Chapter 163: The Difference Between Legitimate and Concubinage
"Legitimate or illegitimate?"
Chen Fu muttered these two words, and her heart suddenly felt cold.
The uneasiness she had felt when she entered the room, all the self-doubts she had in her past life.
Now, at this moment, everything seems to have been explained.
What adopted daughter?
Chen Fu had been trying hard not to look at Aunt Cui's beautiful face in the corner, which looked very much like her mother's.
How could such a coincidence happen in this world?
Aunt Cui's face looks very much like her mother, and Shen Qingru just happened to be born with a face similar to her!
What exactly has the Shen family been planning for all these years? What kind of conspiracy is this?
Shen Fu didn't even dare to think about it...
Shen Fu gritted her teeth to prevent herself from revealing the truth, a smile rose at the corner of her mouth, and her face looked intriguing.
"Did grandma say something wrong? Or did I mishear it?"
Shen Fu raised her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her eyes full of innocence: "Shen Qingru is clearly just an adopted daughter. If she is an adopted daughter, she naturally has no blood relationship with Shen Fu. How can there be a dispute over the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children?"
An adopted daughter cannot even be considered a concubine's daughter, let alone the delusion of being a legitimate daughter.
Even though Shen Fu's mother died early, at least she was carried into the Shen Mansion in a sedan chair carried by eight men from the Shen family.
The legitimate wife of the Shen family.
And what about Shen Qingru?
A child raised outside is nothing, so how can he have the face to compete with her for the right of legitimate or illegitimate child?
Shen Fu's meaning was very clear, and the look in her eyes when she looked at Shen Qingru was full of contempt.
And Shen Qingru was obviously also very angry.
He was trembling all over, and his face was pale as he stroked his belly.
When she reached out her hands to support her waist and abdomen. Aunt Cui, who had been standing aside, finally moved.
She hurriedly stepped forward and reached out to support Shen Qingru, her pure and innocent eyes full of concern.
"Ruru, how are you? Are you okay?" A clear voice came out, as tender as an oriole on a branch.
Shen Fu only felt her fingers slightly stiff.
It would be fine if Aunt Cui was born like this, she was clearly in her thirties, but her voice, movements, and even demeanor were like that of a young girl in her twenties, with a delicate and graceful air.
She knew there was movement behind her, but she forced herself not to look behind her.
"Grandma?" She looked at Old Lady Shen, her eyes full of questions.
Old Mrs. Shen's expression froze for a moment, and she turned her head imperceptibly to glance at Shen Qingru.
When his eyes fell on Shen Fu's face again, he quickly forced a smile: "Grandma was wrong, Grandma was wrong."
Old Madam Shen clapped her hands, forcing a bit of kindness on her old face: "Grandma just said it casually, Fuer, don't think too much about it."
She stood up from her chair, walked forward and held Shen Fu's palm.
A loving look on his face, as if he were your darling.
"Grandma means that Qingru was also included in the family tree before, and there is no difference between her and our biological child."
The Shen family was indeed better to Shen Qingru than ever before.
Over the years, she has been taught with great care, and her food, clothing and other expenses are even more exquisite than those of ordinary legitimate daughters.
For many years, there was only Shen Qingru in the mansion. She was even selected to enter the palace, but because she was included in the family tree, she occupied the status of a legitimate daughter.
Looking across the entire Shengjing, no adopted daughter has ever had such a good life.
"Yes." Shen Fu recalled this with a smile on her face, but she gently pulled her hand out of the old lady's palm: "Shen Qingru is no different from a biological child. Those who don't know would think that my mother gave birth to another sister."
"How can you say that, kid?" Old Mrs. Shen looked at her empty palms and felt a real headache.
She really didn't expect Shen Fu to be so difficult to fool.
A girl in her teens, who grew up in a small place like Suzhou, had never seen the world and did not know the rules of Kyoto.
When it comes to giving reasons, there are so many of them, it's really a headache.
Old Madam Shen had been respected all her life, but now, facing the young girl Shen Fu, she was at a loss for a moment.
"You..." Old Lady Shen fumbled for the pearl on her cane and said after thinking for a while, "You have not been around for many years and you don't know the rules of the family."
"The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children is not very clear in our family. Although your eldest sister is an adopted daughter, she has grown up under my lap and has always been yours. She is no different from our biological daughter."
Shen Fu almost laughed out loud when she heard this. Since ancient times, big families have been afraid of mixing up their bloodlines.
But this old lady was so good that she could actually say such words. She was simply treating her like a fool.
"I don't know the rules of the family." The old lady used the family rules to pressure her.
