Chapter 20 Synopsis: Absurd and Bizarre
In the vast grasslands, under the silvery twilight, a full moon shines.
The carriage sped through the vast forest, the atmosphere inside was peaceful and serene. The woman's sleeping face was charming and innocent, and she unknowingly fell onto the man's lap.
The man's body stiffened instantly, and he silently straightened his robes to cover up a certain unruly part.
Shen Jizhao looked at the fair and delicate face, with fine downy hairs bobbing and her lips slightly pouting, making her look pitiful and lovable.
But his eyes were icy cold, like branches bent by heavy snow, exactly the same as before.
The night was cool and still, and the cold wind outside rushed in, blowing the hem of the man's luxurious black robes fluttering wildly, covering the person who was still sleeping soundly.
*
Pan Tao held the rows of brightly colored dresses in disbelief. These dresses were so colorful and had never appeared in the East Palace before. Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
"Crown Princess, did the Crown Prince really send this? To you?"
Jiang Shuifu twirled a strand of hair between her fingers and hummed in agreement: "He said I look good in bright colors and he won't restrict me anymore."
The peach still refused to believe it, wondering if she was dreaming or if the prince had taken the wrong medicine.
Jiang Shuifu liked bright red, but she ultimately chose an orange dress. She wasn't the main character in a few days, so she couldn't steal the spotlight.
Looking at the unruly and brightly colored designs, Pan Tao was still a little worried: "Won't the Crown Prince really blame us? What if he punishes us by making us copy Buddhist scriptures and confines us to our quarters again?"
Jiang Shuifu reassured her, "He always keeps his word, he won't do that, besides..."
She smiled slyly: "Do you think I'll just copy whatever he tells me to?"
The peaches were practically popping their eyes out. Was this still the same Crown Princess who would readily embrace Buddhism and copy Buddhist scriptures the moment the Crown Prince frowned?
What exactly happened between them?
Jiang Shuifu looked at the peach-colored gauze dress she had taken off. This was the dress she really wanted to wear, but she still had to maintain her status after returning to the capital.
She sighed. It was a pity that Jinqing had come at the wrong time. Not only did they miss seeing any stars that night, but they also didn't have time to pack up their belongings in the countryside.
She missed that dilapidated little wooden house.
I wonder if her loofahs have climbed all over the wooden trellis yet, if the chicks following her around are still alive, if the osmanthus trees in the yard have all shed their petals, and if the things she gave him are still in the house.
She wanted to discuss it with him and send someone to bring all those things back, not a single one missing.
*
Today is the banquet for the Fifth Prince to marry his concubine, Wang Hanxi, the daughter of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
Wang Hanxi herself was very unwilling to marry, but she couldn't fight against her father's insistence. She made a fuss for a long time to no avail, and had no choice but to marry him.
The Fifth Prince was very happy today. Before the banquet even started, he personally stood at the door to greet the guests. He also allocated a large sum of money from his private treasury to distribute rice porridge and rice, sharing the joy with the people.
This was incredibly generous to Wang Hanxi and her father, ostensibly without transgressing the rules of concubine etiquette, but in practice it was done in every way.
The guests on the road were astonished by this, and Jiang Shuifu, following behind Shen Jizhao, was even more amazed. She had never seen a family take a concubine in this way before, and she was quite curious:
"Husband, why is the Fifth Prince doing this? Is he trying to win popular support?"
She could only think that the Fifth Prince was using the wedding to win over the people, which was the most typical approach for a prince vying for power.
Shen Jizhao gave her the simplest and most unexpected answer: "He likes Wang Hanxi."
Her steps faltered. Love? It was because of love? The Tian family brothers would marry because of love?
Shen Jizhao had no idea what she was thinking, so he called for her to follow.
Before entering the mansion, the Fifth Prince stopped Shen Jizhao: "Your Highness, today is my special day. You must have a few more drinks. There is no greater happiness in life than having your beloved by your side. Don't be too envious!"
Jiang Shuifu, standing to the side, looked embarrassed. His words really showed no respect for her, the Crown Princess. She tugged at his sleeve, begging him to help her vent her anger.
Shen Jizhao spoke quickly without her prompting:
"My wife and I are a harmonious and loving couple, having been together for many years. Why would I envy you? Prince Yu, have you already lost your mind before you've even had a drink?"
The Fifth Prince didn't say anything more. The officials behind him congratulated him one after another, their eyes revealing subtle emotions. The Fifth Prince nodded in response.
He was happy partly because he had married the woman he loved, and partly because this marriage would bring him great benefits.
From then on, his status rose rapidly, and he became a formidable opponent to Shen Jizhao.
He looked at Shen Jizhao meaningfully: "Your Highness, please guide me in the future."
