Si Que never realized before how beautiful the curve of a woman’s slender waist could be when bent.
You Yuji lay curled up on her side, facing away from the bed. The light in the room reflected off the bed curtains, and she stared at the light halo on the curtains, lost in thought.
The light from behind the curtains fell on her face, casting a somewhat obscure shadow. After a long while, her expressionless face slowly furrowed her brows, showing a hint of worry.
Would it be too…
She slowly bit her lip, a faint white mark appearing on her slightly swollen lips, but she remained oblivious.
As she gazed at the halo on the bed curtains, she couldn’t help but recall the recent scene. But what was there to recall? She had clearly seen nothing, only at the end seeing Si Que wiping his hands with a handkerchief. It turns out that when one cannot see, other senses become extraordinarily sharp. Even now, she seemed to still hear those sounds.
Suddenly, the word “wanton” came to mind, and her brows furrowed even more tightly.
A weight settled on her waist; it was Si Que’s hand.
You Yuji closed her eyes and softly said, “Go to sleep.”
Si Que moved closer, nuzzling his face against the back of her neck and asked, “Is sister tired?”
“Mm.” You Yuji responded vaguely.
Si Que retreated slightly, gazing at You Yuji, his long fingers picking up a damp strand of her hair from her neck, slowly tidying it. The blanket covered both of them, exposing a small part of her shoulder.
Si Que leisurely traced circles on her back shoulder with his fingertip.
—Feeling shy now? Weren’t you quite happy just now?
You Yuji turned over.
Si Que’s expression changed slightly; he immediately lifted his long eyelashes and looked at You Yuji with a pair of clean, innocent eyes, asking, “Did I disturb sister?”
You Yuji held Si Que’s hand that was mischievously drawing circles and placed it properly under the blanket. Then she pulled the blanket higher over both of them and softly said, “Go to sleep.”
“Alright.” Si Que smiled, gazing at You Yuji’s expression.
Seeing that there wasn’t much shyness on her face, he felt a bit disappointed. He closed his eyes and snuggled closer to sleep.
It was still early, and many people in the prince’s mansion had not yet retired for the night.
Chen Anzhi brought a pair of gold-inlaid jade bracelets as a New Year’s gift for Fang Qingyi.
“I had Xiangbao Pavilion make this especially for you two months in advance. It’s absolutely unique. Although it’s not New Year’s yet, I wanted to give it to you early.”
Fang Qingyi gently stroked the bracelets. In the past, Chen Anzhi often put thought into the gifts he gave her, and she would have been delighted. However, now she couldn’t help but ask, “What did you prepare for Hongzan?”
She was concerned, after all.
Hongzan was one of her attendants and lived just across from her. Chen Anzhi had visited many times, and it was hard for her to ignore when he called for water at night.
Hongzan was like a thorn in her heart.
Chen Anzhi frowned and said, “During the New Year, the household will distribute items from the storeroom to each room. How can a maid elevated to a concubine compare to you, my cousin?”
He held Fang Qingyi’s hand and said earnestly, “Cousin, if you don’t like me sleeping in her room, I won’t go there again.”
Chen Anzhi was sincere. In his eyes, his cousin, being a lady of a prestigious family who had suffered grievances for him, deserved proper treatment. As for his other concubines, Chunxing was his first maid, and as long as she remained obedient, he would keep her. Cuiyu and Lin Yingying were even less significant to him, so he didn’t care much when Lin Yingying was kidnapped. And Hongzan was merely a means to satisfy his needs. If his cousin disliked her, he wouldn’t hesitate to discard her.
A woman could always be replaced.
After all, she had once been someone he liked, and Fang Qingyi felt a moment of softness. But remembering the fear and humiliation she felt when she announced her pregnancy, she pushed the softness away.
“My cousin is so good to me,” she said with a gentle smile, pouring a cup of rice wine for Chen Anzhi.
