Qian Shengyan was practicing calligraphy when she suddenly heard a commotion on the path outside.
The brush in his hand paused, and a huge drop of ink fell onto the paper. Green Smoke, who was serving nearby, exclaimed "Oh dear!" with some regret: "This whole page is finished."
"It's nothing, it's just practice anyway." Qian Shengyan didn't seem to care. She put down her pen, wiped her hands clean, and walked to Qingxue, who was standing by the window. "What's wrong?"
"This servant doesn't know either. Xiao Shunzi just went to check," Qingxue said with a smile.
Xiao Shunzi, who was originally just a gatekeeper, has now been "upgraded" and can take turns keeping watch under the corridor at night. Thanks to Qian Shengyan's kindness, the people on night watch now have thick cotton clothes, thick quilts, and a brazier, as well as a chair to lean on occasionally, so it's not too hard to get through the night.
Qian Shengyan felt as if she heard someone calling "Ulanara Clan". Out of curiosity, she knelt on the small couch, put her arms on the window frame, and leaned out to look.
"What are you looking at?"
A male voice rang out, and Qian Shengyan's toes curled instinctively. She turned around somewhat nervously: "There's a noise outside..."
"Hmm, it's all very noisy, I don't know what they're doing. Su Peisheng went to check." Yinzhen sat on the small couch, raised his hand and held her feet, which were only wearing white socks. "Are you cold?"
"I'm not cold." Qian Shengyan blushed inexplicably, quickly knelt back down, and hid her feet under her skirt. She then leaned on Yinzhen's shoulder. "Didn't Your Highness say you had something to do and would be back later?"
"Hmm, I was thinking of you, so I quickly finished my business and came back. Are you still not happy?" Yinzhen pinched her chin, intending to be affectionate, but unexpectedly, Qian Shengyan's expression changed, and she subconsciously wiped her chin.
Yinzhen: ?
Qian Shengyan realized what was happening and quickly explained, "It's not that I dislike you, Master, it's just... you just pinched my feet! And now you're pinching my face, wow, that's so strange!"
"...You still dislike yourself?" Yinzhen was both amused and exasperated, then reached under her skirt to touch her feet. "What, are they smelly?"
"Ouch, ouch!" Qian Shengyan giggled, trying to dodge, but as she rubbed against him, she ended up touching places she shouldn't have. She let out a soft moan, her body going limp as she fell into Yinzhen's arms. The moment their eyes met, an electric current seemed to surge through them—
"Your Highness! Consort Nian rushed into Yue Di Yun Ju and threw a pair of scissors at the Prince!"
Su Peisheng rushed over in a panic, and as soon as he entered, he bowed and said, "I almost pricked the Princess's foot!"
Yinzhen: ...
He didn't want to get involved; he wanted to continue playing with Qian Shengyan, but...
Did the concubine assassinate the principal wife?
Can we just ignore this?
He was still hesitating when Qian Shengyan's eyes lit up, and she suddenly stood up with a "this is good" expression. She had been kneeling on the small couch, but now that she was standing, she was much taller, and she looked down at Su Peisheng and asked, "What happened? Tell me in detail?"
"Uh, this servant arrived late and only saw these..." Su Peisheng was a little embarrassed. Fortunately, Xiao Shunzi also returned. He had left earlier and saw more.
"Consort Nian...it seems she had already gone to bed, but perhaps she had a nightmare? She just ran out like that. Ying Shui Lan Xiang's nanny and maids couldn't catch up with her. Consort Nian ran all the way to Yue Di Yun Ju, and before the gatekeeper could react, she opened the door and rushed in. The Princess Consort was taking a stroll in the courtyard and was completely unprepared. Consort Nian threw the scissors from a great distance!!!"
Xiao Shunzi was clearly quite shocked as well; the four exclamation marks in the last sentence almost became tangible. Qian Shengyan listened with great interest and even wanted to ask, "And then what happened?"
