A small, fair hand pressed against Shen Yingxue's pulse, feeling the light beads sliding under her fingers. It was normal, nothing unusual; she was just overthinking it.
Seeing Li Youlan's relaxed expression, Shen Yingxue knew that her suspicion had been cleared and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was relieved. Thinking of the grievances she had suffered, her beautiful eyes instantly filled with tears. She hesitated to speak, looking pitiful and touching: "Your Highness, I really did not poison you."
Li Youlan glared at her: "You are the prince's concubine. Your job is to serve the prince well. It's not your place to do such trivial things as setting the table." The implication was that she had overstepped the rules and done something she shouldn't have, which was why she was suspected and beaten.
"I know I was wrong." Li Youlan was a high and mighty princess who twisted the truth. As a concubine, Shen Yingxue was powerless to refute her. She could only swallow her anger and accept her bad luck, but she was filled with hatred.
Li Youlan was insightful. She originally planned to stop there and use lies to appease Consort Li, but she didn't expect Li Youlan to bully her because of her status. They all looked down on her, didn't they? She would do something earth-shattering and show them what she was capable of.
"What's going on?" Dongfang Zhan stepped into the restaurant and was greeted not by the dignified and virtuous presence of the principal and concubines, but by a crowd gathered to watch the spectacle. His brows furrowed slightly.
"A few minor misunderstandings have been resolved. Your Highness, please take a seat and have your meal." Li Youlan quickly stood up, smiling as she personally pulled out a seat for Dongfang Zhan. The concubines also gracefully walked to their respective seats to greet Dongfang Zhan.
Dongfang Zhan glanced at Shen Yingxue lying on the ground, said nothing, strode to the table, sat down, and picked up his chopsticks to eat without saying a word.
Shen Yingxue slowly stood up, sat in the most inconspicuous spot, lowered her head to eat, and tears of grievance streamed down her cheeks.
Dongfang Zhan and Li Youlan ignored them and continued eating.
A faint scent of ambergris wafted through the air, causing a concubine to feel slightly flustered. She secretly glanced at Dongfang Zhan, who ate at a leisurely pace, his every move elegant and captivating. The concubine's heart fluttered. Seeing that there were more vegetables in his bowl, she used serving chopsticks to place a piece of braised pork into it, saying, "Your Highness works hard day and night. Eat more meat to nourish your body."
Dongfang Zhan didn't say anything, but directly picked up some food and started eating!
The concubine was delighted. He didn't push away the braised pork she had picked up, which meant he would eat it.
Having been in the manor for many days, they had been provided with the best food, clothing, lodging, and other necessities. However, although the prince was gentle with them, he was always lukewarm towards them and was always busy and nowhere to be seen. They couldn't find him even if they wanted to. Tonight was a perfect time and a rare opportunity, and they were determined not to miss it.
Another concubine also remembered the Empress Dowager's admonition. She blinked and picked up some vegetables for Dongfang Zhan: "Didn't you see that Your Highness doesn't like to eat meat? What suits your taste is the best."
"Your Highness works so hard every day, eating only vegetables. You're ruining your health. You need to eat more meat from time to time." The concubine put more meat into Dongfang Zhan's bowl.
"The prince doesn't like meat, why are you forcing so much meat on him?" The concubine frowned and served food to Dongfang Zhan.
Many days after their marriage, Dongfang Zhan had never been to their room. The two women were competing not just to pick up food, but also to win Dongfang Zhan's heart. Whoever's food he picked up indicated that he had feelings for that person.
In no time, Dongfang Zhan's small bowl was piled high with braised pork and green vegetables, which looked beautiful against the white rice.
Looking at the delicious-looking food, he lost his appetite. His brows furrowed, he abruptly put down his chopsticks, strode out of the restaurant, and his cold voice echoed in the air: "I'm full. You can eat on your own."
The concubines froze, staring at the pile of food that had only been touched a few times. Their beautiful eyes darkened slightly. Dongfang Zhan wasn't full; he was full of anger at them.
The prince must be furious that they were still arguing over him after he returned home exhausted from a long day of work.
"Your Highness." The concubine, who was picking up braised pork, rolled her eyes, put down her chopsticks, and hurriedly chased after him, her crimson robes fluttering and carrying a fragrant breeze.
"Bitch! She must have gone to seduce Prince Zhan!" Shen Yingxue's beautiful eyes blazed with anger. She chewed her food as if it were a concubine, making a crunching sound. If it weren't for the thick calluses on her hands that prevented her from serving Prince Zhan, how could they, with their plain looks, have the right to act so arrogantly?
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Li Youlan, who remained expressionless, slowly eating her food and drinking her soup. A nameless rage rose within him. She was the principal wife of Prince Zhan, and should care about him and not allow other women to get close to him. But she was completely oblivious, even when the concubines had chased after her to the door.