Shen Jizhao didn't even glance at him, and casually turned to instruct Jiang Shuifu beside him. The Fifth Prince's face darkened; he had been humiliated like this.
Jiang Shuifu was impressed by his handsomeness. His indifference was arrogant and blatantly said, "You don't deserve it!"
Shen Jizhao stared at her and said a lot: "Don't run around, don't eat too much at the banquet, if you get diarrhea again I will definitely not call the imperial physician for you in the middle of the night. After it's over, wait for me."
Jiang Shuifu nodded somewhat embarrassedly, and explained the situation.
She had just returned a few days ago, and after being a vegetarian for so long, she couldn't resist the temptation of delicious food. She ate several bowls of rice in one go, and all the fish and meat went into her stomach, leaving the people in the East Palace stunned.
Shen Jizhao wasn't by her side at the time. He returned to the East Palace and became extremely busy. It wasn't until she started vomiting and having diarrhea that night and came to him that he found out what she had done.
It was late at night when the imperial physician arrived at the East Palace, still half asleep. He prescribed the medicine and then reported to him.
He had too many cases piling up and couldn't get away. Hearing that she hadn't been feeling well, and remembering that she had suffered with him recently, and that he had said he would treat her as his wife, he still went to see her in person, fed her medicine, cleaned her body, and took care of her all night.
The next day, he smelled terrible, so his complexion wasn't much better now.
Many women attended the banquet today, including many familiar faces such as Tang Shan'er, Cao Lanzi, and even Gao Zhuxia, who had made a complete fool of herself!
At this moment, Gao Zhuxia was being harassed by the Second Prince's wife, who insisted that she wear a veil and said that she was making a fool of herself by standing there.
Gao Zhuxia had changed her fiery temper to a more subtle, veiled one: "I came with Your Highness's permission. Sister, your words are... Your Highness..."
The Second Prince's wife stepped forward and, without saying a word, slapped him across the face. "Now you can wear it, right?"
How could a concubine possibly stand up to the wife? Gao Zhuxia already regretted her verbal argument; now, she had to live at the mercy of others.
Gao Zhuxia felt the onlookers from all directions, their gazes pressing down on her like a mountain. One of them, in particular, was the most devastating.
Jiang Shuifu is not a saint. Gao Zhuxia has bullied her many times, but she just wants to see her pitiful appearance and let her taste the feeling of being ridiculed by everyone.
The commotion subsided in the blink of an eye. At that moment, Tang Shan'er, who had choked on her pastry, ran around the pavilion looking for water. Jiang Shuifu happened to have some water on hand, so she handed it to her and patted her on the back.
"There are plenty of pastries, Madam Tang, no need to rush."
Tang Shan'er gulped down the entire glass of water, then took a couple of seconds to catch her breath before saying weakly with drooping eyes:
"I can't eat anymore, my parents won't let me. I'll tell you a secret, I'm getting married soon."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuifu immediately thought of the roasted rabbit incident from last time. It turned out that she was so eager for it because her parents were forcing her to lose weight in preparation for her marriage.
Tang Shan'er was on the verge of tears: "It would be fine to marry someone as a legal wife, but from what my parents are saying, it seems like that's not good enough. Being a concubine is terrifying! I won't be able to eat pastries, and I'll get beaten by the legal wife. Why is my life so miserable? Waaah..."
She ate while crying, and choked again.
Madam Tang, who was talking to the woman in the distance, was very farsighted. She did not tell Tang Shan'er who she was going to marry because her daughter was too ambitious. Sure enough, she had told others about her marriage without her noticing.
Jiang Shuifu shook her head. It's just getting married, how can it be so terrible? Not all wives are like the Second Prince's consort.
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat; she was also a legal wife.
The Second Prince's wife wanted some pastries, so Gao Zhuxia went to get them for her. As she passed Jiang Shuifu, she whispered something in her ear:
"Don't be too smug. You still don't know how the Crown Prince was treated with medicine last time, do you?"
Her words were like cold, sticky venomous snakes, coiling around her from head to toe, making her feel cold all over.
Judging from her implied meaning, it was because of her? No wonder Gao Zhuxia wanted to enter the forbidden area to save him, and also told her that he was in danger. It turned out that she wanted her to see with her own eyes how Shen Jizhao favored other people.
She quickly tried to recall, searching for any clues.
It was roasted rabbit; Shen Jizhao had only ever eaten her roasted rabbit.
The roasted rabbit she gave Shen Jizhao indirectly harmed him, but to be precise, it harmed herself; she was exploited all night.
Jiang Shuifu blinked her heavy eyes. If he found out, would he punish her?
