Chapter 13
### Chapter 13: The Princess Consort Complains
What the Yan Wang (Prince Yan) did not know was that Shen Wei's secret use of the contraceptive potion had already reached the ears of the Princess Consort.
As night fell over the Kunyu Courtyard, the maid Zhang Yue knelt trembling on the ground, reporting to the Princess Consort.
The Princess Consort sat gracefully in the main seat, her fingers deftly manipulating a fine silver needle to embroider, the needle tracing the outline of a chrysanthemum on the fabric.
With a calm demeanor, the Princess Consort said, “You may leave. The matter of the contraceptive potion must not be spread.”
Zhang Yue immediately replied, “This servant takes her leave.”
With her head bowed, Zhang Yue exited the courtyard, concealing a triumphant smile at the corners of her mouth. She understood very well that the Princess Consort was willing to elevate a maid to a concubine in order to expand the royal family and uphold her own reputation for virtue.
But now, Shen Wei had the audacity to secretly take the contraceptive potion—wasn’t that a blatant slap in the face to the Princess Consort?
How could the Princess Consort tolerate Shen Wei?
Zhang Yue’s lips curled into a smirk; all she needed to do now was sit back and enjoy the show. She would witness Shen Wei’s fall from grace, reduced to a lowly maid like herself.
Liu Mama brought in hot tea and gently placed it on the table.
In a low voice, Liu Mama asked, “Princess Consort, that Shen Wei truly does not know her place. Should we inform the Wang Ye (Prince) about her use of the contraceptive potion?”
The Princess Consort, holding the embroidery needle, let the sharp tip pierce the fabric, her eyes clouded with contemplation.
In recent years, the Princess Consort had rarely taken direct action against the concubines and secondary wives—because it simply wasn’t worth her effort.
Despite the constant scheming, her position remained unshaken. Those women who once coveted her status had withered away one by one.
Shen Wei was the first to actively take the contraceptive potion.
The Princess Consort could not fathom Shen Wei’s intentions, nor did she care to guess.
She told Liu Mama, “Since Shen Wei does not know her place, there are plenty of women who can take her place. Have you found the beautiful girl I asked you to look for?”
Liu Mama smiled, “This old servant has done her job well, rest assured, Princess Consort. The girl I found is from a humble background, timid and cautious, and her looks are certainly top-notch.”
The Princess Consort nodded, “After the Spring Banquet, bring that girl in.”
She had thought Shen Wei would seize the opportunity to become pregnant, securing her wealth and status. Little did she expect that Shen Wei would resort to secretly drinking the contraceptive potion.
In that case, there was no need to waste her thoughts on Shen Wei.
Without offspring, Shen Wei was destined to survive in the inner courtyard for only so long.
The Princess Consort seemed to recall something and asked Liu Mama, “Have Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen finished their lessons?”
Liu Mama shook her head, “It’s late, and the two young masters have already gone to sleep. They can continue their studies tomorrow without delay.”
The Princess Consort slammed the embroidery fabric onto the table and stood up, “Their studies cannot be neglected. I have invested my entire life in them, nurturing these two children with countless efforts; I cannot let it all go to waste.”
In the Wang Fu (Royal Residence), the Princess Consort had two sons and one daughter. Liu Ce Fei (Concubine Liu) had given birth to a pair of twins, while Liu Ru Yan had a sickly daughter, and the other concubines had produced four sons.
The Yan Wang treated all his children fairly, not distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate offspring. If the Princess Consort’s eldest son did not amount to much, the Yan Wang would still invest in raising the other sons.
The Princess Consort could not allow that to happen! Her son was her only hope.
She ordered someone to light the lamps and wake her two sleeping sons to recite their lessons.
They were not allowed to sleep until they had finished.
In the study, the lamps burned brightly, and the two young masters, exhausted, yawned and begged to sleep. The Princess Consort, seeing her unworthy sons, decided to take out a small paddle and spank their palms.
The two children cried and whimpered, their palms red and sore, choking back tears as they began to recite. However, they stumbled through the material late into the night, barely finishing two lines, nearly giving the Princess Consort a heart attack.
...
The two children, having stayed up late to study and endured the Princess Consort’s punishment, caught a cold in the chilly spring night and woke up with fevers.
After returning from court, the Yan Wang learned that his two sons were ill and immediately went to their courtyard to check on them. The air was thick with the smell of medicine, as the Princess Consort had already summoned the imperial physician to treat the boys.
The Yan Wang entered the children’s bedroom.
The two boys lay pitifully in bed, their faces flushed with fever, lips cracked, and foreheads covered with damp cloths.
The Yan Wang frowned deeply.
He had been busy with state affairs, leaving the care of his two legitimate sons to the Princess Consort, yet how had they fallen ill? They seemed to suffer from one ailment after another throughout the year.
“How did Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen catch a cold again?” The Yan Wang’s gaze was sharp as he scrutinized the Princess Consort.
The Princess Consort dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, feeling both pained and helpless. “The nights are cold, and Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen studied late into the night, working too hard, which is why they fell ill.”
The courtyard was filled with the Princess Consort’s people, and no one dared to expose her little lie.
Though the Yan Wang had his doubts, he thought that since the Princess Consort was the children’s biological mother, she would never harm them, so he did not press further.
