The sun sank in the west, and great swaths of evening clouds blazed along the horizon, layer upon layer spreading across half the sky.
Dinner had already been laid out in the main hall.
There was chicken-skin soup with sour bamboo shoots, its broth clear and fragrant with a tang that whetted the appetite; goose gizzards and webbed feet steeped thoroughly in fine fermented brine, making a crisp, satisfying sound between the teeth.
There were also spicy braised tendon, tender and richly flavored, its surface gleaming with red oil and making one’s mouth water at a glance; and a dish of sweet-and-sour cucumber strips made with freshly picked young cucumbers tossed with shredded ginger, rice vinegar, and a touch of chili oil, crisp and refreshing.
A dish of rouge-colored goose breast had a rosy sheen and a flavor both salty and sweet. There were also fish slices stir-fried with vinegar, their flesh snow-white and delicate, the aroma of vinegar rising enticingly from the plate. Just smelling it was enough to make one’s appetite bloom.
Several other seasonal vegetables were served as well, all prepared according to Shen Yanshui’s current preferences.
Before the Crown Prince, however, several lighter dishes had been placed: steamed shad, a soup of chicken, ham, and water shield, stir-fried magnolia slices… and a plate of silver-thread rolls. His meal looked considerably plainer.
Cui Yu ate unhurriedly from his own bowl, though his gaze kept drifting toward the person beside him.
Whenever A-Yan ate, she wore an utterly absorbed expression. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a satisfied smile curved her lips. Her cheeks puffed up with each bite, making her look like a well-fed little cat.
Before long, Shen Yanshui had polished off her fourth bowl of rice.
Everyone else had long since grown used to it. Chunping calmly took the bowl and filled it again.
Only Nanny Wang, sitting to one side, felt her eyelids twitch.
She cast a discreet glance at the Crown Prince. Seeing that his expression remained perfectly normal, she did not rush to say anything.
A while later, Shen Yanshui finished her fifth and sixth bowls as well.
Chunping habitually reached out for the bowl—
“Master.” Nanny Wang stepped forward, bowing slightly. Her tone was respectful, yet carried a hint of gentle concern. “It is not advisable to eat too much in the evening. It may burden the spleen and stomach and make digestion difficult.”
Looking at Worthy Lady Shen’s astonishing appetite, she was beginning to wonder whether someone had secretly tampered with her food…
Shen Yanshui: “...Huh?”
She blinked at Nanny Wang. She had only eaten six bowls…
The corners of Nanny Wang’s lips stiffened ever so slightly before returning to normal. With a smile, she continued, “Besides, if you eat too much at every meal, your stomach will become accustomed to larger portions. If you continue like this, the fetus in your womb may grow too large, and when the time comes to give birth, I fear… it may be more difficult.”
The movement of Cui Yu’s hand paused, and his brows drew together slightly.
Chunping and the others likewise stopped what they were doing and instinctively looked toward their master.
Shen Yanshui was stunned as well.
She naturally knew that a large fetus could make childbirth difficult. She had watched enough palace-intrigue dramas to know that much.
But…
“I’m still hungry…” Besides, the baby in her belly was only a tiny embryo at this point.
Nanny Wang: “…”
For a moment, she was rendered speechless. Her gaze involuntarily fell to her master’s lower abdomen.
Through the thin summer clothing, her belly was indeed as flat as ever…
Seeing Nanny Wang staring at her stomach, Shen Yanshui smiled and said, “Nanny, you’re very thoughtful. But wouldn’t it be enough to pay attention once I’m further along and we can see how things develop? For now… I shouldn’t need to, should I?”
Before Nanny Wang could answer, Cui Yu turned to Zheng Yuande and ordered, “Go fetch an imperial physician.”
Zheng Yuande hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment and quickly went out to send someone on the errand.
Cui Yu then looked at Nanny Wang. “Nanny, you may not know this, but Worthy Lady Shen has always eaten this much. Her appetite has not suddenly increased only in the past few days.”
Nanny Wang froze for a moment, then smiled and acknowledged his words. She had assumed that the mistress’s increased appetite was due to her pregnancy, never realizing that she had simply misunderstood.
Seeing that Nanny Wang was no longer stopping her, Shen Yanshui smiled again and continued eating while they waited for the imperial physician. By the time she finally set down her bowl with a thoroughly satisfied expression, the physician had arrived as well.
