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Concubine Xu waved her small handkerchief, walking listlessly when she heard the words, her spirits suddenly perked up, "Is her face ruined?"

Cai Xia shook her head, "The Imperial Doctor said she needs to abstain from certain foods and rest for some time before she can recover."

"That’s letting her off easy." Concubine Xu was somewhat disappointed, but the thought of Shen Chuwei being extremely scared of the rash on her face gave her some satisfaction.

Cai Xia continued, "Yesterday, Concubine Xue originally wanted His Highness to dine with her, but because of the rash on her face, she didn’t dare to see His Highness."

"Why would His Highness agree to have dinner at her place? Can’t he see her ulterior motives?" Concubine Xu indignant.

Cai Xia was somewhat perplexed, "My Lady no longer likes His Highness, why should you still be angry wherever His Highness goes?"

Concubine Xu lifted her chin, "You don’t understand, this is called indignation on behalf of others."

Cai Xia nodded with a seemingly understanding look, "My Lady, please calm down, His Highness didn’t end up going."

Concubine Xu adjusted her golden hairpin, "That’s more like it."

Shen Chuwei had just finished her morning meal and was lying on the bed to rest.

When Concubine Xu entered, she saw Shen Chuwei lying on the bed like a salted fish.

Seeing Concubine Xu had arrived, the two were so familiar with each other that they no longer bothered with formalities. Shen Chuwei was startled upon seeing Concubine Xu’s dark circles.

"Concubine Xu, what were you doing last night?"

Concubine Xu opened her mouth, eager to vent, but remembering the threat of the man in black, she forcefully swallowed her words back down.

With a temperament that couldn’t bear to keep things to herself, holding back was pure torture.

"I didn’t sleep well last night," Concubine Xu vaguely explained, seeing Shen Chuwei fearful in bed, she asked worriedly, "Why are you still lying in bed? Are you ill?"

Shen Chuwei feigned nonchalance, "I have nothing to do, thought I might as well sleep a bit more."

"Sleeping in broad daylight?" Concubine Xu said, yawning herself. Thinking of Concubine Xue, she perked up again.

"Lady Shen, Concubine Xue has broken out in rashes, it’s hilarious, this is exactly what the shameless deserve."

Shen Chuwei lay on the bed, drowsy and sleepy.

Concubine Xu glanced down and saw Shen Chuwei’s eyes nearly shut, she yawned, "You also didn’t sleep well last night?"

Shen Chuwei nodded, "I only managed to sleep in the second half of the night, how could I have slept well?"

Concubine Xu empathized, "I also slept late into the night."

Thinking about the night two days later, the agreed time, she felt afraid.

When would these days of fear and trepidation end?

Qimeng Hall

Xueyan had finished her morning meal and was sitting in front of a bronze mirror, gently applying the medicinal ointment prescribed by the Imperial Doctor to her cheeks, hoping that the red spots and inflamed areas would quickly disappear.

Recalling that Xiao Jinyan was supposed to have stayed over last night, and she was to serve him in bed, she was still regretful that her face had gotten in the way.

"Shuiyao, did His Highness end up reviewing memorials again last night?"

Shuiyao replied, "Your Highness, he finished reviewing the memorials quite early last night."

Xueyan looked at herself in the mirror, initially unable to accept her face, but after staring at it more, she begrudgingly accepted her current appearance.

The Imperial Doctor had said it would heal.

"Then didn’t he rest early last night? Did he rest in his own bedchamber?"

Shuiyao hesitated before replying, "His Highness rested in Hehuan Hall last night."

Upon hearing this, Xueyan’s hand paused its movements, she turned to look at Shuiyao, "What did you say? Where did His Highness stay overnight?"

Shuiyao repeated softly, "Hehuan Hall, Lady Shen’s place."

"Your Highness went to Hehuan Hall?" Xueyan, furious, swept her hands across the table, sending all the rouge and powder crashing to the ground.

