Cui Yu looked at her damp, lowered lashes, then rose and stepped forward, bending slightly to grasp her arm and help her up. The chill had faded from his brow and eyes, and warmth crept into his low voice: “This king understands. This wasn’t your fault. There’s no need to trouble yourself over it.”
“Thank you for Your Highness’s forgiveness.” Shen Yanshui’s lashes trembled faintly as she lifted her gaze to him, her brow still lightly furrowed. She bit her lip, her voice somewhat uneasy. “But this concubine still has one more request…”
Cui Yu took her cool, delicate hand and sat down with her on the couch. “What is it?”
Shen Yanshui looked at him, her palm unconsciously gripping his fingers, and said carefully, “It’s Chunping, the personal palace maid who was taken from my side today. This concubine is worried for her, though I don’t mean to ask Your Highness to show favoritism—I only wondered when the Department of Eunuchs would finish questioning her, and when Chunping might be able to return?”
Cui Yu glanced sideways at her, his tone calm. “She’ll be back by tomorrow.”
“Really?” Shen Yanshui’s eyes widened instantly, a thin layer of mist still lingering in her lovely peach-blossom eyes. Her long, dense lashes seemed dusted with tiny flecks of crystal in the pale yellow candlelight, making those clear eyes shine all the brighter, the surprise and delight in them plain to see.
Cui Yu watched her, his thumb lightly brushing the dampness at the corner of her eye, his voice low and clear. “When have I ever lied to you?”
Shen Yanshui’s heart eased with relief, and she quickly asked softly, “Your Highness has been busy all day—are you hungry? Would you like to try the egg tarts, the peach blossom pastries?” She rose and brought over the two plates of pastries that had been prepared on the round table, setting them on the small table in the middle of the couch.
Aside from a bit of breakfast early that morning, Cui Yu hadn’t eaten anything all day. The banquet at Linshui Hall hadn’t been meant for actually dining, and he’d only managed a couple of perfunctory bites.
Everything that happened afterward had made him forget about eating entirely, and he’d had no appetite besides.
But now, oddly enough, he found himself feeling somewhat hungry. After eating two egg tarts, he said, “It’s rather late. Too much fruit isn’t easy to digest.” With that, he called for Zheng Yuande.
Zheng Yuande hurried in, creeping forward with careful, hunched steps. “What are Your Highness’s orders?”
“Have the kitchen send over two servings of something light and easy to digest for a late-night snack. Keep it simple.” He thought of how good her appetite usually was, and how today, her first time attending the Jinming Pond gathering, she’d run into all this trouble. With so much weighing on her mind, she surely hadn’t eaten properly all day either.
Shen Yanshui had no idea what he was thinking. Though she did indeed have things weighing on her mind—she’d even thought up a plan to fake her death to escape—she truly hadn’t eaten any less than usual.
However, she’d used up an excessive amount of her ability today, and though dinner had been about the same portion as usual, she’d only managed to eat seventy or eighty percent full. That was precisely why she’d secretly ordered two extra pastries to have on hand.
She hadn’t expected to also get to mooch a late-night snack off the Crown Prince.
Zheng Yuande’s eyes lit up with delight at once, and he nodded repeatedly, unable to resist sneaking a couple of glances at Shen Zhaoxun in the process.
Ever since learning that the Crown Princess was pregnant and had nearly suffered a miscarriage from the shock, His Highness’s mood had been poor the whole time. When he’d arrived earlier, his emotions had been like a sudden storm, his whole body wrapped in cold gloom. That he was now thinking of eating filled Zheng Yuande with sudden joy.
Watching Zheng Yuande’s face—plump with extra flesh and comically animated with excitement—Shen Yanshui pressed her lips together and smiled once he’d nimbly gone out to give the orders. “Eunuch Zheng cares for Your Highness a great deal.”
Cui Yu said nothing, but glanced sideways at her.
Zheng Yuande had served at his side since childhood, so that went without saying. But the maid named Chunping had only been assigned to serve her after she entered the Eastern Palace.
In less than a month, she had already gone out of her way to plead on behalf of a maid of the lowest possible standing.
He suddenly spoke, his tone unhurried. “You’re pleading for the maid who serves you now. But if she were disloyal to you, betrayed her mistress and sold you out, what would you do then?”
Shen Yanshui had no idea how the topic had jumped so quickly, but she smiled and said, her voice even, “I won’t hide it from Your Highness—this concubine has long heard of the Office of Punishments. Even back in Chuxiu Palace, the nannies would drill into us the fearsome reputation of the Office of Punishments. It’s precisely because of that that I dared to plead for Chunping before Your Highness.”
“As the ancients said, loyalty comes from respect—it stems from the heart, resonates in the center; to give one’s whole heart is to be called loyal. Since Chunping began serving me, she has been diligent and conscientious, without fault, devoted and responsible, and has guided me in many things. That alone makes her loyal to me.”
“This concubine dares say I conduct myself honestly and stand upright—there is nothing I cannot say openly to others,” she said, looking at him with eyes full of trust, her voice clear and bright. “I also believe Your Highness would never let anyone slander me without cause, so naturally, I have nothing to hide.”
