Chapter 231 - 229: Is This Something a Normal Person Can Do?!

Words : 1665 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

Shen Yunxi was in a state of panic when Shen Yinning suddenly said, "Although Abbot Huijue is skilled in medicine, he is ultimately not specialized in women’s internal medicine. Asking him to check the Crown Princess Consort’s pulse to stabilize her pregnancy might be inappropriate. It would be better to return to the palace for a more thorough examination." Shen Yunxi never imagined that the only person to speak up for her would be Shen Yinning! Rather than feeling grateful, she looked down on her all the more. Her elder brother always praised Shen Yinning for her exceptional intelligence, but seeing her today, helping her own enemy—if this wasn’t stupidity, what was? Did Shen Yinning think that by helping her once, she’d remember her kindness and stop targeting her going forward? Naïve! The others were also somewhat astonished. Shen Yinning lowered her eyelashes. She had never intended to help Shen Yunxi. No one wanted Shen Yunxi off the Crown Princess Consort’s seat more than she did. But in truth, today’s events—whether it was the humiliation of the Grand Princess or striking Empress Dowager Li—were mere misunderstandings, insufficient to have Shen Yunxi deposed. It was Shen Yunxi’s own panic that led her to use a false pregnancy as a shield. Shen Yinning understood very clearly: even if the false pregnancy were exposed now, as long as Shen Yan remained in the position of Lord Duke, he could ensure that Shen Yunxi stayed in her position as Crown Princess Consort. Rather than letting her be punished lightly and move on, it was better to help conceal the false pregnancy for now and see if things could escalate in the future. If, nine months later, Shen Yunxi was truly foolish enough to pass off someone else’s child as a royal prince and write it into the family records, then not even Shen Yan, no matter how high his rank and power, could prevent her eventual downfall. Seeing the situation, Empress Dowager Li had no choice but to say with a stern expression, "You’ve been married to Jingwei for over three years, and it is rare to conceive an imperial heir, which is indeed a cause for celebration. But your behavior today has crossed the line. I now sentence you to return to the palace, have your salary docked for a year, be confined for six months, and copy two hundred volumes of Buddhist scriptures. Do you accept this punishment?" Shen Yunxi quietly breathed a sigh of relief and tearfully expressed her gratitude, "Granddaughter-in-law deeply thanks the Empress Dowager for her kindness!" As long as her position as Crown Princess Consort was preserved, she was willing to copy two hundred volumes, let alone two thousand! After everyone left, only Lu Ying and Shen Yunxi remained in the Buddhist Hall. Shen Yunxi was somewhat intimidated by him and carefully smiled. "Your Highness, are you not pleased that I am with child?" "I haven’t shared a chamber with you in two years." Shen Yunxi guiltily lowered her head. "Your Highness may not know, but a month ago, I went to your study to find you. I couldn’t see you, but I did find a handkerchief on the ground, wrapped around your... wrapped around your... I so desperately wanted to have a child, so I took the handkerchief back and then... Your Highness, you won’t blame me, will you?" With every sentence she spoke, Lu Ying’s face twisted a degree darker. Was this something any normal person would do?! Recalling how Shen Yunxi had been rendered barren for life by that vixen, he couldn’t bring himself to expose her false pregnancy. Out of consideration for the bond they once shared as husband and wife, he advised, "Since you’ve done this, you need to do it thoroughly and leave no evidence behind. As for the ’child’ in your belly... you’d better start planning ahead." His intention was to warn Shen Yunxi not to let anyone discover the false pregnancy and to later find an appropriate opportunity to have a ’miscarriage,’ making this nonexistent ’child’ disappear entirely. Shen Yunxi, however, misunderstood Lu Ying to be showing her concern. With reddened eyes, she said, "Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll be careful and vigilant. I absolutely won’t let anyone harm me. I’ll give birth to a strong, healthy son for you!" There was no reasoning with her. Lu Ying pressed his fingers to his temples and, with a blank expression, strode out of the Buddhist Hall. Shen Yunxi also returned to her Zen room, only to find two palace maids and an old matron loitering near the entrance. Upon closer look, one of the maids was none other than Yin Shanshan! Her eyebrows shot up in disgust as she snapped, "What are you doing here?!" "Greetings, Your Ladyship!" The three of them cheerfully bowed in unison. Yin Shanshan, being the most familiar with Shen Yunxi, spoke up first with a grin. "We’re here as volunteers for the