How Did She End Up in the Eastern Palace…
In the spring of the nineteenth year of Pingyuan, the palace was holding its triennial Grand Selection.
Among the candidates, the Crown Prince had been married for six years but had few children, so four new women were bestowed upon the Eastern Palace this time.
Shen Yanshui was one of the four.
“Sister Shen, you’ve been bestowed upon His Highness the Crown Prince!”
Shen Yanshui listened to the voice beside her, still somewhat excited despite being deliberately lowered, and suppressed her disappointment while adding a few points of confusion.
How did she end up in the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace?
Xu Qingle looked at her expression and asked hesitantly in a soft voice, “Sister Shen… aren’t you happy?”
Shen Yanshui turned to look at her, smiling with curved eyebrows and eyes. “No, I was just too happy for a moment and didn’t react in time.”
Forget it, Crown Prince it is then. The imperial edict has already been issued—what else can she do?
In her previous life, the Post-apocalyptic world arrived when she was in university.
Fortunately, she had relatively good luck and awakened a Wood-element Ability.
Even after transmigrating, her Wood-element Ability still remained.
However, the ability she once wielded as easily as her own arm could now only be sensed by her—not only was it extremely weak, but she couldn’t use it at all.
Fortunately, in this life, she had been born as a young lady of the Loyal and Righteous Count’s household in the Great Yong Dynasty, so she didn’t need to rely on her ability to get by.
Although she was born of a concubine, her Legal Mother was not particularly harsh, and the clothing, food, and expenses for the children of concubines were not treated poorly.
Thus, she had spent sixteen years at home in peaceful stability with food and drink, and with her surroundings being nothing like the crisis-ridden Post-apocalyptic world, she had gradually let go of her obsession with her ability.
Some time ago, under her Legal Mother’s arrangements, she had begun to be matched for marriage.
Regarding this, she had behaved very obediently and compliant.
The Great Yong Dynasty had a prevailing custom of generous dowries.
Her cheap father in this life was at least a count of hereditary nobility, and her Legal Mother was born of a legitimate daughter of a marquis’s household—both were people who valued face.
They wouldn’t treat her poorly when it came to dowry.
However… she hadn’t expected something to go wrong midway.
Three years ago, her Elder Sister who had entered the palace was originally already pregnant when news suddenly came of her miscarriage.
She had also damaged her health as a result and could no longer conceive.
After the household received the letter from Elder Sister, within a few days, her Legal Mother broke off the verbally agreed marriage she had just arranged.
Then she specifically called Shen Yanshui in to speak with her, and the meaning between her words was for her to enter the palace to help her Elder Sister compete for favor and bear children, and that she wouldn’t lack for good days ahead.
Shen Yanshui was naturally unwilling—who wanted to serve an old man? And one who held the power of life and death over everyone at that.
But her refusal was futile.
She didn’t particularly care either.
Who said that after entering the palace she absolutely had to enter the old emperor’s harem?
Thus, during her time learning palace rules, she had spent some effort carefully inquiring about several princes who had reached marriageable age but were still unwed.
Finally, she had chosen the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince was born blind, destined to have no chance at the throne, fated to be a wealthy prince for life. No matter which prince ascended the throne later, none would target the Fifth Prince.
Wealth was secured, food and drink were not a concern, safety was guaranteed—simply perfect!
During this time, she had performed twice before the Fifth Prince’s birth mother, Consort Liang.
A few days ago, looking at Consort Liang’s attitude toward her, she had thought it was settled.
She hadn’t expected that in the end, she would actually enter the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace.
Xu Qingle looked at the light, shallow smile on her face and couldn’t help but stare blankly for a moment.
Shen Yanshui wore a lotus-colored narrow-sleeved silk shirt, covered with a sky-blue half-sleeved long outer garment, her hair arranged in a tasseled bun, her face like congealed cream, her eyebrows like spring mountains, a pair of peach blossom eyes burning with emotion—even without smiling, they already captivated people and made them unable to look away.
Her raven-feather-like eyelashes were long and thick, her pupils bright as if washed by water. Even as a fellow woman, Xu Qingle couldn’t help but feel her face flush and her heart race as she looked.
She looked at her nearly flawless face and said softly with a red face, “With Sister Shen’s appearance, you will certainly gain His Highness the Crown Prince’s favor and affection.”
Shen Yanshui pinched her hand, smiled, and didn’t speak for a moment.
Her Elder Sister currently resided in Noble Consort Lan’s Jingfu Palace and was Noble Consort Lan’s person.
And Noble Consort Lan and the Crown Prince’s birth mother, the current Empress, were as incompatible as fire and water.
It was said that since falling gravely ill two years ago, the Empress had not recovered.
Even for this Grand Selection, the Empress had only shown her face at the very beginning.
All subsequent procedures were jointly managed by the four consorts of Virtue, Goodness, Gentleness, and Morality, along with Noble Consort Lan.