The wedding ceremony was quite lively. After a long period of commotion, the words "send them to the bridal chamber" echoed throughout the palace. Without even listening closely, one could hear the Fifth Prince's cheerful laughter and the flattering words of the maids fawning over the concubine. The Fifth Prince then waved his hand, and immediately there were sounds of people kowtowing and kneeling in gratitude.
The woman in charge here was the Fifth Prince's Consort. Ignoring the all-too-familiar voice, she raised her wine glass, smiling radiantly:
"Today is a joyous day for my royal residence. A concubine has entered the palace, adding a new member to the family. We are deeply grateful for the presence of all the distinguished guests. Your Highness will surely remember this kindness!"
As the principal wife, when her husband took a concubine, she not only had to preside over the wedding ceremony and entertain the female relatives, but also help her husband maintain interpersonal relationships and get along well with the families of officials.
There are many wives here, and they have all done everything for their husbands to take concubines, but it's all done with just a small sedan chair.
The royal family was different. Even concubines of high status had to have grand weddings and banquets. All the princes' wives had such an experience.
However, the Fifth Prince's act of distributing grain to celebrate was indeed a first for the royal family. After all, a concubine is just a concubine. He actually gave such favor to a concubine. What would happen in the future? The princes' wives present were quite happy to see this.
During the time when Shen Jizhao was away from the Eastern Palace, the royal family was not at peace. The princes could no longer hide their ambitions and revealed their wolfish intentions. The brothers were also at odds with each other, and the princes' wives naturally disliked each other as well.
At this moment, the Second Prince's wife, who had been completely excluded from the competition for the Empress's position, laughed mockingly, throwing caution to the wind and disregarding any pretense of brotherly affection, she sneered:
"As expected of the principal wife, the fifth sister-in-law is magnanimous and genuinely treats the concubine as her younger sister. Her good deeds in front of the mansion will soon spread throughout the entire Da Bei. Should the people of the capital thank the fifth sister-in-law or the concubine? In the future, will anyone be so blind as to call her the prince's consort?"
Seeing that someone had spoken up, the other princes' wives also joined in the spectacle: "That's right, with the younger sister-in-law treating the concubine so well, she'll probably be attending the Fifth Prince's full-moon banquet soon!"
"I wonder if Brother Tanuki will have a younger brother or sister! If it's a younger brother, Brother Tanuki will be so happy!"
Li Ge'er is the son of the Fifth Prince's wife. As the first legitimate child, the Fifth Prince dotes on him.
The Fifth Prince's wife was no pushover either: "Sisters, you should take care of yourselves. It's better than getting old and losing your looks and having to adopt a child from a concubine to raise!"
The fifth prince's wife, who was unable to conceive, had her fingernails digging into her flesh. The fifth prince's wife smiled slightly.
"Besides, the common people have sharp eyes. They'll definitely recognize the pair with the smoothest skin during the hunt. The stories are going around in the streets and alleys! It's hard to mistake them!"
The Second Prince's wife's face was dark and gloomy as she glared at the lowly woman below her.
The princes' wives were all talking at once, while the noblewomen below mostly adhered to the principle of "better to avoid trouble than to get involved," fearing that they would be caught in the crossfire.
Jiang Shuifu listened to this so much that her ears were practically calloused, and she kept sipping her plum wine.
It must be said that after being away from the capital for so long, everything tasted fresh and new. However, they were a bit noisy; she put down the wine jug, making a crisp, loud sound.
"She's just a concubine. You've all been talking about this for so long. Don't you have any in your own households? Or are you envious of the Fifth Prince's wife and want to recruit a few more sisters to keep her company?"
The princes' wives immediately shut up. Who wanted to invite trouble? There were already enough women in their palaces.
The Fifth Prince's wife hadn't expected her to speak up for her, but she wasn't grateful; they were rivals.
"What the Crown Princess says is absolutely right. If we're talking about broad-mindedness, no one can compare to the Crown Princess. I'm afraid many people would be eager to be her sister. The Crown Princess must give birth to Li Ge'er soon!"
The crowd has once again united with the Fifth Prince's wife, focusing their attacks on the Crown Princess.
"Yes, it's been so long since the Crown Princess got married and there's still no news. Father and Mother are getting impatient, and the Crown Prince is probably even more so!"
"Oh, that's not right. The least urgent ones are the men. There's bound to be one who can do it!"
Doesn't this mean Jiang Shuifu can't have children? Men can wait, but women can't. If one woman isn't enough, just take in a few more.
Jiang Shuifu found it amusing. They were all women, all wives. In the past, they had kept their distance and didn't talk much, but now they were fixated on the concubine's favor and using it as a pretext to launch indiscriminate attacks.
