Chapter 133: Chapter 132: Mistaking Your Highness for Chun Xi while Bathing Chapter 133: Chapter 132: Mistaking Your Highness for Chun Xi while Bathing Xiao Jinyan intended to dodge, but just as he did, Concubine Xu bumped into the teacup in his hand, spilling hot tea all over herself.

He ordered, “Liu Xi, quickly summon the Imperial Doctor.”

“Your Highness, it hurts so much.” Concubine Xu’s tears flowed freely from the pain.

Xiao Jinyan could not say much and instructed a maid to fetch cold water for Concubine Xu to apply a cold compress.

Soon, the Imperial Doctor arrived and began to treat Concubine Xu.

“Will it leave a scar?” The thing girls care about most is their face and skin; if a scar were left, there would be no place to cry.

The Imperial Doctor said, “Concubine Xu need not worry, it is merely a burn.

Applying the ointment will leave no scars.”

Only then did Concubine Xu heave a sigh of relief, but her tears did not stop.

Xiao Jinyan instructed, “Liu Xi, escort Concubine Xu back to recuperate.”

“Yes.”

After Liu Xi had escorted Concubine Xu back, Xiao Jinyan had him search the storeroom for some gold and silver jewelry as compensation.

Liu Xi went to Yixiang Hall with a smile.

“Concubine Xu, these are all personally selected by His Highness to be bestowed upon you.”

Upon hearing this, Concubine Xu felt somewhat better.

She looked at the items awarded by His Highness, which were all gold and silver jewelry, and among them she recognized a pair of bracelets with a very familiar design.

Upon closer thought, she remembered that His Highness had given a similar bracelet to Lady Chang on her birthday.

The bracelets must have been made by the same master.

His Highness was clearly brushing her off!

The next day, an unsatisfied Concubine Xu went to Xiyun Pavilion to vent.

“His Highness really didn’t put his heart into it, my hand was burnt red, and he just rewards me with some gold and silver jewelry.”

Shen Chuwei, sipping tea and cracking melon seeds, saw how upset Concubine Xu was and proactively offered her a handful of seeds, “A woman should not get angry, it’s bad for your health, anger gets stored in the heart and can lead to various diseases.”

Concubine Xu clenched the melon seeds in her hand and cracked one spitefully, “I don’t want to be angry either, but His Highness is just too careless.

I haven’t even served in his bedchamber once.”

Shen Chuwei’s melon seed-cracking paused, somewhat in disbelief; Concubine Xu hadn’t served in bed either~

Although Concubine Xu lacked the Empress’s support, her family was formidable.

The Emperor favored military leaders, and the Xu family had produced three great generals.

They held considerable sway in court affairs.

This meant Concubine Xu, although originally a common lady, acted even more haughtily than noble ladies!

Shen Chuwei originally wanted to comfort her by saying she too had not served in bed, but then she remembered how Xiao Jinyan had stayed overnight in Xiyun Pavilion numerous times, especially the first two, deliberately giving the impression that she had been tormented in various ways.

If she denied it, wouldn’t that be tantamount to undermining Xiao Jinyan?

She sighed and offered another handful of melon seeds to Concubine Xu as a sign of comfort.

“I’m not angry, Lady Chang hasn’t served in bed either, why should I be upset?

If anyone should be angry, it should be Lady Chang.

So what if she has the Empress mother’s support?

His Highness doesn’t stay overnight in her palace; let’s see her try to drag His Highness there!” After saying this, Concubine Xu continued cracking melon seeds, feeling slightly better.

Shen Chuwei’s melon seed-cracking paused again; Lady Chang also hadn’t served in bed…

How many women in the East Palace had yet to serve?

“Lady Chang and His Highness are both too proud; dragging His Highness over to her is difficult with just a word.” Shen Chuwei cracked melon seeds and engaged in gossip, feeling rather content.

“Lady Chang is just pretentious.

Anyway, I can’t stand her attitude; without the Empress mother, she would be nothing.” Concubine Xu said with disdain.

Shen Chuwei sighed helplessly; they were clear observers while Xiao Jinyan and Lady Chang were mired in their own confusion!

“That said, every time I get angry, I feel a terrible tightness in my chest, so uncomfortable,” Concubine Xu said.

