Chapter 10
### Chapter 10: Stealing a Sip of the Contraceptive Soup
The Prince of Yan had the imperial physician check Shen Wei's pulse.
Standing by the bedside, he noticed a magnificent set of men's clothing hanging on a rack not far away. It was a long robe made of shimmering silk, with a cross-collared inner layer, exquisitely tailored, and accompanied by a light-colored silk belt.
Just one glance, and the Prince of Yan could tell how well it would fit. Every stitch and seam was imbued with Shen Wei's heartfelt intentions.
And yet, he had thought Shen Wei was greedy and spoiled... In that moment, guilt washed over him; he almost let down a girl who loved him wholeheartedly.
Shen Wei had him in her heart, and even if she had a few small flaws of arrogance and greed, they were trivial. No one is perfect, and this heavy love was the rarest of treasures.
In silence, the Prince of Yan completed his self-reflection.
After finishing the pulse check, the physician reported, “Your Highness, Miss Shen is weak and has some internal damage, with a slight fever. I will prepare a prescription immediately to treat her.”
The Prince urged, “Hurry.”
Cai Lian followed the physician to fetch the medicine, stoking the fire to brew it overnight.
Once everyone had left, only the sleeping Shen Wei and the Prince of Yan remained in the room. He sat at the head of the bed, holding her delicate hand.
He murmured, “You are the first woman to make clothes for me.”
As a prince of Da Qing, all his garments were prepared by the palace's clothing bureau. Not even his mother or his legitimate wife had ever made him clothes.
Shen Wei was the first.
She had never asked for his measurements, yet somehow managed to create a fitting outfit.
Touched, delighted, and comforted, the Prince of Yan was overwhelmed with emotions.
Shen Wei was ill, and fearing to disturb her rest, he lingered in the fragrant garden until late at night before leaving with the shimmering robe. Before he departed, he repeatedly instructed the maids and eunuchs to take good care of Shen Wei.
A steady stream of nourishing supplements was also sent to the fragrant garden.
The next morning, Shen Wei yawned as she got out of bed, feeling refreshed from a deep sleep.
Ill?
Of course, she wasn’t sick; it was all an act. The doctor had diagnosed her with a weak constitution, but that was merely a remnant of her old ailments.
Even the clothes made for the Prince of Yan were based on the measurements she had provided. Having shared a bed with him often, she naturally knew his dimensions.
The tailoring and embroidery were all done by Mama Rong, Cai Wei, and Cai Ping.
With a nimble leap, Shen Wei got out of bed, as usual, running a few laps in the vibrant courtyard before retreating back under the covers to continue her charade.
Not long after, the Prince of Yan, returning from court, indeed came to visit.
“Your Highness,” Shen Wei feigned weakness, opening her eyes and reaching out her hand. Her complexion was pale, her black hair splayed across the pillow, and at her tender age, her sickly appearance was particularly pitiful.
The Prince of Yan took her hand, “Wei Wei, are you feeling any better?”
Shen Wei smiled weakly, “Why don’t you try on that outfit, Your Highness? If it doesn’t fit, I can make adjustments.”
If it were any other concubine, she would surely lament her illness to gain the Prince’s sympathy.
But Shen Wei was different; she didn’t mention her “sickness” at all, instead bringing up the clothes she had made for him first. This would make the Prince think she was wholeheartedly concerned for him, even disregarding her own health.
“It fits perfectly,” the Prince of Yan replied, holding her hand, his handsome eyes filled with a different kind of affection. “Making clothes is hard work; let the servants handle such things in the future.”
The Prince had already tried on the robe last night.
It fit flawlessly!
Every stitch was infused with Shen Wei’s love; how could he not be moved?
Shen Wei widened her eyes, a bit annoyed, “The clothes I made by hand are different from anyone else’s. How could I let someone else do it?”
After a pause, she seemed to realize her words were too domineering. She lowered her gaze, feeling wronged, and murmured, “Please don’t blame me, Your Highness... That day, when I saw the shimmering silk, I thought it would be perfect for you. I just wanted to do something nice for you.”
Her demeanor resembled that of a jealous little girl, her heart and eyes filled with love for him.
Stealing the shimmering silk was merely to make clothes for the Prince; what was wrong with that?
As for the leftover half of the fabric, she kept it for herself; what was wrong with that?
The Prince of Yan felt warmth in his heart, thinking, she truly loves me!
But still worried about Shen Wei’s health, he feigned seriousness, “Be good, taking care of your health is the best thing you can do for me. I’ve had the Ministry of Internal Affairs select some fine fabrics and sent them over to have new clothes made for you.”
This silly girl was so focused on making him new clothes that she forgot about herself.
The Prince specifically sent her good materials to make beautiful dresses for the upcoming Spring Banquet next month.
Shen Wei pouted, glancing up at the Prince before sulking back under the covers.
It seemed she was throwing a silent tantrum.
Under the covers, Shen Wei rolled her eyes in disdain—what a good act I’m putting on, ugh~
Outside the covers, the Prince smiled indulgently—jealous and proud, how adorable.
The Prince of Yan spent a little while longer with Shen Wei, but with pressing matters to attend to, he eventually rose to leave.
As a prince of Da Qing and the left-hand man of the crown prince, he adored Shen Wei but wouldn’t let himself become overly infatuated.
Before he left, he made sure to check the small vegetable garden.
