While seeing Li Jin out, Zhiqiu quietly asked a question, "Your Highness, His Majesty the Empress sent this servant to relay a message, he intends to attend the grand banquet with you and the Seventh Prince. I wonder what Your Highness thinks of this?"
Originally, Ying Yuan intended to see Li Jin out, but at the last moment he was called away by Gu Rushuang.
Li Jin replied, "Naturally, it's good."
"Very well. Since Your Highness has agreed, this servant will go and report back to His Majesty the Empress now."
Zhiqiu bowed to Li Jin and then left.
"Your Highness, your servant is here. Please come quickly." Ping'an, with his sharp eyes, spotted Li Jin's figure and immediately called out loudly, causing Li Jin some speechless annoyance.
On the way back to the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion, Ping'an couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, what's wrong with you? Your servant feels that something has been a bit off since you got in the carriage. Is it... is it... Waaah... Your Highness, why did you suddenly hit your servant's head? It hurts..."
Li Jin smiled and replied, "I am just helping you, so you don't always let your imagination run wild."
"Uh..."
Ping'an was stumped by Li Jin's words. For some reason, Ping'an felt that this Li Jin before him, with his gentle smile, was somewhat frightening.
What am I thinking? Why would I suddenly find His Highness frightening?
Ping'an shook his head vigorously in frustration, trying to shake all these strange thoughts out of his mind. He also genuinely agreed with Li Jin's comment about him overthinking things.
If he wasn't overthinking, why would he inexplicably find Li Jin frightening?
"What? Ping'an, do you think I am wrong?" Li Jin looked at Ping'an with deep meaning.
Actually.
Ping'an's earlier words had indeed hit the mark. Li Jin was currently upset about the major banquet that Ying Zhengjing was holding tomorrow for the entire court and the inner palace. In his previous life, a major event that altered the landscape of the inner palace also occurred during that grand banquet. However, in his previous life, Li Jin had fallen seriously ill for some reason, so the ones who attended the banquet representing the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion were Wei Shiwan and her son Li Yanshen.
After the banquet ended, Wei Shiwan, using the pretext that Li Jin needed quiet rest, had no intention of telling Li Jin about the events at the banquet. Moreover, from that time on, Wei Shiwan began befriending the Shen family in her capacity as Princess Consort. The wife of the Shen family head also often brought Shen Ningyu to visit the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion. Over time, Shen Ningyu gradually became familiar with the children of the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion, and her ill-fated relationship with Li Jin also began then.
It wasn't until later, when Li Jin became close with the Third Prince Ying Ziqi, that he finally learned what had happened that day.
Precisely because of this, when Gu Rushuang had Zhiqiu invite him to attend the grand banquet together just before he left the palace, Li Jin agreed immediately without a second thought.
Since Li Jin had already decided in this life to stand on Ying Yuan's side, he naturally would not allow Wei Shiwan to befriend the Shen family in the name of the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion.
"No, no, Your Highness..."
Ping'an shook his head, troubled. Just as he stood up to speak to Li Jin.
"Whoa..."
"Wah..."
Thud.
The carriage had already arrived at the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion, but perhaps the driver stopped too abruptly. Ping'an accidentally bumped his head and couldn't help crying out in pain, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Your Highness, my apologies."
Zhou Yunting, hearing Ping'an's cry of pain, immediately came in to apologize to Li Jin, his eyes glancing towards Ping'an as soon as he entered. Seeing that Ping'an had only bumped his head and was otherwise fine, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Ping'an glared indignantly at Zhou Yunting, "Zhou Yunting, just because I scolded you a few times last time, do you have to take revenge on me like this?"
"It was just a momentary mistake. Ping'an, it won't do for you to wrong me like this."
"You..."
"Enough." Li Jin stopped Ping'an and said to Zhou Yunting, "Yunting, you and Ping'an go put the carriage away. Then bring the gifts His Majesty the Empress gave me from the carriage. When you have time, inform the Dowager Lady's people about the grand banquet. And don't bully Ping'an too much."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Zhou Yunting, understanding Li Jin's hint, felt his cheeks grow uncharacteristically warm.
Li Jin shook his head in amusement and then walked into the mansion first.