Fortunately, ever since Shen Ronghua had come looking for her, she’d made preparations in advance, instructing Chunping that if anyone should ask about the matter later, she should speak honestly and not deliberately conceal anything.
Otherwise, she would indeed have reason now to worry whether Chunping might, for whatever reason, be coerced into framing her.
In the apocalypse, she had long since seen just how far the depths of human wickedness could go. When it came to human nature, she had never been stingy with her poor assumptions.
But the Crown Prince’s trust in her still left her somewhat startled. Black Lotus Novel Archive | BlackLotusNovel
Cui Yu, watching the look in her eyes, felt warmth well up in his chest.
He turned his hand to clasp her small one, saying nothing for a moment. Then, at last, he suddenly looked up at her and asked, “What is your given name?”
Shen Yanshui: “…” A whole month, and they’d shared a bed several times already, and he still didn’t know her name?
But then again, in Great Yong, not every family bothered giving their daughters names—most were simply addressed by their birth order within the family, and once married, became so-and-so’s wife.
Fine, then.
Her eyes curved with a smile as ever, and holding his broad palm, she traced characters upon it with her finger while saying with a grin, “Yanshui. Shen Yanshui.”
Cui Yu’s thin lips parted slightly. “Yanshui? There’s a river in the northern frontier called Yan, outside Suiye City.” As he spoke, he caught her restless little hand in his.
She poked his palm lightly with her fingertip, her voice tinged with mock resentment. “Everyone else who hears my name says it sounds gentle and lovely—and Your Highness’s first thought is a river from some geography record?”
Cui Yu lifted his eyelids and looked at her, his voice cool. “Who told you that?”
Shen Yanshui: “…” Was he not focusing on a rather strange detail here?
Under his rather sharp gaze, Shen Yanshui felt a little sheepish inside, though her tone remained perfectly natural. “Who else? Naturally, a close friend of mine from my maiden days.”
In truth, it had been Xu Chengwen—the man who’d very nearly become her betrothed—who’d said something similar, but there was no need to mention that to the Crown Prince.
Cui Yu turned his gaze away, changing the subject with an easy tone, his voice light. “Was this the name your father gave you?”
Shen Yanshui’s slender, fair fingertips absently toyed with his long, well-defined, pale fingers. “Not my father. I heard from the nannies at home that it was my birth mother who named me.”
When she was three, an old nanny—who looked ancient but was actually only around thirty—had told her this, weeping as she spoke.
That was when she’d learned that, in this world too, she was called Shen Yanshui—a name given to her by the birth mother who had died young.
Cui Yu suddenly spoke. “Yanshui… perhaps it also carries the meaning of a wild goose returning over autumn waters. Perhaps your mother named you this out of longing for her family.” Seeing her eyes widen slightly in a moment of surprise, he asked, “You’ve never met your mother’s family?”
Shen Yanshui came back to herself and shook her head. “No. My mother passed away not long after giving birth to me. No one has ever come looking for me over the years. As a child, I once asked my father about it, and he only said my mother had no other family left in this world.”
As she finished speaking, her hand was nearly entirely enveloped by his broad, warm palm. She looked up at him, and in his expression—calm and unchanged as always—she thought she caught a trace of comfort, and… a hint of pity?
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The Crown Prince always looked so expressionless and cold, but he wasn’t, at heart, an unfeeling man.
Only… today the Crown Princess’s pregnancy had been disturbed, and the imperial physician had said she’d best stay in bed to nurse the pregnancy from now on. Yet the Crown Prince’s attitude seemed somewhat…
She thought of how the Crown Princess had kept her three-month pregnancy hidden until it broke out today. Given the Empress and the Crown Prince’s temperaments, they most likely hadn’t known about it either.
Being deliberately deceived and distrusted by one’s own wife—that probably didn’t feel very good.
But this was a matter between the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and she had no intention of saying more about it.
In fact, by rights, a rift between the Crown Prince and Crown Princess actually worked in her favor. As the favored concubine in all this, simply not fanning the flames or adding fuel to the fire was already doing quite well by comparison.
She squeezed his warm, broad hand back and said softly, “Your Highness needn’t grieve on my account. Now that I have Your Highness, this concubine is already quite content.”
Cui Yu, looking at her eyes so full of trust and dependence, unconsciously tightened his grip on her soft little hand.
Just then, Zheng Yuande led a few young eunuchs carrying food boxes into the room.
Shen Yanshui looked at the simple but generously portioned late-night snack and couldn’t help a small smile.
It was getting late, and the two of them didn’t speak much while eating. She could tell the Crown Prince really was hungry—he finished an entire bowl of shredded chicken noodles, no small portion, and drank two bowls of congee besides.
Yet even though he ate noticeably faster than usual this time, he still somehow managed to look unhurried and refined about it—quite pleasing to watch.
Shen Yanshui ate at her own leisurely pace, taking a bite here and there, her water-bright peach-blossom eyes occasionally drifting to glance at his extraordinarily handsome face.