The cabbage seedlings had sprouted, and the radish sprouts were also growing, their tender leaves waving in the breeze, a promising sight.
He glanced at the half of the garden Shen Wei had planted; the cabbage seedlings were yellowing, and several radish sprouts had died.
A wave of accomplishment surged within the Prince; his gardening skills were clearly superior.
...
In the morning, the maid Zhang Yue emerged from the flower room, cradling a pot of gardenias, deliberately passing by the fragrant garden.
Who didn’t know that Shen Wei had fallen out of favor?
Zhang Yue relished the misfortune.
It was fortunate she had been wise enough not to become the Prince’s concubine; otherwise, she would have become a laughingstock in the entire manor.
As she reached the entrance of the fragrant garden, Zhang Yue suddenly spotted the Prince of Yan stepping out from the moon gate. The morning light illuminated him, making him appear even more handsome and refined.
Zhang Yue froze.
Wasn’t Shen Wei out of favor? Why was the Prince still visiting the fragrant garden?
Hiding behind a large elm tree, she overheard the Prince instructing Fu Gui, “Have the physician check on Wei Wei every day. She’s ill and surely won’t want to eat greasy food; have the kitchen come up with some new dishes.”
Fu Gui replied with a smile, “As you command. The one who holds Your Highness’s heart will naturally be well taken care of.”
As the Prince and his servant left, Zhang Yue, hidden behind the tree, felt a surge of irritation, her nails digging into her palm.
What was going on? Why was Shen Wei favored again?
...
Once the Prince departed, Shen Wei quickly sprang out of bed, performing a nimble leap. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had sent over ten bolts of fine fabric, along with a generous supply of exquisite snacks.
Shen Wei instructed Cai Ping to fetch the leftover shimmering silk. She had made an outfit for the Prince, leaving half a bolt behind.
She caressed the soft satin, unable to part with it.
Cai Lian suggested, “Mistress, why not let me make you an outfit with the leftover shimmering silk? The scraps could be used for some sachets.”
Shen Wei shook her head.
The shimmering silk was too precious; if she flaunted a dress made of it, it would surely attract the jealousy of the Princess. The Princess came from a noble family and had children to her name; Shen Wei could never compete with her.
Her position was still precarious; she couldn’t afford to invite trouble.
After some thought, Shen Wei instructed Cai Lian, “Take this half bolt of shimmering silk out of the manor and find a fabric shop to sell it. Be discreet; don’t let anyone find out.”
This bolt of shimmering silk, the better half had been used to make the Prince’s clothes, while the remaining half was of slightly lesser quality.
Even so, it was still quite valuable; even a small piece could fetch a high price.
“Alright, I’ll take care of it right away,” Cai Lian understood and carefully tucked away the fabric before quietly leaving the manor.
Shen Wei sipped her tea, her gaze drifting to the courtyard, observing the servants of the fragrant garden.
Two young eunuchs were trimming the weeds; one was named Ji Xiang, the other De Shun. They came from humble backgrounds but were diligent in their work.
Mama Rong, with her extensive experience, was skilled in accounting, and Shen Wei entrusted her with managing her small treasury.
The two maids were the most loyal. Cai Lian was clever and reliable; Cai Ping was gossipy and adept at gathering information.
Shen Wei utilized the strengths of her staff, striving to make the fragrant garden flourish.
As Cai Lian went out to sell the shimmering silk, Cai Ping entered with a small bag of medicinal herbs, informing Shen Wei, “Mistress, the new herbs have arrived.”
Shen Wei replied, “Put them away in the cabinet.”
As Cai Ping placed the small bag into a hidden cabinet, she couldn’t help but lower her voice, “Mistress, you’re currently favored by the Prince; why are you taking the contraceptive soup?”
Ever since she had consummated her relationship with the Prince, Shen Wei had been drinking the contraceptive soup every day without fail. The small bag Cai Ping had just brought contained the ingredients for it.
Cai Ping couldn’t understand; wouldn’t having a child solidify the Mistress’s position in the manor?
Shen Wei shook her head, “You don’t understand; timing is crucial when it comes to having children.”
Her body was not suitable for pregnancy at the moment. With a weak constitution, childbirth would be difficult and could leave unsightly stretch marks.
Men, after all, are creatures of contradiction.
They profess love with their words, but when faced with an unattractive, worn body, they would turn away in disgust, seeking comfort in the arms of other women.
Shen Wei only wanted to take care of her health for now.
Cai Ping placed the new herbs in the cabinet, then secretly took out the remnants of the previous contraceptive soup and dumped them in a pile of weeds outside the fragrant garden.
That patch of weeds was often frequented by raccoons and rarely visited by anyone. After disposing of the remnants, Cai Ping left, believing her actions to be flawless, unaware that a figure had stealthily followed her.
Zhang Yue quietly slipped into the thicket, digging into the soil and discovering the remnants of the medicinal herbs.
Frowning, Zhang Yue remarked, “Dumping medicinal remnants so mysteriously... Could there be something wrong with this medicine?”
She collected the remnants and quietly left, planning to consult a doctor when she had the chance. If she could uncover Shen Wei’s mistakes, Zhang Yue would certainly seize the opportunity to strike.
Deep down, Zhang Yue knew she had no real conflict with Shen Wei.
But she was small-minded; seeing Shen Wei basking in glory made her feel quite uncomfortable.
They had agreed to serve as maids together, yet Shen Wei had secretly gained favor, leaving Zhang Yue feeling resentful.
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