Startled, Shuiyao hurriedly tried to soothe her. "Princess, please calm down. If it weren’t for your illness yesterday which prevented you from attending to His Highness, how could it have been Shen Lady’s turn to share the bedchamber?"

Xueyan trembled with anger, and as she gazed at the mirror, at that face, she felt her rage grow stronger.

If not for this face, she would have been the one in the bedchamber last night, and perhaps she could have conceived a child in one go.

As a result, Shen Lady had reaped the benefits.

"I am a Princess of Xueyue Country, why should Shen Lady compete with me?"

"Princess, please contain your anger. Although Shen Lady took advantage this time, we will have other opportunities. Once the Princess’s face is healed, will there be any lack of chances to attend to His Highness?" consoled Shuiyao in a gentle voice.

The more Xueyan thought about yesterday’s events, the less she could reconcile with them, "She got off too easily."

"It must have been Shen Lady who learned of the Princess’s indisposition and shamelessly seduced His Highness to go to Hehuan Hall," said Shuiyao while she gathered the spilled rouge and powder from the floor.

"It’s just Lady Shen after all, only capable of using such means to entice His Highness," scoffed Xueyan as she looked at her own face, impatiently demanding, "Call for Doctor Wen, when will this face heal!"

"This servant will go immediately." After tidying everything, Shuiyao scurried out.

After Doctor Wen’s visit, his diagnosis was the same word for word as the day before.

Xueyan touched her face, growing increasingly anxious, "Then when will it heal?"

"Lady Xue, take good care of yourself. Avoid light and do not expose yourself to the wind, and you should recover after some days," repeated Doctor Wen.

Upon hearing this, Xueyan could only fret.

*

The sunlight streamed through the branches, casting its glow on the gray stone path, and the air was filled with heat.

Shen Chuwei felt too lazy to step out, and sat on the couch, looking through the window. She saw Yuan Gungun squatting there, munching on a radish. After Xuetuan’s training over the past few days, the little creature’s plump belly was gone, leaving a more slender figure.

Xuetuan suddenly leapt off the wall, startling Yuan Gungun who bolted, now without the little belly, running so fast that it resembled an arrow released from its bow.

Xuetuan stopped and cast a glance at the overly frightened Yuan Gungun, that look seeming to say, "Coward!"

Just then, Chun Xi came trotting in. "Young mistress, Mammy Qingying is here."

No sooner had she spoken than Qingying walked in, "Lady Shen, the Empress wishes to see you."

Shen Chuwei rose from the couch and followed Qingying to Fengyi Palace.

Chun Xi held an oil-paper umbrella, shielding Shen Chuwei from the blazing sun.

Upon entering Fengyi Palace, they saw the Empress lying languidly on the Consort’s couch, a Palace Maid gently fanning her to dispel the heat.

Shen Chuwei stepped forward to pay her respects, "Concubine greets the Empress, may the Empress be blessed with peace and health."

The Empress replied indifferently, "Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Shen Chuwei rose and looked up at the Empress, "Does the Empress wish to see this concubine for a matter?"

"The Crown Prince has yet to have a child, and yesterday I spoke with the Emperor about this matter. The Crown Prince is the future heir, and progeny is of the utmost importance."

The Empress paused, her gaze shifting to Shen Chuwei’s belly, which showed no sign of change for so long—

Is the Guanyin from Baima Temple no longer efficacious?

"Among those in the East Palace, the Crown Prince favors you the most, yet there has been no news for over a year. Today I summoned you to have the Imperial Doctor take your pulse, to see if there’s a reason. If any adjustment is needed, it should be done sooner rather than later."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chuwei lowered her eyelids, not expecting the Empress to summon her over a child.

She and Xiao Jinyan hadn’t shared a chamber for long after all—how could pregnancy come so quickly?

Unfortunately, this matter was known only to heaven and earth, to Shen Chuwei, and to Xiao Jinyan.