After all, they are women; vying for men remains an age-old behavior.
She stood up and looked around at these women who considered themselves dignified and virtuous, but now revealed a hint of roguishness and shrewishness, and said:
"The Eastern Palace is indeed deserted now, unlike your mansions, which are filled with concubines and children. It must be so lively every day. No wonder you can't stop gossiping; you all think of each other as concubines from lowly families! As for the future of the Eastern Palace, why don't you ask the Crown Prince?"
The princes' wives then realized they had lowered themselves, and shut their mouths in protest. Who would dare to provoke the crown prince?
Suddenly, a little boy of about five years old ran out from the crowd, carrying a stick, and started pushing and hitting Jiang Shuifu.
"You must be the Crown Prince's wife. He doesn't like you, so you'll never have Li Ge'er. Li Ge'er belongs to his mother. If you dare to bully his mother, I'll make you pay!"
Jiang Shuifu was stunned for a second. She thought that the fact that they had been married for three years without children would only spread among gossipy women. Has it already reached the child's ears?
She looked at the people present, whose gloating gazes were hard to ignore.
Just as Li Ge'er's stick was about to fall, the Fifth Prince's Consort was unable to stop it in time, and Jiang Shuifu grabbed the stick and threw it:
"Li Ge'er's stick should be aimed at bad people, at robbers and bandits, at enemy generals, and never at the old, weak, women and children. If Li Ge'er can do that, he will be a capable person."
The little fox muttered to itself, "If I become capable, Father will be happy and will go to Mother's room..."
Jiang Shuifu felt a pang of sympathy; such a young child had to bear the bitter consequences of her parents' discord. The Fifth Prince's Consort, seated above, looked even more solemn, a slight ripple appearing in her eyes.
Tanuki, enraged, ran forward again, aimed at a woman's stomach, and shouted, "Bad guy!"
In an instant, the woman's eyes widened in surprise, but her feet seemed glued to the ground; she could have dodged, but she chose to remain motionless.
The Fifth Prince's Consort narrowed her eyes and knew what she was up to. She ran towards Li Ge'er, crying, "Li Ge'er, no!"
Jiang Shuifu roughly guessed the woman's identity, and for some unknown reason, she decided to meddle in other people's business.
Just a second before Li Ge'er crashed into the woman's stomach, she grabbed the woman's wrist and pulled her away.
With the woman safe and sound, Li Ge'er rushed into the Fifth Prince's wife's arms.
The woman clutched her stomach, trying to feign pain, but the Crown Princess beside her kept staring at her. She wasn't injured at all, and pretending would only offend the Crown Princess.
Compared to a woman's hesitation, the Fifth Prince's wife was much more resolute:
"Someone, go and fetch the imperial physician and the prince. Tell them that Sister Ling has had a miscarriage and ask them to come immediately."
The woman who had "disrupted the pregnancy" was now truly panicked, her blood rushing to her head, causing dizziness and lightheadedness.
The Second Prince's wife laughed first, offering a pointed reassurance to the Fifth Prince's wife:
"This is quite a show! A concubine is a concubine, and her children's fortunes are all biased. The Fifth Prince's Consort need not concern herself with it!"
Then she glanced at Gao Zhuxia, whose body was trembling and face was pale. She knew that her look meant that she was not allowed to get pregnant!
Tang Shan'er hid in Madam Tang's arms in fear, pleading with her not to become a concubine. Madam Tang patted her back tenderly.
Jiang Shuifu poured herself another glass of wine and slowly savored it:
"What difference does it make to a man whether he is a wife or a concubine? Neither is much more noble than the other. What's the point of fighting and scrambling for each other? If a man's heart is with you, there's no need to fight for it. If it's not with you, there's no need to fight for it. Just live your own life well."
Aunt Zhang told her this principle, and she thought it was very true.
All eyes immediately turned to Jiang Shuifu, who was holding the wine jug.
These remarks aroused disdain among the ladies, who thought she was being superior. Cao Lanzi seized the opportunity and refuted her remarks in just a few words:
"The Crown Princess is indeed exceptionally shrewd. Whichever sister enters the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess will surely treat her with utmost sincerity. But how could I recall that the Crown Princess once said in her youth that she would not marry a man who would take concubines, but wished to have one man with one heart? If that is the case, how can she tolerate concubines?"
These words were like a powder keg dropped into the entire garden. Jiang Shuifu suddenly shook her head, her memory instantly flashing back to her teenage years.
That year, she was invited to a flower-viewing banquet. The flowers at the banquet were always for noble ladies in the capital, and the princes were secretly selecting their consorts.
