The Female Lead is Quite Unusual - Episode 72

“This longevity fruit melts in your mouth and has the effects of prolonging life and preserving beauty. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to store. We picked it and rushed here posthaste, hoping Your Majesty would consume it early to maintain your youthful beauty forever.”

 

Prince of Wu presented another pile of jewelry and then narrowed his peach-blossom eyes, gazing at Sheng Qian with a look full of unspoken words, his face filled with worry as he reminded her.

 

Sheng Qian showed no expression and merely nodded, placing the longevity fruit on the edge of the table.

 

Lin Wan breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Prince of Wu’s words seemed to hint that Sheng Qian should consume the fruit as soon as possible. He had clearly pinpointed the desire of women to maintain their youth and beauty, and his words carried a subtle persuasion.

 

The more Lin Wan thought about it, the more uneasy she felt: she couldn’t shake the feeling that Prince of Wu was scheming something.

 

Moreover, if such a longevity fruit truly existed in this world, the previous emperor, who had been so obsessed with prolonging life, would surely have tried it. It was highly likely that the fruit did not possess the so-called life-extending effects.

 

But Lin Wan couldn’t help doubting herself: all of this was her subjective speculation. Perhaps it was because she subconsciously saw Prince of Wu as a rival in love, leading her to interpret his actions in the worst possible light.

 

But what right did she have to be Prince of Wu’s rival?

 

Lin Wan’s emotions were incredibly complex. She instinctively kept an eye on Prince of Wu’s actions. He continued to lavish attention on Sheng Qian, while Sheng Qian remained indifferent, showing no unusual reaction to his behavior.

 

Prince of Wu, however, was not discouraged and still wore a smile on his face.

 

Before long, palace maids and eunuchs came forward with trays, serving an array of fruits, vegetables, and dishes.

 

The banquet was full of variety as well. One moment, a minister pushed his son forward to perform a sword dance, and the next, someone volunteered to paint a scene capturing the moment.

 

At the banquet, many people went to great lengths to catch Sheng Qian’s eye.

 

Who knew whom Sheng Qian would ultimately favor?

 

Witnessing all of this, Lin Wan felt a faint ache in her heart, along with a sense of relief.

 

Judging by the current situation, it wouldn’t be long before Sheng Qian came to her senses and found someone she wanted to spend her life with.

 

By then, Lin Wan would have completely given up.

 

“May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings, a prosperous nation and peaceful people, and may all your wishes come true soon.”

 

Hu Yi, now a general, stood up, glanced at Lin Wan beside Sheng Qian, and raised his glass to toast Sheng Qian.

 

“Soon!”

 

Sheng Qian curved her lips slightly, raised her glass, and drank it all in one go.

 

Hu Yi’s toast set the precedent, and soon many others came forward to offer their toasts.

 

Lin Wan dared not let Sheng Qian get drunk.

 

With so many people watching like hawks, if Sheng Qian were to get drunk, it would create an opportunity for someone to take advantage.

 

After drinking a few glasses, Sheng Qian set her cup down on the table, intending to excuse herself from the banquet on the pretext of being unable to handle more alcohol, so she could spend some alone time with Lin Wan.

 

However, Lin Wan didn’t notice Sheng Qian’s reaction. Seeing so many people toasting, Lin Wan grew extremely worried. Already displeased by all the attention Sheng Qian was receiving, she assumed Sheng Qian had put down her cup because she couldn’t handle any more. All her pent-up emotions surged, and Lin Wan couldn’t help but pick up Sheng Qian’s wine cup.

 

“Your Majesty cannot handle more alcohol. I’ll drink for her.”

 

Sheng Qian’s eyes widened slightly, but before she could stop her, Lin Wan had already raised the cup and started drinking.

 

Sheng Qian knew Lin Wan’s alcohol tolerance and had been planning to spend some intimate time with her later. Of course, she didn’t want to be with a drunk.

 

However, Lin Wan had already made her statement, and Sheng Qian couldn’t very well stop her. Instead, she cast a warning glance at the ministers below.

 

Most of the ministers were shrewd; having spent time with Sheng Qian, they understood the meaning behind her gaze. Under her watchful eyes, the hands holding their wine cups trembled slightly.