Then, the very next moment, she found herself caught off guard, colliding straight into his casually roving gaze.
Cui Yu’s hand paused for an instant, and he asked, his tone flat, “What are you staring at this king for?”
Shen Yanshui blinked. “Hasn’t Your Highness heard that a handsome face is a feast for the eyes? The snack tonight is rather plain, but with Your Highness’s face to go with it, this concubine could manage a couple extra bowls of congee.”
Cui Yu shot her a sidelong glance, and after a moment, said slowly, “Getting bolder and bolder, aren’t you.”
Zheng Yuande, standing off to the side in attendance, had his narrow, flesh-squeezed eyes fly wide open in shock that Shen Zhaoxun would dare tease His Highness so.
A “How dare you!” was already halfway to his lips when he heard his master utter that one lightly indifferent line and then say nothing more—and had to swallow the rebuke back down, not without some difficulty.
Yet Zheng Yuande remained thoroughly astonished.
Was His Highness scolding her? Warning her?? That sounded more like indulgence! BLACK LOTUS NOVEL Translation | BLACK LOTUS NOVEL
Shen Yanshui glanced sideways at his face, seeing no trace of displeasure on it, and muttered under her breath in an “extra tiny” whisper, “Where’s the boldness in that? This concubine’s courage is quite small, actually. Your Highness shouldn’t punish me for speaking an honest truth just because you happen to be so devastatingly good-looking that I can’t help looking a bit longer.”
Seeing his brow twitch and the corner of his mouth pull faintly, an expression of astonishment mixed with speechlessness on his face, she found it rather funny.
Cui Yu watched her little act of holding back a laugh while making trouble, and somehow, the gloom that had settled deep in his chest all this while began to dissipate a little.
He gave a cold snort at once and remarked, his voice rather aloof, “Glib-tongued.”
Zheng Yuande watched, utterly astounded!
No wonder His Highness liked coming to Shen Zhaoxun’s quarters. Just look, just look—what had Shen Zhaoxun turned His Highness into?
Shen Yanshui, gazing up close at his flawless, jade-white handsome cheek and seeing the gloom in his brow ease a little, thought she’d done rather well today in her role as the flower who understood a man’s heart.
After the two finished their late-night snack, servants were sent to clear it away.
Xia’an and Qiuru brought over copper basins with white cloths to attend their mistress and the Crown Prince as they washed their hands.
Shen Yanshui glanced through the half-open lattice window at the starlit night sky outside, then turned back and said, “Your Highness, would you like to take a walk to settle your food?”
Cui Yu glanced at her. “No need. It’s late—you should rest early.” With that, he rose to his feet.
Hearing the implication in his words, Shen Yanshui felt a touch of surprise, though somehow, not entirely surprised either.
If, on the very night the Crown Princess’s pregnancy had been disturbed, the Crown Prince stayed the night with her instead, rumors would likely spread the next day of discord between the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, or of the Crown Prince disrespecting his principal wife.
It would also give the Crown Princess every reason to view her as a thorn in her side from then on—these were all things easy enough to foresee. If the Crown Prince stayed, it would signal that he himself simply didn’t care.
If she, not knowing her place, presumed on this bit of harmless indulgence and favor to chatter on and on in front of the Crown Prince right now—
Ha. Just how much face did she think she had?
People, above all, ought to know their own limits.
After seeing him off, Shen Yanshui returned to her room in good spirits and went straight to bed. She hadn’t eaten much for her snack, and a little circulation of her ability was enough to digest it—it wouldn’t affect her sleep in the slightest.
Not a few of the people in the back quarters who’d been keeping an eye on the Crown Prince hurried off to report to their own masters the moment he left Lianxin Courtyard.
The Crown Prince, so late at night, hadn’t stayed the night at Lianxin Courtyard—yet he’d had a late-night snack sent there.
This left quite a few people sour with envy, gnashing their teeth in resentment at the “vixen” of Lianxin Courtyard.
Chu Liangdi hadn’t gone to bed either, and upon hearing the news, felt herself, for some reason, ease with relief.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel a touch of regret. Anything that could dent the Crown Princess’s standing, she was more than happy to see happen.
Back when she was still unmarried, she’d met the Crown Princess a few times and had a fair sense of what sort of temperament lay beneath that dignified, virtuous, gentle exterior.
Because her grandfather had once been a renowned Confucian scholar of Great Yong, and she’d been raised at her grandparents’ knee from childhood, she’d been, by all accounts, quite doted upon—until her grandparents passed away one after another, and only then was she brought back to the capital to her parents. Yet by sheer good fortune, she’d caught the eye of His Majesty and the Empress and been elevated straight to Crown Princess.
But at her core, she looked down on rough, brutish military men, and was proud, aloof, and thought exceedingly well of herself.
So even though she outwardly showed the Empress every filial courtesy, in her heart she held no real respect for the Empress, who came from a family of meritorious military generals and conducted herself entirely differently.
