To outsiders, Chaolu Palace was close to the Emperor's residence, Qianqing Palace, had good lighting, and was decorated in a luxurious and exquisite manner. Historically, only noble ladies of the rank of Consort and above could live here. Consort Shu was getting a great deal out of it.
But Consort Shu looked at the gifts with a gloomy face and gave a cold laugh: "What is Li Langhuan up to!"
She angrily slammed a fine Hetian jade ruyi to the ground, her brows furrowed with rage: "What special favor she asked for for me? She's clearly just showing off!"
Yan Yu stepped forward and gently comforted her, "Why is Your Highness getting angry with her? She can't conceive a prince herself, so these are all the tricks she can use. Once you give birth to the little prince, who in the palace will dare to do such a thing?"
Consort Shu was indeed no longer angry, but not because of the baby in her belly, but because she suddenly remembered that Consort Zhao had an affair with that devilish Ninth Prince.
"I heard Lu Shuangyi caused trouble again today?" Consort Shu snapped out of her reverie, then remembered the marriage alliance, and laughed gleefully, "Ever since she found out she might be going to be married off after the Lantern Festival, she's been making a real fuss..."
Yan Yu lowered her eyes and smiled, "Your Majesty should smile more often in the future; it will be good for the little prince."
Consort Shu was increasingly fond of Yan Yu, not only because she came from Shang Yunlan's household, but also because Yan Yu was capable and articulate. Therefore, she was happy to talk to her about many things: "You little rascal, you're here again. Even the imperial physician couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl, but you knew?"
Yan Yu smiled and gently massaged Consort Shu's swollen calves: "Your Highness doesn't know, but I've always been right. If I said it was a boy, it was a boy! Besides, Your Highness is still in the early stages of pregnancy. Later on, the imperial physician will surely be able to tell. Then you'll know whether I'm right or not!"
Consort Shu was all smiles as she was coaxed, but she was secretly plotting something.
If it really is a boy, then she can start preparing for Emperor Chen... Thinking this, a ruthless glint flashed in her eyes, and Yan Yu caught a glimpse of it and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
See, this was also part of the county princess and the duke's plan.
...
On the 28th day of the first lunar month, it finally stopped snowing in Shengjing, and many young women and men went on outings to the outskirts of Shengjing.
Originally, Shang Shaoyan didn't have many close female friends, and now she's not keen on socializing, so hardly anyone invites her. Of Shang Yunlan's three friends, two have been exiled to Shu Prefecture, and the remaining one has distanced himself from her because of Shang Yunlan's current status as a "treacherous minister."
The brother and sister lay sprawled on the couch, talking intermittently.
Shang Yunlan, clutching the blanket, yawned and said, "Pour me a cup of tea, thank you."
"Don't you have arms?" Shang Shaoyan said unhappily. "Pour it yourself."
Shang Yunlan raised her head confidently: "I am a patient, I am poisoned."
Shang Shaoyan: "..."
She resignedly wiped her face, then went to pour Shang Yunlan a cup of hot water and reluctantly handed it to him: "Tea won't do, you're taking medicine, tea will counteract its effects, just drink hot water."
Shang Yunlan muttered something, but still took the drink and drank it.
Not long after, the two saw Yingge rush in, covered in sweat, her hair disheveled.
Shang Shaoyan looked at Yingge with some surprise, and quickly grabbed a small stool for her to sit down: "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"
After catching her breath, Yingge excitedly exclaimed, "Princess, this is wonderful news!"
She glanced around, lowered her voice, but couldn't hide her excitement: "Yanyu just told me that Consort Shu's pregnancy was a false one. His Majesty was furious and almost sent Consort Shu to the Cold Palace, but then Consort Zhao came and said she had to investigate thoroughly, because Consort Shu didn't seem like the type to lie, so His Majesty naturally agreed. And guess what? It was the Empress who did it! She instructed a cook in the Imperial Kitchen to put a drug in the bird's nest soup that Consort Shu ate every day. Consort Shu ate it for a long time, and then her menstrual flow stopped, and she had many symptoms that looked like pregnancy, which led to the misdiagnosis... The Empress clearly wanted to kill Consort Shu, and His Majesty was so angry that he cursed the Empress as a poisonous woman in front of everyone!"
She spoke vividly, gesturing as if she were right there at the scene. If someone who didn't know the situation saw her, they would really think that Yingge was unaware of the cause and effect of the matter. But who would have thought that she and her sister Yanyu had stirred up a lot of trouble?
Shang Shaoyan smiled and tapped Yingge's forehead, saying nothing more, only laughing and scolding, "You little rascal! Well done this time, I'll give you a raise in a few days!"
Shang Yunlan cleared her throat, somewhat displeased: "You're not going to praise me?"
The medicine he put in the bird's nest was obtained through great difficulty by his own people, and then delivered to the Duke of Cheng'en's mansion through a roundabout route!
Shang Shaoyan nodded perfunctorily: "Yeah, you're really smart, I'll praise you."
Shang Yunlan: "..."
Just then, Bai Xue entered: "Princess, Your Excellency, that painter is here again."
It was time for the daily acupuncture and detoxification treatment, and Shang Shaoyan quickly sat up: "Quickly call him in."
Bai Xue agreed and then went to lead Lin Jing in.
As she walked, she thought to herself, who in Shengjing doesn't envy the county princess now? In front of her is a musician as beautiful as jade and gentle as a feather, and behind her is a painter as beautiful as a banished immortal and with a cold temperament. They are all at the county princess's feet. Tsk tsk.
She was envious too—it would be even more perfect if the musician didn't play the zither and the painter didn't paint.
After each time Lin Jing performed acupuncture to remove poison from Shang Yunlan, he would paint a picture to cover it up. He really liked painting, but the things he painted... were indeed, indeed, a little bit unbearable to look at.
For some reason, Lin Jing, just like Qiao Xiuyu, didn't think her drawing was bad. After finishing it, she just looked smug and waited for praise.
At first, Shang Shaoyan would praise him a few times, but after they became more familiar, he stopped indulging him. However, he wouldn't say anything bad about it. But Shang Yunlan was very friendly to his savior. He could force himself to praise him for a quarter of an hour, using the most flowery words and the most flattering words. This made Lin Jing very happy and confident. So he simply secluded himself for a whole night and painted a picture of crabapple blossoms in spring, indicating that Shang Yunlan could hang it in the hall.
Shang Yunlan, who had shot herself in the foot: "..."
Under Shang Shaoyan's mocking gaze, he sincerely said, "The branches are strong and vigorous, the crabapple blossoms are gentle, the colors are flamboyant yet reveal a hint of loneliness, and the brushstrokes are free yet contain a struggle. Wuchen's paintings have always been artistic, and the complex emotions in this painting moved me to tears!"
Shang Shaoyan: "..."
Shang Yunlan said everything, yet said nothing at all.
The last time I heard such praise was before.
After Lin Jing left that day, Shang Shaoyan mocked Shang Yunlan mercilessly, but the latter smiled slightly and said, "It's nothing compared to how much you praised Qiao Xiuyu."
Shang Shaoyan: "...I did that because of love, what about you?"
Shang Yunlan: "Honey, it's because of my fate."
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