The one who came was Grand Physician Lu of the Imperial Medical Academy. His hair and beard were white, and his face was thin and scholarly. Carrying a medicine chest, he entered and respectfully saluted the Crown Prince and Worthy Lady Shen.
Cui Yu raised a hand. “Grand Physician Lu, there is no need for such formality. Please examine Worthy Lady Shen.”
Grand Physician Lu respectfully acknowledged the order. He stepped forward and sat down on a low stool, then took out a pulse pillow and placed it beneath Worthy Lady Shen’s wrist before concentrating on her pulse.
The room fell silent.
After a while, Grand Physician Lu withdrew his hand and asked Shen Yanshui about her recent diet and daily routine, as well as whether she had experienced any discomfort.
Shen Yanshui answered each question. Nanny Wang also took the opportunity to explain her concerns.
Grand Physician Lu listened, then pondered for a moment before saying, “Your Highness, Worthy Lady Shen, the young mistress’s pulse is steady and strong, and her qi and blood are abundant. There is nothing amiss.”
After a pause, he continued, “As for her diet, Worthy Lady Shen has always had a large appetite. Now that she is carrying a child, it is only natural for her appetite to increase further. There is no need to worry excessively.”
“However, what Nanny Wang said earlier is not without reason. I recommend that the young mistress eat according to her appetite for now, without deliberately restricting herself. Once she is three or four months further along, her diet can be adjusted as appropriate.”
Cui Yu’s expression eased slightly at that.
After seeing Grand Physician Lu out, Shen Yanshui rose, intending to go outside for a walk and aid her digestion.
Only… there was something rather strange about their walk that day.
The Crown Prince walked beside her, moving much more slowly than usual. Not only that, but every so often he would extend a hand and hover it near her waist, making it rather difficult for her to walk.
After taking a few more steps, she finally could not bear it any longer.
She turned her head toward him, half amused and half exasperated. “Your Highness, if you keep doing that… I won’t be able to walk properly.”
Cui Yu paused and withdrew his hand, but he did not quicken his pace.
Shen Yanshui: “…”
She glanced at Chunping, Qiuru, and the others beside her, feeling even more helpless.
Those girls’ eyes seemed practically glued to her. They behaved as though she were made of porcelain and would shatter at the slightest touch. She could not help sighing.
Still, she knew they simply had not yet grown accustomed to the news of her pregnancy. After a few more days, they would likely settle down, so she let them fuss over her.
As usual, she went to check on the little strawberries and the watermelons she had planted not long ago. The strawberries had already begun producing new fruit. Nourished daily by her supernatural ability, they were growing exceptionally well. But… if she left with the Crown Prince for the Western Hills Palace to escape the summer heat in a few days, wouldn’t she miss the ripening of this batch of strawberries?
That would never do…
She decided that over the next two nights, she would secretly use her ability to hasten the ripening of some of them.
The watermelons were not as urgent. By the time she returned from the Western Hills Palace, they ought to be ready to eat. Still, she would be away for quite some time and unable to tend to them, so she would have to nourish them carefully with her ability over the next couple of days.
After inspecting everything, she finally returned to sit beside the soft couch in the eastern side room.
When she saw Zheng Yuande report something to the Crown Prince, followed by the Crown Prince’s departure for the study in the western side room, she withdrew her gaze. A small embroidery project, half-finished during the day, lay on the soft couch. She picked it up and continued stitching by the light of the candles.
She was embroidering a little crab.
Its shell was round and bright red, while its eight legs stuck out in a fierce, clawing display. Its two eyes were large and lively, giving it an adorably spirited look.
Shen Yanshui embroidered with great concentration, placing each stitch carefully and skillfully.
She thought she had done an especially fine job this time. Just look at how round the shell was, how lively the legs looked, how adorable those eyes were!
Her heart filled with delight, and she stitched with even greater enthusiasm.
She had no idea how long she had been embroidering when suddenly everything before her eyes went dark, and the embroidery hoop in her hands was taken away.
Shen Yanshui froze. When she looked up, she found herself meeting the Crown Prince’s eyes.
Cui Yu’s expression was not very pleasant. He swept a glance over the attendants nearby and said in a low, displeased voice, “How could you let your mistress work with a needle at night?”
Nanny Wang was not in the room; she had just stepped out. Chunping and Xia’an were attending Shen Yanshui in her place. Their faces went pale, and they immediately dropped to their knees to plead guilty.