After hearing this, Shen Fu didn't want to listen any more. She stretched out her hand and stood up from the chair, then spoke calmly with her eyes downcast.
"I haven't seen my family in all these years, how can I know the rules?"
Shen Fu's expression was cold and indifferent. After she finished speaking, she stood up and pretended to leave, which frightened Old Lady Shen.
But she had heard that Chen Fu was extremely favored by His Majesty in the palace.
This child has not grown up with us since he was a child. Now that he is favored, it is natural that he will be used by the family.
It would be such a pity if we let her go like this.
"Let's talk nicely, please." Old Madam Shen hurriedly grabbed Shen Fu's hand and persuaded her in a gentle voice:
"We are all sisters, we are all family, why do we have to separate you and me so clearly?"
Shen Fu is favored, Shen Qingru is pregnant, who in Kyoto doesn't envy the Shen family?
If this continues, the entire harem will belong to their Shen family...
Old Madam Shen looked at Shen Qingru's lower abdomen, and then at Shen Fu's beautiful face.
This child is so good, no wonder the Emperor loves him so much. I heard that His Majesty likes her very much, and even the most favored Concubine Shu had to give way to her.
How could she bear to let go of such a good baby?
Old Mrs. Shen held Shen Fu's wrist and gently and warmly comforted her: "Good child, you say it."
"What should you do to feel comfortable?"
This old lady was not tactless. Shen Fu knew that Old Lady Shen was afraid of offending her, so she was so attentive to her.
Shen Fu turned her head and looked at Old Lady Shen’s face. The corners of her lips curled up, her face looked timid and innocent.
“Grandma, Fu’er is not forcing me, but Fu’er’s identity is really embarrassing in this palace.”
"Someone has usurped the throne. Please go back and tell father about Shen Fu's true identity."
"This..." Old Mrs. Shen obviously began to hesitate.
Shen Fu didn't wait for her to speak. After saying that, he turned around and left. Before leaving, he deliberately glanced at Aunt Cui behind him.
Seeing Aunt Cui supporting Shen Qingru with great care, Shen Fu took a deep breath and finally turned around and left.
"My lady..." After leaving the palace, Zi Su was about to speak out the words she had been holding back.
But before the words came out of her throat, Shen Fu raised her hand to stop her.
"Young Master, what's wrong?" Xiao Songzi, who was standing at the door, stepped forward immediately when he saw Chen Fu coming out.
Shen Fu looked around.
Then he retracted his gaze and said calmly, "Let's talk about it when we get back."
Zi Su swallowed all the words in her throat, lowered her head and hurriedly followed Shen Fu.
The two of them walked quickly towards the Yong'an Palace.
******
As soon as Chen Fu left Concubine Rong's palace, His Majesty received the news.
Lin An was dozing off at the door of Concubine Shu's Fengming Palace. His eyes widened instantly after hearing the eunuch's words.
The half-leaning body stood straight: "You said Concubine Shen left?"
The young eunuch stood at the bottom of the corridor, bending over, nodding his head rapidly: "I saw it with my own eyes, there is no doubt about it."
"After Concubine Shen went in, she came out not long after. As soon as I saw her, I came to report to you."
The young eunuch had a playful and flattering look on his face.
Lin An thought for a moment before waving his hand to send the eunuch away.
"Watch your mouth." Watching the young eunuch leave, Lin An stood there and waited for a moment before walking into the hall.
The bamboo and wooden roller curtain was lifted, and as soon as Lin An walked in, he smelled the medicinal fragrance in the room.
The Fengming Palace where Concubine Shu lives is the best location in Yuquan Mountain. In the past years, Concubine Shu was favored and always lived here.
The decorations and ornaments in this room, and even the favorite playthings of Concubine Shu, are exactly the same as those in the palace.
His Majesty has always doted on Concubine Shu, so the servants under him are naturally willing to serve him wholeheartedly. Everything was arranged according to Concubine Shu's preferences, and if it was even slightly wrong she would be punished with a beating.
Lin An walked into Fengming Palace. The room was full of colorful flowers. He lowered his eyes and didn't even dare to look at them.
As soon as I entered the house, I smelled a faint medicinal fragrance. After walking a few steps, the emperor's voice with a bit of majesty came out: "How can you get better if you don't take the medicine?"
"I don't want to drink." The sweet and innocent voice of Concubine Shu concealed her former arrogance.
"I'll drink it, and when I recover from my illness, Your Majesty will not come to see me again."
Concubine Shu was half lying on the bed, and she reached out to push away the bowl of medicine that the Emperor handed to her.
"I won't drink. I want to see Your Majesty every day."
The bowl of medicine had already gone cold, and Xiao Yu looked at the intact medicine soup on the tray.