Once, she’d deliberately used the incident of Consort Sun’s miscarriage as an opportunity to tactfully petition the Empress, claiming she was frightened and anxious, and begging the Empress to send an experienced nanny to look after her. When the Empress agreed, the Crown Princess had actually been secretly indignant and resentful, feeling the Empress was “showing favoritism.”
Narrow of temperament and none too skilled at keeping up appearances, the Crown Princess would always let some hint of it show before the Empress eventually.
And that had served her purpose well enough.
Best of all would be if the Empress, or even the Crown Prince, came to resent the legitimate son the Crown Princess bore because of her—then her own future child would have all the more advantage.
Only, to her surprise, the Crown Princess herself turned out to be pregnant too—already three months along, without a single whisper of it getting out.
Not even the Empress or the Crown Prince had known.
Thinking of this, if not for the nanny the Empress had sent to attend her in the side chamber, she might have very nearly laughed aloud.
This was the Crown Princess courting her own disaster, bringing it entirely upon herself—no need for Chu Liangdi to add so much as a drop of poison. She simply didn’t believe the Empress and Crown Prince held no grudge against the Crown Princess in their hearts now.
Just as she was thinking this, a sudden inexplicable wave of panic and stifling discomfort rose up in her chest, and it took quite a while of discomfort before the symptoms eased—only her complexion had grown noticeably paler.
The old nanny the Empress had sent to attend her, seeing her in this state, couldn’t help but grow anxious.
Chu Liangdi’s spirits had been increasingly poor these past few days. She’d secretly suspected something unclean might be lurking nearby, and had, under the pretext of consulting the imperial physicians, had the area thoroughly inspected each time—yet nothing had turned up, and it was simply put down to a common symptom of pregnancy.
Yet in her heart, something still felt unsettled…
The next morning, the sky was overcast, the air thick and humid. Not long after Shen Yanshui finished her breakfast and ran through a set of the Eight-Section Brocade, Chunping was escorted back by one of the eunuchs serving the Crown Prince.
Shen Yanshui said with a smile, “Thank you for the trouble, little eunuch.” As she spoke, she gave Quanfu a look, signaling him to hand over a pouch.
Wang Chun wore a face full of smiles, but did not accept the rather substantial pouch, laughing as he hastily declined. “It was nothing at all—Zhaoxun-zhuzi is too kind. Funny enough, this servant’s name and Sister Chunping’s sound rather alike.” · BLACK LOTUS NOVEL Novel Site · Black Lotus Novel
Shen Yanshui felt genuinely a little surprised, and smiled. “Oh? I’m not sure how I should address little eunuch. I haven’t been in the Eastern Palace long, and I still don’t recognize all the people who serve His Highness.”
Wang Chun bowed hastily, a smile plastered on his face. “This servant doesn’t deserve the title of little eunuch—Zhaoxun-zhuzi may simply call this servant Xiao Chunzi.”
This was an opportunity he’d specifically worked to secure for himself. Though his godfather was the foremost among those serving the Crown Prince—
His godfather had no shortage of godsons under him, and favored those from his own hometown more besides.
As for the rest of them who’d gone out of their way to curry favor, he took plenty of gifts from them without thinking much of them at all.
If Wang Chun wanted to be valued, he’d need to find another way in—and this Shen Zhaoxun was the opportunity he’d found for himself, a chance to make an impression before the Crown Prince.
Shen Yanshui nodded and smiled. “So it’s Eunuch Wang. What a coincidence, indeed. You’ve had a hard journey—won’t you come in for a cup of tea?”
Wang Chun shook his head hastily, his face creasing into a bitter smile. “Zhaoxun-zhuzi mustn’t honor this servant so—this servant doesn’t deserve it. If my godfather found out, he’d grab this servant by the ear and scold me for not knowing my place.”
Godfather?
Shen Yanshui followed up on this, asking if his godfather was Eunuch Zheng. Seeing him nod with a smile, she felt a touch of surprise, and exchanged a few more polite words with him.
Wang Chun knew when to quit while he was ahead—he understood mistress and servants might have things to discuss, and had no wish to overstay his welcome and become a nuisance.
So he said with a face full of smiles, “This servant still needs to go back and report to His Highness, so I won’t trouble Zhaoxun-zhuzi further. Is there any message Zhaoxun-zhuzi would like this servant to bring back to His Highness?”
Shen Yanshui said with a smile, “Then I’ll trouble little Chun-gonggong to pass along a message for me to the Crown Prince—tell him this concubine is deeply grateful, and whenever His Highness has a free moment, I’ll personally cook him a table full of good food.”
Hearing himself addressed as “little Chun-gonggong”—a touch more familiar than the usual form of address—Wang Chun’s spirits lifted, and he said no more. “Zhaoxun-zhuzi may rest assured, this servant will pass your words along without fail.” With that, he bowed with a smile and took his leave.
After Shen Yanshui had Quanfu see him off, she turned to look at Chunping, whose face was rather pale. She glanced around at the others, then at the little eunuch standing watch by the west room door across the way, and said, “Let’s talk inside first.”
