consort of the second prince of the Great Yan Kingdom. She has the Queen of Yan Kingdom to teach her carefully. The Imperial Consort is only a concubine of a vassal state after all. I'm afraid it's not your turn to teach the consort of the prince of my Great Yan Kingdom."
Yan Jinghuan's words were like a sharp blade, cutting through the seemingly peaceful atmosphere.
The Imperial Concubine's face turned blue and red immediately, her smile froze on her lips, shock, anger and murderous intent flashed across her eyes, but she gradually suppressed it.
The air in the hall seemed to have frozen. It was so quiet that the only sounds could be heard were people's rapid breathing and the occasional crackling of burning candles.
This sudden confrontation caused the situation to come to a stalemate for a while.
The Imperial Concubine was choked by Yan Jinghuan and was speechless.
She bit her lower lip, her nails digging deep into her palms.
"presumptuous!"
The Imperial Concubine raised her voice, "In the Wei Kingdom's palace, we cannot tolerate outsiders like you running wild!"
Yan Jinghuan sneered, took another step forward, narrowed his narrow eyes, and said in a grim tone, "Royal Concubine, please be careful with your words."
The intimidating power was so evident that the imperial concubine unconsciously took half a step back.
She forced herself to stand up straight and said, "I just have good intentions and want to get closer to the brides. Why does the Regent have to misinterpret my meaning like this?"
Shen Xingwan took a deep breath, mustered up the courage to walk out from behind Yan Jinghuan, and stepped forward to bow respectfully.
"I appreciate the good intentions of the Imperial Concubine. But I am a new wife and have many things to deal with. It is inconvenient for me to stay for long. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will come here in person to ask for advice and listen to your teachings."
The Imperial Concubine was about to speak, but the Emperor slammed the edge of the dragon couch and said, "Enough! Everyone, step back!"
Everyone bowed their heads, bowed quickly, exited the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and left.
After leaving the Yangxin Palace, Shen Xingwan lowered his head and mumbled for a long while: "Thank you."
"I'm here." Yan Jinghuan gently squeezed her hand, "I won't let anyone bully you again."
Then he stood still, turned and looked at her.
"I said, between you and me, there is no need to thank each other."
The wind blew by, bringing with it a faint cool scent about him. His eyes and brows were gentle, like melting snow in spring water.
Shen Xingwan pursed her lips and finally nodded.
A faint smile appeared in Yan Jinghuan's eyes. He held her hand tightly and led her to continue walking towards the palace gate.
Before he could even reach the corridor, Guo Dazongjian hurried over and shouted, "Your Majesty, please stay!"
Shen Xingwan looked back and saw Chief Steward Guo running with the young eunuch with a red face. He finally caught up with them.
His chest was heaving, and he shook his whisk and bowed to Yan Jinghuan, saying, "Your Highness, the Military Affairs Office has an urgent report. After General Shen returned to the capital, the border lost its leader and general. The Hu people took the opportunity to rebel and invade. In just a few days, they lost several cities in a row. You should go to the Military Affairs Office as soon as possible."
Yan Jinghuan and Shen Xingwan looked at each other and then looked at General Manager Guo, "Where is the prince?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, and the Imperial Noble Consort are going to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. I have already sent someone to invite them."
Guo Da Zongguan anxiously swung his sleeves and said, "Oh, Your Majesty, please go quickly. Those military ministers are like ants on a hot pot, they are already running around in a panic!"
Yan Jinghuan frowned but did not move. Shen Xingwan knew that he was worried about her.
"You go ahead." She took the initiative to say: "Don't worry, I know the way out of the palace."
Yan Jinghuan looked at her. She naturally understood the hidden worry in his eyes. She also imitated his movements, squeezing his hand comfortingly and looking at him, "Don't worry, I will only walk along the palace road. In broad daylight, I'm sure that even ghosts will have nowhere to hide."
Yan Jinghuan shook her hand back and told her, "Don't stay. Get in the car and go back home as soon as you leave the palace. I'll ask Xing Zhou to pick you up."
"Yeah, okay."
Seeing Shen Xingwan's response, Yan Jinghuan reluctantly let go of her hand, turned around with a stern look, and was led to the Military Affairs Office by General Manager Guo.
Shen Xingwan watched his back disappear into the distance, wrapped her cloak tightly around her, and walked slowly along the path out of the palace.
Just as she reached the Imperial Garden, she heard the sound of an argument. Shen Xingwan looked in the direction of the sound and saw from afar Lu Yuzhi and Tang Lin'er standing next to a rockery.
The pearl on Lu Yuzhi's phoenix crown swayed gently with her movements. She should have looked dignified and graceful, but at this moment her eyebrows were raised and her face was full of anger.
Tang Lin'er looked thin and pitiful. She stood in front of Lu Yuzhi with her head lowered, clutching the corners of her clothes with both hands, and her body trembling slightly.
"Tang Lin'er, you are so brave!"
Lu Yuzhi angrily scolded: "On the wedding night yesterday, you dared to seduce His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to stay in your room. Do you still have eyes for me, your principal wife? You are just a concubine who is not presentable, and you dare to seduce your master like this!"