Shen Yanshui hurriedly tugged at his hand. “Your Highness, it’s not as though I embroider even once in a hundred years. Chunping and the others know that doing it once or twice won’t hurt me. Please don’t blame them…” As she spoke, she gazed into his eyes and blinked, her eyes sparkling. “Besides… I’m very happy that Your Highness cares so much about me.”
Under her bright, limpid gaze, the trace of displeasure in Cui Yu’s heart had somehow already faded. Hearing her overly direct and wholehearted words, the corners of his lips curved slightly. Then, as though nothing had happened, he sat down beside her.
Cui Yu gave a quiet “Mm,” then dismissed the two attendants. Chunping and Xia’an secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly withdrew on silent feet.
His gaze fell to the embroidery hoop in his hand.
On the moon-white hoop was a little crab, waving its claws and glaring with enormous round eyes, all eight of its legs sticking out in every direction. The stitches were indeed somewhat messy and could hardly be called delicate, but the crab’s expression was remarkably lifelike.
Cui Yu looked at those round, bright eyes, then turned to glance at A-Yan, who was gazing up at him before him…
The expression on the crab’s face really did resemble A-Yan’s.
The thought brought a smile to his face. At first, he had thought it rather strange for a crab to have such huge eyes, but the longer he looked at it, the more pleasing it became.
However…
He lowered his eyes to the lively little crab on the hoop and suddenly asked, “A-Yan, who is this sachet for?”
Shen Yanshui paused.
Why did that question sound… slightly off?
She stole a glance at the Crown Prince. His expression was bland, and she could not read his mood.
But his tone just now…
She wrapped both hands around his arm and gave it a gentle shake, pouting coquettishly. “I only embroidered it for fun when I had nothing else to do. But if Your Highness doesn’t mind, I’ll give it to you once I finish it?”
Cui Yu cast her a sidelong glance but said nothing.
Shen Yanshui: Tsk.
“…Actually, I’ve wanted to embroider a sachet or handkerchief for Your Highness for a long time. I even thought that if Your Highness wore something I made every day, wouldn’t that mean you would think of me every moment?” As she spoke, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she put on an embarrassed, bashful expression. “But Your Highness has already seen my handiwork. It really isn’t fit to be displayed in public… If I truly embroidered something for you and you wore it outside, what would we do if people laughed at you?”
Cui Yu listened with the same indifferent expression, as though her words had not moved him in the slightest.
Shen Yanshui secretly glanced at him. Seeing him look like that, she suddenly thought of something. Her eyes lit up, and even her voice took on a hint of excitement.
“Your Highness, didn’t you ask me before how I planned to thank you?”
Cui Yu’s brows lifted slightly.
Shen Yanshui beamed at him, her face full of anticipation. “How about I make Your Highness a whole outfit?”
As for what sort of clothes they would be, or whether they were meant for daytime or nighttime… Ahem, that was beside the point.
The Crown Prince had such a fine figure—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. He had a well-defined chest and abs, his muscles firm and attractive without being overly exaggerated, and naturally pale skin…
If she didn’t get to admire all that by dressing him in those clothes, wouldn’t it be a terrible waste?
She had already begun imagining, entirely beyond her control, what the Crown Prince would look like wearing those outfits. Her heart was practically growing impatient.
Unaware of what was going through her mind, Cui Yu heard her proposal and let the corners of his lips curve faintly. His voice was calm and unhurried as he said, “Since A-Yan has put her heart into it, naturally I won’t mind.”
Looking at his composed expression, Shen Yanshui almost burst out laughing.
“You said that yourself, Your Highness.” She blinked at him. “No matter what the clothes turn out like—even if you don’t wear them outside, you still have to put them on for me to see. You’re not allowed to go back on your word!”
Cui Yu’s brows relaxed, and he gave a quiet “Mm.”
Even if she made a poor job of them, they would still represent A-Yan’s feelings. There was naturally nothing wrong with putting them on for her to see.
Shen Yanshui pressed her lips together, struggling to suppress the upward curve of her mouth. She only hoped that when the Crown Prince put on those “interesting” clothes, he wouldn’t become so embarrassed that he lost his temper…
By the time the lamps were lit, Nanny Wang had noticed that His Highness the Crown Prince seemed inclined to spend the night at Lianxin Court. She had gone out for a while, and when she returned, she had a booklet in her hands.
Without a word, she placed the booklet on the small table beside the bed, then bowed and withdrew.
