Shen Zhi snapped her eyes open, freezing for a moment after taking in her surroundings clearly.
She had returned once more to the back garden of the Eastern Palace. Just as the Lianxin in front of her raised her hand to strike her again, Yuan Qing’s sharp voice echoed from a distance: “The Crown Prince commands Fengyi Shen to enter for an audience.”
This single sentence from Yuan Qing caused Lianxin’s hand to freeze mid-air. When Liu Yan heard this, the gaze she directed toward Shen Zhi completely shifted.
Yuan Qing strode over. Seeing that Shen Zhi was completely unharmed and carried no injuries on her body, he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
Fortunately, he had arrived in time; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to complete the task entrusted to him by His Highness.
He raised his hands to pay his respects to the two women before him: “Greetings to Side Consort Liu and Fengyi Shen.”
“What matter does His Highness have with Fengyi Shen?” Liu Yan’s phoenix eyes fixed upon Yuan Qing as she parted her vermilion lips to inquire.
Yuan Qing bowed slightly toward her, responding with utmost deference: “This servant does not know. His Highness only ordered this servant to summon Fengyi Shen over. As for the reason, presumably only His Highness alone knows.”
He didn’t know, but Shen Zhi knew. In all likelihood, it was regarding the matter of her rebirth.
Liu Yan let out a heavy snort and glared fiercely at Shen Zhi with her phoenix eyes, her gaze harboring intense dissatisfaction and jealousy.
She turned around and left the back garden supported by Lianxin. On the way back to her own Lanyue Pavilion, Lianxin looked at her and asked in a low voice, “Side Consort Liu, do you intend to just let her off like this?”
“Relying on that face of Fengyi Shen’s, what if she catches His Highness’s eye this time? What should we do then?”
Hearing Lianxin’s words, Liu Yan offered a contemptuous smile and said, “A mere minor Fengyi. If she plays too hard one day and accidentally slips and falls into the lotus pond, that is a common occurrence.”
“No matter how good-looking she is, she still needs the capability to survive in this Eastern Palace.”
Liu Yan spoke very casually, completely disregarding a minor, backgroundless orphan girl.
After all, she had the backing of the entire Liu family behind her.
“It seems Fengyi Shen does not possess that kind of good fortune then,” Lianxin chimed in agreement.
Inside the Crown Prince’s study, after leading the person over, Yuan Qing said with a beaming smile, “Fengyi Shen, please step inside. The Crown Prince has been awaiting you for a long time.”
Hearing this, Shen Zhi raised her hand to push open the study door and stepped inside.
Pei Lian sat properly at the study desk, holding a book in his hand and reading it intently. A faint scent of ambergris permeated the air, and the four treasures of the study were laid out on the desk. On the paper pressed down by a paperweight in front of him, two characters were written.
Pei Lian sat there regally, dressed in those light yellow splendid robes, which were embroidered with pale white clouds. A jade crown adorned his head, binding up his long hair.
Shen Zhi looked at him and raised her hands to pay her respects, her tone carrying a trace of world-weariness: “This concubine pays respects to Your Highness.”
Hearing her voice, Pei Lian raised his head to look at her, his dark eyes landing on Shen Zhi.
“You died again,” Pei Lian spoke, the frigid words spilling from his mouth.
“It is this concubine’s fault,” Shen Zhi took all the blame upon herself. “Please punish me, Your Highness.”
It would be best to sentence her to solitary confinement; that way, she wouldn’t even have to pay her respects to the Crown Princess.
Looking at her current demeanor, Pei Lian frowned.
“We will no longer look into the secrets on your body. However, while you remain by Our side, you had best behave yourself and stay in your place. Furthermore, do not covet things that do not belong to you.”
“Shen Zhi, in this lifetime, you are not allowed to die,” Pei Lian stood up, walked over to stand before Shen Zhi, and spoke as he looked down at her.
“If you dare to die again and ruin Our affairs, We will make you pay the price you deserve.”
