After Becoming a Concubine, I Took Down the Princess - Chapter 17

A month flew by quickly. Yan Heng’s house arrest was lifted, but she still stayed in her room and didn’t go out.

Now Hua Zi and the others started getting curious again, gathering to secretly discuss.

“Didn’t you say before that our mistress was learning a way to regain the Emperor’s favor? Why hasn’t she come out even after her house arrest was lifted?” Hua Zheng poked Eunuch Qian.

Eunuch Qian looked disdainful: “What do you know? Our mistress is definitely playing hard to get!”

Hua Zi hadn’t read much: “What does ‘playing hard to get’ mean?”

“It means she won’t actively seek out the Emperor, making him miss our mistress until he’s aching for her. Then, are we still afraid of not having favor?”

The two maids suddenly understood, thinking that although their mistress usually seemed a bit silly, she unexpectedly had some tricks up her sleeve.

“Achoo!” Yan Heng, holding a book, sat at her desk and inexplicably sneezed, completely unaware of how the maids and eunuchs outside were speculating about her.

Although her house arrest was lifted, she still hadn’t mastered the magical arts, so she continued to stay in her room every day.

Unbeknownst to her, seeing her like this, rumors started circulating throughout the palace that Consort Yan was heartbroken and utterly dejected.

“Your Majesty, it’s time to choose a concubine for the night.” Eunuch Huang from the Bureau of Imperial Attendants brought in the green name plaques, and Eunuch Zhao, the head eunuch attending to Liang Shu, reminded him quietly.

Liang Shu’s hand circled over the collection of plaques: “Has Consort Yan’s house arrest been lifted?”

“Yes, it was lifted three days ago,” Eunuch Huang said hastily.

Liang Shu flipped over the plaque with the name “Yan Heng” written on it, then waved his hand and said, “You may leave.”

“Mistress, great news!” Hua Zi rushed in.

Yan Heng quickly hid the book she was reading: “What is it?”

“I saw Nanny Yan Ling, the one by the Emperor’s side, coming from afar!”

Yan Heng thought it was something major and was relieved: “So what if she’s here, you—”

“Nanny Yan Ling is here?” Yan Heng almost jumped out of her chair. Nanny Yan Ling must be here to call her for the imperial bed-chamber!

“It is Nanny Yan Ling. Let me help the mistress get properly dressed.” Hua Zi saw Yan Heng’s reaction and thought she was overjoyed, completely unaware that the person in question only wanted to turn invisible and run away.

As they spoke, Nanny Yan Ling had already arrived, carrying a lantern.

“Mistress, the Emperor has ordered you to serve tonight. Please prepare quickly.” Yan Ling smiled as soon as she entered the room.

Yan Heng forced herself to be polite: “Thank you for making the trip, Nanny.”

Yan Ling bowed with her hands clasped in her sleeves: “Mistress must perform well tonight.”

Yan Heng: Perform well my…

Hua Zi and Hua Zheng took turns, applying makeup, powder, spraying perfume, and pinning flowers. Yan Heng’s already charming face, after this makeover, looked like a seductive female demon capable of captivating souls.

Yan Heng: I guess I already am a demoness.

But honestly, their styling skills were quite good. Looking at herself in the mirror, Yan Heng felt an inexplicable sense of pride, thinking, “This fox is truly beautiful.”

The sedan chair that came to pick her up swayed as it carried her to the Emperor’s sleeping quarters. Liang Shu had already changed into his sleeping robe and was reclining on his couch, waiting.

Even though he had already appreciated Yan Heng’s beauty, when Liang Shu looked at her tonight, he was still inwardly astonished. Her rich and striking features even reminded him of his late beloved consort.

Consort Lian’s beauty was also this vibrant and alluring, unforgettable at first glance.

A pang struck his heart, and the look in his eyes when he turned to Yan Heng held a hint of pity.

Liang Shu waved his hand, signaling Yan Heng to sit closer, and pulled her into his embrace: “Being confined for a month must have truly been hard on you.”

Yan Heng forced a false smile: “It was my fault for making a mistake, I deserved the punishment.”