Xia’an and the others attending nearby hurried inside, while Quanshou and Dongyi stood guard at the door.
The moment they entered, Shen Yanshui had just sat down on the couch when Chunping dropped to her knees and kowtowed, her voice thick with gratitude and a hint of choked-back tears. “This servant thanks the mistress for the gift of life!”
Shen Yanshui hurried to help her up. “Isn’t that a bit much? Get up quickly. Why is your face so pale?” Her brow furrowed slightly. “Were you interrogated harshly?”
The others all looked toward her too, worry plain on their faces.
Chunping shook her head hastily. “Reporting to mistress, they didn’t use torture on this servant. This servant answered just as you instructed, and because mistress had already saved the Crown Princess once before, this servant wasn’t among the suspects under interrogation. After being questioned, I was simply kept under watch and confinement.”
Only, she’d personally witnessed others being tortured under harsh interrogation, and the shrill, piercing screams still rang in her ears…
Shen Yanshui’s brow relaxed somewhat.
Xia’an let out a breath of relief. “Thank goodness Sister Chunping is back—we were all worried sick!”
The lives of servants in the palace counted for little; if one vanished, that was simply that. She’d assumed Chunping, once taken away, might well have lost her life without so much as a trace.
Yet she never imagined their mistress would plead on behalf of a lowly servant like her before the Crown Prince himself.
The other maids who’d been taken away—even those who served the Crown Princess herself—still hadn’t returned…
And this was after everything that had happened yesterday—their mistress might easily have brought the Crown Prince’s displeasure down on herself for it.
The others felt much the same as Chunping, their hearts stirred with excitement and gratitude.
Their mistress kept her word. Though she usually told them to keep a low profile and avoid trouble, if real trouble did come, she wouldn’t throw them out as scapegoats, nor cast them aside like pawns to save her own skin.
By the time Shen Yanshui had taken a sip of tea and looked up again, she found several tear-streaked, red-rimmed faces staring back at her. | Black Lotus Novel Chapters · Black Lotus Novel
She was half amused, half exasperated. “What’s this all about?” She herself had only acted on impulse, reading the Crown Prince’s mood in the moment.
Besides, it hadn’t entirely been for Chunping’s sake either—more for her own, if she were honest, so there was really no need for them to be this moved.
Still, though she thought this, seeing how the group had clearly grown more united than before, she didn’t say anything more.
Chunping quickly scolded softly, “No crying allowed in the palace! Don’t go dragging mistress down with us.”
The others swallowed their tears back down.
Shen Yanshui looked with some surprise at Quanfu, whose eyes were brimming with tears he couldn’t quite hold back, and seeing him blush with embarrassment, couldn’t help but laugh a little. “All right, all right, go wash your faces. Chunping, rest for the next couple of days.”
With that, she took a gold hairpin from her jewelry box and handed it to Chunping, saying with a smile, “Take this—consider it something to settle your nerves. Go get ten taels of silver from Qiuru later as well.”
She’d already received no shortage of rewards lately, and so she wasn’t stingy toward employees—subordinates, rather—who did their jobs diligently and obediently. A gold hairpin was for show, but silver was far more useful.
Chunping tried to decline, though. She’d only been questioned a few times by the Department of Eunuchs and the Palace Discipline Office—she hadn’t earned any merit for her mistress. In the end, it was her mistress who’d saved her. What right did she have to accept a reward?
Shen Yanshui raised an eyebrow. “I said it’s to settle your nerves. Just take it.” She firmly believed that, for the working class, money was the best comfort there was.
So saying, she reached out and pinned the gold hairpin directly into Chunping’s hair bun, which had once held a few small ornaments but now sat bare.
Falling into the hands of the Department of Eunuchs meant losing a layer of skin even if nothing happened—that was no exaggeration. Fortunately, the Empress’s Palace Discipline Office had been investigating alongside them, or things might have gone far worse.
Chunping held her breath, so close to her mistress—beautiful beyond words—that she feared even breathing too heavily might sully her with impure air, and her face flushed a deep red from holding it in.
Not daring to offend her mistress, she quickly lowered her eyes—only to find herself looking straight at a broad expanse of soft, fair skin. Her cheeks burned hotter still, and in the end, she simply fixed her gaze firmly on her own toes.
The others, seeing the gold hairpin their mistress had bestowed, couldn’t help but feel a touch of envy stir in their hearts.
But jealousy, there was none of—after all, everyone in the palace, maid and eunuch alike, knew just how terrifying the Department of Eunuchs and the Office of Punishments were. No one wanted to go through that ordeal themselves.
If anything, it only strengthened their resolve to serve their mistress with even greater loyalty and diligence from now on.
“Your Highness, the senior maid named Chunping who serves Shen Zhaoxun—this servant has already had someone escort her back to Lianxin Courtyard.” Zheng Yuande said softly, bowing.
Cui Yu gave an “Mm” without looking up.
Seeing this, Zheng Yuande stood quietly off to the side, clicking his tongue inwardly. Looked like his godson’s little scheme was going to come to nothing this time.