Fortunately, Su Peisheng chimed in, "Later, Granny Wei arrived and apologized on behalf of Consort Nian. She said that Consort Nian's old illness had recently relapsed, and she was also somewhat distraught because of her serious illness last year. She had just had a nightmare and ran out of bed, and she was not in a conscious state."
"Hmm?" Yinzhen raised an eyebrow slightly. Su Peisheng continued, "The Fujin is very generous. She immediately picked up the scissors and returned them to Granny Wei, saying that it was nothing. She also arranged for a few more people to escort Consort Nian back to Ying Shui Lan Xiang. She also said that Consort Nian was not feeling well and did not need to go to the flower viewing banquet tomorrow."
Yinzhen nodded, rubbing his fingers together a few times: "How is Consort Nian's spirits?"
“This servant sees that their eyes are open,” Su Peisheng said, uttering a pointless remark.
Xiao Shunzi chimed in, "Indeed, and he's incredibly strong; he throws the scissors quite accurately."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Get down here now!" Qian Shengyan scolded Xiao Shunzi. Didn't he see the way Yinzhen was glancing at him? Why was he still trying to answer?
Fortunately, Green Willow was sensible. Before Little Shunzi could react, Green Willow quietly tugged at him from behind. Although he was simple-minded, he listened to his older sisters. He immediately knelt down, kowtowed to Yinzhen, and took his leave.
Su Peisheng continued, "Your Highness, this matter... shall I go and handle it?"
Yinzhen pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Let's talk about it at Yue Di Yun Ju tomorrow. As for Consort Nian... have someone ask Doctor Hu if she needs any medicinal herbs; just open the storeroom and get them."
Su Peisheng responded and left. Qian Shengyan understood that Yinzhen was trying to downplay the matter.
He would label Lady Nian as seriously ill and send her some medicine; that way, others would only think that the concubine was truly ill. As for the wife, who had been wronged, Yinzhen planned to personally comfort her the next day.
There are many interesting aspects to what just happened.
Qian Shengyan casually saw Yinzhen off as he went to change and wash up, and then went to her own room to prepare for bed. As she did so, she was still thinking about these things.
Xiao Shunzi said that Nian seemed to have gone to bed and then got up again—that is to say, Nian ran out with her hair down and wearing her nightgown, and she seemed to have run very fast, and she was carrying a pair of scissors. She ran straight to Yue Di Yun Ju. Who would believe that she was confused?
What triggered you before you went to sleep?
Qian Shengyan touched her chin thoughtfully, then thought about what Granny Wei had said in her plea—since the concubine had fallen seriously ill last year, she had often been in a state of mental turmoil.
What illness? Was it not the miscarriage she suffered from? And she was forced to lose her fertility. Presumably, Lady Nian and her servants must have hated her.
Granny Wei brought this up specifically for two reasons: first, because the person who started this whole thing was the Fujin's person, and since the Fujin was here, she couldn't make too much of a fuss about it today; second, perhaps... Nian's sudden madness was also related to this matter.
Oh, the flower viewing party tomorrow.
The young lady of the Ulanara family, the new favorite; the Ulanara clan has no children, nor does the Nian clan…
Qian Shengyan basically guessed the cause and effect, and then felt quite helpless.
These wives and concubines of princes appear to be high and mighty, even worthy of being listed in the imperial genealogy, yet they spend their entire lives pursuing what an ordinary peasant woman could achieve. It's truly... pathetic.
Was Yinzhen the instigator? No, it was this feudal, cannibalistic society!
After washing up, feeling refreshed, Qian Shengyan returned to bed with nostalgia and longing for socialism. When she saw Yinzhen, she sighed. After thinking for a moment, she decided to play the saint and save the life of an innocent girl—even if the girl might hate her for it.
She sat down and wrapped her arms around Yinzhen's neck, asking in a coquettish voice, "Will Your Highness also go to Yue Di Yun Ju to admire the flowers tomorrow?"
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