The Crown Prince was the Empress’s only son, while Noble Consort Lan’s two sons, the Fourth Prince and Eighth Prince, had both grown to adulthood.
The Fourth Prince was even only one year younger than the Crown Prince.
She was now somewhat suspicious whether Noble Consort Lan had deliberately wanted to disgust the Empress and the Crown Prince by having her placed in the Eastern Palace.
Or perhaps, was she still planning to have her serve as an internal spy and chess piece later?
She didn’t know. In any case, up to now, no one had secretly approached her.
Her Elder Sister had summoned her to Jingfu Palace twice.
But listening to the meaning between her words, it was also to placate her, wanting her to serve as a child-bearing tool for her.
In any case, whoever looked at her now would probably see her as a chess piece placed by Noble Consort Lan in the Eastern Palace.
Forget about the Crown Prince’s favor and affection—as long as he didn’t vent his anger on her, and preferably treated her as invisible as air, she would be completely satisfied.
Shen Yanshui raised her eyes to look at Xu Qingle and said with a smile in a low voice, “I’ve heard that the Seventh Prince has always been filial. In the future, you should be filial to Concubine Wan together with His Highness.”
Xu Qingle’s delicate and lovely face flushed slightly, and she nodded seriously. “Mn, I will. I’ve remembered everything Sister Shen said.”
She had been bestowed upon the Seventh Prince as a side consort, to be married at the end of this year.
“Have all the young ladies and misses finished packing?” The matron from Chuxiu Palace asked with a smile, her voice and tone noticeably more respectful than usual.
Before today, they were palace maidens who needed to learn palace rules, their fates uncertain.
But now, although some had been eliminated, some were future princesses, and some could already be addressed as “young lady.”
The imperial edict had been issued, and what remained was to be led by palace maids and eunuchs to their respective destinations.
“What did you say? Fourth Sister entered the Eastern Palace?!”
A cry of alarm came from the rear hall of Jingfu Palace.
Shen Ronghua wore a plain-colored silk shirt, her hair unbound, her originally fine features now somewhat pale and thin. Her body, originally reclining on a soft couch, instinctively straightened upon hearing the news.
She looked at her personal maid Xiangmo with a face full of shock. “How could it be the Eastern Palace? You didn’t hear wrong?”
Xiangmo wore a palace maid’s outfit of emerald-green resist-dyed narrow-sleeved round-collared robe, with a goose-yellow waist apron and light green hair ribbons tying her double hanging buns. She frowned, bowed, and replied in a low voice, “Replying to my lady, this servant inquired carefully and absolutely cannot be wrong. Fourth Miss was indeed bestowed upon the Crown Prince by His Majesty.”
The shock on Shen Ronghua’s face did not recede, but instead grew several shades paler. Her thin hand pressed on the small table, whitening from the force, as if she had lost her soul, murmuring to herself, “How could it be the Crown Prince…”
Two months ago, since her miscarriage, she had been having nightmares one after another.
She dreamed that after her miscarriage, she gradually lost the emperor’s favor.
She dreamed that His Majesty died suddenly.
She dreamed that the Crown Prince accidentally contracted an epidemic, beyond help from medicine.
In the end, it was actually the Sixth Prince who ascended the throne…
She, a former imperial concubine who had long lost favor and had no children to rely on, was finally sent to a temple, with only a blue lamp and ancient Buddha, half her life barely surviving!
Meanwhile, her younger sister from birth, Shen Yanshui, who had been lazy and useless since childhood, after marrying a new jinshi, was finally conferred the title of First-rank titled lady, adorned with honor and glory.
One month ago, after comparing and verifying with the events in her dreams, she began to believe everything in those nightmares.
Then, she sent a letter to her mother.
She had ended up so miserable in her previous life—why should Shen Yanshui so easily obtain that wealth and honor?
Her face uncontrollably turned somewhat ugly, revealing jealousy she herself did not notice.
Shen Ronghua touched her lower abdomen. No matter what happened later, if she could raise a child, it would be a guarantee for her future, a path of retreat.
And only with this reason would her father and mother send Shen Yanshui into the palace.
But she had clearly mentioned it to Her Ladyship the Noble Consort, and Her Ladyship had not refused—so why did Fourth Sister end up in the Eastern Palace?
She remembered that after the Crown Prince died, the Sixth Prince did not immediately ascend the throne; the Crown Prince still had a legitimate son.
At that time, the calls in court to establish a grand imperial grandson were very high, simply because the Crown Prince was the legitimate line.
But the Crown Prince’s eldest legitimate son was not in good health, and in the end, it was still the Sixth Prince who ascended…
“…My lady? My lady?” Xiangmo was full of worry.
Seeing her somewhat deranged appearance, not knowing what she was saying, her face growing increasingly pale, she hurriedly stepped forward to support her.
Shen Ronghua tightly grasped her sleeve with one hand, her chest heaving rapidly uncontrollably, and asked her quickly, “Do you know which lady selected Fourth Sister?”