He had no shortage of godsons under him, and he had some impression of Wang Chun as a rather clever, quick-witted one. Seeing that the boy had found himself an opening, he saw no reason to stand in his way.
Even without that boy Wang Chun, he’d already planned to arrange for someone else to keep an occasional eye on the goings-on at Lianxin Courtyard anyway, so that he wouldn’t be caught with nothing to say whenever his master asked.
A moment later, Zheng Yuande hurried out and returned with several sheets of paper in hand, saying in a low voice, “Your Highness, it’s been sorted out. The servants at Xiefang Hall who deceived their superiors and disregarded their mistress’s safety, along with Physician Zhang, who regularly took the Crown Princess’s pulse for her wellbeing, have all been taken into custody.”
Cui Yu scanned the papers handed to him at a glance, his expression growing colder by the moment. “Deal with them all according to palace regulations.” Then, his voice pausing briefly, he said coldly, “Leave Nanny Zhou, who serves the Crown Princess, alone for now.”
If not for the child in the Crown Princess’s womb…
“As for Physician Zhang—dereliction of duty, nearly causing a disaster. Twenty strokes of the rod, then send him to serve in the medicine storehouse for three years. Let him properly learn how to read a pulse.”
Zheng Yuande steadied himself and said at once, “Yes, Your Highness.”
After the Eastern Palace guards had taken away the maids who usually attended the Crown Princess, along with the physician sent by her natal family, the Crown Princess’s face had gone deathly pale, and Nanny Zhou beside her fared no better—trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat soaking through her back.
Chief Imperial Physician Lu, having received the Crown Prince’s verbal order, had already been waiting in Xiefang Hall. Seeing this, he stepped forward with gentle words of comfort, then without hesitation administered several acupuncture needles to the Crown Princess to calm the pregnancy and settle her spirit.
The Crown Princess fell straight into unconsciousness.
Once everything had been dealt with, Zheng Yuande wiped the sweat from his brow and went in to report. “Reporting to Your Highness, the House of Li has sent word—Madam Li wishes to visit the Crown Princess.”
Madam Li was, of course, the Crown Princess’s birth mother.
Cui Yu’s expression was cool. “Have Madam Li shown in.” black lotus novel Novel Chapter | BlackLotusNovel
About half an hour later, Madam Li was escorted to the main hall of the Eastern Palace.
She was nearing forty, dignified in bearing, her face betraying a faint, anxious worry. Seeing the Crown Prince seated at the head of the hall, she gathered her robes and bowed with full propriety: “This subject’s wife greets Your Highness.”
Cui Yu stepped forward and gestured for her to rise. “There’s no need for such formality, Madam.”
Madam Li rose, though the worry in her eyes remained plain.
Cui Yu studied her, his tone steady and calm. “The Crown Princess’s condition is stable for now. Chief Physician Lu remains stationed in the side chamber of Xiefang Hall. There’s no need for you to worry excessively, Madam.”
Relief and gratitude flooded Madam Li’s face as she offered her thanks—only to suddenly hear the Crown Prince say, “I’ve heard the physician attending the Crown Princess was recommended by the House of Li?”
Cui Yu’s voice remained even and unreadable, giving nothing away.
Madam Li’s heart tightened. “In reply to Your Highness, this subject’s wife did indeed recommend a physician to Her Highness the Crown Princess. This subject’s wife dares to ask—has this physician committed some error?”
Cui Yu’s tone turned faintly cold. “The physician knew full well the Crown Princess was with child, yet concealed it and failed to report…”
He left the sentence unfinished, but Madam Li couldn’t help a chill running through her.
The Crown Princess’s pregnancy—she hadn’t informed the Crown Prince ahead of time?
How could the Crown Princess have been so foolish?!
Madam Li could no longer remain standing calmly, and begged forgiveness. “This subject’s wife has failed in raising her daughter, failed to judge character, failed to recommend properly—I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness.”
Cui Yu was silent for a moment before having her helped up. “The Crown Princess’s pregnancy is not yet stable. Since you’ve come, Madam, do comfort her well and see that she settles her mind to rest and recover.”
Madam Li answered respectfully, “This subject’s wife understands. I will be sure to comfort the Crown Princess properly.”
Cui Yu said nothing more, instructing Zheng Yuande: “See Madam to Xiefang Hall.”
The moment Madam Li stepped into Xiefang Hall, her eyes fell at once upon her daughter’s pale face on the bed.
Her steps faltered, and tears had already begun to fall.
Crown Princess Li was half-propped against the headboard. Hearing the commotion, she looked up, and seeing it was her mother, froze for a moment before managing a faint tug at the corners of her mouth. “Mother…”
Madam Li hurried forward and sat at the edge of the bed, taking her daughter’s hand, tears falling without end.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but could only choke, unable to get the words out.
Seeing this, the Crown Princess felt her own heart ache too. She gave Nanny Zhou a look. “Everyone withdraw. This palace wishes to speak with her mother alone.”
