Chapter Thirteen: Splendid
Page (1/3)
Li Tinghan paused, surprised by Shen Tubai’s words. Reflecting carefully, after tonight’s banquet, he had returned to the rear courtyard with Lu Yuanshuang. Listening to her incessantly talk about bearing him a child, he had grown impatient and retreated to his study.
After drinking the sweet soup brought by the servants, his body began to react. He knew Shen Tubai had a certain medicine, so he instinctively assumed she was behind it.
But now, upon reconsideration, the sweet soup had clearly come from someone in Lu Yuanshuang’s courtyard.
Shen Tubai placed her hand on his forehead, feeling his temperature rising sharply. Worried, she said, “Your Highness is burning up. I must quickly find a physician.”
She tried to leave, but Li Tinghan grabbed her hand and pulled her into his embrace. “Don’t go.”
Recently, due to the Crown Prince appointment, many inside and outside the court had been gossiping about his household. If word got out tonight that Lu Yuanshuang had drugged him, rumors about his impotence would surely be confirmed.
Shen Tubai’s delicate fingers traced his brow and eyes, coaxing, “What should Your Highness do now? You can’t just endure this, can you?”
Li Tinghan looked at her in his arms — her exquisite features still tinged with youth, but her eyes filled with concern for him, as if to say that as long as he recovered, she would do anything for him.
His fingers covered her red lips, his thumb ruthlessly teasing them, his throat tightening with growing urgency. Yet he still wanted to coax her to say, “Xiao Bai, think carefully. You must have a way to help me, right?”
Hearing that pet name, Shen Tubai couldn’t help but smile. Indeed, men could say anything at times like this.
“I’ve thought of something.” Meeting Li Tinghan’s eager gaze, Shen Tubai acted swiftly, picking up the tea on the table and splashing it into his face.
“Is Your Highness feeling any better?”
Li Tinghan was furious, but Shen Tubai’s face remained purely concerned, making him momentarily unsure if she was acting intentionally.
“Is this the solution you came up with?”
Shen Tubai nodded honestly. “I heard that after taking traditional medicine, a cold bath helps. I’ll have Eunuch Lu Zhu fetch well water immediately.”
“Stop!” Li Tinghan grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his chest. Her slender fingers rested on his chest, and he couldn’t help but sigh in relief.
He hinted strongly, “Have you thought of anything else besides this?”
Shen Tubai was straightforward. “Does Your Highness want me to make an antidote for you?”
Page (2/3)
Li Tinghan raised his brow slightly, thinking this girl was finally catching on.
Unexpectedly, Shen Tubai withdrew her hand and said firmly, “I told you I don’t want Your Highness to do anything against your will under the influence of medicine. How can you lack such self-control?”
Faced with her disappointed gaze, Li Tinghan felt a moment of guilt, but then reminded himself clearly: she was his concubine.
Wasn’t it only natural for her to be the antidote for him?
But in that brief pause, Shen Tubai had already broken free and rushed outside to ask Lu Zhu for cold water.
No one knew what she said to Lu Zhu, but in less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, a large bucket of icy well water, with floating ice cubes, was brought into his room.
Facing Shen Tubai’s expectant eyes, Li Tinghan braced himself and stepped into the bath.
Shen Tubai leaned over the tub. “Is my idea good?”
“Good, very good,” Li Tinghan gritted his teeth.
Shen Tubai covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, like a cat who had stolen a fish. At that moment, Li Tinghan finally confirmed she was doing this on purpose.
He firmly held her head, biting her lip harshly before pressing his mouth against her ear.
“Thank you for running around for me tonight. How about I give you a reward?” His hot breath brushed her ear. Shen Tubai instinctively tried to pull back, but Li Tinghan gave her no chance.
His fiery kisses landed on her neck and ear, slowly moving downward.
The water in the tub churned violently, breaking the stillness as the temperature gradually rose.
***
In the Frost Court,
“Secondary Consort, water has been called for in the front courtyard, but the candles haven’t been extinguished yet...” Su Ye added a sour note, exaggerating the situation.
“It’s all your fault, you wretched maid! What rotten idea did you come up with? In the end, you’re making a dowry for someone else,” Lu Yuanshuang angrily overturned the table.
“Servant deserves to die, servant deserves to die,” Su Ye knelt on the ground, silently lamenting.
She was the one who brought the medicine. She had wanted Secondary Consort Lu to administer it the moment the prince entered the room, but she was so useless she couldn’t even keep him for a few words.
Page (3/3)
If someone else was benefiting, wasn’t it her own fault? Su Ye cursed inwardly but dared not say such things in front of Secondary Consort Lu.
Lu Yuanshuang clenched her fists. “This is the second time. No one has ever dared to snatch something from me since childhood, and now a lowly concubine dares to do so—well done.”
“Give the order: by dawn tomorrow, I want no one named Shen left in the prince’s mansion.” Her eyes were filled with malice.
“Absolutely not,” Su Ye immediately crawled forward.
Lu Yuanshuang raised a brow. “What? She killed your aunt, and you’re starting to feel sympathy for her?”
“Of course not,” Su Ye quickly denied. “The prince just favored Ms. Shen, and the Secondary Consort wants her beaten to death. If the prince finds out...”
“And what if he does?” Lu Yuanshuang interrupted loudly. “A concubine of low birth—kill her, and so what? Does the prince care enough to punish me for it?”
Su Ye thought bitterly: Indeed, the Empress Dowager is your aunt, so the prince won’t touch you. If this blows up, those of us below will be the ones to die.
Being by Lu Yuanshuang’s side, Su Ye felt her own cunning sharpen, because a single careless moment might bring a disastrous idea that cost her her life.
Su Ye soothed her, “SecondaryI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.