As night fell, the room of the prime minister's wife was unusually bustling.
Several concubines were sitting on chairs, chattering away, complaining non - stop. The noise gave the prime minister's wife a headache. She simply closed her eyes and twirled the Buddhist beads in her hand.
"Madam, please say something!" Concubine Six said anxiously.
Concubine Six was the youngest among them. Before Shen Ruoxi entered the mansion, she was the most favored one. Now, it seemed as if Gu Kexing had been bewitched by Shen Ruoxi. As soon as Gu Kexing returned to the mansion, Shen Ruoxi would find all kinds of ways to get him to her room. As for the other concubines, they couldn't even catch a glimpse of Gu Kexing.
The prime minister's wife slowly opened her eyes and said calmly, "It's the prime minister's freedom to decide which concubine's room to visit."
"That's right. If Concubine Six has the ability, she should make the prime minister visit her room. There's no need to be a sour - grapes here," Concubine Five said in a sarcastic tone.
Back then, Concubine Six had taken the prime minister away from her room many times. Now it was her turn to experience this.
Hearing this, Concubine Six immediately complained, "Don't just pick on me. Aren't you jealous?"
"What do I have to be jealous of? At least I have a child. Unlike you, Concubine Six. You've been in the mansion for so many years, yet you still don't have a single child." Concubine Five covered her mouth and laughed mockingly.
Suddenly, there was a "bang". The prime minister's wife slammed her palm heavily on the table. The string of the Buddhist beads snapped suddenly. In an instant, the room was so quiet that even the sound of the Buddhist beads falling on the floor could be clearly heard.
Concubine Five met the cold and fierce gaze of the prime minister's wife. Frightened, she immediately knelt on the ground and exclaimed, "Madam, I didn't mean that! Please spare my life!"
Since the death of the prime minister's wife's legitimate son many years ago, she had no more children. This was the prime minister's wife's heartache for many years. Just now, she had spoken without thinking and said something she shouldn't have. Now she regretted it deeply!
Although Concubine Six was happy to see Concubine Five in such a state, the prime minister's wife was extremely angry at the moment. She didn't dare to say anything more and just tried to hide the smug smile on her lips.
After a moment, the prime minister's wife said coldly, "Get up."
Concubine Five then stood up reluctantly, sat back in her seat carefully, and didn't dare to say a single word.
"Concubine Seven is a new member of the prime minister's mansion after all. It's inevitable that the prime minister dotes on her a bit more. As her elder sisters, you should be more tolerant. However, I'll persuade the prime minister when I have the chance to make him treat all of you equally. Alright, that's it. I'm tired. You may leave."
The prime minister's wife propped her head up and rubbed her temples.
"Thank you, Madam," everyone said in unison. Then they left one after another.
Finally, the room of the prime minister's wife returned to tranquility. The maid beside her handed her a new string of Buddhist beads and said, "Madam, aren't you going to discipline Concubine Seven properly?"
The maid felt indignant for the prime minister's wife. Not only did Concubine Seven make the prime minister linger in her room every day, but she also didn't even come to pay respects to the prime minister's wife on weekdays. A mere concubine was really not putting the prime minister's wife in her eyes.
The prime minister's wife took the Buddhist beads, her eyes narrowing. "Just wait for them to make a ruckus. The bigger the ruckus, the better."
After a pause, she hooked the corner of her lips into a smile. "Jin Niang, is it time for me to go to Wanshi Temple to offer incense?"
"Yes, this old servant will arrange it right away."
-
In Shen Ruoxi's room, the sweet fragrance of "Goose - Pear Incense" filled the air. Shen Ruoxi was half - lying on the bed, wearing only a thin silk gown. She looked extremely charming.
When she saw Gu Kexing push the door open and enter, Shen Ruoxi immediately ran towards him barefoot. The bells on her feet made a clear and enticing sound.
"My lord, you're here," Shen Ruoxi said in a charming voice as she wrapped her slender arms around Gu Kexing's neck.
"I heard you were sick," Gu Kexing said in a reproachful tone, but a glint of desire flashed in his eyes.