As Pei Lian spoke, he raised his hand to gently stroke Shen Zhi’s cheek. Her skin was smooth and delicate, causing Pei Lian to unconsciously caress it a few more times.
“Do you understand clearly?”
Shen Zhi felt the hand on her cheek stroking her face, but she no longer wished to speculate on what the other party meant.
“This concubine understands.” Shen Zhi’s entire being exuded a faint aura of lifelessness, and even her voice lacked any energy.
Leaving the study, Suxin immediately stepped forward upon seeing her emerge and asked in a low voice, “Young mistress, are you alright?”
Shen Zhi shook her head: “I’m fine.”
What could possibly be wrong? It was nothing more than a warning.
Back in Lanxin Pavilion, when Mamah Zhao learned that Shen Zhi had been summoned by His Highness, her heart blossomed with joy.
It had already been over a month since the young mistress entered the Eastern Palace, and she had finally waited for the day of attending to his bed.
His Highness had finally remembered the young mistress.
However, when Shen Zhi returned with Suwen following behind, the smile on her face froze.
“Did the young mistress return so early today?” Mamah Zhao inquired cryptically. “I heard people say you were summoned by His Highness, so why have you returned so early?”
It was currently only midday. The young mistress should be in the study sharing tender moments with His Highness, and when mealtime arrived, the young mistress would attend to His Highness’s dining.
Bathing, attending to the bed—everything would naturally fall into place.
Why return so early?
“Mamah Zhao, I’m hungry,” Shen Zhi looked at her and said with a beaming smile. “I want to eat a large pork trotter.”
In her previous life, she had died too quickly and didn’t even get to eat a meal. This time, she was going to eat her fill!
“Didn’t His Highness summon you over to attend to his bed?” Seeing her completely heartless and carefree demeanor, Mamah Zhao asked directly.
“His Highness only called me over to speak about some matters. Who spread the rumor about attending to the bed?”
“How could a person as diligent, studious, and pure as His Highness engage in daylight debauchery?” Shen Zhi said with absolute seriousness.
Mamah Zhao gave an awkward smile and then shifted the topic: “This old servant will go get the large pork trotter for the young mistress.” She left immediately after speaking.
When the large pork trotter was placed before her, Shen Zhi became entirely excited.
She had finally eaten the large pork trotter she had been yearning for.
After eating, Shen Zhi lay on the bed, hugged her pillow, and fell asleep. The two maids attending to her looked at each other in bewilderment.
“With the young mistress sleeping right after eating her fill like this, her figure will lose its shape. How will she attract His Highness’s attention then?” Mamah Zhao said with a face full of worry.
Sleeping until she woke up naturally, Shen Zhi felt utterly sluggish all over, and her speaking voice carried a hint of grogginess.
“Suwen, I want to drink water.”
Not long after, a large hand with distinct knuckles held a teacup and proffered it before her. Without looking, Shen Zhi took it and began to drink directly.
Drinking one cup wasn’t enough. As she handed the teacup back, she said, “Not enough, I want to drink more.”
When the other party proffered it again, Shen Zhi finally saw clearly the person standing in front of her, and her entire body froze right on the spot.
“Your Highness… why have you come?” Shen Zhi hurriedly climbed down from the bed, and looking at the teacup in front of her, she even felt the urge to die.
She had been muddled from sleep and actually failed to see clearly who the person standing in front of her was.
Ordering the Crown Prince of the dynasty around—would she be dragged out and beheaded?
Pei Lian took the teacup, his gaze landing on her. The young girl before him was wearing a set of white inner garments, her hairstyle slightly disheveled from sleeping, and that fair, petite face was filled with panic and consternation.
Shen Zhi was very fair; not only that, her skin was supple and smooth.
Thinking of this, Pei Lian subconsciously rubbed the hand that had previously stroked her cheek, as if doing so could allow him to feel her temperature.
“We came to see if you were dead,” Pei Lian casually fabricated an excuse.
“This courtyard of yours has too few hands. Later on, We will allocate some personnel over to protect you.”