Although she was not yet of marriageable age at that time, she was very beautiful. Consort Ning, who had a son who was just about to come of age, took a liking to her and wanted to get engaged first, and then hold a grand wedding two years later.
Consort Ning tried to probe her intentions both openly and subtly, but Jiang Shuifu directly refused:
"I'm still young, no rush. My father still wants me to stay with him. If I'm going to get married, I hope that the person's role model is my father!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole garden was filled with laughter. Consort Ning also laughed. Sure enough, she hadn't grown up yet and was still clinging to her father.
Jiang Shuifu didn't understand why they were laughing, and she was serious about it. She then gave a serious and earnest reason:
"My father was a good man. He didn't take concubines or keep mistresses. He only had my mother, so everyone in our family was very happy. I hope my future husband will learn from my father!"
The garden was silent for three seconds, then burst into laughter. Consort Ning bestowed a reward upon her: "Let the child grow a little longer, and then I will take you as my goddaughter!"
The matter was left unresolved.
Everyone laughed at her then, saying her words were just the ramblings of an ignorant, immature girl.
Jiang Shuifu didn't know why she could say such things back then. Perhaps it was because she was truly ignorant. Ignorance breeds fearlessness; it was just the naivety and innocence of someone who was unfamiliar with the ways of the world.
Only now did she understand why they were laughing; it was utterly absurd, and that phrase about being both lonely and brave was simply a joke.
Not only that statement, but her entire being.
For a long time, people in the capital made fun of her.
As the memories of the past came to an end, Jiang Shuifu did not regret any of her words. On the contrary, she was proud of her courage to stand up against the world at that stage.
That pride, however, has now developed cracks, filled with foolish stupidity.
She doesn't care how many people get involved with them now; it's beyond her control. However, she's certain that she doesn't have the energy to torment her concubines.
It's not worth it.
Suddenly, a cold and ruthless voice exploded in everyone's ears:
"Absurd and bizarre!"
She knew that voice all too well.
She didn't even need to turn around to know that he must have a slight frown between his brows, a downturned mouth, one hand behind his back, and the jade pendant and leather belt at his waist clinking together, exuding an aura of authority that was not angry and unapproachable.
Some people around gasped in shock, while others secretly rejoiced, their eyes darting between Shen Jizhao and Jiang Shuifu, eager to see her scolded until she couldn't lift her head.
Shen Jizhao gradually approached, but Jiang Shuifu did not turn around.
“The Crown Princess is young and impetuous. Such absurd and bizarre jokes are not to be taken seriously. She knew my identity from the beginning. If I really only had her as my legal wife, wouldn’t I be a laughing stock and break the ancestral rules? The entire court would say that the Crown Princess is a femme fatale who brings disaster to the country. No one can bear such a crime.”
Jiang Shuifu chuckled softly, a chuckle so soft that only she knew it. She admitted that he was right; she had indeed been young and impetuous, uttering a wicked statement that was extremely unacceptable to the world.
Actually, she never had such naive thoughts again after meeting him.
He couldn't possibly have only her, much less be the only one for her. She had seen through that long ago and had long since given up on that hope.
However, she was a little stunned to hear these words coming from the man who had just told her to take care of herself.
She slowly turned around, her expression neither humble nor arrogant, gazing at the serious man, the indifferent crown prince. In that instant, it was as if she had returned to the countless days in the past when he reminded her with his cold eyes.
She swallowed the word "husband" before she could even utter it; one cannot use it in public.
"Your Highness, did you send someone to retrieve those items?"
Shen Jizhao had been called "husband" for so many days, and now he was suddenly called "Your Highness," which made him momentarily dazed.
In fact, he wouldn't say anything if she called him "husband" in front of everyone.
That address of "Your Highness" made the atmosphere between the two grow even colder.
He didn't answer her; his expression seemed as if he didn't know what she was saying. Of course, he was a busy man, and it probably went in one ear and out the other. Jiang Shuifu gave up.
But the next second, he said something with a hidden meaning:
"Princess Consort, let's forget about those bad trends and stories."
Jiang Shui's eyelids twitched suddenly as she stared intently at him. He hadn't forgotten her words, but they meant nothing to him; he had heard them, but didn't care.
He didn't even want to see the things she cared about.
Because he didn't want to see it, he wanted her to forget it too.
She glanced around and saw that everyone was standing there, their mocking and contemptuous eyes and the faint sneers on their lips all directed at her.
In just a few seconds, she became the target of everyone's anger and was riddled with bullets.
Although they didn't say a word, she felt surrounded by laughter, just like when she used to attend banquets, people would point and whisper behind her back, using her as a negative example to teach women to be dignified and self-respecting.
In this environment, her heart grew stronger step by step, and now she can calmly block out these jeers.
