“There’s no need. This consort will walk down myself.” Shen Guiyan’s face reddened slightly. She said softly, “I’ve gained quite a bit of weight recently.”

Gu Chaobei chuckled lightly. There were still ministers dispersing behind them—being too intimate really wasn’t appropriate. So he agreed and set her down.

Shen Guiyan had just steadied herself when someone caught up from behind.

“Your Majesty.” Shen Hanlu’s eyes held tears as she asked cautiously, “Was there something improper about what this consort wrote?”

She’d still been harboring some hope—what if it really turned out brilliantly and earned her a reward? But it still wasn’t right. She just didn’t understand why in novels those female protagonists could casually write two poems and receive full applause, yet her poem was also good—how come there was no reaction at all?

Tonight Shen Hanlu had prepared a dance, guessed riddles, and composed a poem. Everything those transmigrator heroines could do, she’d already done, yet the results differed so greatly. She was dissatisfied, of course. She’d finally seen clearly that using modern tricks here was completely ineffective.

So she’d better hurry over to admit her mistake—perhaps there was still some hope for a turnaround.

“What did Consort Shen write?” Shen Guiyan looked completely confused.

Gu Chaobei reached into his sleeve to pull out the paper and show her, saying flatly, “Your calligraphy isn’t suitable, and this poem is also somewhat strange and incomprehensible. For the next two days of the state banquet, be more restrained and don’t show off like you did today.”

Shen Hanlu hurriedly nodded, her attitude so good that one couldn’t bear to blame her further. When she reached out to take the paper back from Shen Guiyan’s hand, Xu Mengdie came over.

“This subject greets Your Majesty, Consort Yan, and Consort Shen.” Xu Mengdie smiled warmly, her gaze falling on the paper in Shen Guiyan’s hand. She said softly, “It’s been a long time. Your Ladyship’s elegance surpasses even before.”

Seeing it was Xu Mengdie, Shen Guiyan smiled. “Second Young Madam Gu.”

They’d all once been one family. Compared to Shen Hanlu, both Gu Chaobei and Shen Guiyan clearly preferred Xu Mengdie much more. Gu Chaobei waved his hand. “Consort Shen, you may return first.”

Shen Hanlu opened her mouth, wanting to take back what she’d written. But thinking about it, it wasn’t very important anyway. She withdrew her hand, bowed, and withdrew.

Xu Mengdie smiled and looked at the Emperor. “Mengdie hasn’t disturbed anything, has she?”

Gu Chaobei shook his head. Gu Chaonan had a good relationship with him, and in his heart he also respected Xu Mengdie as Second Sister-in-law. Naturally he wouldn’t feel disturbed. “If you two have something to discuss, then I’ll return to the palace first.”

“Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty.”

Shen Guiyan bowed. Afterward, she looked up—good, tonight Gu Chaobei was finally walking in the direction of Yonghuai Palace.

“Your Ladyship is smiling so happily—there must be some good news?” Xu Mengdie supported Shen Guiyan and asked with a smile.

Shen Guiyan came back to herself and pursed her lips. “It’s nothing. Are you and Second Young Master Gu doing well?”

Xu Mengdie nodded. “His Majesty shows great favor. My husband has been promoted to deputy general of the Southern Camp. If he achieves more military merit in the future, Mengdie will be secure for this lifetime.”

“That’s good then.” Shen Guiyan folded the paper in her hand and was about to put it in her sleeve when Xu Mengdie smoothly took it. “Is this what Consort Shen just wrote?”

“Mm. Actually the momentum of the verses isn’t bad, but this calligraphy…” Shen Guiyan paused and said in a low voice, “I’m afraid in the whole world only she alone could write it this way.”

Xu Mengdie smiled. “Since it’s useless, why doesn’t Your Ladyship give it to this subject? Perhaps it could be useful later.”

A piece of waste paper—what use could it have? Shen Guiyan was about to ask when Xu Mengdie changed the topic. “There are many people in the palace. Your Ladyship must be more careful. This belly is most precious but also the biggest target. For tomorrow’s state banquet, if Your Ladyship can avoid attending, it’s best not to come.”

Another warning. Shen Guiyan’s heart harbored some doubt about whether Xu Mengdie could tell fortunes—every reminder she gave inevitably came true. Since she’d said this, Shen Guiyan also took it to heart and nodded. “Very well.”

Xu Mengdie put the paper in her sleeve and escorted Shen Guiyan all the way to the rear palace entrance before turning back. Baoshan came forward to support her. Turning to watch Xu Mengdie walk away, she said, “Does Your Ladyship feel that Second Young Madam Gu is so calm and composed she doesn’t seem like someone of this mortal world?”

“How so?” Shen Guiyan yawned.

“This servant always feels she seems to know everything, always unhurried and unruffled.” Baoshan frowned. “Perhaps this servant is overthinking it.”

Baoshan wasn’t overthinking it. Shen Guiyan had the same feeling. Xu Mengdie was like an immortal—elegant temperament, calm and unhurried. At critical moments, she’d saved her more than once.

Her thoughts stirring, Shen Guiyan asked Baoshan, “In the past at the residence, how were Second Young Madam and Second Young Master’s feelings for each other?”

Baoshan, with her ears attuned to all gossip, understood this kind of thing best. She immediately answered, “Extremely good. I heard Second Young Master Gu never established a principal wife precisely because he feared someone would bully Concubine Xu. That Concubine Xu was born of low status but has an exquisite mind, and also won Madam Liu’s favor. Once she bears an heir, she can be elevated to principal wife.”

Gu Chaonan really liked Xu Mengdie. Otherwise, in the Prime Minister’s residence that cared so much about bloodlines, he wouldn’t have allowed Xu Mengdie to conceive his eldest son.

