mtl008 Chapter 151: Yang Shen Wan takes the initiative to attack (modified)
Chapter 151: Yang Shen Wan takes the initiative to attack (modified)
"When is Hongying?"
Hearing the noise, Hongying quickly lifted the bed curtain and saw the empress who had woken up. Her eyes subconsciously fell on the empress's chest where the quilt had slipped down, and her little face immediately blushed with shame at the colorful scars on her chest.
He quickly avoided her sight and whispered back:
"Your Highness, it's just past 6 a.m. and the Emperor has gone to court. Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Shi Nanxi was a cautious person. In an unfamiliar environment, she would wake up at the slightest noise. So she was already awake when Kangxi got up, but she just didn't want to get up to serve him.
Fortunately, Kangxi's performance was acceptable. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed Hongying's reaction.
She followed her line of sight to her chest, and raised her eyebrows slightly at the marks on it, her heart remaining calm.
She had experienced love affairs between men and women in her previous life, but she didn't expect that Kangxi was already 38 years old, with so many concubines in the harem, but he had not been ground into a needle. Thinking of this, she licked her lips secretly. She was very satisfied with the fact that he was powerful, handsome and alive.
I can only sigh that I am still young and weak, and last night was my first time. Now my body aches as if it had been run over by a car. But there is one good thing about it. I don't have to pretend to have the reaction that a first-timer should have.
So after being stunned for a moment, he hurriedly took the quilt to cover his body, looking shy and not daring to look up.
"The emperor has left, why didn't he wake me up?"
Hongying replied:
"Your Highness, before the Emperor left, he specifically told us to wake you up later. I think it's still early, so I'll call you later."
As he hung the bed curtains, he said happily:
"You don't know how considerate the emperor is to you."
She told Shi Nanxi what Kangxi had told her after he left. After hearing this, Shi Nanxi's eyelashes trembled constantly and she bit her lower lip lightly. Although she didn't say anything, she looked touched and happy.
However, her mind had already drifted to the greetings that would be held later. Most of the concubines in the palace went to Changchun Garden, including the Empress Dowager.
So there is no need to offer tea to the Empress Dowager today. All that remains is to pay respects to Concubine Nianhulu in Yongshou Palace.
Logically, Imperial Concubine Nianhulu was only one level older than her, and was neither the Empress nor the Half Imperial Concubine, so she had no right to pay respects to the other party. However, Kangxi's harem was special during this period. Imperial Concubine Nianhulu had the highest position in the palace, and she also held the Phoenix Seal and assisted in managing the six palaces, making her the number one person in the harem.
In order to better manage the harem, everyone in the harem would go to Yongshou Palace to sit and talk every five days. It was not considered a formal visit, but the rules had been followed since the death of Empress Xiaoyi. Shi Nanxi had just entered the palace, so naturally she could not get any special treatment right away.
In addition, she was appointed as a concubine as soon as she entered the palace, and she stepped on countless old people, so she must have been envied and feared by others. She would not naively think that everyone in the harem would watch her, a newcomer, catch up with them and surpass them. There would definitely be a big fight when she paid her respects later.
Thinking of this and the words Kangxi left behind, she suddenly had an idea. She sat up with the quilt in her arms, and instead of letting Hongying help her get up and dress, she opened her mouth and ordered:
"Go and get the health-preserving pills that Elder Liu prescribed for me."
"Health pills?"
Upon hearing this, Nanny Yang, who had brought water into the room, looked at Hongying. Hongying was holding a pillow in her hand. She placed it behind the empress without changing her expression. She then walked to the dressing table, took out a porcelain bottle from a locked box, poured out a brown pill from it, and returned to the bedside after pouring a cup of warm water.
Shi Nanxi took the cup and pills and explained to Nanny Yang.
"This health-preserving pill was tailor-made by Elder Liu based on my body condition..." Having said this, she paused and looked around.
Nanny Yang had an idea and walked forward with the brass basin.
"Don't worry, Madam. I know you don't like to be disturbed. Only Xiao Ruzi is guarding outside the door."
Shi Nanxi was very confident in Nanny Yang. If someone couldn't be cautious, she wouldn't have spent time trying to recruit him. After listening to her, she continued with the rest of her words.
"But this pill has a contraceptive effect."
Nanny Yang was shocked when she heard this, and her hand holding the brass basin began to tremble. She looked at Shi Nanxi in astonishment.
Shi Nanxi withdrew her gaze without explanation, lowered her head and swallowed the health pill.
Nanny Yang's heart tightened when she saw this. She moved her feet, wanting to stop it, but in the end she just stood there and said nothing.
Shi Nanxi nodded secretly at Nanny Yang's reaction. As a servant, she could give advice, but she couldn't make the decision for her master.
She swallowed the health pill, handed the cup of water to Hongying beside her, then looked at Nanny Yang and sighed softly:
"Ma'am, do you have any questions?" This attitude meant that she would answer as long as she asked.
Nanny Yang clenched her grip, put the brass basin on the table, and looked up at the Empress.
"My queen, the favor of the harem is important but the heir is more important. Why do you want to be favored?"
It is a serious crime for a concubine to practice contraception secretly. Even if the queen is favored, she may fall from grace overnight if the emperor finds out.
Shi Nanxi naturally knew this, but firstly, she was only sixteen years old, and getting pregnant and having a child too early would be bad for both adults and children.
Secondly, her body was really weak. Even with the medicine prescribed by Old Liu and her recuperation for several months, she could only barely recover to the health state of a normal woman in that era.
Thirdly, she had just entered the palace and had not yet established a firm foothold. Her relationship with Kangxi was not strong enough, so it was not appropriate for her to rush into pregnancy.
Of course, the above words about the lack of affection for Kangxi cannot be said, but there is no need to hide the other reasons.
After hearing this explanation, Nanny Yang suddenly understood and admired the Empress's prudence and foresight.
But there is no wall that is impenetrable. The masters in the palace have their pulse checked once every three days. Anyone who can be an imperial physician must have some skills. What if the secret is discovered?
She expressed her concerns.
Shi Nanxi smiled slightly. Nanny Yang was not like Hongying who had followed her since the talent show. The two of them were master and servant halfway through their lives, and it was impossible for them to blindly trust each other right away.
Her talk about birth control pills today was a test, and also a way of expressing her trust in her.
Of course, if the news of this matter leaked out, she would not be afraid because she had a backup plan, but Nanny Yang would no longer be trustworthy. However, it seems now that she had a good vision and could give such a reminder, which showed that Nanny Yang was really thinking about her.
She would not completely trust the other party immediately, but she could still use him with confidence for the time being, so she said:
"I know Madam's concerns, so I need to find an opportunity as soon as possible to explain the effects of the health-preserving pills to His Majesty."
Yes, Shi Nanxi was not going to keep her intention of using contraception a secret. Just like Nanny Yang said, there was no wall that was impenetrable. Rather than being discovered and used as a threat, she would nip the danger in the bud. She even had an idea of the opportunity she needed.
Since the queen knew what was going on, Nanny Yang said no more, but was deeply moved. She was not as good as Hongying, or even as good as Xiao Ruzi. Today was the first time she officially served the queen, but the queen even let her know about the contraceptive pills, which meant she really treated her as her own.
If before she was just grateful to the Empress for her intelligence and bright future, and for being able to avenge her family in the future, now she is even more moved and swears to be loyal to the Empress.
It was getting late, and Shi Nanxi had to go to Yongshou Palace later. After getting up, washing and eating, she whispered to Xiao Ruzi who stayed behind for a while, then got on the sedan chair and went to Yongshou Palace.