temple. I heard Her Ladyship was looking for the memorial text Shen Yinning wrote for the late Grand Princess, so during today’s sacrificial offering ceremony, Yun’er and I specially swapped the memorial text in the Zen room for you. Are you pleased? Surely the Empress Dowager must have given you quite the praise for it, no?" Shen Yunxi’s hands balled into fists with a start. So the reason the stolen memorial text had turned into a set of vulgar scribblings last night was thanks to the Gao Family women’s dirty work! She hadn’t even confronted them, and now they had the audacity to come knocking at her door! Gao Yun, who was meeting the Crown Princess Consort for the first time, couldn’t take her eyes off Shen Yunxi’s resplendent phoenix crown and palace dress. She couldn’t help but think, if she eventually divorced Zou Dacheng and married the Princely Heir of the Suwang Mansion, wouldn’t they become in-laws with the Crown Princess Consort? When that time came, she too could dress this gorgeously and elegantly... Suppressing her excitement, she adopted a familiar tone and said, "Your Ladyship, I am Shen Yinning’s sister-in-law, so I should call you cousin. Shen Yinning has been rude to you in the past, so we’re here on her behalf to apologize. Considering our family ties, we should visit each other more often in the future!" Shen Yunxi rolled her eyes. Cousin?! She had no such poor relatives from the Gao Family! She wondered where Shen Yinning had found such a set of vile relatives! Just as she was starting to lose patience, Madam Gao suddenly took on the airs of an elder and said with a faint smile, "Crown Princess Consort, Yun’er and Shanshan went out of their way to do you such a huge favor. You should show some gratitude. Besides, I, being an old woman and the mother-in-law of your cousin, am technically your elder too. Even if you’re young and don’t know the rules, you should still invite us inside, serve us some food and drink, and offer to host us in a few separate Zen rooms, complete with maids to attend us." Her self-assurance took even Shen Yunxi by surprise. Enraged, Shen Yunxi barked, "You dare call that helping?! If it wasn’t for you, would I have been punished by the Empress Dowager?! I suspect you were sent by Shen Yinning to purposely antagonize me! Lian Ye, Lianxin, why are you still standing there? Drag these lunatics out of Shengguo Temple right away!" The two servants obeyed, grabbing brooms to chase them off. "Ahhh!" Yin Shanshan screamed. "What are you doing?! Crown Princess Consort, we helped you so much! How could you repay kindness with ingratitude?!" Gao Yun panicked as well, dodging and shouting, "Crown Princess Consort, we acted in good faith to help you. Is this how you treat family?! Do you think swapping memorial texts is easy work?!" Madam Gao clutched her waist in humiliation. "Oh dear, my old back! Crown Princess Consort, I am your elder! My Zheng’er is practically the Crown Prince’s right-hand man and the Prime Minister-in-training. Our families should be close, not distant! How dare you kick us out of a temple?! I haven’t even discussed Buddhist texts with the Empress Dowager yet!" Shen Yunxi’s face flushed with anger. "I am the Crown Princess Consort, the future Queen of the realm. You bottom-feeders dare to claim kinship with me?!" Watching the three harpies being driven away, she thought of how Shen Yinning would be shackled to these vulgar in-laws for life, and a sense of satisfaction washed over her. Someone like Shen Yinning deserved nothing better than to serve such unpresentable relatives. Whereas she... She touched her belly, a glint of ambition flashing in her eyes. She was destined to rule the realm as its queen! Meanwhile... After leaving the Buddhist Hall, Shen Yinning was quickly approached by Gao Zheng in the corridor. He anxiously asked, "You’ve been at Shengguo Temple for two days; have you met the Crown Prince yet?" "Gao Zheng, I understand your urgency, but don’t be so hasty." Shen Yinning spoke calmly, "After all, this is a Buddhist Pure Land. Do you expect me to seduce the Crown Prince in a temple?" Gao Zheng thought for a moment and said, "I heard there’s a temple fair at the foot of the mountain tonight. I’ll arrange for the Crown Prince to meet you there. That place isn’t part of the temple, surely you can seduce him there? Remember, my promotion to Minister of the Ministry of Justice is of utmost importance. You must prioritize it. Lower your stance and plead with him properly." Shen Yinning smiled faintly. "Don’t worry, I’ll go. By the way, I heard Prince Zhuang has an interest in Gan State’s cultural customs. Why not use this opportunity to invite him to a night tour of the Buddhist temple to discuss history and current affairs? If he appreciates your talent, your promotion might accelerate even further."

Chapter 231 - 229: Is This Something a Normal Person Can Do?!

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