Chapter 9 Boring. You'd better recognize your place.
Did he see that? What did he see?
Did she see Chen Jun pulling and tugging at her? Or did she hear Chen Jun say that he still had feelings for her?
Shen Mi became increasingly flustered as she thought about it. She opened her mouth to explain and reached out to grab Gu Zhan's sleeve, but he ruthlessly pulled his hand away, saying, "We'll talk about it when we get back."
Indeed, they were currently at Kaibao Temple, and Gu Zhan, being a man who valued his reputation, probably didn't want to cause trouble or attract attention in such a place. Shen Mi silently withdrew her hand, placed it on the arm that Cuiwei had offered, and walked side by side with Gu Zhan.
Gu Zhan glanced back at her and, through the curtain, vaguely saw her slightly reddened eyes. He lowered his brows slightly.
Shen Mi hurriedly took a half step back and followed behind Gu Zhan. She almost forgot that she had been so anxious to prove her innocence to Gu Zhan that she had almost forgotten the proper etiquette. Even though she was the only one in the Eastern Palace now, and the Empress had offered words of comfort, she knew very well that Gu Zhan was the Crown Prince, and the selection of the Crown Princess would not be made casually. In the end, a Crown Princess would still have to enter the Eastern Palace.
Roufu's words, "She's nothing but a concubine," which she threw at her without any regard for her feelings, were like a sharp sword piercing her heart, reminding her day and night.
Gu Zhan watched her take a step back to avoid him, then turned around and walked ahead on his own.
The path from the bamboo forest to the entrance of Kaibao Temple wasn't long; we even passed the big tree covered in red ribbons, and there was that same little novice monk from before.
The young novice monk recognized her and smiled at her, saying, "So this is the lady's husband. He is indeed handsome and has an extraordinary bearing!"
These were flattering words, which Gu Zhan had heard many times before, so he didn't react much.
The young novice monk, of course, wouldn't miss the chance to earn another ten coins. Since he didn't recognize Gu Zhan, he stepped forward and asked, "Esteemed benefactor, you just made a wish to Buddha here. Would you like to write one down as well?"
Hearing the young monk address her as "Lingzheng" to Gu Zhan, Shen Mi's heart leaped into her throat. Gu Zhan valued rules above all else, and the term "Lingzheng" was only used for the principal wife. How could it be used so casually? So before Gu Zhan could speak, she quickly stepped forward to the young monk and said, "My...master doesn't believe in these things."
The young novice saw Shen Mi trying her best to stop him, and although he didn't know why, he scratched his head but didn't ask any further questions.
Shen Mi nodded gently to Gu Zhan through the curtain, pursing her lips.
Gu Zhan was not averse to these things. The Empress was also a devout Buddhist, and he had once accompanied her to the Daxiangguo Temple to listen to a high monk preach. However, he didn't know why Shen Mi looked troubled, as if she was pleading and urging him on. He finally withdrew his gaze from the red silk beside him and said indifferently, "Let's go."
The two remained silent until they reached the entrance of Kaibao Temple. Shen Mi followed Gu Zhan to his carriage. He assumed Shen Mi wanted to ride with him, and out of courtesy and upbringing as the crown prince, he was about to lean forward when Shen Mi stood in front of the carriage and curtsied to him, saying, "This concubine respectfully sees Your Highness off."
How boring. Gu Zhan withdrew his hand, sat back in the carriage, and remained silent.
When the carriage curtain fell in front of Shen Mi, she turned around and walked towards the carriage she had come from. With Cuiwei's help, she stepped onto the low stool and got into the carriage.
She was filled with anxiety the whole way. She knew she had to explain what had happened today to Gu Zhan. Otherwise, since Gu Zhan had no interest in her and might even dislike her, if she didn't explain now, someone might stir things up and cause a disaster in the future.
She silently considered her words, thinking about how to say something that wouldn't anger Gu Zhan. She thought about it all the way, and as soon as the carriage stopped at the gate of the East Palace, she jumped off the carriage without waiting for Cuiwei to help her. In that instant, she even twisted her ankle. Her eyes filled with tears, but she could only endure the pain in her ankle and try her best to look less disheveled as she chased after Gu Zhan.
Gu Zhan was preoccupied with the case and walked very fast ahead, completely unaware that someone was behind him.
Shen Mi finally caught up, but was stopped by Sun Cheng at the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance. "Consort, His Highness has ordered that no one else is allowed to enter."
Are you forbidding others from entering? Is it because she suddenly went looking for him last night?
"I have something important to discuss with Your Highness. I would be grateful if Eunuch Sun could make an exception." To endure the pain in her ankle, Shen Mi's knuckles clenched until they turned white.
Sun Cheng looked troubled: "Lady, please don't make things difficult for me. His Highness really has important business to attend to. Vice Minister Fan of the Ministry of Justice is already waiting inside."
Shen Mi could only nod and bow to Sun Cheng: "Alright, thank you for informing me, Eunuch Sun."
Sun Cheng could see that Shen Mi had an injury on her ankle, but he couldn't bear to see her like that, so he said, "Once Your Highness is finished with your business, this servant will definitely go in and inform Consort Shen." After watching her leave, Sun Cheng instructed his apprentice who was with him, and told him, "Go and summon the palace physician to Qingluan Palace to examine Consort Shen's injury."
