The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 225 - 224: It’s a Shame You’re Not Involved in Palace Intrigue

Chapter 225: Chapter 224: It’s a Shame You’re Not Involved in Palace Intrigue

Shen Chuwei stood in front of the round dining table, her eyes automatically glanced at the steaming dishes on the table. Chun Xi, that girl, must have added salt, right?

Xiao Jinyan hurried to the dining table and sat down, seeing Shen Chuwei still standing, he asked her to sit down as well.

Xiao Jinyan, looking at the food in front of him, wasn’t in a hurry to start eating even though he was a bit hungry by now. Instead, he lifted his head to look at Shen Chuwei and cut straight to the point, "The visit to the Hehuan Hall by Concubine Xu today, was there something amiss?"

Shen Chuwei hesitated, unsure if speaking out would impact Concubine Xu negatively, after all, she too had been deceived.

Accusations of seeking a child and fabricating a pregnancy to gain favor were indeed grave.

"Your Highness, Concubine Xu did have some matters, but they have all been resolved," she said.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan knew his assumptions were mostly correct, yet Shen Chuwei had not told him the whole truth, prompting him to frown slightly, "If you only offer me perfunctory lies, what difference does it make from saying nothing at all? I wish to hear the truth."

Shen Chuwei looked at the stern face of Xiao Jinyan in front of her, her small hands fidgeting with her fingers under the table, feeling much like the nervousness of being caught lying about homework by a teacher’s piercing gaze.

"Your Highness, Concubine Xu’s visit to Hehuan Hall was indeed to give me a fertility prescription. Her intentions were good; please do not be angry," she said.

"Good intentions?" Xiao Jinyan scoffed, "Do you know there was a problem with that fertility prescription?"

Shen Chuwei paused, then nodded, "I scrutinized the prescription carefully and realized there was a serious problem. The prescription would not enable one to conceive but create false signs of pregnancy, misleading people into believing one is blessed with joy. However, Concubine Xu was also deceived in a moment of desperation and unaware of the issues with the prescription."

Xiao Jinyan remained serious, "How do you know Concubine Xu had good intentions and didn’t give you a fake prescription on purpose to later falsely accuse you?"

In the palace’s inner courtyards, Xiao Jinyan had seen plenty of overt and covert battles for favor; the schemes of framing others were endless, leaving one constantly on guard.

Shen Chuwei explained, "Concubine Xu isn’t that scheming."

Xiao Jinyan countered, "How do you know Concubine Xu isn’t that scheming?"

Shen Chuwei falteringly explained, "I have spent some time with Concubine Xu and I feel that she does not harbor such intentions."

Xiao Jinyan’s eyes remained firmly on Shen Chuwei.

Shen Chuwei looked down at the food in front of her, which had been steaming hot just moments ago but now lost all its warmth.

She raised her head to look at Xiao Jinyan and prompted, "Your Highness, please start your dinner. The food will not taste as good once it gets cold."

Xiao Jinyan paused for a moment, glanced at the food, and nodded, "Let’s eat first, and discuss this matter afterward."

Shen Chuwei picked up her chopsticks and placed a few pieces of braised pork into Xiao Jinyan’s bowl, "Your Highness, have some more meat; it may improve your mood."

Xiao Jinyan chuckled, "Do you think I am like you, easily satisfied with some braised pork?"

Shen Chuwei asked curiously, "Then what would satisfy Your Highness?"

Xiao Jinyan’s gaze paused. He had wealth and power, yet after a few seconds of silence, he succinctly said, "To become a wise monarch."

"Your Highness has grand and challenging aspirations. My ambitions, contrarily, are so modest they could be overlooked," Shen Chuwei replied after stuffing a piece of braised pork into her mouth and savoring it with evident relish.

No matter how many times she ate it, the braised pork always tasted exceptionally good to her.

Xiao Jinyan watched her cheeks bulge with satisfaction, unable to relate to the contentment one could find from eating a few pieces of meat.

He added more braised pork to her bowl, "If you enjoy it so much, then eat a little more."

