The pregnant woman pressed down on the wife, and the cousin collapsed into the prince's arms.

Interior

Shen Yunshuang did not actually faint, but she was naturally weak and had fallen into the icy lake. Her face was pale and she looked delicate and pitiful.

So even though the doctor came just now, he couldn't say anything was wrong. He prescribed a few remedies to dispel the cold and nourish the body, gave a few more instructions, and then left.

Green Bud had already gone to brew the medicine. Snow Branch heard the commotion outside, went out to investigate, and then whispered in her mistress's ear, "The Crown Prince's wife fainted when she heard that the Crown Prince wanted to take you as a concubine. It's in complete chaos outside."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yunshuang's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and then she slowly opened her eyes. She didn't show much emotion, but from Xuezhi's perspective, her eyes were surprisingly bright.

Shen Yunshuang gently opened her mouth and said, "Go outside and report that I've woken up."

Xuezhi hesitated for a moment, then responded and went out.

After a while, Shen Yunshuang saw Pei Jingnian come in. Just as Wang Shi had been surprised, Pei Jingnian had not yet changed his wet clothes.

Shen Yunshuang leaned against the bedside, her face filled with astonishment. When she saw Pei Jingnian enter, she quickly pulled the blanket over herself and covered herself with her thin nightgown, her voice trembling like a fawn: "Cousin...cousin?"

Seeing her like this, Pei Jingnian felt a pang of bitterness in his heart and said gently, "Don't be afraid."

He sat on the chair beside Shen Yunshuang's bed, gazing at her, and said slowly, "You accidentally fell into the lake, and I saved you."

Shen Yunshuang seemed to have never imagined it would be like this: "Then...then me?"

Her beautiful eyes glistened with tears, making Pei Jingnian want to reach out and wipe them away for her.

"I wish to take you as my concubine. Would you be willing?"

The words I could have easily uttered in front of my mother just moments ago now sound so difficult and hard to say.

Upon hearing the words "noble concubine," Shen Yunshuang's tears fell incessantly.

Pei Jingnian felt his heart being slowly clenched. Yes, although a noble concubine had a higher status than an ordinary concubine, she was still a concubine after all.

My cousin is from an official family, so how could she willingly become a concubine?

At this moment, Pei Jingnian suddenly regretted his rashness. Would his cousin hate him?

"If...if you don't want to..."

"Cousin." Shen Yunshuang interrupted him, then wiped away her tears with her hand: "Shuang'er was just too scared. I just wanted to go to the lake to get some fresh air, but I didn't expect it to be so slippery. When I fell into the water, I was so scared that I almost lost my life."

"But, it was actually my cousin who saved me? I... I feel..." She suddenly turned her back, leaving only her fair profile visible. "I'm not sad at all, I just feel... guilty towards my cousin's wife..."

A ray of light suddenly flooded into Pei Jingnian's heart, which had been filled with gloom just moments before. Pei Jingnian was overjoyed. His cousin said she wasn't sad... was she... was she?

Upon hearing her last words, Pei Jingnian, remembering Su Wanrou who had just fainted, said, "It's not your fault, it's mine."

But although he said this, it seemed more like he was comforting Shen Yunshuang than that he actually felt any guilt.

After all, having three wives and four concubines was quite common.

Not to mention, his relationship with Su Wanrou was never exactly deep, and with the cracks already in place, it's now beyond repair.

He looked at Shen Yunshuang, not wanting to ask any more questions. One sentence from her earlier was enough.

At this moment, Lvrui brought over the medicine that had just been brewed, so Pei Jingnian did not stay any longer.

_

Su Wanrou was just momentarily flustered and it wasn't anything serious. She was in good health, and after the doctor administered an acupuncture needle, she slowly woke up.

When Wang saw that her daughter-in-law had woken up, she didn't know what to say for a moment. She also didn't understand why Su Wanrou would have such a big reaction to her son's words.

It's not like my son hasn't taken concubines before.

Thinking of what Pei Jingnian had just said about taking Shen Yunshuang as a concubine, Wang felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Her son was happy, but she wasn't!

Although it is true that Yunshuang was rescued from the water by Chengyuan and carried back to Ningxiang Pavilion, she was only in her own residence and was not seen by outsiders.

As long as she keeps everyone in the manor quiet, her reputation as Shuang'er will not be damaged, and she will still have a bright future!

Therefore, she cleared her throat and said to Su Wanrou, who was lying on the bed, "I will tell the servants to keep their mouths shut and pretend that Shuang'er falling into the water never happened. I heard that your brother was also nearby at the time. You can tell him about it when you have time."

Su Wanrou was originally heartbroken, but when she heard her mother-in-law talk about her younger brother, her heart trembled. But when she came to her senses, she suddenly understood what her mother-in-law meant.

My mother-in-law... disagreed?

There's still a chance! Her eyes brightened considerably as she asked, "Mother... what do you mean?"

Wang came to Jinlan Courtyard for two reasons. First, her son had chosen his cousin's recovery over his wife's fainting, and she couldn't help but feel guilty. Second, she wanted Su Wanrou to give her younger brother a warning.

She was still thinking about Shen Yunshuang, so she didn't linger. She left with the words, "Just do as I told you. Make sure that the incident of Shuang'er falling into the water never happened!" and then left for Ningxiang Pavilion.