Shen Yanshui had just finished bathing and stepped out of the bathing room when she saw the Crown Prince sitting against the headboard, holding the booklet and turning its pages at an unhurried pace.
He had just bathed as well. His ink-black hair was still slightly damp, spilling loosely over his white sleeping robe. The candlelight happened to fall across the side of his face, accentuating his deep, striking features—brows like distant mountains, a straight nose, and thin, faintly pursed lips. Sitting there in the candlelight, he looked truly noble and untouchable, almost like a deity.
The longer Shen Yanshui looked, the drier her throat became.
She quietly swallowed, and that little itch in her heart began to stir once more.
She climbed onto the bed. Seeing him with his head lowered as he read, she secretly removed her undergarment and moved closer until she was pressed against him. In a soft, syrupy voice, she called, “Your Highness…”
With her cool, supple body leaning against him like warm jade, Cui Yu had no choice but to raise his eyes and look at her.
Shen Yanshui was wearing only a rose-colored gauze robe. The fabric was Yunluo silk, a new tribute this year, as light and thin as mist, with a faint rouge tint. Golden threads embroidered winding peonies across the robe. The blossoms were in full bloom, their curling stems twisting gracefully, and the gold shimmered in the candlelight, making one’s eyes—and one’s heart—grow hot.
And beneath the gauze robe…
There was nothing at all.
Cui Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently once.
Shen Yanshui’s brows lifted slightly, quite satisfied by what she saw. The Crown Prince had a fine physique, but she was hardly lacking in that regard herself.
She rested her chin on his shoulder. “What are you reading, Your Highness? You look so absorbed. Why don’t you let me have a look too?”
She vaguely remembered that Nanny Wang had brought this booklet out just before she went into the bathing room, so there should be nothing in it she was not allowed to see.
But when she moved closer again, Cui Yu shut the booklet with a sharp snap. His expression remained composed, but the tips of his ears were flushed red.
“It’s nothing. It’s late, A-Yan. You should sleep. Go to bed.”
Shen Yanshui: “…”
She flung back the covers and lay down, so angry that she turned the back of her head toward him.
What did he mean by that? Was he afraid she would devour him alive?
She wasn’t completely ignorant of propriety. Wasn’t it enough if she merely rubbed against him without going any further? Hmph…
But just as she had settled in, a thin quilt was draped over her. Immediately afterward, an arm reached around her from behind, and her back pressed tightly against a rather hard chest.
She twisted her body and pushed her bottom back, trying to move farther away from him.
But the sensation that brushed against her from behind made her eyes widen at once.
She cleared her throat, her voice brimming with innocence. “Didn’t Your Highness say we were going to sleep? Why are you hiding a cudgel on you while sleeping?” As she spoke, she even swayed her waist.
Cui Yu’s body went rigid.
The next moment, Shen Yanshui felt a large hand close around her waist, pinching her neither lightly nor heavily and rendering her completely unable to move.
“A-Yan.” The Crown Prince’s voice came from behind her, low and carrying a hint of helplessness. “Stop fooling around.”
With his hand still gripping her waist, Shen Yanshui struggled, but could not break free. Instead, that large hand turned her over with ease.
She looked up at him. The candlelight reflected in her eyes, making them shimmer like rippling water. In a small voice, she murmured, “But I want Your Highness…” She reached out and poked him in the chest with one finger.
She had already been craving him that morning. But at the time, she had not known whether she was pregnant, and her unease had forced her to suppress the desire. Now that it had been confirmed, those thoughts had returned.
Besides, she remembered that it was supposedly permissible to have intercourse in moderation during the early stages of pregnancy.
Cui Yu lowered his eyes to look at her. His gaze grew deep and dark. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and there was an unconscious allure in the way her eyes rippled. Her peach-blossom eyes seemed to hold a pool of spring water, and the only reflection upon its surface was his own image. Her breath brushed against his jaw, warm and enticing.
Like a little spirit that preyed on men’s vitality.
Just as he was thinking this, he felt a small hand take his.
Shen Yanshui’s face was flushed as she held his hand and guided it toward her body.
“I’ll help Your Highness too…”
After some time, Shen Yanshui was kneeling astride Cui Yu’s hand.
Her gauzy robe had long since come loose, the rose-colored fabric crumpled in a heap around her waist.
No one knew how much time had passed before the two mingled breaths gradually quieted.
