“Has Your Highness come to have dinner with me?”
When Shen Lingshu saw Prince Lin, she smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
As soon as Prince Lin sat down, Shen Lingshu began introducing the dishes beside him: “Sweet and sour pork ribs, tangy and delicious. I had the kitchen adjust the recipe—would Your Highness like to try it? Lotus-scented chicken, which can only be made during this season. Three-shred spring rolls…”
Shen Lingshu’s voice was delicate but not overly sweet, neither hurried nor slow, like a gentle spring breeze or a slowly unfurling scroll painting.
“This jujube flower pastry—I specifically had it made. The jujube paste paired with this flaky crust is absolutely delicious.”
Shen Lingshu acted as if she were presenting a treasure, her peach-blossom eyes sparkling with light.
It wasn’t until a feeling of fullness settled in his stomach that Prince Lin belatedly realized—had he actually overeaten?
Putting down his chopsticks, Prince Lin glanced at Shen Lingshu, who was still eating the jujube paste pastry. It must be because she was eating so delightfully.
After finishing one piece, Shen Lingshu was about to eat the last jujube paste pastry when she paused. Meeting Prince Lin’s gaze, she raised the pastry in her hand, asking with her eyes: Do you want it?
Prince Lin thought: Did the Shen family not feed her? Why is she so greedy?
Shen Lingshu offered it to him. Seeing Prince Lin remain motionless, she directly brought the jujube paste pastry to his lips, smiling brightly as she said, “The filling is made from jujube paste—sour and sweet, and the crust is very crispy.”
With that radiant smile, Prince Lin found himself inexplicably opening his mouth to take a bite.
Up close, her eyes, bright as stars, seemed to shine with dazzling light. The fresh, sweet scent of jasmine made him feel an urge to carry her back to the inner chamber…
“Qingwu, reward her.”
Suppressing the heat in his heart, Prince Lin ordered, and Qingwu immediately went to the kitchen to deliver the reward.
“Your Highness, from now on, I’ll be basking in your favor. I can even ask the kitchen to make delicious food.” Shen Lingshu smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
“Whatever you want to eat, just have the kitchen make it.”
Prince Lin’s words made her star-bright eyes shine even more brilliantly.
After dinner, Prince Lin showed no intention of leaving. When he saw the sutra copied on the desk, his brows furrowed slightly.
“This is something I specifically copied to pray for Your Highness’s blessings, wishing you health and peace year after year.”
Shen Lingshu shyly covered the sutra, looking at him with a bashful, timid expression. “Your Highness mustn’t laugh at my poor handwriting.”
A warmth surged in Prince Lin’s chest. Among all the women in the rear courtyard of the mansion, aside from Qiu Rong, was there anyone else like Shen Lingshu?
The concubines and ladies of the rear courtyard: How unfair!
Was it that they didn’t want to show their devotion?
It was simply that they never had the opportunity!!
“Let me see.” Prince Lin took her hand and opened the sutra. The neat, delicate calligraphy in the “zahua” style immediately conveyed the sincerity of the person who had copied it.
The handwriting was proper and unremarkable, but its neatness was its strength.
“I have an inkstone from Duanxi and a purple-gold wolf-hair brush that will surely help your calligraphy improve.”
As soon as Prince Lin spoke, Qingwu ran off again. Having just returned from the kitchen, Qingwu immediately went to the storeroom to fetch the items, bringing along a thick stack of fine Xuan paper from the mansion.
“Wow, Your Highness, this brush is nothing like the one I have.”
Shen Lingshu exclaimed in delight, thinking to herself: As an unfavored concubine-born daughter, having a brush at all was already good enough. High-quality brushes were completely out of reach.
“Is this enough to satisfy you?”
Her delighted and contented expression greatly amused Prince Lin. He gently tapped her nose and said, “Come, let me teach you.”
Prince Lin wrapped his arms around her from behind, directly pointing out which parts of her characters were poorly written.
Shen Lingshu felt somewhat dazed. The future Emperor Lin’an was highly accomplished in calligraphy, and now he was actually going to teach her how to write?
She glanced sideways, taking in Prince Lin’s tall nose bridge, thick dark eyebrows, and focused eyes. His cool, refreshing scent enveloped her, and the sound of her heart pounding echoed in her ears.
“Not paying attention?”
Prince Lin’s tone rose at the end of the last word, as if it could captivate and enchant.
“Your Highness teaching this concubine how to write has made me so happy I can’t find my bearings.”