Tang Lin'er's eyes were red and she cried, "Sister, I...I really didn't, it was His Highness who..."
"shut up!"
Lu Yuzhi was furious. "You still dare to quibble? If you don't give me an explanation today, I want you to come in standing and leave sideways!" As she said that, she raised her hand to pull Tang Lin'er.
When Shen Xingwan saw this, he immediately understood most of what was going on. He guessed that these people were unaware of the ridiculous things that happened last night.
She was certain in her heart, so she walked over and pretended to be surprised, raised her eyebrows and asked, "Hey, what's this about?"
When Lu Yuzhi heard the voice, she turned to look at Shen Xingwan, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and then she bowed slightly as a greeting.
She said sarcastically: "You came at the right time. Please judge for yourself. Your sister is really too mean!"
Tang Lin'er also bowed and choked up as she said, "Greetings, Princess."
Shen Xingwan raised the corners of her lips slightly, and said slowly, "I was wondering what it was, it turns out it's about the wedding night."
"In my opinion, Sister Lu, don't feel too aggrieved. A man's heart is sometimes hard to understand."
She glanced at Tang Lin'er intentionally or unintentionally, "But some people are naturally charming and can firmly grasp the heart of their husbands. That is also her ability. Sister Lu, you should learn more from her."
When Lu Yuzhi heard this, her expression became even uglier, and her eyes were full of resentment as she looked at Tang Lin'er.
"You really hit the nail on the head. Some people are restless and dream of becoming the first wife just by relying on their looks."
Tang Lin'er was extremely shocked and angry, her eyes filled with tears, "Sister, please understand, I am sincere to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I only want to stay by your side forever, and I have never dared to have any improper thoughts."
Shen Xingwan sneered in his heart, but still smiled cordially on his face, adding fuel to the fire with a smile.
"Hey, sister, please don't underestimate yourself. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince loves you deeply, and that's unique. Otherwise, why would he personally ask for a red wedding dress for you and let you give birth to his eldest son? It shows that in His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's heart, you are no different from his legal wife. The child in your belly is his eldest son."
Lu Yuzhi was so angry at Shen Xingwan's words that she rushed forward, grabbed Tang Lin'er by the collar, and tore her hair. "You bitch, I must teach you a lesson today! I'll teach you the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children!"
Tang Lin'er struggled in fear and cried, "Sister, please let me go, I didn't, I really didn't..."
Shen Xingwan looked coldly at the two people who were wrestling with each other. He felt secretly happy in his heart, but pretended to be surprised and reached out to separate them.
"Oh, sisters, don't be so impulsive. This is a forbidden area in the palace. If you make trouble in front of the Empress Dowager, it will be embarrassing."
Although he said this, he was holding Tang Lin'er's arm, pulling her openly but secretly trying to trap her.
Before the two of them had a secret conversation, Lu Yuzhi had already sent away the servants, so there was no one to help break up the fight. Tang Lin'er's hair and makeup were all messed up by her, and she cried very pitifully.
Lu Yuzhi was still not satisfied, her eyes turned red, and she pushed Shen Xingwan away, "Get out of here! You Shen family can't teach any good people, and you have such a vixen. Now that she has entered my East Palace, I have to take the trouble to train her myself!"
Shen Xingwan patted his forehead as if waking up from a dream, "Ah, look at my brain, I actually forgot this."
She bowed apologetically and said, "Since my sister has left the Chen Mansion and married into the Eastern Palace, she will naturally be under your jurisdiction, Crown Princess. Although I am her elder sister, I should not interfere in the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace."
"It's good that you know." Lu Yuzhi said angrily: "Why don't you leave now!"
Shen Xingwan lowered his eyes and bowed, hiding his inner emotions, "I'll leave."
When Shen Xingwan stepped out of the palace, the sunlight shone on her, but did not bring the slightest warmth.
She looked back at the towering palace. The glazed golden tiles seemed particularly cold at this moment. All the disputes in the palace today seemed like a nightmare, which made her feel breathless.
Outside the palace gate, the carriage of the Regent's Palace had been waiting for a long time. When Xing Zhou saw her coming out, he walked quickly forward and respectfully bowed to open the door for her.
Shen Xingwan took a deep breath and stepped into the car.
The carriage moved forward slowly, the wheels rolling on the stone road, making a dull sound. She leaned against the wall of the carriage, closed her eyes, raised her hand and gently rubbed her temples, showing her fatigue.
The open and covert struggles, the Imperial Concubine's difficulties, the quarrel between Lu Yuzhi and Tang Lin'er, kept revolving in her mind like a revolving lantern.
She unconsciously clenched her hands, her knuckles turning slightly white, hoping for a moment of peace, even if it was just a brief respite.
After an unknown amount of time, the carriage came to a complete stop. Shen Xingwan opened her eyes and felt relieved when she saw the gate of the Regent's Palace. She straightened her dress and walked down from the carriage steadily.
After returning to the palace and having a meal alone, the steward led the servants of the Regent's palace to pay a visit.