Cui Yu lowered his eyes to look at her. Her cheeks still carried a lingering flush, and a trace of springlike allure remained at the corners of her eyes. Her lashes cast a small shadow in the candlelight, and her breathing was even and deep. From time to time, she rubbed lightly against his chest, like a little cat that had finally had its fill.
Cui Yu silently exhaled.
She had pestered him and carried on so shamelessly just now, yet he had actually indulged her…
His mind inevitably returned to the little figures in the booklet. His breathing grew heavier again, and then he thought of how she had said she would help him…
But before even half a quarter of an hour had passed, she had gone and enjoyed herself instead.
Little liar.
Shen Yanshui slept soundly, completely unaware of what the Crown Prince was doing.
Only the rose-colored undergarment remained clenched in Cui Yu’s palm. At some point, a large patch of it had been soaked through, the pale fabric stained with a broad, dark wet mark.
The next morning.
When Shen Yanshui awoke, the space beside her was already empty.
She drowsily reached out and touched the bedding. The warmth of his body still remained, so he could not have been gone for long. She blinked and stared blankly at the canopy above her for a while.
“Is Your Ladyship awake?”
Chunping’s voice came from outside the bed curtains. She gently lifted them, while Qiuru followed behind carrying a copper basin.
Shen Yanshui answered with a soft “Mm” and allowed them to help her sit up.
“Where is His Highness?” She remembered that today was supposed to be a day of rest.
As Chunping tied her sash, she replied, “In answer to Your Ladyship, His Highness is in the study in the western side room, attending to official matters.”
“An imperial physician is already waiting outside as well, ready to take Your Ladyship’s pulse.”
Shen Yanshui’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Had they summoned an imperial physician so early?
Then she recalled what had happened the previous night, and her face flushed again.
The Crown Prince’s fingers were not only long and strong—even every one of the fine calluses on his fingertips was just right.
Once she had finished dressing, Shen Yanshui left the inner room and headed toward the main hall.
She had only just rounded the screen when the Crown Prince emerged from the study in the western side room. Today he wore a moon-white robe, his hair secured by a jade crown. His entire person looked so refined and noble that he seemed almost unreal.
Shen Yanshui smiled when she saw him.
Cui Yu glanced at her smiling face and crescent-shaped eyes before turning to the imperial physician waiting nearby. “Grand Physician Lu, please examine Worthy Lady Shen.”
Grand Physician Lu respectfully replied, “I shall take Worthy Lady Shen’s pulse at once.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Grand Physician Lu,” Shen Yanshui said with a smile. She sat down on the couch and extended her wrist. Grand Physician Lu placed a cloth between them and concentrated as he took her pulse. After a moment, a smile appeared on his face.
“In answer to Your Highness, Worthy Lady Shen’s pulse is steady and strong, and the fetus is stable as well. From now on, she need only keep both body and mind at ease, avoid overexertion, and there should be nothing to worry about.”
At his words, the Crown Prince’s brows finally relaxed.
But then he asked, “Imperial Physician Lu, I have a few more questions and would ask you to enlighten me.”
Grand Physician Lu respectfully replied, “What would Your Highness like to know?”
Cui Yu invited Grand Physician Lu into the study in the western side room. After dismissing everyone else, he finally took his seat.
Seeing how solemnly he was behaving, Grand Physician Lu straightened and asked, “What would Your Highness like to know?”
Cui Yu’s expression was serious, though the tips of his ears had turned faintly red. His face remained composed as he asked, “I have a question. During the early stages of pregnancy, must a woman abstain from marital relations?”
Grand Physician Lu was taken aback. Then he stroked his beard and smiled. “So that is what Your Highness has been concerned about. During the first three months of pregnancy, as long as one is careful, there is no need to abstain completely. However, one must be mindful not to be too vigorous, and one must not put pressure on the lady’s abdomen. It is best to lie on one’s side. Once she reaches the fourth or fifth month, the pregnancy will be more stable.”
At this, Cui Yu’s brows visibly relaxed. He then asked several more questions.
Grand Physician Lu answered each one. Privately, however, he mused that everyone said the Crown Prince doted greatly on Worthy Lady Shen, and it seemed the rumors were true.
He rose to take his leave. But when he reached the door, he hesitated and turned back, lowering his voice as he said, “Your Highness, this old subject will presume to add one more thing. Worthy Lady Shen is still only in the early months of pregnancy. Your Highness should… should not be too frequent. Moderation is best.”
