After Becoming a Concubine, I Took Down the Princess - Chapter 35
In “The Eleventh Month”:
The very next day, Yuan De was brought into the Imperial Palace.
In the Hall of Qian Yuan, incense was burning. A woman dressed in pink was standing by a table, grinding ink for Liang Shu.
“My dear consort, if you are tired, you should rest,” Liang Shu stopped writing and held the hand that was grinding the ink.
The woman smiled gently, “I am not tired. It is the Emperor who has been reading memorials for so long and should take a break.”
Liang Shu coughed a few times, “Let Me finish these last few.”
The woman responded with a “Yes,” pulled up her sleeves, poured a cup of tea, and offered it to Liang Shu’s hand.
“Your Majesty, Consort Lian, Prince Chen has brought a Daoist priest for an audience,” Eunuch Zhao bowed, holding his fly-whisk.
Consort Lian was about to withdraw, but Liang Shu stopped her, “No matter, you may stay here.”
“Yes.” Consort Lian stopped and stood beside Liang Shu.
Liang Xuan stepped in, bowed, and said, “Greetings to Imperial Brother, greetings to the Consort.”
Yuan De followed behind him and also bowed.
Liang Shu waved his hand, allowing them to rise, “Fifth Brother, who is the person you’ve brought?”
Yuan De stepped forward, “Reporting to the Emperor, this humble Daoist is a wandering priest who knows a bit of medicine.”
Liang Shu scrutinized him, “Knows a bit of medicine?”
Liang Xuan chimed in, “Indeed. He happens to be able to cure some intractable diseases, so your subject wished to ask him to examine Imperial Brother’s illness.”
Liang Shu nodded. A nearby guard inspected Yuan De and then let him approach to take the pulse.
Consort Lian made way for him, standing to the side.
Yuan De glanced at her, his pupils constricting as if he had seen something extraordinary.
**
“That year, after Yuan De examined Imperial Brother’s pulse, he immediately said it was poisoning. After he prescribed a detoxifying formula for Imperial Brother to take, the coughing truly stopped at the time, but unfortunately, a chronic illness was left behind. What a pity, what a pity.” As he spoke, Liang Xuan sighed and shook his head.
Liang Xiao echoed, “The State Preceptor truly possesses extraordinary powers.”
After saying this, she seemed to have thought of something, “May Imperial Uncle retrieve that fan so I can take a look?”
Liang Xuan immediately waved for a servant to find the box.
As they spoke, the two looked out of the window. The weather outside had turned gloomy at some point, and dark clouds had gathered again, making the room somewhat dim.
While waiting for the servant to retrieve the item, Liang Xiao curiously asked, “Since the State Preceptor said the fan was ominous, has Imperial Uncle never taken it out to look at it again?”
Liang Xuan regretted, “Originally, I still thought about it a bit, but I didn’t dare to move it rashly. Later, Imperial Brother granted me new ones, and I gradually forgot about it.”
Liang Xiao nodded in understanding.
The servant was efficient and brought the fan up shortly.
Liang Xiao opened the box, took the fan in her hand, and looked at it over and over, finding no clues.
She had to give up, put the fan back, and rose to leave. Liang Xuan said, “Why not stay at the manor for a simple meal?”
Liang Xiao waved her hand, “Thank you for your kindness, Imperial Uncle, but I should return to the palace first.”
The two ceased formalities. The Prince sent people to escort Liang Xiao out of the manor, and only left after watching the carriage disappear at the end of the street.
As soon as Liang Xiao got into the carriage, Yue Ying returned with the chestnut crisps from Yufangzhai.
This shop had a daily limited supply, and Liang Xiao didn’t originally pay attention to such things. It was only a few days ago, when she overheard Yue Zhou and another young palace maid mention it, that she remembered this shop.
The fox in the palace was so greedy, and Liang Xiao couldn’t wait to go back and feed her.
As soon as she heard footsteps approaching, Yan Heng jumped up from the couch. When Liang Xiao stepped into the room, she happened to be bumped into in a full embrace.