The manager brought out all the account books and keys, all the relevant rosters and warehouse lists, etc., and placed them in front of Shen Xingwan one by one.
The steward bowed respectfully and said in a clear voice: "Since the prince has married, according to the rules, the food should be handed over to the princess. Please take a look at it."
Shen Xingwan was already worried enough about herself, so how could she have the energy to take care of the accounts and the household? What's more, she didn't know how long she could keep the title of princess.
She knew in her heart that the State of Yan did not seem to approve of her becoming Yan Jinghuan's queen. Although she did not know for what purpose Yan Jinghuan insisted on marrying her as his principal wife, if he returned to the State of Yan one day, he would definitely marry another noblewoman from the State of Yan.
If the day really comes when I am divorced and left with nothing to worry about, it would be better for me to give up hope in the first place.
After all, without expectations, there will be no disappointment.
If that day really came, she would never make things difficult for him, and would definitely ask for a divorce and give him freedom.
Having made up her mind, Shen Xingwan smiled gently and said to the steward in a soft but clear voice, "Steward, you have been managing the palace for many years. I admire you from the bottom of my heart. I am still young and a newcomer. I don't know much about the affairs of the palace. If I rashly take over, I am afraid I will be in a mess and make mistakes."
She paused slightly, frowned slightly, and added a bit of helplessness in her tone, "I've been worrying about trivial matters lately, and my body has been acting badly. I often feel overwhelmed." Having said that, she raised her eyes and looked at the housekeeper, her eyes were very earnest.
"You have managed the palace in perfect order over the years. Accounts, purchases, and employment have all been arranged properly. Therefore, I hope that the steward can continue to manage the household affairs and give me some time to recuperate."
The steward smiled modestly, folded his hands, and bowed respectfully.
"You are too kind, Princess. I have served in the palace for many years and have only been doing my duty and trying my best to manage the palace."
After saying this, he bowed slightly and said, "From now on, I will take care of all the affairs of the palace. If there are any matters, I will report to the princess first, and I will follow her instructions. I also hope that the princess can rest assured and recover soon."
His words were flawless. Shen Xingwan looked at him deeply and realized that the manager in front of him was no simple person but an extremely smart man.
After the steward accompanied Shen Xingwan to gain a general understanding of the affairs of the palace, he waved his hand and asked everyone to return to their respective duties.
After everyone left, Feiyun waited for Shen Xingwan to go back to his room to wash up and rest.
Shen Xingwan lay on the couch, delicate silk caressing her skin, and the pillow was filled with the faint scent of cold pine.
Yan Jinghuan had not returned home yet. She tossed and turned while holding Jin, unable to fall asleep like a hot pancake.
Even as the night deepened and everything became quiet, Shen Xingwan still had no desire to sleep.
She stood up and walked to the window, gently pushed open the window sash to get some fresh air. The night was as cold as water, and a gust of cold wind blew, causing her to shiver.
Suddenly, steady footsteps were heard coming from far away. It was Yan Jinghuan who came back.
He walked into the inner room and saw her standing by the window. "Why haven't you slept yet? Are you feeling unwell?"
Shen Xingwan leaned over the window and shook his head, "I'm fine, I just can't sleep."
Upon hearing this, Yan Jinghuan turned around and walked to the side, reached out to open the golden nanmu cabinet, took out a mother-of-pearl lacquer box, opened the lid of the lacquer box, and took out a green incense stick from it.
He blew the fire stick to light the incense stick and casually inserted it into the incense holder.
Wisps of green smoke rose up, and the elegant fragrance gradually spread, lingering in the entire room.
When Shen Xingwan smelled the familiar fragrance, her body suddenly stiffened.
She looked at Yan Jinghuan in shock, her eyes full of confusion.
This calming incense was exactly the incense she loved most in her previous life.
In her previous life, she had worked so hard for Wei Zilin to succeed the throne that she became ill and had trouble sleeping. Before he ascended the throne, she accidentally got this incense, which was very effective in helping her sleep, and she has been unable to put it down ever since.
But in this life, she has never mentioned it to anyone, how could Yan Jinghuan know?
Could it be that...
Is he also reborn?
Shen Xingwan's heartbeat suddenly quickened.
She stared at Yan Jinghuan, her lips trembling slightly. Just as she was about to ask, she was interrupted by a hurried knock on the door.
The servant's panicked voice came from outside the door.
"My Lord, Princess, something bad has happened!"
Yan Jinghuan frowned coldly, "Come in."
The servant pushed open the door, ran in in a panic, and knelt on the ground with a plop. "Your Highness, Princess, and your brother from your mother's family, General Shen Yunchao has been implicated for supporting the enemy and has been imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison!"
Shen Xingwan's face instantly lost all color, her body swayed, and she almost stumbled and fell. Yan Jinghuan stretched out his long arms and held her in his arms to steady her body, with a chill in his eyes, "Do you know who participated in the performance?"
The servant bowed his head and quickly reported: "In reply to your Highness, several ministers in the court jointly wrote a letter to the emperor, implicating General Shen for misappropriating food and raising private soldiers with the intention of rebellion."
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