Understanding at once, Nanny Zhou led the attendants out on unsteady legs, taking up position in the outer hall herself.
The doors closed, leaving only mother and daughter.
Only then did Madam Li speak, her eyes still red-rimmed. “How is the Crown Princess feeling? Any discomfort?”
The Crown Princess shook her head, her voice weak. “Chief Physician Lu has been waiting in the side chamber the whole time, Mother. Don’t worry.”
Hearing this, Madam Li relaxed somewhat—but the moment that breath eased out of her, all the words she’d been holding back the whole journey came pouring out.
Looking at her daughter’s pale, wan face, she couldn’t hold back the regret welling up inside her, and said in a lowered voice, “This is all Mother’s fault!”
The Crown Princess froze.
Madam Li gripped her hand, tears falling again. “Mother should never have left you with your grandparents to raise. They doted on you, spoiled you, treasured you like the apple of their eye—you had whatever you wanted since childhood, no one ever contradicted you, and that’s how you grew into this… this reckless, arrogant, aloof temperament that knows no restraint.”
The Crown Princess’s expression shifted slightly.
Madam Li knit her brow at her. “Concealing your pregnancy for three months—do you understand the magnitude of that? What do you think the Eastern Palace is? Do you think everyone else is a fool? And where does that leave the Crown Prince?”
“Mother!” The Crown Princess cut her off, her voice stiff.
Seeing her daughter’s stricken expression, Madam Li’s heart ached, and mindful of her condition, she finally couldn’t bring herself to press further. She sighed, took her daughter’s hand again, and softened her tone. “Enough. It’s too late to say any of this now. What’s done is done—what matters most now is what comes after.”
She looked at her daughter earnestly. “Listen to Mother. From today on, stop being so stubborn. Focus on recovering your health and safely delivering the imperial heir—that matters more than anything else. Leave everything else to the Crown Prince.”
The Crown Princess pressed her lips together. “Mother…”
“Let Mother finish.” Madam Li held down her hand. “In a moment, send someone to invite the Crown Prince here, and admit your fault to him yourself. Don’t be stubborn, don’t talk back—learn to show a little weakness in front of a man…”
She looked at her daughter, speaking with heartfelt sincerity. “You’re his wife. Bowing your head before him costs you nothing. Hand over the management of the Eastern Palace’s household affairs, and focus only on carrying this pregnancy safely.”
The Crown Princess’s expression was far from pleased. After a long moment, she said, “I… I know my own limits.”
“What limits do you know?” Madam Li grew anxious. “If you knew your limits, would you have done something like this?”
The Crown Princess, choked into silence, turned her head away without looking at her.
Seeing this, Madam Li suppressed her own anger, took a deep breath, and coaxed her patiently once more. After a good while, she finally seemed to get through to her, and eased off. She sighed, gripped her daughter’s hand tighter, and softened her voice:
“All right, Mother won’t say any more. Think it over yourself.”
She paused, then added, “Do you know who did this to you?”
The Crown Princess’s brow tightened, resentment filling her heart. “Who else could it be but Noble Consort Lan’s faction?!”
Madam Li frowned. She’d meant to say something more, but seeing her daughter’s state, feared it might upset her emotions too much, and swallowed the words back down.
“It’s not necessarily someone from Noble Consort Lan’s faction. But regardless—whether it’s the Empress, the Crown Prince, or our own House of Li—none of us will let you suffer this for nothing. Just focus on carrying the pregnancy safely and don’t dwell on anything else.”
The Crown Princess let out a long breath. In the end, she knew what mattered most now, and lowered her eyes, nodding faintly.
Mother and daughter talked a good while longer. Seeing the hour growing late, Madam Li finally rose, tucking the blanket in around her daughter, and said in a low voice:
“Mother’s leaving now. Remember what I said.”
The Crown Princess looked at her mother and, at last, nodded.
The doors opened and closed, footsteps fading into the distance.
The Crown Princess leaned back against the headboard, staring at the canopy above, unmoving for a long while.
Zheng Yuande shrank his plump frame, now two catties lighter, and said softly, “Reporting to Your Highness, a servant from Xiefang Hall just came to invite you—the Crown Princess asks that if Your Highness has a free moment, would you come to Xiefang Hall for dinner.”
Cui Yu’s brow furrowed reflexively. “No time.”
The fat on Zheng Yuande’s frame trembled as he nodded repeatedly. “Yes, this servant will go send word back at once—”
“Wait.”
Cui Yu’s brow furrowed deeper still, and he asked coldly, “Has Madam Li left the palace yet?”
Zheng Yuande nodded. “In reply to Your Highness, Madam Li left not long ago. The nanny who usually attends the Crown Princess personally saw her out.”
Thinking of the child in the Crown Princess’s womb, Cui Yu fell silent for a long moment before finally rising and heading to Xiefang Hall.
Hearing the sound of the Crown Prince entering, the Crown Princess’s heart eased slightly with relief.
Upon entering, Cui Yu saw the Crown Princess’s face still pale, straining to sit up. “There’s no need for such formality. Lie down properly and rest.”