Jiang Shuifu wished she didn't know him that well. He was reminding her that no matter how displeased he was in the past, he would never embarrass her in front of others; he valued his reputation.
But today, he couldn't care less about saving face.
It seems he already knows why he was poisoned. Perhaps he's punishing him for it. If she hadn't gone to find him, who knows what the consequences would have been? His lifelong reputation might have been ruined.
Or perhaps he was unhappy in the countryside. To him, the affectionate playfulness between farm couples was not flirting, but rather a transgression of boundaries, a breach of rules, a disregard for hierarchy, and a loss of propriety.
Those rural days that she cherished as precious memories were nothing more than “bad” in his eyes: a bad, dilapidated wooden house, bad osmanthus seeds, bad rice porridge and chicken.
Once back in Beijing, everything was set up again with new rules and regulations, and any warmth from that time would slowly disappear and be exhausted.
Deep down, he hadn't changed. His promise not to restrict her was only within certain limits. As long as it didn't involve major issues or her bottom line, he was willing to give her a pleasant look and coax her.
He wouldn't allow her to overstep her bounds or interfere in matters that would benefit his career, no matter what happened in the countryside. As the crown prince, it was impossible for her to do so.
Jiang Shuifu lowered her eyes. She might have been very sad before, but not now.
She doesn't want to change others; it's time-consuming, laborious, and stressful. Or perhaps she's always been able to accept this outcome.
It's just going back to the way it was before, hasn't it always been like this? There's nothing to be sad about.
Her eyes regained their light:
"Your Highness is right. As the Crown Princess, I have the magnanimity that a principal wife should have. As long as I hold this position, I will abide by the rules. Furthermore, I have never had this thought since I entered the Eastern Palace. Your Highness has misunderstood me. Your Highness has misunderstood me many times. I hope Your Highness will reconsider in the future. I truly cannot bear the title of 'femme fatale who brings ruin to the country'!"
Shen Jizhao seemed not to have expected her to confront him directly. He did intend to remind her that they had indeed crossed the line, but not the rules. Rather, he had crossed the line of the nascent feelings in his heart.
That night in the carriage, he was very angry because he had actually tried to kiss her!
He had never felt this way before, and he didn't know how to deal with this unfamiliar emotion.
But he knew he couldn't indulge himself. She could be his wife for life, but she couldn't be the one he worried about every day.
So he reminded her, and also reminded himself, that he had never intended to be different; men were supposed to have multiple wives and concubines, and his position was unavoidable.
If she can't accept it now, what will happen when he ascends the throne, with his three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines? Won't she be consumed with jealousy?
So regardless of whether she had this idea or not, he would not give in to her.
The gazes around her were so intense that she could hardly breathe. Those who had been watching the spectacle were now wide-eyed with shock at her act of publicly humiliating the Crown Prince.
Of course, the fire of watching the drama was already burning brightly in their eyes; they couldn't wait for the Crown Prince to depose her immediately.
Jiang Shuifu didn't want to be watched anymore, so she said goodbye to Shen Jizhao and left.
Shen Jizhao had never seen her so indifferent before. In the past, when he misunderstood her, she would always grab his sleeve and tearfully tell him her true feelings, but now she didn't say a word.
He was somewhat flustered:
"I understand. Aren't you coming back with me?"
Her eyes instantly caught sight of him, and she smiled gently: "Your Highness, I'm going to admire the flowers. Will you wait for me?"
Shen Jizhao's words stuck in her throat. Before leaving, she glanced at Li Ge'er, who was being held in the Fifth Prince's arms.
"Don't cry, little Li Ge'er. Daddy won't punish you. In a few days, Daddy will take you to play with your favorite crickets."
The background music was the "painful screams" of his concubine.
Jiang Shuifu's gaze met that of the Fifth Prince's wife. The Fifth Prince's wife's eyes were like a still pool, with only a faint trace of victor's arrogance.
Such days happen almost every day, so naturally they're not very interesting.
Autumn is approaching, and the warm breeze is no longer damp and stuffy. Although the Prince's Mansion does not grow osmanthus, and the osmanthus is of inferior quality, Jiang Shuifu still smelled a trace of sweet fragrance.
She walked to a lotus pond, where fallen osmanthus petals from outside the mansion dotted the water. These petals, wilting, drifted away and disappeared with the water.
She suddenly felt happy for Guihua; the Prince's Mansion was not its destiny.
After the peach went to relieve herself, she sat by the pond waiting for her.
Not far behind her were several furtive figures discussing tactics. After they finished, two of them took the lead and quietly approached her from behind, extending their hands.
Jiang Shuifu was caught off guard and was pushed down with a "thump!"