"Your Highness, you are still sitting here. The concubine... she has really gone too far." Li Youlan is the principal wife of Prince Zhan and can completely suppress the concubine. Since she is of low status and cannot deal with the concubine, she instigates Li Youlan to deal with her.
Li Youlan grew up in the Prime Minister's residence, and she could see through Shen Yingxue's little schemes at a glance. She even dared to try to use her, which was incredibly presumptuous of her: "The moon is beautiful tonight, and there's nothing wrong with a concubine bearing children for the Prince."
Shen Yingxue's face instantly turned as black as ink. Her husband was about to go to another woman's bed, and she didn't even care. What a freak! "Your Highness, I am not feeling well and must take my leave."
Li Youlan didn't stop the concubine; she found her own way to resolve the situation.
After leaving the restaurant, Shen Yingxue rushed forward and, after turning the corner, saw Dongfang Zhan and Concubine by the pond.
"What is it?" Dongfang Zhan's gentle eyes held a hint of iciness as he asked, his question as if it were a routine matter, devoid of any emotion.
"Your Highness, during the day, the Empress Dowager summoned us concubines to the palace for instruction, to ensure the continuation of the Eastern royal family. Tonight, the moonlight is exceptionally beautiful..." The concubine's beautiful eyes were brimming with affection, her coquettish appearance, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, was captivating, and her sweet voice made one's bones melt.
Dongfang Zhan remained unmoved, his brows furrowing slightly: "I have important matters to attend to tonight."
He coldly uttered those words, turned around, and strode forward without looking back, leaving the concubine standing there blankly, her slender body trembling slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with tears of grievance.
Shen Yingxue stood at the back of the corridor, almost bursting out laughing with joy. What an overconfident slut! How dare she seduce Prince Zhan! She got what she deserved, didn't she? Prince Zhan isn't someone anyone can seduce. What a shameless slut!
Prince Zhan just said he had important business to attend to, which must be a matter of national importance, so I won't disturb him. I'll go back to my room to take care of my hands and try to restore them to their fair and smooth state as soon as possible.
Shen Yingxue didn't eat much and didn't feel hungry. She returned to her room smugly, unaware that Dongfang Zhan hadn't gone back to his study to handle matters. Instead, he left the Zhanwang Mansion, flew swiftly, and gently landed on an unused rooftop. From his direction, he could clearly see the scene reflected in the window of Fengsong Courtyard.
A slender figure sat on the bed, holding a needle and thread as if sewing something. The woman's serene profile was reflected in the window, arousing contemplation. Her exquisite figure further fueled his imagination. The light was dim, and he couldn't see the woman's face clearly, but he knew that she was the one he longed for.
Is he sitting alone in the inner room?
With a swift movement of his toes, Dongfang Zhan was about to move forward when a tall, slender figure suddenly appeared at the window, sat down beside the woman, and embraced her.
He suddenly stopped, a layer of anger inexplicably appearing in his sharp eyes. Dongfang Heng's return was indeed timely.
The person next to Shen Lixue was indeed Dongfang Heng. However, he had not just returned; he had just finished bathing, dried his hair, and was wearing a loose white bathrobe that revealed his strong chest.
He took the small clothes sewn by Shen Lixue and compared them roughly; they were only slightly larger than his palm. "Will you be able to wear such small clothes?"
You can't blame him for being worried; he hasn't seen a baby in a long time and doesn't know if such a small outfit can fit a baby.
“Babies are all tiny. If we make clothes that are too big, they won’t fit him.” Shen Lixue glared at him, took the small clothes, and continued sewing. Before making the clothes, she had specifically consulted experienced women. Baby clothes are basically this size.
Dongfang Heng gently embraced Shen Lixue, resting his chin on her shoulder. His gaze was fixed on the small clothes in her hands, so delicate and soft, they must be very comfortable for a baby. However, he said, "Did you sew them backwards? Have you ever seen clothes with the threads showing?"
"Baby clothes are very delicate. The threads on their clothes are on the outside. If the threads were on the inside, they could easily scratch their skin."
Shen Lixue gently punched Dongfang Heng. He was adept at handling national affairs, but knew nothing about babies. If she continued to look, he would probably find a lot of problems that weren't really problems: "You have to go to court tomorrow, go to sleep, and stop making trouble."
“Pregnant women need more rest, so don’t stay up late. Make the clothes tomorrow.” Dongfang Heng prepared to put the needle, thread and fabric on the bedside table, but Shen Lixue dodged his clutches and moved the needle and thread aside: “Just a few more stitches and it’ll be finished. It won’t take long. I’ll rest after I finish this dress.”
“We’ve known each other for a year and been married for several months, and you haven’t made me a single piece of clothing yet. This little guy is only four or five months old, still a long way from being born, and you can’t wait to make clothes for him.” Dongfang Heng’s jade-like fingers gently stroked Shen Lixue’s swollen belly, his magnetic voice carrying a hint of sourness.