"That's not something you need to worry your head over," Cui Yunchu said softly, lowering her eyes. "Your top priority right now is to give birth to the child safely. She is the first child of the next generation in the Cui family, and no matter if it's a boy or a girl, she will be our precious little one."
Cui Yunfeng smiled and snuggled up against Cui Yunchu.
"Eldest Sister, these days I keep having nightmares and can't sleep well."
"I wish everything could go back to half a year ago."
Back then, Eldest Sister and her cousin would all play chess in her residence, and they would go to the Moon-Watching Tower for meals and set off fireworks together.
Cui Yunchu did not speak.
Everyone had a moment they thought was the happiest and most blissful in their lives.
Even though dangers lurked everywhere now, she did not miss the old days at all. She loved the present, loved Lord Shen who doted on her and granted her every wish, and loved the current version of herself that was loved, relaxed, and joyful.
Cui Yunchu had thought no one would be so foolishly lacking in sense, but she had still underestimated those idiots who got carried away by vanity, convinced they were about to climb to great heights.
"Madam Shen, why is Princess An hiding here for some peace and quiet? The ladies and young misses were all looking for Madam Shen just now."
Cui Yunchu thought to herself, Looking for me?
More like gossiping behind my back, then wailing in dismay about how unfair it is that I've landed such a good life.
Those who used to snub her and look down on her were now all trying to cozy up to her. Cui Yunchu had seen their ugly true colors, and now even the sight of their fake grins made her skin crawl.
Naturally, she had no interest in entertaining them.
And the one who had just spoken was even more brazen. She was one of the women rumored to be made a consort after Xiao Yi ascended the throne.
No matter if the rumor was true or not, no matter if Xiao Yi had acknowledged it or not, these women had already gotten swollen-headed, acting as if they were already the high-ranking imperial concubines destined for glory.
"Since Miss Zhang knows this is a place for me to find some quiet," Cui Yunchu said with an icy, calm expression, "then if you know the proper rules, you should not have come to disturb us."
The woman's face froze, not expecting Cui Yunchu to refuse to give her any face at all.
But after all, Cui Yunchu was no longer the same as before, and with the status the two sisters held, she really had to avoid clashing with them head-on.
"You are right, Madam Shen. It was rude of me to intrude," Miss Zhang said with a forced smile. "I came over because I saw Princess An here and wanted to say hello."
"I don't recall ever meeting you," Cui Yunfeng said coldly.
Miss Zhang's smile froze for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and kept her bright, fake grin. "Your Highness, you may not know this official's daughter now, but we will get to know each other soon."
Cui Yunchu's face turned cold in an instant, and she was just about to speak when Cui Yunfeng beat her to it. "What, do you make friends just by being thick-skinned enough?"
"..."
Cui Yunfeng then mumbled another line loud enough for the woman to hear clearly, "Throwing yourself at someone like that makes you look completely worthless."
Cui Yunchu was left speechless.
She knew exactly what this woman was up to?
The smile on Miss Zhang's face could not hold on any longer. She had not even said anything yet, but she had been humiliated so thoroughly. If word of this got out, how would she ever hold her ground in the imperial palace later?
"Your Highness Princess An is pregnant and emotionally unstable, this official's daughter can understand that. The Prince has also given orders not to disturb Her Highness while she is resting and nurturing the pregnancy," she said, sounding as if every word was perfectly true.
Cui Yunfeng dug her fingernails slightly into her palm, staring straight at the young woman.
"My father is drinking with the Prince in the front courtyard right now. The Prince even praised my father for his talent, saying he has the makings of a prime minister."
Everyone in the imperial court was speculating about what would become of Prime Minister Cui, who had once stood firmly by the Crown Prince, once Prince An took the throne.
That crime was serious enough to warrant the execution of an entire nine clans. The Prince was kind-hearted, and might show leniency for Princess An's sake, but there was no way Prime Minister Cui would ever be allowed to hold office in the court again.
Yet here they were, before Cui Qingyuan had even fallen from power and before any of these women had stepped foot into the imperial palace, they were already strutting around, full of themselves.
Cui Yunfeng felt close to breaking down just thinking about what her life might turn into if she had to spend her days surrounded by people like that.
"Eldest Sister, I want to teach her a lesson."
"You are still carrying the baby," Cui Yunchu said, not approving of the idea. "The old tricks won't work now, what if you hurt the child? Leave this to me."
Cui Yunfeng nodded.
Cui Yunchu suddenly stood up, and Miss Zhang immediately stepped back in alarm. "What do you think you are doing?"
"What do you think you are doing?" Cui Yunchu shot back.
"Ah—! You just said you wanted to offer yourself to my husband as a concubine and share him with me?" she shouted at the top of her voice. "You shameless hussy!" Cui Yunchu lifted her foot and kicked Miss Zhang right on the calf, and with a thud, the woman dropped to her knees.