Jiang Shuifu, who had swallowed a mouthful of pool water, was bubbling and gurgling. The pool water wasn't deep enough to drown a person, but it was still almost up to her neck.
These people chuckled quietly, then ran off as fast as they could.
After leaving the crime scene, Cao Lanzi and several other women gathered together and clapped and cheered.
These faces were all terrified by Jiang Shuifu's arrow during the hunt; they had planned this all along, their eyes gleaming with increasing ruthlessness.
"That was so satisfying! From today onwards, she'll be damned!"
Jiang Shuifu's eyes were blurred with water, and those people ran so fast, covering their faces with their sleeves, that she really couldn't see who had harmed her.
She can't swim, and her vision is almost completely obscured.
*
Shen Jizhao didn't wait for her, of course. He had urgent business to attend to. After a busy day, he returned to the East Palace. He paused, wondering whether he should go to her place.
She seems to have drunk quite a bit today. Is she going to throw up again?
Even if I throw up, he'll still come back, so I might as well just go find her directly.
They parted somewhat unhappily during the day, and he would lose face if he went to see them now.
However, he still pushed open the door to the bedroom. The room was dimly lit, with only one candle that was barely burning out.
He sat on the bed with his back to her, and before he could make a move, the woman on the bed reached up and stripped off his robes.
Shen Jizhao's expression improved somewhat. She was his wife, and since she had taken the initiative, he would satisfy her.
It wasn't until the candle suddenly went out with a "whoosh" and her soft, boneless hands wrapped around his waist and her body entwined around him that he realized something was wrong.
He threw the woman off the bed, his veins bulging, and he suddenly flew into a rage.
The woman who had fallen to the ground, realizing she had been exposed, could only feign surprise and weep profusely.
"Your Highness, it's you! Waaah, I'd rather be dead! Don't stop me..."
According to the original plan, after Jiang Shuifu was rescued, Wang Hanxi would arrange for her to go to the bridal chamber, and then catch her in the act of adultery before she entered the bridal chamber. The dignified Crown Princess had offered herself to her husband's brother, so her reputation would be ruined and her good days would be over.
But when the time came, she changed her mind.
She wanted to take a gamble, to switch the prince with a fox, and pretend to be Jiang Shuifu and have a one-night stand with Shen Jizhao.
If things succeed, she can enter the Eastern Palace; if things fail, she will pretend to be stupid, like she is now, and act as a victim to shift the blame.
In the Fifth Prince's residence, in Wang Hanxi's new room.
Jiang Shuifu was poisoned by the bone-softening powder. Looking at the large patches of red in front of her, she realized that she had been tricked.
At this moment, the door to the bridal chamber creaked open, and the Fifth Prince, beaming with joy, staggered toward her, his large hands reaching out to embrace her, ready to warm her and make love to her.
"Hanxi, your husband is here!"
After figuring out the whole story, Shen Jizhao immediately grabbed a cloak and left the mansion without stopping.
His steps were swift as the wind, his face was icy cold. He was prepared to enter the palace alone, rescue the Crown Princess, and then set fire to this cursed house.
But before he could climb over the wall and enter, a figure staggered towards him from outside the mansion.
The figure was thin and weak, and froze after taking a few steps. He took a few more breaths and tried to move his body, his face slightly flushed.
He stared at her for a long time, thinking that she was a delicate woman who would quietly wait for him to rescue her, and that when she saw him, she would immediately rush into his arms and cry and tell him her troubles for hours.
But she didn't. She escaped danger on her own. It turned out that she was so capable and strong that she didn't even need his help.
His crown princess, Jiang Shuifu, was a complete surprise to him.
Shen Jizhao flew towards her, caught her limp body, and draped a cloak with his unique scent over her.
Jiang Shuifu fell into his arms, her eyes glazed over. He was all too familiar with this look.
On the deserted street, a man with a somber expression held a soft woman in his arms. The woman, feeling unwell from the alcohol, said, "Want me to carry you..."
The man put her on his back; she still needed him.
His back was broad and strong, which made her feel very safe. She felt much more comfortable sleeping on it. They walked like that for a long time, long enough for the woman to fall asleep.
She suddenly sensed the moonlight streaming in, opened her eyes, and pointed to the stars in the sky, saying:
"My lord, would you like to look at the stars again?"
The stars were so bright that she couldn't sleep.
Shen Jizhao's heart had completely softened. He had been a bit harsh in his words during the day, and he could have spoken to her properly.
Moreover, her words from the afternoon echoed in his mind, and he thought he would feel relieved after hearing them, but he didn't.
The woman on his back kept insisting on looking at the stars, something he had promised her, and she kept repeating it.
