She skipped the Eight-Section Brocade exercises, dismissed everyone from the room, and went off to cultivate on her own.
First-tier abilities were weak. Fire-type, for instance—at first tier, one could only conjure a tiny flicker of flame. Only after growing proficient could one launch a fist-sized fireball, and even then, it wouldn’t hold up for long.
Wood-type was the same, generally even weaker than fire-type. Fortunately, there were no enemies here like the mutated beasts of the apocalypse, so being weak wasn’t such a big deal.
Her wood-type ability, at first tier, could only do simple ripening of plants, and the range was small—practically useless in a fight.
Over the years she’d never given up on training her body, only her wish to practice martial arts had been strictly forbidden by her adoptive parents, which she’d always found rather regrettable.
Anyway, if she ran into danger, even if she couldn’t win a fight, running for her life shouldn’t be a problem.
She was still mulling it over when the tip of her ear twitched.
At the same time, the courtyard outside rose with the rising and falling sound of greetings, along with Zheng Yuande’s voice.
Chunping had just stepped into the room and, seeing that she was already dressed and rested, said happily, “Mistress, Eunuch Zheng is here.”
Shen Yanshui came out of her chambers and saw the plump, round-faced Zheng Yuande beaming at her, with that long line of things trailing behind him.
The two exchanged polite greetings, and Zheng Yuande cleared his throat before explaining his purpose. He had indeed come to deliver a reward from the Crown Prince to Zhaoxun Shen, but among the gifts was one item too indelicate to mention outright—a bed.
Shen Yanshui understood at once. She recalled that during last night’s commotion, she’d faintly heard the wooden bed frame creaking, but she hadn’t thought much of it at the time—she certainly hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to actually remember that detail.
She pressed her lips together and smiled. “Ah, I just remembered—the lacquer on the bed frame in my room has worn a bit. I’ll have someone from the Department of Eunuchs come replace it later.”
Zheng Yuande let out a breath of relief. Looking at it this way, Zhaoxun Shen wasn’t so dim-witted after all.
If the Crown Prince had simply gifted a bed outright, what would people say about His Highness’s reputation once word got out?
Satisfied, he glanced at the items the attendants behind him were holding and said, “His Highness heard that Zhaoxun Shen enjoys tending flowers and plants, so he specially sent six pots each of peonies, weeping crabapple, viburnum, and lilac, along with some tea for you to try.”
Shen Yanshui looked at the flowers in full bloom, her eyes curving with a smile. She hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to be so good at choosing gifts. As for the tea… she wasn’t sure what had prompted him to suddenly think of sending her tea, but tea coming from the Crown Prince’s own hand surely wouldn’t be anything ordinary.
“The flowers His Highness bestowed look even lovelier than the ones in the Imperial Garden. I’ll pick a few to keep on my desk, to look at every day—I certainly won’t let His Highness’s kind thoughts go to waste.”
Zheng Yuande chuckled. “As long as Zhaoxun Shen is pleased. If there’s nothing else, this servant will take his leave.”
Shen Yanshui exchanged a few more polite words with him before saying, “Take care on your way, Eunuch Zheng.” Then, as usual, she had Quanfu see him off.
She looked over the flowers and plants again, then examined the jewelry the Crown Prince had bestowed, and couldn’t help but smile until her eyes curved into crescents. — B L A C K L O T U S Novel Translation · Black Lotus
Could it be that His Highness the Crown Prince thought… she didn’t have much jewelry to wear? Was that why he’d sent all this?
Still, this hibiscus rose quartz truly was gorgeous. Even she, who never much cared about dressing up, found it dazzlingly beautiful.
“Pre-Qingming Longjing, White Downy Silver Needle, Lushan Cloud Mist, Biluochun?” After admiring the jewelry, Shen Yanshui opened the white porcelain jars containing the tea one by one, examining them and leaning in to sniff.
She had a rough idea now why he’d suddenly sent her tea—probably the tea she served at her place didn’t suit his taste, so he’d suddenly thought to have some sent over for her instead.
Quanfu, having just returned from seeing the eunuch off, happened to overhear and said with a smile, “These are all top-grade spring teas. Out there, they’d probably fetch a fortune.”
Dongyi was stunned. “They’re really worth that much?”
Chunping said, “Then we’d best store them carefully, or it’d be such a waste of something so fine.”
Qiuyi said with a face full of smiles and envy, “His Highness really does treat our mistress well.”
Shen Yanshui smiled faintly.
He really was quite good to her. As Crown Prince, though his temperament seemed a bit cold, he wasn’t actually hard to get along with, and he didn’t put on airs or stand on ceremony. He was even… considerate.
She liked drinking tea too, though she had no particular preference. Still, having been born into a marquis’s household in this life, she at least knew the worth of good tea.
Now that she had good tea, she might make some milk tea to try, when she got the chance.
Still, she suspected that if the Crown Prince kept sending gifts like this, she’d soon become a target for everyone’s resentment.
But then, it was rare for anything to have it both ways. Getting nice things while wanting none of the risk that came with them—did such convenient things exist?
