The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go
Chapter 60 - 59: I Just Fear the Noble Lady May Have Difficulty Bearing Offspring in the Future

Chapter 60: Chapter 59: I Just Fear the Noble Lady May Have Difficulty Bearing Offspring in the Future

Lu Jiazhe spoke nervously, "Imperial Grandmother, is it because Sister Shen’s calligraphy isn’t good? Sister Shen is grieving deeply, so it’s understandable if her writing is subpar at the moment—"

"No." Empress Dowager Li interrupted him. "Her writing is exceptional."

Hearing this, Lu Jiazhe instinctively leaned closer to take a look, only to find himself stunned.

On the paper, Buddhist scriptures written in golden ink displayed strokes of iron-bound silver hooks, each line etched as if into the wood. Every stroke carried compassion yet was laced with brutality, a style that was half-Buddha, half-demon. Such a technique had never been seen before in the world. It exuded a sense of perplexity yet seemed to have unraveled all mysteries; it embodied decisive killing intent while also reflecting deep compassion. The shifting, intricate brushwork appeared to hold boundless marvels!

It didn’t seem like something a young woman like Shen Yinning could create!

For the first time, Empress Dowager Li regarded Shen Yinning seriously. "This exquisite calligraphy of yours—what is its origin?"

Shen Yinning spoke eloquently, "’Flowers bloom with dual faces; life dwells between Buddha and demon.’ Over the past few years, I have experienced immense highs and lows in life. During the three years of exile in Gan State, I not only reflected on my own faults but also recited scriptures and worshipped Buddha in my spare time, hoping to atone for the crimes my father and brothers committed. ’The Dharma does not arise in isolation; it depends on context to exist. The Dao does not act in vain; it responds when conditions align.’ I believe that living is a form of cultivation, and so is death; splendor is cultivation, and so is desolation. Through this cultivation, I naturally found enlightenment, which manifested in this style of calligraphy."

"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" Empress Dowager Li repeated the word "wonderful" thrice. Her well-preserved face radiated compassion and benevolence. "To have such profound insights shows that your heart was tempered during those three years of exile; perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. I adore this calligraphy of yours. Have this volume of scriptures displayed in the hall, and copy a few more volumes for me. I want to gift them to my closest friends in the Capital."

Shen Yinning immediately prostrated herself. "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your favor!"

She was well aware of what it meant when Empress Dowager Li distributed her handwritten scriptures to others.

It signified that Empress Dowager Li admired her, intended to elevate her status, and sought to introduce her to the social circles of the Capital, signaling that her identity was no longer just that of a criminal’s daughter or a minor official’s wife—she had now been personally acknowledged as a master calligrapher by the Empress Dowager.

Upon leaving the Zen room, Lu Jiazhe sincerely congratulated her, "I never imagined that Sister Shen could win Grandmother’s admiration with just her calligraphy! With Grandmother’s protection, Cousin will no longer be able to bully you as he did before!"

Shen Yinning smiled faintly.

Empress Dowager Li’s favor was, of course, not merely for her calligraphy.

The calligraphy was one aspect; the Empress Dowager also needed a pawn.

The current Emperor was not her own son, and she wasn’t close to her grandson, Lu Ying, either.

To her knowledge, none of the concubines in the Eastern Palace were allied with the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager needed a piece near Lu Ying to support the Li Family in the future.

Compared to the Shen Family-backed but foolish Shen Yunxi, she, who came from a disgraced family with no support, was an undoubtedly better choice.

Thus, her exchange with the Empress Dowager was nothing more than mutual advantage-seeking.

Ten days later, the Buddhist scriptures handwritten by Shen Yinning were sent by the Empress Dowager to the residences of prominent nobility and gifted to their revered elders. Because the calligraphy was so uniquely intricate, mysterious, and majestic, it sparked a massive sensation across the Capital.

However, the scriptures bore no signature or seal. People inquired among one another, and all they discovered was that the calligraphy belonged to someone called Shen Furen (Lady Shen).

As for who this Lady Shen was, no one knew.