Yan Heng wrapped her arms around Liang Xiao’s waist, contentedly rubbed against Liang Xiao’s chest, and whined, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long, Your Highness.”
Yue Hua silently retreated and gently closed the door.
Liang Xiao pinched her face and held up the paper bag in front of Yan Heng, shaking it, “I bought this for you. Want to try it?”
Yan Heng was about to reach for it, but Liang Xiao raised the pastry higher and teased, “Do you want the pastry or me?”
She smiled radiantly, her face like a bright, warm sun, leaving Yan Heng staring blankly.
She shamelessly abandoned her desire for food and leaned toward Liang Xiao’s lips, giving a soft lick.
“Then Your Highness tastes better.”
Before Liang Xiao could react, Yan Heng boldly moved closer, licked open Liang Xiao’s lips, and presented a kiss.
Liang Xiao raised her hand, cupped the back of Yan Heng’s neck, and deepened the kiss.
Yan Heng held a chestnut crisp in one hand, listening as Liang Xiao generally recounted what she had learned today.
One side of her cheek was puffed up, and she frowned, saying, “So, on the day of the examination, the State Preceptor discovered that the Consort was a demon.”
Liang Xiao poured her a cup of tea, “Eat slower, be careful not to choke.”
Yan Heng, with her mouth full, answered with a few “woo woo woos.”
Liang Xiao laughed, “I know. I’ll send someone to buy more in a few days.”
Yan Heng swallowed the pastry in her mouth and said in surprise, “How did Your Highness know what I was saying?”
“Don’t I know you?” Liang Xiao pushed the plate of pastry closer to Yan Heng.
Yan Heng smiled and continued her earlier point, “But why did the State Preceptor and the Emperor think the Consort was the one who administered the poison?”
Liang Xiao shook her head, “I don’t know.”
Yan Heng pondered, “Then there must be someone in the Harem who colluded with Yuan De to frame the Consort.”
Liang Xiao, “That should be the case.”
Yan Heng slammed the table, “Then Noble Consort Yu is the most suspicious, isn’t she?”
Liang Xiao hesitated slightly, “That’s what you say, but we have no evidence to accuse her.”
The two sat opposite each other, frowning for a long time, still unable to find anything to point a finger at Noble Consort Yu.
Liang Xiao sighed softly, “Never mind, we can discuss this slowly later.”
She turned to look at Yan Heng and changed the subject, “To this day, I still don’t know Ah Heng’s birthday.”
Yan Heng hadn’t expected her to bring this up, and her face froze, “Huh?”
Liang Xiao took the hand Yan Heng had placed on the table into her palm and gently asked, “When were you born?”
Yan Heng tilted her head, “The ninth day of the twelfth lunar month. It was a snowy day.”
After speaking, she casually waved her hand, “I’ve lived for so long, I don’t really care about birthdays anymore.”
Liang Xiao continued to ask, “So, after your birthday, how old will you be?”
Yan Heng counted on her fingers, “One hundred and five.”
Liang Xiao: I’ve gotten myself into a grandmother-granddaughter romance…
She turned her head and coughed unnaturally, “Demons, the lifespan of demons is truly long.”
Yan Heng quickly denied, “No, no, not completely.”
Meeting Liang Xiao’s questioning gaze, she explained, “It still depends on the species. For example, the lifespan of some birds, flowers, and grasses will be shorter.”
She thought for a moment and added, “Someone like us can actually only live for four or five hundred years, that’s all.”
After this was said, a sudden silence fell between the two.
This was the problem they had to face.
The lifespan of the Fox Clan was several times longer than that of humans. What if after a hundred years…
After a long while, Yan Heng squeezed Liang Xiao’s fingers: “There are ways to extend the lifespan of humans.”
Liang Xiao turned her head and smiled at her: “Let’s not talk about this for now.”
Yan Heng got up, walked over to Liang Xiao, and sat down next to her: “Then when is Your Highness’s birthday?”
Liang Xiao touched her face: “The seventeenth of the fifth month.”
Yan Heng looked regretful: “I hadn’t even entered the palace at that time this year, so I can only prepare for Your Highness next year.”
