A Concubine’s Competitive Life in the Prince’s Household

Chapter 12

Cai Ping and Cai Lian hurried to pick leaves from the vegetable plants.

The vegetables planted by Prince Yan, such as eggplants and tomatoes, had not yet borne fruit. But the faster-growing bok choy and radishes were thriving, their leaves a vibrant green.

Prince Yan relished the vegetables he had grown himself, finding them to be the finest delicacy on earth. They tasted far better than any green vegetables he had eaten before! A sense of joy at the harvest filled his heart, and a special sense of accomplishment grew within him.

Fu Gui stood by, attending to his master, and glanced at the fresh, tender green leaves. His gaze fell on another small vegetable plot. The vegetables he had planted were also ready to be picked, and he planned to take some home to sample when he had the chance.

Prince Yan was enjoying a hot pot meal when, suddenly, a curious voice came from the entrance of Fangfei Courtyard: "Sister Shen, what are you eating in the yard?"

Shen Wei looked up at the sound and saw a mistress and her maid standing at the entrance of Fangfei Courtyard.

Zhang Miaoyu, her round and plump figure appearing, was accompanied by a maidservant who looked somewhat embarrassed.

Zhang Miaoyu's residence, the Fragrant Fragrance Residence, was not too far from Fangfei Courtyard. That evening, while enjoying candies indoors, Zhang Miaoyu suddenly caught a whiff of an intense aroma.

As a dedicated foodie, Zhang Miaoyu could not pass up the opportunity to indulge in delicious food!

Disregarding the maid's attempts to stop her, she sniffed her way like a little dog, east and west, until she finally traced the source of the delicious scent to Fangfei Courtyard.

"His Highness the Prince is also here at Sister Shen's place! I greet His Highness the Prince!" Zhang Miaoyu dashed in without formality, hastily offering her respects to Prince Yan, her eyes eagerly fixed on the bubbling double-broth hot pot.

So fragrant!

Even though she had indulged in delicacies across the length and breadth of the land, Zhang Miaoyu had never seen such an unusual way of eating before.

"Sister, I haven't had dinner yet. Could I join you for a meal here?" Zhang Miaoyu pleaded with pleading eyes at Shen Wei.

Shen Wei smiled and replied, "Of course, Cai Ping, Cai Lian, prepare a new set of bowls and chopsticks."

Once the bowls and chopsticks were brought out, Zhang Miaoyu promptly plopped down beside Shen Wei. She quickly picked up the knack of how to enjoy the hot pot, placing a plate of fresh sliced meat into the spicier broth.

Gurgle gurgle—

The hot pot bubbled, and the meat quickly cooked through.

Zhang Miaoyu eagerly reached out to grab a piece with a pair of chopsticks, not caring about the imminent scorching heat, and promptly popped it into her mouth.

"Delicious, delicious! Sister, your soup base tastes divine!" Zhang Miaoyu's eyes lit up, and a blissful expression appeared on her fair, chubby face.

Shen Wei chuckled softly and teased, "Eat more if you like it, but the meat needs to be fully cooked before eating, or else it could cause diarrhea."

Zhang Miaoyu waved her chopsticks excitedly. "Let's eat first and worry about anything else later. Bring another plate of meat, fatty meat, pork belly, no lean meat!"

Prince Yan's face fell.

He hadn’t even had his fill yet, and all the good meat had ended up in Zhang Miaoyu's mouth. Watching her devour it ravenously, Prince Yan couldn't help but frown subtly.

But as the master of the household, engaging in a food-snatching battle with a concubine was detrimental to his princely dignity.

"Eat less, speak less," Prince Yan reminded Zhang Miaoyu as she polished off five large plates of meat.

Zhang Miaoyu froze, her eyes welling up with grievance. "Your Highness, do you despise me for being fat?" she asked, hurt.

Prince Yan: "...?"