Many noble families desired to obtain a handwritten scripture from Lady Shen, but no avenue to find her presented itself.

The Eastern Palace.

Shen Yunxi, feeling unwell and with her forehead wrapped in a cloth, lay ill in bed. "So according to you, this Lady Shen seems to be quite notable?"

The visiting Lu Qianqian replied, "Indeed! Her calligraphy is so intricate and profound, imbued with Buddhist essence, that many in the Capital are vying to obtain her work. Even the Great Scholars, filled with poetic and scholarly knowledge, have praised her handwriting. Nowadays, everyone is trying to discover her identity and hoping for a handwritten scripture, but her calligraphy is not available in the market. Even if someone offered a thousand taels of gold, they wouldn’t be able to procure it!"

"Such a remarkable figure!"

Shen Yunxi marveled, her almond-shaped eyes lighting up with a spark of interest.

As the Crown Princess Consort, she considered herself the most exalted woman in the world. Only the finest things were worthy of her status.

With her father’s 40th birthday just two months away, she pondered. Her father was a devout Buddhist. If she invited Lady Shen to personally inscribe a congratulatory message for his birthday banquet, wouldn’t that please her father immensely and simultaneously highlight the prominence of the Shen Family?

With this in mind, Shen Yunxi declared with pride, "Regardless of who she is, she is a subject of Great Zhou. Qianqian, we are members of the Imperial Family. Our noble status carries weight. If we seek her calligraphy, it would be her honor, and she should be grateful."

"Exactly," Lu Qianqian agreed wholeheartedly. "Sister-in-law, you’re the Crown Princess Consort, and I am the Third Princess. Asking her to write for us is a great favor. How dare she refuse?"

Shen Yunxi decided to invite Lady Shen to the celebratory banquet and immediately sent palace attendants to inquire about Lady Shen’s residence.

As the attendants departed, Imperial Physician Chen arrived to check Shen Yunxi’s pulse.

Shen Yunxi lounged lazily. "Perhaps it’s the autumn lethargy, but I’ve been feeling unusually fatigued lately. Please take a look."

After a thorough diagnosis, Imperial Physician Chen’s expression shifted multiple times.

"What’s with that look?" Lu Qianqian frowned. "Is something wrong with Sister-in-law?!"

"No, no..." Imperial Physician Chen hurriedly bowed. "Your Highness is in excellent health. It’s simply due to restless nights that you’re feeling tired. A prescription of Calming Soup should suffice."

After prescribing the Calming Soup, Imperial Physician Chen didn’t leave the Eastern Palace immediately but instead took his medicine box to meet Lu Ying.

Dismissing the attendants, he knelt on the floor. "Your Highness, over the past month, Her Highness the Crown Princess’s health has drastically declined, with excessive yin cold accumulating in her body. I fear... she may no longer be able to conceive."

The study fell silent, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Outside the window, the pomegranate tree bore an abundance of fruit, its branches weighed down heavily.

Lu Ying toyed with the Moyu Ring on his finger, his expression calm and unflinching. "Have you determined the cause?"

"This..." Imperial Physician Chen hesitated, pondering. "A detailed investigation is still required."

"Do not let this leak," Lu Ying said, waving his hand to dismiss him.

The dappled shadows cast by the pomegranate tree fell on Lu Ying’s face and embroidered robe.

The Crown Princess’s infertility was a significant matter concerning the stability of the empire.

This meant that unless he divorced her or adopted a concubine’s child under Shen Yunxi’s name, he could no longer have a legitimate heir.

To silently and discreetly render Shen Yunxi infertile...

Lu Ying raised his thin eyelids, and a shadow of a figure flickered in his dark eyes.

Shen Yinning.

Could it be her doing?

Within two days, the Xuanyin Guards uncovered the truth behind Shen Yunxi’s infertility.

Lu Ying stared at the black sachet and the remnant of its powder laid out on the table. A flicker of emotion finally disrupted the jade-like elegance and frosty reserve of his face.

"Shen Yinning..."

He pronounced her name word by word, his entire face concealed within the pomegranate tree’s looming shadows.