Cui Yu: “…”
It was not as though he wanted to…
*
After seeing Grand Physician Lu off, the two of them had breakfast together.
When the meal was finished, Cui Yu set down his silver chopsticks and looked at Shen Yanshui. “A-Yan, make some preparations over the next few days. In five days, we will go to the Western Mountain Palace to escape the summer heat.”
At his words, Shen Yanshui’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Really?” Her voice was filled with unconcealed delight. “Your Highness, can I really go?”
Cui Yu looked at her expression and a hint of amusement surfaced in his eyes. “Of course.”
Shen Yanshui said, “That’s wonderful! Thank you, Your Highness!”
Chunping, Qiuru, and the others nearby also could not hide their happiness.
They all knew that every year, when the summer heat arrived, the palace would travel to the Western Mountain Palace to escape it. Built among the mountains, the palace was shaded by luxuriant trees and pleasantly cool—far more comfortable than the sweltering palace walls.
They had assumed that their mistress would be unable to go this year because she was pregnant, and had secretly felt regretful on her behalf.
They had never expected that His Highness would still take her along!
That meant they would be able to accompany their mistress there as well. How could they not be delighted?
Nanny Wang was smiling too. She had accompanied other noble ladies to the Western Mountain Palace in the past and knew that, although the journey was somewhat long, the roads were broad and level. The carriage would travel slowly, and guards would escort them along the way. As long as they took a little care, it would not harm a pregnant woman.
Once they arrived at the imperial retreat, with its clear waters and beautiful scenery, it would actually be beneficial for her pregnancy.
After Shen Yanshui received the news, she busied herself with preparations over the next two days.
Food, daily necessities, clothing—everything had to be packed. This was her first time accompanying the imperial entourage to the retreat, and she was pregnant besides, so every detail had to be prepared properly. Fortunately, Nanny Wang was there to offer guidance, and the preparations were completed smoothly.
Over those two days, every courtyard in the Eastern Palace also received the news that His Highness the Crown Prince would accompany His Majesty to the Xishan Imperial Retreat to escape the summer heat.
For a time, the women in the various courtyards grew restless.
Lady Song leaned against the window, listening to the reports brought by the servants below. The light in her eyes grew brighter and brighter.
The Crown Princess was confined to her chambers to protect her pregnancy and naturally could not go. Since the Crown Princess was not going, Lady Wang certainly would not be going either.
Lady Chu had only recently given birth and had yet to recover, so she definitely could not travel.
Lady Wu and Worthy Lady Shen had just become pregnant and were not in a position to attend to His Highness the Crown Prince… Wasn’t that leaving only her and Lady Zhang?!
As for the other, inconspicuous ladies-in-waiting, she had never regarded them as rivals.
The more she thought about it, the warmer her heart grew.
This trip to the imperial retreat would last at least a month or two. If she could spend every day and night with His Highness, and if she could become pregnant with his child during that time…
She stroked her still-flat belly, the longing in her eyes almost spilling over.
“What’s happening over at the Bamboo Fragrance Residence?” she asked the palace maid beside her.
The maid replied, “Reporting to Your Ladyship, Lady Zhang’s courtyard has remained closed these past few days. There’s been no movement.”
Lady Song felt even more reassured upon hearing this. She hurriedly instructed the palace servants beside her, “Quick, give the Grand Kitchen some money and have them make a soup His Highness enjoys. I’m going to send it to him.”
If she did not seize the opportunity now, when would she? Perhaps His Highness would think of her when he saw the soup she had sent. Such a good opportunity absolutely could not be missed!
“Yes! This servant will go at once.”
Three days later.
Little Lu stood outside watching Wang Chun and whispered, “Lady Song has sent another soup to His Highness.”
He wondered what kind of soup she had sent today, and whether it would be tastier than the ones from the past two days. Just thinking about it made him hungry.
Wang Chun: “…”
His Highness did not like soup, yet Lady Song insisted on sending it every time.
In the end, it simply found its way into the stomachs of servants like them.
In the study, Cui Yu examined the list of people accompanying him and slightly furrowed his brow.
Beside him, Zheng Yuande said with a smile, “Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress has sent a verbal decree. She asks that Your Highness select another lady to accompany you to the Xishan Imperial Retreat.”
Although Worthy Lady Shen had earned His Highness’s favor, she was pregnant now. The journey would be tiring, and she would need to take care of herself along the way. It might be… inconvenient for her to attend to His Highness in every matter.
