Chapter 33: Your Highness, I Want to Visit the Eastern Palace

Words : 1384 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Your Highness, I Want to Visit the Eastern PalaceShen Yinning toyed with the teacup. From birth, she had never done dirty or tiring work. Even later, when the family fell into ruin and was exiled to Gan State, thanks to Lu Ying’s connections, she still lived comfortably, surrounded by servants. Once people begin to suffer, it seems there’s always more suffering awaiting them. She refused to suffer. She gently gazed at Yin Shanshan, saying, "Little sister, you truly are a genius at business. I would gladly learn a thing or two from you. I’m not good at much, but I’m quite adept at bookkeeping. Why not let me work at your store as your accountant? If the account books are handled by one of our own, wouldn’t that put your mind at ease?" Yin Shanshan was stunned. Shen Yinning wanted the account books?! This was unacceptable! The economic reins must remain firmly in her own hands for her to truly feel secure! Thinking of this, Yin Shanshan immediately chastised her, "Someone like you, a sheltered feudal woman who never steps past the second gate, can’t even understand the family’s accounts—how could you possibly manage the store’s books?" Shen Yinning feigned hurt, saying, "How could little sister say such a thing? I only wanted to help you out of goodwill." "Enough, you don’t understand anything. If you go to the shop and offend someone, or mess something up, wouldn’t that ruin my business? My shop is just starting out; you’d better not come meddle in it, or you’ll sabotage my profits!" Shen Yinning dabbed the corner of her eye with her small handkerchief. "Little sister’s words truly wound and sadden me, boo hoo hoo." Yin Shanshan huffed impatiently, "Why are you crying? Surely women in ancient times were overly archaic and weak, not only relying on men for their livelihood but also crying at every turn like someone owes them money! You just stay away from my shop, or I’ll have to waste my energy looking after you—so bothersome!" Shen Yinning meekly nodded, saying, "Alright then." Yin Shanshan snorted softly and continued serving food to Madam Gao. As she picked up food, she suddenly felt something was off. But she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was. Yin Shanshan’s drink shop became an instant hit, bustling with business for several consecutive days. The news of the shop hoarding a large amount of cherries was quickly and thoroughly uncovered by Shen Yunxi’s subordinates. At Shengguo Temple. Shen Yunxi slammed the table in anger, her face darkened as she cursed, "I was wondering who it could be, and it turns out to be that shameless wench who writes books! No wonder she dared to pen stories about His Highness and the wives of court officials being involved in scandalous relationships—it’s because she herself is His Highness’s kept fox outside the palace! His Highness bought all the cherries for her, leaving my Cherry Banquet ridiculed as a complete joke. I must vent this anger; if I don’t strip her skin, I wouldn’t deserve to call myself the Crown Princess Consort!" "Your Highness, please calm down," Madam Zhang tried to placate her. "Right now, you haven’t finished copying the Buddhist scripture. If you were to recklessly leave Shengguo Temple now, you might get scolded by His Highness again. In this old servant’s opinion, endure it for now, finish copying the scripture first, and find an opportunity later to settle accounts with Yin Shanshan. After all, we already know her identity, and she won’t be able to escape." Shen Yunxi thought about it and agreed. She had already angered His Highness; she wouldn’t dare provoke him further. If she were divorced, it would truly spell disaster. She pouted and reluctantly picked up the brush once more. "His Highness forbade anyone else from helping me, insisting I copy the Buddhist scripture personally. Just how long will this take?! That old hag Chen also irks me; at her age, her teeth likely barely hanging on, yet she clings to me. Truly unlucky." "Your Highness, have some tea and snacks," Lian Ye offered aromatic tea and flower cakes. "In a few days, it’ll be the Qixi Festival. If you can finish copying the Buddhist scripture before then, you’ll be able to return to the palace and celebrate the joyous festival with His Highness." The mention of Qixi Festival slightly lifted Shen Yunxi’s mood. She blushed and remarked, "His Highness is not a man of indulgent desires, but he is very strict about principles. Every year during Qixi, he spends it with me; this year will surely be no exception. This Qixi, I must spend a romantic evening with him and bear a child! Lian Ye, go now and send someone back to the Eastern Palace. Instruct the palace maids and servants to clean the palace, prepare fresh flowers, spices, and tea confections, then get me several newly tailored nightclothes ready." Lian Ye immediately acknowledged the order. ... "Just a few more days till Qixi." At dusk, deep within Shen Garden’s embroidery tower, Shen Yinning was serving Lu Ying as he reviewed memorials and casually mentioned it. She knelt by the desk, holding a pure white silk fan, dressed simply in a jade-green low-neck narrow-sleeved blouse and a pomegranate red silk skirt. Her cloud-like black hair was entirely swept up with an ivory hairpin, with a few loose strands cascading along her temples, catching sunlight in a pale golden hue. Her delicate face was as white as frost but radiated an abnormal flush of pink on her cheeks. The weather was unbearably hot, and she privately preferred not to bind her chest. Under the low neckline, a rounded and creamy swell was exposed, quivering like ripples on spring water as she fanned herself while grinding ink. A true beauty of the mortal realm. Lu Ying continued looking at the memorials. These were reports from censors impeaching Shen Yunxi and him, revolving no differently around the issues of the romance novels and the cherry banquet. Some even went further to accuse him of lacking an heir, which impacted the stability of the empire. He naturally knew these censors were organized by someone, and he also knew the organizer was his half-brother and son of Noble Consort Zhang—Prince Shen, Lu Zhengliu. These impeachment memorials should have been sent to the Emperor’s desk but instead wound up in his Shen Garden. Resorting to urging censors to impeach over trivial matters—this was the extent of Lu Zhengliu’s capabilities. Lu Ying dismissed them indifferently, tossing the memorials aside. He pulled Shen Yinning into his arms. "What about Qixi?" Shen Yinning’s cheeks flushed deeper. "Little sister has already been sent by His Highness to Shengguo Temple for quite some time. Qixi Festival is meant for husband and wife reunion; shouldn’t His Highness go retrieve her?" "Indeed, I plan to bring her back to the palace." Among the memorials, while the other matters were trivial, the accusation about his lack of an heir warranted attention. At twenty-two, he lacked children—a situation that wasn’t respectable. He should have a legitimate son with Shen Yunxi. Qixi Festival provided the perfect timing. Shen Yinning took a deep breath, leaning in his embrace, and fanned him gently. "It’s all my fault, monopolizing His Highness’s time these days, causing you to neglect little sister. I noticed in the memorials there were accusations against His Highness for not having an heir. Is Your Highness planning to make little sister pregnant with the imperial lineage during Qixi Festival?" Lu Ying didn’t shy away. "Mm." Sёarᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Yinning’s lashes lowered, hinting at complicated emotions within her ink-black pupils. After a moment, she suddenly said, "But little sister is so dull-witted. Any child she bears won’t likely be very bright either." Lu Ying frowned and warned, "Shen Yinning." "I’ve misspoken, it’s just that hearing His Highness talk about having children with little sister makes me feel jealous. Speaking of which, it’s been quite some years since I last visited the Eastern Palace—I wonder what it looks like now, especially Your Highness and little sister’s chambers." After pausing, she softly added, "Your Highness, I’d like to visit the Eastern Palace."

Chapter 33: Your Highness, I Want to Visit the Eastern Palace

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