“Concubine Shen has such a fine figure, she’s sure to conceive a child soon.”
Matron Gui’s rough hands slid over Shen Lingshu’s body, pinching here and pressing there. Though not physically painful, the humiliation was intense.
Shen Lingshu closed her eyes, suppressing the discomfort in her heart: she absolutely refused to be a concubine who could be molded and manipulated at will!
A delicate, fragile face, and a body prone to pregnancy!
Matron Gui’s eyes turned a shade colder as she said, “The two concubines may bathe now.”
“Concubine Hai.”
Shen Lingshu rose directly from the couch and walked toward the two bathtubs, completely unclothed. Her slender waist seemed as if it could be held in one hand, while her full, rounded body trembled slightly, like a ripe peach, tempting to be plucked.
Shameless!
Hai Jiaren averted her gaze, inwardly cursing the slut. She hadn’t even received the Prince’s favor yet—who was she trying to impress with that seductive appearance?
“Concubine Hai is wearing roses, so I’ll leave the rose-scented bathtub for her.”
Shen Lingshu stepped onto a stool, lifted her long leg, and directly entered the jasmine-scented bathtub.
“No!”
Hai Jiaren anxiously grabbed Shen Lingshu’s hand, saying, “Matron Gui said the jasmine bathtub is mine.”
“Matron Gui?”
Before Hai Jiaren could receive a response from Matron Gui, a splashing sound came from behind her. She turned to see Shen Lingshu already in the jasmine bathtub, smiling faintly. “Concubine Hai, no need to thank me!”
“…”
Hai Jiaren’s lips twitched, with countless curses swirling in her heart. Who wanted to thank her?
Matron Gui frowned and reminded her, “Concubine Hai, hurry and bathe. If the Prince returns early, you can serve him sooner.”
“Matron Gui, could we change the water? I… I think this water is a bit cold.” Hai Jiaren looked at the bathtub floating with red roses, her entire body radiating rejection. “And I really don’t like roses,” she added, swallowing nervously.
Matron Gui glanced at the rose embroidery on Hai Jiaren’s dress and said coldly, “If you delay the time to serve the Prince, Concubine Hai, you won’t be able to bear the consequences.”
With that, Matron Gui signaled to the maids with a look. Hai Jiaren was immediately forced into the bathtub. Struggling, she was pinned down on either side by two maids, unable to move!
“I…”
Hai Jiaren was on the verge of tears. Shen Lingshu asked with a cheerful smile, “Concubine Hai, are you so unwilling to bathe and change clothes because you don’t want to serve the Prince?”
“No!”
Hai Jiaren denied it quickly, gritting her teeth as she said, “Don’t slander me.” Her face flushed with anxiety.
Matron Gui left the side chamber and entered the inner room. “Lady Hai seems to have tampered with the bathtub, but unfortunately, Lady Shen discovered it,” she reported.
“Fool.”
Side Consort Fang frowned. Had Lady Hai’s brain been kicked by a donkey?
If it weren’t for these lowly women, how could her child have miscarried?
Side Consort Fang’s hand rested on her lower abdomen. The child she had worked so hard to conceive was gone just like that!
She wished she could dig up that lowly woman and whip her corpse to avenge her unborn child.
“You are still young, Side Consort. There will be more children in the future,” Matron Gui comforted her.
“These little sluts—none of them will conceive before I do!” Side Consort Fang’s eyes turned cold. If she couldn’t bear a child, then no one else would either!
“Concubine, rest assured, with the steam rising from the bath, even a physician wouldn’t detect the cold stone powder,” Matron Gui replied, adding, “No matter who serves the Prince, none of them will conceive!”
“Mmm.” Side Consort Fang was reassured.
Matron Gui whispered, “Lady Shen bears a fifty percent resemblance to Princess Consort Lin. Should we…”
A flicker of ruthlessness flashed in Matron Gui’s eyes.
“Hah.”
Side Consort Fang sneered, “Matron Gui must have forgotten the fate of Concubine Qing.”