He looked deeply at the Princess Consort, “Learning to read and write requires a gradual approach. The children are still young; we must avoid forcing them.”
The Princess Consort smiled, her expression inscrutable, “You are right, Wang Ye.”
But deep down, she did not agree with the Yan Wang’s approach to educating the children.
Born into royalty, they were under constant scrutiny. If the children grew up to be illiterate fools, wouldn’t that make her a laughingstock in the capital?
Her sons were destined to inherit the entire Wang Fu; they could not fall behind the other noble families in Yan Jing.
If the children suffered now, it would lead to better days in the future.
The Princess Consort tightened her grip on the handkerchief and changed the subject, “Wang Ye, I recently heard something that I believe you should know.”
Seeing her anxious expression, the Yan Wang nodded and left the children’s bedroom with the Princess Consort to discuss privately in the study.
In the study of Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen, the shelves were filled with ancient and modern texts. On the desk lay unfinished books, the ink already dried.
The Yan Wang casually picked up two sheets of rice paper to look over the children’s studies. Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen’s handwriting was relatively neat, but being young, they only knew how to copy and recite without grasping the deeper meanings.
The Princess Consort stood by, offering tea, and spoke, “Wang Ye, you have recently favored Shen Shi from the Fang Fei Courtyard. I also hope she will soon bear children for the Wang Fu, but—”
She deliberately paused, her tone tinged with regret, “I have heard that Shen Shi has secretly been drinking the contraceptive potion, which truly disappoints your intentions.”
A mere concubine daring to secretly take the contraceptive potion was a slap in the face to the Yan Wang.
The Princess Consort knew that the Yan Wang would surely fly into a rage and completely disregard Shen Wei.
But the Yan Wang seemed unfazed, his gaze still fixed on the children’s studies as he carefully examined the papers before slowly putting them down.
His eyes returned to the Princess Consort, who was so close, “Where did you hear about the contraceptive potion?”
The Yan Wang knew that Shen Wei was taking the contraceptive potion and naturally felt pity for her, standing on her side.
Shen Wei was cautious in her actions, disposing of the used remnants in a pile of weeds.
Yet, despite her caution, the news had still reached the Princess Consort’s ears.
The Yan Wang could not help but suspect that his Princess Consort was targeting Shen Wei. After all, the last incident with the “Floating Light Brocade” had also been instigated by the Princess Consort.
“This…” The Princess Consort noticed the Yan Wang’s unusual expression, her heart racing. Oddly, the Wang Ye did not seem angry with Shen Wei.
Why was that?
Could it be that the Yan Wang had fallen deeply in love with Shen Wei?
The thought struck the Princess Consort as absurd.
The Wang Ye was devoted to the state; his feelings for the women in the inner courtyard were merely superficial. He could not possibly fall in love with a lowly peasant girl.
But what if the Wang Ye had developed different feelings for Shen Wei? The Princess Consort instinctively tightened her grip on the handkerchief; her position as the Princess Consort would become unstable.
She had to eliminate Shen Wei; she could not let her obstruct her path.
With turmoil in her heart, her face remained calm as she said gently, “A maid from the household came to inform me. This matter is serious, which is why I chose to inform you, Wang Ye.”
The Yan Wang replied coolly, “There’s no need to concern yourself with it.”
The Princess Consort was taken aback, “But Shen Shi…”
The Yan Wang interrupted, “That contraceptive potion was secretly given to her by me.”
He took the responsibility for the contraceptive potion upon himself.
The Yan Wang’s pity for Shen Wei deepened; she came from a poor background, cautious and alone in the royal residence. The fact that she secretly drank the contraceptive potion and was discovered by the Princess Consort stirred a sense of responsibility within him as a man.
He wanted to protect the vulnerable Shen Wei; he was her only support.
“I have state affairs to attend to; you take care of the children.” The Yan Wang offered no further explanation and swept away.
In the study, the Princess Consort stood frozen like a statue.
The Yan Wang’s words echoed in her mind— the contraceptive potion was given to Shen Wei by the Yan Wang?
After a long contemplation, the Princess Consort suddenly let out a low sigh, “Poor Shen Wei…”
If a man truly cared for a woman, he would not give her a contraceptive potion.
Shen Wei appeared to be living a glamorous life, but her origins were humble; she didn’t even have the right to bear children for the Wang Ye.
How pitiful and tragic.
It seemed that Shen Wei was still unaware that she was taking the contraceptive potion daily, foolishly believing it to be a tonic for her health.
The Princess Consort shook her head and slowly took a sip of tea, “I thought the Wang Ye had fallen for Shen Wei, but it seems I was overthinking it.”
In the Wang Ye’s heart, Shen Wei was merely a tool for warmth.
The Princess Consort summoned Liu Mama and quietly instructed her, “Go find Zhang Yue and punish her with twenty strokes. She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut.”
Liu Mama replied respectfully, “This old servant will take care of it immediately.”
After finishing her tea, the Princess Consort found two volumes of *Zizhi Tongjian* (Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government) in the study. Although Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen were ill, their studies could not be delayed.
Having a book boy read by their bedside would still benefit them, even if they could only absorb a few sentences.
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