NOVPUB
Chapter 41: Chapter 41 You Spend All Day Fooling Around and Having an Affair with the Crown Prince
Shen Yunxi understood the trick and was overjoyed: "Mammy is truly wise! I will immediately send someone out of the palace to have the daughters of those official families submit their ink works for a comparison of handwriting!"
"Your Highness mustn’t!" Mammy Zhang advised again. 𝒏𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
Shen Yunxi grew impatient: "What now?!"
"In my humble opinion, it would be better to organize a poetry and essay flower-viewing gathering, then invite all those young ladies into the Eastern Palace to write on the spot. That way, we can eliminate the possibility of cheating in secret."
Shen Yunxi agreed upon reflection.
She said smugly, "Experience comes with age; Mammy truly has more cunning than I do. It seems my mother’s decision to send you into the palace with me was indeed correct. Don’t worry, Mammy. If we uncover that little tart, I promise to ensure your retirement is well taken care of."
Mammy Zhang responded humbly: "Serving Your Highness loyally is this servant’s duty. As someone of low status, how could this old servant dare to hope for Your Highness’s care in my later years?"
Though she said that, her old face was filled with creases from smiling.
She was born into the Shen household.
The man she married was also a servant of the Shen family.
The year her newborn daughter and Shen Yunxi both had a high fever, she focused entirely on caring for Shen Yunxi and neglected her own daughter, leading to her daughter’s death from illness and her husband’s death from anger due to the incident.
Still, she did not regret it.
To her, Shen Yunxi was like her own daughter.
Now that Shen Yunxi had become the Crown Princess Consort, it was as if her own daughter had achieved that status.
With Shen Yunxi promising to look after her in old age, it showed that Shen Yunxi regarded her wet nurse as her own mother. The years of emotional investment had finally borne fruit.
Very soon, Shen Yunxi’s flower-viewing gathering was in full swing. However, despite inviting all the noble young ladies of the Capital to compose poems and essays, none of their handwriting matched the note found under the dressing table in the Eastern Palace.
Undeterred, Shen Yunxi held another flower-viewing gathering, even inviting the reclusive concubines’ daughters and niece-like young ladies from official families. Still, no matching handwriting was found.
She grew suspicious: "Could the little tart seducing the Crown Prince not be a young lady from an official family?"
While fanning her, Lian Ye speculated, "Perhaps she’s the daughter of a merchant family. This servant has heard that those street merchants often come from disreputable backgrounds. Their daughters, raised in such households, are surely no better. Bowing and scraping to seduce men is their specialty!"
"It’s all Mammy’s poor advice," said Shen Yunxi, glaring harshly at Mammy Zhang. "Claiming we could catch the little tart based on handwriting—what a waste of my effort! Zhang Cuichun, if you continue to be useless like this, I’ll send you back to the Duke Mansion!"
Mammy Zhang was visibly abashed.
She hadn’t expected her plan to fail.
Though she was advanced in age, being reprimanded publicly by Shen Yunxi in front of the palace maids stung her pride. However, looking at Shen Yunxi’s youthful face, she consoled herself silently, reasoning that the Crown Princess Consort was still young and would surely grow more sensible with age.
She put on a smile and said, "Your Highness, please don’t be upset. This old servant has another plan which will surely uncover that little tart!"
Shen Yunxi replied testily, "Speak and let me hear it."
Mammy Zhang dismissed the palace maids and revealed her venomous intent in her elderly eyes: "In half a month, it will be the autumn hunt. Your Highness should feign illness and not go. That little tart, seeing you absent, will definitely show up at the hunting grounds to climb into the Crown Prince’s bed and ingratiate herself. When the time comes, Your Highness can suddenly appear and catch her off guard, revealing her true identity!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yunxi was intrigued: "It’s not a bad idea."
...
"The autumn hunt?"
At the Gao Family residence in Lotus Flower Alley, Gao Zheng gathered everyone to announce the news.
Madam Gao and Yin Shanshan were both shocked.