“When you stop caring,” Shen Chuwei played career therapist and part-time emotional guru, “you’ll find that no matter who Your Highness loves, it can’t shake your feelings.

Just chill with some melon seeds, read a book, cultivate your character, and your body will naturally recover.”

“I’m down for melon seeds, but I can’t get into reading.

If it’s not ‘this and that,’ it’s ‘that and this’–so boring,” Concubine Xun complained, rubbing her temples.

Shen Chuwei turned around, pulled out a bossy CEO romance novel from the drawer, and handed it to Concubine Xun, “Try this.

I guarantee you’ll get into it.”

“Really?” asked Concubine Xun curiously as she opened the novel and saw that the beginning was explosively outrageous; she quickly shut it and asked with flushed cheeks, “Is this book okay to read?”

With the tone of someone who’s been there, Shen Chuwei said, “Don’t let the beginning scare you, just wait until you finish the first page.

You won’t be able to put it down.”

After all, those CEO novels starting with a one-night fling used to be super popular back in the day.

She leaned in and whispered, “It’s perfect for bedtime reading under the covers.”

Concubine Xun looked amazed, “It’s that miraculous?”

Shen Chuwei confidently replied, “It’s exactly that miraculous.”

After finishing her melon seeds, Concubine Xun left Xiyun Pavilion with the bossy CEO romance novel in hand.

Tao Chenghui, from a distance, saw Concubine Xun leaving Xiyun Pavilion and a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes.

Concubine Xun always liked to keep her distance from others, so why was she frequently visiting Xiyun Pavilion?

With his curiosity piqued, Tao Chenghui entered Xiyun Pavilion and saw Shen Chuwei drinking tea.

Approaching, he bowed, “Sister Shen, how was the fruit wine I brought last time?

If you like it, I’ll bring more tomorrow.”

“The fruit wine tasted great, but it had quite a kick,” Shen Chuwei hadn’t yet managed to recall the events of the night she blacked out from drinking it, which led Xiao Jinyan to think she was fearless.

She didn’t dwell on that night, forgotten was forgotten.

“Indeed, the fruit wine has a bit of an aftereffect, but drinking two or three glasses won’t get you drunk,” said Tao Chenghui, settling down and picking up her skirts.

“I must have drunk too much then.” She had gulped down more than six glasses that night–no wonder she blacked out.

“Okay, I’ll bring you some more tomorrow,” Tao Chenghui offered and then asked with renewed curiosity, “Has Concubine Xun had a change of heart?

I’ve noticed she’s been visiting Xiyun Pavilion quite frequently these past two days.

Just now, I saw her and she seemed quite happy.”

“Concubine Xun burnt her hand and came here for comfort,” Shen Chuwei explained nonchalantly.

“I kept her company for a while with some melon seeds and lent her a book to relieve her boredom.”

“I heard Concubine Xun doesn’t fancy scholarly books, so what suddenly piqued her interest?” Tao Chenghui wondered aloud.

Shen Chuwei chuckled, “It’s just a storybook, actually.”

Tao Chenghui was intrigued, “Really?

Do you have any left?

I’d love to read one for amusement.”

“Of course,” Shen Chuwei said as she pulled out another book of the same variety from the drawer and handed it to Tao Chenghui.

Tao Chenghui glanced over it with interest.

It was completely different from the storybooks he had read before, which made him all the more eager to read it.

Xiao Jinyan had missed dinner three nights in a row.

Chun Xi tried to offer some comfort, “Young mistress, His Highness has been busy lately, so he hasn’t come over.”

Shen Chuwei touched her stomach, “I want to eat strawberry ice cream.”

Chun Xi: “…” She should have known that her mistress’s mind was always on food.

After having a bowl of strawberry ice cream, Shen Chuwei prepared to take a bath and go to bed.

When Xiao Jinyan used to come, Maid Liu Xi would yell out and Chun Xi would report ahead of time.

Now Xiao Jinyan’s visits had become so frequent that Liu Xi no longer yelled, and Chun Xi kept quiet.

When Xiao Jinyan entered, he heard the sound of splashing water and knew that Shen Chuwei was bathing.

Just as Shen Chuwei was about to get up, she realized she had forgotten her bellyband and called out from behind the screen, “Chun Xi, I forgot my bellyband.

Can you fetch it for me?”