He could see that Consort Shen was deeply in love with His Highness the Crown Prince, but he shouldn't interfere in His Highness's affairs. He could only offer his assistance in such ordinary matters.
Shortly after Shen Mi returned to Qingluan Palace, the imperial physician from the Eastern Palace arrived.
She looked at Cuiwei with considerable surprise: "Was it the physician you summoned?"
Cuiwei also looked confused.
After the attending physician bowed and greeted her, he put down his medicine box and said, "Is this what Eunuch Sun said? It seems that Lady Liangdi has injured her leg?"
A sense of loss flashed through Shen Mi's heart, as if everyone in the Eastern Palace, except for Gu Zhan, had been very kind to her.
Cuiwei didn't notice any of this, and only lifted Shen Mi's skirt, saying, "She must have accidentally twisted her ankle."
The physician knelt on the ground, saying, "I have offended you, Lady Consort." After examining her through her undergarments and stockings, he said, "Fortunately, no bones or tendons are injured. Please bear with it, Lady Consort, it will hurt a little." With that, he twisted her body swiftly, and with a "click," her bones and tendons were back in place.
Shen Mi clenched her handkerchief tightly, preventing her tears from falling.
The imperial physician said, "I will also leave some soothing ointment for the concubine; she can apply it externally."
"Thank you for your trouble."
Cuiwei skillfully took out the reward money, and after the physician accepted it, he took out a small white porcelain jar from the medicine box and handed it to Cuiwei.
Later that evening, Shen Mi dressed in front of the mirror, intending to go to Gu Zhan to explain what had happened at Kaibao Temple during the day.
While she was getting ready, Cuiwei asked her if she wanted to change into a brightly colored outfit for the Laba Festival, to add to the festive atmosphere. However, Shen Mi thought of what happened last night. Even though Gu Zhan was busy with important business, she still felt uneasy and shook her head, refusing Cuiwei's offer.
"Today is Laba Festival. I instructed the cooks to start a fire and cook Laba porridge this morning. Go and get a bowl. We're going to find His Highness."
Cuiwei agreed and draped a thick cloak over her shoulders.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long outside before Sun Cheng came out and said that Gu Zhan wanted her to come in.
The Qin Zheng Hall was warm and cozy from the charcoal fire. She took off her cloak and handed it to Cuiwei, gesturing for her to leave.
Gu Zhan held the book in his hand, not looking up, as if waiting for her to speak first.
Shen Mi thought that explaining directly would be too abrupt, so she stepped forward and placed the bowl of thick Laba porridge on his table, "Today is Laba, and I have come to bring you Laba porridge, Your Highness."
Gu Zhan saw through her thoughts at a glance. "Let's get down to business."
Shen Mi then said, "Today in the backyard of Kaibao Temple, the relationship between me and Chen Jun was not as Your Highness perceived it."
"What do you think I saw?" Gu Zhan put down his book. Shen Mi thought he was going to look up, but he didn't expect him to switch to another book.
Shen Mi took a deep breath. "Although I had some dealings with Chen Jun when I was young, it was just a joke between our parents. We never exchanged any tokens, let alone a marriage certificate or anything like that. I dared not do anything else. When I was thirteen, I went to Yanzhou with my parents and brothers. A year later, Chen Jun was going back to the capital to participate in the autumn examination in Yingtian Prefecture. Two years later, my family suffered a sudden misfortune, and he only came to Yanzhou to offer condolences on behalf of his father, Lord Chen. Our next meeting was today, the last time. Although Chen Jun tried to lay a hand on me, I quickly shook him off and did nothing..." She became more and more anxious as she spoke, wishing she could tell Gu Zhan everything about her past with Chen Jun to avoid any misunderstanding.
"Are you regretting that today is the last time you'll see him? Or are you trying to make excuses for him?" Gu Zhan asked coldly.
Shen Mi was even more frightened and immediately knelt on the ground, still trying to figure out how to explain.
Gu Zhan said, "There's no need to kneel. I have no interest in your boring past. You'd better recognize your own status. You are no longer a Shen family woman, but my concubine."
Shen Mi lowered her head, not daring to say another word.
The sound of a spoon stirring against the side of a bowl reached my ears, followed by Gu Zhan's disdainful remark: "Also, Laba porridge is too sticky. I have never liked such things. Get out."
Shen Mi could hear a hint of annoyance in his tone, so she could only suppress her thoughts and leave as instructed.
As soon as she stepped outside the palace, snow began to fall heavily again, just like it had been when she returned to the capital two months ago.
The snow fell silently to the ground, just like her unspoken grievances.
Cuiwei draped a cloak over her shoulders, looking extremely worried: "Be careful, young lady, there's snow on the ground."
Shen Mi recalled what Gu Zhan had just said, telling her to recognize her true identity. Yes, she was no longer a daughter of the Shen family, and she no longer had a home.
Her throat tightened, and she whispered to Cuiwei, "From now on, please don't call me 'Miss' in front of others or behind their backs. Instead, call me 'Liangdi'."
A note from the author:
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Gu Gou...you...me
You'll die at the crematorium later.
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