allendalepharm Chapter 331 The Grand Princess of Liyang
Chapter 331 The Grand Princess of Liyang
Shen Shiwan nodded tearfully, "Second sister, I know! Don't worry, I will never bring shame to the Shen family. It's not like I can't live without a man! Who am I? I am Empress Chen Yuanzhao's own sister. I would never act like a resentful woman!"
"Okay, I love to hear that!" Shen Shixi said. "Now that you're married and a woman, you won't be subject to so many restrictions anymore. Think about what you most want to do, and boldly do it. I'll support you!"
Shen Shiwan said, "I'll ask my third brother later to see what's suitable for me to do."
There's nothing that's unsuitable for you; the important thing is to do what you want to do. When someone enjoys doing something, they'll invest everything without considering the cost or getting tired, and that's how they're more likely to succeed!
Being able to dedicate one's entire life to one thing, regardless of success or failure, is a truly fulfilling experience!
These words inspired Shen Shiwan.
Shen Shixi asked Shen Shiwan to stay and talk. The Dowager Lady of Changning, who was also Shen Shiwan's mother-in-law, was really worried.
In the first few days after Shen Shiwan married into the family, the young couple were inseparable. However, on New Year's Eve, when their son went to change his clothes, the maidservant seized the opportunity, and the son couldn't resist.
She also mentioned her son, who said that Shen Shiwan wasn't such a jealous person. She noticed that Shen Shiwan didn't seem to care about the matter. As a lady from a respectable family, she wouldn't usually compete with a maidservant for a man's affections.
On the first day of the month, at noon, another maidservant seized the opportunity.
Shen Shiwan bumped into them.
She was on tenterhooks, but the next day, the two of them went back to the Shen family together and returned happily.
When Shen Shiwan came out of the bedroom with a polite smile, the Dowager Lady of Changning Marquis breathed a sigh of relief.
It's good that no one complained!
This is the demeanor of a true matriarch.
After Shen Shiwan came out, Shen Shixi had someone call Du Hanyun in to talk.
Du Hanyun asked Shen Shiwan, "Did she say anything to you? Yesterday, when she came back to visit her parents, I saw that her eyes were red when she came out of her second aunt's room. I wanted to ask her, but that little thing Tuanzi pulled me back, so I didn't get a chance to ask."
"Ask her about her later. I called you here for something else."
"What is it?"
"Someone told me that when I was pregnant and hadn't given birth yet, there were rumors circulating that 'the birth of two stars is bad for the country and the nation,' and that the rumors first came from the Du family."
I had someone investigate, and the first person to say that was Du's eldest cousin's wife.
Du Hanyun gasped. "Is she tired of living?"
Shen Shixi said, "I hadn't given birth yet, and no one was sure if I was carrying twin sons. Besides, most people in the world know what's important, so the rumor was only spread by a few fools. Later, it didn't spread further, so I didn't go on a killing spree. But I don't want to let the first person who spread the rumor get away with it!"
Du Hanyun held Shen Shixi's hand, "Don't worry about it. You gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, which is auspicious. Plus, it was on New Year's Day at sunrise, which is incredibly lucky!"
Don't worry, I will definitely find a way to help you get revenge.
She sighed, "Speaking of which, I was the one who started this whole thing. You stood up for me, which is why she holds a grudge."
"Who does she think she is, to hold a grudge against me!"
The third-day-after-birth ceremony is a woman's affair, and Zhaoyang Palace was quite lively. Li Yuanke went to Qianyuan Palace early in the morning to avoid suspicion, as it was full of noblewomen from both inside and outside the palace, so he certainly couldn't show his face.
With Consort Xian and Consort Shu holding the fort, both of them from respectable families, managing the household affairs is no problem for them if they are willing to do it well.
Shen Shixi just lay there, not caring about anything.
Just before the event was about to begin, Shen Shixi heard that the Grand Princess of Liyang had arrived, and she quickly invited her to come in.
This is a legendary figure!
She didn't linger with the ladies of the court, exchanging greetings before entering her bedchamber. After paying her respects, Shen Shixi told her to dispense with the formalities, offered her a seat, and gestured to her, saying, "It's already a great honor that my aunt came to see me; there's no need for such politeness!"
The gift list I just gave was quite long.
Princess Liyang sat on the edge of the bed. She was happy that the Empress did not discriminate against her.
After Li Yuanke ascended the throne, the former Empress Pei spoke ill of her quite a bit, so she stopped coming to the palace. Now that Shen has taken over, she has no choice but to come in.
She knew Shen Shixi was a good person.
"You're amazing! Twins on New Year's Day, a boy and a girl, what a lucky day!" The Grand Princess of Liyang showered her with compliments.
Shen Shixi laughed and said, "Auntie, if you tell the Emperor these words, he'll already say it—he's just too capable!"
Li Yang was amused and laughed until tears streamed down her face. "The Emperor is still the same as when he was a child, always trying to claim credit for everything. Even as Emperor, he's still like this. That's fine!"
After exchanging pleasantries, Li Yang said, "I have a favor to ask of you today."
"We're all family, Auntie, it's too formal for you to say 'please.' You never come to the palace during festivals, which clearly means you're being distant."
Li Yang said bluntly, "It's not for you two. You know that the Empress Dowager has never been able to tolerate me. I won't go into what kind of person she was before. They would feel that just looking at someone like me would be an eyesore."
Shen Shixi didn't say anything. Although she didn't think there was anything wrong with the way the Grand Princess of Liyang lived, her status prevented her from saying much about it openly.
The matter concerning Du Hanyun has only just subsided.
Challenging societal norms requires courage and boldness, and it's not without its losses.
"You always have so many reasons. I won't argue with you. Just tell me, what is it that makes you come to me for help?"
Li Yang said, "Back then, I couldn't get along with my husband, so I divorced him. Later, I took a male concubine in my household. When this was exposed, the late emperor was furious and wanted to punish me severely. It was only because a commoner named Yin spoke a few good words for me that the late emperor let me off lightly."
She was referring to Consort Yin, the widow whom the late emperor had taken as a concubine.
Seeing that Shen Shixi's expression remained unchanged, Li Yang knew that he had made the right bet and continued, "She did wrong the late emperor, but she did save me once, so I can't say anything for her."
"Yi'an is, after all, the late emperor's flesh and blood. With such a mother, her marriage will certainly be difficult. My son, Sili, is already of age but still unmarried. Both of them are in an awkward position. Perhaps we could be a good match."
Shen Shixi then remembered that Li Yuanke had two younger sisters who were not yet married. The two of them of marriageable age were Princess Yi'an and Princess Xian'an. She had someone summon them.
Since their encounter in the Imperial Garden that winter, Princess Yi'an has enjoyed much better days in the palace after receiving Shen Shixi's care.
Needless to say, Princess Xian'an was well taken care of by her birth mother, Consort Liu, who was still alive and frequently visited the Empress Dowager to show her respect. Naturally, no one would mistreat her.
Princess Yi'an was dressed much more simply than Princess Xian'an, and upon seeing this, Shen Shixi understood the situation.
"I called you two here because you've both reached marriageable age. These past two years, the Emperor and I have been very busy and haven't been able to attend to your marriages. But it's not uncommon for a royal princess to marry at a slightly older age."
Shen Shixi looked at the Grand Princess of Liyang and said, "Although the elders can help with your marriage, you will ultimately have to live your own lives from now on. You can tell us your opinions on your marriage, and we will try our best to satisfy you."