Chen Anzhi smiled as he drank, praising her, “I didn’t expect the wine you made to be so delicious.”
“As long as you like it,” she replied, smiling as she poured him another cup.
Since learning that the princess was pregnant, Fang Qingyi had been increasingly anxious. Today, she had doubled the amount of medicine in the rice wine.
That night, Chen Anzhi stayed over and quickly fell asleep. Fang Qingyi, however, could not sleep. She couldn’t help but recall the sweet moments with her cousin, but the further her thoughts went, the more bitter she felt.
Today was the twenty-fifth of the twelfth month.
The time for the medicine to take full effect was approaching.
But Fang Qingyi changed her plan.
For the sake of her unborn “son’s” future, she had to eliminate not only the child in the princess’s womb but also You Yuji.
She finally realized that her previous plans were completely wrong.
Chen Anzhi’s death alone was not enough!
Even if Chen Anzhi died, even if the child in the princess’s womb was gone, even if she gave birth to a boy, as a concubine, her child would still be raised under You Yuji’s name, calling You Yuji mother and addressing her as aunt!
She gripped the bedding tightly, a determined and ruthless look appearing in her eyes.
She had made a mistake once and would use any means necessary to make up for her past mistakes, even if it meant staining her hands with blood.
On the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, the atmosphere in the mansion became even more festive.
When Cuiyu and Chunxing arrived at the Tanxiang Yingyue, the maids in the courtyard were climbing wooden ladders to hang red lanterns high up.
“In the summer, Yingying said she would sew something for me by hand for the New Year…” Cuiyu stopped speaking.
Chunxing gently patted her hand.
Cuiyu smiled and said, “Yingying will be fine. She definitely will. Yes.”
Before long, You Yuji and Si Que arrived together.
“You came quite early,” You Yuji said with a smile. “The new clothes for the New Year have just arrived. See if they fit and if you like them.”
Zhenxu and a few maids carried wooden boxes containing the new clothes over.
These weren’t distributed by the mansion but were instead ordered by You Yuji last time when she decided to have new clothes made. She had measurements taken for each concubine and had three sets made for each.
Zhenxu personally delivered the three sets of clothes prepared for Cuiyu and Chunxing. Both had smiles on their faces.
“There’s more than one set!” Cuiyu had only known that You Yuji was having new clothes made for them but didn’t know how many. Seeing the maids taking out set after set, she was delighted, her eyes narrowing into slits.
“Three sets! And it seems there’s more in the box…” She looked into the box and saw a pink dress inside. The joy in her eyes faded instantly.
Zhenxu looked at You Yuji questioningly.
The smile on You Yuji’s face also faded slightly. She said softly, “Keep it. We’ll give it to her when Yingying returns.”
The atmosphere in the flower hall grew quiet for a moment.
Cuiyu suddenly thought of how Lin Yingying was always good at lightening the mood. With her around, there was never a dull moment…
The sound of peeling chestnuts broke the silence.
Si Que, with his head lowered, peeled a fragrant, glutinous sweet chestnut with his long, clean fingers and handed it to You Yuji. “Sister.”
You Yuji was holding a new fox fur coat for Cuiyu. Just as she was about to put it down, Si Que brought the chestnut close to her lips.
After a moment’s hesitation, You Yuji opened her mouth and accepted the chestnut he was feeding her.
Cuiyu watched their actions suspiciously. She felt something was off, but then dismissed it as overthinking… hadn’t Lin Yingying also fed her crispy dates before?
Lin Yingying had a jujube tree in her backyard, and every year, when the jujubes ripened, she would bring some to share…
“Madam, Concubine Fang and Concubine Hongzan have arrived together,” reported Baohe.
Cuiyu and Chunxing exchanged a glance.
This was Fang Qingyi’s first visit to the Tanxiang Yingyue to pay her respects.
Fang Qingyi entered the flower hall with her usual composure, bowed slightly, and said, “I was unwell recently and couldn’t come to pay my respects to Madam. I hope Madam will forgive me.”