Shen Ruoxi leaned on Gu Kexing's chest and coquettishly said, "As soon as I saw my lord, I'm all better."
"Really?"
Shen Ruoxi raised her head and drooped her eyelids. "However, there's still one part of me that's not feeling well."
"Oh? Where's not feeling well?" Gu Kexing lifted Shen Ruoxi's chin. He grinned, showing his big yellow teeth.
Shen Ruoxi took Gu Kexing's hand and placed it on her heaving chest. "My heart is pounding so hard. I wonder if my lord can take a look for Xier?"
With a pair of big, watery eyes, she stared directly at Gu Kexing. Her look was both pitiful and seductive.
It immediately aroused Gu Kexing's desire. "Then let me take a good look for Xier."
After saying that, Gu Kexing immediately picked Shen Ruoxi up horizontally. For a while, the sound of the bells colliding and Shen Ruoxi's moans filled the room. The atmosphere in the room was extremely amorous.
After a long time, Shen Ruoxi lay in Gu Kexing's arms, her fingers constantly drawing circles on his chest, which made him itch.
He didn't expect that the eldest daughter of the Shen family would be more alluring than his Concubine Six, who came from a brothel. If he were twenty years younger, he would surely fight several more rounds with this little vixen.
Gu Kexing grabbed Shen Ruoxi's fingers. "I wonder if Xier's heart is still pounding now?"
Shen Ruoxi pouted. "My heart is not pounding anymore, but I feel so uncomfortable."
"Oh? Who made my Xier unhappy?" Gu Kexing frowned and asked.
Shen Ruoxi propped herself up and looked at Gu Kexing with a wronged look in her eyes. "It's those Shen family people. I'm living well in the prime minister's mansion, yet they publicly announced that I'm dead and even held a grand funeral for me."
Hearing the words "Shen family", Gu Kexing's eyes narrowed, and he let go of Shen Ruoxi's hand.
Originally, he wanted to take the opportunity to frame Zhao Yuan for colluding with merchants and officials. Unexpectedly, Zhao Yuan had also impeached the Shen family in front of the emperor. Not only did he fail to bring down Zhao Yuan, but he also made enemies with the Shen family.
"My lord, you must seek justice for me!" Shen Ruoxi shook Gu Kexing's arm. Her charming voice reached Gu Kexing's ears again. Gu Kexing's frown deepened.
"I wonder how Xier wants me to seek justice for you?"
"Since Shen Wenshan is so heartless and insists on saying that I'm dead, why don't you, my lord, tell the emperor about me living in the prime minister's mansion and let the emperor punish Shen Wenshan for the crime of deceiving the emperor!"
Hearing this, Gu Kexing squinted his eyes slightly.
His previous plan was to find an opportunity to tell the emperor that Shen Ruoxi was an adopted daughter of the Shen family and then let Shen Ruoxi tell the emperor that Shen Wenshan had colluded with Zhao Yuan. However, if he did so, Shen Ruoxi's crime of harming Ruan Jiu would be exposed. Thinking that this little vixen might be punished, he felt a bit reluctant.
He had originally planned to wait for a while longer, but unexpectedly, the emperor had released Shen Wenshan. However, Shen Ruoxi's idea was quite good. Now that the Shen family had fallen out with the prime minister's mansion, he must make the Shen family disappear before Zhao Yuan could win them over.
Gu Kexing reached out his hand and stroked Shen Ruoxi's face. "Xier grew up in the Shen family after all. Deceiving the emperor is a capital crime. Are you willing?"
Shen Ruoxi covered Gu Kexing's hand with her fair one. She looked like a docile kitten. She said softly, "Both my body and my heart belong to you, my lord. From now on, you're my sky. Why should I care about those outsiders?"
Hearing this answer, Gu Kexing laughed in satisfaction.
"Good! Then we'll do as Xier says!"
Shen Ruoxi lay in Gu Kexing's arms, a hint of cruelty flashing in her eyes.
Shen family, since you like holding funerals so much, then you can stay in your own mourning hall!