Shen Guiyan nodded. She’d been petty for a moment. Xu Mengdie had always helped her—how could she be someone trying to harm her?

Returning to Yonghuai Palace, Gu Chaobei was still at the table looking at memorials. Seeing her enter, his expression became even more serious.

The cold war between the two of them earlier seemed to have dissipated during this state banquet, but Gu Chaobei wasn’t reconciled. Yan’er looked like nothing had happened—why was it only him who’d suffered all these days?

“Your Majesty?” Shen Guiyan was drowsy and called to him softly.

Gu Chaobei said with complete seriousness, “You rest first. After I finish reviewing these memorials, I’ll go out for a walk.”

Shen Guiyan paused, remembering Baoshan’s words. She sighed inwardly and sat beside him. “Has Your Majesty not walked out enough these past few days?”

Gu Chaobei was delighted and couldn’t help glancing at Shen Guiyan. Had she caught on? Had she finally caught on?

“You want me to stay?”

Shen Guiyan nodded. “Among the six palaces, there’s no one who doesn’t want Your Majesty to stay by their side. This consort is no exception.”

“Then why didn’t you say so last time?” Gu Chaobei put down the memorial and said with dissatisfaction, “No matter who I favor, you seem to have no reaction. Between husband and wife there should be honesty. I told you this a long time ago.”

Long ago he’d also complained she was too composed. Now she was still making the same mistake. Really too stupid.

Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes. “Does Your Majesty truly like this consort being honest?”

“Yes.” Gu Chaobei nodded.

“This consort understands.” Shen Guiyan took a deep breath, raised her head to look at the Emperor. “Then this consort will speak plainly. This consort very much dislikes Your Majesty having so many women in the rear palace, and also very much dislikes Your Majesty being as gentle to each of them as to Yan’er. On the surface this consort appears fine, but every time this consort hears Your Majesty is going to favor someone else, this consort’s heart feels as if ants are crawling all over it, tearing and biting, unbearably painful.”

Gu Chaobei was stunned.

“Your Majesty clearly knows Shen Hanlu’s identity—why still keep her in the palace? Clearly knowing that Consorts Hua and Xi also truly love you, why still treat them so well? Clearly knowing this consort’s heart holds Your Majesty, why still use childish methods to test? Your Majesty said you would protect this consort for a lifetime—but if the one harming this consort is Your Majesty yourself, how should that be reckoned?”

“Are human hearts not made of flesh? No one likes sharing a husband with others. This consort knows she has no choice and cannot make a big fuss, can only endure. Your Majesty keeps saying you like Yan’er—then why don’t you understand what Yan’er is thinking?”

Finishing it all in one breath without pause, Shen Guiyan looked at the Emperor who had already gone stupid before her and smiled slightly. “Your Majesty blames Yan’er for not being honest. Well then, Yan’er has been honest—can Your Majesty accept it?”

Gu Chaobei’s temperament was just like this. Like the blue-eyed beauty at today’s state banquet—before seeing her face he wanted to look, but after looking he was dismissive.

She understood him. Inexplicably, she just understood him this way. So she didn’t think being honest would bring any benefits.

Gu Chaobei recovered himself and laughed softly. “So Yan’er’s resentment is this great.”

“Yes.” Shen Guiyan said, “Before I was a resentful woman in the inner chambers, now I’m a resentful woman in the deep palace. No one likes a resentful woman’s face, so this consort hides it very well.”

These words spoken repeatedly were all accusations against him. For a moment he really couldn’t accept it and had no way to answer her. Shen Hanlu? If she wasn’t kept in the palace, where should she be sent? She was a consort enfeoffed by Grand Empress Dowager Wen. To depose her would require a reason, and right now there was no reason. Consorts Hua and Xi—Yan’er was overthinking it. They weren’t people with improper intentions.

As for why he was so childishly testing her… Who was childish! He just… just wasn’t very certain of her feelings. There were so many people eyeing her covetously around them. He was just afraid she didn’t have him in her heart and wanted to provoke her a bit. Who knew it would hurt her… Yan’er clearly looked perfectly fine.

Clearing his throat, Gu Chaobei pulled Shen Guiyan over and said in a low voice, “It’s my fault. I acknowledge my mistake. Tomorrow I’ll copy ‘My darling wife is the most beautiful’ a hundred times, alright?”

Shen Guiyan shook her head. “No need. Your Majesty just needs to know this consort thinks this way in her heart.”

The Emperor looked at her ingratiatingly. “But hearing you say this, from now on I won’t dare go to other palaces.”

Look at that—he was the one who wanted to hear her true thoughts, and he was also the one who wanted a way out. Shen Guiyan turned her head away and said gently, “Your Majesty has his own considerations. It’s fine to go. This consort understands Your Majesty’s painstaking efforts.”

Gu Chaobei scratched his head, somewhat at a loss. Shen Guiyan had already stood up and walked toward the bed. “Let’s rest, Your Majesty.”

“Mm, alright.”

Shen Guiyan closed her eyes and had a good dream. In the dream were clear mountains and beautiful waters. By the lake was a bamboo house with only two silhouettes inside.

But Gu Chaobei couldn’t sleep for a long time. He didn’t dare toss and turn, only stared blankly at the bed canopy.

When dawn came, the Emperor had already gone to morning court. Baoshan had just finished helping Shen Guiyan rise when someone outside came clamoring into Yonghuai Palace. “This consort demands to see Her Ladyship the Consort!”

Early in the morning, Consort Xi’s temper was already running high. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes not properly worn. Behind her, Consort Hua also came hurrying with furrowed brows.