The Hidden Beauty

Chapter 30 The Emperor Covets
When they were in the market, the horse-drawn carriages of the Governor's Mansion and the sedan chairs of the nobles from the palace came straight towards them.

Yu Feng was sharp-eyed and recognized it as the imperial concubine's sedan chair. He immediately called out to stop it: "Madam, it looks like the imperial concubine."

Jiang Shiwan said, "Be careful to avoid it."

Naturally, someone on the other side reported to Lin Nianyi that they had encountered a carriage from the Governor's Mansion.

When passing by the Governor's carriage, Lin Nianyi ordered someone to lift the curtain of the sedan chair and said to the figure in the carriage, "Thanks to the oranges given by Madam Ru, my brother's life was saved. I am deeply grateful."

"Your Highness, your words are too kind. I am only trying my best to help you."

"Where are you going, Madam Ru?"

"Your Highness, I am heading to the Princess's residence."

Lin Nianyi chewed: "The Princess's Mansion? It seems that you are well-informed."

Hearing this, Jiang Shiwan felt something was a little strange. She lifted the curtain and smiled at Lin Nianyi: "Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know what the imperial concubine means by this."

Lin Nianyi looked at her big belly, thought of the strangled dragon fetus and her own betrayed love, and a feeling of hatred and jealousy rushed into her mind.

"I guess Madam Ru should have heard about the eldest princess's hobbies, right?"

Jiang Shiwan did not comment. She had naturally heard that the eldest princess had always liked to keep male favorites.

Lin Nianyi chuckled, "I heard that the princess recently got a new male favorite, who is as handsome as a jade crown and has extraordinary talent. The princess dotes on him very much and even asked the emperor to make him the Shaoqing of the Imperial Household Department."

Jiang Shiwan seemed to have thought of something, and his lips suddenly lost color: "Who is the male favorite that the imperial concubine is referring to?"

No matter how slow Yu Feng's reaction was, he realized something was wrong. He bowed his head towards Lin Nianyi and said, "My Lady, it's getting late. Madam should leave."

"Wait." Jiang Shiwan stroked his belly and insisted on getting off the carriage.

Yu Feng wanted to stop her when he saw the situation: "There are many people outside, Madam, you cannot get out of the car."

Jiang Shiwan glared at him and said, "Get out of the way."

"lady!"

"Yufeng, you can go tell Meng Tingzhou now."

Yu Feng was embarrassed and had to let go.

Meng Tingzhou felt a little uneasy when he went to court today, and Jiang Shiwan's fluctuating expression kept flashing through his mind.

I had a bad feeling and decided to go back home after the court session.

But he was told that Jiang Shiwan went to the Princess's Mansion.

Meng Tingzhou's fists rattled, and his eyes looked murderous at that moment: "Pei Qing, prepare the horses!"

Lin Nianyi and Jiang Shiwan walked into a nearby shop.

After the scene was cleared and there were only two people left in the room, Lin Nianyi looked at her belly for a long while: "Madam Ru is about to give birth, right?"

"He dotes on you and loves you. If you give birth to a child with peace of mind, you will have no worries about wealth and glory in the future." Lin Nianyi sighed and smiled, "I think it's better for you not to know."

"Since the Imperial Concubine is determined to tell this minister, she will not deliberately conceal it."

Seeing her eagerness to know, Lin Nianyi felt a sense of success: "Jiang Shiwan, do you know where your so-called brother Jiang Shinian came from?"

"Naturally, it was my mother who gave birth to me."

"It is true that you two are born from the same mother, but do you know who his father is?"

Jiang Shiwan looked at her suddenly, with a vigilant look in his eyes: "What do you mean?"

Lin Nianyi laughed: "The late emperor was obsessed with alchemy, and his mind was often unclear. Once at a palace banquet, the late emperor coveted your mother's beauty and brought her to his private palace to favor her..."

It was like a thunderbolt. Jiang Shiwan took a step back in panic: "You are talking nonsense!"

Lin Nianyi approached step by step: "Your father endured humiliation for many years for the Jiang family and for you, and your mother couldn't bear the shame and committed suicide after giving birth to Jiang Shinian."

"Besides, have you ever thought about why your father treats you as the apple of his eye but is lukewarm towards Jiang Shinian?"

When I was a child, my father was always gentle and patient with me, but he was quite strict with Xiaonian. At that time, people around me said that my father favored his daughter and had high hopes for his son. Over time, the siblings got used to it.

After Lin Nianyi said this, her mind emerged of the time after a serious illness when she woke up to find her father wiping away tears.

When she asked her father why he was crying, he hugged her tightly and said, "Meimei, you are my courage to live. I have no other hope, I just hope you are safe."

She was very surprised that her father would say that she was the reason he had the courage to live. She originally wanted to comfort her father and Xiaonian, but seeing how sad her father was, she didn't ask.

Jiang Shiwan retreated to the cabinet, with nowhere to retreat, and then looked at Lin Nianyi: "How did you know?"

"Your brother is the half brother of the current emperor. Do you think the emperor can tolerate a person who poses a threat to him to survive in this world?"

Jiang Shiwan felt a cramp in his stomach and frowned in pain: "Xiao Nian and I don't know the inside story, how could His Majesty..."

Her expression seemed to be in pain, but Lin Nianyi felt that it was a great pleasure. Is it painful? It was right to be painful!

"The emperor is good at scheming and will never let anyone threaten his position. And do you know that?"

Lin Nianyi whispered in her ear, "One for you and one for Jiang Shinian. The emperor asked Meng Tingzhou to choose one."

Even though I was prepared, this sentence still hit me hard.

"You mean... Xiaonian... Xiaonian..."

The little person appeared in front of her eyes, grabbing her hair with his soft hands and shouting: "Sister... Sister is beautiful..."

"Sister, I will listen to you and go back to Jiangning..."

"Sister, take care of yourself. I'll come find you when I become stronger. You have to wait until I grow up..."

"Sister..."

Jiang Shiwan collapsed completely, feeling his stomach churning but unable to vomit.

She felt suffocated and gasped: "No...no..."

Lin Nianyi looked down at her and reached out to stroke her cheek. "You are so beautiful. No wonder Meng Tingzhou likes you so much. In order to keep you, Meng Tingzhou personally sent someone to the south with the imperial edict to see Jiang Shinian off for the last time."

"Jiang Shinian may never understand until his death why his nominal brother-in-law sent him to the west."

"Hahaha……"

Hearing Lin Nianyi's rampant laughter resounding throughout the house, Jiang Shiwan was heartbroken and felt his lower body getting wet.

Following her gaze, Lin Nianyi saw the blood and pretended to be surprised.

"Oh, Madam Ru is about to give birth? Then you should save some energy to bear children for Meng Tingzhou. After all, it is your brother's death that brought you wealth and glory, so you should enjoy it well."

"puff!"

Jiang Shiwan's blood rushed up and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Lin Nianyi pushed the door open and walked out. The refreshing breeze released her long-suppressed mood.

"Madame... madam..."

Yu Feng outside rushed in with Meng Tingzhou.

Meng Tingzhou picked up Jiang Shiwan and then looked at Lin Nianyi's departing back with a cold and terrifying expression.

(End of this chapter)