Didn't you just glance in the mirror? Don't you see how plump you are for yourself? Every time Prince Yan urged Zhang Miaoyu to lose weight, she would act as if she were sobbing, causing Prince Yan a great deal of headache.

Excessive obesity was unhealthy, and he cared for Zhang Miaoyu's well-being. However, this woman had a one-track mind and stubbornly refused to listen.

Observing the situation, Shen Wei signaled to Cai Ping to slice another plate of meat. Shen Wei personally began helping Prince Yan cook the meat.

Prince Yan's expression softened upon seeing this.

It was clear that his Wei Wei was the most considerate and loving toward him.

Soon, all the ingredients were exhausted, and even the young bok choy and radish sprouts from the vegetable plot had been picked clean.

Zhang Miaoyu rubbed her full stomach, feeling satisfied and utterly sated, so much so that she could barely rise to her feet.

With the help of her maid, she managed to stand up and remarked, "Your Highness, Sister Shen, thank you for the treat. I shall take my leave now—oh, and Sister Shen, remember to call me next time you cook hot pot!"

Shen Wei smiled warmly. "Certainly—Cai Ping, fetch some hawthorn pills from the cabinet for Sister Zhang to aid digestion."

Taking the hawthorn pills, Zhang Miaoyu left Fangfei Courtyard, her heart content.

After the hot pot feast, Nanny Rong and the maids and eunuchs cleaned up the leftovers. Both Shen Wei and Prince Yan had overeaten and decided to take a stroll in the courtyard to aid digestion.

Under the night sky, the peach trees in the courtyard were in full bloom, with pink petals strewn all over the ground. A gentle breeze swept by, invigorating and calming.

Feeling sated, Prince Yan found all the weariness of the day had melted away. Strolling hand in hand with Shen Wei, there was an ordinary yet profound sense of happiness.

Passing by the vegetable plot, they noticed that the bok choy and radishes had been largely consumed. Prince Yan decided to sow more seeds the next day, aiming to have his own fresh produce every month.

After the stroll, Shen Wei and Prince Yan returned to their bedroom.

As the saying goes, "When the belly is full, one's thoughts turn to...", under the gentle light, the beauty was as captivating as a painting. Shen Wei bestowed a smile at Prince Yan, filled with tenderness and allure.

Prince Yan’s heart raced, and he seized Shen Wei’s delicate, fair wrist, pulling her toward the bed.

The scene was poetic:

"Gently strumming, slowly plucking, then sweeping and twirling—first 'The Rainbow Garment' then 'Six Beats'. The night is sealed in a dragon and phoenix quilt; the warm wind has crossed the Jade Gate Pass..."

They frolicked until late into the night before finally resting together.

Prince Yan tenderly kissed Shen Wei’s forehead; only she could bring him the greatest joy and satisfaction.

Sharing a pillow and drifting into a peaceful sleep, Prince Yan was awakened slightly by the movement of the person beside him.

Shen Wei got up quietly in the middle of the night.

Prince Yan was about to open his eyes when he heard Shen Wei whisper in a hushed tone, "Shh, don’t disturb His Highness the Prince."

Intrigued, Prince Yan pretended to be asleep, holding his breath and listening attentively to what Shen Wei was up to in the dead of night.

Cai Lian cautiously entered, holding a bowl of medicine. The medicine had a bitter smell, forcing Shen Wei to wrinkle her nose as she drank it down in one go.

Cai Lian murmured softly, "My lady... You are deeply cherished by His Highness the Prince; you should seize the opportunity to conceive a child, so why do you always take birth-prevention medicine?"

Prince Yan, pretending to sleep, was shaken to his core.

What?

Shen Wei was secretly taking birth-prevention medicine!

In an instant, Prince Yan felt deeply disappointed and resentful. Pondering his own actions, he treated Shen Wei exceptionally well, being affectionate and caring toward her.

However, Shen Wei did not want to bear his children! Could it be that her love for him was all an illusion?

