Conan's physique? The Crown Princess is involved in a murder case again

Xu Xingyin raised his eyebrows and asked again.

"So, besides my father, no one else has seen Concubine Yan's appearance?"

Concubine Lian shook her head. "I don't know about that, but His Majesty once said that Concubine Yan is really good-looking."

What this means is that Emperor Yanning is indeed very fond of Concubine Yan, and no wonder Empress Lu had to save some face for Concubine Yan even though she had a sullen look on her face.

Xu Xingyin nodded thoughtfully and said no more.

Concubine Lian pinched a piece of cake and nodded with a smile, "Concubine Yan has a pair of skillful hands. This cake looks really delicious."

The pastry sent by Concubine Yan has a crystal clear texture with a faint purple color inside, as gentle as the sunset in early summer.

Moreover, each piece of pastry has a different shape, some are like blooming flowers, and some are like dancing butterflies, which shows that a lot of thought has been put into it.

A thin layer of osmanthus flowers is sprinkled on top of the pastry, adding a touch of freshness and elegance.

When you take a bite, the soft and glutinous texture is filled with the unique sweetness of mulberries and a faint scent of osmanthus.

It is sweet but not greasy, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

Xu Xingyin also picked up a piece of cake and tasted it, a faint smile appeared on his lips, which seemed to indicate that he agreed with what Concubine Lian said.

However, in the harem, Concubine Lian is one of the few who is so lazy and unwilling to engage in intrigue.

Concubine Yan is now in the emperor's favor, and there are many people in the harem who dislike her. Even if Concubine Yan's pastries are made with beautiful patterns, there will still be people who dislike them.

Look, Concubine Yun took a bite of the pastry and snorted sarcastically.

"It's really something that can't be put on the table. It's so sweet that it's sickening. It's really just for show!"

Concubine Lian was used to Concubine Yun's sarcastic behavior, so she curled her lips in indifference. She was too lazy to bother with these people.

Xu Xingyin raised his eyes and smiled playfully.

Look, isn’t the drama in this imperial city more interesting than that on the stage?

However, what Concubine Yun said was indeed a bit harsh. Empress Lu also frowned slightly. Just as she was about to say something to ease the awkward atmosphere, she heard the voice of a palace maid coming from outside the palace.

"Your Majesty, Madam Sha Yang comes to pay her respects."

Empress Lu smiled slightly, then she remembered that today was the day for ladies from outside the imperial court to pay their respects to the palace, so she spoke happily.

"Invite her in."

Not to mention anything else, Xiao Lu would be happy to see Yang Mingxue causing trouble for Xu Xingyin.

After saying this, Yang Mingxue walked in slowly and bowed politely.

"Your Majesty, I greet Her Majesty the Queen, Her Majesty the Lotus Consort, Her Majesty the Crown Princess, and all the other concubines. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health."

Empress Lu smiled faintly and said gently, "Madam Sha, there is no need to be so polite. Please stand up."

As soon as Yang Mingxue entered, everyone's eyes fell on Xu Xingyin with ill intent.

Fortunately, Xu Xingyin was still able to control the situation. She looked happy and there was nothing wrong with her. She was the dignified and elegant Crown Princess.

The concubines who were watching the fun around were extremely bored.

However, Yang Mingxue's eyes fell on Xu Xingyin's face unwillingly, and after a pause, they slowly moved away.

She lowered her head slightly to hide the resentment in her eyes, then respectfully presented the gift box in her hand.

"I just happened to talk about Longjing with the Queen last time. Today, I just happened to get some of the best Longjing tea, so I brought it to the Queen."

"Mrs. Sha is truly a reliable person, one in a hundred. It's no wonder that the prince is like this..."

Xiao Lu asked someone to take the gift box, smiled slightly and said this, then he covered his mouth hypocritically.

All eyes turned to Xu Xingyin. After all...

Everyone in the capital knew that Jing Zhichen was in love with Yang Mingxue but refused to marry.

Xu Xingyin smiled magnanimously and spoke.

"Yes, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince often praises Madam Sha for her steadiness, and so does Mr. Sha. They are a perfect match made in heaven."

Xu Xingyin defuses the awkward situation with ease. Xiao Lu just smiles and doesn't want to be boring, so he changes the subject.

"By the way, I heard that Madam Sha is also an expert in tea ceremony. I can't hide this delicious tea today, can I? How about asking Madam Sha to make some tea for us so that we can taste it together?"

Yang Mingxue naturally had no choice but to nod and said, "Yes, Queen."

After Yang Mingxue responded, he walked to the tea table under everyone's gaze, took out the tea, ground it, and brewed it.

The technique was skillful and elegant, and a faint fragrance filled the entire palace.

Xiao Lu looked at Yang Mingxue's every move with satisfaction, then turned to Xu Xingyin and said with a smile.

"I remember that the Crown Princess is also a tea lover. Today, the Crown Princess must taste it carefully to see if Madam Sha's craftsmanship suits your taste."

After Xiao Lu finished speaking, without waiting for Xu Xingyin to respond, Yang Mingxue walked up to Xu Xingyin holding one of the cups of tea, bowed her head slightly and said respectfully.

"My Lady Crown Princess, please have some tea."

Xu Xingyin looked at her and sneered in his heart, but did not respond.

"Unfortunately, I have been feeling unwell recently, and Mr. Huaigu has told me not to drink tea. I am afraid that I will disappoint the Queen and Madam Sha."

Xu Xingyin responded cleverly, and no one could find fault with her.

Yang Mingxue still managed to keep a straight face, but Xiao Lu, who was rejected for the second time today, didn't look very happy. However, he couldn't get angry in front of her, so he kept a gloomy face and tried to save face.

"In that case, didn't Concubine Yun choke on the cake just now? Then Concubine Yun should taste it first."

Concubine Yun had always been on the same page with Empress Lu, so she naturally would not refute her opinion. She quickly took the tea, took a sip and started praising her.

"Mrs. Sha's craftsmanship is truly amazing. I have been drinking tea for so many years, but I have never tasted such good tea."

Mrs. Sha smiled slightly and bowed politely.

"Your Highness, you are too kind. I just made a pot of tea. How can I deserve such praise from you?"

After hearing this, Xiao Lu felt much better. Then he looked at Xu Xingyin, and although he still had a smile on his face, his expression had become a little colder.

"How come the Crown Princess is so young, and she needs to see the imperial physician every now and then? You and the Crown Prince have been married for quite some time, and you should think about how to give our royal family a long line of heirs. Even if the Crown Princess is not feeling well, the matter of having an heir cannot be delayed. If that is not possible, it would be a good idea to find some concubines for the Crown Prince as soon as possible."

Xu Xingyin listened to Xiao Lu's obviously innuendo-filled words without changing his expression, but he already had a plan in mind.

Is Empress Lu planning to send someone to the Eastern Palace?

Thinking of this, Xu Xingyin raised his head, met Xiao Lu's inquiring gaze, and smiled neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Your Highness and I have been married for a short time, so there is no rush to consider a concubine. After all, continuing the family line is a big deal, and we cannot bring in a woman of unknown background to do something shameful, which would bring shame to the royal family. Moreover, the royal bloodline cannot be mixed. If we act rashly, wouldn't we be ashamed of our ancestors?"

Xu Xingyin's words were a hint that Empress Lu had "climbed onto the emperor's bed" to get to where she is today.