 

Deng Ping was not adept at maneuvering and didn’t grasp Sheng Qian’s expression. After all, she often looked at him that way. But seeing Lin Wan step in to drink on her behalf, he worried she might get drunk. Even though officials from various regions were gathered and it wasn’t his place as a mere Ministry of Revenue official to speak up, Deng Ping couldn’t help but interject.

 

“Your Majesty is not skilled in drinking. On such an elegant occasion, why not substitute tea for wine to celebrate Your Majesty’s boundless blessings.”

 

“Minister Deng speaks wisely.”

 

Sheng Qian finally spoke.

 

Her gaze remained icy, but now that chill was directed solely at Deng Ping.

 

The others, seeing her expression, realized the focus had shifted to Deng Ping and nodded in agreement. “Minister Deng makes a valid point.”

 

However, while the court officials knew how to read Sheng Qian’s expressions, those from other countries did not.

 

Soon, a dancer approached with a cup of wine held between her teeth, her eyes seductive as she knelt before Sheng Qian.

 

Another performer, after a sword dance, used the tip of his sword to lift a cup of wine as a toast to Sheng Qian.

 

Sheng Qian secretly grasped Lin Wan’s hand, trying to stop her, but Lin Wan merely smiled at her, disregarding her expression, and picked up a wine cup from the table to return the toasts.

 

Sheng Qian pressed her lips together, watching Lin Wan, who was clearly growing tipsy. Her eyes then swept over the increasingly smug Prince of Wu, narrowing slightly. Meeting his gaze, she suddenly broke into a smile.

 

She had long since uncovered the truth: these people, seemingly from different countries, were all under Prince Wu’s command.

 

Sheng Qian had initially disdained his petty tricks, but now that he had disrupted her plans and caused Lin Wan to drink, she would not let him off.

 

Sheng Qian opened the gift box of longevity nuts sent by Prince Wu, a trace of mockery flashing in her eyes. Meeting Prince Wu’s slightly widened gaze, she ordered a palace maid to wash the nuts.

 

After the maid washed and presented the nuts, a eunuch sampled a piece and detected nothing amiss. Sheng Qian then slowly ate the entire longevity nut.

 

Prince Wu’s smile deepened at the corners of his mouth.

 

Seeing that Sheng Qian had finished the nut, he stood up, his eyes filled with affection as he looked at her. “Your Majesty, I boldly request that you personally drink this cup of wine.”

 

Lin Wan had a low tolerance for alcohol and, though she hadn’t drunk much, felt dizzy and heavy-headed. But upon hearing these words, she sobered up instantly and couldn’t help but look at Sheng Qian.

 

Meeting her slightly widened eyes, Sheng Qian curved her lips and drank the wine on the table.

 

At that moment, the bitterness in Lin Wan’s heart peaked.

 

Indeed, Sheng Qian treated Prince Wu somewhat differently. Lin Wan understood Sheng Qian’s nature. If she disliked him, she would never have granted him such face.

 

Lin Wan sat down in a daze, her mood growing increasingly distressed. She forced herself to suppress it, afraid others would notice anything amiss.

 

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before she saw Sheng Qian press a hand to her forehead, frowning as she spoke. “I’m feeling a bit dizzy and will retire to the palace now. Everyone, please enjoy yourselves.”

 

Sheng Qian tugged Lin Wan under the table once more, and Lin Wan’s muddled mind finally caught on. She stood up and “supported” Sheng Qian as they left the banquet.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, it seemed Prince Wu had also risen and exited.

 

Lin Wan had never been able to hold her liquor well. Once she stood, the alcohol rushed to her head, making her feel increasingly dizzy. She rubbed her temples, trying her best to endure it, but as soon as the cold wind outside hit her, she couldn’t hold back and vomited before they had gone far.

 

“Wanwan, you…”

 

There was still some distance to their bedchamber. Alarmed by Lin Wan’s state, Sheng Qian hurriedly steadied her as she swayed unsteadily.

 

“I’m fine…”

 

Though Lin Wan insisted she was all right, Sheng Qian found a nearby palace room, carried Lin Wan inside, and fed her a sobering soup, urging her to rest properly.