"Xing'er, deal with her for me!" At Cui Yunchu's command, the servant girls of the Shen family did not hesitate for a second and moved right in.
They rained punches and kicks on her, leaving the young woman curled up on the ground, wailing and writhing in pain.
Cui Yunchu sneered. "Before you come knocking on someone's door, you should have found out what kind of tempers the Cui sisters have."
Cui Yunfeng propped up her cheeks, watching the young woman get beaten, her shrill screams stinging everyone's ears.
Her shrieks drew a crowd of onlookers, including Prince An, the Crown Prince, Shen Xiabai and the rest who had all gotten word of the commotion.
Following behind Prince An was a middle-aged man with a shrewd, capable look on his face.
"Father!" Miss Zhang wailed at the top of her lungs.
"You little shameless tramp!" Cui Yunchu strode over and gave her another kick right in front of everyone.
The middle-aged man was just about to speak, but Shen Xiabai pulled him aside. "My dear wife, what is going on here?"
The calm, unruffled look on Prince An's face froze the second he laid eyes on Cui Yunfeng, his dark eyes deepening with a flicker of barely noticeable panic.
Cui Yunchu hopped up and down in apparent rage, putting on a whole show of arguing with Shen Xiabai. "Where did you pick up this messy, shameless admirer? She just showed up out of nowhere saying she wants to share my husband's bed and sleep with you! Shen Xiabai, if you don't explain this clearly to me today, I will never speak to you again!"
Everyone who heard Cui Yunchu's declaration stood there stunned, at a complete loss for words.
The Zhangs, father and daughter in particular, looked utterly horrified, as if the sky was falling down on them.
"I didn't, Madam Shen, how could you—"
Cui Yunchu secretly kicked Shen Xiabai under the table.
Shen Xiabai immediately played along perfectly. "Calm down, my dear wife. I have never had anything to do with this woman. She has pestered me time and time again, and I turned her down every single time. I suppose she just refused to give up, so she came here to confront you."
He then pointed at the gaping, stunned young woman and said in a cold, firm tone, "This official's heart belongs only to my wife. There is no room in my life for anyone else."
His face was stern, every word he spoke carried absolute conviction.
After all, Lord Shen's reputation and official prestige had long been deeply rooted in everyone's minds.
The husband and wife worked together in perfect sync, and no one in the crowd doubted a single word they said.
Many people started to point fingers and condemn the young woman. After all, today was a celebration for the Shen family announcing their new pregnancy, and her behavior was nothing short of disgusting and rude.
"Father!" Miss Zhang shook her head frantically, then turned to look at Prince An. "Your Highness, I didn't, I really didn't!"
"Shut up!" Her father hissed, gnashing his teeth in frustration.
Who told her to go prancing around in front of Princess An?
He and the Prince both knew exactly what had really happened, no explanation was needed.
Princess An was with child, and the Prince valued her more than anything. How dare she act like that? He had told her a hundred times to keep a low profile and be humble.
Lord Zhang knew in his bones that this daughter of his was completely ruined now.
Feeling the icy, frigid aura coming from Prince An at his side, Lord Zhang quickly stepped forward to take full blame. "This official has failed to teach my daughter properly. I deeply apologize for the trouble she has caused Lord Shen. I will take her away at once, and I guarantee she will never show her face anywhere near you ever again."
"Father!" Miss Zhang stared wide-eyed, as her father's men gagged her and dragged her away.
Cui Yunchu watched coldly as Lord Zhang gave Prince An a fawning, obsequious smile.
Standing off to the side, Cui Yunfeng kept her eyes fixed on the ground the whole time, until a hand rested gently on her shoulder. "Yunfeng, are you alright?"
Cui Yunfeng lifted her head to look at Xiao Yi, narrowed her eyes for a moment, then suddenly broke into a smile. "I'm fine. I just watched a whole little play, it was really entertaining."
Seeing this, Prince An immediately let out a breath of relief.
Yunfeng had always had a temper like a firecracker—she would blow up the second anything upset her. The fact that she looked so calm right now meant she truly was not bothered at all.
"The bridal palanquin is back! The bridal palanquin is back!" a servant came running over to report, face lit up with joy. Cui Yunchu took Cui Yunfeng's hand and led the way to the front courtyard first.
"Your Highness, do be careful not to let this little scheme of yours go completely off the rails," Shen Xiabai said, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his tone light but pointed.
"It's nothing more than a temporary expedient," Xiao Yi's expression was equally cold. They thought they could get their daughter to marry him as a princess just by putting in a tiny bit of effort? Over his dead body.
Shen Xiabai let out a scoff. "Fair point. After all, Your Highness has always been quite the expert at killing the donkey the moment the millstone turns."
"At least that's better than Lord Shen saying one thing and doing another."
"I never agreed to anything beyond that one specific matter we discussed," Shen Xiabai corrected him.