Ping'an, mistaking Zhou Yunting's reaction for guilt, grabbed Zhou Yunting's sleeve, "You promised His Highness yourself. If you keep bullying me like this, I'll tell His Highness."
"Suit yourself. We already cut ties long ago."
Zhou Yunting's gaze cooled slightly. He just glanced at Ping'an and walked straight ahead.
Ping'an felt aggrieved, "Uh, Zhou Yunting, how can you be so petty? I was just speaking in anger then, it didn't count. Who told you not to open the door and let His Highness out?"
Zhou Yunting ignored Ping'an's words and continued walking.
Little did he know.
Zhou Yunting's eyes were already filled with warmth.
You fool, if I were really angry with you, I wouldn't have stayed silent when Lin Zhong transferred me to His Highness' side.
"Zhou Yunting, do you have to be so petty? Zhou Yunting, wait for me..."
____
"Princess Consort, the heir apparent has a weak constitution. Could something happen if he drinks this entire bowl?" Xiao Tao held a bowl of freshly stewed medicinal chicken soup, closely following behind Wei Shiwan, her expression carrying a trace of unease.
If it were normal medicinal soup, Xiao Tao wouldn't ask. But the bowl she held now contained medicinal chicken soup with added croton seeds. Li Jin's health was notoriously weak. If Li Jin drank the soup and his body couldn't withstand the effects of the croton seeds and he died, they would surely be unable to escape punishment.
[Croton seeds: the seeds of the plant Croton tiglium, known in Chinese medicine as a potent, toxic purgative used to induce severe diarrhea and vomiting.]
"I already had the physician adjust the dosage. What are you afraid of?"
Wei Shiwan glanced displeased at Xiao Tao.
"Princess Consort, this servant is only afraid that if this matter fails and implicates you, the loss would outweigh the gain. Moreover, the heir apparent doesn't have long to live anyway, so why bother with this unnecessary move?"
"This is not unnecessary. I must do this." A dark light flashed quickly through Wei Shiwan's eyes.
Wei Shiwan had learned from her Wei family connections that tomorrow Ying Zhengjing would hold a grand banquet for the entire court and inner palace. As an inner household woman, if she wanted to establish connections with the noble ladies of the inner palace, this grand banquet was a rare opportunity.
"Princess Consort..."
"Xiao Tao, just do as you're told. Knowing too much about some matters is not a good thing."
"Uh... Yes..."
Wei Shiwan's cold attitude made Xiao Tao dare not ask further. She obediently followed behind Wei Shiwan as they headed towards Li Jin's courtyard.
It seems I should replace her with a more clever maid.
Because of this incident, Wei Shiwan became dissatisfied with Xiao Tao and even began considering replacing her.
Knock knock.
"Jin'er, are you in?"
Li Jin put down the teacup in his hand, came over, and opened the door, "Does the Successor Princess Consort have business?"
Wei Shiwan must have been waiting in the mansion for news of his return. Otherwise, how could she have arrived right after he returned?
"Jin'er, you went to the palace today as a study companion, didn't you? I was afraid you might be too tired, so I specially had someone stew medicinal chicken soup for you to nourish your health. Please drink it while it's hot." As Wei Shiwan spoke, she signaled for Xiao Tao to bring the medicinal chicken soup over.
To be honest, Wei Shiwan was utterly unwilling about Li Jin becoming Ying Yuan's study companion. Even though Ying Yuan was now the Empress's adopted son, compared to the other princes, he held little advantage. Not to mention other factors, just the single fact that he was disliked by Ying Zhengjing ruined any dream of him becoming Crown Prince. Furthermore, Li Jin was the heir apparent of the Prince of Dingbei. If Li Jin became a study companion to a certain prince, wouldn't that mean the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion supported that prince?
Unfortunately, the matter of being a study companion was instructed by the Empress and approved by the Emperor. Therefore, no matter how unwilling Wei Shiwan was, she could only swallow it.
Xiao Tao, hearing this, hurriedly brought the medicinal chicken soup over to Li Jin, "Please drink it while it's hot, Your Highness."
"I don't wish to drink it yet. Set it down."
Li Jin calmly sat down, picked up a book from the table, and began reading, showing no intention of drinking it.
No comments:
Post a Comment