“I knew you had good intentions and didn’t want to punish you too harshly, but I had to restrict your movements to avoid gossip.” As he spoke, Liang Shu took Yan Heng’s hand and stood up, leading her toward the bed.

Good intentions? What good intentions? Oh right, he was probably praising her clumsy excuse of “going into the woods to pick herbs.”

Liang Shu and Yan Heng sat on the bed, and just as he was about to undress her, a wave of disgust washed over Yan Heng. While Liang Shu wasn’t looking behind her, she casually cast an illusion. The unfortunate Emperor closed his eyes and collapsed onto Yan Heng.

She pushed Liang Shu aside, arranged him into a flat, lying position, then took a quilt and went to the small couch to spend a regrettable night.

Covered by a thin blanket, she stared at the ceiling, thinking that she truly needed to find a way with Liang Xiao quickly to leave the palace as soon as possible. She couldn’t bear this nauseating life any longer.

The next day, around noon.

“Mistress, Eunuch Zhao is outside.” Hua Zi knocked on Yan Heng’s door.

She always kept her door closed while reading in the room, afraid of being seen by accident.

Yan Heng replied from inside the room: “Please invite him in quickly.”

Eunuch Zhao held a yellow cloth in his hand; it was an imperial edict. After speaking a lot of praises like “virtuous and of excellent conduct,” he closed the scroll with a snap and smilingly congratulated Yan Heng: “You are blessed, Noble Lady, to be promoted before even bearing a child. The Emperor truly favors you.”

Hua Zi was so happy her mouth couldn’t close: “The Noble Lady truly has great fortune!”

Yan Heng was unfazed, pulling a happy expression on her face as she accepted the edict, then turned and told Hua Zi to give Eunuch Zhao some valuable jewelry.

After sending Eunuch Zhao off, Yan Heng casually placed the imperial edict on the table. It was Hua Zi who treasured it, saying she would find a box to properly store it.

As night fell, the weather cooled down, but the room was still a bit stuffy. So, Yan Heng moved her books outside, sent Hua Zi and the others away, leaned back on the chair, and propped one foot up on a stone stool, enjoying her leisure.

“I see you’re reading with great enthusiasm, it doesn’t seem to be taking much effort.” Liang Xiao stepped over the threshold, teasing her casually.

Yan Heng blinked playfully: “I am wronged, Your Highness, see how haggard I am.”

“I heard today that the Emperor promoted your rank.”

Yue Hua used a handkerchief to brush away non-existent dust from the stool, then helped Liang Xiao sit down.

Yan Heng nodded silently, still holding the book in her hand and keeping her foot propped on the stone stool, only half a foot away from Liang Xiao.

Liang Xiao waved her hand, telling Yue Hua to wait outside the hall, then pointed at Yan Heng’s foot: “If you don’t put it down, I’ll have someone chop it off tomorrow.”

Yan Heng had long been familiar with Liang Xiao’s talent for threats and wasn’t scared in the least, even swinging her foot provocatively: “Your Highness wouldn’t dare.”

Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, reaching out and directly grasping her right ankle: “I’ll chop it off right now.”

Yan Heng was so startled that she trembled all over, her speech becoming incoherent: “Your-Your-Your Highness, I’m taking it back right now.”

It wasn’t that Liang Xiao’s threat had worked, but for so many years, Liang Xiao was the second person besides her mother to touch her ankle.

Even though they were both women and there was no reason to be shy, Yan Heng felt somehow awkward all over.

Liang Xiao released her hand, and Yan Heng hastily retracted both feet, changing the subject: “Your Highness came to see me tonight, is there something important?”

Liang Xiao slowly pulled a book from her sleeve: “Nothing important. You’ve spent quite some effort trying to restore my memory, so tonight I’ll accompany you to read.”

Yan Heng was slightly stunned upon hearing this. Liang Xiao had already spread the book on the table, looking at her with a calm and serene gaze.

Yan Heng moved from the chair to the stone stool, turned up the candle flame a bit more so it wouldn’t strain her eyes while reading.

The two sat in silence, save for the occasional faint glow emanating from Yan Heng’s fingertips, adding a different color to the quiet scene.