At that moment, Prince Yan was profoundly disappointed with Shen Wei.

He was about to open his eyes when he heard Shen Wei’s soft, helpless voice, "Cai Lian, I deeply love His Highness. Naturally, I am willing to bear his children. But I come from humble origins, and my body is frail... If I were to become pregnant now, giving birth would certainly be life-threatening."

After a pause, Shen Wei glanced at the bed, realizing Prince Yan might have been eavesdropping.

Shen Wei’s tone was full of sorrow, acting like a powerless little girl as she continued, "I want to restore my health before bearing His Highness's children. I want to live longer and accompany His Highness throughout his life."

Shen Wei decided to drop the act and straightforwardly revealed the truth to Prince Yan.

She took birth-prevention medicine because of her poor health!

She wanted to nurse her body back to health first, and only then, with a strong body, could she be with His Highness for as long as possible.

Look, she was truly a sentimental woman after all—weren't you pleasantly surprised? Don’t you feel touched now?

If you do, how about promoting me and giving me a raise, dear boss?

Cai Lian, sneaking a glance at the canopy bed, played along with a look of heartache. "Madam, you do not have a strong backing like the other ladies of the manor. Never let His Highness know about taking birth-prevention medicine, or he will surely misunderstand you."

Prince Yan, still pretending to sleep: "...

Guilty conscience stirring inside him.

It turned out that Shen Wei took birth-prevention medicine for his sake.

In addition to guilt, Prince Yan felt moved. He knew that childbirth was a perilous journey for women.

Concubine Liu, who lived in luxury, suffered severe bodily damage after giving birth and took two full years to recover.

Shen Wei was born a peasant girl and had a frail body; childbirth would be even more difficult for her.

She had no background or backing, and while she could now secure her position by becoming pregnant, she chose to take birth-prevention medicine against the risks, merely desiring to remain by his side for a long, long time.

Outside the bed canopy, Cai Lian continued in a hushed voice, "Madam, please rest assured. I handle matters thoroughly; the residue of the birth-prevention medicine has been discarded in a desolate field, and it will definitely not be discovered."

With approval, Shen Wei nodded and said, "You may leave now."

Cai Lian carried the medicine bowl and quietly exited the room.

Shen Wei returned to the bed.

Prince Yan remained pretending to sleep.

As the candles outside the room were extinguished, only the faint moonlight filtered through the layers of bed curtains. Prince Yan kept his eyes shut, feigning sleep, feeling vaguely that Shen Wei was observing him.

Then, Prince Yan’s forehead felt a gentle, warm touch, as if kissed, and a pleasant, subtle fragrance wafted near him.

Shen Wei had sneakily kissed him.

Prince Yan: !!!

With light steps, Shen Wei slipped back into the quilt, nestling gently into Prince Yan’s embrace. It seemed she was murmuring to herself, "I want to be with His Highness for a lifetime. I pray to heaven to keep His Highness safe and sound all his life."

Prince Yan was her fortress of gold and his riches; she was her foundation in this ancient era. No matter what, Shen Wei could not afford to lose this gold mine.

Prince ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Yan's safety depends on her safety.

After putting in so much effort to finish the act, weariness set in, and Shen Wei soon fell asleep in Prince Yan's embrace.

After an unknown amount of time had passed, Prince Yan, pretending to be asleep, slowly opened his eyes. His phoenix-like eyes lingered on Shen Wei's face for a long time, his heart swelling with emotion.

After a long while, Prince Yan tightly hugged Shen Wei to his chest.

Over the years, he had grown accustomed to the stagnant waters of the prince's residence's inner chambers, to the indifference and sycophancy of his princess and concubines.

Unexpectedly, Shen Wei suddenly appeared. She was beautiful and innocent, clever and passionate, like a vibrant flame lighting up Li Yuanjing's world.

Prince Yan felt an urge to protect her for a lifetime.