Xiangmo replied in rapid succession, “Replying to my lady, it was Her Ladyship the Noble Consort.”
Shen Ronghua’s hand suddenly tightened, her face growing increasingly ugly.
Xiangmo couldn’t help but frown worriedly at the sight and comforted her, “My lady, don’t worry. The imperial physician said that as long as you take good care of yourself, your health will gradually improve—it’s not that you absolutely cannot bear children.”
“A child you personally give birth to would be much better than one crawling out of Fourth Miss’s belly. Why place all your hopes on Fourth Miss?”
“This servant heard that back when Consort Shu gave birth to His Highness the Sixth Prince, she also injured her health. After nurturing for several years, didn’t she still give birth to the Seventh Princess later? My lady, your good days are still ahead.”
Shen Ronghua listened to her words, frowned in thought for a moment, and her complexion finally gradually improved somewhat.
How could she have forgotten that Consort Shu and the still inconspicuous Sixth Prince were the most crucial?
Moreover, what Xiangmo said was also reasonable—she was not unable to bear children. It was just that in her dream, after her miscarriage, she wept all day and gradually lost the emperor’s favor.
Now she still had enough time to slowly scheme.
It’s just… a pity for Fourth Sister. After the Crown Prince dies, she’ll probably end up with the same fate as she had back then, right?
Or perhaps, even worse than she had been.
Author’s Note:
Quietly starting a new story~
Next book opening: “Bestie, You Transmigrated Too?!” Opening in August, please add to collections~ One-sentence summary: [Falling for the disabled younger uncle of my cross-dressing bestie]
Summary:
Shu Ning transmigrated to ancient times, but… it was Physical transmigration!
Just as she was starving with teary eyes, someone rode past her on horseback.
She instantly widened her eyes: “…Bestie?!”
The youth on the horse instantly turned his head, and after their eyes met—
Shu Ning: …This really is my bestie who I grew up sharing pants with!
——My bestie transmigrated too, but it was Fetal transmigration, and she arrived eighteen years earlier than me. Most importantly, my bestie is now a guy?!
Shu Ning: …The sky is falling!! O.O!
One hour later
Shu Ning: Oh, bestie is cross-dressing as a man, then it’s fine~
Recently, something has been spreading like wildfire in the capital’s noble circles.
It is said that the usually unruly heir of the Duke Dingguo’s household, Shen Wanggui, suddenly brought back an unidentified young and beautiful woman from the street.
It is said that whatever the woman wanted, Shen the heir would give her, and personally accompanied the woman shopping, buying clothes and jewelry, accompanying her to eat, drink, and play, being so patient and considerate that one couldn’t see his usual arrogance at all.
The noble young masters of the capital looked horrified: “…Has the boss been Possessed?!”
After transmigrating for some time
Shu Ning discovered that life was even more comfortable than before—no worries about food or drink, no need for school, no need to worry about finding work…
She’s leeching off her bestie for life!
She asks daily:
“Bestie! When are you going to marry me?”
Shen Wanggui: “Right away.”
Shen Shizhang, as the Duke Dingguo, was already a crippled body. He had originally thought there would be nothing in this life that could stir his heart.
Until his nephew brought back a woman—Shu Ning.
Until he heard Ah Ning’s voice—
“Gui! When are you going to marry me?”
Only then did he learn the taste of his heart being cut by a knife…
Shu Ning recently discovered that she seemed to have fallen for someone—her bestie’s biological younger uncle.
She was someone who was very proactive when she liked someone, taking advantage of the person being in a wheelchair and unable to move conveniently.
So one day, she deliberately got drunk and clung to the person, testing with a confession: “Little uncle~ I like you~”
Shen Shizhang’s hand gripping her wrist suddenly tightened.
Little liar…
Clearly she had just made a lifelong commitment with his nephew…
The next moment, soft lips pressed against his.
Shen Shizhang closed his eyes, inwardly despising himself, but in the end… did not push her away.
Fourth Prince Wei Chang, upon personally witnessing Shen Wanggui and that unfamiliar woman talking and laughing while embracing, his already cold expression suddenly turned icy.
No one knew the emotions hidden in his heart.
He didn’t know since when, but in his eyes and heart there was only that figure who had always accompanied him by his side, his study companion—Shen Wanggui.
He didn’t have a preference for men; it was just that the person he loved happened to be him.
One day
Shu Ning saw a shallow cut on her bestie’s mouth and asked about it.
Shen Wanggui gritted his teeth with a blank expression: “Bitten by a dog.”
Shu Ning: “…?!”
[Shu Ning X Shen Shizhang, straightforward happy little sun female lead * beautiful-strong-tragic deeply reserved broken male lead]
[Shen Wanggui X Wei Chang, sharp-tongued soft-hearted protective cross-dressing female lead * cold iceberg super possessive jealous male lead]
PS:
1.
The bestie pair is the side CP~
2.
Both pairs are 1v1, sweet stories, HE