Concubine Qing, who resembled Princess Consort Lin—everyone thought she would be favored. Yet, the Prince flew into a rage, and Concubine Qing died without ever receiving his favor.
Princess Consort Lin was the Prince’s forbidden scale—touch it, and you perish.
Secluded Orchid Courtyard.
“Prepare water.”
Upon returning to the courtyard, Shen Lingshu ordered water to be prepared for another bath. Perhaps to mask the scent of the cold stone powder, an excessive amount of jasmine had been added. She sniffed, feeling as if she had been marinated in jasmine.
“Concubine, we just bathed at the Side Consort’s place. If we bathe again now, wouldn’t it…” The maid Zhuxin whispered a reminder.
Zhuxin, this loyal girl, was thoughtful and meticulous. Unfortunately, she was later beaten to death for Shen Lingshu’s sake!
Shen Lingshu patted Zhuxin and said, “Do as I say.” She would not let Zhuxin repeat the same tragedy!
“Yes.” Zhuxin responded and immediately sent someone to prepare water.
…
“Prince.”
Zhuxin’s voice sounded from outside. Shen Lingshu, who was bathing, glanced at the sky outside. Wasn’t Prince Lin supposed to be attending the full-month banquet at Prince Heng’s residence?
It wasn’t even dark yet.
The script is tricking me!
Shen Lingshu hurriedly rose from the water. The dense steam blurred her vision, and as she stepped out of the bath, she stumbled.
The overwhelming scent of alcohol filled her nostrils, and she found herself pressed against a solid chest. Looking up, she saw Prince Lin, his expression clouded with drunkenness.
With sword-like brows and starry eyes, he was handsome and dignified, his gaze aloof and distant. Even in his drunken state, he seemed as unattainable as the peak of a snow-capped mountain.
But was his face unusually flushed?
And his body temperature felt like a furnace. Shen Lingshu cleared her throat, about to speak, when a cold voice came from above: “Lift your leg.”
What?
Before Shen Lingshu could react, her leg was hoisted high by a powerful arm. Prince Lin lifted his robe and entered without a trace of tenderness, thrusting so forcefully that Shen Lingshu winced in pain!
Shen Lingshu closed her eyes, all thoughts of vying for favor gone. If she had known Prince Lin was under the influence of an aphrodisiac, she would have preferred breaking out in rashes rather than serving him!
Expecting tenderness from a drugged Prince? Better to play the lute to a cow!
Endure, just endure a little longer.
From outside the bath to the soft couch, again and again…
“Prepare water!”
Prince Lin’s cool voice rang out.
Finally, it was over.
Shen Lingshu thought that after bathing, she would sleep soundly. But as she tried to rise from the soft couch, her legs felt as if they no longer belonged to her.
“Concubine Shen, don’t move.”
Nanny Hua pressed Shen Lingshu back down. One old woman placed a pillow under her hips, while another lifted her legs. The position was even more humiliating than a virginity inspection.
“This way will help the Concubine conceive sooner,” Nanny Hua said, staring at her body. Her gaze lingered on Shen Lingshu’s face—this face…
“Nanny, I’m cold.”
Shen Lingshu felt chilled and damp all over, as if she were a pig waiting to be bred!
A garment was draped over her. Shen Lingshu clutched the fabric, closed her eyes, and gradually tightened her grip.
Favor—it must be fought for!
The Prince—he must be served!
If she were a Concubine, would these old maids dare treat her like this?
After an unknown length of time, Nanny Hua said, “Carry Concubine Shen to the bed.”
“Nanny, can she not bathe?” Shen Lingshu asked in surprise.
“Of course not.”
Nanny Hua refused with a cold expression, turning to the maids and ordering, “Carry her!”
Shen Lingshu watched numbly as two maids, one in front and one behind, carried her back to the bed.
“Nanny Hua, may this servant wipe the Concubine’s body?” Zhuxin stepped forward and asked respectfully. After receiving an affirmative reply, she entered the room with a clean cloth.
“Concubine.” When Zhuxin saw the blue and purple marks on Shen Lingshu’s body, her eyes reddened.