“Sit down.” You Yuji couldn’t help but glance at Fang Qingyi’s belly.
Fang Qingyi noticed You Yuji’s gaze, and her heart tightened. Suddenly, she felt a sense of crisis, risking herself—no legitimate wife would want a concubine’s child to be born first. Would You Yuji try to harm her child?
Actually, You Yuji’s glance was just a bit envious that she was pregnant.
“Sister.”
Si Que peeled another sugar-coated chestnut and fed it to You Yuji.
Si Que’s words made Fang Qingyi frown slightly. For her future, she had to get rid of You Yuji, but in terms of personal preference, she disliked Princess Que even more.
Who would want to be someone else’s substitute? She no longer wished to wear white.
“Concubine Si and Madam have a really good relationship,” she said with a smile, emphasizing the word “concubine.”
Si Que glanced over coldly, his eyes entirely different from when he looked at You Yuji.
Fang Qingyi felt a hint of satisfaction—this person had also become a lowly concubine. She pretended not to notice Si Que’s displeasure and continued, “As a concubine, our lives are in the hands of the main wife. Concubine Si indeed should serve Madam well.”
In her eyes, Si Que peeling chestnuts for You Yuji was like a lowly maid serving her master.
Si Que tasted the word “serve” on his tongue, and the coldness in his eyes mysteriously dissipated. He looked away and continued peeling chestnuts.
Baohe and a few maids came in with tea and pastries.
You Yuji sipped her tea and said calmly, “Since Concubine Fang is now pregnant, everything should prioritize the child. You don’t need to come to pay your respects in the future.”
Fang Qingyi’s pupils contracted sharply. As expected, You Yuji was already plotting to claim this child!
Fang Qingyi took a deep breath, picked up the tea on the table, and elegantly took a sip. She glanced at the new clothes on the tables beside Cuiyu and Chunxing, and said, “I didn’t realize how joyful Madam’s flower hall is, with the sisters getting along so well. However, we mustn’t neglect the heir.”
Neglecting the heir? What she meant was that none of the women in this room were favored by the heir.
Cuiyu shot her a glare and said, “Yes, none of us are liked by the heir. Unlike Concubine Fang, who is so capable that even her main maid is favored. Tsk tsk.”
Hongzan lowered her head.
“You!” Fang Qingyi took a deep breath, telling herself not to get angry. Absolutely not. She shouldn’t be arguing with a courtesan!
Si Que found it a bit noisy. He took You Yuji’s purple silk handkerchief and wiped his hands repeatedly, his gaze falling on the courtyard outside where the servants were hanging lanterns.
Today, there was wind, and the new red lanterns under the eaves swayed in the breeze.
His gaze fell on Fang Qingyi, contemplating the idea of removing her head, hollowing it out, placing a candle inside, and hanging it under the eaves. It might look even better than those bright red lanterns.
“Do you have a coin?” he asked.
You Yuji looked over, her expression questioning.
Cuiyu felt her purse and said, “I have one.”
Si Que glanced at Cuiyu, this upright little figure, feeling reluctant to take the coin she offered—he had tossed coins for her twice before, and both times it landed heads up.
However, the impulsive Cuiyu had already placed the coin on the table in front of Si Que.
Alright then.
Si Que casually tossed the coin.
Everyone’s eyes followed the coin.
Fang Qingyi frowned, thinking that this princess from Si Kingdom must not be very bright. Why was she playing a child’s game in such an inappropriate setting…
The coin stopped its noisy spinning and landed quietly by Si Que’s feet.
Si Que glanced down at it.
Tails.
Si Que slowly curled one side of his lips into a strange smile.
He had his head lantern.
He slowly raised his eyes, looking greedily at Fang Qingyi.
Fang Qingyi felt a chill run down her spine under her gaze. She thought to herself, wasn’t she supposed to be aloof and proud? Why was she acting so bizarrely?