"Mm," Shen Chuwei nodded vigorously and continued to diligently focus on her meal.

Xiao Jinyan watched her for some time before he started eating his own meal.

After dinner, as customary, Chun Xi brought in a fresh cup of tea for Xiao Jinyan. After placing it in front of him, she promptly left to avoid being a third wheel.

Shen Chuwei obediently sat opposite Xiao Jinyan, recounting in detail everything about Concubine Xu bringing the fertility prescription to Hehuan Hall.

Xiao Jinyan’s tea-sipping paused as he looked at Shen Chuwei, "Someone intentionally aimed to frame Concubine Xu by giving her the fertility prescription."

Shen Chuwei said, "The problems with that prescription were obvious, the Imperial Doctor could not have missed them; it must have been deliberate."

Xiao Jinyan contemplatively pondered for several seconds, a shrewd glint in his eyes, "Then we must expose this person."

Leaving such a cunning person in the East Palace was dangerous; today it was Concubine Xu being framed, tomorrow it could be someone else.

This person must not be spared!

Shen Chuwei asked, "Are you suggesting Concubine Xu feigns a pregnancy?"

Xiao Jinyan shook his head, "No."

Shen Chuwei looked puzzled, "Then how will we catch them?"

Xiao Jinyan shared his plan in detail.

Shen Chuwei was dumbstruck and couldn’t help but give a mental thumbs-up; Xiao Jinyan would surely be wasted if he didn’t engage in palace scheming!

"Then why should I pretend?" she asked.

Xiao Jinyan raised an eyebrow, "What do you think?"

Shen Chuwei responded, "I believe Your Highness’s method is very clever."

Xiao Jinyan remarked, "All you do is jest."

Shen Chuwei smiled, even her life as a salted fish wasn’t easy!

That night, Xiao Jinyan stayed over and, just like the previous night, he held Shen Chuwei in his arms, warming her belly with his hand.

Shen Chuwei slept well, and having grown accustomed to being held as she slept, she dozed off nestled in Xiao Jinyan’s embrace before long.

Xiao Jinyan only fell asleep after Shen Chuwei had.

The next day, as Xiao Jinyan was dressed neatly and preparing to leave, he thought of the painting and turned to look at the writing desk, only to find that the painting board from yesterday was gone.

Perhaps because of the anticipation for the finished painting, Xiao Jinyan couldn’t help but feel a tingling of curiosity at its absence.

Shen Chuwei had someone summon Concubine Xu and Tao Chenghui early in the morning, revealing to them Xiao Jinyan’s plan.

Concubine Xu clapped with approval, "This plan is good, I really want to see who has been plotting against me behind my back."

Tao Chenghui also nodded in agreement, "Lady Shen has attended to your bedside most frequently, yet remains without child. Claiming she seeks an heir is very plausible and will easily gain belief."

Shen Chuwei too thought the plan was good, but it required her, the salted fish, to act; she considered it a friendly cameo!

Eager, Concubine Xu said, "I will send Cai Xia to invite the Imperial Doctor right away."

Shen Chuwei responded, "Not now, we should wait a few days to make them think the symptoms of joy are due to consuming the medicine, otherwise it will raise suspicion easily."

Concubine Xu nodded at her words, "Right, then let’s wait."

Three days later, the Empress summoned Xiao Jinyan to Fengyi Palace.

"Crown Prince, the position of the Crown Princess has been vacant for some time. After extensive discussions with the Emperor, we have decided to appoint Lady Chang as Crown Princess to manage the affairs of the East Palace on your behalf. What are your thoughts?"

Xiao Jinyan had guessed what the Empress intended to discuss on his way here. It seemed like a query, but it was essentially a notification.

"The Emperor and Empress make considerations that are deep and far-reaching. I only feel that now is not the right time to establish a Crown Princess," he replied.

The Empress said, "This court is aware of your concerns about fate. The Emperor has already had Master Lu observe the stars at night, and he deems it auspicious to appoint a Crown Princess."