You can't bring a knife.
Upon returning to Changming Palace, Chen Sheng sensed something was amiss upon seeing the group of palace servants standing at the entrance and quickened his pace.
"Stop! That woman is Miss Chen, don't let her get away!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng dared not not run. She seemed to have two wheels of fire under her feet, weaving left and right to dodge the crowd's encirclement.
Currently in the palace, the Prime Minister cannot protect her; only Xu You can temporarily save her life.
As Chen Sheng was thinking this, a sword suddenly blocked her path. Looking up, she saw a handsome man in a dark brocade robe staring coldly at her.
Who else could this person be but the Fifth Prince, the male lead? Luckily, she had a scabbard protecting her sword, otherwise she would have lost her life here.
Xu Chen is here, but where is Chen Han?
"You're Chen Sheng?"
A gentle male voice came from ahead. Chen Sheng looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xu You kneeling on a prayer mat in front of the Buddha, and a man in a bright yellow embroidered phoenix robe sitting next to the Buddha.
The Empress? She's no pushover!
Chen Sheng was a little nervous, and cold sweat was pouring down his face.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pay your respects to the Empress!" It was Consort Ye, who was sitting to the side, who reminded her.
Chen Sheng stiffly completed a set of greetings, then looked at the people in the hall with some confusion.
No, isn't this where Xu You lives? Why are there so many outsiders here?
The original novel states that no one else has entered Changming Palace since Ye Cangming was beheaded, and Xu You has lived there ever since.
"Chen Sheng, I ask you, was the young master of the Ye family's horse killed by the Fourth Prince?" The Empress casually fiddled with her prayer beads.
Chen Sheng shook her head and said firmly, "It was I who killed it. This horse injured the Fourth Prince, and it should pay the price."
"Oh?" The Empress seemed a little surprised, as if she didn't quite believe it.
Chen Sheng rushed forward, grabbed Xu You's hand, and showed him the wounds Xu You had made with a dagger. "Everything I said is true. This horse is vicious by nature, and this is to be expected."
The Empress paused for a moment, then asked, "Brother Liangfei, what Miss Chen said is different from what you said. Have you overlooked something?"
Consort Ye smiled apologetically, "Perhaps, but it was just a joke between the younger generation. There's no need to make a big deal out of it. I didn't investigate further, so please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Then there's no need for me to disturb your father-son reunion here." The Empress was helped to her feet. "Return to the palace."
Elegant, simply elegant! Chen Sheng stared at the Empress's back and couldn't help but sigh.
Suddenly, Chen Sheng felt something hard poking her waist. She turned around and saw Xu Chen standing indifferently behind her, giving her a wink.
Ye Fei? Chen Sheng looked at Ye Fei, who was poised to strike, and understood what he meant. He was about to return her smile when she had already left.
He only showed her his back.
After the Empress left, Consort Ye dropped her pretense and slapped Xu You across the face. Chen Sheng reacted quickly and stopped her in time. She had thought the slap was meant for Xu You.
"Father, I respectfully address you as Father, and I hope you can be a little more normal. After all, the Fourth Prince is your own son!"
Chen Sheng released Ye Fei's hand. Seeing the other party's vicious appearance, her temper flared up as well. "In the imperial court and the inner palace, who doesn't know what your Ye family is thinking? Who doesn't know what His Majesty is thinking? I advise you to keep your Ye family in check, lest someone gets killed before you regret it!"
The way Consort Ye treated the Empress just now could only be described as arrogant. Her words and tone were not what a concubine should say to the Empress.
Enraged, Ye Fei could no longer maintain her facade of elegance. Pointing at Chen Sheng's nose, she cursed, "You little brat, you've got too much of a nerve! How dare you push your luck like that!"
"Consort Liang, I advise you to be kind." Chen Sheng glanced at the indifferent Xu You beside her, and her heart suddenly ached.
Ye Fei was still going strong, while Chen Sheng pursed his lips, his gaze fixed on Xu You's right earlobe.
