Lu Ying said indifferently, "What kind of mind does the Crown Princess Consort possess? I have long understood. Saying these words with false sincerity, it's like a weasel wishing a chicken a happy New Year, no good intentions."
Shen Yunxi's pretended expression of grievance instantly froze on her face.
She never expected that she would be compared by the Crown Prince to "a weasel wishing a chicken a happy New Year"!
How does she resemble a weasel?!
Lu Ying glanced at the nearly uncontrollable distortion and twitch on her face, then said, "Weren't you going to listen to the abbot's lecture?"
Shen Yunxi bottled up a bellyful of grievances and anger, yet she dared not ask Lu Ying who that woman actually was.
She could only pretend to adopt a gentle and virtuous posture, and smiled, "Your Highness is right. The abbot at Shengguo Temple only opens a session to deliver sermons once a year. I had been looking forward to it for months. Many people have praised my wisdom and insight, so I must listen carefully this time to the abbot's teachings and strive to make further progress in Buddhist law, bringing honor to Your Highness."
Lu Ying said, "Do you believe those compliments? Do you even understand those Buddhist scriptures?"
Shen Yunxi was thoroughly exposed, and her face turned crimson like dripping blood: "Your Highness's reprimand is justified. By the way, the invitation is still with you, Your Highness..."
The invitation had already been given by Lu Ying to Shen Yinning.
Lu Ying said, "On the way, I met an elderly lady who wanted to listen to the sermon but couldn't get an invitation. Her daughter-in-law cried and begged everywhere. Seeing this, I pitied them and gave the invitation to her."
Old Madam Gao wanted to hear the sermon.
Her daughter-in-law, Shen Yinning, indeed cried —
though it was due to his actions.
So technically, he wasn't lying.
Shen Yunxi didn't really mind.
After all, she didn't want to listen to the sermon; listening to "Amitabha" is quite bothersome, often lasting several hours during which she didn't understand a word and yet couldn't leave midway, forcing herself to constantly nod and smile from start to finish as if she understood.
She immediately said softly, "Your Highness has a compassionate heart like a Bodhisattva for cherishing the old and pitiful."
After Lu Ying left, Shen Yunxi changed her gentle and virtuous demeanor, and with a dark face called Lian Ye: "Immediately investigate which women came to Shengguo Temple today! Not a single woman's name should be missed; record them all in the register so that I can exclude them one by one to uncover that seductive fox!"
Lian Ye hesitated, "Should we also record the venerable ancestors, old madams from those noble families, and their accompanying mammas and wet nurses in the register?"
"You fool!" Shen Yunxi was furious and gave her a slap, "Is the Crown Prince so desperate?! Of course, check those unmarried young ladies! These cheap women, dressed up like peacocks, coming to the temple — seldom showing any genuine kindness, yet today they act pretentiously, distributing porridge, participating in charity, listening to scriptures, and chanting Buddhism — clearly they don't understand a word of the sutras but they smile like roses, doing all this just for the Crown Prince's attention?! Do they really think I don't know? How dare they seduce the Crown Prince right under my nose! Sooner or later, I'll make them pay!"
Lianxin gently reminded, "Madam, don't you do the same yourself? Don't criticize others or the Crown Prince might call you jealous again."
Shen Yunxi was enraged anew and simply slapped her too.
The Bathing Buddha Ceremony didn't end until dusk.
Shen Yinning sat with Old Madam Gao and Yin Shanshan inside the carriage, covering her knees with a small blanket while curling up in the corner, feigning sleep with closed eyes.
Lu Ying may seem cold and indifferent at first glance, but in affairs between men and women, he was remarkably vigorous and unrestrained, akin to a starving wild dog, wanting to devour her whole!
Every time she endured his ravaging, she'd need to rest a long while to recover.
Only this time, his words were particularly harsh, and she decided he needed a lesson.
Old Madam Gao was excited all the way: "You wouldn't believe it, during the abbot's sermon, to my left was the matriarch of Minister Xue's estate, to my right was the Duchess from Duke Mansion, quite the noble spectacle!"
Yin Shanshan complimented, "Mother, when Brother Zeng is appointed as Prime Minister one day, the Holy Emperor will definitely confer upon you the title of Imperial Decree, making you as prestigious as them."
Old Madam Gao gently pulled her hand, "Shanshan, today we owe it all to you; otherwise, I wouldn't have heard the sermon. Whatever you want, just say it, and when we return, I'll have Brother Zeng buy it for you."
Yin Shanshan hadn't expected to get an invitation either.
This invitation had definitely been obtained by her brother from the Crown Prince; her brother enjoys such prestige before him, and when the Crown Prince ascends, wouldn't her brother become a grand counselor of the highest rank?!
She glanced sideways at Shen Yinning and said smugly, "Mother, as much as I admired the golden hairpin Brother Zeng bought for Sister, I am, after all, just a concubine and unworthy of such fine jewelry. I don't crave anything specific; as long as our family lives well, that's what matters most."
"What a sensible child you are!" Old Madam Gao affectionately tapped her forehead, "Rest assured, later I'll have Brother Zeng purchase a golden hairpin from the jeweler for you, just like the one Shenshi has!"
Shen Yinning kept her eyes closed, her hoarse voice laced with mockery, "Old Madam, my golden hairpin was worth a thousand taels of patterned silver, are you sure you want to buy it for her?"
"What?!"
Old Madam Gao's face changed instantly, raising her voice.
She had never worn such an expensive golden hairpin herself, so why should she buy it for Yin Shanshan?!
As a concubine, what need did she have for a golden hairpin, wasn't a silver hairpin enough for her?!
Seeing the change in her expression, Yin Shanshan knew she wouldn't let Brother Zeng buy her a golden hairpin.
For a while, the atmosphere inside the carriage was strange and awkward.
Considering the future, when she and her mother-in-law would still need to coexist under one roof, Yin Shanshan, although not reconciled, could only feign magnanimity and said, "Mother, I don't need a golden hairpin. The best things at home should be left for you and Sister. When Brother Zeng prospers in the future and our family thrives, it wouldn't be too late for you to let Brother Zeng buy me one then."
Only then did Old Madam Gao's face return to a gentle expression, patting her hand: "What a pathetic sight, truly a clever and understanding child!"
Yin Shanshan smiled bashfully, but the hands hidden within her sleeves had already dug into her palms.
That stingy old woman!
If it were her in her own time, she would've urged Brother Zeng to send her to a nursing home, sparing herself the eyesore!
After the Bathing Buddha Festival, Shen Yinning started keeping to herself.
Even when Lu Ying sent someone to fetch her to Shen Garden, she declined, citing poor health.
Lu Ying knew she was sulking.
Because he demanded her obedience and noted that her sister was the true Crown Princess Consort who had married him, she became jealous and upset.
Lu Ying felt a bit displeased.
As the Crown Prince, he was accustomed to women seeking his favor; what reason would he have to bow to a woman?