 

After drinking the soup, Lin Wan began to sober up a little, but she couldn’t bring herself to face Sheng Qian. She had intended to help, yet ended up becoming a burden.

 

So, she pretended to be asleep.

 

Seeing Lin Wan seemingly fast asleep, though her fluttering eyelashes betrayed her, Sheng Qian sighed inwardly at Lin Wan’s clumsy acting.

 

But with the matter of Prince Wu to attend to, Sheng Qian didn’t linger. She stood up, signaled to the hidden guards outside to protect Lin Wan, and then left with a cold expression.

 

As she stepped out, her gaze subtly swept over a certain corner, her lips curling in a mocking smile. Since Prince Wu kept stirring up trouble and had caused Lin Wan to end up in such a state, he shouldn’t blame her for retaliating.

 

＊

 

Hearing the sound of the door closing, Lin Wan quietly let out a sigh of relief.

 

She was no longer sleepy and planned to return to her own courtyard soon. However, not long after, the sound of a scuffle came from outside.

 

Lin Wan rushed out in a panic to find the hidden guards restraining two suspicious-looking palace maids.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

During the struggle, the cloth bundle the maids were carrying had come undone, spilling an assortment of items onto the ground. Lin Wan’s eyes fell on a wig, palace maid attire, hairpins. Her eyelids twitched, and an involuntary guess flashed through her mind.

 

The hidden guards had their special methods, and it didn’t take long for the two maids to confess.

 

“Prince Wu has been trying to seduce the emperor for a long time without success. Now that he’s about to leave, he decided to take a desperate gamble to force the issue. The longevity fruit he offered isn’t poisonous, but when mixed with alcohol, it turns into an aphrodisiac.”

 

“That kind of drug weakens the limbs even the most chaste woman wouldn’t be able to resist it, and there’s no antidote.”

 

Prince Wu, having seen Sheng Qian head to the study, had instructed these two women to disguise him as a palace maid so he could sneak in.

 

By then, Prince Wu had already gone to knock on the study door. These two maids had come to pack their belongings but ended up captured by Lin Wan.

 

Lin Wan had suspected Prince Wu’s intentions were impure, but she never imagined he would resort to such a vile method!

 

The thought of what Sheng Qian might be facing now filled Lin Wan with anxiety. She dashed frantically toward the study.

 

“Don’t let anyone else in!”

 

Without bothering to explain to the maids guarding the door, she pushed it open with a sense of dread, bracing herself for the worst.

 

Yet, the scene inside the study was nothing like what she had imagined.

 

Sheng Qian sat alone behind the desk, seemingly writing a letter, with no one else around.

 

Seeing Lin Wan rush in breathlessly, Sheng Qian lifted her eyes and called out with a hint of confusion, “Wanwan.”

 

“Come with me to see the imperial physician.”

 

Sheng Qian didn’t seem to have lost her senses yet.

 

Realizing this, Lin Wan breathed a sigh of relief, nearly on the verge of joyful tears.

 

Noticing Sheng Qian’s strange gaze, Lin Wan hurried over and grabbed her hand. “To make it short, that damned Prince of Wu set you up. That fruit, when combined with wine, becomes that kind of drug. Hurry and come with me to see the imperial physician.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Sheng Qian spoke softly, glanced at the panting Lin Wan, her gaze lingering on Lin Wan’s flushed lips. Her eyes flickered, and she lowered her head but made no move.

 

“Qianqian?”

 

Lin Wan couldn’t pull her along. When she turned back to look, she noticed Sheng Qian’s appearance had clearly changed.

 

Sheng Qian’s other hand had already undone her belt, and her clothes had slipped loose.

 

“No wonder I’ve been feeling so uncomfortable.”

 

Her cheeks were flushed with a noticeable blush, her eyes had grown moist, and her breathing became extremely rapid. Meeting Lin Wan’s gaze, her voice turned so seductive it seemed to drip with honey: “Wanwan, I’m sorry! I think the drug is taking effect. I can’t move at all.”

 

Seeing Sheng Qian’s state, Lin Wan felt as if she had been struck hard on the head, her mind buzzing with noise.

 

“Hold on a little longer!” Lin Wan gritted her teeth, quickly turned away, and tried to fetch the imperial physician herself. “I… I’ll bring the imperial physician to you.”