So, she chose not to dwell on it.
“Come, brew me a cup of Biluochun to try, and go fetch two plates of fruit from the kitchen.” she instructed with a smile.
“Yes, Mistress!” Dongyi said, her face bright with delight.
No sooner had Zheng Yuande left than everyone in the courtyards of the rear residence knew the Crown Prince had bestowed gifts on Zhaoxun Shen again.
The flowers and plants were one thing, but word had it that the Crown Prince had even gifted that Zhaoxun Shen an entire set of hibiscus rose quartz hair ornaments!
Chu Liangdi’s delicate face darkened, her expression far from pleased. “That was tribute presented from the Southern Seas—extremely rare and precious. And His Highness just gave it to that Zhaoxun Shen?” She herself had once tactfully asked the Crown Prince about it, and he’d never given her such a thing!
The palace maid beside her hastily sent away the young eunuch who’d come to report, then lowered her voice. “Mistress, please don’t be angry—the two nannies are still here.”
Chu Liangdi took several deep breaths, forcibly suppressing the resentment and jealousy in her heart. “Forget it. It’s only a few pieces of jewelry, nothing worth making a fuss over.”
Right now, nothing mattered more than the child in her belly. Once she gave birth to the Crown Prince’s child, there would be time enough to deal with the rest.
Haitang Court
Upon hearing the news, Wu Chenghui smashed the fine celadon cup in her hand!
She fumed, “That little vixen! Who knows what spell she’s cast on His Highness, or what she’s fed him!”
Ever since she was young, that pretty face of hers had gotten her almost anything she wanted.
But this beauty she’d always taken such pride in seemed to have lost its effect the moment she entered the Eastern Palace—not only was there a Zhaoxun Shen whose looks rivaled her own working against her at every turn,
but the Crown Prince didn’t treat her with the same eager attentiveness other men always had.
And just yesterday, she’d made such a fool of herself in front of His Highness!
Ever since checking the mirror when she got back, the mere thought of having appeared before the Crown Prince looking like that made her chest tighten with distress.
It was all that scheming vixen Zhaoxun Shen’s fault!
She snapped, “Why doesn’t the Crown Princess ever discipline her?!” If she were Crown Princess, she’d have dealt with this Zhaoxun Shen long ago!
The personal maid attending her hurried to console her, but it was clear Wu Chenghui wasn’t in any state to listen, and she went on grumbling and complaining, peppering her rant with the occasional curse.
In the east wing of the same Haitang Court, old Eastern Palace hand Fengyi Lu heard the commotion once again erupting from the main hall, merely lifting her eyelids before returning her focus to the begonia she was embroidering, her eyes gradually deepening with thought…
The maid attending her heard the noise and murmured with a furrowed brow, “I didn’t expect this Wu Chenghui to have such a temperament. All those things we sent her before might have been for nothing.”
They’d originally reckoned that with the newly arrived Wu Chenghui’s looks, she’d surely win His Highness’s favor, which would naturally mean more visits to Haitang Court—making it worthwhile to build good relations with her.
But seeing Wu Chenghui’s temper like this, their plans looked likely to fall through.
Fengyi Lu raised her eyes to the vividly blooming begonias outside the window, and said slowly, her tone gentle, “No rush. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
News reached Xiefang Hall even faster than it had the rear residence—after all, there was no hiding the fact that the Crown Prince had opened his private treasury, and the Crown Princess naturally had her own eyes and ears placed throughout the Eastern Palace.
The moment Nanny Zhou came in carrying the medicinal soup, one look at the Crown Princess’s expression told her that her mood wasn’t good.
“Your Highness, please don’t let this upset you and harm your health. It’s only a set of hair ornaments, nothing more—do mind your body.” Nanny Zhou sounded somewhat helpless. The Crown Prince, as heir apparent, giving gifts to his women now and then was nothing out of the ordinary. | Black Lotus Translation · Black Lotus
It was only that in the past, His Highness hadn’t often bestowed gifts on the women of the rear residence directly; if he did give anything, he’d mention it to the Crown Princess first, giving the gift through her hands, so to speak.
This shift in the Crown Prince’s attitude should make them all the more alert.
Nanny Zhou said, “Your Highness, perhaps this is because of that matter from before, and a rift has grown between you and His Highness—that’s why he’s behaving this way. Once the Duanyang Festival passes in a few days, why would His Highness still hold it against you?” she said, meaningfully.
The Crown Princess’s brow eased slightly, and she instinctively touched her belly.
Nanny Zhou went on persuading her. “Your Highness, at most this is just a passing fancy of His Highness’s. What harm is there in going along with His Highness’s wishes? No matter how you look at it, she’s still just a concubine relying on her looks to serve him. Nothing right now matters more than your health.”
The Crown Princess pressed her lips together and said, “I understand.” Though she’d long grown accustomed to being “virtuous and good,” that was largely because the Crown Prince had always treated everyone with more or less equal regard, without any particular favoritism.
But now, she truly did need to win back the Crown Prince’s favor—she couldn’t let the rift between them take root.