After all, normally only officials of Third Rank or above and their families could accompany the imperial entourage. This year’s exception allowing Gao Zheng to bring his family was nothing short of a miracle!
"It must be my elder brother putting in good words for Zheng Lang with the Crown Prince!" Yin Shanshan stated confidently, glancing smugly at Shen Yinning. "Sister, this time you get to experience the world outside, and it’s all thanks to me. In the hunting grounds, you’ll encounter many royal elites. You don’t know the rules, so you must stay sharp and follow me closely, lest you embarrass yourself and cause Zheng Lang to be looked down upon!"
Shen Yinning lightly shook her circular fan.
The last time Yin Shanshan had been beaten by Shen Yunxi’s people, she spent over a month recovering in bed, delaying her elevation to equal-wife status.
By the time she recovered, the cold drink season had already passed. Shen Yinning heard that Yin Shanshan had shut down her cold drink shop and recently seemed occupied with planning a delivery company—a business model similar to an escort agency—but she hadn’t received a single order thus far, given the abundance of escort agencies across the northern and southern regions.
She gazed at Yin Shanshan mockingly and replied in a soft tone, "Then I must truly thank my dear sister. This autumn hunt, I will certainly stick close to you and learn well."
Yin Shanshan huffed lightly, disregarding her, and turned eagerly to Gao Zheng: "Zheng Lang, let’s quickly pack our things, shall we?"
But Gao Zheng’s face was far from cheerful.
When he first heard the news, he had been quite proud.
But soon enough, he realized that his inclusion in the autumn hunt was not due to his achievements but because of Shen Yinning.
The Crown Prince wanted to set up a scheme involving Shen Yinning at the hunting grounds, which was why Gao Zheng was allowed to bring his family.
The thought of sending his legitimate wife, whom he had wed in a proper ceremony, to another man’s bed to be violated and toyed with—and not only being unable to protest but having to express gratitude—left Gao Zheng choked with rage.
He stiffened his neck and said, "The autumn hunt doesn’t sound very fun. I think we shouldn’t go."
"Zheng Lang!" Yin Shanshan protested, puzzled. "This is such a rare opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime honor that my elder brother worked hard to secure for us—how can we refuse? We must go!"
"Indeed, Zheng!" Madam Gao chimed in, urging him on. "This is an excellent chance to build connections. Not only must you go, but you must shadow the Crown Prince closely and network extensively with senior officials. That is the way to ensure a smooth career progression!"
Gao Zheng’s hands clenched tightly, his face flushed red.
Career progression?
His career was entirely built upon selling his wife!
Shen Yinning observed the three with a trace of amusement and let out a soft laugh.
She was determined to attend the hunting grounds.
On the prior Qixi night, Lu Ying’s demeanor toward her had visibly improved. She had to seize this opportunity to further advance their relationship.
She rose languidly, casting a glance at Gao Zheng: "Since this honor comes from the Crown Prince, Sir Gao should not refuse, lest you provoke his anger and jeopardize your future."
Gao Zheng froze.
He knew Shen Yinning was warning him.
Watching her step over the threshold, a surge of intense jealousy and resentment welled up within him.
Clenching his fists tightly, he couldn’t stop himself. He followed Shen Yinning into the corridor and demanded angrily, "Shen Shi, are you that eager to go to the hunting grounds to rendezvous with him?!"
Shen Yinning replied indifferently, "Who I rendezvous with should have nothing to do with Sir Gao, should it?"
"But—"
"But what?"
Gao Zheng’s breaths grew ragged, his chest heaving.
He stared at Shen Yinning, the early autumn sunlight filtering through the pomegranate tree to illuminate her fair and radiant face. She looked ethereal, almost otherworldly. Even knowing she was no longer untouched, Gao Zheng couldn’t help but falter, captivated by her beauty.
At last, he blurted out, "But you and I are husband and wife! You spend your days cavorting and stealing moments with the Crown Prince—have you ever once considered my feelings?!"