There was already an expression of impatience on his face.
"Shufei!" His Majesty roared, and Shufei's eyes instantly became red and swollen.
"Your Highness..."
Concubine Shu was crying and her throat was obviously hoarse.
Lin An felt his eyelids twitching as he watched this daily routine unfold.
Ever since Shufei fainted in His Majesty's arms due to illness that day, taking medicine every day has become the most difficult thing for her.
As long as His Majesty doesn't come, Concubine Shu refuses to drink. The servants have no choice but to go back and invite His Majesty to come.
But Concubine Shu insisted on continuing to act like that and insisted that His Majesty feed her personally before she would open her mouth.
These past few days, Concubine Shu relied on the fact that she was still ill and would not settle down until she took her medicine.
Seeing that Concubine Shu was about to cry again, Lin An felt a headache. He bent over and quietly walked forward: "Your Majesty."
Xiao Yu was obviously very angry with Concubine Shu.
He put the medicine bowl back in his hand, his face full of impatience.
"What is it?"
There was ruthlessness in His Majesty's eyes, and Lin An's heart beat fast when he saw it. If this were an ordinary thing, I'm afraid His Majesty would be angry.
But this happened to be Concubine Shen's business.
Lin An didn’t dare to delay any longer, and leaned down to whisper in His Majesty’s ear: “Ms. Shen came out from Concubine Rong.”
Xiao Yu's fingers tapped rapidly on the table.
He knew that today's meeting with Chen Fu might not be so pleasant, but he did not expect it to happen so soon.
It's less than half an hour...
He knew very well how much Shen Fu was looking forward to meeting the Shen family, but now that she left so early, he was afraid that something big must have happened.
Xiao Yu stood up from the chair without saying a word.
"Your Majesty." Shufei had tears in her eyes, waiting for His Majesty to coax her.
Seeing His Majesty suddenly stand up, I was shocked.
Her face turned pale, and the weak expression on her face was almost gone.
"What is your Majesty doing?"
Concubine Shu looked at His Majesty with a pair of innocent eyes.
"I still have something to do." Xiao Yu rubbed the jade ring on his thumb quickly with his fingertips.
Without even glancing at Concubine Shu, he said, "I'm leaving first."
The smile on Concubine Shu's face instantly froze, and she looked at His Majesty pleadingly, begging him to stay.
But when he raised his head, he only saw the back of His Majesty without turning his head.
Xiao Yu hurriedly walked out of Fengming Palace before he remembered to ask Lin An: "What happened?"
Didn’t you say hello in advance?
Why is Shen Fu still unhappy?
Xiao Yu's brows were furrowed so tightly that it looked as if he could pinch a fly to death.
What he feared most was not anything else, but that Shen Fu would be wronged.
Lin An was also trembling in his heart. His Majesty had sent him to visit Concubine Rong several times in the past few days.
I greeted him several times.
As for the people from the Shen family who came back this time, they specially sent a young eunuch to give them some advice.
I'm afraid the little eunuch has said everything that should and shouldn't be said.
As long as the Shen family has brains, I'm afraid they would not choose to offend Concubine Shen.
How would I know? The person came out in less than half an hour.
Lin An felt his scalp tense up, and after thinking for a while, he said cautiously:
"We servants don't know either." Since they, the servants, did not go in with them, they naturally had no idea what happened inside. ”
"But now that Concubine Shen has come out, I'm afraid she must be feeling very uncomfortable. Your Majesty should go and see her as soon as possible."
After Lin An finished speaking, Xiao Yu glanced at him impatiently: "What you said is just nonsense."
If he didn't care, why would he rush to Shen Fu without looking back?
His Majesty walked very quickly, without even sitting down on the imperial staff, and walked hurriedly towards the Yong'an Palace.
Shen Fu had just returned to Yong'an Palace and was thinking about today's events.
Before he could say anything, he heard Xiao Songzi say, "Your Majesty is here."
“Sure enough…” Chen Fu felt something was wrong as soon as she came out from Concubine Rong.
Now, just as she returned to Yong'an Palace, the Emperor followed.
What's not clear about this?
I'm afraid that His Majesty knows it very well in his heart, but he just doesn't want to tell her.
Shen Fu's heart was rolling back and forth, and she said to Xiao Songzi: "Go to the kitchen and get some chili powder."
"Chili powder?" Little Songzi thought he had misheard and trembled: "My dear, what do you want this for?"
"Just go." Chen Fu sent Xiao Songzi out quickly.
So, Xiao Yu walked into Yong'an Palace with an anxious look on his face.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw Shen Fu sitting on the couch, her eyes red and she looked at him with tears in the corners of her eyes.
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