Shen Lingshu’s smile deepened. She lowered her head, concealing her expression, silently reminding herself that she must not let her heart be swayed. Otherwise, she wouldn’t even know how she died.
The faint scent of ink gradually immersed Shen Lingshu. It turned out there were so many intricacies to writing with a brush, benefiting her, an amateur enthusiast, greatly.
In Maple Dan Courtyard, Concubine Li had reheated the dishes three times. Upon learning that Prince Lin had gone to Secluded Orchid Courtyard again, she immediately stood up and angrily rushed over.
Upon arriving at Secluded Orchid Courtyard, Concubine Li was struck by the cold wind, instantly feeling chilled to the bone. In the past, concubines who competed for favor had met their end by being beaten to death. She had survived until now precisely because she was timid!
Concubine Li returned to Maple Dan Courtyard in a daze, sitting on her bed and waiting until dawn, but Prince Lin never appeared.
Autumn Crabapple Courtyard.
Although Shen Lingshu had arrived early, in the side hall, aside from the ill Concubine Lin, Side Consort Fang and Concubine Li were both glaring at her with identical, predatory stares.
“Greetings, Side Consort.”
As soon as Shen Lingshu finished her greeting, she immediately spoke with a troubled expression, “Side Consort, Prince Lin came on his own yesterday. It wasn’t this concubine who invited him, and I certainly couldn’t drive him away, could I?”
“It truly isn’t that this concubine doesn’t understand the rules.”
Shen Lingshu’s troubled demeanor only fueled Concubine Li’s anger. Concubine Li snorted coldly, “Stop pretending to be innocent here. Clearly, it was you, this wretched woman, who seduced Prince Lin, and that’s why he…”
“Then Concubine Li should go and seduce Prince Lin too,” Shen Lingshu retorted, leaving Concubine Li fuming with rage!
If she could seduce Prince Lin, would she need Shen Lingshu to say it?
“You promised equal favor for all. Is this what you call fairness and justice, Side Consort?” Concubine Li turned her gaze toward Side Consort Fang.
Side Consort Fang’s expression instantly darkened. She reprimanded coldly, “Concubine Shen is young and beautiful. If Prince Lin visits her a few more times, perhaps she can conceive a child sooner.”
“If you’re dissatisfied, go speak to Prince Lin yourself,” Side Consort Fang said with a stern face.
Wretched woman!
Wasn’t this just mocking her for being old?
Concubine Li’s face instantly turned dark.
After dismissing everyone, Side Consort Fang instructed, “Matron Gui, arrange for Lady Hai to receive the best medicine so she can recover quickly.”
If things continued like this, wouldn’t Prince Lin’s eyes be solely fixed on Shen Lingshu?
For seven consecutive days, Prince Lin stayed in Secluded Orchid Courtyard. It wasn’t until Shen Lingshu began her monthly cycle that Prince Lin rested in the study at the front courtyard.
In the rear courtyard, Side Consort Fang, Concubine Li, and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.
What kind of tricks had Shen Lingshu used to make Prince Lin, who previously visited the rear courtyard only once every five days, now come for seven consecutive days?
Could it truly be because Lady Shen had a face that favored bearing sons and was more likely to conceive?
Side Consort Fang speculated silently and asked, “Matron Gui, how is Lady Hai’s recovery progressing?”
While Shen Lingshu was indisposed, they must seize the opportunity to divert some of the favor away.
“The rash has completely cleared, she is able to serve the Prince,” Matron Gui replied.
“Send someone to the front courtyard to inform the Prince that Lady Hai is ready to serve.”
Side Consort Fang added, “Send someone to notify Lady Hai as well.”
If it weren’t for the fact that her body was still recuperating after the miscarriage, she would never have conceded at a time like this!
Yanhe Courtyard.
When Hai Jiaren received the news that she would soon be serving the Prince, it was as if she had come back to life. Heaven knew how she had endured these days!
Without having received the Prince’s favor, the meals she was served were cold, the maids treated her with indifference, and even when she had her monthly cycle and wanted a sip of brown sugar water, she couldn’t get it. She had no desire to continue living like this.
Fortunately, it would soon be over.
Hai Jiaren dressed herself up like a flower, eagerly waiting for the Prince to arrive. Yet, to her surprise, the Prince never showed up, choosing instead to stay overnight in his study.
Seeing this situation, Side Consort Fang grew anxious in her heart. Matron Gui suggested, “Perhaps the Concubine should personally go and invite the Prince?”