 

Although the palace maid had said the drug had no antidote, there was no guarantee the imperial physician wouldn’t have another solution.

 

But before Lin Wan could take a step, Sheng Qian behind her collapsed weakly to the ground, clutching at the hem of Lin Wan’s trousers.

 

Instinctively, Lin Wan turned to help Sheng Qian up, only to find her hair disheveled, her clothes half-removed, looking pitiful and tearful as she gazed up at Lin Wan from below.

 

Seeing Sheng Qian like this, Lin Wan felt as if her feet were nailed to the spot, unable to take another step.

 

“Wanwan, I can’t hold on anymore.”

 

Sheng Qian’s voice carried a clear sob: “You…”

 

She seemed to struggle with her words, hesitating for a long while before finally making up her mind and grabbing Lin Wan’s hand again. “You—you help me. I don’t want the imperial physician to see me like this…”

 

Lin Wan felt as if her entire being were about to explode.

 

What this “help” implied, Lin Wan didn’t dare to think about.

 

“I—”

 

Lin Wan swallowed hard, her face flushed red. With great effort, she suppressed the turmoil inside and tried to step forward. “I’ll have the imperial physician wait outside first. I’ll come in and get you settled, then let the physician in.”

 

Lin Wan didn’t finish her sentence.

 

Sheng Qian had, at some point, undone her belt, and her outer robe suddenly slipped halfway down.

 

Damn it, Sheng Qian seemed to have lost all reason.

 

Lin Wan gave up trying to reason with Sheng Qian in this state. She grabbed Sheng Qian’s restless hands, avoiding looking at her, and decided to pretend to comply. In a hoarse voice, she coaxed, “The floor is dirty. Let’s go to the bed.”

 

Sheng Qian finally listened but didn’t let go, speaking in a delicate, pleading tone, “Wanwan, help me up.”

 

Lin Wan had just helped Sheng Qian to her feet when Sheng Qian leaned in to kiss her cheek. Flustered, Lin Wan tried to push her away, but despite the palace maid’s claim that the drug would leave her weak and limp, Sheng Qian remained unmoved.

 

The small couch was right beside them. Following the plan, Lin Wan mustered more strength to shove Sheng Qian onto the couch, intending to turn and fetch the imperial physician.

 

This time, she succeeded in moving Sheng Qian, but Sheng Qian used the momentum to pull Lin Wan down onto the couch with her!

 

As Lin Wan struggled to break free, Sheng Qian kissed her again. She seemed to retain a sliver of clarity, whispering between kisses in a pitiful, tearful voice, “Wanwan, do you despise me so much that you won’t even help me?”

 

“This isn’t about helping or not.”

 

Gathering her scattered wits, Lin Wan gritted her teeth and replied, “Qianqian, you’re not in your right mind. I don’t want this to drive a wedge between us later.”

 

Before she could finish, Sheng Qian sealed her lips with another kiss.

 

Though Sheng Qian should have been weakened by the drug, her kisses were fierce and relentless. After a few moments of struggle, Lin Wan felt as if the drug’s effects were spreading to her; her body growing soft and pliant.

 

“Qianqian, we really can’t go on like this. This isn’t how it should be between us.”

 

Mustering her last shred of willpower, Lin Wan whispered.

 

Yet all her resistance crumbled at the sight of Sheng Qian’s glistening tears.

 

“Sister, I’m begging you, please help me! In this world, you’re the only one I want to touch me.”

 

Sheng Qian’s plea was soft and alluring, tender enough to melt the hardest of hearts.

 

How could Lin Wan bear to see her like this?

 

The defenses she had painstakingly built shattered in an instant.

 

It had been so long since Sheng Qian called her “sister.” If she weren’t truly suffering beyond endurance, she would never be in such a state.

 

Maybe she should just give in.

 

If Sheng Qian resented her afterward, then she deserved the blame.

 

“Alright.”

 

Clenching her jaw, Lin Wan heard her own voice, faint as a mosquito’s hum.

 

“But I don’t know how to be gentle. I’m afraid I might hurt you.”

 

Closing her eyes, Lin Wan released her tight grip on her collar.

 

“So, you should be on top.”