Who said the heir would die out? The concubine is pregnant again!

In reality, Yingzhu was just joking to ease the tension.

Upon hearing this, Liang Yunqian's expression clearly froze.

Yes! Why would he dislike that statement?

He didn't even bother to think about the reasons, and just coldly retorted, "You're overthinking it! I just don't want people to misunderstand and think that our Prince Rui's Mansion can't even support a woman, and that we kick her out after she gives birth."

With a soft "hmm," Yingzhu smiled knowingly, "I understand! This servant cannot make this public. I will just wait a year later, take the money, and leave quietly without spreading it around, so as not to bring shame to the Prince Rui's mansion."

"..."

Her comprehension skills are really... tricky!

"Shen Yingzhu, you really are very understanding!"

He practically gritted his teeth as he uttered those words. Yingzhu, busy undressing him, didn't even look at him, only casually replying:

"More than that! This servant is also skilled at undressing people!"

As they spoke, she had already removed his outer garment and was untying his belt.

She joked nonchalantly, not taking it seriously at all. Liang Yunqian suddenly didn't understand what he was angry about, but seeing her calm and composed appearance, he felt like he had a thorn stuck in his heart.

What's even more ridiculous is that he had no idea where the thorn came from.

"Young Master, this jade belt is really beautiful, and the embroidered patterns on it are exquisite."

As Yingzhu was praising herself, Liang Yunqian found her red lips moving in a particularly noisy manner, and he scoffed softly.

"So noisy!"

Seeing his impatient expression, Yingzhu pouted and muttered:

"What did I say wrong this time? Why are you acting so unpredictably and irrationally?"

"I only talk about my feelings!"

"What can I do to make you feel better?"

Do we really have to wait for his instructions on this kind of problem? "Figure it out yourself."

She wasn't going to guess! His thoughts were too strange for her to fathom, so she simply followed her own intuition, raised her head, and kissed him!

Just moments ago she was resisting and dodging, but now she's taking the initiative to kiss me.

What is she up to?

Liang Yunqian did not open his lips, letting her kiss his lips repeatedly, but he remained cold and unresponsive.

Did she miscalculate again? Did he not like her kisses at all?

That shouldn't be! He clearly kissed her just now. Was he just pretending to be angry, or did he really hate her?

Undeterred, Yingzhu decided to try again. She continued to kiss him, and even mustered up the courage to try to pry open his lips and teeth using her small mouth.

Liang Yunqian was indeed sulking, but Shen Yingzhu kept getting closer. The fragrance of pomegranates permeated his breath and disturbed his mind. He could no longer restrain himself and suddenly leaned down to kiss her back!

This sudden action caught Yingzhu off guard. She sobbed in protest, but he did not back down. Instead, he deepened the kiss fiercely.

She retreated while he advanced, pressing her step by step. Yingzhu retreated to the bed, where there was nowhere left to go. Losing her balance, she fell backward.

Fear of falling made her instinctively raise her hand to wrap around the back of his neck, but it all happened too fast, and Yingzhu still fell onto the couch.

However, the expected headache did not come. Instead, Liang Yunqian's large hand quickly placed on the back of her head, giving her a soft cushion.

When their eyes met, both of them were slightly out of breath.

Yingzhu didn't know if his mood had improved, but she knew that Liang Yunqian's sharp blade was already drawn, waiting to devour her completely...

Later, Yingzhu fainted again. When Qingfeng woke her up, it was just getting light. Yingzhu was still in a daze and it took her a while to come to her senses.

It's time to go read the scriptures again, which is really annoying. She just hopes to get pregnant soon so she won't have to read the scriptures anymore.

Despite her drowsiness, Yingzhu went to Deshan Hall.

As soon as she arrived, she overheard Granny Chen complaining to Princess Rui, "I've repeatedly told her that Ting Song Garden is the best place for conception according to feng shui, so why did Miss Shen let the young master stay at Wen Zhu Xuan?"

In fact, Shen Yingzhu had guessed this question last night. At that time, she was thinking that if Granny Chen found out, she would nag again.

Sure enough, she guessed right!

"The young master wanted to stay the night, and I didn't dare to send him away. The arrow was already on the bowstring; if it were suddenly broken and the young master was injured, what should we do?"

As Xu Fanglin listened to Shen Yingzhu's description of the intimate details between her and Liang Yunqian, she was consumed by jealousy.

"Just do as Granny Chen says. Why make so many excuses? I heard you've been calling for water two or three times a night lately? The young master isn't interested in women. It must be your seductive charm that's making him indulge himself!"

"I'm having you have a child with the Crown Prince, not so you'll seduce him and make him lose control!"

Yingzhu sneered inwardly. Xu Fanglin not only asked her to help have a child, but also scolded her for being shameless.

Given her domineering and arrogant behavior, why should she give Xu Fanglin any face?

"How does the Crown Princess know that the Crown Prince has no interest in women? Do you know what he's like at night?"

A rhetorical question left Xu Fanglin speechless, her face turning red and then white.

It is an open secret that she did not consummate her marriage with Liang Yunqian. Shen Yingzhu actually ridiculed her in public. Where does that leave her dignity?

