Jiang Ning knew right away that it wasnât Li Hongyuan who sent Li Quan to deliver the clothes.
In fact, Li Hongyuan hadnât even noticed that she had come out without her clothes on.
After putting on the cloak and feeling its warm embrace, Jiang Ning smiled at Li Quan, âThank you, Eunuch Li, for coming out in such cold weather.â
Li Quan hurriedly replied, âYour Highness, how can I not be willing to serve my masters?â
âEunuch Li, please go back.â
Jiang Ning held Xiachuâs hand and stepped on the snow to leave.
The snowflakes were big and soon their shoulders were covered with snow.
Dongxie was somewhat worried, âMaster, should I have someone bring over a palanquin? Iâm afraid youâll catch a cold in this heavy snow.â
âCanât I even walk a few steps? If I donât move around, Iâll become useless.â
Jiang Ning didnât care much.
She liked snow and the feeling of walking in the snowy night.
The tranquil silence brought her peace of mind.
Xiachu whispered, âThe Crown Prince is too cold towards you, Master.â
âThe Crown Prince is inherently cold-natured,â Dongxie said, âIsnât he even more indifferent towards Concubine Li and Jin Liangyuan?â
âHow can they compare with our Master?â
âIndeed, they cannot. But have you forgotten? Before our Master entered Prince of Yuâs Mansion, Concubine Li had been by the Crown Princeâs side, and was said to be his favorite concubine. But as Iâve seen over the years, she is nothing special.â
âThatâs true,â Xiachu nodded, âThe Crown Prince has always been like this. Master, donât be too sad.â
Jiang Ning walked with a light step, smiling, âHeâs been quite good to me. I wonât be sad. Itâs not that serious.â
Her earlier pretentiousness of course had been an act.
Huang Yingâs words were a reminder to her.
No matter what, she still had to maintain a good relationship with Li Hongyuan and couldnât simply oppose him or create conflict.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
After all, he was the Crown Prince, and if he was unhappy, what would she do if he deposed her as the Princess Consort?
Whatâs more, if he had a few more sons with other women, it wouldnât be a problem, but Wenzan would have to fight and compete, right?
The struggle for succession had always been bloody throughout history.
It was too dangerous.
To eliminate this danger in the cradle, she had to prevent the birth of Li Hongyuanâs other sons.
How could she do that?
Jiang Ning thought of the usual tactics in palace dramas â drugging to induce miscarriages or plotting against the children.
But none of those would work.
Jiang Ning was relatively ruthless towards her enemies, but she couldnât bring herself to harm a child.
This was the moral bottom line she set for herself.
If she couldnât harm pregnant women and children, then she could only prevent others from getting pregnant.
How could she prevent others from getting pregnant?
Of course, by not sleeping with them.
But that wouldnât be realistic either.
As a Prince in a feudal society, the future Emperor who would maintain chastity for one woman was a pipe dream.
According to the Imperial Physician, it was because of physical reasons that Concubine Li had been unable to conceive for many years.
As for the newly arrived Jin Liangyuan, she was a foreigner, and according to Li Hongyuan, although he would sleep with her, he wouldnât leave her with an heir.
For now, there was nothing to worry about.
But in a few days, the selection would take place, and new people would come to the East Palace.
These newcomers, one after another, all hoped to win the favor of the Emperor or Crown Prince and plant the royal seed in their wombs.
The thought was rather amusing.
As Jiang Ning pondered this, she sighed.