Liang Xiao didn’t seem to care about it: “It’s enough for you to stay by my side.”
Yan Heng wrapped her arms around Liang Xiao’s neck, facing her: “I will always, always stay with Your Highness.”
The investigation was temporarily put aside. The two had nothing urgent to do for a time, and they didn’t feel bored during the day.
When night fell, Yan Heng held the finally-embroidered sachet under the lamp, looking at it again and again, her heart filled with sweetness.
She pressed the sachet against her chest, wondering how to give Liang Xiao this surprise.
Now, for the convenience of the investigation, Liang Xiao brought Yan Heng to live with her in the palace. With the art of disguise, Yan Heng wasn’t worried about being discovered. She spent her days nestled in the Liu Yang Palace, and sometimes went out with Liang Xiao to stroll around. This life was exceedingly carefree.
The weather was gradually turning colder. It was already the eleventh lunar month (Dōng Yuè – Winter Month). Seeing that it was getting colder by the day outside, Liang Shu even specially sent someone to deliver thick winter clothes for Liang Xiao.
“These, these are fox furs?” Yan Heng pointed at the clothes held by the little eunuch from the Imperial Household Department and asked with a trembling voice.
The little eunuch replied: “Answering the Consort/Auntie, these are all fine furs, stripped off in one complete piece—”
“Shut up!” Yan Heng interrupted him. She wanted to touch the fur, but her hand stopped mid-air.
Yue Zhou saw her distress and hurriedly waved her hands to dismiss the person: “My Highness detests killing. Eunuch, please quickly send these things back.”
The little eunuch saw Yan Heng’s expression and felt like this palace maid was about to devour someone the next second. He quickly apologized, took the coats, and scurried away.
Yan Heng sat on the small couch, looking ready to cry.
“How could they be so cruel…” she muttered, clutching her clothes.
Yue Zhou immediately asked someone to invite the Princess over. Liang Xiao, hearing the news, rushed back from the Empress’s palace.
As soon as she entered the room, she saw Yan Heng with red-rimmed eyes, sitting blankly on the couch.
A little palace maid had already told her everything on her way over. Liang Xiao waved her hand to dismiss the servants and pulled Yan Heng into her arms.
“I won’t let you see anything related to that again in the future,” Liang Xiao soothed in a low voice.
Yan Heng nodded and buried her face in Liang Xiao’s shoulder.
Liang Xiao gently stroked her back: “It was my oversight; I should have informed the Imperial Household Department earlier.”
Yan Heng’s voice came muffled from within the embrace: “Your Highness, don’t blame yourself.”
As Liang Xiao was comforting her, her peripheral vision caught sight of something fallen on the floor.
“Ah Heng, is this your sachet?”
Hearing this, Yan Heng suddenly looked up: “Oh dear, how did it fall!”
She quickly jumped off the couch, picked up the sachet with a heartbroken expression, and carefully brushed off the dust.
Holding the sachet, she turned to Liang Xiao and said: “It’s the one I embroidered for Your Highness. It must have fallen accidentally just now.”
Liang Xiao took the item from her hand: “Ah Heng knows how to embroider?”
Distracted by this, Yan Heng also forgot her previous sadness and shook her head, saying: “I didn’t originally; this is the first thing I’ve ever embroidered.”
Liang Xiao immediately tied the sachet to her waist: “Then I must wear it close to me and admire it every day.”
Yan Heng giggled: “My craftsmanship is hardly worthy of being looked at every day.”
Liang Xiao also smiled: “The skilled artisans in the palace absolutely cannot compare.”
Yan Heng sat down beside Liang Xiao, slightly dejected: “I originally planned to prepare a surprise for Your Highness, but I didn’t expect this thing to be so disobedient.”
Liang Xiao stroked her head: “No matter, this is also very nice.”
The two sat idly in the palace for a while. The underfloor heating was too warm, making one drowsy.
Yan Heng took Liang Xiao’s hand and invited: “Does Your Highness want to take a little nap with your concubine?”
Liang Xiao looked at her meaningfully: “A little nap?”
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