Enraged, Xu Fanglin turned to Princess Rui and cried:

"Mother, I am only thinking about the health of the young master. He has just recovered and needs to strengthen his body. The doctor also said that he should only have sex once a night and not be indulged."

"I didn't say anything wrong, did I? Yet Yingzhu mocks me like this. She's taking advantage of my favor and doesn't respect me as her legal wife at all. Mother, you must stand up for your daughter-in-law!"

Yingzhu dared to say those words in public for two reasons: first, to retaliate against Xu Fanglin; and second, because she knew that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law did not get along, and even if Xu Fanglin complained, Princess Rui might not necessarily side with Xu Fanglin.

The best way to get revenge is to use others to suppress Xu Fanglin!

Yingzhu covered her face with her handkerchief and wept, "The young master is a man of his word. I am timid and dare not disobey him. If I refuse, and he angers me and refuses to share a room with me again, then I will not be able to complete my mission of getting pregnant."

She cried as she spoke, looking utterly pitiful.

Yingzhu's explanation was reasonable and well-founded, and Princess Rui considered it for a moment before speaking:

"Yun Qian stayed overnight at Wenzhu Pavilion. It's nothing serious. Why make such a fuss? As for the number of times he did it at night... He's young and impetuous, and Yingzhu is beautiful. It's inevitable that he would lose control for a moment."

His temper is not something that can be easily calmed down. Fanglin, you don't need to be harsh on Yingzhu. When I have time, I will warn Yunqian to follow the rules and not to cause trouble again.

Instead of focusing on how often your husband calls for water, think more about how to please him.

The last sentence was clearly a reprimand to Xu Fanglin for monitoring Liang Yunqian's movements.

Even though Shen Yingzhu was clearly in the wrong, Princess Rui didn't reprimand her at all, but instead treated Xu Fanglin harshly? The aggrieved Xu Fanglin retorted in a low voice...

"The Crown Prince refuses to consummate our marriage, not because I am unwilling, but because I have no other choice!"

Standing to the side, Yingzhu sneered inwardly. Others might have the right to complain, but Xu Fanglin had no right to complain!

She has never done anything for Liang Yunqian, so what right does she have to criticize him?

But before Yingzhu could say anything, she noticed that Princess Rui had already rolled her eyes.

"When you first got married, Yunqian was seriously injured and confined to a wheelchair, yet you refused to live with him and instead had servants take care of him. You even refused to apply medicine, saying that you hadn't consummated your marriage yet and it was embarrassing. How did you expect Yunqian to feel?"

He'll only think you're disgusted by his lameness and are just making excuses. Now that he's fully recovered, it's too late for you to try and make amends! There were already cracks between you two, so don't blame Yunqian for being cold to you.

Xu Fanglin was severely reprimanded by Princess Rui, and the resentment in her eyes as she turned to look at Yingzhu was undisguised.

Yingzhu felt no guilt; she had only herself to blame!

Chen Mama was always fond of tattling, and she would have just said one thing and let it go. But Xu Fanglin, in order to deal with Yingzhu, added fuel to the fire, and then she was reprimanded by Princess Rui. Who can she blame?

Xu Fanglin found copying the scriptures today particularly frustrating. After finally finishing, Yingzhu quickened her pace, preparing to return to Wenzhuxuan for breakfast, when she heard Xu Fanglin's reprimands from behind.

"Shen Yingzhu, stop right there!"

Yingzhu stopped in her tracks, lazily turned her head, lowered her eyes, and curtsied.

"What are your orders, Princess Consort?"

Xu Fanglin suppressed his resentment and refrained from attacking her, only coldly snorting:

"If it weren't for my father's help, how would you have had the chance to step into the gates of Prince Rui's mansion? Just because you served the prince, you act arrogantly and domineeringly. Even I should mock you."

Have you ever considered what good it would do for your brother, who's still at the Imperial Academy, to oppose me? Don't you care at all about his future?

Yingzhu slowly raised her eyes. "Songyan was sent in with the Prince's permission. Does the Princess Consort intend to disregard even the Prince's authority?"

Xu Fanglin's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "You shamelessly begged the Prince to send your brother, and the Prince, out of consideration for his reputation, reluctantly agreed. But the Prince said it's still uncertain whether your brother can pass the test!"

Xu Fanglin was certain of this, which is why he dared to take action.

Yingzhu was no longer as submissive as before. She stared intently at Xu Fanglin and warned her in a cold voice.

"I advise you not to touch Songyan, otherwise... you'll bear the consequences!"

"Shen Yingzhu, who do you think you are? How dare you threaten me? I warned you last time, but you tried to outsmart me. Since you won't listen to my polite words, don't blame me for disregarding our master-servant relationship!"

Xu Fanglin sneered, and then Lian Chuan's voice came from behind her.

"Princess Consort, Miss Shen, the Prince invites you both to Tingsong Garden."

The two of you are going together? That must be something important!

After a moment's thought, Yingzhu guessed that it must be Xu Fanglin's secret dealings with her brother that Liang Yunqian had discovered!