Chapter Eighty-Eight: Just Give Her Something to Eat, Anything Will Do

“Very well. Since you are prepared, I shall take my leave.” Seeing that Qin Zhiyi had grasped her meaning, Shen Fuyu said no more. She was about to go when she had only half climbed out the window and suddenly looked back. “Oh, and Your Majesty, the medicine I gave you must not be used on the Empress.”

“Why is that?” Qin Zhiyi had indeed thought of doing so.

“The concubines of the harem admire you, revere you, and regard you as their husband. The Empress does not love you.” Shen Fuyu had no choice. Jing Lanxi was far too clever. That kind of medicine for such matters, if ordinary, would surely be discovered. But it also could not be replaced with an illusionary drug, for such things had their limits: the person before her would have to match the one in their heart, or else they would notice something amiss.

With the medicines her current spatial level could produce, there was simply nothing else she could give Qin Zhiyi.

“Otherwise... why not just say you are unable?”

Qin Zhiyi strode forward and shut the window at once. “Get out of here, quickly!”

What sort of idea was that? Must he and Jing Lanxi be made to do something after all? Ridiculous!

“Don’t be angry, Your Majesty! I would never look down on you!”

“Scram!”

Through the window came Qin Zhiyi’s furious roar. Shen Fuyu chuckled softly. She liked nothing better than seeing Qin Zhiyi lose his temper like this. As for how to deal with Jing Lanxi next, she would not meddle. That was Qin Zhiyi’s own affair.

Back to confinement she went!

No one knew that Shen Fuyu had simply slipped out of the palace for a stroll. She had gone to the Hall of Supreme Harmony and then quietly returned to her own residence. She was just about to sleep a while when an uninvited guest barged in.

“You cannot go in, Miss!”

Shen Tangyu pushed the door open and stepped inside. Seeing Shen Fuyu lying upon the couch, she ground her teeth in hatred. “Shen Fuyu, look what you have done! Now all of us are trapped in this palace! Where is there any future left for us?”

“Really? You have already lost your composure this quickly? My, how disappointing.” Shen Fuyu opened her eyes a little and said with mocking indifference, “What right do you have to come questioning me?”

The two of them had never had a good relationship to begin with, and now that there were no outsiders around, there was no need for pretense.

“Because I am the eldest young lady of the Shen family! In the future, the Shen family will surely support me and not you!” Shen Tangyu gritted her teeth. At this point, without the Shen family’s help, this wretch Shen Fuyu could never escape the plight of confinement. Much less was she someone who had insulted her superiors; the emperor would surely turn his back on her. That damned woman—how could she still wear such a smug expression now?

“How anxious you are.” Shen Fuyu smiled half-heartedly. “But you seem to have forgotten that there is still one in my belly. Whether I can rise again is hard to say, but during my confinement, you certainly will not have any sweet fruit to eat.”

She would not lose favor. After all, no one knew of the bargain between her and Qin Zhiyi.

Some people fancied themselves in full command, when in truth they were nothing but clowns on a stage.

Shen Tangyu glared at her, and Shen Fuyu merely yawned lazily, unable to resist closing her eyes for a short nap. Seeing her breathing gradually even out, Shen Tangyu’s anger flared all the more. “Wretch!”

“Miss, you have overstepped.” Silver Bell stood in front of Shen Tangyu with a cold expression. “Do not forget that your behavior is also an affront to your betters. Our Lady is only under confinement; she is not yet someone anyone may trample at will. Miss would do well to weigh herself carefully. Are you worthy of flaunting yourself before our Lady?”

In her dream, Shen Fuyu nodded. This girl was good. She had promise.

Much more promising than those two swine. Look at her now—she had once been such a timid little palace maid when she first entered the palace, and now she could stand on her own.

Shen Tangyu clenched her fingers and warned, “Do not be so pleased with yourselves!”

Their father had always sided with her. So long as she spoke, he would surely favor her. She wanted to see how long Shen Fuyu could remain in this palace without the Shen family’s support.

“Lady, the eldest miss has gone too far.” Silver Bell could not help but feel indignant on Shen Fuyu’s behalf. “You should never have brought such a person into the palace in the first place.”

“Why bring that up? I am hungry. The evening meal should have been delivered by now.” Shen Fuyu did not care. If Shen Tangyu were not the sort of thing suited to entering the palace, then that would be Shen Fuyu’s loss. Who would make up for her anger points?

Just look—how furious Shen Tangyu had been earlier. The proud young woman relied on her fine family background, and Shen Fuyu simply loved shattering that confidence.

“However... you are right. No matter what, I am still the emperor’s Virtuous Consort. She is nothing.” Shen Fuyu’s eyes flickered. “Since everyone in the Crescent Moon Palace is forbidden from going out during confinement, just send her a portion of the food at random.”

Heh, she really was wicked.

Silver Bell ordered the meal to be brought in. After today’s commotion, the people in the Imperial Kitchen had been punished by the Empress Dowager, so the food delivered was complete and not a single mistake dared be made.

As for Shen Tangyu, with Shen Fuyu’s order in place, the people of Crescent Moon Palace naturally knew how to read the wind. After Silver Bell passed the word along, two little eunuchs in charge of carrying out chamber pots volunteered for the task. They were the lowest-ranking servants in Crescent Moon Palace and usually ate the worst food; of course they rushed to seize such a good errand.

A bowl of coarse rice and a small dish of boiled greens, with not a trace of oil, was set before Shen Tangyu.

As for what had originally belonged to her, the little eunuchs had already divided it up long ago.

“You are utterly insolent! How dare you bring such food before me!” Shen Tangyu stared at the coarse rice and greens. How could she swallow such a thing? She upended the meal on the spot.

“Tch. Putting on the airs of a young lady? This is Crescent Moon Palace, not the Shen estate.” The little eunuch was not courteous in the least. “Eat it if you want it, and if you do not, then don’t!”

With that, he strode off at once. Their Lady had not even lost favor yet, and this mere young lady of the Shen family was already daring to put on airs so shamelessly. Did she really think herself someone important?

Shen Tangyu raged in the room, smashing things in anger. Wretch! That wretch Shen Fuyu! Relying on the palace’s current seal, she actually dared have people treat her like this! She would surely make Shen Fuyu regret it!

The overturned meal left Shen Tangyu’s mood as chaotic as the rice, broth, and vegetables scattered across the floor. It had only been the second day since she entered the palace; she had not yet prepared herself, had not fully healed the wounds on her face, and had not even found a chance to meet the emperor...

She was unwilling. She was truly unwilling!

It was all Shen Fuyu’s fault! If that wretch had not insulted her superiors and offended the Empress, how could she have been dragged into this? It was clearly Shen Fuyu’s fault! Why should Shen Fuyu still be allowed to humiliate her like this? It was utterly unfair! Shen Fuyu was only doing this because she could not bear to see her do well. That must be it. It must be!

Yet anger alone was useless. Shen Tangyu smashed things to vent, but she also knew that if she could not see the emperor, she would never become his woman. Whatever she said would be in vain. She had to outshine Shen Fuyu. She had to.