He jerked her up, hoisted her onto his back so she wouldn't fall, and said, "Yes, if you want to see it, I'll take you."
The Eastern Palace.
Shen Jizhao did not return to Bihua Palace. Instead, he ordered people to clean the palace all night, ensuring that not a trace of uncleanliness remained.
He placed her on his bedchamber and began to undress her. She complained, feeling wronged:
"Husband, I have no strength..."
Shen Jizhao looked at her pitiful appearance and remained silent for a few moments before nodding solemnly, "I can do it, you lie down."
Jiang Shuifu didn't know what he wanted. She just told him that she was weak and a little dizzy, and told him to go somewhere cool and stay there.
The next second, she knew what he was going to do.
The man lowered his head and kissed her, biting and nibbling at her, tearing her clothes to shreds.
The woman was very surprised. Why was he doing this?
The birds sleeping on the branches were startled and flew around, clearly displeased with their behavior.
The servants outside the palace stared wide-eyed and blushed with embarrassment. The Crown Prince had actually favored the Crown Princess!
The entire East Palace could set off firecrackers to celebrate. Pan Tao was also happy for Jiang Shuifu, since the Crown Princess had no children and she was the only one being instructed and manipulated.
The Crown Princess loves the Crown Prince so much, she must be happy tonight.
With children, life will only get better and better.
The peaches stayed up all night, praying to the gods to give the Crown Princess a child.
Jiang Shuifu inside the room was not happy. She wanted to bite him to vent her anger, but she was too weak. He was as rough as ever, and her body felt like it was going to fall apart. She tried to move her body.
But he seemed to think she really wanted it, and he changed positions many times, his breath falling on her ear:
"Is the Crown Princess satisfied? You can do whatever you want to me!"
...
She rolled her eyes.
The next day, Jiang Shuifu woke up with a sore back and didn't go out for several days.
The peaches were both complaining and full of anticipation:
"Please be patient, Your Highness. Good news may be on the way!"
These words reminded Jiang Shuifu, and she whispered something. Pan Tao was so surprised that she couldn't even hold the dinner in her hands and spilled it all.
The atmosphere was very tense. Pan Tao stared at Jiang Shuifu in disbelief, and Jiang Shuifu nodded.
"Tomorrow, you go out and help me..."
Before he could finish speaking, and thankfully he couldn't, Shen Jizhao arrived!
He chimed in:
"What's up tomorrow? What do you need to do?"
The peaches trembled, and Shen Jizhao looked at the food on the ground and asked again.
Jiang Shuifu could only make up a casual remark: "Tomorrow is the day for praying at Hongshan Temple, and I would like to go with Pan Tao."
Hongshan Temple is very famous, and many women go there to pray for blessings, mostly for marital harmony and to conceive children.
He remembered that she glanced at Li Ge'er when she left that day, and later inquired about it, and found out that she had been wronged because of the lack of offspring.
Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Having another child is a good thing.
His eyes changed instantly, becoming dark and unfathomable, and he dismissed the servants.
As Shen Jizhao approached step by step, Jiang Shuifu became restless and simply stood up. He disliked her timid and hesitant manner, so he pressed her onto his lap.
"Begging anyone else is not as good as begging me!"
His head gradually lowered, and his hand gradually rose.
She didn't know why this was happening again. Last time, when he saw her flushed face, he thought she had been poisoned by the medicine and took her to get some detoxification, but not now.
"Husband, no! No!"
Shen Jizhao liked her coy refusal: "Your birthday is coming soon, what do you want?"
Jiang Shuifu struggled in vain, and she never expected that he would make a promise in advance when there were still half a month left until her birthday. In the past, he would only give her a gift on the day of her birthday and leave after sitting for a few minutes or at most the time it takes to eat a meal.
She didn't want to dwell on whether his words held true at that moment. Right now, she was only concerned with the present. Her current emotions told her that since she couldn't escape anyway, she might as well go with him: "Not here..."
These are tables and chairs.
He hadn't thought of so many tricks, nor did he know there were so many tricks. Her comment was a revelation to him.
She refused to leave no matter what.
"Tomorrow, I will have Xiuyi protect you."
Sweating profusely, Jiang Shuifu immediately refused. "If Xiu leaves, what will she do?"
He was puzzled, but she gritted her teeth and whispered sweet nothings in his ear, which pleased him greatly.
-----------------------
Author's Note: My daughter is currently trying not to dwell on anything that upsets her. If she doesn't dwell on things, she won't be sad. She's taking things one step at a time, accepting either reconciliation or divorce. The male lead wants to be good to her and wants to keep her in his heart, but he's too afraid and is using the wrong methods.
I'm posting this late because I got the time wrong, hahaha, see you in the comments!
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