She wore a red earring; the bright red jade bead made Xu You's skin appear as white as snow, adding a touch of allure to her cool, moon-like face.
Xu You doesn't usually wear earrings, but now she has an earring in her right ear and none in her left...
Chen Sheng saw that there was blood behind his ear, which was covered by a few strands of hair and could not be seen clearly.
"Who did it?" she asked.
Xu You looked up at her, his eyes filled with melancholy, but he did not answer.
"Oh dear, I've come at an inopportune time. Why is my beloved wife so angry?"
Upon hearing the voice, Ye Fei shut her mouth and quickly forced a smile to greet the person.
The newcomer wore a vibrant red robe, cinched with a white jade belt, and a small embroidered bamboo sachet hung from her waist, emitting a faint fragrance that seemed out of place with her demeanor. She carried a book, yet exuded an air of arrogance.
"Sister, I've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon!"
Chen Sheng fawned over Xu Nuo, "Sister, you've come at the perfect time. Her Majesty the Empress just left."
"Yes, I ran into you when I arrived. Here's the book you wanted, I brought it for you." Xu Nuo pretended not to care, handed the book to Chen Sheng, and casually added, "Fourth Brother, we should get ready to welcome Seventh Brother."
Xu You nodded in response, Chen Sheng looked incredulous, and only Ye Fei reacted the most strongly.
"Your Highness, do you mean... he's pregnant?" Consort Ye seemed to have been provoked, her expression turning somewhat frantic, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Xu Nuo smiled and nodded.
Indeed, the Empress is a year older than Consort Ye, so she is considered an older mother now that she is pregnant. Moreover, Consort Ye is not particularly favored by the Empress. They have been fighting for so many years, so it's no wonder that Consort Ye is envious and jealous of the Empress's pregnancy.
Chen Sheng simply smiled and remained silent in response. She didn't even see Consort Ye off; her thoughts had already drifted far away.
Even though Xu Nuo and her brother chatted for a long time, she didn't say a word, and just kept smiling.
"I have to go now, you guys have fun."
It wasn't until Xu Nuo stepped out of the palace gate that Chen Sheng came to his senses and waved goodbye.
"Have a safe trip, sister!"
Her brain was still malfunctioning and hadn't returned to normal.
———
Under Xu You's orders, everyone in Changming Palace left, and even those who wanted to stay were not allowed to.
After the door was closed, the room became somewhat dark, with only a few candles flickering.
Fifteen cups, not one more, not one less.
Looking down at Xu You, who was silently reciting scriptures, Chen Sheng couldn't help but ask, "Just now, did they bully you?"
Xu You ignored her, closed his eyes, and only his lips moved. He was still chanting scriptures.
Chen Sheng didn't know why, perhaps because Xu You was too beautiful at the moment, or perhaps because some kind of desire of hers was too strong, he had a thought that he should never have at this moment.
She pounced on Xu You, pinning him down.
“I saw the earring on your ear. It wasn’t there this morning, but it suddenly appeared, and there’s blood on it. You can’t tell me you suddenly fell in love with someone, can you?”
"In what capacity are you asking me this?"
Xu You opened her eyes and looked at her. Chen Sheng was stung by that gaze, and the feeling of being kept at arm's length surged up again, making her spine go cold.
Chen Sheng suddenly stopped talking and stood there stunned.
After a moment of silence, Xu You spoke first, "Just now, I realized something."
Chen Sheng let him push her away, watching his every move.
"We will never owe them any favors again."
Chen Sheng was puzzled.
Xu You gently stroked the earrings on her ears and smiled at her, "I remember back then, everyone in the palace said that I was a lowly wretch, and even after I remarried Chen Han, people still said that."
He was smiling, but as he smiled, his eyes welled up with tears. Chen Sheng felt sorry for him, and even though she was usually very talkative, she didn't know how to comfort him.
She was, after all, an observer.
"And what do you think, me, is that right..."
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