Chapter Fourteen: Jiang Nansheng’s Child

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Shen Yi naturally concealed nothing from Xiao Huaijin.

If she wanted to survive, she had to cling tightly to Xiao Huaijin’s protection.

Just as Xiao Huaijin had said, from the moment the original Shen Yi entered the War Prince’s Residence, she had been marked as one of its people.

Their fortunes were inseparable: when one prospered, so did the other; when one suffered, so did the other.

The reason Shen Yi had brought the tribute brocade known as Flowing Clouds to Xiao Huaijin was that she wanted to use it to make two sets of clothing for herself.

The rest would go to Xiao Huaijin and Jiang Nansheng.

But first, she had to make sure Xiao Huaijin understood that she had not secretly appropriated the Flowing Clouds Brocade he had given her before. This piece had come from another source.

After Shen Yi told Xiao Huaijin where the brocade had come from, he fell silent.

After half a cup of tea, he finally said, “Yi’er, you need not concern yourself with this matter. It is likely far more serious than it appears. You only need to know that for every precious item in the imperial palace, there is one piece in the palace and another circulating among the people. That is enough.”

Shen Yi was astonished. “They are that bold?”

Xiao Huaijin gave a cold snort before replying, “Their greed and audacity far exceed anything you can imagine.”

Since Xiao Huaijin had told her not to interfere, Shen Yi naturally would not pursue the matter further.

Had it not been for the Flowing Clouds Brocade, she would never have taken the initiative to tell him about it.

She had only just carried the brocade back to her courtyard when she decided to cut and sew the garments herself.

Although she knew neither medicine nor cooking—and in her previous life had practically lived on takeout—she was a fashion designer and had her own distinctive understanding of clothing.

Unfortunately, at her company, she had always been relegated to fetching tea, delivering water, and printing documents. She had never had the chance to display her talent.

Now, at last, she could give free rein to her abilities.

Shen Yi first made one outfit for herself, then one each for Jiang Nansheng and Xiao Huaijin, to wear to the flower-viewing banquet.

As for Liu’er, she certainly could not make one for her.

It was not that Shen Yi was stingy. After coming to this era, she had no choice but to conform to the prevailing customs.

At many times, she could treat Liu’er as her own sister. When no outsiders were present, she might even let Liu’er sit down and eat with her.

But in front of others, she had to avoid such behavior whenever possible.

The reason was simple. In a feudal society, ideas that were too far ahead of their time would make one seem strange.

And strange people were liable to be ostracized—or even beaten and killed.

……

On the day before the flower-viewing banquet, Shen Yi had finished three outfits.

One was for herself, and the other two were for Xiao Huaijin and Jiang Nansheng.

She would use the remaining fabric later.

Just as Shen Yi was about to ask Liu’er to deliver the clothes to Xiao Huaijin and Jiang Nansheng, Liu’er came to her side and told her something of great importance.

“Miss, Madam Lin has returned.”

Shen Yi suddenly remembered something. Her hand stopped, and the scissors nearly slipped from her fingers.

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Seeing Shen Yi’s expression, Liu’er assumed that she was merely excited.

Shen Yi set down the scissors and paced around the room for a while before saying, “Bring Madam Lin to see me. Remember—do not let anyone else see her!”

Liu’er replied, “Do not worry, Miss. Liu’er understands!”

Before long, Liu’er brought Madam Lin to the room.

Shen Yi sent Liu’er outside to stand guard, then met Madam Lin alone.

Madam Lin was one of the old retainers of the residence. She was in her fifties and deeply trusted by both Shen Yi and Xiao Huaijin. Above all, she was utterly loyal to Shen Yi.

She had originally believed that Shen Yi would become the princess consort of the residence, never imagining that Jiang Nansheng would barge in and disrupt everything.

Instinctively, Madam Lin disliked Jiang Nansheng. She felt that the woman was unworthy of the prince. Even though she was the daughter of the Marquis of Weiyuan, she had been raised in the countryside for years—what could she possibly know of proper etiquette?

Shen Yi looked at her and asked, “Madam Lin, have you finished investigating the matter I asked you to handle?”

In truth, it had not been Shen Yi who had ordered the investigation. It had been the original Shen Yi, who, unwilling to let Jiang Nansheng marry Xiao Huaijin, had specifically sent Madam Lin to investigate the countryside where Jiang Nansheng had previously lived.

Shen Yi remembered that in the original story, Madam Lin had gone to the countryside and discovered that Jiang Nansheng had become pregnant before marriage and had a child.

The original Shen Yi had then intended to use the matter to make a great commotion and drive Jiang Nansheng from the prince’s residence.

She had never expected the original Shen Yi to die so suddenly, allowing Shen Yi to arrive in this world instead.

