The prince finally spent the night in Consort Nian's room!
Moreover, they stayed at Ying Shui Lan Xiang for three consecutive days. On the fourth day, even more gifts were sent in. It is said that the gifts were exquisite, luxurious, and extremely beautiful!
This is the biggest news about the Yuanmingyuan these past few days, and even Qian Shengyan was forced to hear a few bits and pieces of it.
She peeled the peanuts in her hand, listening with great interest to Green Smoke mimicking what those people were saying, and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Your Highness is still laughing, but now the people below are saying that the concubine has fallen out of favor, and the concubine is the prince's favorite," Qingxue said jokingly.
Qian Shengyan then pretended to sigh: "Flowers don't bloom for a hundred days, and people don't stay good for a hundred days. Men, ah."
Those serving her were all trusted confidants whom Qian Shengyan had cultivated over the past two years, and they all laughed.
It's quite funny, really. The other masters and servants of the Yuanmingyuan were all waiting to see Qian Shengyan make a fool of herself, but Qian Shengyan herself was able to laugh.
Green Willow scolded Qian Shengyan, "Others may not know, but do you think we don't? The Prince spends most of the day in Peach Blossom Village every day, and you still say such things, which hurts the Prince's feelings."
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but laugh again.
She finished shelling the peanuts, just as Fuerguochun woke up. Qian Shengyan washed her hands, picked up the baby, and played with her. The mother and daughter were having a great time when a report came from outside that Consort Li had arrived.
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but roll her eyes and sighed, "As expected, she came first."
He's the most brainless one.
Qian Shengyan had no choice but to change into a plain outfit and apply some powder to create a haggard and sad look. Then, she slowly walked out, holding Qingxue's hand.
"Greetings, Consort Qian," Qian Shengyan said in a hoarse voice, her head bowed.
Upon seeing this, Li was overjoyed: "Hahaha, Qian, you've finally met your match!"
Qian Shengyan: ...
Okay.
“The Prince has favored Consort Nian for four days in a row. Do you know what that means?” Madam Li sneered. “I thought you could keep the favor to yourself. Ha, you useless thing.”
Qian Shengyan listened with her eyes down, without saying a word.
Lady Li spoke at length, her words a mix of sarcasm and ridicule, before finally standing up gracefully and saying, "By the way, I have already ordered someone to bring Lady Geng to the garden. Don't forget about her allowance and such."
That's right, the management of the garden is still in Qian Shengyan's hands, and Li Shi came here not only to see her make a fool of herself, but also because she had no other choice.
Qian Shengyan curtsied and replied, "Yes."
"Hmph." Madam Li swaggered away, and Qian Shengyan also gave the order that the kitchen should prepare an extra portion of food for a princess and send it to Ritian Linyu starting today.
Li's emotions and intentions were so straightforward that even Green Willow couldn't help but shake her head: "Does Consort Li think that just because the Prince favors Nian, he will favor someone else as well? Why is he so eager to summon Consort Geng..."
Qingxue glared at her, and Lüliu stuck out her tongue, not daring to continue.
Qian Shengyan was reminded of something—the Fifth Prince, Hongzhou.
In order to dissuade Ulanara from adopting Hongli, Qian Shengyan conspired with her to take away Geng's child. However, the child has not yet been registered in the imperial genealogy. Although the nominal mother is Fujin, the biological mother is still Geng.
Now that Lady Geng is coming, and Lady Li is helping, why not find something for the Fujin to do, so she won't be so idle every day, and instead send vases to Qian Shengyan?
Let's get right to it.
That evening, Geng, who had just arrived at Yuanmingyuan, encountered a little boy who was still not very good at walking.
She had been suppressed by the Ulanara clan for more than half a year and had not seen Hongzhou. Since the emperor bestowed the name upon her last year, this was the first time she had seen Hongzhou.
Immediately, Madam Geng's eyes reddened, and she rushed over, pushing aside the nannies and eunuchs, and hugged Hongzhou. She cried and shouted, calling out "My Fifth Prince, Mother!" Although she was quickly pulled away, Hongzhou was terrified by her and had nightmares that night.
That night, Yinzhen was supposed to stay at Nian's place, but because his son was sick, he rushed to Yue Di Yun Ju in the middle of the night and spent half the night with Hongzhou.
The next day, Yinzhen and Ulanara summoned Li and Geng.
Originally, Yinzhen intended to place Hongzhou directly under the name of Ulanara and raise him as her legitimate son. However, as soon as Geng arrived, she knelt down with two red and swollen eyes and began to kowtow frantically, begging Ulanara to return her child.
"I had a miscarriage last time, and although I dare not say it was the Fujin's fault, but..." Geng cried her heart out, "I can never get pregnant again! I can never get pregnant again!"
This was the first time Yinzhen had heard about this, and he couldn't help but sit up straight, his eyes also turning to Ulanara.
Ulanara's expression flickered, but after a moment she said, "I was completely unaware of this matter. What happened, Sister Li and Sister Geng?"
“When she had her miscarriage last time, Sister Geng was already six months pregnant, and the baby was fully formed… That kind of delivery completely damaged Sister Geng’s body. The doctor really said that Sister Geng can never get pregnant again.” Li Shi also said with some sorrow.
Geng cried even louder, kowtowing repeatedly on the ground: "Please, Your Highness, look at me, help me! In this life, I will only have Hongzhou as my child!"
Ulanara couldn't help but glance at Yinzhen. Seeing him frowning in thought, she panicked and quickly said, "Hongzhou is aware of the situation now. He was quite frightened yesterday, and when he woke up this morning, he was still saying he didn't want to see Sister Geng again... Your Highness, this matter..."
"Hmm." Yinzhen responded, but didn't go into details. He glanced at Madam Geng, then at Madam Li, and suddenly changed the subject, "Fujin, the Third Princess is sixteen now. What are your thoughts on her marriage?"
Ulanara was surprised that the topic had suddenly turned to the Third Princess. She paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "I am still looking for suitable candidates. The Nara, Fucha, and Hesheli clans all have good men, but the Third Princess is of noble character, so this matter cannot be rushed."
"Yes, please take it to heart." Yinzhen nodded, and didn't mention Hongzhou's matter again, but got up and said that he had other things to do.
Li and Geng had no choice but to leave Yue Di Yun Ju. Geng kept crying and begged Li to help her think of a way to win back Hong Zhou.
Lady Li was also in a dilemma, but after thinking it over, she came up with a solution: "When Hongzhou was young, he fell ill once, and the Prince was very angry. He even considered forbidding his wife from raising any more children. If Hongzhou falls ill again, we can say that the wife did not take good care of him, that she is not his biological mother, and that she does not love him. I think that way we will still have a chance to get the child back."
“Hongzhou…” Madam Geng was reluctant to see her son sick, but the child’s frightened and unfamiliar eyes from yesterday kept replaying in her mind. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, “Alright, then… then we’ll do as my sister says!”
In the Moonlit Cloud Residence, Ulanara was thinking about something else.
She dismissed all the servants and sat there alone, playing with a jade ruyi. After a moment, she sighed.
Granny Wu sensed her distress but before she could ask, Ulanara said softly, "Granny, you know... given how much the Prince values the Nian family, wouldn't a son from the Nian family pose a threat to Hongzhou?"
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