The Crown Princess, looking thoroughly weak, allowed herself to be helped back down, and said softly, “Thank you for Your Highness’s consideration.” Her eyes reddened as she spoke, gazing up at him with tears brimming. “Your Highness, this concubine was wrong. I only beg Your Highness, for the sake of the child in my womb, not to be angry with me.” Her voice sounded weak, yet her eyes remained fixed intently on him.
Hearing her sudden show of vulnerability, Cui Yu studied the look on her face, his eyes deepening slightly.
Zheng Yuande, ever tactful, brought over a chair and set it by the bedside. Cui Yu sat, looking at the Crown Princess’s pale face, and said evenly, “Since the physician has told you to focus on carrying the pregnancy safely, you needn’t dwell on too many thoughts. Just rest easy and nurse the pregnancy.”
Hearing the slight warmth in his voice, the Crown Princess’s heart ached faintly. Had she… really been wrong before?
If she hadn’t insisted on gaining favor before the Emperor, hadn’t wanted the whole harem to see her glory, none of this would have happened…
But Mother Empress’s evident regard for Chu Liangdi’s pregnancy remained a thorn in her side all this while. How could her own child possibly rank beneath the child in Chu Liangdi’s belly?
She was determined to let everyone know how much the Emperor valued the child in her womb—no one was to surpass the child she carried!
But her most pressing concern now was winning back the Crown Prince’s favor.
The Crown Princess’s eyes reddened faintly, and she spoke, her voice pitched extremely low. “This concubine understands. Thank you for Your Highness’s concern.”
She paused, then looked up at the Crown Prince, her eyes carrying just the right touch of fragility. “Your Highness, this concubine’s condition now… I fear I can no longer manage the Eastern Palace’s household affairs. I trouble Your Highness to invite Nanny Rong to take temporary charge of household matters on my behalf.”
“Nanny Rong is Your Highness’s wet nurse, has served in the Eastern Palace for many years, and holds deep seniority and prestige. With her managing the palace, there should be no mishaps, and this concubine can rest easy and focus on the pregnancy.”
When she mentioned Nanny Rong, her tone carried a note of respect. “This concubine has always held Nanny Rong in high regard—I simply never dared trouble the old woman on ordinary days. But now that I’m no longer up to the task, only someone of Nanny Rong’s standing and virtue could keep this palace in order.”
Hearing this, Cui Yu glanced at her. “Since the Crown Princess has this in mind, I’ll grant it. I’ll speak to Nanny Rong myself.”
The two of them finished discussing the matter and spoke a while longer before Cui Yu rose and took his leave.
Once the Crown Prince’s figure had vanished from sight, Nanny Zhou could no longer hold back and came forward, her face full of concern. “Your Highness, why would you… why would you hand power over to that Nanny Rong?” That old woman was the Crown Prince’s own wet nurse—if she came to control the Eastern Palace, wouldn’t that put her a rank above the Crown Princess herself?
Seeing Nanny Zhou’s troubled brow, the Crown Princess said slowly, “My condition doesn’t allow for exertion right now—that’s one reason.”
She paused, then added, her voice lowered with implication, “Second—isn’t Chu Liangdi also nearing her delivery date?”
Nanny Zhou froze.
The Crown Princess lowered her eyes, her voice light as air. “If something should happen to her because of some oversight in her care, that would fall squarely on me as Crown Princess. Better to hand this hot potato off to someone else to worry about.”
Nanny Zhou froze for a moment, then her furrowed brow smoothed away entirely as she smiled. “Your Highness is so clever! This servant has heard that Chu Liangdi hasn’t been well lately—frequent palpitations, shortness of breath, restless sleep. Even calling in the physicians hasn’t helped.” She knew perfectly well why, of course.
She lowered her voice further. “If, by some misfortune, something should happen during her delivery… that would fall on Nanny Rong’s poor oversight, with not the slightest connection to Your Highness.”
The Crown Princess’s eyes deepened. The effects of the gold-edged daphne had been told to her by the physician at her side—an effect discovered quite by accident, she’d said. It was a rare and precious tribute item; even an ordinary imperial physician, seeing the gold-edged daphne in Haoyue Studio, would never think to connect it to anything.
Though she’d lost a rather useful physician as a result, this had, by strange coincidence, thoroughly resolved a lingering concern.
Though a nanny sent by Mother Empress kept watch over Haoyue Studio, the Crown Princess had, after all these years in the Eastern Palace, planted her own people in every corner.
There was no need for anything drastic—just a small bit of quiet manipulation, letting Chu Liangdi breathe in that daphne’s fragrance, would be enough to leave her unable to rest properly.
Childbirth was already a gate to the underworld for any woman. If her body and spirit were already worn down going into it, then… it wouldn’t be hard at all for something to go wrong.
She was also using this opportunity to extract herself neatly—showing weakness to the Crown Prince while tossing this hot potato elsewhere. That way, even if something happened to Chu Liangdi during delivery, none of the blame could land on her.