Madam Lin replied, “Miss, when this old servant went to investigate the countryside where the princess consort had lived, I found nothing at first. But after staying there for several days, I heard from a sharp-tongued old woman that before the princess consort married into the residence, she had secretly been involved with a man and had borne a child. However, the Marquis of Weiyuan’s household feared that the child would damage the princess consort’s reputation, so they did not bring it back. Instead, they continued raising it in the countryside.”

Shen Yi’s expression remained unchanged.

That child had naturally not been born of Jiang Nansheng’s illicit affair with another man.

Yet because of that child, Jiang Nansheng had still nearly come into conflict with Xiao Huaijin, who even treated her coldly for a time.

In the end, Xiao Huaijin loved Jiang Nansheng to the very core of his being and accepted the child.

When Shen Yi had read The Counterfeit Prince, she had been utterly stunned.

Although Luo Xi was one of her favorite authors, Shen Yi still found herself powerless to resist complaining about such a plot.

In fact, she had gone to the signing event for Luo Xi’s new book partly to ask why such a storyline had ever been written.

A prince willingly becoming a cuckold and raising another man’s son—how deeply in love did he have to be?

Of course, in novels of this sort, the ending always revealed that the child actually belonged to Jiang Nansheng and Xiao Huaijin.

Shen Yi thought that if she simply brought the child back and told them the truth, then surely she would no longer qualify as the vicious supporting female character.

At that thought, Shen Yi smiled faintly.

“Madam Lin, find a way to bring the child back.”

Madam Lin smiled slightly. “Miss, this old servant understands. I will see to it at once!”

Shen Yi naturally knew what Madam Lin was thinking, but that was truly not her intention.

Of course, she had no intention of explaining herself to Madam Lin either.

Once the child returned, they would understand her good intentions.

Shen Yi rose and said to Liu’er, “Liu’er, bring the newly finished clothes and come with me to the princess consort’s courtyard.”

Liu’er asked, bewildered, “Miss, the princess consort treats you so badly. Why are you still making clothes for her?”

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Shen Yi smiled and replied, “Precisely because the princess consort treats me poorly, I must treat her even better!”

In an instant, Liu’er understood.

“I see! Miss wants the prince to witness the princess consort’s true nature. Then he will realize how kind you are compared with her!”

What?

For a moment, Shen Yi did not know what to say.

This girl was so gifted at imagining things that it was a pity she had not taken up writing romances.

Unfortunately, the storybooks of this world were not particularly interesting. Most consisted of two little figures stripping naked and performing various acts.

There were quite a few such books in Shen Yi’s room.

It was not that she enjoyed reading them. They had been left behind by the original Shen Yi.

Shen Yi had occasionally leafed through them and found herself rather surprised.

So the ancients had known so many positions when engaging in such activities. It was truly astonishing.

Shen Yi brought Liu’er to Jiang Nansheng’s courtyard.

When Jiang Nansheng saw Shen Yi arriving, a trace of wariness appeared in her eyes.

After all, the relationship between her and Shen Yi was hardly a good one.

Shen Yi noticed the caution in Jiang Nansheng’s gaze but paid it no mind.

She took the initiative to say, “Princess Consort, Brother Jin asked me to use the Flowing Clouds Brocade to make this outfit for you.”

Jiang Nansheng hesitated, then looked toward the garment. The wariness in her eyes deepened.

“In my previous life, Shen Yi sent over an outfit for me to wear to the flower-viewing banquet. She sprinkled itching powder over it. If my medical skills had not been exceptional, I would have made a fool of myself in front of everyone at the banquet. Now that I have been given another chance at life, does she think I will fall for the same trick again?”

Shen Yi smiled and pretended not to hear Jiang Nansheng’s thoughts.

Yet she could not help complaining inwardly.

Why did Jiang Nansheng refuse to believe her now that she had changed for the better?

Forget it. Jiang Nansheng could think whatever she liked.

Jiang Nansheng walked over to Liu’er and looked at the clothes on the tray, then suddenly laughed.

“Little Sister made two sets of clothing, didn’t she? This peach-colored one is too bright for me, and I would not look good in it. You are not yet married, so peach suits you perfectly. Why not keep this one for yourself?”

Shen Yi felt that Jiang Nansheng was insinuating something, but she had no proof.

Still, since Jiang Nansheng did not like the peach-colored one, Shen Yi might as well give her the deep-blue set.

She had originally intended to give Jiang Nansheng the more beautiful of the two.

But since the woman did not know how to appreciate kindness, Shen Yi did not care.

After all, Jiang Nansheng might be the heroine, but Shen Yi was under no obligation to fawn at her feet.

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