Moreover, once they reached the imperial retreat, there would be many noble ladies present, and someone would need to step forward to entertain and socialize on certain occasions. With Worthy Lady Shen in her current condition, that might not be convenient.
Thus, Her Majesty the Empress’s intention was for him to choose another steady and well-behaved lady to accompany them.
Cui Yu frowned slightly.
A-Yan was pregnant, so she truly should not overexert herself. With people coming and going at the imperial retreat, there would be occasions she could not avoid. If someone reliable could handle the social obligations in her place, that would be a good thing.
But whom should he choose…?
He thought of Lady Zhang.
Her status and rank were suitable. She was quiet, cautious, and timid, and had never caused any trouble since entering the Eastern Palace. Most importantly, she had a good relationship with A-Yan, and A-Yan was quite close to her.
With Lady Zhang there to look after her, A-Yan should be able to relax more and enjoy herself.
“Then… Lady Zhang.”
Zheng Yuande immediately answered with a beaming smile. “Yes, Your Highness. This servant will send someone to the Bamboo Fragrance Residence to deliver the news.”
*
Lady Zhang was sitting beneath the corridor, embroidering.
The summer heat had grown increasingly unbearable over the past few days, and the allotted ice was being used up quickly. She had no energy to move about, so she spent her days nestled in this cool, well-ventilated spot, doing needlework.
Hearing movement outside, she raised her head and saw Huixing hurrying toward her. Her face was filled with surprise and delight, and her eyes were faintly red.
“Your Ladyship, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent a verbal decree! Eunuch Wang has come in person!”
Lady Zhang: “?!”
After listening in a daze to His Highness the Crown Prince’s decree, she was so shocked that she forgot to respond for a moment.
Wang Chun waited a while. When he saw that she still had not spoken, he called out with a smile, “Lady Zhang?”
Only then did Lady Zhang return to her senses. “I… I accept the decree. Thank you for His Highness’s gracious favor.”
Wang Chun nodded with a smile and exchanged a few polite words with her before taking his people away.
Lady Zhang rose to her feet and stared at Wang Chun’s departing figure, still unable to believe what had happened.
The news about the trip to the Xishan Imperial Retreat to escape the summer heat had spread throughout the palace over the past few days. She had also heard about the efforts Lady Song had been making in the neighboring courtyard. She herself, however, had never entertained such thoughts.
Unlike Lady Song, she had believed that, given His Highness’s attitude toward Sister Shen, and since Xishan was not far away and the road was easy to travel, whom else could he possibly bring besides Sister Shen?
That was why she had done nothing over the past few days, merely embroidering her needlework. Yet she had never expected…
This enormous stroke of luck would simply fall into her lap?
Huixin could no longer contain herself. She grabbed her mistress’s arm, her eyes red and her voice choked with emotion. “Your Ladyship, His Highness selected only Worthy Lady Shen and you to accompany him. Clearly, His Highness still thinks of you.”
The brief delight that had risen in Lady Zhang’s heart at the sudden news cooled somewhat as she listened.
“His Highness and I… have barely spoken a few words to each other. How could he suddenly have thought of me?”
Huixin froze. “But His Highness selected only…”
“Only Sister Shen and me?” Lady Zhang finished for her, turning her gaze toward the distant Lotus Heart Court. “Then… it was probably because of Sister Shen that His Highness selected me.”
Huixin opened and closed her mouth, unable to find an answer.
Seeing her expression, Lady Zhang laughed instead. She raised a hand and patted the back of Huixin’s hand. “Why do you look like that? Being able to go to the Xishan Imperial Retreat to escape the heat is a wonderful opportunity—one that others would beg for and still not obtain. It’s much cooler there than in the palace, and I won’t have to be cooped up in this little courtyard every day. Besides…”
The corners of her lips curved slightly, and genuine happiness rippled through her eyes.
“I’m truly happy that I’ll be traveling with Sister Shen.”
Who could possibly be unhappy about leaving the palace for a month or two?
It was just that this time, she really had Sister Shen to thank.
She walked beneath the corridor and placed the half-finished handkerchief she had been embroidering into her sewing basket.
Embroidered on the handkerchief was a pomegranate branch: bright red pomegranate blossoms accompanied by several round, plump pomegranates. It symbolized abundant offspring and blessings, and once it was finished, it would be perfect to give to Sister Shen.