After an unknown period of time, when Liang Xiao looked up to stretch her muscles, she noticed Yan Heng slumped over the table, already asleep.

Her left cheek was buried in her arms, and the right half of her face was upward. The flickering candlelight played across her face, capturing all the beauty in the tear mole beneath her eye.

Under the lamp, a person’s silhouette is softened, faintly outlining a charm that tugs at the heartstrings.

Yan Heng mumbled something unconsciously. Liang Xiao leaned in slightly and heard her say: “Xiao Xiao, don’t pull the fur from the top of my head…”

Liang Xiao: “…”

What a deep-seated grudge, to remember it even now.

That intimate address, “Xiao Xiao,” made Liang Xiao feel a little embarrassed. She rubbed her forehead, looking helpless, and gently pushed Yan Heng.

“Wake up, go inside to sleep if you’re sleepy.”

Yan Heng raised her head in confusion, muttering: “Am I still dreaming?”

Liang Xiao: “…No.”

Yan Heng shook her fox head: “I was a little sleepy and accidentally fell asleep.”

Liang Xiao turned her head and gave a slight cough: “About plucking your fur when you were little, consider it a debt I owe you.”

Yan Heng looked confused: “What?”

“Ahem, you were talking in your sleep just now.” Liang Xiao’s expression was a little unnatural, as if she were a thief with a guilty conscience.

Yan Heng didn’t mind much: “Oh, it’s nothing serious. I wasn’t bald when I transformed into human form, and it slowly grew back later.”

Then she realized something and narrowed her fox eyes slightly: “How could Your Highness eavesdrop on another fox’s dream talk?”

This was originally an ungentlemanly act, and with Yan Heng’s teasing, Liang Xiao felt even more embarrassed.

She feigned a righteous appearance: “Since you dream of me every time, shouldn’t I be allowed to know what I look like in your dreams?”

For some reason, her explanation only seemed to expose her true feelings even more.

“I’ve never asked, what do you usually dream about?” Liang Xiao had been curious about this for a long time but hadn’t found the right time to ask.

Yan Heng supported her head and thought for a moment: “There are many things. There are scenes of playing with you when you were little, scenes of you coming to Flowing Cloud Mountain, and scenes of you after you grew up.”

She paused for a moment, then continued: “I dream of going to the demon market with Your Highness, going to Flowing Cloud Mountain to catch rabbits, and visiting the places I’ve been…”

The things Yan Heng talked about were mostly experiences Liang Xiao had never had, and some even sparked a sense of longing in her.

If she weren’t in the deep palace and weren’t a princess, she would probably be a cheerful woman like Yan Heng.

Seeing Liang Xiao silent for a long time, Yan Heng called softly: “Your Highness?”

Liang Xiao collected her thoughts: “Luckily you didn’t dream of anything improper.”

Yan Heng pouted in exasperation: “Your Highness can rest assured, whether in a dream or in reality, I won’t defile you.”

Liang Xiao nodded with a relieved look, bent her index finger, and gently tapped the book on the table: “If you’re tired, go back inside to rest.”

Yan Heng shook her head: “There’s still some time before bed. I’ll read a little longer.”

Liang Xiao didn’t press her: “Then I’ll stay with you a little longer, too.” She propped her head on her hand, leaning against the table, staring at Yan Heng reading, and after a moment of thought, said, “I’ve been contemplating these past few days and have come up with a way for you to fake your death and leave the palace.”

Yan Heng’s eyes instantly brightened: “What way?!”

“Since ancient times, childbirth has been a trip through the gates of hell for women. Therefore, you need to fake a pregnancy, and then pretend to die in childbirth due to a difficult labor. With a slight cover-up from me, I can take you out of the palace,” Liang Xiao rubbed her temples, “Only, if you do this, you will have committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor. Once discovered—”

“What is there to fear? I’m a demon, I have an illusion powerful enough to fool the Emperor,” Yan Heng said with a smile.

The moon hung high, and the bright moonlight shone down on the two figures seated opposite each other, illuminating their silent forms and their gradually opening hearts.

Half a month later, Yan Heng pulled her head out from a pile of books and shouted in surprise: “It’s done!”

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