Shan Xiu initially thought the eunuch was abusing a palace maid, but then she heard the maid start crying. However, upon taking a few more steps closer, she discovered that both men were disheveled and kissing, with the eunuch's hand even reaching under their skirts…
In an instant, Shan Xiu hurriedly took two steps back. Fortunately, there was only a sliver of light in the alley, and the two men were so engrossed in their work that they didn't notice her.
She clutched her pounding heart, intending to slip away quietly, but unexpectedly, the palace maid let out a soft moan, leaned against the eunuch in a sweet voice, and cried out, "Faster!"
Shan Xiu didn't know how she got back to her bedchamber.
She seemed to have entered through the door, which startled Wanxia, but she was too preoccupied to explain anything.
She lay down on the bed, the sound of the little palace maid's cries, seemingly both pleasurable and painful, still echoing in her ears. Shan Xiu subconsciously covered her ears, but the sound continued to ring.
Dan Xiu rolled over, her face flushed and hot.
That kind of thing, that kind of thing...
What does it feel like?
The next day, when Shan Xiu saw the Emperor again, she couldn't help but want to get closer to him.
But she could only sit at the lower end, face to face with Nian Gengyao, listening to the emperor and his minister speak in a language she couldn't understand, and she kept getting distracted.
"Consort Hua? Consort Hua?!" The Emperor called out twice, but it was only after Wanxia tugged at her clothes that she reacted.
Dan Xiu hurriedly stood up: "Your Majesty, your concubine..."
"It's alright, you've been working hard lately too." The Emperor was very kind, his attitude towards her was extremely gentle. "Then I won't keep you for dinner today, go back and rest early."
"Yes." Shan Xiu curtsied, while Nian Gengyao laughed heartily and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your subject takes his leave!"
After speaking, without waiting for the Emperor's reaction, Nian Gengyao pulled Shan Xiu away. After leaving the house, he kicked the eunuch guarding the door and said impatiently, "Get out of the way, you're blocking the Consort's path!"
Dan Xiu hurriedly grabbed Nian Gengyao: "Brother, don't do this..."
"It doesn't matter. These lackeys are blind. If anyone gets in your way, just kick them away!" Nian Gengyao said domineeringly, though it was unclear whether he meant it or not.
Behind them, Yinzhen coldly curled the corners of his lips, but the brush in his hand had already silently broken in two.
Shan Xiu was unaware of the change in gaze behind her. Her mind was still preoccupied with what happened last night. She wanted to talk to someone, but didn't know who to talk to. Nian Gengyao also noticed her absent-mindedness today and asked in an unpleasant tone, "What's wrong with you today? Did you meet someone who made you unhappy?"
"No, no..." Shan Xiu bit her lip, unsure of what to say.
Nian Gengyao replied, "During my time back in the capital, I've also investigated and found out that Consort Xi and you don't get along, do you?"
“Brother…” Shan Xiu frowned, but Nian Gengyao sneered, “A mere servant who has climbed high has forgotten his place. Don’t worry, I’ll be leaving in a few more days, and I’ll definitely avenge you!”
“The position of Imperial Concubine is naturally yours; how could she possibly be worthy of it?” Nian Gengyao scoffed.
Dan Xiu gave a few casual replies, but her mind was elsewhere. After pondering for a while, she said at the palace gate, "Brother, let sister-in-law come to the palace with me tomorrow. I... have some things I want to tell her."
"Hmm? Okay, I understand. Don't worry." After a moment's thought, Nian Gengyao looked at his younger sister's girlish demeanor and understood. Without waiting until tomorrow, Nian Gengyao's wife sent her nameplate to the palace that very afternoon.
Dan Xiu looked at her sister-in-law, whom she had only met a few times, somewhat embarrassed. After hesitating for a while and sending Wanxia and the others away, she finally said, "Sister-in-law, I..."
But before she could say anything, she blushed deeply and couldn't bring herself to speak.
However, Nian Gengyao's wife, being an experienced woman, understood somewhat from Shan Xiu's reaction. She didn't say anything, but instead chatted with Shan Xiu about various things. Before leaving, she specifically instructed her, "The dowry you received when you entered the Prince's residence, the things you keep hidden away are rare and precious. It's good to review them from time to time, do you understand?"
Dan Xiu saw off Nian Gengyao's wife in a daze, but she still didn't know where the dowry was. After thinking for a moment, she called Wanxia over: "My sister-in-law mentioned to me that there were important things in the dowry. Do you know where they are?"
"The master's dowry, since it was all personal property, was not stored away and is currently kept at the very bottom of the wardrobe," Wanxia said with a smile.
Dan Xiu nodded. Originally, there were restrictions on the concubine entering the mansion. No matter how wealthy the Nian family was, they couldn't bring much with them, except for a lot of gold and silver jewelry.
She was curious about what the wife of Nian Gengyao meant by "the most precious thing in the dowry chest," so she got up in the middle of the night to search through the dowry chest and found a hard object wrapped in red cloth at the very bottom.
"This is... a book?" Shan Xiu curiously unwrapped the red cloth, and as soon as she opened the cover, she exclaimed "Yay!" and threw the book far away.
She curled up on the bed like a red-hot shrimp, too ashamed and embarrassed to move.
She used to only know that she had to sleep naked with the Emperor for one night to have a child, but she didn't know the specifics. But today, looking at this picture book, she was surprised...
Do men and women really have to do that kind of thing?!
How shameful!
After a long while, Shan Xiu finally calmed down. She got out of bed, picked up the books, and originally planned to put them away and never look at them again, but the words of Nian Gengyao's wife kept echoing in her ears.
"Things that others can't find are good to review from time to time"...
As if possessed, she opened the book again...
This book was clearly written specifically for women. Not only were the illustrations detailed, but there were also detailed annotations. As Shan Xiu turned the pages, the blush on her face never faded. At first, she wondered how a eunuch, who was no longer considered a man, could please a palace maid. But as she turned to the later pages, she suddenly understood and couldn't help but chuckle to herself...
Fortunately, Nian Gengyao had to go home after court the next day because of family matters, so Shan Xiu was able to catch up on her sleep in Chengqian Palace. Meanwhile, Yinzhen finally had some time and summoned Qian Shengyan to Yangxin Hall to accompany him.
Qian Shengyan arrived a little late, and her clothes were not quite in order. Yinzhen, who was wearing a ceremonial robe, put down his vermilion brush and reached out to straighten her collar: "What happened?"
"It was my oversight. The weather is getting colder, and I only noticed this morning that Hongshan was a bit chilly," Qian Shengyan said with concern. "He wasn't feeling well, so he was a bit clingy, which is why I arrived late..."
"Hongshan is ill?" Yinzhen was also surprised. "Go back and check on him."
After saying that, he instructed Su Peisheng: "Let breakfast be served in Yongshou Palace."
"Yes, sir!" Su Peisheng responded, and Yinzhen had already led Qian Shengyan out in a long stride.
Exiting through the back gate on the north side of the Hall of Mental Cultivation leads to the Palace of Eternal Longevity. As Yinzhen entered the palace, he heard Fuerguochun's urgent voice: "Imperial Physician Zhou, please come quickly and examine my brother! What's wrong?"
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